residence there further portents of change appeared from more than one quarter. A new neighbour took up her abode close to the park gate. This was the Honourable Mrs. King, a widow, who rapidly effected a conquest of Sir Thomas. His frequent visits to her made the mother and daughter not sorry when the time came for their removal to their London house. Meanwhile, Lord Halifax had become Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, and when, in the early part of 1762, he went to take possession of the Viceroyalty, Hester's father had gone with him as one of his suite, flattered to attend his patron through his own country, and show him the wonders of Wales. Mrs. John Salusbury remained at Offley doing the honours. Sir Thomas went to town for a day or two, and returned with the tidings that he had met with an excellent young man, whose merits he proceeded to extol, ending with the eulogy that he was a real sportsman. Seeing his niece disposed to laugh, 'he looked,' she says, 'very grave, and observed, "He expected us to like him, and that seriously."' Next day the young man, whose name was Henry Thrale, appeared in person, and applied himself diligently to win the favour of the mother, while in a certain formal way he commenced paying his addresses to the daughter. CHAPTER II. Origin of the Thrale Family-Edmund Halsey-The Anchor Brewhouse— Lord Cobham- Ralph Thrale-His Son's Education-The Cobham Cousins -Henry Thrale's Bachelorhood-Arthur Murphy-Hester's CourtshipA Family Dispute -Sudden Death of her Father-His Will-Sir Thomas Salusbury-Hester's Marriage-First Experiences of Matrimony-Dr. Fitzpatrick-Birth of a Daughter-Character of Thrale-Murphy introduces Johnson-Growth of the Acquaintance-Johnson's Hypochondria-Streatham -Deadman's Place-The Globe Theatre-House at Brighton-Johnson's Menagerie-Macbean-Miss Williams-Robert Levet-Domestication with the Thrales-Mrs. Salusbury-Johnson's Peculiarities-His Dress-Appetite -Taste in Food-Affects the Epicure-Love of Late Hours-Fondness for Tea-Want of Taste for Music and Painting-Mode of Entering a RoomInarticulate Utterances - Twitchings - Ejaculations A Favourite with Women-Characteristics of Mrs. Thrale-Her Personal Appearance--Her Dress-Influence over Johnson-He goes more into Society. TOWARDS the close of the seventeenth century, Edmund Halsey, son of a miller at St. Albans, quarrelled with his father, and ran away to London with a very few shillings in his pocket. He was eminently handsome,' writes Mrs. Piozzi,' and old Child, of the Anchor Brewhouse, Southwark,* took him in as what we call a broomstick clerk, to sweep the yard,' etc. The young man behaved so well that he was soon preferred to be a house-clerk, and then, having free access to his master's table, married his only daughter, and succeeded to the business upon Child's decease. Halsey was returned to Parliament in 1711, as member for the Borough, but the House of Commons displaced him in favour of a rival candidate. He was again returned in 1722, and retained the seat * The Borough was famed for its breweries from an early period. Chaucer speaks of 'The ale of Southwark' in his time. |