On her arrival in town, Julia expressed a great desire to go to the theatre; and Mrs. Seymour engaged a box at Drury-lane for the next evening, when the tragedy of Douglas was performed. Julia admired with enthusiasm that charming play, which never ‘oversteps the modesty of nature,’ and is so true to her genuine feelings; but which had not, till some years after this period, its full effect upon the heart, in having the part of Lady Randolph represented by Mrs. Siddons, whose power over the human passions it is far more easy to feel than to delineate.

Julia and her cousin went to dinner at Mrs. Seymour's, and were anxious to reach the theatre before the performance began: Mrs. Seymour affected to wish so too; but, after the carriage came, she found so many pretences for delay, that the first act was almost over before they reached their box. This was what Mrs. Seymour desired: she chose to excite attention by disturbing the performance, and drawing the looks of the audience from the stage to herself. When she was seated, she began talking to Julia with great seeming earnestness, who was too much engaged by the scene before her to pay attention to Mrs. Seymour's remarks; and indeed that lady did not desire it: her whole mind was occupied in performing her own part gracefully, while she remained an object of general observation. She spoke to be looked at, not to be heard; and her lips moved, or were still, from no other impulse than as she thought speech or silence would have the best effect in perspective.

Julia and Charlotte soon became deeply absorbed in the sorrows of Lady Randolph, and their tears flowed often and irresistibly.