The next morning [8 October] we had the Company of 2 young Ladies at breakfast, - the S.S. and a Miss Birch, - a little girl but 10 years old...

This Miss Birch is a Niece of the charming Mrs Playdel - and so like her, that I should have take her for her Daughter...

Her Voice is really charming, - infinitely the most powerful as well as sweet I ever heard at her Age, - were she well and constantly taught, she might, I should think, do any thing; - for 2 or 3 Italian songs which she learnt out of only 5 months teaching by Parsons she sung like a little angel, with respect to Taste, feeling and Expression, - but she now learns of Nobody, and is so fond of French songs, for the sake, she says, of the sentiment, - that I fear she will have her wonderful abilities all thrown away. O how I wish my Father had the charge of her!-

She has spent 4 years out of her little life in France, which has made her distractedly fond of the French Operas, - and she told us the story quite through of several I never heard of, always singing the sujet when she came to the Airs, - and comically changing parts in the Duets.