After an hour spent in this quiet way, Jane Melville was sufficiently
rested and tranquillized to go among strangers, in spite of her knowing
the idle curiosity with which she was likely to be regarded. There was
a small party at Mr. Rennie s; but excepting herself and the ladies of
the family, it was composed entirely of gentlemen. Now that Mr. Hogarth
had come into a good landed property, he had spent more than one
evening in the family of the bank manager, and had been discovered to
be presentable anywhere; that he had very tolerable manners and good
literary taste; and both Mrs. and Miss Rennie recollected well how
often papa had spoken highly of him when he was only a clerk in
the bank. Miss Rennie was about nineteen, the eldest of the family,
rather pretty, slightly romantic, and a little fond of showing off her
extensive acquaintance with modern literature. Her interest in Mr.
Hogarth was great, though of recent date; and now to see one of the
cousins whom he was forbidden to marry, on pain of losing all his
newly-acquired wealth and consequence, was an exciting thing to a young
lady who had suffered much from want of excitement. Her father had been
able to tell her nothing of Miss Melville s personal appearance, though
he had dwelt upon her abilities and her eccentric character, and told
her age. Among the party was the publisher to whom Jane had applied for
a situation, who had contributed his share of information about her; a
young Edinburgh advocate, who had not very much to do at the bar; a
Leith merchant, an old gentleman of property in the neighbourhood of
the city, and two college students, all anxious to see people who were
so much talked about.

"Decidedly plain and common-looking, and looks twenty-seven at
least," was Miss Rennie's verdict on seeing Miss Melville.