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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/5411.txt b/5411.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ac142fa --- /dev/null +++ b/5411.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2320 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Memoirs of Count Grammont, Volume 3 +by Anthony Hamilton + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Memoirs of Count Grammont, Volume 3 + +Author: Anthony Hamilton + +Release Date: December 4, 2004 [EBook #5411] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK COUNT GRAMMONT *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + + MEMOIRS OF COUNT GRAMMONT, VOLUME 3. + + By Anthony Hamilton + + EDITED, WITH NOTES, BY SIR WALTER SCOTT + + + + + CHAPTER SIXTH. + + HIS ARRIVAL AT THE ENGLISH COURT + --THE VARIOUS PERSONAGES OF THIS COURT + + +Curiosity to see a man equally famous for his crimes and his elevation, +had once before induced the Chevalier de Grammont to visit England. +Reasons of state assume great privileges. Whatever appears advantageous +is lawful, and every thing that is necessary is honourable in politics. +While the King of England sought the protection of Spain in the Low +Countries, and that of the States-General in Holland, other powers sent +splendid embassies to Cromwell. + +This man, whose ambition had opened him a way to sovereign power by the +greatest crimes, maintained himself in it by accomplishments which seemed +to render him worthy of it by their lustre. The nation, of all Europe +the least submissive, patiently bore a yoke which did not even leave her +the shadow of that liberty of which she is so jealous; and Cromwell, +master of the Commonwealth, under the title of Protector, feared at home, +but yet more dreaded abroad, was at his highest pitch of glory when he +was seen by the Chevalier de Grammont; but the Chevalier did not see any +appearance of a court. One part of the nobility proscribed, the other +removed from employments; an affectation of purity of manners, instead of +the luxury which the pomp of courts displays all taken together, +presented nothing but sad and serious objects in the finest city in the +world; and therefore the Chevalier acquired nothing by this voyage but +the idea of some merit in a profligate man, and the admiration of some +concealed beauties he had found means to discover. + +Affairs wore quite a different appearance at his second voyage. The joy +for the restoration of the royal family still appeared in all parts. The +nation, fond of change and novelty, tasted the pleasure of a natural +government, and seemed to breathe again after a long oppression. In +short, the same people who, by a solemn abjuration, had excluded even the +posterity of their lawful sovereign, exhausted themselves in festivals +and rejoicings for his return. + +The Chevalier de Grammont arrived about two years after the restoration. +The reception he met with in this court soon made him forget the other; +and the engagements he in the end contracted in England lessened the +regret he had in leaving France. + +This was a desirable retreat for an exile of his disposition. + +Everything flattered his taste, and if the adventures he had in this +country were not the most considerable, they were at least the most +agreeable of his life. But before we relate them it will not be improper +to give some account of the English court, as it was at that period. + +The necessity of affairs had exposed Charles II. from his earliest youth +to the toils and perils of a bloody war. The fate of the king his father +had left him for inheritance nothing but his misfortunes and disgraces. +They overtook him everywhere; but it was not until he had struggled with +his ill-fortune to the last extremity that he submitted to the decrees of +Providence. + +All those who were either great on account of their birth or their +loyalty had followed him into exile; and all the young persons of the +greatest distinction having afterwards joined him, composed a court +worthy of a better fate. + +Plenty and prosperity, which are thought to tend only to corrupt manners, +found nothing to spoil in an indigent and wandering court. Necessity, on +the contrary, which produces a thousand advantages whether we will or no, +served them for education; and nothing was to be seen among them but an +emulation in glory, politeness, and virtue. + +With this little court, in such high esteem for merit, the King of +England returned two years prior to the period we mention, to ascend a +throne which, to all appearances, he was to fill as worthily as the most +glorious of his predecessors. The magnificence displayed on thus +occasion was renewed at his coronation. + +The death of the Duke of Gloucester, and of the Princess Royal, which +followed soon after, had interrupted the course of this splendour by a +tedious mourning, which they quitted at last to prepare for the reception +of the Infanta of Portugal. + + [The Princess Royal: Mary, eldest daughter of Charles I., born + November 4th, 1631, married to the Prince of Orange, 2nd May, 1641, + who died 27th October, 1650. She arrived in England, September + 23rd, and died of the smallpox, December 24th, 1660,-according to + Bishop Burnet, not much lamented. "She had lived," says the author, + "in her widowhood for some years with great reputation, kept a + decent court, and supported her brothers very liberally; and lived + within bounds. But her mother, who had the art of making herself + believe anything she had a mind to, upon a conversation with the + queen-mother of France, fancied the King of France might be inclined + to marry her. So she wrote to her to come to Paris. In order to + that, she made an equipage far above what she could support. So she + ran herself into debt, sold all her jewels, and some estates that + were in her power as her son's guardian; and was not only + disappointed of that vain expectation, but fell into some + misfortunes that lessened the reputation she had formerly lived in." + History of his Own Times, vol. i., p. 238. She was mother of + William III.] + + ["The Infanta, of Portugal landed in May (1662) at Portsmouth. The + king went thither, and was married privately by Lord Aubigny, a + secular priest, and almoner to the queen, according to the rites of + Rome, in the queen's chamber; none present but the Portuguese + ambassador, three more Portuguese of quality, and two or three + Portuguese women. What made this necessary was, that the Earl of + Sandwich did not marry her by proxy, as usual, before she came away. + How this happened, the duke knows not, nor did the chancellor know + of this private marriage. The queen would not be bedded, till + pronounced man and wife by Sheldon, bishop of London."--Extract 2, + from King James II.'s Journal.--Macpherson's State Papers, vol. i. + In the same collection is a curious letter from the King to Lord + Clarendon, giving his opinion of the queen after having seen her.] + +It was in the height of the rejoicings they were making for this new +queen, in all the splendour of a brilliant court, that the Chevalier de +Grammont arrived to contribute to its magnificence and diversions. + +Accustomed as he was to the grandeur of the court of France, he was +surprised at the politeness and splendour of the court of England. The +king was inferior to none, either in shape or air; his wit was pleasant; +his disposition easy and affable; his soul, susceptible of opposite +impressions, was compassionate to the unhappy, inflexible to the wicked, +and tender even to excess; he showed great abilities in urgent affairs, +but was incapable of application to any that were not so: his heart was +often the dupe, but oftener the slave, of his engagements. + +The character of the Duke of York was entirely different he had the +reputation of undaunted courage, an inviolable attachment for his word, +great economy in his affairs, hauteur, application, arrogance, each in +their turn: a scrupulous observer of the rules of duty and the laws of +justice; he was accounted a faithful friend, and an implacable enemy. + + [James, Duke of York, afterwards King James II. He was born 15th + October, 1633; succeeded his brother 6th February, 1684-5; abdicated + the crown in 1688; and died 6th September, 1701. Bishop Burnet's + character of him appears not very far from the truth.--"He was," + says this writer, "very brave in his youth; and so much magnified by + Monsieur Turenne, that till his marriage lessened him, he really + clouded the king, and passed for the superior genius. He was + naturally candid and sincere, and a firm friend, till affairs and + his religion wore out all his first principles and inclinations he + had a great desire to understand affairs: and in order to that he + kept a constant journal of all that passed, of which he showed me a + great deal. The Duke of Buckingham gave me once a short but severe + character of the two brothers. It was the more severe, because it + was true: the king, (he said,) could see things if he would: and the + duke would see things if he could. He had no true judgment, and was + soon determined by those whom he trusted: but he was obstinate + against all other advices. He was bred with high notions of kingly + authority, and laid it down for a maxim, that all who opposed the + king were rebels in their hearts. He was perpetually in one amour + or other, without being very nice in his choice: upon which the king + once said, he believed his brother had his mistress given him by his + priests for penance. He was naturally eager and revengeful: and was + against the taking off any, that set up in an opposition to the + measures of the court, and who by that means grew popular in the + house of commons. He was for rougher methods. He continued many + years dissembling his religion, and seemed zealous for the church of + England, but it was chiefly on design to hinder all propositions, + that tended to unite us among ourselves. He was a frugal prince, + and brought his court into method and magnificence, for he had + L100,000. a-year allowed him. He was made high admiral, and he came + to understand all the concerns of the sea very particularly."] + +His morality and justice, struggling for some time with prejudice, had at +last triumphed, by his acknowledging for his wife Miss Hyde, maid of +honour to the Princess Royal, whom he had secretly married in Holland. +Her father, from that time prime minister of England, supported by this +new interest, soon rose to the head of affairs, and had almost ruined +them: not that he wanted capacity, but he was too self-sufficient. + +The Duke of Ormond possessed the confidence and esteem of his master: the +greatness of his services, the splendour of his merit and his birth, and +the fortune he had abandoned in adhering to the fate of his prince, +rendered him worthy of it nor durst the courtiers even murmur at seeing +him grand steward of the household, first lord of the bed-chamber, and +lord-lieutenant of Ireland. He exactly resembled the Marshal de +Grammont, in the turn of his wit and the nobleness of his manners: and +like him was the honour of his master's court. + +The Duke of Buckingham and the Earl of St. Albans were the same in +England as they appeared in France: the one full of wit and vivacity, +dissipated, without splendour, an immense estate upon which he had just +entered: the other, a man of no great genius, had raised himself a +considerable fortune from nothing, and by losing at play, and keeping a +great table, made it appear greater than it was. + + ["The Duke of Buckingham is again one hundred and forty thousand + pounds in debt; and by this prorogation his creditors have time to + tear all his lands to pieces."