le's son, whom my
dear friend Miss A. offered to introduce to me, or
with a new odd-looking man who had been eyeing me
for some time, and at last, without any
introduction, asked me if I meant to dance again.
I think he must be Irish by his ease, and because
I imagine him to belong to the hon^{ble} B.'s, who
are the son, and son's wife of an Irish viscount,
bold queer-looking people, just fit to be quality
at Lyme.

* * * * *

I called yesterday morning (ought it not in strict
propriety to be termed yester-morning?) on Miss A.
and was introduced to her father and mother. Like
other young ladies she is considerably genteeler
than her parents. Mrs. A. sat darning a pair of
stockings the whole of my visit. But do not
mention this at home, lest a warning should act as
an example. We afterwards walked together for an
hour on the Cobb; she is very converseable in a
common way; I do not perceive wit or genius, but
she has sense and some degree of taste, and her
manners are very engaging. She seems to like
people rather too easily. She thought the D.'s
pleasant, &c., &c.

* * * * *

_Friday Evening._--The bathing was so delightful
this morning and Molly so pressing with me to
enjoy myself that I believe I staid in rather too
long, as since the middle of the day I have felt
unreasonably tired. I shall be more careful
another time, and shall not bathe to-morrow as I
had before intended. Jenny and James are walked to
Charmouth this afternoon. I am glad to have such
an amusement for him, as I am very anxious for his
being at once quiet and happy. He can read, and I
must get him some books. Unfortunately he has read
the first Vol. of _Robinson Crusoe_. We have the
Pinckards' newspaper however which I shall take
care to lend him.

As the autumn of 1804 was succeeded by winter, Jane's thoughts were to
be taken up by more serious considerations. On her birthday, December
16, occurred the death (by a fall from her horse) of her great friend,
Mrs. Lefroy, on which we have already dwelt.[139]

But she