272 'OLD q' 



am sure is so. I have not seen the Duke of Argyll ; he 

 has been out of town with his aunt, Lady Mary ; but his 

 brother and I are great as two inkle-weavers. He has 

 made me a visit.^ I assure you my child is very sleepy, 

 or she would answer Miss Hobart's letter to-night. She 

 desires her service. She is improved, and danced mighty 

 well. I was pleased much altogether : she was a very 

 genteel pretty figure. I hope Master Hobart is quite 

 recovered. Pray, with my best respects to Mrs. Carteret, 

 tell her it is a terrible thing that my words have no 

 weight. You say nothing of Mrs. Meadows ; has she run 

 away with her brother and Lady Fanny 1 She puts me in 

 mind of some play, where the lady cannot bear the thoughts 

 of being married, unless the man steals her out of window. 

 The girl was in her own disposal to all intents and 

 purposes. The Duchess of Leeds is an unhandsome beauty, 

 and rather disagreeable than otherwise. My Lord Port- 

 more is like Lord Essex and Lord Henry, which is saying 

 all that man can deserve ; yet one word more. He is 

 about building a house ; they proposed to him a very fine 

 situation, where he might have a very fine view of the sea ; 

 but the fine gentleman cried out, ' Christ ! the sea looks 

 so fierce it frights one.' 



I write just on the style that Lady Dysart talks — very 

 incoherent stuff; but remember I have your licence, that 

 I believe you love me, and that I had no patience to stay 

 till the next post, though I have not time to write so as to 

 be read. If you can to the end you will rejoice with me, 

 that the sun has shone to-day — that I am in hopes it will 

 on Monday, that I may ride out ; for on Sundays no such 



^ The Hon. Jane Leveson Gower, third daughter of the Duche.ss'a 

 first cousin, Lord Gower. 



