160 Mary Somerville. 



should have made a collection exclusively of them as 

 was often done at one time in England. Lord Graii- 

 ville was British Minister at the Hague, and dining 



at the Embassy one day we met with a Mrs. , 



who, on hearing one of tlje attache's addressed as Mr. 

 Abercromby,* said, " Pray, Lord Granville, is that a 

 son of the great captain whom the Lord slew in the 

 land of Egypt?" 



I never met with Madame de Stael, but heard a 

 great deal about her during this journey from Sir 

 James Mackintosh, who was very intimate with her. 

 At that time the men sat longer at table after 

 dinner than they do now ; arid on one occasion, 

 at a dinner party at Sir James's house, when Lady 

 Mackintosh and the ladies returned to the drawing- 

 room, Madame de Stael, who was exceedingly im- 

 patient of women's society, would not deign to 

 enter into conversation with any of the ladies, but 

 walked about the room ; then suddenly ringing 

 the bell, she said, " Ceci est insupportable I " and 

 when the servant appeared, she said : " Tell your 

 master to come upstairs directly; they have sat 

 long enough at their wine." 



* Afterwards Sir Ralph Abercromby, later Lord Dunfermline, minister 

 first at Florence, then at Turin. 



