er be erased from my remembrance. Yet,
notwithstanding all her care and concern, I was, by my excess of grief,
plunged into a languishing distemper, for which my physicians advised me
to drink the Bath waters.

"In compliance with this prescription, I went thither towards the end of
summer, and found some benefit by adhering to their directions. Though
I seldom went abroad, except when I visited my sister-in-law, who was
there with the princess; and, upon these occasions, I never failed to
attract the notice of the company, who were struck with the appearance
of such a young creature in weeds. Nor was I free from the persecution
of professed admirers; but, being dead to all joy, I was deaf to the
voice of adulation.

"About Christmas I repaired to my father's house, where my sorrows were
revived by every object that recalled the idea of my dear lamented lord.
But these melancholy reflections I was obliged to bear, because I had
no other home or habitation, being left an unprovided widow, altogether
dependent on the affection of my own family. During this winter, divers
overtures were made to my father by people who demanded me in marriage;
but my heart was not yet sufficiently weaned from my former passion to
admit the thoughts of another master. Among those that presented their
proposals was a certain young nobleman, who, upon the first news of Lord
W--'s death, came post from Paris, in order to declare his passion. He
made his first appearance in a hired chariot-and-six, accompanied by a
big fat fellow, whom (as I afterwards learned) he had engaged to sound
his praises, with a promise of a thousand pounds, in lieu of which he
paid him forty. Whether it was with a view of screening himself from the
cold, or of making a comfortable medium in case of being overturned, and
falling under his weighty companion, I know not; but, certain it is, the
carriage was stuffed with hay, in such a manner, that, when he arrived,
the servants were at some pains in rummaging and removing it, before
they could come at their master, or help him to alight. When he was
lifted out of the chariot, he exhibited a very ludicrous figure to the
view. He was a thin, meagre, shivering creature, of a low stature, with
little black eyes, a long nose, sallow complexion, and pitted with
the smallpox; dressed in a coat of light brown frieze, lined with
pink-coloured shag, a monstrous solitaire and bag, and, if I remember
right, a pair of huge jack-boots