--Andrew Marvell's Works, 4to. edit., + vol. i. p. 406.] + +Sir George Berkeley, afterwards Earl of Falmouth, was the confidant and +favourite of the King: he commanded the Duke of York's regiment of +guards, and governed the Duke himself. He had nothing very remarkable +either in his wit, or his person; but his sentiments were worthy of the +fortune which awaited him, when, on the very point of his elevation, he +was killed at sea. Never did disinterestedness so perfectly characterise +the greatness of the soul: he had no views but what tended to the glory +of his master: his credit was never employed but in advising him to +reward services, or to confer favours on merit: so polished in +conversation, that the greater his power, the greater was his humility; +and so sincere in all his proceedings, that he would never have been +taken for a courtier. + +The Duke of Ormond's sons and his nephews had been in the king's court +during his exile, and were far from diminishing its lustre after his +return. The Earl of Arran had a singular address in all kinds of +exercises, played well at tennis and on the guitar, and was pretty +successful in gallantry: his elder brother, the Earl of Ossory, was not +so lively, but of the most liberal sentiments, and of great probity. + +The elder of the Hamiltons, their cousin, was the man who of all the +court dressed best: he was well made in his person, and possessed those +happy talents which lead to fortune, and procure success in love: he was +a most assiduous courtier, had the most lively wit, the most polished +manners, and the most punctual attention to his master imaginable: no +person danced better, nor was any one a more general lover: a merit of +some account in a court entirely devoted to love and gallantry. It is +not at all surprising, that with these qualities he succeeded my Lord +Falmouth in the King's favour; but it is very extraordinary that he +should have experienced the same destiny, as if this sort of war had been +declared against merit only, and as if this sort of combat was fatal to +none but such as had certain hopes of a splendid fortune. This, however, +did not happen till some years afterwards. + +The beau Sydney, less dangerous than he appeared to be, + + [Robert Sydney, third son of the Earl of Leicester, and brother of + the famous Algernon Sydney, who was beheaded. This is Lord Orford's + account; though, on less authority, I should have been inclined to + have considered Henry Sydney, his younger brother, who was + afterwards created Earl of Rumney, and died 8th April, 1704, as the + person intended. There are some circumstances which seem + particularly to point to him. Burnet, speaking of him, says, "he + was a, graceful man, and had lived long in the court, where he lead + some adventures that became very public. He was a man of a sweet + and caressing temper, had no malice in his heart, but too great a + love of pleasure. He had been sent envoy to Holland in the year + 1679, where he entered into such particular confidences with the + prince, that he had the highest measure of his trust and favour that + any Englishman ever had."--History of his Own Times, vol. ii., p. + 494. + + In the Essay on Satire, by Dryden and Mulgrave, he is spoken of in + no very decent terms. + + "And little Sid, for simile renown'd, + Pleasure has always sought, but never found + Though all his thoughts on wine and women fall, + His are so bad, sure he ne'er thinks at all. + The flesh he lives upon is rank and strong; + His meat and mistresses are kept too long. + But sure we all mistake this pious man, + Who mortifies his person all he can + What we uncharitably take for sin, + Are only rules of this odd capuchin; + For never hermit, under grave pretence, + Has lived more contrary to common sense." + + These verses, however, have been applied to Sir Charles Sedley, + whose name was originally spelt Sidley. Robert Sydney died at + Pensburst, 1674.] + +had not sufficient vivacity to support the impression which his figure +made; but little Jermyn was on all sides successful in his intrigues. +The old Earl of St. Albans, his uncle, had for a long time adopted him, +though the youngest of all his nephews. It is well known what a table +the good man kept at Paris, while the King his master was starving at +Brussels, and the Queen Dowager, his mistress, lived not over well in +France. + + [To what a miserable state the queen was reduced may be seen in the + following extract from De Retz.--"Four or five days before the king + removed from Paris, I went to visit the Queen of England, whom I + found in her daughter's chamber, who hath been since Duchess of + Orleans. At my coming in she said, 'You see I am come to keep + Henrietta company. The poor child could not rise to-day for want of + a fire.' The truth is, that the cardinal for six months together + had not ordered her any money towards her pension; that no + trades-people would trust her for anything; and that there was not at + her lodgings in the Louvre one single billet. You will do me the + justice to suppose that the Princess of England did not keep her bed + the next day for want of a faggot; but it was not this which the + Princess of Conde meant in her letter. What she spoke about was, + that some days after my visiting the Queen of England, I remembered + the condition I had found her in, and had strongly represented the + shame of abandoning her in that manner, which caused the parliament + to send 40,000 livres to her majesty. Posterity will hardly believe + that a Princess of England, grand-daughter of Henry the Great, hath + wanted a faggot, in the month of January, to get out of bed in the + Louvre, and in the eyes of a French court. We read in histories, + with horror, of baseness less monstrous than this; and the little + concern I have met with about it in most people's minds, has obliged + me to make, I believe, a thousand times, this reflection,--that + examples of times past move men beyond comparison more than those of + their own times. We accustom ourselves to what we see; and I have + sometimes told you, that I doubted whether Caligula's horse being + made a consul would have surprised us so much as we imagine." + --Memoirs, vol. i., p. 261. As for the relative situation of the king + and Lord Jermyn, (afterwards St. Albans,) Lord Clarendon says, that + the "Marquis of Ormond was compelled to put himself in prison, with + other gentlemen, at a pistole a-week for his diet, and to walk the + streets a-foot, which was no honourable custom in Paris, whilst the + Lord Jermyn kept an excellent table for those who courted him, and + had a coach of his own, and all other accommodations incident to the + most full fortune: and if the king had the most urgent occasion for + the use but of twenty pistoles, as sometimes he had, he could not + find credit to borrow it, which he often had experiment of." + --History of the Rebellion, vol. iii., p. 2.] + +Jermyn, supported by his uncle's wealth, found it no difficult matter to +make a considerable figure upon his arrival at the court of the Princess +of Orange: the poor courtiers of the king her brother could not vie with +him in point of equipage and magnificence; and these two articles often +produce as much success in love as real merit: there is no necessity for +any other example than the present; for though Jermyn was brave, and +certainly a gentleman, yet he had neither brilliant actions, nor +distinguished rank, to set him off; and as for his fibre, there was +nothing advantageous in it. He was little: his head was large and his +legs small; his features were not disagreeable, but he was affected in +his carriage and behaviour. All his wit consisted in expressions learnt +by rote, which he occasionally employed either in raillery, or in love. +This was the whole foundation of the merit of a man so formidable in +amours. + +The Princess Royal was the first who was taken with him: Miss Hyde seemed +to be following the steps of her mistress: this immediately brought him +into credit, and his reputation was established in England before his +arrival. Prepossession in the minds of women is sufficient to find +access to their hearts: Jermyn found them in dispositions so favourable +for him, that he had nothing to do but to speak. + +It was in vain they perceived that a reputation so lightly established, +was still more weakly sustained: the prejudice remained: the Countess of +Castlemaine, a woman lively and discerning followed the delusive shadow; +and though undeceived in a reputation which promised so much, and +performed so little, she nevertheless continued in her infatuation: she +even persisted in it, until she was upon the point of embroiling herself +with the King; so great was this first instance of her constancy. + +Such were the heroes of the court. As for the beauties, you could not +look anywhere without seeing them: those of the greatest reputation were +this same Countess of Castlemaine, afterwards Duchess of Cleveland, Lady +Chesterfield, Lady Shrewsbury, the Mrs. Roberts, Mrs. Middleton, the +Misses Brooks, and a thousand others, who shone at court with equal +lustre; but it was Miss Hamilton and Miss Stewart who were its chief +ornaments. + + [Lady Shrewsbury: Anna, Maria, Countess of Shrewsbury, eldest + daughter of Robert Brudenel, Earl of Cardigan, and wife of Francis, + Earl of Shrewsbury, who was killed in a duel by George, Duke of + Buckingham, March 16, 1667. She afterwards re-married with George + Rodney Bridges, Esq., second son of Sir Thomas Bridges of Keynsham, + in Somersetshire, knight, and died April 20, 1702. By her second + husband she had one son, George Rodney Bridges, who died in 1751. + This woman is said to have been so abandoned, as to have held, in + the habit of a page, her gallant, the duke's horse, while he fought + and killed her husband; after which she went to bed with him, + stained with her husband's blood.] + +The new queen gave but little additional brilliancy to the court, either +in her person or in her retinue, which was then composed of the Countess +de Panetra, who came over with her in quality of lady of the bedchamber; +six frights, who called themselves maids of honour, and a duenna, another +monster, who took the title of governess to those extraordinary beauties. + + [Lord Clarendon confirms, in some measure, this account. "There + was a numerous family of men and women, that were sent from + Portugal, the most improper to promote that conformity in the queen + that was necessary for her condition and future happiness that could + be chosen; the women, for the most part, old, and ugly, and proud, + incapable of any conversation with persons of quality and a liberal + education: and they desired, and indeed had conspired so far to + possess the queen themselves, that she should neither learn the + English language, nor use their habit, nor depart from the manners + and fashions of her own country in any particulars: which + resolution," they told, "would be for the dignity of Portugal, and + would quickly induce the English ladies to conform to her majesty's + practice. And this imagination had made that impression, that the + tailor who had been sent into Portugal to make her clothes could + never be admitted to see her, or receive any employment. Nor when + she came to Portsmouth, and found there several ladies of honour and + prime quality to attend her in the places to which they were + assigned by the king, did she receive any of them till the king + himself came; nor then with any grace, or the liberty that belonged + to their places and offices. She could not be persuaded to be + dressed out of the wardrobe that the king had sent to her, but would + wear the clothes which she had brought, until she found that the + king was displeased, and would be obeyed; whereupon she conformed, + against the advice of her women, who continued their opiniatrety, + without any one of them receding from their own mode, which exposed + them the more to reproach."