rge
staircase at one end of the ball-room, where, for the sake of the sound,
the piano was placed, and appeared among her most enthusiastic
hearers.... The whole family were extremely cordial and kind to us; and
when we drove away, they all assembled at an upper window, waving hats
and handkerchiefs as long as we could see them. I have no room to tell
you anything of Grimsthorpe. God bless you. Good-bye.

Ever yours,
_Fanny_.

[My first introduction to "afternoon tea" took place during this
visit to Belvoir, when I received on several occasions private and
rather mysterious invitations to the Duchess of Bedford's room, and
found her with a "small and select" circle of female guests of the
castle, busily employed in brewing and drinking tea, with her
grace's own private tea-kettle. I do not believe that now
universally honored and observed institution of "five-o'clock tea"
dates farther back in the annals of English civilization than this
very private and, I think, rather shamefaced practice of it.

Our visit to Grimsthorpe has left but three distinct images on my
memory: that of my bedroom, with its furniture of green velvet and
regal bed-hangings of white satin and point lace; that of the
collection of thrones in the dining-room, the Lords Willoughby de
Eresby being hereditary Lord Grand Chamberlains of England, whose
perquisite of office was the throne or chair of state used by each
sovereign at his or her coronation; and my intercourse with
Mademoiselle d'Este, who, like ourselves, came from Belvoir to
Grimsthorpe, and with whom I here began an acquaintance that grew
into intimacy, and interested me a good deal from her peculiar
character and circumstances.]

HARLEY STREET, London, March 31st, 1842.
MY DEAR T----,

... My father is in wonderful health, looks, and spirits, considering
that in all these items this time last year he was very little better
than dead. My sister is working very hard and very successfully, and
proposing to herself, after two more years of assiduous labor, to retire
on a moderate income to Italy, where she would rather live than
anywhere else. But, oh dear me! how well I remember the day when that
was my own vision of the future, and only see what a very different
thing it has turn