were to live to the age of Methusalem. I am willing to own that all this may be prejudice, and that _we_ may not _mean_ better than our _neighbours_; but _fire_ shall not burn my opinion out of me, and so _God mend all_. Now, to turn to our _great selves_. We took our little folks to Lisle; it is a very fine town, and, though I know nothing of the language, the acting was so really good that it gave me very great pleasure. The language of true genius, like that of Nature, is intelligible to all. We stayed there a few days, and you would have laughed to have seen my amazement at the valet of the inn assisting the _femme de chambre_ in the making of our beds. The _beds_ are the best I ever slept upon; but the valet’s kind offices I could always, I think, dispense with, good heavens! Well, we returned to Calais, where I would have stayed a few months, and have employed myself in acquiring a few French phrases with the dear children, if Mrs. Temple would have taken me in; but she said she had not room to accommodate me, and I unwillingly gave up the point. In a day or two we set sail, after seeing the civic oath administered on the fourteenth. It was a fine thing even at Calais. I was extremely delighted and affected, not, indeed, at the _sensible objects_, though a great multitude is often a grand thing, but the idea of so many millions throughout that great nation, with one consent, at one moment (as it were by Divine Inspiration), breaking their bonds asunder, filled one with sympathetic exultation, good-will, and tenderness. I rejoiced with them from my heart, and most sincerely hope they will not abuse the glorious freedom they have obtained. We were nearly twenty hours on the sea on our return, and arrived at Dover fatigued and sick to death. Dr. Wynn was obliged to make the best of his way to London on account of a sermon he was engaged to preach, and took his charming sister with him. _We_ made haste here, and it is the most agreeable sea-place, excepting those on the Devonshire coast, I ever saw. Perhaps _agreeable_ is a bad word, for the country is much more sublime than beautiful. We have tremendous cliffs overhanging and frowning on the foaming sea, which is very often so saucy and tempestuous as to _deserve_ frowning on; from whence, when the weather is clear, we see the land of France, and the vessels cross from the Downs to Calais. Sometimes, while you _stand_ there, it is amazing with what velocity they skim along. Here are little neat lodgings, and good wholesome provisions. Perhaps they would not suit a great _countess_, as our friend Mr. Mason has it, but a little great actress is more easily accommodated. I’m afraid it will grow larger, though, and then adieu to the comforts of retirement. At present the place cannot contain above twenty