A dinner at sir joshua’s, with Burke and GiBBON.

June.-Among the many I have been obliged to shirk this year, for the sake of living almost solely with “Cecilia,” none have had less patience with my retirement than Miss Palmer, who, bitterly believing I intended never to visit her again, has forborne sending me any invitations:  but, about three weeks ago, my father had a note from Sir Joshua Reynolds, to ask him to dine at Richmond, and meet the Bishop of St. Asaph,(148) and, therefore, to make my peace, I scribbled a note to Miss Palmer to this purpose,—­

“After the many kind invitations I have been obliged to refuse, will you, my dear Miss Palmer, should I offer to accompany my father to-morrow, bid me remember the old proverb,

’Those who will not when they may,
When they will, they shall have nay?’—­F.B.”

This was graciously received; and the next morning Sir Joshua and Miss Palmer called for my father and me, accompanied by Lord Cork.  We had a mighty pleasant ride, Miss

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Palmer and I " made up,” though she scolded most violently about my long absence, and attacked me about the book without mercy.  The book, in short, to my great consternation, I find is talked of and expected all the town over.  My dear father himself, I do verily believe, mentions it to everybody; he is fond of it to enthusiasm, and does not foresee the danger of raising such general expectation, which fills me with the horrors every time I am tormented with the thought.

Sir Joshua’s house is delightfully situated, almost at the top of Richmond Hill.  We walked till near dinner-time upon the terrace, and there met Mr. Richard Burke, the brother of the orator.  Miss Palmer, stopping him, said,-

“Are you coming to dine with us?”

“No,” he answered ; “I shall dine at the Star and Garter.”

“How did you come—­with Mrs. Burke, or alone?”

“Alone.”

“What, on horseback?”

“Ay, sure!” cried he, laughing; “up and ride!  Now’s the time.”

And he made a fine flourish with his hand, and passed us.  He is just made under-secretary at the Treasury.  He is a tall and handsome man, and seems to have much dry drollery; but we saw no more of him.

After our return to the house, and while Sir Joshua and I were t`ete-`a-t`ete, Lord Cork and my father being still walking, and Miss Palmer having, I suppose, some orders to give about the dinner, the " knight of Plympton " was desiring my opinion of the prospect from his window, and comparing it with Mr. Burke’s, as he told me after I had spoken it,—­when the Bishop of St. Asaph and his daughter, Miss Georgiana Shipley, were announced.  Sir Joshua, to divert himself, in introducing me to the bishop, said, “Miss Burney, my lord; otherwise ‘Evelina.’”