“Mrs. Paradise, leaning over the Kirwans and Charlotte, who hardly got a seat all night for the crowd, said she begged to speak to me. I squeezed my great person out, and she then said: “‘Miss Burney, Lady Say and Sele desires the honour of being introduced to you.’ “Her ladyship stood by her side. She seems pretty near fifty—at least turned forty; her head was full of feathers, flowers, jewels, and gew-gaws, and as high as Lady Archer’s; her dress was trimmed with beads, silver, Persian sashes, and all sort of fine fancies; her face is thin and fiery, and her whole manner spoke a lady all alive. “‘Miss Burney,’ cried she, with great quickness, and a look all curiosity, ‘I am very happy to see you; I have longed to see you a great while; I have read your performance, and I am quite delighted with it. I think it’s the most elegant novel I ever read in my life. Such a style! I am quite surprised at it. I can’t think where you got so much invention!’ “‘You may believe this was a reception not to make me very loquacious. I did not know which way to turn my head. “‘I must introduce you,’ continued her ladyship, ‘to my sister; she’ll be quite delighted to see you. She has written a novel herself; so you are sister authoresses. A most elegant thing it is, I assure you; almost as pretty as yours, only not quite so elegant. She has written two novels, only one is not so pretty as the other. But I shall insist upon your seeing them. One is in letters, like yours, only yours is prettiest; it’s called the “Mausoleum of Julia!”’ “What unfeeling things, thought I, are _my_ sisters! I’m sure I never heard them go about thus praising _me_! “Mrs. Paradise then again came forward, and, taking my hand, led me up to her ladyship’s sister, Lady Hawke, saying aloud, and with a courteous smirk, ‘Miss Burney, ma’am, authoress of “Evelina.”’... “Lady Hawke arose and curtseyed. She is much younger than her sister, and rather pretty; extremely languishing, delicate, and pathetic; apparently accustomed to be reckoned the genius of her family, and well contented to be looked upon as a creature dropped from the clouds.... “‘My sister intends,’ said Lady Say and Sele, ‘to print her “Mausoleum,” just for her own friends and acquaintances.’ “‘Yes,’ said Lady Hawke: ‘I have never printed yet.’... “‘Well,’ cried Lady Say, ‘but do repeat that sweet part that I am so fond of—you know what I mean; Miss Burney _must_ hear it—out of your novel, you know!’ “_Lady H._: No, I can’t; I have forgot it. “_Lady S._: Oh, no! I am sure you have not; I insist upon it. “_Lady H._: But I know you can repeat it yourself; you have so fine a memory; I am sure you can repeat it. “_Lady S._: Oh, but I should not do it justice! that’s all—I should not do it justice!