A BOOK OF SIBYLS

BY

MISS THACKERAY

(MRS RICHMOND RITCHIE)

LONDON
SMITH, ELDER, & CO., 15 WATERLOO PLACE
1883

My little record would not seem to me in any way complete without yourname, dear Sibyl of our own, and as I write it here, I am grateful toknow that to mine and me it is not only the name of a Sibyl with deepvisions, but of a friend to us all

A. T. R.

PREFACE.

Not long ago, a party of friends were sitting at luncheon in a suburb ofLondon, when one of them happened to make some reference to Maple Groveand Selina, and to ask in what county of England Maple Grove wassituated. Everybody immediately had a theory. Only one of the company (aFrench gentleman, not well acquainted with English) did not recognisethe allusion. A lady sitting by the master of the house (she will, Ihope, forgive me for quoting her words, for no one else has a betterright to speak them) said, 'What a curious sign it is of Jane Austen'sincreasing popularity! Here are five out of six people sitting round atable, nearly a hundred years after her death, who all recognise at oncea chance allusion to an obscure character in one of her books.'

It seemed impossible to leave out Jane Austen's dear household name froma volume which concerned women writing in the early part of thiscentury, and although the essay which is called by her name has alreadybeen reprinted, it is added with some alteration in its place with theothers.

Putting together this little book has been a great pleasure and interestto the compiler, and she wishes once more to thank those who have sokindly sheltered her during her work, and lent her books and papers andletters concerning the four writers whose works and manner of being shehas attempted to describe; and she wishes specially to express herthanks to the Baron and Baroness von Hügel, to the ladies of MissEdgeworth's family, to Mr. Harrison, of the London Library, to the MissReids, of Hampstead, to Mrs. Field and her daughters, of Squire's Mount,Hampstead, to Lady Buxton, Mrs. Brookfield, Miss Alderson, and MissShirreff.

CONTENTS