34 A Century of Family Letters [CHAP, in 



have eat out his agreeable ones. After we had walked till 

 we were tired, which was not long, we got into a room near 

 the garden gates to watch for the drawing up of the 

 carriage, and there we had to wait till six in the morning, 

 when we had almost the whole time Lord Hertford's 1 com- 

 pany, who looked tired like any dog. He heard Kitty 

 abuse this party to her heart's content. She was very 

 clamorous for something to eat. It was w r onderful how 

 good her spirits continued throughout the whole of it; the 

 most agreeable part of the time was when we got into the 

 carriage and drove home without obstruction. When 

 there, found Mackintosh in bed, and that we had gone to 

 Vauxhall a quarter too soon, or a great many quarters too 

 late, for Mackintosh and Mr Rogers, with whom M. had 

 that day dined, came here at ten for us, and they in their 

 hack made their way so well that they got to the gardens 

 in less than an hour, and were home here again by two, 

 after seeing and knowing all the best company. This was 

 too provoking a miss for us. Since, we have only been at 

 jtlr Boddington's party, which was thought by everyone a 

 remarkably agreeable one; I found it much too short, for 



I had hardly time to look about me before I was taken 

 away; for M.'s sleeping at Holland House obliged Kitty 

 to leave sooner, for the purpose of setting him down first. 

 Both Fanny and I were that night introduced to Madame 

 de Stae'l, but that night I wanted courage to get near 

 enough to hear her, the room was too light. M. and Kitty 

 were delighted with their dinner party. It chiefly consisted 

 of Sir Samuel 2 and Lady Romilly, Tierney 3 and Ward, and 



1 The Marquis of Hertford was uncle of Mrs Allen of Cresselly. 

 He is generally believed to have been the original of Thackeray's 



II Marquis of Steyne," as also of Disraeli's " Lord Moninouth." The 

 collection of pictures and works of art in Manchester Square, be- 

 queathed to the nation by the widow of his son, Sir Kichard Wallace, 

 was formed by him. 



2 He is now best remembered as the man whose persistent efforts 

 brought about a mitigation of the then terribly severe criminal law, 

 under which some two hundred different offences were punishable by 

 death. The Miss Romilly who married Baugh Allen in 1820 was his 

 niece. 



3 Noted Whig politician (b. 1761, d. 1830). 



