from the dead, hurried off my stage robes, and hurried on my
private apparel, and followed my mother into the saloon. Here I had
delightful talk (though I believe I was dancing on my mind's feet
all the while) with Lord John Russell, Miss Berry, Lady Charlotte
Lindsay, and that charming person, James Wortley, and I got a
glimpse of Lord O----'s lovely face, who is a beautiful creature.
After being duly stared at by the crowds of my exalted
fellow-beings who filled the room, Lady Francis said she would send
them away, and we adjourned to Mrs. Cunliffe's, and had a very fine
ball; that is to say, we had neither room to dance, nor space to
sit, nor power to move.

"Oh, pleasure is a very pleasant thing," as Byron sings and H----
for ever says, and certainly a good ball is a pleasant thing, and
in spite of the above drawbacks I was enchanted with everything.
Such shoals of partners! such nice people! such perfect music! such
a delightful floor! Danced till the day had one eye wide open, and
then home to bed--what a good thing it is to have one under the
circumstances! I hope I have not been very tipsy to-night, but it
is difficult with so many stimulants to keep _quite_ sober. Broad
daylight! Six o'clock!

_Tuesday, May 21st._--My feet ache so with dancing that I can
hardly stand. Did not some traditional princesses of German
fairyland dance their shoes and stockings to pieces?

Going into the drawing-room I found my darling Dr. Combe there, and
if I had not been so tired I must have made a jump at his neck, I
was so very glad to see him. He brought me a letter from Mr. Combe,
whom I love only one step lower. He sat with us but a short time,
and leaves town to-morrow, which I am sorry for, first, because I
should like to have seen him again so very much, and next, because
I should have been glad that my mother became better acquainted
with the mental charms and seductions of the man whose outward
appearance seems to have allayed some of her apprehensions for the
safety of my heart and those of my Edinburgh cousins. Mrs. W----
called soon after. She is intent upon my acting Mlle. Mar's part in
"Henri Trois." I can do nothing with any French part in Covent
Garden. If they can find a theater of half that size to get it up
in, well and good; but se