DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70303#0067
COMMONLY CALLED DR. DE VERDION. 51
and endeavour to sell, or chop and change for other books.
She was likewise a considerable collector of medals and
foreign coins of gold and silver; but none of these were
found after her decease. At home she was literally her
own servant; even cleaning her own room ; but this, it is
to be noticed, she always performed in a woman’s cap and
bedgown ; and neither in Winter or Summer was she ever
known to have any fire in her apartments.
A little before her death she complained of the lowness
of her finances, when Mr. Denner, the master of the Furni-
val’s-inn coffee-house, generously offered to open a sub-
scription; but she was very much offended, saying, that if
she chose it, she could apply to the first personages in the
kingdom. But notwithstanding this appearance of a high
spirit, she had accepted of various sums of money from dif-
ferent gentlemen, a short time before her death, who then
recommended her to use a more frugal way of living «
upon w’hich she replied, that it was impossible for her to
exist under three guineas per week. It was her common
practice towards the latter end of her life, to intrude very
much upon her friends for eating and drinking, upon the
strength of indications and indirect promises of making them
amends, and remembering them in her will. Under a similar
pretence, she also obtained a valuable coin from one of her
acquaintances in Stanhope-street, Clare-market. She had
been a frequent attendant upon the drawing-room at St.
James’s, appearing in full dress, and with a very elegant
sword : this could not be found at her decease.—She wa&
so remarkably timid, that being out after dark, she never
cared to go home unattended ; for which she satisfied hei>
attendants, seldom with money, but mostly with liquor.
Once in particular as she was crossing Lincoln’s-inn-fields,
■while some young men were running, she raised such a cry,
mingled with oaths and invectives as to bring a .great num-
ber of people about her. Another evening some young
H 2 - gentleman
and endeavour to sell, or chop and change for other books.
She was likewise a considerable collector of medals and
foreign coins of gold and silver; but none of these were
found after her decease. At home she was literally her
own servant; even cleaning her own room ; but this, it is
to be noticed, she always performed in a woman’s cap and
bedgown ; and neither in Winter or Summer was she ever
known to have any fire in her apartments.
A little before her death she complained of the lowness
of her finances, when Mr. Denner, the master of the Furni-
val’s-inn coffee-house, generously offered to open a sub-
scription; but she was very much offended, saying, that if
she chose it, she could apply to the first personages in the
kingdom. But notwithstanding this appearance of a high
spirit, she had accepted of various sums of money from dif-
ferent gentlemen, a short time before her death, who then
recommended her to use a more frugal way of living «
upon w’hich she replied, that it was impossible for her to
exist under three guineas per week. It was her common
practice towards the latter end of her life, to intrude very
much upon her friends for eating and drinking, upon the
strength of indications and indirect promises of making them
amends, and remembering them in her will. Under a similar
pretence, she also obtained a valuable coin from one of her
acquaintances in Stanhope-street, Clare-market. She had
been a frequent attendant upon the drawing-room at St.
James’s, appearing in full dress, and with a very elegant
sword : this could not be found at her decease.—She wa&
so remarkably timid, that being out after dark, she never
cared to go home unattended ; for which she satisfied hei>
attendants, seldom with money, but mostly with liquor.
Once in particular as she was crossing Lincoln’s-inn-fields,
■while some young men were running, she raised such a cry,
mingled with oaths and invectives as to bring a .great num-
ber of people about her. Another evening some young
H 2 - gentleman