I grinned a little, to be sure, but tried to escape her, by again getting between Miss W—­ and Harriet Bowdler; but Mrs.

191 Riggs still kept opposite to me, expressing from time to time, by uplifted hands and eyes, comical applause, Harriet Bowdler modestly mumbled some praise, but addressed it to Miss Thrale.  I begged a truce, and retired to a chair in a corner, at the request of Miss W—­ to have a t`ete-`a-t`ete, for which, however, her strange levity gave me no great desire.  She begged to know if I had written anything else.  I assured her never.

“The ‘Sylph,’” said she, “I am told, was yours.”

“I had nothing at all to do with that or anything else that ever was published but ‘Evelina;’ you, I suppose, read the ‘Sylph’ for its name’s sake?”

“No; I never read novels—­I hate them; I never read ‘Evelina’ till I was quite persecuted by hearing it talked of.  ’Sir Charles Grandison’ I tried once, but could not bear it; Sir Charles for a lover! no lover for me! for a guardian or the trustee of an estate, he might do very well—­but for a lover!”

“What—­when he bows upon your hand! would not that do?”

She kept me by her side for a full hour, and we again talked over our former conversation; and I enquired what first led her to seeking infidel books?

“Pope,” she said; he was himself a deist, she believed, and his praise of Bolingbroke made her mad to read his books, and then the rest followed easily.  She also gave me an account of her private and domestic life; of her misery at home, her search of dissipation, and her incapability of happiness.

Curiosity about the " Evelina " Set.

Our conversation would have lasted till leave-taking, but for our being interrupted by Miss Miller, a most beautiful little ,girl of ten years old.  Miss W- begged her to sing us a French song.  She coquetted, but Mrs. Riggs came to us, and said if I wished it I did her grand-daughter great honour, and she insisted upon her obedience.  The little girl laughed and complied, and we went into another room to hear her, followed by the Misses Caldwell.  She sung in a pretty childish manner enough.

When we became more intimate, she said,

“Ma’am, I have a great favour to request of you, if you please!” 192

I begged to know what it was, and assured her I would grant it ; and to be out of the way of these misses, I led her to the window.

“Ma’am,” said the little girl, will you then be so good as to tell me where Evelina is now?”

I was a little surprised at the question, and told her I had not heard lately.

“Oh, ma’am, but I am sure you know! " cried she, “for you know you wrote it; and mamma was so good as to let me hear her read it; and pray, ma’am, do tell me where she is? and whether Miss Branghton and Miss Polly went to see her when she was married to Lord Orville?”