"I had a slip--a--yes--a slip!" And she held her handkerchief to her eyes. "What do you call a slip? Do you mean a petticoat or an intrigue!" "Oh, fie! fie!" said Miss Eliza Higgins. "Intrigue is such a shocking word, and conveys a more determined idea of loose morals than a mere accidental slip." I still persisted in sending the excuse, declaring that, since hers had been only an accidental slip, she might recover it. "Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" said Miss Higgins, as my hand was extended to the bell, "what poor weak creatures we are! I quite forgot the General!" "General who?" "Why, General--, but you will be secret?" "As the grave, of course." "Did you ever hear of General Mackenzie?" said Miss Eliza Higgins, spreading her hand across her forehead. "He was Fred Lamb's General in Yorkshire?" I answered. "The same, madam, a fascinating man! and this is my excuse." "True," said I, "and I remember all the servant maids and Yorkshire milkwomen confessed his power." "Most true!" said Miss Eliza Higgins, with a deep sigh. "What then, you have forgotten the Earl of Fife already?" "Oh, his lordship is quite another thing," said Miss Higgins, brightening. "And another thing is what you wish for?" "Oh fie, ma'am! indeed you are too severe. These little accidents do and must happen, from mere inexperience and the weakness of our nature. I know several women, who have made most excellent wives after a slip or two, which I assure you madam often serves to fortify our virtue afterwards." "Well, then," said I, resuming my pen, "lest the gay Lord Fife should break through the formidable bulwark of virtue which has been already fortified by two intrigues, I shall most positively send him an excuse." "I entreat, I implore, ma'am, do not refuse my first request. Who knows what may turn up?" In short never was Brougham himself more eloquent! Not even on that memorable day when he was employed by Lord Charles Bentinck to show just cause why Lady Abdy ought to have cuckolded Sir William as she did. She ultimately prevailed; and all-conquering Fife was expected with rapture. Before dinner I went to call on Julia, by whom I had been sent for. Extreme anxiety had brought on a _fausse couche_; but Julia, being as well as could be expected, hoped still to be able to join us at Brighton, if not to accompany us there. My sister Sophia was sitting by her bedside, looking very pretty, and much happier than when she was with Lord Deerhurst. Fanny called on Julia, whose house she had changed for one in Hertford-street, Mayfair, on her acquaintance with Colonel Parker, whose name at his particular request she had now taken. "My dear Fanny," said I, "what am I to do with your boy George? We shall never make a scholar of him, and he declares that he will not be a sailor." "Flog him! Flog him!" said Amy, who overheard what I was saying, as she entered the room accompanied by a man in powder. "I flog my boy Campbell every hour in the day."