since the above accident we have had, thank goodness, no more blows; but, as your lordship is aware, a first impression will stick by us for all our lives to come. at the best of times, let my husband be reading, or writing, or eating his dinner, or

[pg 446]

in bed, or what not, the exploding notion will come across him like a flash of lightning; as for instance last friday was a week. mr. and mrs. trotter had dropped in to tea; after which we had a rubber; and were all very comfortable, my husband and me just in the nine holes, when all of a sudden there was a fall of something and a scream. up jumps mr. d. of course, chucking his cards here, there, and every where, and calling a blow! a blow!—and as usual emily and lucy and eliza and me rushed off to the coal-cellar, while mrs. t. went into a fit. it is true, by the blessing of providence, it was only the housemaid letting her pail fall to screech at a bat; but what is very disagreeable, the trotters are old friends, and have declined to set another foot within our doors. as for servants, it is next to impossible to keep one about me; and as your lordship’s own

[pg 447]

lady will confirm, there is nothing more unpleasant to a mistress of a house than to be continually changing. but nine out of ten prefer giving warning, to attending to so many punctiliums as are laid down; and those that are willing to stay, break through so many of the rules, that i am obliged to discharge them, to prevent mr. d. being ruffled by doing it himself. besides it adds considerably to servants’ work, to have chimneys swept so often as once a week,—and moreover, mr. d. insists on keeping all flints and steels, and tinder, and matches, in his own bed-room, so that the housemaid has to go to him every morning for her lights. he is just as particular about extinguishing at night; and i lost the best cook i ever had, through her sitting up in her bed-room to mend her stays, though she might have known mr. d. would come in to put her out—all of which is extremely unpleasant, and to me in particular.