and gave me more time to attend to ferious avocations; particularly to the study of natural philosophy, which I had commenced, upon having the happiness of being introduced to Lady Anfon.

As the concerns of my brother, Lieutenant O'Hara, procured me the honour of an introduction to that lady, I will beg leave, as I have not mentioned his name a long while, to devote a few pages to him. The ship to which he belonged being stationed at Gibraltar, of which place Lord Tyrawley was then Governor, he frequently went afhore, and was treated with the respect due to his affinity to the commander of the fortrefs. But his humour one evening overcoming his reason and duty, he justly incurred his father's difpleasure. The old veteran having been wounded in almost every part of his body, during the different engagements wherein he had bravely fought, a lameness had ensued. As he was walking up the ball-room, at one of their assemblies, his fon, forgetting the honourable cause of his Lordfhip's limping, hopped after him to excite a laugh from the company; which being obferved by, or told to his Lordfhip, who gloried in his wounds, he never would forgive a fon that had endeavoured to ridicule thofe teftimonies of his valour.

Not long after, the fhip being ordered upon fome immediate fervice, and the Captain happening to be

on

on fhore ill, my brother, as firft Lieutenant, took the command. During the cruize he fell in with a ship of much superior force, which he bravely fought, notwithstanding the manifest disadvantage; and having difmafted his adverfary, brought his own fhip off with great skill. By an action fo brilliant he acquired great honour; and the affair was much talked of. The Captain in a fhort time dying, my brother made no doubt but he fhould be nominated Commander of a veffel which had been faved by his bravery. But he was disappointed in his expectations. Lord Tyrawley not being able to forgive the infult he had received from him, he had, with too much rigour, applied to the Admiral upon the occafion, and requested that his fon might not be promoted to the command.

My brother was no fooner informed by the Admiral of his Lordship's application, than he was incensed greatly both at his father's feverity, and the Admiral's too easy compliance with so unjust a requeft. And in the first tranfports of his rage, he inclofed his commiffion to the Lords of the Admiralty, defiring they would offer it up, with their next facrifice, to the Goddess Cloacina. It was expected that my brother would have been called to a court martial for this indignity. But their Lordships taking into confideration the provocation he

had

had received, and attributing his rudenefs to them to the unkind treatment of Lord Tyrawley and the Admiral, they only entered into an official resolution that he should never be employed in the service more. It was a long while before I could get him reinftated, though I exerted all my intereft for the purpose; and it impeded his being made a poft captain for years. .

In the prosecution of my brother's reinstatement, I applied to the late honourable Mr. Yorke, who was one of the most zealous of my theatrical admirers. I requested of him that he would intereft himself with his fifter Lady Anfon, in behalf of my relation; upon which he told me, he would introduce me to her ladyship, that I might plead for him myself. He accordingly did me the honour; which procured me the happiness of being acquainted with that lady.

As the bad state of health her ladyfhip laboured under confined her much at home, and fhe had a tafte for literature, fhe applied herself to study, and became an adept in most of the fciences. When I took my leave of her ladyfhip after my firft introduction, fhe requested that I would call upon her often. And as we generally adopt the refearches of those we admire, I refolved to study philofophy; and endeavour, if I could not arrive at the honour of being the firft, to be the fecond female Newton. For this purpose I vifited the obfervatory at Flam

1

ftead

ftead-house; conftantly attended Martin's Lectures; and foon became acquainted with the Ram, the Bull, the Lion, the Scorpion, and all the conftellations. Having acquired a knowledge of Aftronomy, I do not know whether I fhould not have become an adept in every branch of natural philosophy, had not my humanity stood in the way. For upon feeing a cat tortured in an air-pump, of which, though an animal I have the greatest diflike to, I could not bear to behold the convulfive ftruggles; I left the purfuit of philofophy, and turned my thoughts to politics.

When I entered upon this science, I determined to become, if poffible, another Maintenon. Though I could never admire that lady's fentiments in private life, I readily allowed that she poffeffed great talents in the cabinet. I now ftudiously fought to acquire a knowlege of the law of nations. I read Grotius, Puffendorff, and all the great writers upon that subject; and paid as much attention to the ftudy, as if I had been about to be appointed Ambaffadrefs to the first court in Europe. What greatly accelerated my proficiency in this branch of science, was my having had the pleasure of meeting Lady Rochford at Holland-house.

I need not inform you that this Lady was one of the first wits of her time, and from having been bred

in a court, one of the most polished of women. Her extenfive knowledge enabled her to render herself of great fervice to Lord Rochford during his embaffies to most of the principal courts of Europe. Though fhe was thus elevated by her station and great abilities, she had the good sense to be above forms; fhe made her own etiquette. As I did not accept her invitation fo foon as her ladyship expected, fhe came to vifit me. This circumftance not only highly flattered me, but procured me the pleasure of her converfation, which I fcarcely knew equalled by any of her fex.-The boafted fuperiority of the men over our fex in the endowments of the mind, is a mere common-place vaunt.-How many ladies could I point out, from my acquaintance with the great world, whose mental accomplishments are incontrovertible proofs of the fallacy of this much-talked-of opinion! Among these, the lady I have just mentioned was a brilliant instance.

This feafon I appeared but feldom, as Barry revived feveral old plays, and procured a new one, in order to shew Mifs Nofiter to advantage. He was obliged to adopt fuch a measure, the poffeffion of characters being, as I have already obferved, efteemed at this time the property of the performer. And it was an invariable rule at the theatre, not to

make