144 Mary Somerville. 



general conversation, from the shyness which has 

 haunted me through life, and starts up occasionally 

 like a ghost in my old age. At a play I was not 

 called upon to make any exertion, but could enjoy 

 at my ease an intellectual pleasure for the most part 

 far superior to the general run of conversation. 



Among many others, we were intimate with 

 Dr. and Mrs. Baillie and his sisters. Joanna^ was 

 my dear and valued friend to the end of her life. 

 "When her tragedy of "Montfort" was to be brought 

 on the stage, Somerville and I, with a large party of 

 her relations and friends, went with her to the theatre. 

 The play was admirably acted, for Mrs. Sid dons and 

 her brother John Kemble performed the principal 

 parts. It was warmly applauded by a full house, 

 but it was never acted again. Some time afterwards 

 "The Family Legend," founded on a Highland 

 story, had better success in Edinburgh ; but Miss 

 Baillie's plays, though highly poetical, are not suited 

 to the stage. Miss Mitford was more successful, 

 for some of her plays were repeatedly acted. She 

 excelled also as a writer. " Our Village " is perfect of 

 its kind ; nothing can be more animated than her 

 description of a game of cricket. I met with Miss 

 Austin's novels at this time, and thought them ex- 

 cellent, especially " Pride and Prejudice." It cer- 



