We did not stay late, for my father and I were both engaged to Miss Monckton’s; so was Sir Joshua, who accompanied us.

Mrs. Siddons.

I was extremely happy to have my dear father with me at Miss Monckton’s.  We found Mrs. Siddons, the actress, there.  She is a woman of excellent character, and therefore I am very glad she is thus patronised, since Mrs. Abington, and so many frail fair ones, have been thus noticed by the great.  She behaved with great propriety ; very calm, modest, quiet, and unaffected — She has a very fine countenance, and her eyes ’look both intelligent and soft.  She has, however, a steadiness in her manner and deportment by no means engaging.  Mrs. Thrale, who was there, said,—­“Why, this is a leaden goddess we are all worshipping! however, we shall soon gild it.”

A lady who sat near me then began a dialogue with Mr. Erskine,(167) who had placed himself exactly opposite to Mrs. Siddons; and they debated together upon her manner of studying her parts, disputing upon the point with great warmth, yet not only forbearing to ask Mrs. Siddons herself which was right, but quite over-powering her with their loquacity, when she attempted, unasked, to explain the matter.  Most vehement praise of all she did followed, and the lady turned to me, and said,-

“What invitation, Miss Burney, is here, for genius to display itself!—­Everybody, I hear, is at work for Mrs. Siddons; but if you would work for her, what an inducement to excel you would both of you have!—­Dr. Burney—.”

“Oh, pray, ma’am,” cried I, “don’t say to him—­”

“Oh, but I will!—­if my influence can do you any mischief, you may depend upon having it.”

She then repeated what she had said to my father, and he instantly said,—­

“Your ladyship may be sure of my interest.”

258

I whispered afterwards to know who she was, and heard she Was
Lady Lucan.

Dr. Johnson’s INMATES’AT bolt-court.

On Tuesday, Dec. 24, I went in the evening to call on Mrs. Thrale, and tore myself away from her to go to Bolt-court to see Dr. Johnson, who is very unwell.  He received me with great kindness, and bade me come oftener, which I will try to contrive.  He told me he heard of nothing but me, call upon him who would ; and, though he pretended to grow], he was evidently delighted for me.  His usual set, Mrs. Williams and Mrs. De Mullins, were with him; and some queer man of a parson who, after grinning at me some time, said,—­

“Pray, Mrs. De Mullins, is the fifth volume of ‘Cecilia’ at home yet?  Dr. Johnson made me read it, ma’am.”

“Sir, he did it much honour.”

“Made you, sir?” said the doctor, “you give an ill account of your own taste or understanding, if you wanted any making to read such a book as ‘Cecilia.’”

“Oh, sir, I don’t mean that; for I am sure I left every thing in the world to go on with it.”