stom which is becoming the fashion of calling for certain
performers after the play, I can only say, ladies and gentlemen,
that I enter my protest against such a custom. It is a foreign
fashion, and we are Englishmen; therefore I protest against it. I
will take my leave of you by parodying Mercutio's words: Ladies and
gentlemen, _bon soir_; there's a French salutation for you." So
saying he walked off the stage, leaving the audience rather
surprised; and so was I. I think he is laboring under an incipient
bilious attack.

We had a long discussion to-day as to the possibility of women
being good dramatic writers. I think it so impossible that I
actually believe their physical organization is against it; and,
after all, it is great nonsense saying that intellect is of no sex.
The brain is, of course, of the same sex as the rest of the
creature; besides, the original feminine nature, the whole of our
training and education, our inevitable ignorance of common life and
general human nature, and the various experience of existence, from
which we are debarred with the most sedulous care, is insuperably
against it. Perhaps some of the manly, wicked Queens Semiramis,
Cleopatra, could have written plays; but they lived their tragedies
instead of writing them.

_Saturday, August 6th._--After breakfast our excellent architect
came to fetch us for our expedition to the breakwater. My father
complained of being dreadfully bilious, a bad preparation for the
purpose. I wanted to stay at home with him, or at all events to put
off the party for an hour or two; but he would not hear of either
plan. So as soon as I was ready we set off. We walked first to the
M----s', and then proceeded in a body to the shore, where a
Government boat was waiting for us; and what a cargo we were, to be
sure! My father, certainly no feather; our worthy friend, who must
weigh eighteen stone, if a pound; Mr. and Mrs. W----, thinnish
bodies; but her friend, Dall, and myself decidedly thickish ones;
then the pilot, a gaunt, square Scotchman; and four stout sailors.
The gallant little craft courtesied and courtesied as she received
us, one by one, and at length, when we were all fairly and pretty
closely packed, she put off, and breasted the water bravely, rising
and dancing on the bac