_March 1819._
We arrived here on Saturday last; found Lady Elizabeth Whitbread more
kind and more agreeable than ever. Her kindness to us is indeed
unbounded, and would quite overwhelm me but for the delicate and polite
manner in which she confers favours, more as if she received than
conferred them. Her house, her servants, her carriage, her horses, are
not only entirely at my disposal, but she had the good-natured
politeness to go down to the door to desire the coachman to have George
Bristow always on the box with him, as the shaking would be too much for
him behind.
Yesterday we spent two hours at Lady Stafford's. I had most agreeable
conversation with her and Lord Stafford, while Lady Elizabeth Gower
showed the pictures to Honora and Fanny.
Mr. Talbot [Footnote: Son of Lady Talbot de Malahide, a lawyer] is often
here, _l'ami de la maison_ and very much ours. Lady Grey, Lady
Elizabeth's mother, is a fine amiable old lady. Mr. Ellice, the
brother-in-law, very good-humoured and agreeable. Mr. and Mrs. Lefevre,
the son-in-law and daughter, very agreeable, good, and happy. I am more
and more convinced that happiness depends upon what is in the head and
heart more than on what is in the purse or the bank, or on the back or
in the stomach. There must be enough in the stomach, but the sauce is of
little consequence. _By the bye_, Lady Elizabeth's cook is said to be
the best in England; lived with her in the days of her prosperity, as
she says, and has followed her here.