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Peg Woffington presented me to Queen Isabella in the supper-room, and while her majesty and I were talking, I spoke of how beautiful everything in the club was, and admired especially a half-dozen old Spanish spoons upon the side-board. When I had done this, the Queen called to Ferdinand, who was chatting with Columbus on the other side of the room, to come to her, which he did with alacrity.

There certainly was a fine comradeship existing between them; but whether Reynolds was ever capable of an all-absorbing passion there is much doubt. He was married to his work. Reynolds had many intimate friends among women: Peg Woffington, Mrs. Clive, Mrs. Thrale, Hannah More, Fanny Burney and others. With them all there went the same high, chivalrous and generous disinterestedness.

Woffington, so cool, ceremonious and distant hitherto, walked up to him in the green-room with a face quite wreathed in smiles, and, without preliminary, thanked him for all the beautiful flowers he had sent her. "What, Mrs. Woffington what, you recognize me?" "Of course, and have been foolish enough to feel quite supported by the thought I had at least one friend in the house.

"Why, sir," said Triplet, half trembling, but driven on by looks from Mrs. Woffington, "'Cibber's Apology' is found to be a trifle wearisome." "Confound his impertinence!" cried the astounded laureate. "Come along, Jemmy." "Oh, sir," said Quin, good-humoredly, "we must give a joke and take a joke. And when he paints my portrait which he shall do "

Samuel Johnson, when taking tea with David Garrick, the tragedian, and Peg Woffington, about the year 1735, was amused at Garrick's audible complaints that the fascinating actress used too much of his costly tea at a drawing. In 1745 the British yearly consumption of tea was but 730,000 lbs.

Woffington had, with a wonderful appearance of openness, the closest face in Europe when she chose. On the other hand, by introducing this country gentleman to this green-room, he gave a mighty impulse and opportunity to Vane's love; an opportunity which he forgot the timid, inexperienced Damon might otherwise never have found.

Here diplomacy was not policy, for, as my sagacious reader has perhaps divined, Sir Charles Pomander was after her himself. YES, Sir Charles was after Mrs. Woffington. I use that phrase because it is a fine generic one, suitable to different kinds of love-making. Mr. Vane's sentiments were an inexplicable compound; but respect, enthusiasm, and deep admiration were the uppermost.

Woffington drew out her memorandum-book, and took down her summary of the crafty Triplet's facts. So easy is it for us Triplets to draw the wool over the eyes of women and Woffingtons. "Triplet, discharged from scene-painting; wife, no engagement; four children supported by his pen that is to say, starving; lose no time!"

And there was a dead silence. "What woman is there here at as much as three pounds per week even, that hasn't ruined two at the very least?" Report says there was a dead silence again, until Mrs. Clive perked up, and said she had only ruined one, and that was his own fault! Mrs. Woffington declined to attach weight to this example.

Woffington were happy; he, because his conscience was asleep; and she, because she felt nothing now could shake her hold of him. Sir Charles was in a sort of mental chuckle. His head burned, his bones ached; but he was in a sort of nervous delight. "Where is she?" thought he. "What will she do? Will she send her maid with a note? How blue he will look! Or will she come herself?