a
very complete success it was, I am happy to say. Murphy's play of
"The Grecian Daughter" I suppose you know; or if you do not, your
state is the more gracious, for certainly anything more flat, poor,
and trashy I cannot well conceive. It had been, you know, a great
part of my aunt Siddons's, and nothing better proves her great
dramatic genius than her having clothed so meager a part in such
magnificent proportions as she gave to it, and filled out by her
own poetical conception the bare skeleton Mr. Murphy's Euphrasia
presented to her. This frightened me a great deal; Juliet and
Belvidera scarcely anybody can do ill, but Euphrasia I thought few
people could do well, and I feared I was not one of them. Moreover,
the language is at once so poor and so bombastic that I took double
the time in getting the part by rote I should have taken for any
part of Shakespeare's. My dress was beautiful; I think I will tell
it you. You know you told me even an account of hat and feathers
would interest you. My skirt was made immensely full and with a
long train; it was of white merino, almost as fine as cashmere,
with a rich gold Grecian border. The drapery which covered my
shoulders (if you wish to look for the sort of costume in
engravings, I give you its classical name, _peplum_) was made of
the same material beautifully embroidered, leaving my arms quite
free and uncovered. I had on flesh-colored silk gloves, of course.
A bright scarlet sash with heavy gilt acorns, falling to my feet,
scarlet sandals to match, and a beautiful Grecian head-dress in
gold, devised by my mother, completed the whole, which really had a
very classical effect, the fine material of which my dress was
formed falling with every movement into soft, graceful folds.

I managed to keep a good heart until I heard the flourish of drums
and trumpets, in the midst of which I had to rush on the stage, and
certainly when I did come on my appearance must have been curiously
in contrast with the "prave 'ords" I uttered, for I felt like
nothing but a hunted hare, with my eyes starting from my head, my
"nostrils all wide," and my limbs trembling to such a degree that I
could scarcely stand. The audience received me very kindly,
however, and after a little while I recovered my breath and
self-p