again in the evening, as she desires, and as
often as I think it will be agreeable to her.'

Her increased weakness she attributed to the fatigues she had undergone
by your means; and to a letter she had received from her sister, which
she answered the same day.

Mrs. Smith told me that two different persons had called there, one on
Thursday morning, one in the evening, to inquire after her state of
health; and seemed as if commissioned from her relations for that
purpose; but asked not to see her, only were very inquisitive after her
visiters: (particularly, it seems, after me: What could they mean by
that?) after her way of life, and expenses; and one of them inquired
after her manner of supporting them; to the latter of which, Mrs. Smith
said, she had answered, as the truth was, that she had been obliged to
sell some of her clothes, and was actually about parting with more; at
which the inquirist (a grave old farmer-looking man) held up his hands,
and said, Good God!--this will be sad, sad news to somebody! I believe
I must not mention it. But Mrs. Smith says she desired he would, let him
come from whom he would. He shook his head, and said if she died, the
flower of the world would be gone, and the family she belonged to would
be no more than a common family.* I was pleased with the man's
expression.

* This man came from her cousin Morden; as will be seen hereafter,
Letters LII. and LVI. of this volume.

You may be curious to know how she passed her time, when she was obliged
to leave her lodging to avoid you.

Mrs. Smith tells me 'that she was very ill when she went out on Monday
morning, and sighed as if her heart would break as she came down stairs,
and as she went through the shop into the coach, her nurse with her, as
you had informed me before: that she ordered the coachman (whom she hired
for the day) to drive any where, so it was into the air: he accordingly
drove her to Hampstead, and thence to Highgate. There at the
Bowling-green House, she alighted, extremely ill, and having breakfasted,
ordered the coachman to drive very slowly any where. He crept along to
Muswell-hill, and put up at a public house there; where she employed
herself two hours in writing, though exceedingly weak and low, till the
dinner she had ordered was brought in: she endeavoured to eat, but could
not: her appetite was gone, quite gone, she said. And then she wrote on
for three hours more: after which, being heavy, sh