ither I, nor Beauclerc, nor Mrs.
Thrale could get through it." This is what Mrs. Piozzi wrote to
disavow, so far as she was personally concerned. In a subsequent
letter from Vienna, she says: "Mrs. Montagu has written to me very
sweetly." The other collection expected from her was her "Anecdotes
of the late Samuel Johnson, during the last Twenty Years of his Life.
Printed for T. Cadell in the Strand, 1786."

She opened the matter to Mr. Cadell in the following terms:

"Florence, 7th June, 1785.

"_Sir_.,--As you were at once the bookseller and friend of Dr.
Johnson, who always spoke of your character in the kindest terms, I
could wish you likewise to be the publisher of some Anecdotes
concerning the last twenty years of his life, collected by me during
the many days I had opportunity to spend in his instructive company,
and digested into method since I heard of his death. As I have a
large collection of his letters in England, besides some verses,
known only to myself, I wish to delay printing till we can make two
or three little volumes, not unacceptable, perhaps, to the public;
but I desire my intention to be notified, for divers reasons, and, if
you approve of the scheme, should wish it to be immediately
advertized. My return cannot be in less than twelve months, and we
may be detained still longer, as our intention is to complete the
tour of Italy; but the book is in forwardness, and it has been seen
by many English and Italian friends."

On July 27th, 1785, she writes from Florence:

"We celebrated our wedding anniversary two days ago with a
magnificent dinner and concert, at which the Prince Corsini and his
brother the Cardinal did us the honour of assisting, and wished us
joy in the tenderest and politest terms. Lord and Lady Cowper, Lord
Pembroke, and _all_ the English indeed, doat on my husband, and show
us every possible attention."

On the 18th July, 1785, she writes again to Mr. Cadell:--"I am
favoured with your answer and pleased with the advertisement, but it
will be impossible to print the verses till my return to England, as
they are all locked up with other papers in the Bank, nor should I
choose to put the key (which is now at Milan) in any one's hand
except my own."

She therefore proposes that the "Anecdotes" shall be printed first,
and published separately. On the 20th October, 1785, she writes from
Sienna:

"I finished my 'Anecdotes of Dr. Johnson' at Florence, and taking
them with me t