She was, however, steady and consistent, and did not, like her friends, Mrs. Wolstonecroft and Helen Maria Williams, expose and disgrace herself. On one occasion, indeed, her enthusiasm got the better both of her prudence, and the natural delicacy of her sex. She attended the trial of her admired—what shall we call him? Patriot!—Well then, Patriot, if you please, Horne Tooke, for High Treason. When the verdict of “Not guilty” was pronounced, she scrambled over seats and benches as she could, and hastening to where he stood, kissed him in the public court. When young, she was of a very lively and cheerful temper, of which character her earliest compositions exhibited the amplest testimony. It may be conjectured, that about this period, her sensibility and tenderness must have received some very acute wounds, for almost all her subsequent publications were of the most melancholy cast and tendency. Misery, deep and dreadful misery, seemed alone to be her favourite subject, to call forth all her talents, and to occupy the whole of her imagination. Her union with a celebrated artist, could not, as one should think, be entirely congenial to her natural habits and propensities. They who knew her from her childhood, held up their hands in astonishment; but Venus delights in these vagaries. At his decease, it seemed for a time as if other and higher destinies awaited her; but she was still a widow when these Memorandums were committed to paper. When it is added, by way of conclusion to this sketch, that she was a most affectionate and dutiful daughter, warm and animated in her attachments, lively and agreeable in conversation, steady and consistent in her principles, if she could have known who it was that bore this testimony in her favour, she would perhaps have been more than satisfied. This also may tend to soften the resentment to which she may be inclined to give way, when it is still further added, that the flattering attentions she received from her childhood, so far spoiled her, that whatever she does, or says, or writes, is somewhat tinged with vanity and self-conceit, and that perhaps no more perfect picture was ever exhibited in society, of a _Precieuse_. Ite procul, sacer est locus, ite profani. CHAPTER LXIV. Very high in the circles of taste and elegance, stood the female who is next commemorated. Herself possessed of no inconsiderable portion of talents of various kinds, she had the happy knack of bringing together, on a very pleasant footing, the most distinguished literary characters. At the house of Mrs. J. H. there were found once in every week, elegant individuals of both sexes, whose acquaintance was generally cultivated for their abilities, their knowledge, or their taste.