Giles's
lampoon, the _Beggar's Opera_), the best farce (the _Critic_--it is only
too good for a farce), and the best Address (Monologue on Garrick), and,
to crown all, delivered the very best Oration (the famous Begum Speech)
ever conceived or heard in this country." Somebody told S. this the next
day, and on hearing it he burst into tears!
Poor Brinsley! if they were tears of pleasure, I would rather have said
these few, but most sincere, words than have written the Iliad or made
his own celebrated Philippic. Nay, his own comedy never gratified me
more than to hear that he had derived a moment's gratification from any
praise of mine, humble as it must appear to "my elders and my betters."
Went to my box at Covent Garden to-night; and my delicacy felt a little
shocked at seeing S----'s mistress (who, to my certain knowledge, was
actually educated, from her birth, for her profession) sitting with her
mother, "a three-piled b----d, b----d Major to the army," in a private
box opposite. I felt rather indignant; but, casting my eyes round the
house, in the next box to me, and the next, and the next, were the most
distinguished old and young Babylonians of quality;--so I burst out a
laughing. It was really odd; Lady----_divorced_--Lady----and her
daughter, Lady----, both _divorceable_--Mrs.----, in the next the
_like_, and still nearer------! [1] What an assemblage to _me_, who
know all their histories. It was as if the house had been divided
between your public and your _understood_ courtesans;--but the
intriguantes much outnumbered the regular mercenaries.
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