at last brought to herself, and the vehicle
in which she visited was amended in the nicest manner, to prevent
relapses; but they frequently happened during that husband's whole life,
which he had the good fortune to end in few years after. The
disconsolate soon pitched upon a very agreeable successor, whom she very
prudently designed to govern by the same method. This man knew her
little arts, and resolved to break through all tenderness, and be
absolute master, as soon as occasion offered. One day it happened, that
a discourse arose about furniture: he was very glad of the occasion, and
fell into an invective against china,[261] protesting, he would never
let five pounds more of his money be laid out that way as long as he
breathed. She immediately fainted--he starts up as amazed, and calls for
help--the maids ran to the closet--he chafes her face, bends her
forwards, and beats the palms of her hands: her convulsions increase,
and down she tumbles on the floor, where she lies quite dead, in spite
of what the whole family, from the nursery to the kitchen, could do for
her relief.

While every servant was thus helping or lamenting their mistress, he,
fixing his cheek to hers, seemed to be following her in a trance of
sorrow; but secretly whispers her, "My dear, this will never do: what is
within my power and fortune, you may always command, but none of your
artifices: you are quite in other hands than those you passed these
pretty passions upon." This made her almost in the condition she
pretended; her convulsions now came thicker, nor was she to be held
down. The kind man doubles his care, helps the servants to throw water
in her face by full quarts; and when the sinking part of the fit came
again, "Well, my dear," said he, "I applaud your action; but I must take
my leave of you till you are more sincere with me. Farewell for ever:
you shall always know where to hear of me, and want for nothing." With
that, he ordered the maids to keep plying her with hartshorn, while he
went for a physician: he was scarce at the stairhead when she followed;
and pulling him into a closet, thanked him for her cure; which was so
absolute, that she gave me this relation herself, to be communicated for
the benefit of all the voluntary invalids of her sex.

From my own Apartment, May 31.

The public is not so little my concern, though I am but a student, as
that I should not interest myself in the present great things in
agitation. I am