had acquired by her studies, she found such a confusion in her
memory, where a historical anecdote was crowded by a moral sentiment and
a scrap of a play interwoven into a sermon, that she determined to
discontinue that miscellaneous reading and begin a regular and improving
course, leaving to others the privilege of sitting in judgement on every
new production.

In this situation Lady Mary continued some years, without any
mortification, except what she felt from seeing the consequences of Lady
Brumpton's too great vanity. It led her into expenses, which though they
did not considerably impair her fortune, yet so far straitened it that
she frequently had not power to indulge the generosity of her mind where
it would have done her honour and have yielded her solid satisfaction.
The adulation which she received with too much visible complacency
inspired her with such an opinion of herself as led her to despise those
of less shining qualities, and not to treat any with proper civility
whom she had not some particular desire to please, which often gave
severe pangs to bashful merit, and called her real superiority in
question; for those who observed so great a weakness were tempted to
believe her understanding rather glittering than solid. The desire of
attracting to her house every person who had gained a reputation for
genius occasioned many to be admitted whose acquaintance were a disgrace
to her, and who artfully taking advantage of her weakness by excess of
flattery found means of imposing on her to any degree they pleased.

The turn of conversation at her house was ridiculed in every other
company by people who appeared most desirous of being in her parties.
And indeed it was capable of being so; the extreme endeavour to shine
took off from that ease in conversation which is its greatest charm.
Every person was like a bent bow, ready to shoot forth an arrow which
had no sooner darted to the other side of the room, than it fell to the
ground and the next person picked it up and made a new shot with it.
Like the brisk lightning in the Rehearsal, they gave flash for flash;
and they were continually striving whose wit should go off with the
greatest report. Lady Mary, who had naturally a great deal of vivacity
and a sufficient share of wit, made no bad figure in the brilliant
assembly; for though she perceived an absurdity in these mock skirmishes
of genius, yet she thought proper to conform to her company; but saw
pla