Before mentioning her next publication, I will show from “Thraliana” her state of mind when about to start for England, and her impressions of things and people on her return: 

“1786.—­It has always been my maxim never to influence the inclination of another:  Mr. Thrale, in consequence, lived with me seventeen and a half years, during which time I tried but twice to persuade him to do anything, and but once, and that in vain, to let anything alone.  Even my daughters, as soon as they could reason, were always allowed, and even encouraged, by me to reason their own way, and not suffer their respect or affection for me to mislead their judgment.  Let us keep the mind clear if we can from prejudices, or truth will never be found at all.[1] The worst part of this disinterested scheme is, that other people are not of my mind, and if I resolve not to use my lawful influence to make my children love me, the lookers-on will soon use their unlawful influence to make them hate me:  if I scrupulously avoid persuading my husband to become a Lutheran or be of the English church, the Romanists will be diligent to teach him all the narrowness and bitterness of their own unfeeling sect, and soon persuade him that it is not delicacy but weakness makes me desist from the combat.  Well! let me do right, and leave the consequences in His hand who alone sees every action’s motive and the true cause of every effect:  let me endeavour to please God, and to have only my own faults and follies, not those of another, to answer for.”

[Footnote 1:  “Clear your mind of cant.”—­JOHNSON.]

“1787, May 1_st_.—­It was not wrong to come home after all, but very right.  The Italians would have said we were afraid to face England, and the English would have said we were confined abroad in prisons or convents or some stuff.  I find Mr. Smith (one of our daughter’s guardians) told that poor baby Cecilia a fine staring tale how my husband locked me up at Milan and fed me on bread and water, to make the child hate Mr. Piozzi.  Good God!  What infamous proceeding was this!  My husband never saw the fellow, so could not have provoked him.”

“May 19_th_.—­We bad a fine assembly last night indeed:  in my best days I never had finer:  there were near a hundred people in the rooms which were besides much admired.”

“1788, January 1_st_.—­How little I thought this day four years that I should celebrate this 1st of January, 1788, here at Bath, surrounded with friends and admirers?  The public partial to me, and almost every individual whose kindness is worth wishing for, sincerely attached to my husband.”

“Mrs. Byron is converted by Piozzi’s assiduity, she really likes him now:  and sweet Mrs. Lambert told everybody at Bath she was in love with him.”

“I have passed a delightful winter in spite of them, caressed by my friends, adored by my husband, amused with every entertainment that is going forward:  what need I think about three sullen Misses? ... and yet!”——­