ich
and the gay--for having saved the life of a mother thro' compliance,
extorted by anguish, contrary to the received opinions of the world."

"_Brighthelmstone, 19th November, 1782_.--What is above written,
though intended only to unload my heart by writing it, I shewed in a
transport of passion to Queeney and to Burney. Sweet Fanny Burney
cried herself half blind over it; said there was no resisting such
pathetic eloquence, and that, if she was the daughter instead of the
friend, she should be tempted to attend me to the altar; but that,
while she possessed her reason, nothing should seduce her to approve
what reason itself would condemn: that children, religion, situation,
country, and character--besides the diminution of fortune by the
certain loss of 800_l._ a year, were too much to sacrifice for any
_one man_. If, however, I were resolved to make the sacrifice, _a la
bonne heure!_ it was an astonishing proof of an attachment very
difficult for mortal man to repay."

"I will talk no more about it."

What comes next was written in London:

"_Nov. 27, 1782_.--I have given my Piozzi some hopes--dear, generous,
prudent, noble-minded creature; he will hardly permit himself to
believe it ever can be--_come quei promessi miracoli_, says he, _che
non vengono mai_. For rectitude of mind and native dignity of soul I
never saw his fellow."

"_Dec. 1, 1782_.--The guardians have met upon the scheme of putting
our girls in Chancery. I was frighted at the project, not doubting
but the Lord Chancellor would stop us from leaving England, as he
would certainly see no joke in three young heiresses, his wards,
quitting the kingdom to frisk away with their mother into Italy:
besides that I believe Mr. Crutchley proposed it merely for a
stumbling-block to my journey, as he cannot bear to have Hester out
of his sight.

"Nobody much applauded my resolution in going, but Johnson and Cator
said they would not concur in stopping me by violence, and Crutchley
was forced to content himself with intending to put the ladies under
legal protection as soon as we should be across the sea. This measure
I much applaud, for if I die or marry in Italy their fortunes will be
safer in Chancery than any how else. Cator[1] said _I_ had a right to
say that going to Italy would benefit the children as much as _they_
had to say it would _not_; but I replied that as I really did not
mean anything but my own private gratification by the voyage, nothing