nson the same respect and veneration as for a Pascal."[1]

[Footnote 1: When Sheridan was accused of making love to Mrs.
Siddons, he said he should as soon think of making love to the
Archbishop of Canterbury.]

On the margin of the passage in which Boswell says, "Johnson wishing
to unite himself with this rich widow was much talked of, but I
believe without foundation,"--she has written, "I believe so too!!"
The report sufficed to bring into play the light artillery of the
wits, one of whose best hits was an "Ode to Mrs. Thrale, by Samuel
Johnson, LL.D., on their approaching Nuptials," beginning:

"If e'er my fingers touched the lyre,
In satire fierce, in pleasure gay,
Shall not my Thralia's smiles inspire,
Shall Sam refuse the sportive lay?

"My dearest lady, view your slave,
Rehold him as your very _Scrub_:
Ready to write as author grave,
Or govern well the brewing tub.

"To rich felicity thus raised,
My bosom glows with amorous fire;
Porter no longer shall be praised,
'Tis I Myself am _Thrale's Entire_."

She has written opposite these lines, "Whose fun was this? It is
better than the other." The other was:

"Cervisial coctor's viduate dame,
Opinst thou this gigantick frame,
Procumbing at thy shrine,
Shall catinated by thy charms,
A captive in thy ambient arms
Perennially be thine."

She writes opposite: "Whose silly fun was this? Soame Jenyn's?"

The following paragraph is copied from the note-book of the late Miss
Williams Wynn[1], who had recently been reading a large collection of
Mrs. Piozzi's letters addressed to a Welsh neighbour:

[Footnote 1: Daughter of Sir Watkyn Wynn (the fourth baronet) and
granddaughter of George Grenville, the Minister. She was
distinguished by her literary taste and acquirements, as well as
highly esteemed for the uprightness of her character, the excellence
of her understanding, and the kindness of her heart. Her journals and
note-books, carefully kept during a long life passed in the best
society, are full of interesting anecdotes and curious extracts from
rare books and manuscripts. They are now in the possession of her
niece, the Honourable Mrs. Rowley.]

"_London, March_, 1825.--I have had an opportunity of talking to old
Sir William Pepys on the subject of his old friend, Mrs. Piozzi, and
from his conversation am more than ever impressed with the idea that
she was one of the most inconsistent characters that ev