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76 you have sent me. Many thanks. I shall keep them to wear on my first plan of serious conquest, when I mean it to be a case of downright murder. Do you know"——[and it will be perceived how characteristic of her feelings were such transitions as this which now occurs, from a delightful liveliness, to a touching and serious subject which she well knew would be most welcome and most interesting to the friend she was addressing]—"Do you know I feel quite sorry for Miss Jewsbury! She has a thousand fine qualities, and talents of a very high order indeed; but she has all the exaggerating sensitiveness which I have observed in too many literary people, towards the opinions of those whose good word is valueless, and whose evil one is powerless for the same reason—neither are spoken in sincerity. I am sure I would not take upon myself to say that Mrs.has not spoken ill of her, but I am quite sure if it were my own case, I should not care about it. . . . . . . . I am afraid you will cry out, 'don't be quite so much your own nominative.' Truly, they ought to have placed I instead of A, at the beginning of the alphabet. If anybody can forgive me, you will. . . . . . How do you yourself get on? [with the novel Mrs. Hall was writing.] I have been reading the reign of William and Mary, in Smollett, on purpose to recall the period: but oh! Smollett after Hume! 'It is as dull as howling after music.' I believe Hume is not the fashion, but nothing can be more delightful to read than his history."

It was at the house of this friend, in Sloane- street, that L. E. L. first met

Wordsworth. Miss Edgeworth, Mrs. Jameson,