ake
this amusement, attended by all the beauties of his court. His majesty
having galloped after a falcon, and the whole bright squadron after him,
the rustling of Miss Stewart's petticoats frightened her horse, which
was at full speed, endeavouring to come up with mine, that had been his
companion; so that I was the only witness of a disorder in her clothes,
which displayed a thousand new beauties to my view. I had the good
fortune to make such gallant and flattering exclamations upon
that charming disorder as to prevent her being concerned or out of
countenance upon it: on the contrary, this subject of my admiration has
been frequently since the subject of our conversation, and did not seem
to displease her.

"Old Lord Carlingford, and that mad fellow, Crofts (for I must now make
you my general confession), those insipid buffoons, were frequently
telling her some diverting stories, which passed pretty well with the
help of a few old threadbare jests, or some apish tricks in the recital,
which made her laugh heartily. As for myself, who know no stories, and
do not possess the talent of improving them by telling, if I did know
any, I was often greatly embarrassed when she desired me to tell her
one: 'I do not know one, indeed,' said I, one day, when she was teazing
me on the subject. 'Invent one, then,' said she. 'That would be still
more difficult,' replied I; 'but if you will give me leave, madam, I
will relate to you a very extraordinary dream, which has, however, less
appearance of truth in it than dreams generally have.' This excited her
curiosity, which would brook no denial. I therefore began to tell
her that the most beautiful creature in the world, whom I loved to
distraction, paid me a visit in my sleep. I then drew her own portrait,
with a rapturous description of all her beauties; adding, that this
goddess, who came to visit me with the most favourable intentions, did
not counteract them by any unreasonable cruelty. This was not sufficient
to satisfy Miss Stewart's curiosity: I was obliged to relate every
particular circumstance of the kindness I experienced from this delicate
phantom; to which she was so very attentive, that she never once
appeared surprised or disconcerted at the luscious tale. On the
contrary, she made me repeat the description of the beauty, which I drew
as near as possible after her own person, and after such charms as I
imagined of beauties that were unknown to me.

"This is, in fact