ds on the black mahogany splayed elbows. Her person was no
sooner at rest than her eyes and all her features began to move in
all directions. She looked like a nervous and suspicious person
electrified. She seemed to be the acting partner in this house, to
watch over her treasure of a daughter, to supply her with wordly
wisdom, to look upon her as a phoenix, and--scold her.

Miss Watts was all ecstasy and lifting up of hands and eyes,
speaking always in that loud, shrill, theatrical tone with which a
puppet-master supplies his puppets. I all the time sat like a
mouse. My father asked, "Which of those ladies, madam, do you think
is your sister-authoress?" "I am no physiognomist"--in a
screech--"but I do imagine that to be the lady," bowing, as she
sat, almost to the ground, and pointing to Mrs. Edgeworth. "No;
guess again." "Then that must be she," bowing to Charlotte. "No."
"Then this lady," looking forward to see what sort of an animal I
was, for she had never seen me till this instant. To make me some
amends, she now drew her chair close to me and began to pour forth
praises: "Lady Delacour, oh! _Letters for Literary Ladies_, oh!"

Now for the pathetic part. This poor girl sold a novel in four
volumes for ten guineas to Lane. My father is afraid, though she
has considerable talents, to recommend her to Johnson, lest she
should not answer! Poor girl! what a pity she had no friend to
direct her talents! How much she made me feel the value of mine!

After a trip through the Low Countries, the travellers entered France
and received many civilities in all the towns they passed through,
thanks to the fact that the _Bibliotheque Britannique_ was taken in
every public library. At Paris the Edgeworths were admitted into the
best society of the period, which consisted of the remains of the French
nobility, and of men of letters and science. The old Abbe Morellet,
"respected as one of the most _reasonable_ of all the wits of France,"
the _doyen_ of French literature, was a previous acquaintance. By his
introductions and those of M. Pictet, added to the prestige of their own
names and their relationship to the Abbe Edgeworth, the most exclusive
houses were opened to the family, and they thus became acquainted with
every one worth knowing, among whom were La Harpe, Madame de Genlis,
Kosciusko, Madame Recamier, the Comte d