ABSTRACT
The new-married lady was much taken up with the idea of her own importance, and in describing to Althea the fineries of which she had become possessed, and the fine people she lived among. – Nothing is more ridiculous than the consequence of a silly creature, who, by some unexpected circumstance, is suddenly placed in a situation greatly above her former rank of life. The unballasted head of Linda Eversley, a girl whom even her own family had been used to consider as of small account, was quite overset by it, and she seemed to have visited Althea less in the intention of renewing their former acquaintance, than for the purpose of exhibiting to her her imaginary importance. Althea, pitying her weakness, heard her for above half an hour with her usual quiet complaisance; and at length took occasion, on her slightly naming some of their former acquaintance, to say – ‘But pray, among all your Devonshire friends, what have you to tell me of the Marchmont family?’
