less finely balanced, her judgment less trained, and her principles less
formed, the result might have been disastrous.

She went, and mingled somewhat freely with the popular life of the great
city. She was taken to Drury Lane, the Covent Garden theatres, and to
other places of amusement, but she could not "like plays." She saw some
good actors; witnessed "Hamlet," "Bluebeard," and other dramas, but
confesses that she "cannot like or enjoy them"; they seemed "so
artificial." Then she somewhat oddly says that when her hair was dressed
"she felt like a monkey," and finally concluded that "London was not the
place for heartful pleasure." With her natural, sound common sense, her
discernment, her intelligence and purity of mind, these amusements
seemed far below the level of those fitted to satisfy a rational
being--so far that she almost looked down on them with contempt. The
truth was, that having tasted a little of the purer joy of religion, all
other substitutes were stale and flat, and this although she scarcely
knew enough of the matter to be able correctly to analyze her own
feelings.

Among the persons Elizabeth encountered in the metropolis, are found
mentioned Amelia Opie, Mrs. Siddons, Mrs. Inchbold, "Peter Pindar," and
last, but by no means least, the Prince of Wales. Not that she really
talked with royalty, but she saw the Prince at the opera; and she tells
us that she admired him very much. Indeed, she did not mind owning that
she loved grand company, and she certainly enjoyed clever company, for
she much relished and appreciated the society of both Mrs. Opie and Mrs.
Inchbald. This predilection for high circles and illustrious people was
afterwards to bear noble fruit, seeing that she preached often to
crowned heads, and princes. But just then she had little idea of the
wonderful future which awaited her. She was only trying the experiment