certainly the prettiest behaved physician breathing, with the sweetest
assortment of tittle-tattle, with an inexhaustible fund of anecdotes and
compliments for the great, and an intimate acquaintance with the fair and
fashionable. He has also the happiest art of speaking a vast deal, and
yet saying nothing; seeming to give an opinion, without ever committing
himself.--The address with which he avoids contested points of science, and
the art with which he displays his superficial knowledge, and conceals his
want of depth, is truly amusing. He slid away from science as soon as he
could, to politics, where he kept safe in commonplace newspaper-phrases;
and in the happy persuasion that every thing is for the best, and that
every man in power, let him be of what party he may, can do no wrong. He
did not seem quite satisfied with my countenance as he spoke, and once or
twice paused for my acquiescence--in vain.

"We were interrupted by the entrance of a Mr. Gresham, a rich merchant,
who came to look at a picture which Sir Amyas shows as a true Titian.
Mr. Gresham spoke, as I thought, with much good sense and taste about
it, and Sir Amyas talked a great deal of amateur-nonsense. Still in the
same namby-pamby style, and with the same soft voice and sweet smile,
Sir Amyas talked on of pictures and battles, and carnage and levees, and
drawing-rooms and balls, and butterflies.--He has a museum for the ladies,
and he took me to look at it.--Sad was the hour and luckless was the
day!--Among his shells was one upon which he peculiarly prided himself,
and which he showed me as an unique. I was, I assure you, prudently silent
till he pressed for my opinion, and then I could not avoid confessing that
I suspected it to be a _made_ shell--_made_, Caroline knows how, by the
application of acids. The countenance of Sir Amyas clouded over, and I saw
that I at this moment lost all chance of his future favour. He made me some
fine speeches, when I was going away, and dwelt upon his great desire to
oblige any friend of Lady Jane Granville's.