This day I dined in Conduit Street, a well-furnished house, good
table, proper attendance, &c. Thus far you will say there was nothing
very extraordinary. But the Lady of the house was Mrs. Williams,
alias Bell Mallet. Her aunt Elstob is just dead, and has left her
that house, furniture, plate, &c., with a fortune (as Mr. Scott tells
me) of £14,000 chargeable only with an Annuity of £100 a year to her
sister during her mother's life. She is in high spirits, as she well
may be, very French, but really agreeable and even handsome. She
talks of settling her affairs and returning to France. Her husband
is at New York much esteemed in his profession, and she may be very
happy if he does not _now_ recollect his wife, though Mrs. Elstob,
by appointing Trustees, George Scott and Mr. Waller, has taken every
possible measure to secure her fortune from him. I thought you would
not be sorry to hear something of that little animal, who came to
town only Saturday and sent to me only last night.
I am,
Most truly yours,
E. GIBBON.
[Sidenote: HIS OFFICIAL DUTIES.]
383.
_To his Stepmother._
Bentinck Street, Dec. 10th, 1779.