Page:Lady Anne Granard 2.pdf/176

174 Very troublesome, indeed, are all such affairs, where the parties engaging in them are liable to the changes entailed on watering-places. The company pretty generally go out for a given time, and with a given sum in their pockets, which, in nine cases out often, admits of but little encroachment; and if the temptations of mixing in superior society and speculating in expensive novelties cause new demands on papas, or show mammas the impolicy of making them, nothing can be more probable than that a hasty retreat should be resolved on, the consequence of a "summons from some sick or dying friend, of the most pressing nature." Then have the lady patronesses and their active coadjutors, whether noble or ignoble, all the work of beating up for recruits to go over again. This was so decidedly the case at Brighton, within the month when the plan was broached, that it was for a fortnight given up in despair, and the duchess set out to make visits in the neighbourhood, and three others actually deserted their posts by removing to Hastings. Poor Lady Anne could not run away, therefore she struggled to keep the affair open, thereby earning a high character from the serious party, and the benevolent also, which she merited by "doing affability to all kinds of creatures," and writing such accounts of her own success and the promising character of arrivals, that the duchess returned, Lady Penryhn arrived, having in her train two Polish nobles utterly ruined,