he was not likely
to meet with such people as she solicited at such a town as Greenwich,
but such was not the case: before steamboats made Greenwich so
come-at-able there were many families of distinction who resided there
and in its environs--especially in the autumn of the year, when the
river offered much amusement. It was just at that period that the
whitebait parties became so much in vogue, and Greenwich was considered
a pleasant retreat for a few months by many of the fashionable world.

Although Virginia never mentioned her surmises directly, I perceived, by
her occasional remarks, that she had latterly become aware of what were
my mother's views; indeed, how could she do otherwise, when my mother
would refuse her lodgings one day to a gentleman because he was married,
and let them the next time merely because he was a single man? And that
she was disgusted with my mother's conduct I was convinced; at the same
time, she certainly kept her thoughts to herself, merely telling me how
very uncomfortable it was to have lodgers, and to be obliged to go into
their rooms with messages from my mother. There was an Honorable Mr.
----, I really forget his name--indeed, I should not have mentioned him,
except that he was the introduction of another personage who was several
months in my mother's house, a harmless old bachelor. How old he was I
cannot say, as he wore a very youthful wig and also false whiskers, but
I should think about sixty. He was a great admirer of the fine arts, and
a still greater admirer of his own performances in painting. He took
lessons twice a day from two different masters, who came from London,
and he was at it from morning to night. He came down to Greenwich, as he
said, to study _tints_, and get up his coloring. I cannot say I thought
his performances very good, but perhaps I was not a judge. My mother,
who would, I believe, have sacrificed my sister to an ourang outang,
provided he was an Honorable, took every opportunity of sending Virginia
in to him, that he might study the delicate tints on her cheeks; but it
would not do, even if Virginia had been a party to it. He looked at his
palette instead of her pretty mouth, and his camelhair pencils attracted
his attention more than her penciled eyebrows. He was wrapped up in his
art, and overlooked the prettiest piece of nature in the world; and
Virginia, seeing this to be the case, had no longer any objection to go
into his room. But this gentlema