“Yes,” quoth I.

“Why do you doubt it, sir ?” cried MrsThrale.

“Because,” answered he, “I never see her with a book in her hand. 
 I have taken notice that she never has been reading whenever I
have come into the room.”

" Sir,” quoth I, courageously, " I’m always afraid of being caught reading, lest I should pass for being studious or affected, and therefore instead of making a display of books, I always try to hide them, as is the case at this very time, for I have now your ’ Life of Waller’ under my gloves behind me.  However, since I am piqued to it, I’ll boldly produce my voucher.”

And so saying, I put the book on the table, and opened it with a flourishing air.  And then the laugh was on my side, for he could not help making a droll face; and if he had known Kitty Cooke,’ I would have called out, “There I had you, my lad!”

A STREATHAm dinner party.

Monday was the day for our great party; and the Doctor came home, at MrsThrale’s request, to meet them.  The party consisted of Mr. C—­, who was formerly a timber-merchant, but having amassed a fortune of one million of pounds, he has left off business.  He is a good-natured busy sort of man. ;

Mrs. C—­, his lady, a sort of Mrs. Nobody.

Mr. N—­, another rich business leaver-off.

Mrs. N—­, his lady; a pretty sort of woman, who was formerly a pupil of Dr. Hawkesworth.  I had a great deal of talk with her about him, and about my favourite miss Kinnaird, whom she knew very well.

Mr. George and Mr. Thomas N—­, her sons-in-law.

Mr. R—–­, of whom I know nothing but that he married into
MrThrale’s family.

Lady Ladd; I ought to have begun with her.  I beg her ladyship a thousand pardons—­though if she knew My offence,

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I am sure I should not obtain one.  She is own sister to Mr. Thrale.  She is a tall and stout woman, has an air of mingled dignity and haughtiness, both of which wear off in conversation.  She dresses very youthful and gaily, and attends to her person with no little complacency.  She appears to me uncultivated in knowledge, though an adept in the manners of the world, And all that.  She chooses to be much more lively than her brother; but liveliness sits as awkwardly upon her as her pink ribbons. in talking her over with MrsThrale who has a very proper regard for her, but who, I am sure, cannot be blind to her faults, she gave me another proof to those I have already of the uncontrolled freedom of speech which Dr. Johnson exercised to everybody, and which everybody receives quietly from him.  Lady Ladd has been very handsome, but is now, I think, quite ugly—­at least she has the sort of face I like not. she was a little while ago dressed in so showy a manner as to attract the doctor’s notice, and when he had looked at her some time, he broke out aloud into this quotation: