government: "An Annibabtist is a thing I am not a member of--I am a
Pisplekan (Episcopalian) just now, and" (O you little Laodicean and
Latitudinarian!) "a Prisbeteran at Kirkcaldy!"--(_Blandula! Vagula!
coelum et animum mutas quae trans mare_ (i.e. _trans
Bodotriam_)--_curris_!)--"my native town." "Sentiment is not what I am
acquainted with as yet, though I wish it, and should like to practise
it." (!) "I wish I had a great, great deal of gratitude in my heart, in
all my body." "There is a new novel published, named _Self-Control_"
(Mrs. Brunton's)--"a very good maxim forsooth!" This is shocking:
"Yesterday a marrade man, named Mr. John Balfour, Esq., offered to kiss
me, and offered to marry me, though the man" (a fine directness this!)
"was espused, and his wife was present and said he must ask her
permission; but he did not. I think he was ashamed and confounded before
3 gentelman--Mr. Jobson and 2 Mr. Kings." "Mr. Banester's" (Bannister's)
"Budjet is to-night; I hope it will be a good one. A great many authors
have expressed themselves too sentimentally." You are right, Marjorie.
"A Mr. Burns writes a beautiful song on Mr. Cunhaming, whose wife
desarted him--truly it is a most beautiful one." "I like to read the
Fabulous historys, about the histerys of Robin, Dickey, flapsay, and
Peccay, and it is very amusing, for some were good birds and others bad,
but Peccay was the most dutiful and obedient to her parients." "Thomson
is a beautiful author, and Pope, but nothing to Shakespear, of which I
have a little knolege. 'Macbeth' is a pretty composition, but awful
one." "The _Newgate Calender_ is very instructive." (!) "A sailor called
here to say farewell; it must be dreadful to leave his native country
when he might get a wife; or perhaps me, for I love him very much. But O
I forgot, Isabella forbid me to speak about love." This antiphlogistic
regimen and lesson is ill to learn by our Maidie, for here she sins
again: "Love is a very papithatick thing" (it is almost a pity to
correct this into pathetic), "as well as troublesome and tiresome--but O