n, his
elegant taste and dress, his new phaeton, his entertaining conversation,
his extraordinary performance upon the violin; and concluded that, with
such abilities and accomplishments, she did not doubt of one day seeing
him at the head of the nation.

Miss Simmons had no desire of pushing the conversation any farther; and
the rest of the company coming in to tea, the disquisition about Lord
Squander finished.

After tea, several of the young ladies were desired to amuse the company
with music and singing; among the rest Miss Simmons sang a little Scotch
song, called Lochaber, in so artless, but sweet and pathetic a manner,
that little Harry listened almost with tears in his eyes, though several
of the young ladies, by their significant looks and gestures, treated it
with ineffable contempt.

After this, Miss Matilda, who was allowed to be a perfect mistress of
music, played and sang several celebrated Italian airs; but as these
were in a language totally unintelligible to Harry, he received very
little pleasure, though all the rest of the company were in raptures.
She then proceeded to play several pieces of music, which were allowed
by all connoisseurs to require infinite skill to execute. The audience
seemed all delighted, and either felt or pretended to feel inexpressible
pleasure; even Tommy himself, who did not know one note from another,
had caught so much of the general enthusiasm, that he applauded as loud
as the rest of the company. But Harry, whose temper was not quite so
pliable, could not conceal the intolerable weariness that overpowered
his senses during this long exhibition. He gaped, he yawned, he
stretched, he even pinched himself, in order to keep his attention
alive, but all in vain; the more Miss Matilda exercised her skill in
playing pieces of the most difficult execution, the more did Harry's
propensity to drowsiness increase. At length the lateness of the hour,
which much exceeded Harry's time of going to bed, conspiring with the
opiate charms of music, he could resist no longer, but insensibly fell
back upon his chair fast asleep. This unfortunate accident was soon
remarked by the rest of the company, and confirmed them very much in the
opinion they had conceived of Harry's vulgarity; while he, in the
meantime, enjoyed the most placid slumber, which was not dissipated till
Miss Matilda had desisted from playing.

Thus was the first day passed at Mr Merton's, very little to the
satisfacti