But—previously to the late Streatham catastrophe—blither, more bland,
and more gleeful still, was the personal celebrity of Mrs. Thrale,
than that of either Mrs. Montagu or Mrs. Vesey. Mrs. Vesey, indeed,
gentle and diffident, dreamed not of any competition: but Mrs. Montagu
and Mrs. Thrale had long been set up as fair rival candidates for
colloquial eminence; and each of them thought the other alone worthy
to be her peer. Openly, therefore, when they met, they combatted
for precedence of admiration; with placid, though high-strained
intellectual exertion on one side, and an exuberant pleasantry of
classical allusion or quotation on the other, without the smallest
malice in either; for so different were their tastes as well as
attributes, that neither of them envied, while each did justice to the
powers of her opponent.
The blue parties at Mrs. Thrale’s, though neither marked with as much
splendour as those of Mrs. Montagu, nor with so curious a selection
of distinguished individuals as those of Mrs. Vesey, were yet held
of equal height with either in general estimation, as Dr. Johnson,
“himself a host,” was usually at Mrs. Thrale’s; or was always, by her
company, expected: and as she herself possessed powers of entertainment
more vivifying in gaiety than any of her competitors.
* * * * *
Various other meetings were formed in imitation of the same plan of
dispensing with cards, music, dice, dancing, or the regales of the
festive board, to concentrate in intellectual entertainment all the
hopes of the guest, and the efforts of the host and hostess. And, with
respect to colloquial elegance, such a plan certainly is of the first
order for bringing into play the highest energies of our nature; and
stimulating their fairest exercise in discussions upon the several
subjects that rise with every rising day; and that take and give a
fresh colour to Thought as well as to Expression, from the mind of
every fresh discriminator.
And such meetings, when the parties were well assorted, and in
good-humour, formed, at that time, a coalition of talents, and a
brilliancy of exertion, that produced the most informing dissertations,
or the happiest sallies of wit and pleasantry, that could emanate from
social intercourse.