It is situated at the upper End of the square, and has a delightful prospect of Hamstead and Hygate, we have more than room for our Family, large as it is, and all the rooms are well fitted up, convenient, and handsome.

14. From Journal March 1772

[Mr Poggenpohl] then began a comic mock flirtation with little Bessy.1 – I could gather by what he said – though all in badinage, with what ridicule – perhaps contempt – he had remarked the prejudiced opinions our Nation in general entertain of the Russians – the droll absurd account he gave her of his Country, could have no other meaning.

‘Will you not go to Russia with me?’ said he – ‘O – you will admire it beyond expression! –’ ‘No,’ cried Bessy, ‘I should not, I am sure I should not like your Country –’

‘No! – why?’

‘Oh – I don’t know! – but I should not like it.’

‘O yes, you would; – very much – if you will go with me – you will find it charming. – You should live in the Woods, with wild Beasts. O yes – you would like it vastly! – you should always be with a Tyger, or a Lyon, or a Wolfe – or some such fine Beast –’

‘No, no – I won’t go –’

‘O yes – very agreeable! – and you should live on high mountains, covered with snow – and sit upon ice. – And you should Eat Trees – and sometimes Hay; – and you should have Grass and briers for sauce –’

‘O no – I should not like it at all –’

‘O yes! – very good! – very excellent! – and you should have the sea always before you; and the Waves should dash against you – and you should Dress in Tyger’s skins –’

‘O no, indeed Sir, I won’t go! –’

‘O very agreeable! – you will much like my Country.’

‘Aren’t you a French man? –’

‘A French man? – for why do you think me a French man?’

‘I don’t know, Sir; – because you are one –’

‘I a French man! – look at me another Time! – do I look like a French man?’

‘Yes, Sir.’

‘In what? tell me? –’

‘Why I don’t know, Sir. – – Because you don’t look like an English man –’

‘No? – look at me another Time! – why don’t I look like an English man? –’

‘Why – because an English man don’t wear such a thing as this.’ Taking hold of his shoulder knot –

‘O yes, they do – the English Officer wear all the same – only they have silver, and mine are Gold. And don’t you like that?’

‘Yes – I like it very well – but an English man does not wear such a Coat as this.’

‘O yes – it is only a Uniform – all Officer wear their Uniform. – And now what have I like a French man?’

‘Why – this thing here –’ taking hold of a Gold tassel hanging to his sword.

‘O yes – very common. Nothing in that. And now – look at me another Time –’

‘Why this is not like an English man –’ pointing to the scarf round his Arm.

‘O – every Officer wear it – it is only for mourning, for the Princess of Hesse – and it will be soon for the Princess of Wales. –’2

Bessy, quite at a loss, broke from him, and ran to Dr King.3

‘Ah, Mlle,’ cried he, ‘vous aimez le Docteur mieux que moi, – mais c’est faute de votre bon Gout!’4

15. From Journal 30 May 1772

Maria, Susan and myself had the happiness to see Garrick,1 last Night, in Richard the Third. We had always longed to see him in all his great characters, though least in this which is so shocking, though not the least, of the praise of his acting.

Garrick was sublimely horrible! – how he made me shudder whenever he appeared! it is inconceivable, how terribly great he is in this Character. I will never see him so disfigured again – he seemed so truly the monster he performed, that I felt myself glow with indignation every time I saw him. The Applause he met with exceeds all belief of the Absent. I thought, at the End, they would have torn the House down: Our seats shook under us.

16. From Journal 13 February 1773

We stayed very late, to avoid the Crowd.1 When we went down, we got with difficulty to our Coach; but, after the usual perils and dangers, we were driven out of the Haymarket, and into Suffolk Street. Here we concluded we were safe, – but, as we afterwards found, there had been left a load of Gravel in the street, which the shade (being moonlight) hid from the Coach man. We found ourselves suddenly mounting on one side – Mama, who is soon alarmed, cried out ‘We are going! we are going!’ I sat quite quiet, thinking it a false alarm: but presently the Coach was entirely overturned, and we came side ways on the Ground. Stupefied between surprise and fright, I fell without moving a finger, and laid quite silent – the Glass at my side was fortunately down, and the Blind up, which saved my Temples from the Pavement, but the Glass above me broke, and the Pieces fell on me – Mama and Susan both imagined me to be most in danger, from being undermost, and my tender Susan called out to me, repeatedly, ‘Fanny, are you hurt? are you very much hurt, Fanny? my dear Fanny? –’

It was some time, from an unaccountable effect of fear, before I could answer; – but the falling of the Glass roused me. – Some People immediately gathered about the Cariage, and, I believe, opened the Door, which was now at the Top of the Coach. Mama called out ‘Here’s Nobody hurt! –’ but desired them to assist me, – with some difficulty, I made shift to stand up– and a Gentleman lifted me out of the Carriage. He had no Hat on, being come out of a Neighbouring House. He beg’d me to go with him to his sisters, who were close by, that I might get out of the mob, and promised to take care of me: – but I was now terified for Mama and Susan, and could not leave the Place, as, though we were all separated by different Assistants, I heard the former call out that her arm was broken! I quite wrung my Hands with horror – This Gentleman took hold of me, and almost used violence to make me come away – I remember I called out to him, as he forced me on, that he would drive me distracted! – he assured me that the other ladies would be safe; – but as if he had not had trouble enough with me, I answered all his civilities to me, with ‘But, go!, why can’t you go and help Them?’ However he would not leave me, for which I believe I am very much obliged to him, as I was surrounded by a mob, and as there were Assistants enough about the Coach. When Mama and Susan were taken out, we accepted this Gentleman’s offer, and went into his House, where we were very hospitably received, by some ladies – my poor mother had her Arm dreadfully hurt. Susan had only sprained two Fingers in supporting herself from falling on us. – My Face was very bloody, from two small Cuts I had received on my Nose. We stayed here near a quarter of an Hour, and met with the utmost kindness and civility.

17. From Journal Letters to Susanna Burney
(Teignmouth Journal) August–September 17731

Monday and Tuesday [26–27 July], Mrs R[ishton] and myself spent in the most comfortable manner possible, – but for Wednesday – I must be more particular.

Mr Hurrel2 has an exceeding pretty Boat of his own here, with which he makes frequent excursions on the River Ting, and sometimes on the sea. His Wife called here on Tuesday Evening, to invite us to be of their Party on Wednesday, when they intended sailing to Torbay, to see a Fleet under Admiral Spry, which was just come from Portsmouth.