ll put in the coquelicot
one as being smarter, and besides, coquelicot is
to be all the fashion this winter. After the ball
I shall probably make it entirely black.

I am sorry that our dear Charles begins to feel
the dignity of ill-usage. My father will write to
Admiral Gambier.[89] He must have already received
so much satisfaction from his acquaintance and
patronage of Frank, that he will be delighted, I
dare say, to have another of the family introduced
to him.

* * * * *

I am very much obliged to my dear little George
for his message--for his _love_ at least; his
_duty_, I suppose, was only in consequence of some
hint of my favourable intentions towards him from
his father or mother. I am sincerely rejoiced,
however, that I ever was born, since it has been
the means of procuring him a dish of tea.[90] Give
my best love to him.

I have received a very civil note from Mrs.
Martin, requesting my name as a subscriber to her
library, which opens January 14, and my name, or
rather yours, is accordingly given. My mother
finds the money. Mary subscribes too, which I am
glad of, but hardly expected. As an inducement to
subscribe, Mrs. Martin tells me that her
collection is not to consist only of novels, but
of every kind of literature, &c. She might have
spared this pretension to _our_ family, who are
great novel-readers and not ashamed of being so;
but it was necessary, I suppose, to the
self-consequence of half her subscribers.

* * * * *

I enjoyed the hard black frosts of last week very
much, and one day while they lasted walked to
Deane by myself. I do not know that I ever did
such a thing in my life before.

* * * * *

We dine now at half-past three, and have done
dinner, I suppose, before you begin. We drink tea
at half-past six. I am afraid you will despise us.
My father reads Cowper to us in the morning, to
which I listen when I can. How do you spend your
evenings? I guess that Elizabeth works, that you