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228 entertaining!"); by a little nervous laugh, and such interesting ignorance. Her mother, moreover, was always saying, "Really, my sweet Matilda is so timid, it is quite terrible." Three armies might have been brought to combat with half the encouragement it took to bring the timid Matilda to the harp. One gentleman was entreated to stand before, another behind—to say nothing of the side couples—as the fair musician could not bear to be looked at while she played dear mamma's favourite air. "Dear mamma " was an enormous edifice of white satin and diamonds, which one laments over, as one does over a misapplied peerage, that ever some people should possess them. It is very provoking to have all one's associations, whether from history or fairy land, destroyed. A countess ought to be young and beautiful—a duchess stately and splendid—your earl gallant and graceful—your baron one touch more martial, as if he had five hundred belted vassals waiting at his call; and as for diamonds, they ought to be kept as sacred as a German's thirty-six quarterings, to which nothing ignoble might approach. Happy were the beauties of Henry or Richard, when fur,