Page:Lady Anne Granard 1.pdf/66

Rh of matter cover the largest possible quantity of space, "any body," as the then Mrs. Black used to observe, "can give some sort of account if any thing remarkable has occurred; but the great art is to write a long letter when you have nothing to say." Now there was no lack of material for a letter to Lady Anne, but it required all Mrs. Palmer's talent for epistolary correspondence to give that material a fitting shape. Though she would not have owned it, even to herself—for it is a notable fact that we keep ourselves most in the dark about ourselves—yet she was a little embarrassed at the notion of having to write to Lady Anne—there was something in a title—at least, it was the first time she had ever had the honour of addressing one. Then, as she pictured to herself Lady Anne quite overwhelmed at the idea of her children's illness, she was anxious not to alarm her too much; and yet it was necessary to state their danger, or she could not excuse bringing them over to her own house. Moreover, she thought it incumbent upon her to point out the injury done to thousands of deserving young women, by the preference given to foreigners. She knew two most amiable sisters, who had been educated at Claver House, now in want of situations. The fever itself, she had no doubt, originated in some neglect of the French governess—she would never allow one to gain ground. The letter concluded with most earnest entreaties that Lady Anne would not distress