in keeping the burning end there a long time without its being
extinguished. I have, thank God, a pretty large mouth, and, in order to
out-do her teacher, I took two candles into my mouth at the same time,
and walked three times round the room without their going out. Every
person present adjudged me the prize of this illustrious experiment,
and Killegrew maintained that nothing but a lanthorn could stand in
competition with me. Upon this she was like to die with laughing;
and thus was I admitted into the familiarity of her amusements. It is
impossible to deny her being one of the most charming creatures that
ever was: since the court has been in the country, I have had an hundred
opportunities of seeing her, which I had not before. You know that the
dishabille of the bath is a great convenience for those ladies, who,
strictly adhering to all the rules of decorum, are yet desirous to
display all their charms and attractions. Miss Stewart is so fully
acquainted with the advantages she possesses over all other women, that
it is hardly possible to praise any lady at court for a well-turned
arm, and a fine leg, but she is ever ready to dispute the point by
demonstration; and I really believe, that, with a little address,
it would not be difficult to induce her to strip naked, without ever
reflecting upon what she was doing. After all, a man must be very
insensible to remain unconcerned and unmoved on such happy occasions;
and, besides, the good opinion we entertain of ourselves is apt to make
us think a woman is smitten, as soon as she distinguishes us by habitual
familiarity, which most commonly signifies nothing. This is the truth of
the matter with respect to myself: my own presumption, her beauty, the
brilliant station that sets it off, and a thousand kind things she had
said to me, prevented me from making serious reflections; but then, as
some excuse for my folly, I must likewise tell you, that the facility
I found in making her the tenderest declarations by commending her, and
her telling me in confidence a thousand things which she ought not to
have entrusted me with, might have deceived or infatuated any other man
as well as myself.

"I presented her with one of the prettiest horses in England. You know
what peculiar grace and elegance distinguish her on horseback. The king,
who, of all the diversions of the chase, likes none but hawking, because
it is the most convenient for the ladies, went out the other day to t