--Continuation of Clarendon's Life, p. + 168. In a short time after their arrival in England, they were + ordered back to Portugal.] + +Among the men were Francisco de Melo, brother to the Countess de Panetra; +one Taurauvedez, who called himself Don Pedro Francisco Correo de Silva, +extremely handsome, but a greater fool than all the Portuguese put +together: he was more vain of his names than of his person; but the Duke +of Buckingham, a still greater fool than he, though more addicted to +raillery, gave him the additional name of Peter of the Wood. He was so +enraged at this, that, after many fruitless complaints and ineffectual +menaces, poor Pedro de Silva was obliged to leave England, while the +happy duke kept possession of a Portuguese nymph more hideous than the +queen's maids of honour, whom he had taken from him, as well as two of +his names. Besides these, there were six chaplains, four bakers, a Jew +perfumer, and a certain officer, probably without an office, who called +himself her highness's barber. Katharine de Braganza was far from +appearing with splendour in the charming court where she came to reign; +however, in the end she was pretty successful. + + [Lord Clarendon says, "the queen had beauty and wit enough to make + herself agreeable to him (the king); and it is very certain, that, + at their first meeting, and for some time after, the King had very + good satisfaction in her. . . . Though she was of years enough + to have had more experience of the world, and of as much wit as + could be wished, and of a humour very agreeable at some seasons, + yet, she had been bred, according to the mode and discipline of her + country, in a monastery, where she had only seen the women who + attended her, and conversed with the religious who resided there; + and, without doubt, in her inclinations, was enough disposed to have + been one of that number: and from this restraint she was called out + to be a great queen, and to a free conversation in a court that was + to be upon the matter new formed, and reduced from the manners of a + licentious age to the old rules and limits which had been observed + in better times; to which regular and decent conformity the present + disposition of men or women was not enough inclined to submit, nor + the king enough disposed to exact."--Continuation of Lord + Clarendon's Life, p. 167. After some struggle, she submitted to the + king's licentious conduct, and from that time lived upon easy terms + with him, until his death. On the 30th March, 1692, she left + Somerset-house, her usual residence, and retired to Lisbon, where + she died, 31st December, 1705, N. S.] + +The Chevalier de Grammont, who had been long known to the royal family, +and to most of the gentlemen of the court, had only to get acquainted +with the ladies; and for this he wanted no interpreter: they all spoke +French enough to explain themselves, and they all understood it +sufficiently to comprehend what he had to say to them. + +The queen's court was always very numerous; that of the duchess was less +so, but more select. This princess had a majestic air, a pretty good +shape, not much beauty, a great deal of wit, and so just a discernment of +merit, that, whoever of either sex were possessed of it, were sure to be +distinguished by her: an air of grandeur in all her actions made her be +considered as if born to support the rank: which placed her so near the +throne. + + ["The Duchess of York," says Bishop Burnet, "was a very + extraordinary woman. She had great knowledge, and a lively sense of + things. She soon understood what belonged to a princess, and took + state on her rather too much. She wrote well, and had begun the + duke's life, of which she showed me a volume. It was all drawn from + his journal; and he intended to have employed me in carrying it on. + She was bred in great strictness in religion, and practised secret + confession. Morley told me he was her confessor. She began at + twelve years old, and continued under his direction till, upon her + father's disgrace, he was put from the court. She was generous and + friendly, but was too severe an enemy."-history of his Own Times, + vol. i., p. 237. She was contracted to the duke at Breda, + November 24, 1659, and married at Worcester-house, 3rd September, + 1660, in the night, between eleven and two, by Dr. Joseph Crowther, + the duke's chaplain; the Lord Ossory giving her in marriage. + --Kennet's Register, p. 246. She died 31st March, 1671, having + previously acknowledged herself to be a Roman Catholic.--See also + her character by Bishop Morley.--Kennet's Register, p. 385, 390.] + +The queen dowager returned after the marriage of the princess royal, and +it was in her court that the two others met. + +The Chevalier de Grammont was soon liked by all parties those who had not +known him before were surprised to see a Frenchman of his disposition. +The king's restoration having drawn a great number of foreigners from all +countries to the court, the French were rather in disgrace; for, instead +of any persons of distinction having appeared among the first who came +over, they had only seen some insignificant puppies, each striving to +outdo the other in folly and extravagance, despising everything which +was not like themselves, and thinking they introduced the 'bel air', by +treating the English as strangers in their own country. + +The Chevalier de Grammont, on the contrary, was familiar with everybody: +he gave in to their customs, eat of everything, and easily habituated +himself to their manner of living, which he looked upon as neither vulgar +nor barbarous; and as he showed a natural complaisance, instead of the +impertinent affectation of the others, all the nation was charmed with a +man, who agreeably indemnified them for what they had suffered from the +folly of the former. + +He first of all made his court to the king, and was of all his parties +of pleasure: he played high, and lost but seldom: he found so little +difference in the manners and conversation of those with whom he chiefly +associated, that he could scarcely believe he was out of his own country. +Everything which could agreeably engage a man of his disposition, +presented itself to his different humours, as if the pleasures of the +court of France had quitted it to accompany him in his exile. + +He was every day engaged for some entertainment; and those who wished to +regale him in their turn, were obliged to take their measures in time, +and to invite him eight or ten days before hand. These importunate +civilities became tiresome in the long run; but as they seemed +indispensable to a man of his disposition, and as they were the most +genteel people of the court who loaded him with them, he submitted with +a good grace; but always reserved to himself the liberty of supping at +home. + +His supper hour depended upon play, and was indeed very uncertain; +but his supper was always served up with the greatest elegance, by the +assistance of one or two servants, who were excellent caterers and good +attendants, but understood cheating still better. + +The company, at these little entertainments, was not numerous, but +select: the first people of the court were commonly of the party; but the +man, who of all others suited him best on these occasions, never failed +to attend: that was the celebrated Saint Evremond, who with great +exactness, but too great freedom, had written the history of the treaty +of the Pyrenees: an exile like himself, though for very different +reasons. + +Happily for them both, fortune had, some time before the arrival of the +Chevalier de Grammont, brought Saint Evremond to England, after he had +had leisure to repent in Holland of the beauties of that famous satire. + + [Charles de St. Denis, Seigneur de Saint Evremond, was born at St. + Denis le Guast, in Lower Normandy, on the 1st of April, 1613. He + was educated at Paris, with a view to the profession of the law; but + he early quitted that pursuit, and went into the army, where he + signalized himself on several occasions. At the time of the + Pyrenean treaty, he wrote a letter censuring the conduct of Cardinal + Mazarin, which occasioned his being banished France. He first took + refuge in Holland; but, in 1662, he removed into England, where he + continued, with a short interval, during the rest of his life. In + 1675, the Duchess of Mazarin came to reside in England; and with her + St. Evremond passed much of his time. He preserved his health and + cheerfulness to a very great age, and died 9th of September, 1703, + aged ninety years, five months, and twenty days. His biographer + Monsieur Des Maizeaux, describes him thus: "M. de St. Evremond had + blue, lively, and sparkling eyes, a large forehead, thick eyebrows, + a handsome mouth, and a sneering physiognomy. Twenty years before + his death, a wen grew between his eye-brows, which in time increased + to a considerable bigness. He once designed to have it cut off, but + as it was no ways troublesome to him, and he little regarded that + kind of deformity, Dr. Le Fevre advised him to let it alone, lest + such an operation should be attended with dangerous symptoms in a + man of his age. He would often make merry with himself on account + of his wen, his great leather cap, and grey hair, which he chose to + wear rather than a periwig." St. Evremond was a kind of Epicurean + philosopher, and drew his own character in the following terms, in a + letter to Count de Grammont. He was a philosopher equally removed + from superstition and impiety; a voluptuary who had no less aversion + from debauchery than inclination for pleasure: a man who had never + felt the pressure of indigence, and who had never been in possession + of affluence: he lived in a condition despised by those who have + everything, envied by those who have nothing, and relished by those + who make their reason the foundation of their happiness. When he + was young he hated profusion, being persuaded that some degree of + wealth was necessary for the conveniencies of a long life: when he + was old, he could hardly endure economy, being of opinion that want + is little to be dreaded when a man has but little time left to be + miserable. He was well pleased with nature, and did not complain of + fortune. He hated vice, was indulgent to frailties, and lamented + misfortunes. He sought not after the failings of men with a design + to expose them; he only found what was ridiculous in them for his + own amusement: he had a secret pleasure in discovering this himself, + and would, indeed, have had a still greater in discovering this to + others, had not he been checked by discretion. Life, in his + opinion, was too short to read all sorts of books, and to burden + one's memory with a multitude of things, at the expense of one's + judgment. He did not apply himself to the most learned writings, in + order to acquire knowledge, but to the most rational, to fortify his + reason: he sometimes chose the most delicate, to give delicacy to + his own taste, and sometimes the most agreeable, to give the same to + his own genius. It remains that he should be described, such as he + was, in friendship and in religion. In friendship he was more + constant than a philosopher, and more sincere than a young man of + good nature without experience. With regard to religion, his piety + consisted more in justice and charity than in penance or + mortification. He placed his confidence in God, trusting in His + goodness, and hoping that in the bosom of His providence he should + find his repose and his felicity."