endeavour as much as possible to keep
my intimacies in their proper place, and prevent their clashing. Among
so many friends, it will be well if I do not get into a scrape; and
now here is Miss Blashford come. I should have gone distracted if the
Bullers had staid . . . . When I tell you I have been visiting a
countess this morning, you will immediately, with great justice, but
no truth, guess it to be Lady Roden. No: it is Lady Leven, the mother
of Lord Balgonie. On receiving a message from Lord and Lady Leven
through the Mackays, declaring their intention of waiting on us, we
thought it right to go to them. I hope we have not done too much, but
the friends and admirers of Charles must be attended to. They seem
very reasonable, good sort of people, very civil, and full of his
praise. {80} We were shewn at first into an empty drawing-room, and
presently in came his lordship, not knowing who we were, to apologise
for the servant's mistake, and to say himself what was untrue, that
Lady Leven was not within. He is a tall gentlemanlike looking man,
with spectacles, and rather deaf. After sitting with him ten minutes
we walked away; but Lady Leven coming out of the dining parlour as we
passed the door, we were obliged to attend her back to it, and pay our
visit over again. She is a stout woman, with a very handsome face. By
this means we had the pleasure of hearing Charles's praises twice
over. They think themselves excessively obliged to him, and estimate
him so highly as to wish Lord Balgonie, when he is quite recovered, to
go out to him. There is a pretty little Lady Marianne of the party,
to be shaken hands with, and asked if she remembered Mr. Austen: . . .

'I shall write to Charles by the next packet, unless you tell me in
the meantime of your intending to do it.

'Believe me, if you chuse,
'Yr affte Sister.'

Jane did not estimate too highly the 'Cousin George' mentioned in the
foregoing letter; who might easily have been superior in sense and wit to
the rest of the party. He was the Rev. George Leigh Cooke, long known
and respected at Oxford, where he held important offices, and had the
privilege of helping to form the minds of men more eminent than himself.
As Tutor in Corpus Christi College, he became instructor to some of the
most distinguished undergraduates of that time: amongst others to Dr.
Arnold, the Rev. J