Melissa, by all who know her, is accounted one of the most vain of her sex: – true, – she is so; – but then her vanity appears to me to be of a species far different from that which other women are ordinarily possess'd of; – her glass, whenever she looks into it, which is not seldom, presents her with the view of ten thousand graces; – she sees very well that she is handsome, – finely shaped, – and has something peculiarly engaging in her mien and air; – yet does she not plume herself on the perfections she is mistress of, or is at all thankful to nature for having bestowed them on her; – this some people at first may think is the very reverse of vanity, yet is it in effect the quintessence of it; – the case is, that she would be the only fair, – the only lovely, – the only Venus, – the sole object of attracting universal love and admiration; and every single charm she finds in any other face, gives her more pain than all those in her own can give her satisfaction.

Every little regard, or act of complaisance, paid to another in her presence, she looks upon as a kind of indignity to herself, and is a mortal stab to her pride; and, as it is impossible for her not to meet frequently with such shocks, she is perpetually racking all the invention she is mistress of to render herself more conspicuous, and to force, as it were, that attention which she finds her beauty alone is insufficient to excite.

I had heard at full the character of this fine court belle, – had been several times in her company, and seen verified all I had been told concerning the extravagance of her humour; – yet, I know not how it happen'd, but passing by her house, and seeing a good number of chairs and livery servants about the door, I stepp'd in and went directly up to her drawing-room, where I found her encircled by about a dozen persons of distinction of both sexes.