of eight candles that she lighted, and blew out and relighted, and wondered that we didn’t enjoy the operation.  Then Jane bounced breathless in, and made our discomfort perfect.  I sat speechless, terrified, and disconsolate.  My fright was increasing every instant, and by the time I was dressed I shook like an aspen leaf from head to foot, and was as sick as no heart could desire.  My dresses were most beautiful, and fitted me to perfection.  The house was very fine.  My poor dear father, who was as perfect in his part as possible this morning, did not speak three words without prompting; he was so nervous and anxious about the success of the piece that his own part was driven literally out of his head.  I never saw anything so curious.  To be sure, his illness has shattered him very much, and all the worry he has had this week has not mended matters.  However, the play went admirably, and was entirely successful, to assist which result I thought I should have broken a blood-vessel in the last scene, the exertion was so tremendous.  My voice was weak with nervousness and excitement, and at last I could hardly utter a word audibly.  I almost broke my arm, too, in good earnest, with those horrible iron stanchions.  However, it did be over at last, and “all’s well that ends well.”  I was so tired that I could scarcely stand; my mother came down from her box and seemed much pleased with me.  She went to my father’s room to see if I might not go home instead of to Lady Charlotte’s, but he seemed to think it would please them if we made the effort of going for a few minutes; and so I dressed and set off, and there we found a regular “swarry,” instead of something to eat and drink, and a chair to sit upon in peace and quiet.  There was a room full of all the fine folks in London; very few chairs, no peace and quiet, and heaps of acquaintance to talk to....  All the London world that is in London.  Lord and Lady Francis took their success very composedly.  I don’t think they would have cared much if the play had failed.  Henry Greville seemed to be much more interested for them than they for themselves, and discussed it all for a long time with me.  I liked him very much....  At long last I got home, and had some supper, but what with fatigue and nervousness, and it—­i.e., the supper—­so late, I had a most wretched night, and kept dreaming I was out in my part and jumping up in bed, and all sorts of agonies.  What a life!  I don’t steal my money, I’m sure.

Thursday, 19th.—­ ...  Henry and I rode in the park, and though the day was detestable, it did me good.  As we were walking the horses round by Kensington Gardens, Lord John Russell, peering out of voluminous wrappers, joined us.  Certainly that small, sharp-visaged gentleman does not give much outward and visible sign of the inward and spiritual power he possesses and wields over this realm of England just now.  His bodily presence might almost be described