d Mr. Smith (one of our
daughter's guardians) told that poor baby Cecilia a fine staring tale
how my husband locked me up at Milan and fed me on bread and water,
to make the child hate Mr. Piozzi. Good God! What infamous
proceeding was this! My husband never saw the fellow, so could not
have provoked him."

"_May_ 19_th_.--We bad a fine assembly last night indeed: in my best
days I never had finer: there were near a hundred people in the rooms
which were besides much admired."

"1788, _January_ 1_st_.--How little I thought this day four years
that I should celebrate this 1st of January, 1788, here at Bath,
surrounded with friends and admirers? The public partial to _me_, and
almost every individual whose kindness is worth wishing for,
sincerely attached to my husband."

"Mrs. Byron is converted by Piozzi's assiduity, she really likes him
now: and sweet Mrs. Lambert told everybody at Bath she was in love
with him."

"I have passed a delightful winter in spite of them, caressed by my
friends, adored by my husband, amused with every entertainment that
is going forward: what need I think about three sullen Misses? ...
and yet!"----

"_August_ 1_st_--Baretti has been grossly abusive in the 'European
Magazine' to me: _that_ hurts me but little; what shocks me is that
those treacherous Burneys should abet and puff him. He is a most
ungrateful because unprincipled wretch; but I _am_ sorry that
anything belonging to Dr. Burney should be so monstrously wicked."

"1789, _January_ 17_th_.--Mrs. Siddons dined in a coterie of my
unprovoked enemies yesterday at Porteous's. She mentioned our
concerts, and the Erskines lamented their absence from one we gave
two days ago, at which Mrs. Garrick was present and gave a good
report to the _Blues_. Charming Blues! blue with venom I think; I
suppose they begin to be ashamed of their paltry behaviour. Mrs.
Grarrick, more prudent than any of them, left a loophole for
returning friendship to fasten through, and it _shall_ fasten: that
woman has lived a _very wise life_, regular and steady in her
conduct, attentive to every word she speaks and every step she
treads, decorous in her manners and graceful in her person. My fancy
forms the Queen just like Mrs. Grarrick: they are countrywomen and
have, as the phrase is, had a hard card to play; yet never lurched by
tricksters nor subdued by superior powers, they will rise from the
table unhurt either by others or themselves ... having played