--He was buried in Westminster + Abbey.] + +The Chevalier was from that time his hero: they had each of them attained +to all the advantages which a knowledge of the world, and the society of +people of fashion, could add to the improvement of good natural talents. +Saint Evremond, less engaged in frivolous pursuits, frequently gave +little lectures to the Chevalier, and by making observations upon the +past, endeavoured to set him right for the present, or to instruct him +for the future. "You are now," said he, "in the most agreeable way of +life a man of your temper could wish for: you are the delight of a +youthful, sprightly, and gallant court: the king has never a party of +pleasure to which you are not admitted. You play from morning to night, +or, to speak more properly, from night to morning, without knowing +what it is to lose. Far from losing the money you brought hither, as you +have done in other places, you have doubled it, trebled it, multiplied it +almost beyond your wishes, notwithstanding the exorbitant expenses you +are imperceptibly led into. This, without doubt, is the most desirable +situation in the, world: stop here, Chevalier, and do not ruin your +affairs by returning to your old sins. Avoid love, by pursuing other +pleasures: love has never been favourable to you. + + ["Saint Evremond and Bussi-Rabutin, who have also written on the + life of the Count de Grammont, agree with Hamilton in representing + him as a man less fortunate in love than at play; not seeking for + any other pleasure in the conquest of a woman but that of depriving + another of her; and not able to persuade any one of his passion, + because he spoke to her, as at all other times, in jest: but cruelly + revenging himself on those who refused to hear him; corrupting the + servants of those whom they did favour, counterfeiting their + handwriting, intercepting their letters, disconcerting their + rendezvous; in one word, disturbing their amours by everything which + a rival, prodigal, indefatigable, and full of artifice, can be + imagined to do. The straitest ties of blood could not secure any + one from his detraction. His nephew, the Count de Guiche, was a + victim: he had in truth, offended the Count de Grammont, by having + supplanted him in the affection of the Countess de Fiesque, whom he + loved afterwards for the space of twelve years. Here was enough to + irritate the self-love of a man less persuaded of his own merit." + Hamilton does not describe the exterior of the count, but accuses + Bussi-Rabutin of having, in the following description, given a more + agreeable than faithful portrait of him: "The chevalier had laughing + eyes, a well-formed nose, a beautiful mouth, a small dimple in the + chin, which had an agreeable effect on his countenance, a certain + delicacy in his physiognomy, and a handsome shape, if he had not + stooped."] + +"You are sensible how much gallantry has cost you; and every person here +is not so well acquainted with that matter as yourself. Play boldly: +entertain the court with your wit: divert the king by your ingenious and +entertaining stories; but avoid all engagements which can deprive you of +this merit, and make you forget you are a stranger and an exile in this +delightful country. + +"Fortune may bow weary of befriending you at play. What would have +become of you, if your last misfortune had happened to you when your +money had been at as low an ebb as I have known it? Attend carefully +then to this necessary deity, and renounce the other. You will be missed +at the court of France before you grow weary of this; but be that as it +may, lay up a good store of money: when a man is rich he consoles himself +for his banishment. I know you well, my dear Chevalier: if you take it +into your head to seduce a lady, or to supplant a lover, your gains at +play will by no means suffice for presents and for bribes: no, let play +be as productive to you as it can be, you will never gain so much by it +as you will lose by love, if you yield to it. + +"You are in possession of a thousand splendid qualifications which +distinguish you here: generous, benevolent, elegant, and polite; and for +your engaging wit, inimitable. Upon a strict examination, perhaps, all +this would not be found literally true; but these are brilliant marks; +and since it is granted that you possess them, do not show yourself here +in any other light: for, in love, if your manner of paying your addresses +can be so denominated, you do not in the least resemble the picture I +have just now drawn." + +"My little philosophical monitor," said the Chevalier de Grammont, "you +talk here as if you were the Cato of Normandy." "Do I say anything +untrue?" replied Saint Evremond: "Is it not a fact, that as soon as a +woman pleases you, your first care is to find out whether she has any +other lover, and your second how to plague her; for the gaining her +affection is the last thing in your thoughts. You seldom engage in +intrigues, but to disturb the happiness of others: a mistress who has no +lovers would have no charms for you, and if she has, she would be +invaluable. Do not all the places through which you have passed furnish +me with a thousand examples? Shall I mention your coup d'essai at Turin? +the trick you played at Fontainebleau, where you robbed the Princess +Palatine's courier upon the highway? and for what purpose was this fine +exploit, but to put you in possession of some proofs of her affection for +another, in order to give her uneasiness and confusion by reproaches and +menaces, which you had no right to use? + +"Who but yourself ever took it into his head to place himself in ambush +upon the stairs, to disturb a man in an intrigue, and to pull him back by +the leg when he was half way up to his mistress's chamber? yet did not +you use your friend the Duke of Buckingham in this manner, when he was +stealing at night to------although you were not in the least his rival? +How many spies did not you send out after d'Olonne? + + [Mademoiselle de la Loupe, who is mentioned in De Retz's Memoirs, + vol. iii., p. 95. She married the Count d'Olonne, and became + famous for her gallantries, of which the Count de Bussi speaks so + much, in his History of the Amours of the Gauls. Her maiden name + was Catherine Henrietta d'Angennes, and she was daughter to Charles + d'Angennes, Lord of la Loupe, Baron of Amberville, by Mary du + Raynier. There is a long character of her by St. Evremond, in his + works, vol. i., p. 17. The same writer, mentioning the concern of + some ladies for the death of the Duke of Candale, says, "But his + true mistress (the Countess d'Olonne) made herself famous by the + excess of her affliction, and had, in my opinion, been happy, if she + had kept it on to the last. One amour is creditable to a lady; and + I know not whether it be not more advantageous to their reputation + than never to have been in love."--St. Evremond's works, vol. ii., + p. 24.] + +"How many tricks, frauds, and persecutions, did you not practise for the +Countess de Fiesque, who perhaps might have been constant to you, if you +had not yourself forced her to be otherwise? But, to conclude, for the +enumeration of your iniquities would be endless, give me leave to ask +you, how you came here? Are not we obliged to that same evil genius of +yours, which rashly inspired you to intermeddle even in the gallantries +of your prince? Show some discretion then on this point here, I beseech +you; all the beauties of the court are already engaged; and however +docile the English may be with respect to their wives, they can by no +means bear the inconstancy of their mistresses, nor patiently suffer the +advantages of a rival: suffer them therefore to remain in tranquillity, +and do not gain their ill-will for no purpose. + +"You certainly will meet with no success with such as are unmarried: +honourable views, and good landed property, are required here; and you +possess as much of the one as the other. Every country has its customs: +in Holland, unmarried ladies are of easy access, and of tender +dispositions; but as soon as ever they are married, they become like so +many Lucretias: in France, the women are great coquettes before marriage, +and still more so afterwards; but here it is a miracle if a young lady +yields to any proposal but that of matrimony and I do not believe you yet +so destitute of grace as to think of that." + +Such were Saint Evremond's lectures; but they were all to no purpose: the +Chevalier de Grammont only attended to them for his amusement; and though +he was sensible of the truth they contained, he paid little regard to +them: in fact, being weary of the favours of fortune, he had just +resolved to pursue those of love. + +Mrs. Middleton was the first whom he attacked: she was one of the +Handsomest women in town, though then little known at court: so much of +the coquette as to discourage no one; and so great was her desire of +appearing magnificently, that she was ambitious to vie with those of the +greatest fortunes, though unable to support the expense. All this suited +the Chevalier de Grammont; therefore, without trifling away his time in +useless ceremonies, he applied to her porter for admittance, and chose +one of her lovers for his confidant. + +This lover, who was not deficient in wit, was at that time a Mr. Jones, +afterwards Earl of Ranelagh: what engaged him to serve the Chevalier de +Grammont, was to traverse the designs of a most dangerous rival, and to +relieve himself from an expense which began to lie too heavy upon him. +In both respects the Chevalier answered his purpose. + +Immediately spies were placed, letters and presents flew about: he was +received as well as he could wish: he was permitted to ogle: he was even +ogled again; but this was all. He found that the fair one was very +willing to accept, but was tardy in making returns. This induced him, +without giving up his pretensions to her, to seek his fortune elsewhere. + +Among the queen's maids of honour, there was one called Warmestre: she +was a beauty very different from the other. Mrs. Middleton was well +made, fair, and delicate; but had in her behaviour and discourse +something precise and affected. The indolent languishing airs she gave +herself did not please everybody: people grew weary of those sentiments +of delicacy, which she endeavoured to explain without understanding them +herself; and instead of entertaining she became tiresome. In these +attempts she gave herself so much trouble, that she made the company +uneasy, and her ambition to pass for a wit, only established her the +reputation of being tiresome, which lasted much longer than her beauty. + +Miss Warmestre was brown: she had no shape at all, and still less air; +but she had a very lively complexion, very sparkling eyes, tempting +looks, which spared nothing that might ensnare a lover, and promised +everything which could preserve him. In the end, it very plainly +appeared that her consent went along with her eyes to the last degree of +indiscretion. + +It was between these two goddesses that the inclinations of the Chevalier +de Grammont stood wavering, and between whom his presents were divided. +Perfumed gloves, pocket looking-glasses, elegant boxes, apricot paste, +essences, and other small wares of love, arrived every week from Paris, +with some new suit for himself; but, with regard to more solid presents, +such as ear-rings, diamonds, brilliants, and bright guineas, all this was +to be met with of the best sort in London, and the ladies were as well +pleased with them as if they had been brought from abroad. + +Miss Stewart's beauty began at this time to be celebrated. + + [Frances, Duchess of Richmond, daughter of Walter Stewart, son of + Walter, Baron of Blantyre, and wife of Charles Stewart, Duke of + Richmond and Lennox: a lady of exquisite beauty, if justly + represented in a puncheon made by Roettiere, his majesty's engraver + of the mint, in order to strike a medal of her, which exhibits the + finest face that perhaps was ever seen. The king was supposed to be + desperately in love with her; and it became common discourse, that + there was a design on foot to get him divorced from the queen, in + order to marry this lady. Lord Clarendon was thought to have + promoted the match with the Duke of Richmond, thereby to prevent the + other design, which he imagined would hurt the king's character, + embroil his affairs at present, and entail all the evils of a + disputed succession on the nation. Whether he actually encouraged + the Duke of Richmond's marriage, doth not appear; but it is certain + that he was so strongly possessed of the king's inclination to a + divorce, that, even after his disgrace, he was persuaded the Duke of + Buckingham had under taken to carry that matter through the + parliament. It is certain too that the king considered him as the + chief promoter of Miss Stewart's marriage, and resented it in the + highest degree. (See Pepys' Diaries. Ed.) The ceremony took place + privately, and it was publicly declared in April, 1667. From one of + Sir Robert Southwell's dispatches, dated Lisbon, December ?