and at the theatre, by the envy of her own. mean mind, and her difappointment from Melpomene's refufal to admit her as a favourite; fhe took dudgeon, and set off for Dublin; where her beauty alone would infure her fuccefs.

G. A. B.

A

LETTER XXXIX.

Aug. 31, 17-.

T the approach of my benefit, I received a card from Mifs Conway, defiring me to attend at Leicester-houfe the next day, as their Royal Highneffes the Prince and Princefs of Wales intended me the honour of a

command upon my night. So flattering a diftinction, you may be affured, was highly pleafing to me; and I was happy in obeying the mandate.

Whilft I was there, I was witness to a mark of the moft diftinguished innate good breeding I ever faw. Her Grace the Duchefs of Chandos had been lately introduced at court. This lady was beautiful to a degree; but as the Duke had elevated her from the lowest obscurity to his bed and title, no great expectations were to be formed of her politeness or accomplishments. But natural endowments fometimes atone for the want of thefe; of which this inftance is a proof. The

fun

fun happened to fhine full upon her Royal Highnefs, and appeared to be rather troublefome. Upon which, the Duchefs, with a grace which would have done honour to a lady born and bred in a court, croffed the drawing-room, with the greatest ease let down the lattice, and returned to her place.-The confiderateness of the thought, and the elegance of her Grace's manner as fhe carried it into execution, made an impreffion at the time on my mind, and established in it a favourable opinion of her deportment ever after.

The play chofe by their Royal Highneffes, was "The Siege of Damafcus ;" in which Mr. Quin was uncommonly capital in the character of Caled. So much fo, indeed, was he, that he seemed actually to enjoy his propher's paradife whilft on earth. Unfortunately for myfelf, as well as the public, his Royal Highness was taken ill before the night of my benefit arrived, and in a few days expired. The theatre of courfe was fhut up for fome time, and the benefits protracted. This occafioned the houfe to continue open longer than usual.

Mr. Metham's love of play grew more violent every day; and my being fo much at the theatre, gave him the more frequent oppor tunities to indulge this propenfity, as it prevented him from ftaying at home. At the conclufion of the feafon, I retired to a small E-4 house

house at Knightsbridge, and he went into Yorkshire, where my mother had continued with my little George. The Honourable Mr. Brudenell, who was an intimate friend of Mr. Metham's, was kind enough to fupply me with what money I had occafion for during his abfence. This was not a very large fum, as I faw but little company, having no acquaintances in town.

But Mr. Metham having met with more fuccefs at play, during his excurfion into the country, than he expected, he came to town fooner than he intended, and took a large house in King-street, St. James's. He then fet up an equipage, and lived in a stile, that twice his fortune was not adequate to. Our house foon became the refort of all the young people of fashion in town; and as Mrs. Dives's family vifited me, the ladies with. whom I had been acquainted before my connection with Mr. Metham, made no objection to renew their vifits.

At this period, the famous contested election between Lord Trentham and Sir George Vandeput was carried on with the greatest party zeal ever known. And a company of French players having come over to exhibit at the little theatre in the Hay-market, his Lordship's patronizing them raised a popular clamour against him; and it was made a motive for keeping up the oppofition longer than it otherwife would have been. I, as

well

well as most of my acquaintance, was as anxious for the fuccefs of his Lordship, as if the fate of the nation depended upon it. I fent a fervant every half hour to the huftings, to enquire how the poll went on; to which an anfwer was returned me by Captain Shaftoe, or fome of the gentlemen on the fame fide of the queftion. I gave public breakfafts on the occafion. And though, to the beft of my knowledge, I had never feen his Lordship, yet I was as warmly interested for him, as if I had been honoured with his friendship.

I muft here ftop a minute or two, as I ufually do when any incident excites reflections in my mind, juft to make a few remarks on the party zeal I have been giving an accout of.-During a contefted election, how many are there whofe principles are built upon no wifer a foundation than my own; merely upon accident!-Biaffed by interested friends, influenced by popular clamour, or perhaps excited by lefs fubftantial reasons, people rush headlong into the conteft; and then farewel to reafon and moderation. Prejudices are now entertained; intimacies diffolved; and the dearest friends, if they happen to differ in fentiment, know one another no longer. The colour of a ribbon can give birth to the most uncharitable ideas. The wearer of it, though a perfect ftranger, is fuppofed to poffefs every bad quality, and E 5 defery

deferving of Bridewell, if not of the flames. -Drunkennefs, riot, noife, confufion, maims, wounds, and murder, are too often the confequences of thefe party feuds.-And all for what? The choice of a perfon for a reprefentative, who, perhaps, the moment his élection is gained, does not care a straw for you or your whole generation; and who, as foon as he enters the doors of St. Stephen's. Chapel, deferts the very cause you had been fo zealous to fupport.-Zeal, tempered by moderation, is undoubtedly allowable on thefe occafions; but when carried to extremes, is deferving of cenfure-The foregoing obfervations, I own, do not well become the pen of a woman; but as my own conduct has given rife to them, and truth cannot come amifs from any pen, I will e'en Hazard them.

During the election, the following ludierous event happened, which I doubt not, will. afford you the fame entertainment it did me. Mr. St. Leger, the gentleman I mentioned in a former letter, who behaved with fuch impropriety to me at the theatre,. being just returned from his travels, came to pay me a morning vifit. With a good understanding, a fine figure, and a hand-fome face, he had in his manner a good deal. of the coxcomb, which had received no little addition form his having made the grand

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