stage-coach.

The late Duke of Beaufort, when Marquis of Worcester, used
frequently to amuse himself by driving the famous fast Brighton
coach, the Highflyer. One day, as my father was hastily depositing
his shilling gratuity in his driver's outstretched hand, a shout of
laughter, and a "Thank ye, Charles Kemble," made him aware of the
gentleman Jehu under whose care he had performed the journey.

WEDNESDAY, January 12, 1831.
DEAREST H----,

I received your letter dated the 7th the night before last, and
purposed ending this long epistle yesterday evening with an answer
to it, but was prevented by having to go with my mother to dine
with Mrs. L----, that witty woman and more than middle-aged beauty
you have heard me speak of. I was repaid for the exertion I had not
made very willingly, for I had a pleasant dinner. This lady has a
large family and very large fortune, which at her death goes to her
eldest son, who is a young man of enthusiastically religious views
and feelings; he has no profession or occupation, but devotes
himself to building chapels and schools, which he himself
superintends with unwearied assiduity; and though he has never
taken orders, he preaches at some place in the city, to which
crowds of people flock to hear him; none of which is at all
agreeable to his mother, whose chief anxiety, however, is lest some
one of the fair Methodists who attend his exhortations should
admire his earthly expectations as much as his heavenly prospects,
and induce this young apostle to marry her for her soul's sake; all
which his mother told mine, with many lamentations over the godly
zeal of her "serious" son, certainly not often made with regard to
young men who are likely to inherit fine fortunes and estates. One
of this young gentleman's sisters is strongly imbued with the same
religious feeling, and I think her impressions deepened by her very
delicate state of health. I am much attracted by her gentle manner,
and the sweet, serious expression of her face, and the earnest tone
of her conversation; I like her very much.

My mother is reading Moore's "Life of Byron," and has fallen in
love with the latter and in hate with his wife. She declares that
he was originally good, generous, humble, religio