/12, + 1667, it appears that the report of the queen's intended divorce had + not then subsided in her native country.--History of the Revolutions + of Portugal, 1740, p. 352. The duchess became a widow in 1672, and + died October 15, 1702. See Burnet's History, Ludlow's Memoirs, and + Carte's Life of the Duke of Ormond. A figure in wax of this duchess + is still to be seen in Westminster-abbey.] + +The Countess of Castlemaine perceived that the king paid attention to +her; but, instead of being alarmed at it, she favoured, as far as she was +able, this new inclination, whether from an indiscretion common to all +those who think themselves superior to the rest of mankind, or whether +she designed, by this pastime, to divert the king's attention from the +commerce which she held with Jermyn. She was not satisfied with +appearing without any degree of uneasiness at a preference which all +the court began to remark: she even affected to make Miss Stewart her +favourite, and invited her to all the entertainments she made for the +king; and, in confidence of her own charms, with the greatest +indiscretion, she often kept her to sleep. The king, who seldom +neglected to visit the countess before she rose, seldom failed likewise +to find Miss Stewart in bed with her. The most indifferent objects have +charms in a new attachment: however, the imprudent countess was not +jealous of this rival's appearing with her, in such a situation, being +confident, that whenever she thought fit, she could triumph over all the +advantages which these opportunities could afford Miss Stewart; but she +was quite mistaken. + +The Chevalier de Grammont took notice of this conduct, without being able +to comprehend it; but, as he was attentive to the inclinations of the +king, he began to make his court to him, by enhancing the merit of this +new mistress. Her figure was more showy than engaging: it was hardly +possible for a woman to have less wit, or more beauty: all her features +were fine and regular; but her shape was not good: yet she was slender, +straight enough, and taller than the generality of women: she was very +graceful, danced well, and spoke French better than her mother tongue: +she was well bred, and possessed, in perfection, that air of dress which +is so much admired, and which cannot be attained, unless it be taken when +young, in France. While her charms were gaining ground in the king's +heart, the Countess of Castlemaine amused herself in the gratification of +all her caprices. + +Mrs. Hyde was one of the first of the beauties who were prejudiced with +a blind prepossession in favour of Jermyn she had just married a man whom +she loved: by this marriage she became sister-in-law to the duchess, +brilliant by her own native lustre, and full of pleasantry and wit. +However, she was of opinion, that so long as she was not talked of on +account of Jermyn, all her other advantages would avail nothing for her +glory: it was, therefore, to receive this finishing stroke, that she +resolved to throw herself into his arms. + +She was of a middle size, had a skin of a dazzling whiteness, fine hands, +and a foot surprisingly beautiful, even in England: long custom had given +such a languishing tenderness to her looks, that she never opened her +eyes but like a Chinese; and, when she ogled, one would have thought she +was doing something else. + +Jermyn accepted of her at first; but, being soon puzzled what to do with +her, he thought it best to sacrifice her to Lady Castlemaine. The +sacrifice was far from being displeasing to her; it was much to her glory +to have carried off Jermyn from so many competitors; but this was of no +consequence in the end. + +Jacob Hall (the famous rope-dancer) was at that time in vogue in London; +his strength and agility charmed in public, even to a wish to know what +he was in private; for he appeared, in his tumbling dress, to be quite of +a different make, and to have limbs very different from the fortunate +Jermyn. + + ["There was a symmetry and elegance, as well as strength and + agility, in the person of Jacob Hall, which was much admired by the + ladies, who regarded him as a due composition of Hercules and + Adonis. The open-hearted Duchess of Cleveland was said to have been + in love with this rope-dancer and Goodman the player at the same + time. The former received a salary from her grace."--Granger, vol. + ii., part 2, p. 461. In reference to the connection between the + duchess and the ropedancer, Mr. Pope introduced the following lines + into his "Sober Advice from Horace:" + + "What push'd poor E--s on th' imperial whore? + 'Twas but to be where Charles had been before, + The fatal steel unjustly was apply'd, + When not his lust offended, but his pride + Too hard a penance for defeated sin, + Himself shut out, and Jacob Hall let in."] + +The tumbler did not deceive Lady Castlemaine's expectations, if report +may be believed; and as was intimated in many a song, much more to the +honour of the rope-dancer than of the countess; but she despised all +these rumours, and only appeared still more handsome. + +While satire thus found employment at her cost, there were continual +contests for the favours of another beauty, who was not much more +niggardly in that way than herself; this was the Countess of Shrewsbury. + +The Earl of Arran, who had been one of her first admirers, was not one of +the last to desert her; this beauty, less famous for her conquests than +for the misfortunes she occasioned, placed her greatest merits in being +more capricious than any other. As no person could boast of being the +only one in her favour; so no person could complain of having been ill +received. + +Jermyn was displeased that she had made no advances to him, without +considering that she had no leisure for it; his pride was offended; but +the attempt which he made to take her from the rest of her lovers was +very ill-advised. + +Thomas Howard, brother to the Earl of Carlisle, was one of them; there +was not a braver, nor a more genteel man in England; and though he was +of a modest demeanour, and his manners appeared gentle and pacific, no +person was more spirited nor more passionate. Lady Shrewsbury, +inconsiderately returning the first ogles of the invincible Jermyn, did +not at all make herself more agreeable to Howard; that, however, she paid +little attention to; yet, as she designed to keep fair with him, she +consented to accept an entertainment which he had often proposed, and +which she durst no longer refuse. A place of amusement, called Spring +Garden,--was fixed upon for the scene of this entertainment. + +As soon as the party was settled, Jermyn was privately informed of it. +Howard had a company in the regiment of guards, and one of the soldiers +of his company played pretty well on the bagpipes; this soldier was +therefore at the entertainment. Jermyn was at the garden, as by chance; +and, puffed up with his former successes, he trusted to his victorious +air for accomplishing this last enterprise; he no sooner appeared on the +walks, than her ladyship showed herself upon the balcony. + +I know not how she stood affected to her hero; but Howard did not fancy +him much; this did not prevent his coming up stairs upon the first sign +she made to him; and not content with acting the petty tyrant, at an +entertainment not made for himself, no sooner had he gained the soft +looks of the fair one, than he exhausted all his common-place, and all +his stock of low irony, in railing at the entertainment, and ridiculing +the music. + + [Spring Garden: They stay there so long as if they wanted not time + to finish the race; for it is usual here to find some of the young + company till midnight; and the thickets of the garden seem to be + contrived to all advantages of gallantry, after they have refreshed + with the collation, which is here seldom omitted, at a certain + cabaret, in the middle of this paradise, where the forbidden fruits + are certain trifling tarts, newts' tongues, spacious meats, and bad + Rhenish, for which the gallants pay sauce, as indeed they do at all + such houses throughout England; for they think it a piece of + frugality beneath them to bargain or account for what they eat in + any place, however unreasonably imposed upon.''-Character of + England, 12mo., 1659, p. 56, written, it is said, by John Evelyn, + Esq. Spring Garden is the scene of intrigue in many of our comedies + of this period.] + +Howard possessed but little raillery, and still less patience; three +times was the banquet on the point of being stained with blood; but three +times did he suppress his natural impetuosity, in order to satisfy his +resentment elsewhere with greater freedom. + +Jermyn, without paying the least attention to his ill-humour, pursued his +point, continued talking to Lady Shrewsbury, and did not leave her until +the repast was ended. + +He went to bed, proud of this triumph, and was awakened next morning by a +challenge. He took for his second Giles Rawlings, a man of intrigue, and +a deep player. Howard took Dillon, who was dexterous and brave, much of +a gentleman, and, unfortunately, an intimate friend to Rawlings. + +In this duel fortune did not side with the votaries of love poor Rawlings +was left stone dead; and Jermyn, having received three wounds, was +carried to his uncle's, with very little signs of life. + +While the report of this event engaged the courtiers according to their +several interests, the Chevalier de Grammont was informed by Jones, his +friend, his confidant, and his rival, that there was another gentleman +very attentive to Mrs. Middleton: this was Montagu, no very dangerous +rival on account of his person, but very much to be feared for his +assiduity, the acuteness of his wit, and for some other talents which are +of importance, when a man is once permitted to display them. + +There needed not half so much to bring into action all the Chevalier's +vivacity, in point of competition: vexation awakened in him whatever +expedients the desire of revenge, malice, and experience, could suggest, +for troubling the designs of a rival, and tormenting a mistress. His +first intention was to return her letters, and demand his presents, +before he began to tease her; but, rejecting this project, as too weak a +revenge for the injustice done him, he was upon the point of conspiring +the destruction of poor Mrs. Middleton, when, by accident, he met with +Miss Hamilton. From this moment ended all his resentment against Mrs. +Middleton, and all his attachment to Miss Warmestre: no longer was he +inconstant: no longer were his wishes fluctuating: this object fixed them +all; and, of all his former habits, none remained, except uneasiness and +jealousy. + +Here his first care was to please; but he very plainly saw, that to +succeed he must act quite in a different manner to that which he had been +accustomed to. + +The family of the Hamiltons, being very numerous, lived in a large and +commodious house, near the