a letter he wrote her from abroad, which she immediately recollected.

This Chesingtonian talk lasted till we went upstairs, and then she shewed me the new art which she had invented.  It is staining paper of all possible colours, and then cutting it out, so finely, and delicately, that when it is pasted on paper or vellum, it has all the appearance of being pencilled, except that, by being raised, it has still a richer and more natural look.  The effect is extremely beautiful.  She invented it at tseventy-five!  She told me she did four flowers the first year; sixteen the second; and the third, one hundred and sixty; and after that many more.  They are all from nature, and consist of the most curious flowers, plants, and weeds, that are to (be found.  She has been supplied with patterns from all the great gardens, and all the great florists in the kingdom.  Her plan was to finish one thousand; but, alas! her eyes now fail her though she has only twenty undone of her task,

about seven o’clock, the Duchess dowager of Portland came.  She is not near so old as Mrs. Delany; nor, to me, is her face by any means so pleasing; but yet there is sweetness, and dignity, and intelligence in it.  Mrs. Delany received her with the same respectful ceremony as if it was her first visit, though she regularly goes to her every evening.  But what she at first took as an honour and condescension, she has so much of true humility of mind, that no use can make her see in any other light.  She immediately presented me to her.  Her grace courtesied and smiled with the most flattering air of pleasure, and said she was particularly happy in meeting with me.  We then took our places, and Mrs. Delany said,—­

“Miss Burney, ma’am, is acquainted with Mr. Crisp, whom your grace knew so well ; and she tells me he and his sister have been so good as to remember me, and to mention me to her.”

the duchess instantly asked me a thousand questions about him—­where he lived, how he had his health, and whether his fondness for the polite arts still continued.  She said he was one of the most ingenious and agreeable men she had ever known, and regretted his having sequestered himself so much from the society of his former friends.

In the course of this conversation I found the duchess very charming, high-bred, courteous, sensible, and spirited ; not merely free from pride, but free from affability-its most mortifying deputy.

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After this she asked me if I had seen Mrs. SiddOns, and what I thought of her.  I answered that I admired her very much.

“If Miss Burney approves her,” said the duchess, “no approbation, I am sure, can do her so much credit ; for no One can so perfectly judge of characters or of human nature.”

“Ah, ma’am,” cried Mrs. Delany, archly, “and does your grace remember protesting you would never read ‘Cecilia?’”

“Yes,” said she, laughing, “I declared that five volumes could never be attacked; but since I began I have read it three times.”