The first and most pleasing of all was the society of men of merit.

M.le Blond, de St.Cyr, Carrio Altuna, and a Forlinian gentleman, whose name I am very sorry to have forgotten, and whom I never call to my recollection without emotion: he was the man of all I ever knew whose heart most resembled my own.

We were connected with two or three Englishmen of great wit and information, and, like ourselves, passionately fond of music.

All these gentlemen had their wives, female friends, or mistresses: the latter were most of them women of talents, at whose apartments there were balls and concerts.
There was but little play; a lively turn, talents, and the theatres rendered this amusement incipid.

Play is the resource of none but men whose time hangs heavy on their hands.