court: the Duke of Ormond's family was +continually with them; and here persons of the greatest distinction in +London, constantly met: the Chevalier de Grammont was here received in a +manner agreeable to his merit and quality, and was astonished that he had +spent so much time in other places; for, after having made this +acquaintance, he was desirous of no other. + +All the world agreed that Miss Hamilton was worthy of the most ardent and +sincere affection: nobody could boast a nobler birth, nothing was more +charming than her person. + + [Elizabeth, sister of the author of these Memoirs, and daughter of + Sir George Hamilton, fourth son of James, the first Earl of + Abercorn, by Mary, third daughter of Thomas, Viscount Thurles, + eldest son of Walter, eleventh Earl of Ormond, and sister to James, + the first Duke of Ormond. She married Philibert, Count of Grammont, + the hero of these Memoirs, by whom she had two daughters: Claude + Charlotte, married, 3rd April, 1694, to Henry, Earl of Stafford; and + another, who became superior, or abbess, of the Canonesses in + Lorraine.] + + + + + CHAPTER SEVENTH. + + HE FALLS IN LOVE WITH MISS HAMILTON--VARIOUS ADVENTURES + AT THE BALL IN THE QUEEN'S DRAWING-ROOM--CURIOUS VOYAGE + OF HIS VALET-DE-CHAMBRE TO AND FROM PARIS. + + +The Chevalier de Grammont, never satisfied in his amours, was fortunate +without being beloved, and became jealous without having an attachment. + +Mrs. Middleton, as we have said, was going to experience what methods he +could invent to torment, after having experienced his powers of pleasing. + +He went in search of her to the queen's drawing-room, where there was a +ball; there she was; but fortunately for her, Miss Hamilton was there +likewise. It had so happened, that of all the beautiful women at Court, +this was the lady whom he had least seen, and whom he had heard most +commended; this, therefore, was the first time that he had a close view +of her, and he soon found that he had seen nothing at court before this +instant; he asked her some questions, to which she replied; as long as +she was dancing, his eyes were fixed upon her; and from this time he no +longer resented Mrs. Middleton's conduct. Miss Hamilton was at the happy +age when the charms of the fair sex begin to bloom; she had the finest +shape, the loveliest neck, and most beautiful arms in the world; she was +majestic and graceful in all her movements; and she was the original +after which all the ladies copied in their taste and air of dress. Her +forehead was open, white, and smooth; her hair was well set, and fell +with ease into that natural order which it is so difficult to imitate. +Her complexion was possessed of a certain freshness, not to be equalled +by borrowed colours: her eyes were not large, but they were lively, and +capable of expressing whatever she pleased: her mouth was full of graces, +and her contour uncommonly perfect; nor was her nose, which was small, +delicate, and turned up, the least ornament of so lovely a face. In +fine, her air, her carriage, and the numberless graces dispersed over her +whole person, made the Chevalier de Grammont not doubt but that she was +possessed of every other qualification. Her mind was a proper companion +for such a form: she did not endeavour to shine in conversation by those +sprightly sallies which only puzzle; and with still greater care she +avoided that affected solemnity in her discourse, which produces +stupidity; but, without any eagerness to talk, she just said what she +ought, and no more. She had an admirable discernment in distinguishing +between solid and false wit; and far from making an ostentatious display +of her abilities, she was reserved, though very just in her decisions: +her sentiments were always noble, and even lofty to the highest extent, +when there was occasion; nevertheless, she was less prepossessed with her +own merit than is usually the case with those who have so much. Formed, +as we have described, she could not fail of commanding love; but so far +was she from courting it, that she was scrupulously nice with respect to +those whose merit might entitle them to form any pretensions to her. + +The more the Chevalier de Grammont was convinced of these truths, +the more did he endeavour to please and engage her in his turn: his +entertaining wit, his conversation, lively, easy, and always +distinguished by novelty, constantly gained him attention; but he was +much embarrassed to find that presents, which so easily made their way in +his former method of courtship, were no longer proper in the mode which, +for the future, he was obliged to pursue. + +He had an old valet-de-chambre, called Termes, a bold thief, and a still +more impudent liar: he used to send this man from London every week, on +the commissions we have before mentioned; but after the disgrace of Mrs. +Middleton, and the adventure of Miss Warmestre, Mr. Termes was only +employed in bringing his master's clothes from Paris, and he did not +always acquit himself with the greatest fidelity in that employment, as +will appear hereafter. + +The queen was a woman of sense, and used all her endeavours to please the +king, by that kind obliging behaviour which her affection made natural to +her: she was particularly attentive in promoting every sort of pleasure +and amusement especially such as she could be present at herself. + +She had contrived, for this purpose, a splendid masquerade, where those, +whom she appointed to dance, had to represent different nations; she +allowed some time for preparation, during which we may suppose, the +tailors, the mantua makers, and embroiderers, were not idle: nor were the +beauties, who were to be there, less anxiously employed; however, Miss +Hamilton found time enough to invent two or three little tricks, in a +conjuncture so favourable, for turning into ridicule the vain fools of +the court. There were two who were very eminently such: the one was Lady +Muskerry, who had married her cousin-german; and the other a maid of +honour to the Duchess, called Blague. + +The first, whose husband most assuredly never married her for beauty, +was made like the generality of rich heiresses, to whom just nature seems +sparing of her gifts, in proportion as they are loaded with those of +fortune: she had the shape of a woman big with child, without being so; +but had a very good reason for limping; for, of two legs uncommonly +short, one was much shorter than the other. A face suitable to this +description gave the finishing stroke to this disagreeable figure. + +Miss Blague was another species of ridicule: her shape was neither good +nor bad: her countenance bore the appearance of the greatest insipidity, +and her complexion was the same all over; with two little hollow eyes, +adorned with white eye-lashes, as long as one's finger. With these +attractions she placed herself in ambuscade to surprise unwary hearts; +but she might have done so in vain, had it not been for the arrival of +the Marquis de Brisacier. Heaven seemed to have made them for each +other: he had in his person and manners every requisite to dazzle a +creature of her character he talked eternally, without saying anything, +and in his dress exceeded the most extravagant fashions. Miss Blague +believed that all this finery was on her account; and the Marquis +believed that her long eyelashes had never taken aim at any but himself: +everybody perceived their inclination for each other; but they had only +conversed by mute interpreters, when Miss Hamilton took it into her head +to intermeddle in their affairs. + +She was willing to do everything in order, and therefore began with her +cousin Muskerry, on account of her rank. Her two darling foibles were +dress and dancing. Magnificence of dress was intolerable with her +figure; and though her dancing was still more insupportable, she never +missed a ball at court: and the queen had so much complaisance for the +public, as always to make her dance; but it was impossible to give her a +part in an entertainment so important and splendid as this masquerade: +however, she was dying with impatience for the orders she expected. + +It was in consequence of this impatience, of which Miss Hamilton was +informed, that she founded the design of diverting herself at the expense +of this silly woman. The queen sent notes to those whom she appointed to +be present, and described the manner in which they were to be dressed. +Miss Hamilton wrote a note exactly in the same manner to Lady Muskerry, +with directions for her to be dressed in the Babylonian fashion. + +She assembled her counsel to advise about the means of sending it: this +cabinet was composed of one of her brothers and a sister, who were glad +to divert themselves at the expense of those who deserved it. After +having consulted some time, they at last resolved upon a mode of +conveying it into her own hands. Lord Muskerry was just going out, when +she received it: he was a man of honour, rather serious, very severe, and +a mortal enemy to ridicule. His wife's deformity was not so intolerable +to him, as the ridiculous figure she made upon all occasions. He thought +that he was safe in the present case, not believing that the queen would +spoil her masquerade by naming Lady Muskerry as one of the dancers +nevertheless, as he was acquainted with the passion his wife had to +expose herself in public, by her dress and dancing, he had just been +advising her very seriously to content herself with being a spectator +of this entertainment, even though the queen should have the cruelty +to engage her in it: he then took the liberty to show her what little +similarity there was between her figure, and that of persons to whom +dancing and magnificence in dress were allowable. His sermon concluded +at last, by an express prohibition to solicit a place at this +entertainment, which they had no thoughts of giving her; but far from +taking his advice in good part, she imagined that he was the only person +who had prevented the queen from doing her an honour she so ardently +desired; and as soon as he was gone out, her design was to go and throw +herself at her Majesty's feet to demand justice. She was in this very +disposition when she received the billet: three times did she kiss it; +and without regarding her husband's injunctions, she immediately got into +her coach in order to get information of the merchants who traded to the +Levant, in what manner the ladies of quality dressed in Babylon. + +The plot laid for Miss Blague was of a different kind: she had such faith +in her charms, and was so confident of their effects, that she could +believe anything. Brisacier, whom she looked upon as desperately +smitten, had wit, which he set off with common-place talk, and with +little sonnets: he sung out of tune most methodically, and was +continually exerting one or other of these happy talents: the Duke of +Buckingham did all he could to spoil him, by the praises he bestowed both +upon his voice and upon his wit. + +Miss Blague, who hardly understood a word of French, regulated herself +upon the Duke's authority, in admiring the one and the other. It was +remarked, that all the words which he sung to her were in praise of fair +women, and that always taking this to herself, she cast down her eyes in +acknowledgment and consciousness. It was upon these observations they +resolved to make a jest of her, the first opportunity. + +While these little projects were forming, the king, who always wished to +oblige the Chevalier de Grammont, asked him, if he would make one at the +masquerade, on condition of being Miss Hamilton's partner? He did not +pretend to dance sufficiently well for an occasion like the present; yet +he was far from refusing the offer: "Sire," said he, "of all the favours +you have been pleased to show me, since my arrival, I feel this more +sensibly than any other; and to convince you