se and came away, leaving just as many for _their_ round table
as there were at Mrs. Grant's. {107} I wish they might be as
agreeable a set. My mother is very well, and finds great amusement in
glove-knitting, and at present wants no other work. We quite run over
with books. She has got Sir John Carr's "Travels in Spain," and I am
reading a Society octavo, an "Essay on the Military Police and
Institutions of the British Empire," by Capt. Pasley of the Engineers,
a book which I protested against at first, but which upon trial I find
delightfully written and highly entertaining. I am as much in love
with the author as I ever was with Clarkson or Buchanan, or even the
two Mr. Smiths of the city. The first soldier I ever sighed for; but
he does write with extraordinary force and spirit. Yesterday,
moreover, brought us "Mrs. Grant's Letters," with Mr. White's
compliments; but I have disposed of them, compliments and all, to Miss
P., and amongst so many readers or retainers of books as we have in
Chawton, I dare say there will be no difficulty in getting rid of them
for another fortnight, if necessary. I have disposed of Mrs. Grant
for the second fortnight to Mrs. ---. It can make no difference to
_her_ which of the twenty-six fortnights in the year the 3 vols. lie
on her table. I have been applied to for information as to the oath
taken in former times of Bell, Book, and Candle, but have none to
give. Perhaps you may be able to learn something of its origin where
you now are. Ladies who read those enormous great stupid thick quarto
volumes which one always sees in the breakfast parlour there must be
acquainted with everything in the world. I detest a quarto. Capt.
Pasley's book is too good for their society. They will not understand
a man who condenses his thoughts into an octavo. I have learned from
Sir J. Carr that there is no Government House at Gibraltar. I must
alter it to the Commissioner's.'

The following letter belongs to the same year, but treats of a different
subject. It describes a journey from Chawton to London, in her brother's
curricle, and shows how much could be seen and enjoyed in course of a
long summer's day by leisurely travelling amongst scenery which the
traveller in an express train now rushes through in little more than an
hour, but scarcely sees at all:--

'Sloane Street, Thursday, May 20 (1813)