1851] SOUTHGATE 237
attracted by the charm, intelligence,, and wisdom of my " Aunt Kitty." She was very alarming with her
" Strong sovereign will, and some desire to chide."I
But the acuteness of her observation, the crispness of her conversation, and the minute and inflexible justice of her daily conduct, ever showed the most rare union of masculine vigour with feminine delicacy.
My aunt was very intimate with the Miss Berrys, who both died in 1852, Agnes in January, Mary in November. Their celebrity began with their great intimacy at Devonshire House and Lansdowne House: the old Duchess of Devonshire was their great friend. I believe they were not clever in themselves, but they had a peculiar power of drawing clever people around them. They had both been engaged, Mary to the O'Hara, Agnes to the Mr. Ferguson who married Lady Elgin. They were very kind-hearted, and were, as it were, privileged to say rude things, which nobody minded, at their parties. Often, when a fresh person arrived towards the end of the evening, Miss Berry would say before all the guests, " You see I ?ve been able to get no one to meet you — no one at all." She would go out of the room whilst she was pouring out the tea, and call out over the stairs, " Murrell, no more women, no more women; " and Murrell, the butler, understood perfectly, and put out the lamp over the door. A few very intimate friends would still come in, but, when they saw the lamp was out, ladies generally drove away. Latterly, the Miss Berrys tried to draw in a good deal. A sort of jeu $ esprit went
i Parnell, ".Rise of Women."re), added a marvellous picturesqueness. better, and I should not mind if it was to the centre of the desert, if I could only feel I 1 Hugh Stuart Brown.ekfhhnitrliond uf* l!,iflim f ^lioliiti nfh'Ji liave been JliatiV Weekst**f. 1)H. No Hnri* at all. st» I have had a i»;raf$d e\pe» ililf«»ti !»» the hi-aitl iful «»1»I deserted hou%e of the Lon<rs at. Sntiih \Vi,t\l*;iIl, and !»,i\e hcen uritilitc halladsund stories ahitii! it ever >iiicc,"«-r »lrii-«* \\itli fl$»fj»i, hut IPT