of my gratitude, I promise +you all the good offices in my power with Miss Stewart." He said this, +because they had just given her an apartment separate from the rest of +the maids of honour, which made the courtiers begin to pay respect to +her. The king was very well pleased at this pleasantry, and having +thanked him for so necessary an offer: "Monsieur le Chevalier," said he, +"in what style do you intend to dress yourself for the ball? I leave you +the choice of all countries." "If so," said the Chevalier, "I will dress +after the French manner, in order to disguise myself; for they already do +me the honour to take me for an Englishman in your city of London. Had +it not been for this, I should have wished to have appeared as a Roman; +but for fear of embroiling myself with Prince Rupert, who so warmly +espouses the interests of Alexander against Lord Thanet, who declares +himself for Caesar, I dare no longer think of assuming the hero: +nevertheless, though I may dance awkwardly, yet, by observing the tune, +and with a little alertness, I hope to come off pretty well; besides, +Miss Hamilton will take care that too much attention shall not be paid to +me. As for my dress, I shall send Termes off tomorrow morning; and if I +do not show you at his return the most splendid habit you have ever seen, +look upon mine as the most disgraced nation in your masquerade." + +Termes set out with ample instructions, on the subject of his journey: +and his master, redoubling his impatience on an occasion like the +present, before the courier could be landed, began to count the minutes +in expectation of his return: thus was he employed until the very eve of +the ball; and that was the day that Miss Hamilton and her little society +had fixed for the execution of their project. + +Martial gloves were then very much in fashion: she had by chance several +pairs of them: she sent one to Miss Blague, accompanied with four yards +of yellow riband, the palest she could find, to which she added this +note: + +"You were the other day more charming than all the fair women in the +world: you looked yesterday still more fair than you did the day before: +if you go on, what will become of my heart? But it is a long time since +that has been a prey to your pretty little young wild boar's eyes. Shall +you be at the masquerade to-morrow? But can there be any charms at an +entertainment, at which you are not present? It does not signify: I +shall know you in whatever disguise you may be: but I shall be better +informed of my fate, by the present I send you: you will wear knots of +this riband in your hair; and these gloves will kiss the most beautiful +hands in the universe." + +This billet, with the present, was delivered to Miss Blague with the same +success as the other had been conveyed to Lady Muskerry. Miss Hamilton +had just received an account of it, when the latter came to pay her a +visit: something seemed to possess her thoughts very much; when, having +stayed some time, her cousin desired her to walk into her cabinet. As +soon as they were there: "I desire your secrecy for what I am going to +tell you," said Lady Muskerry. "Do not you wonder what strange creatures +men are? Do not trust to them, my dear cousin: my Lord Muskerry, who, +before our marriage, could have passed whole days and nights in seeing me +dance, thinks proper now to forbid me dancing, and says it does not +become me. This is not all: he has so often rung in my ears the subject +of this masquerade, that I am obliged to hide from him the honour the +queen has done me, in inviting me to it. However, I am surprised I am +not informed who is to be my partner: but if you knew what a plague it +is, to find out, in this cursed town, in what manner the people of +Babylon dress, you would pity me for what I have suffered since the time +I have been appointed: besides, the cost which it puts me to is beyond +all imagination." + +Here it was that Miss Hamilton's inclination to laugh, which had +increased in proportion as she endeavoured to suppress it, at length +overcame her, and broke out in an immoderate fit: Lady Muskerry took it +in good humour, not doubting but it was the fantastical conduct of her +husband that she was laughing at. Miss Hamilton told her that all +husbands were much the same, and that one ought not to be concerned at +their whims; that she did not know who was to be her partner at the +masquerade; but that, as she was named, the gentleman named with her +would certainly not fail to attend her; although she could not comprehend +why he had not yet declared himself, unless he likewise had some +fantastical spouse, who had forbid him to dance. + +This conversation being finished, Lady Muskerry went away in great haste, +to endeavour to learn some news of her partner. Those who were +accomplices in the plot were laughing very heartily at this visit, when +Lord Muskerry paid them one in his turn, and taking Miss Hamilton aside: +"Do you know," said he, "whether there is to be any ball in the city +tomorrow?" "No," said she; "but why do you ask?" "Because." said he, +"I am informed that my wife is making great preparations of dress. I +know very well she is not to be at the masquerade: that I have taken care +of; but as the devil is in her for dancing, I am very much afraid that +she will be affording some fresh subject for ridicule, notwithstanding +all my precautions: however, if it was amongst the citizens, at some +private party, I should not much mind it." + +They satisfied him as well as they could, and having dismissed him, under +pretence of a thousand things they had to prepare for the next day, Miss +Hamilton thought herself at liberty for that morning, when in came Miss +Price, one of the maids of honour to the Duchess. This was just what she +was wishing for: This lady and Miss Blague had been at variance some +time, on account of Duncan, whom Miss Price had drawn away from the +other; and hatred still subsisted between these two divinities. + +Though the maids of honour were not nominated for the masquerade, yet +they were to assist at it; and, consequently, were to neglect nothing to +set themselves off to advantage. Miss Hamilton had still another pair of +gloves of the same sort as those she had sent to Miss Blague, which she +made a present of to her rival, with a few knots of the same riband, +which appeared to have been made on purpose for her, brown as she was. +Miss Price returned her a thousand thanks, and promised to do herself the +honour of wearing them at the ball. "You will oblige me if you do," said +Miss Hamilton, "but if you mention that such a trifle as this comes from +me, I shall never forgive you; but," continued she, "do not go and rob +poor Miss Blague of the Marquis Brisacier, as you already have of Duncan: +I know very well that it is wholly in your power: you have wit: you speak +French: and were he once to converse with you ever so little the other +could have no pretensions to him." This was enough: Miss Blague was only +ridiculous and coquettish: Miss Price was ridiculous, coquettish, and +something else besides. + +The day being come, the court, more splendid than ever, exhibited all its +magnificence at this masquerade. The company were all met except the +Chevalier de Grammont: every body was astonished that he should be one +of the last at such a time, as his readiness was so remarkable on every +occasion; but they were still more surprised to see him at length appear +in an ordinary court-dress, which he had worn before. The thing was +preposterous on such an occasion, and very extraordinary with respect to +him: in vain had he the finest point-lace, with the largest and best +powdered peruke imaginable his dress, magnificent enough for any other +purpose, was not at all proper for this entertainment. + +The king immediately took notice of it: "Chevalier," said he, "Termes is +not arrived then?" "Pardon me, sire," said he, "God be thanked!" "Why +God be thanked?" said the king; "has anything happened to him on the +road?" "Sire," said the Chevalier de Grammont, "this is the history of +my dress, and of Termes, my messenger." At these words the ball, ready +to begin, was suspended: the dancers making a circle around the Chevalier +de Grammont, he continued his story in the following manner: + +"It is now two days since this fellow ought to have been here, according +to my orders and his protestations: you may judge of my impatience all +this day, when I found he did not come: at last, after I had heartily +cursed him, about an hour ago he arrived, splashed all over from head to +foot, booted up to the waist, and looking as if he had been +excommunicated 'Very well, Mr. Scoundrel,' said I, 'this is just like +you, you must be waited for to the very last minute, and it is a miracle +that you are arrived at all.' 'Yes, faith,' said he, 'it is a miracle. +You are always grumbling: I had the finest suit in the world made for +you, which the Duke de Guise himself was at the trouble of ordering.' +'Give it me then, scoundrel,' said I. 'Sir,' said he, 'if I did not +employ a dozen embroiderers upon it, who did nothing but work day and +night, I am a rascal: I never left them one moment: 'And where is it +traitor?' said I: 'do not stand here prating, while I should be +dressing.' 'I had,' continued he, 'packed it up, made it tight, and +folded it in such a manner, that all the rain in the world could never +have been able to reach it; and I rid post, day and night, knowing your +impatience, and that you were not to be trifled with.' 'But where is +it?' said I. 'Lost, sir,' said he, clasping his hands. 'How! lost,' +said I, in surprise. 'Yes, lost, perished, swallowed up: what can I say +more?' 'What! was the packet-boat cast away then?' said I. 'Oh! +indeed, sir, a great deal worse, as you shall see,' answered he: 'I was +within half a league of Calais yesterday morning, and I was resolved to +go by the sea-side, to make greater haste; but, indeed, they say very +true, that nothing is like the highway; for I got into a quicksand, where +I sunk up to the chin.' 'A quicksand,' said I, 'near Calais?' 