SOPHISTICATED INNOCENCE

As with many young ladies in fiction, it was love that made Miss Cleone Knox a diarist. Her first entry records a vastly unpleasant interview with my Father."

" Last night, Mr. Ancaster, who is the incliscreetest young man alive, was seized suddenly while riding home along the shore with the desire to say good night to me. He climbed the wall, the postern gate being locked at that late hour, and had the Boldness to attempt to climb the ivy below my window ; while but half way up the Poor Impudent young man fell. (If he hadn't Lord knows what would have happened for I am terribly catched by the Handsome Wretch.) "

Later she writes :—

" Poor Mr. A. from all accounts is a Scoundrel, a Libertine and a Blackguard, and I have been forbidden ever to see, speak or indeed think of him again. Well, we shall see."

On March 12th she decides to elope with her lover, although she admits herself not over sure that his intentions are honour- able. There were accidents, and she found herself on the 15th, to her vast amazement, " still unwedded and un- seduced."

Her father determined to take her on a Grand Tour of

Europe, but Cleone objected since Mr. A. would not accompany them.. Father became " completely scarlet in the face and broke into a string of oaths," so his daughter burst out weeping, which calmed him " as I have observed it never fails to do.". He patted her on• the head with signs et contrition, only remarking that " the Lord knew why one of his Progeny was. a baggage and hellcat" , However they went on the tour.' England did not entirely please Cleone Ireland,"_ She writes,." we have _our failings like .any other nation,. but -Passionate- Love, not mere Licentiousness, is usually the cause of our indiscretions. Ai for these Drunken, Young , Beasuc,'1 remember, with Pride that 14r. A., with all 'his faults, has never been-seen even at a Race Ball,7•-by my Eyes at all events; in anything more than a state of Lively-ExhileratiOn.."

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From London and Bath they crossed to France Where • , Cleone mixed with the most fas' hionable society,- and reeorded, a large - amount of scandal:'- From there they proceeded"' to SWitaerland where she :met Voltaire at FerneY. =At this - time -he just-- entered on his period of anti-Cliiistiinl writing. drone Was" unimpressed by the sceptic and she • did.- not like Jinn: - He reminded her of a " chattering oldniiikiie;" but She listened" with that Respect which is due to Genius," however Wearisome it may be."

It is paiticillarly unfortiulate that the young lady did not consider Voltaire's conversation worthy of chronicle, since' her brother Ned

" like the Damned Fool he ia, attempted to engage in a controversy with our Illustrious host on the Influence of Religion on the Female Mind. The few words Monsieur de Voltaire vouchsafed to Ned in reply were of such a Savage and Mortifying nature that I near choked with shame."

Cleone Knox had humanity and, to the extent that her up- bringing permitted, innocence:. Indeed, she was probably the perfect young lady of the day, since less sophistication would inevitably have meant disaster. She comments with sym-. pathy.upon the poverty of .the French peasantry, and writes of the betrayed daughter of a blacksmith :—

" If she were a Lady of Fashion she could have 10 bastards without turning a hair, but being of low birth . . . she is reviled

and -persecuted." ' •

Everywhere she flirted and found it " very gratifying when my_ heart is Aching with Mr. A.'s perfidy," yet she remained the whole time faithful in every way to her. lover, and the book ends with their elopement and eventual happiness.

The writer of this diary, whoever it be, shows a quick instinct for just those aspects of eighteenth-century society which will appeal most keenly to readers of, say, 1926, The book is too good to go unread, but. we should have to pronounce. it also too good to be true even if there were not actual errors of which two are pointed out in an article which we publish elsewhere this week.