rench horn, another, who seemed very near blind, on the
bassoon, and two on the fiddle. My cousin had no share in the
performance except singing agreeably, wherein she was joined by some of
the ladies, and where the music could bear it, by ten of the young
girls, with two or three others whom we had not seen, and whose voices
and manner were equally pleasing. They performed several of the finest
pieces of the Messiah and Judas Maccabeus, with exquisite taste, and the
most exact time. There was a sufficient number of performers to give the
choruses all their pomp and fullness, and the songs were sung in a
manner so touching and pathetic, as could be equalled by none whose
hearts were not as much affected by the words as their senses were by
the music. The sight of so many little innocents joining in the most
sublime harmony made me almost think myself already amongst the heavenly
choir, and it was a great mortification to me to be brought back to this
sensual world by so gross an attraction as a call to supper, which put
an end to our concert, and carried us to another room, where we found a
repast more elegant than expensive.

The evening certainly is the most social part of the day, without any of
those excesses which so often turn it into senseless revelry. The
conversation after supper was particularly animated, and left us still
more charmed with the society into which chance had introduced us; the
sprightliness of their wit, the justness of their reflections, the
dignity which accompanied their vivacity, plainly evinced with how much
greater strength the mind can exert itself in a regular and rational way
of life, than in a course of dissipation. At this house every change
came too soon, time seemed to wear a double portion of wings, eleven
o'clock struck, and the ladies ordered a servant to shew us our rooms,
themselves retiring to theirs.

It was impossible for Lamont and I to part till we had spent an hour in
talking over this amiable family, with whom he could not help being much
delighted, though he observed they were very deficient in the bon ton,
there was too much solidity in all they said, they would trifle with
trifles indeed, but had not the art of treating more weighty subjects
with the same lightness, which gave them an air of rusticity; and he did
not doubt, but on a more intimate acquaintance we should find their
manners much rusticated, and their heads filled with antiquated notions,
by having live