(Mrs. Montagu is building a most superb house.)(69)

Mrs. T.-Oh, I warrant you, she fears you, indeed; but that, you know, is nothing uncommon:  and dearly I love to hear your disquisitions; for certainly she is the first woman for literary knowledge in England, and if in England, I hope I may say in the world.

Dr. J.-I believe you may, madam.  She diffuses more knowledge in her conversation than any woman I know, or, indeed, almost any man.  Mrs. T.-I declare I know no man equal to her, take away yourself and Burke, for that art.  And you who love magnificence, won’t quarrel with her, as everybody else does, for her love of finery.

Dr. J.-No, I shall not quarrel with her upon that topic.

Fanny Burney’s introduction to A celebrated
“Blue-stocking.”

Wednesday.-We could not prevail with Dr. Johnson to stay till Mrs. Montagu arrived, though, by appointment, she came very early.  She and Miss Gregory came by one o’clock.

There was no party to meet her.  She is middle-sized, very thin, and looks infirm ; she has a sensible and penetrating countenance, and the air and manner of a woman accustomed to being distinguished, and of great parts.  Dr. Johnson, who agrees in this, told us that a Mrs. Hervey, of his acquaintance, says she can remember Mrs. Montagu trying for this same air and manner.  Mr. Crisp has said the same:  however, nobody can now impartially see her, and not confess that she has extremely well succeeded.

My expectations, which were compounded of the praise of Mrs. Thrale, and the abuse of Mr. Crisp, were most exactly, answered, for I thought her in a medium way.

Miss Gregory is a fine young woman, and seems gentle and well-bred.  A bustle with the dog Presto—­Mrs. Thrale’s favourite—­a t

101

the entrance of these ladies into the library, prevented any formal reception; but as soon as Mrs. Montagu heard my name, she inquired very civilly after my father, and made many speeches concerning a volume of “Linguet,"(70) which she has lost; but she hopes soon to be able to replace it.  I am sure he is very high in her favour, because she did me the honour of addressing herself to me three or four times.

But my ease and tranquillity were soon disturbed:  for she had not been in the room more than ten minutes, ere, turning to Mrs. Thrale, she said,

“Oh, ma’am—­but your ’Evelina’—­I have not yet got it.  I sent for it, but the bookseller had it not.  However, I will certainly have it.”

“Ay, I hope so,” answered Mrs. Thrale, “and I hope you Will like it too; for ’tis a book to be liked.”

I began now a vehement nose-blowing, for the benefit of handkerchiefing my face. "

I hope though,” said Mrs. Montagu, drily, “it is not in verse?  I can read anything in prose, but I have a great dread of a long story in verse.”