He is tall, his figure is noble, his air commanding, his address graceful, his voice is clear, penetrating, sonorous, and powerful, his language is copious, various, and eloquent; his manners are attractive, his conversation is delightful.

What says Captain Phillips?  Have I chanced to see him in his happiest hour? or is he all this in common?  Since we lost Garrick I have seen nobody so enchanting.

I can give you, however, very little of what was said, for the conversation was not suivie, Mr. Burke darting from subject to subject with as much rapidity as entertainment.  Neither is the charm of his discourse more in the matter than the manner:  all, therefore, that is related from him loses half its effect in not being related by him.  Such little sketches as I can recollect take however.

>From the window of the dining-parlour, Sir Joshua directed us to look at a pretty white house which belonged to Lady Di Beauclerk.

“I am extremely glad,” said Mr. Burke, “to see her at last so well housed; poor woman! the bowl has long rolled in misery; I rejoice that it has now found its balance.  I never, myself, so much enjoyed the sight of happiness in another, as in that woman when I first saw her after the death of her husband.  It was really enlivening to behold her placed in that sweet house, released from all her cares, a thousand pounds a-year at her own disposal, and—­her husband was dead!  Oh, it was pleasant, it was delightful to see her enjoyment of her situation!”

“But, without considering the circumstances,” said Mr. Gibbon, “this may appear very strange, though, when they are fairly stated, it is perfectly rational and unavoidable.”

“Very true,” said Mr. Burke, “if the circumstances are not considered, Lady Di may seem highly reprehensible.”

He then, addressing himself particularly to me, as the person least likely to be acquainted with the character of Mr. Beauclerk, drew it himself in strong and marked expressions, describing the misery he gave his wife, his singular ill-treatment

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of her, and the necessary relief the death of such a man must give.(150)

He then reminded Sir Joshua of a day in which they had dined at Mr. Beauclerk’s, soon after his marriage with Lord Bolingbroke’s divorced wife, in company with Goldsmith, and told a new story of poor Goldsmith’s eternal blundering.

A letter from Burke To fanny Burney.

Whitehall, July 29, 1782.

Madam, I should feel exceedingly to blame if I could refuse to myself the natural satisfaction, and to you the just but poor return, of my best thanks for the very great instruction and entertainment I have received from the new present you have bestowed on the public.  There are few—­I believe I may say fairly there are none at all—­that will not find themselves better informed concerning human nature, and their stock of observation enriched,