With my Wife this Evening to Mr. HARTLEY'S to a Children's Party, but
some grown up, and among them me and my Wife, though we have no
Children, which vex me, but not much, for Children mighty expensive and
cost money, and, if I had them, would only force me to deny myself a
great many Pleasures I now enjoy, and could not then afford. A large
Drawing Room very fine, and well lighted up, and so many Children of all
Ages down to Babies almost as I think I did never before, altogether in
one room, see. Pretty to see how the little Boys and Girls dance when
MYNHEER SCHLAMM thump and bang the Piano, and some of the very smallest
taught to dance nearly as soon as they could walk, and how they stand in
Position and point their Toes with heels close together, and arms
hanging down, as they do when the Dancing-Master teach them their
dancing Lessons. And to see how pleased all the Girls to dance, but not
all the Boys, but a good many of them look unhappy, yet pretty to
observe how a few little Boys make love to the little Girls, and one
little Boy offer a little Girl a Nosegay, like a young Gallant, and she
take it with the Air of a Coquette mighty pretty. But most of the Boys
make a great deal more Love to the good Things on the Tables; the Sweets
and Pastry, Jelly, Blanc-Mange, Tarts, Pies, Tipsy-Cake, Trifle, and
Ice-creams, and good Lack how they push, and scramble, and hold out
their plates, to get slices of Cake, while HARTLEY cut up a great rich
Cake like a Twelfth-cake and share it between them, and they eat and
stuff all they can, and I fear me some of them ill to-morrow if not
before. Droll to see a little Boy stand astride stuffing into his Mouth
a Pie whole like a Pantomime Clown. Another small Boy sitting down upon
a Pile of Plates set by on the Floor, they having been eaten from, in
the Remains of Trifle, cause great Laughter. So did a fat Dame with her
little Boy and Girl, and an Arm round each, like a great plump Fowl, a
Gizzard under one Wing and Liver beneath the other. Droll to see
HARTLEY'S little girl sit in her Grandmother's Chair beside her Crutch,
where her Grandmother hobbling in did find her, and to think that she
too will be such another old Woman, one of these Days, if she live. Some
of the bigger Boys public School Boys, mighty grand, and a few wearing
Spectacles like young Owls. Mrs. HARTLEY'S Brother, Mr. ST. LEGER, dress
himself like a Conjuror, in a conjuring Cap with magick Characters on
it, and conjure with Cards, and Oranges, and little Images, and Dolls,
mighty clever, and I do mean to get him if I can to teach me. One Thing
made me laugh heartily was to see the Page they call BUTTONS stand
behind him while he conjure, BUTTONS with his Eyes staring wide open,
and he grinning with his Mouth from Ear to Ear. The young Folk after
Supper to dance again, and romp, and play at Blindman's Buff, and
meanwhile the elder sup too, and I and my Wife on cold Fowl and Ham, and
Lobster Salad, and Champagne, mighty merry, and so Home betimes mighty
comfortable, and methinks I do like a Children's more than any other
Evening Party, to see the Children and their Elders also, play the Fool,
and to break up, and get Home early, and so with Content and Comfort to
Bed.
[Illustration: _GRANDE REVIEW._