I was so surprised, and, indeed, mortified by your
silence, that at a hazard I wrote to South Hill. I had, however, some
presentiment that poor, dear mamma’s health was far from being what her
friends could have wished. The account you gave me of her danger shocked me
very much, for I believe there are not many after her own immediate family that
feel a deeper interest in her; indeed, it would be extraordinary and ungrateful
were it otherwise, for our know-
| 308 | LADY MORGAN'S MEMOIR. |
Here I am writing and reading every day until I am black in the face; and eating, and drinking, and sleeping till I resemble nothing on earth but a full-blown peony. I have, not ten minutes back, broken down poor Sir Malby’s garden chair with my ponderous weight; little Malby insisted on yoking an old ass and a little mule to it, and then insisted on my gracing it with my presence; so, in I got, he mounted the ass, and away we drove towards the mountains, followed by a flock of ragged children; when, lo! in the midst of a pool of water down came my vehicle, the mule broke his traces, and plump I came into the mountain stream, to the great horror and delight of the surrounding multitude. I am now just enjoying the comfort of dry clothes; and while Lady Crofton’s maid is actually in the act of curling my unfortunate hair, I am scribbling to you. So much for my morning’s adventure.
After an age of solitude, during which period a new face
would have been a matter of astonishment, we have our house at present pretty
full; we have, among others, Mrs. and Miss Dowdell (the
latter a very accomplished nice little girl), who seem to know your papa and
Uncle John, with Sir Thomas and
Captain
| OLD IRISH HOSPITALITY. | 309 |
I am getting on famously with my new work; there is but
one defect in it, namely, I cannot read a line of what I have written,—I
wrote in such a furore of authorship! I am sure you will condole with me on the
probable loss of my MSS. and bills, for I never have heard a word about them since I saw you.
Lady Cunningham’s approbation is worth having, I know her character; she is esteemed a
woman of superior taste, and ’tis said, contrived to convince the
Emperor Napoleon his heart was not so adamantine but a woman could
melt it. I triumph in Mr.
Goode’s approbation; as much news of that kind as you
will, I can take flattery in any way; lay it on with a shovel or administer it
out of a gallon, I can open my mouth and gulp it down—all! I sincerely
want to see you all some time in November; but I cannot get dear Lady Crofton to say when she will let me go.
Yesterday she said early in November—to-day she talks of Christmas! And I am wholly dependent on her, as she
takes me herself to Holy-brook, 120 miles—Connaught miles. I find I shall not be in to Mullingar
till eight in the evening; now I greatly fear it will be inconvenient for papa
to send any kind of a vehicle for me; pray use no ceremony, I can easily get a
chaise there; at all events, I think I had better sleep that night at
| 310 | LADY MORGAN'S MEMOIR. |
