The "Bas Bleu" is a sprightly portraiture of what she considered to be the right constitution and character of social conversation. It is a vivacious image of that circle of gay and graceful conversers from whose appellation it takes its name. It was first circulated in manuscript, and we find Miss More apologizing to her sister for the shortness of a letter, on the ground that she had not a moment to spare, as she was copying the "Bas Bleu," for the king, at his request. Dr. Johnson pronounced it to be "a very great performance." To the author herself he expressed himself in yet stronger terms. She writes to her sister, "As to the 'Bas Bleu,' all the flattery I ever received from every body together would not make up his sum. He said--but I seriously insist you do not tell any body, for I am ashamed of writing it even to you--he said, 'there was no name in poetry that might not be glad to own it.' You cannot imagine how I stared; all this from Johnson, that parsimonious praiser! I told him I was delighted at his approbation; he answered quite characteristically, 'And so you may, for I give you the opinion of a man who does not rate his judgment in these things very low, I can tell you.'" The following extract will give some idea of its merits:-- "What lively pleasure to divine The thought implied, the printed line! To feel allusion's artful force, And trace the image to its source! Quick Memory blends her scattered rays, Till Fancy kindles at the blaze; The works of ages start to view, And ancient wit elicits new. But wit and parts if thus we praise, What nobler altars shall we raise? Those sacrifices could we see Which wit, O virtue! makes to thee, At once the rising thought to dash, To quench at once the bursting flash! The shining mischief to subdue, And lose the praise and pleasure too! Though Venus' self could you detect her Imbuing with her richest nectar The thought unchaste, to check that thought, To spurn a fame so dearly bought,-- This is high principle's control, This is true continence of soul. Blush, heroes, at your cheap renown, A vanquished realm, a plundered town Your conquests were to gain a name-- This conquest triumphs over fame." "Florio" is a metrical tale of a young man of good principles and right feelings, who, from deference to fashion, has indulged in vanities and follies bordering on depravity, which he lays aside in disgust when virtue and good sense, in alliance with female loveliness, have made apparent to him the absurdity and danger of his aberrations. In the following extract the reader will recognize some of the oft-quoted couplets of which we have spoken:--