ooms, all of which entered through each other, were accommodated
with separate and independent modes of access. In the little boudoir we
have described, Mrs. Martha Baliol had her choicest meetings. She kept
early hours; and if you went in the morning, you must not reckon that
space of day as extending beyond three o'clock, or four at the utmost.
These vigilant habits were attended with some restraint on her visitors,
but they were indemnified by your always finding the best society and
the best information which were to be had for the day in the Scottish
capital. Without at all affecting the blue stocking, she liked books.
They amused her; and if the authors were persons of character, she
thought she owed them a debt of civility, which she loved to discharge
by personal kindness. When she gave a dinner to a small party, which she
did now and then, she had the good nature to look for, and the good luck
to discover, what sort of people suited each other best, and chose her
company as Duke Theseus did his hounds,--

"Matched in mouth like bells,
Each under each,"
[Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream, Act IV. Sc. I.]

so that every guest could take his part in the cry, instead of one
mighty Tom of a fellow, like Dr. Johnson, silencing all besides by the
tremendous depth of his diapason. On such occasions she afforded CHERE
EXQUISE; and every now and then there was some dish of French, or even
Scottish derivation, which, as well as the numerous assortment of VINS
EXTRAORDINAIRES produced by Mr. Beauffet, gave a sort of antique and
foreign air to the entertainment, which rendered it more interesting.

It was a great thing to be asked to such parties; and not less so to be
invited to the early CONVERSAZIONE, which, in spite of fashion, by dint
of the best coffee, the finest tea, and CHASSE CAFE that would have
called the dead to life, she contrived now and then to assemble in her
saloon already mentioned, at the unnatural hour of eight in the evening.
At such time the cheerful old lady seemed to enjoy herself so much in
the happiness of her guests that they exerted themselves in turn to
prolong her amusement and their own; and a certain charm was excited
around, seldom to be met with in parties of pleasure, and which was
founded on the general desire of every one present to contribute
something to the common amusement.

But although it was a great privilege to be admitted to wait on my
excellent friend in