_Tuesday._--This morning, by appointment, we met a party at the
pump-room, thence to proceed to Spring Gardens, to a public breakfast.
The folks, however, were not to their time, and we sallied forth only
with the addition of Miss Weston and Miss Byron.
As soon as we entered the gardens Augusta, who had hold of my arm,
called out, “Ah! there's the man I danced with at the ball! and he
plagued me to death, asking me if I liked this and that, and the other,
and, when I said 'No,' he asked me what I did like? So, I suppose he
thought me a fool, and so indeed, I am! only you are so good to me that
I wrote my sister Sophy word that you had almost made me quite vain; and
she wrote to me t'other day a private letter, and told me how glad she
was you were come back, for, indeed, I had written her word I should be
quite sick of my life here, if it was not for sometimes seeing you.”
The gentleman to whom she pointed presently made up to us, And I found
he was Captain Bouchier, the same who had rattled away at Mr. Whalley's.
He instantly joined Miss Weston and consequently our party, and was in
the same style of flighty raillery as before. He seems to have a very
good understanding, and very quick parts, but he is rather too conscious
of both however, he was really very entertaining, and as he abided
wholly by Miss Weston, whose delicacy gave way to gaiety and flash,
whether she would or not, I was very glad that he made one among us.
The rest of the company soon came, and were Mr. and Mrs. Whalley,
Mrs. Lambart, Mrs. Aubrey, Colonel Campbell, an old officer and old
acquaintance of Mr. Thrale, and some others, both male and female, whose
names I know not.
We all sat in one box, but we had three tea-makers. Miss Weston presided
at that to which I belonged, and Augusta, Captain Bouchier, and herself
were of our set. And gay enough we were, for the careless rattle of
Captain Bouchier, which paid no regard to the daintiness of Miss Weston,
made her obliged in her own defence, to abate her finery, and laugh, and
rally, and rail, in her turn. But, at 'last, I really began to fear that
this flighty officer would bring on a serious quarrel, for, among other
subjects he was sporting, he unfortunately started that of the Bath
Easton vase, which he ridiculed without mercy, and yet, according to
all I have heard of it, without any injustice; but Mrs. Whalley, who
overheard him, was quite irritated with him. Sir John an Lady Miller
are her friends, and she thought it incumbent upon her to vindicate even
this vain folly, which she did weakly and warmly, while Captain Bouchier
only laughed and ridiculed them the more. Mrs. Whalley then coloured,
and grew quite enraged, reasoning upon the wickedness of laughing at
her good friends, and talking of generosity and sentiment. Meanwhile,
he scampered from side to side to avoid her; laughed, shouted, and tried
every way of braving it out; but was compelled at last to be serious,
and enter into a solemn defence of his intentions, which were, he said,
to ridicule the vase, not the Millers.