cate kind
are placed about the rooms, and on little japanned stands; and sweet
bags lie about the tables and mantel-pieces. The house is full of pet
dogs, Angora cats, and singing birds, who are as carefully waited upon
as she is herself.

She is dainty in her living, and a little of an epicure, living on
white meats, and little lady-like dishes, though her servants have
substantial old English fare, as their looks bear witness. Indeed,
they are so indulged, that they are all spoiled; and when they lose
their present place, they will be fit for no other. Her ladyship is
one of those easy-tempered beings that are always doomed to be much
liked, but ill served by their domestics, and cheated by all the
world.

Much of her time is passed in reading novels, of which she has a most
extensive library, and has a constant supply from the publishers in
town. Her erudition in this line of literature is immense; she has
kept pace with the press for half a century. Her mind is stuffed with
love-tales of all kinds, from the stately amours of the old books of
chivalry, down to the last blue-covered romance, reeking from the
press; though she evidently gives the preference to those that came
out in the days of her youth, and when she was first in love. She
maintains that there are no novels written now-a-days equal to Pamela
and Sir Charles Grandison; and she places the Castle of Otranto at the
head of all romances.

She does a vast deal of good in her neighbourhood, and is imposed upon
by every beggar in the county. She is the benefactress of a village
adjoining to her estate, and takes an especial interest in all its
love-affairs. She knows of every courtship that is going on; every
lovelorn damsel is sure to find a patient listener and a sage adviser
in her ladyship. She takes great pains to reconcile all love-quarrels,
and should any faithless swain persist in his inconstancy, he is sure
to draw on himself the good lady's violent indignation.

I have learned these particulars partly from Frank Bracebridge, and
partly from Master Simon. I am now able to account for the assiduous
attention of the latter to her ladyship. Her house is one of his
favourite resorts, where he is a very important personage. He makes
her a visit of business once a year, when he looks into all her
affairs; which, as she is no manager, are apt to get into confusion.
He examines the books of the overseer, and shoots about the estate,
which, he says, is