about them. I was highly entertained and pleased with all I heard. Things were discussed with the greatest intelligence and fairness. The gormandising habits of my fellows, and their greed for gain came in for some hard hits, which I felt were so entirely deserved, that I had not one word to say in their defence.
In the conversation and arguments I noticed that the ladies referred all questions of doubt to the Recorder. When a question was put to him he always reasoned it out exhaustively, giving full and ample reasons for his decisions. If any of the party did not agree, they stated their objections, but after further argument, which was carried on in a very friendly way, he invariably proved the accuracy of his decision. I was much surprised at the able manner in which the ladies put their arguments forward, their method was so unlike what I had previously been accustomed to. Perhaps I was prejudiced against them, as in my time those ladies we termed blue-stockings made
