28 A Century of Family Letters ("CHAP. 11 



least in the world; they were like two children saying the 

 thing in earnest, and Elliston, dear delightful EUiston, never 

 in my life did I see anything so sweet and pretty as his way 

 of acting with them. The mixture of tenderness and fun in 

 his manner to them was bewitching. I wish you had seen 

 one of the dear little things telling him not to be frightened 

 when he turned round suddenly and saw him, and Elliston's 

 eweet comical look in return. But charming as this was 

 (and how superb it must appear in description ! ) it was 

 nothing to a scene afterwards where he divided a cake 

 between the two little things who were starving. What 

 an idiot you must think me ! I don't care, I did enjoy it 

 beyond measure : I was so delighted that I was obliged to 

 make little Sally 1 my confidante when I got home, there 

 being nobody else at hand. It is well for you you were 

 not there, you would have been well tired of my raptures.' 2 

 Jos and Bessy and Kitty [Wedgwood] went to a fete 

 at Crewe Hall on Saturday morning. The chief amuse- 

 ments were to have been out of doors, but owing to the 

 badness of the day they could not go out, and had not 

 much to do within. There were about a hundred people 

 there, and five rooms open; they had a luncheon at three 

 o'clock, coffee and ices afterwards and a dance, some very 

 nice singing too by Miss Crewe and some other ladies. 

 Lady Crewe was so much distressed by the badness of 

 the day that she was not like herself, but very civil and 

 attentive. Miss Crewe they all thought charming. They 

 knew a good many people there, and did not feel at all 

 like lost sheep. They came away at six o'clock. Jos 

 danced away the ladies did not but Kitty was engaged 

 to dance with Mr Ricketts when they came away. I would 

 not have gone for the world, as society by daylight is my 

 aversion. , 



1 Her niece, Sarah Elizabeth, John Wedgwood's eldest child, later 

 called Eliza. 



2 They are justified to us by the two Essays of Charles Lamb: 

 "To the Shade of Elliston," beginning " Joyousest of once embodied 

 spirits," and " Eilistoniana." Leigh Hunt called him "the beet 

 lover on the stage.'' 



