“We have one thing, however, Mr. Pacchierotti,” he answered, “which I hope you allow makes some amends, and that is our verdure; in Italy you cannot boast that.”
“But it seem to me, sir, to be of no utility so much evergreen is rather too much for my humble opinion.”
“And then your insects, Mr. Pacchierotti! those alone are a most dreadful drawback upon the comfort of your fine climate.”
“I must own,” said Pacchierotti, “Italy is rather disagreeable for the insects; but is it not better, sir, than an atmosphere so bad as they cannot live in it?”
“Why, as I can't defend our atmosphere, I must shift my ground, and talk to you of our fires, which draw together society.”
“O indeed, good sir, your societies are not very invigorating! Twenty people of your gentlemen and ladies to sit about a fire, and not to pronounce one word, is very dull!”
We laughed heartily at this retort courteous.
RAPTURES OF THE “OLD WITS” OVER “CECILIA.”
[Mary Delany was the daughter of Bernard Granville, younger
brother of George Granville, Baron Lansdowne, the poet and
friend of Wycherley and Pope. She was born on the 14th Of
May, 1700. Her uncle, Lord Lansdowne, was a better friend to
the Muses than to his young niece, for he forced poor Mary
Granville, at the age of seventeen, to marry one Alexander
Pendarves, a coarse, hard drinking Cornish squire, of more
than three times her age. Pendarves died some six years
later, and his widow married, in 1743, Dr. Patrick Delany,
the friend of Swift. With Delany she lived happily for
fifteen years, and after his death in 1768, Mrs. Delany
devoted most of her time to her bosom friend, the dowager
Duchess of Portland (see note 161, ante.), at whose
seat at Bulstrode she usually spent the summer, while during
the winter she resided at her own house in St. James's-
place, where she was constantly visited by the Duchess. On
the death of the Duchess in July, 1785, King George bestowed
upon Mrs. Delany, whose means were not such as to make an
addition to them a matter of indifference, a furnished house
at Windsor and a pension Of 300 pounds a year. These she
enjoyed for less than three years, dying on the 15th of
April, 1788.
The strong attachment which grew up between her and Fanny
renders Mrs. Delany a very interesting figure in the
“Diary.” Nor was Fanny's enthusiasm for her aged friend
misdirected. Speaking of Mrs. Delany, Edmund Burke said:
“She was a perfect pattern of a perfect fine lady: a real
fine lady of other days. Her manners were faultless; her
deportment was of marked elegance; her speech was all
sweetness; and her air and address were all dignity. I have
always looked up to Mrs. Delany, as the model of an
accomplished gentlewoman of former times."[174]—ED.]