Tene arrodere tam sacros labores
Nec factum mihi denega. Ecce furti
Tui exempla, tuæ et voracitatis.
CHAPTER LVIII.
Walk in, Ladies and Gentlemen, and you shall see what you shall see. The next female whom you are to contemplate, sits under that large and spreading canopy, made, by the way, out of some old bed-furniture; she is the celebrated authoress of—all manner of things—Translations from the German, Novels, Sermons, Divinity Tracts, Original Novels, founded on domestic facts, and what not besides. But to render this lady the amplest justice, we insert the whole of her history, as recorded by the Sexagenarian.
Come then the colours and the ground prepare.
What is here related concerning this very distinguished Lady, must of course be authentic, for no other reference is necessary than to her own memorials of herself: these will generally be confirmed by that personal knowledge, which circumstances enabled the writer to possess. She has indeed exhibited the portraits of her family, her relatives, her friends, and herself, rather in uncouth lineaments, and in a somewhat high style of caricature. This is entirely her own concern, as it also is to settle the account with her filial piety, for representing parental infirmities in colours too vivid to be overlooked, and too characteristic to be misapplied.
But lest we should be mistaken, the reader is entreated, on the very threshold, to be assured that our friend’s general opinion of this Lady, is very favourable. She possesses considerable talents; she has cultivated and improved them by severe study and rigorous discipline. Her knowledge of languages is very considerable, or once was so, for we must be understood as speaking of days that are past. She is, or was, familiarly conversant with German, French, Italian, and other modern languages, and far from ignorant either of Greek or Latin. Indeed, when we knew her, she was able to read, and did read, the most popular of the Latin classics, with considerable facility. With respect to her other qualities of mind, we know her to be kind-hearted, benevolent, and hospitable; always ready to listen to, and relieve distress; very anxious and zealous, without any tinge of fanaticism, on the subjects of religion and morals.
Now, reader, with whatever reluctance it may be done, it is time to balance the account per contra.