'Yes, +sir,' said he, 'and such a quicksand that, the devil take me, if they saw +anything but the top of my head when they pulled me out: as for my horse, +fifteen men could scarce get him out; but the portmanteau, where I had +unfortunately put your clothes, could never be found: it must be at least +a league under ground.' + +"This, sire," continued the Chevalier de Grammont, "is the adventure, and +the relation which this honest gentleman has given me of it. I should +certainly have killed him, but I was afraid of making Miss Hamilton wait, +and I was desirous of giving your Majesty immediate advice of the +quicksand, that your couriers may take care to avoid it." + +The King was ready to split his sides with laughing, when the Chevalier +de Grammont, resuming the discourse, "apropos, sire," said he, "I had +forgot to tell you, that, to increase my ill-humour, I was stopped, as I +was getting out of my chair, by the devil of a phantom in masquerade, who +would by all means persuade me that the queen had commanded me to dance +with her; and as I excused myself with the least rudeness possible, she +charged me to find out who was to be her partner, and desired me to send +him to her immediately so that your Majesty will do well to give orders +about it; for she has placed herself in ambush in a coach, to seize upon +all those who pass through Whitehall. However, I must tell you, that it +is worth while to see her dress; for she must have at least sixty ells of +gauze and silver tissue about her, not to mention a sort of a pyramid +upon her head, adorned with a hundred thousand baubles." + +This last account surprised all the assembly, except those who had a +share in the plot. The queen assured them, that all she had appointed +for the ball were present; and the king, having paused some minutes: +"I bet," said he, "that it is the Duchess of Newcastle." "And I," said +Lord Muskerry, coming up to Miss Hamilton, "will bet it is another fool; +for I am very much mistaken if it is not my wife." + +The king was for sending to know who it was, and to bring her in: Lord +Muskerry offered himself for that service, for the reason already +mentioned; and it was very well he did so. Miss Hamilton was not sorry +for this, knowing very well that he was not mistaken in his conjecture; +the jest would have gone much farther than she intended, if the Princess +of Babylon had appeared in all her glory. + +The ball was not very well executed, if one maybe allowed the expression, +so long as they danced only slow dances; and yet there were as good +dancers, and as beautiful women in this assembly, as were to be found in +the whole world: but as their number was not great, they left the French, +and went to country dances. When they had danced some time, the king +thought fit to introduce his auxiliaries, to give the others a little +respite; the queen's and the duchess's maids of honour were therefore +called in to dance with the gentlemen. + +Then it was that they were at leisure to take notice of Miss Blague, and +they found that the billet they had conveyed to her on the part of +Brisacier had its effect: she was more yellow than saffron: her hair was +stuffed with the citron-coloured riband, which she had put there out of +complaisance; and, to inform Brisacier of his fate, she raised often to +her head her victorious hands, adorned with the gloves we have before +mentioned: but, if they were surprised to see her in a head-dress that +made her look more wan than ever, she was very differently surprised to +see Miss Price partake with her in every particular of Brisacier's +present: her surprise soon turned to jealousy; for her rival had not +failed to join in conversation with him, on account of what had been +insinuated to her the evening before; nor did Brisacier fail to return +her first advances, without paying the least attention to the fair +Blague, nor to the signs which she was tormenting herself to make him, +to inform him of his happy destiny. + +Miss Price was short and thick, and consequently no dancer, the Duke of +Buckingham, who brought Brisacier forward as often as he could, came to +desire him, on the part of the king, to dance with Miss Blague, without +knowing what was then passing in this nymph's heart: Brisacier excused +himself, on account of the contempt that he had for country dances: Miss +Blague thought that it was herself that he despised; and, seeing that he +was engaged in conversation with her mortal enemy, she began to dance, +without knowing what she was doing. Though her indignation and jealousy +were sufficiently remarkable to divert the court, none but Miss Hamilton +and her accomplices, understood the joke perfectly: their pleasure was +quite complete; for Lord Muskerry returned, still more confounded at the +vision, of which the Chevalier de Grammont had given the description. He +acquainted Miss Hamilton, that it was Lady Muskerry herself, a thousand +times more ridiculous than she had ever been before, and that he had had +an immense trouble to get her home, and place a sentry at her chamber +door. + +The reader may think, perhaps, that we have dwelt too long on these +trifling incidents; perhaps he may be right. We will therefore pass to +others. + +Everything favoured the Chevalier de Grammont in the new passion which he +entertained: he was not, however, without rivals; but, what is a great +deal more extraordinary, he was without uneasiness: he was acquainted +with their understandings, and no stranger to Miss Hamilton's way of +thinking. + +Among her lovers, the most considerable, though the least professedly so, +was the Duke of York: it was in vain for him to conceal it, the court was +too well acquainted with his character to doubt of his inclinations for +her. He did not think it proper to declare such sentiments as were not +fit for Miss Hamilton to hear; but he talked to her as much as he could, +and ogled her with great assiduity. As hunting was his favourite +diversion, that sport employed him one part of the day, and he came home +generally much fatigued; but Miss Hamilton's presence revived him, when +he found her either with the queen or the duchess. There it was that, +not daring to tell her of what lay heavy on his heart, he entertained her +with what he had in his head: telling her miracles of the cunning of +foxes and the mettle of horses; giving her accounts of broken legs and +arms, dislocated shoulders, and other curious and entertaining +adventures; after which, his eyes told her the rest, till such time as +sleep interrupted their conversation; for these tender interpreters could +not help sometimes composing themselves in the midst of their ogling. + +The duchess was not at all alarmed at a passion which her rival was far +from thinking sincere, and with which she used to divert herself, as far +as respect would admit her; on the contrary, as her highness had an +affection and esteem for Miss Hamilton, she never treated her more +graciously than on the present occasion. + +The two Russells, uncle and nephew,--were two other of the Chevalier de +Grammont's rivals: the uncle was full seventy, and had distinguished +himself by his courage and fidelity in the civil wars. His passions and +intentions, with regard to Miss Hamilton, appeared both at once; but his +magnificence only appeared by halves in those gallantries which love +inspires. It was not long since the fashion of high crowned hats had +been left off, in order to fall into the other extreme. Old Russell, +amazed at so terrible a change, resolved to keep a medium, which made him +remarkable: he was still more so, by his constancy for cut doublets, +which he supported a long time after they had been universally +suppressed; but, what was more surprising than all, was a certain mixture +of avarice and liberality, constantly at war with each other, ever since +he had entered the list with love. + +His nephew was only of a younger brother's family, but was considered as +his uncle's heir; and though he was under the necessity of attending to +his uncle for an establishment, and still more so of humouring him, in +order to get his estate, he could not avoid his fate. Mrs. Middleton +showed him a sufficient degree of preference; but her favours could not +secure him from the charms of Miss Hamilton: his person would have had +nothing disagreeable in it, if he had but left it to nature; but he was +formal in all his actions, and silent even to stupidity; and yet rather +more tiresome when he did speak. + +The Chevalier de Grammont, very much at his ease in all these +competitions, engaged himself more and more in his passion, without +forming other designs, or conceiving other hopes, than to render himself +agreeable. Though his passion was openly declared, no person at court +regarded it otherwise than as a habit of gallantry, which goes no farther +than to do justice to merit. + +His monitor, Saint Evremond, was quite of a different opinion; and +finding, that, besides an immense increase of magnificence and assiduity, +he regretted those hours which he bestowed on play; that he no longer +sought after those long and agreeable conversations they used to have +together; and that this new attachment everywhere robbed him of himself: + +"Monsieur le Chevalier," said he, "methinks that for some time you have +left the town beauties and their lovers in perfect repose: Mrs. Middleton +makes fresh conquests with impunity, and wears your presents, under your +nose, without your taking the smallest notice. Poor Miss Warmestre has +been very quietly brought to bed in the midst of the court, without your +having even said a word about it. I foresaw it plain enough, Monsieur le +Chevalier, you have got acquainted with Miss Hamilton, and, what has +never before happened to you, you are really in love; but let us consider +a little what may be the consequence. In the first place, then, I +believe, you have not the least intention of seducing her: such is her +birth and merit, that if you were in possession of the estate and title +of your family, it might be excusable in you to offer yourself upon +honourable terms, however ridiculous marriage may be in general; for, if +you only wish for wit, prudence, and the treasures of beauty, you could +not pay your addresses to a more proper person: but for you, who possess +only a very moderate share of those of fortune, you cannot pay your +addresses more improperly. + +"For your brother Toulongeon, whose disposition I am acquainted with, will +not have the complaisance to die, to favour your pretensions: but suppose +you had a competent fortune for you both--and that is supposing a good +deal--are you acquainted with the delicacy, not to say capriciousness, of +this fair one about such an engagement? Do you know that she has had the +choice of the best matches in England? The Duke of Richmond paid his +addresses to her first; but though he was in love with her, still he was +mercenary: however, the king, observing that want of fortune was the only +impediment to the match, took that article upon himself, out of regard to +the Duke of Ormond, to the merit and birth of Miss Hamilton, and to her +father's services; but, resenting that a man, who pretended to be in +love, should bargain like a merchant, and likewise reflecting upon his +character in the world, she did not think that being Duchess of Richmond +was a sufficient recompense for the danger that was to be feared from a +brute and a debauchee. + +"Has not little Jermyn, notwithstanding his uncle's great estate, and his +own brilliant reputation, failed in his suit to her? And has she ever so +much as vouchsafed to look at Henry Howard, who is upon the point of +being the first duke in England, and who is already in actual possession +of all the estates of the house of Norfolk? I confess that he is a +clown, but what other lady in all England would not have dispensed with +his stupidity and his disagreeable person, to be the first duchess in the +kingdom, with twenty-five thousand a year? + +"To conclude, Lord Falmouth has told me himself, that he has always +looked upon her as the only acquisition wanting to complete his +happiness: but, that even at the height of the splendour of his fortune, +he never had had the assurance to open his sentiments to her; that he +either felt in himself too much weakness, or too much pride, to be +satisfied with obtaining her solely by the persuasion of her relations; +and that, though the first refusals of the fair on such occasions are not +much minded, he knew with what an air she had received the addresses of +those whose persons she did not like. After this, Monsieur le Chevalier, +consider what method you intend to pursue: for, if you are in love, the +passion will still increase, and the greater the attachment, the less +capable will you be of making those serious reflections that are now in +your power." + +"My poor philosopher," answered the Chevalier de Grammont, "you +understand Latin very well, you can make good verses, you understand the +course, and are acquainted with the nature of the stars in the firmament; +but, as for the luminaries of the terrestrial globe, you are utterly +unacquainted with them: you have told me nothing about Miss Hamilton, but +what the king told me three days ago. That she has refused the savages +you have mentioned is all in her favour if she had admitted their +addresses, I would have had nothing to say to her, though I love her +to distraction. Attend now to what I am going to say: I am resolved +to marry her, and I will have my tutor Saint Evremond himself to be the +first man to commend me for it. As for an establishment, I shall make my +peace with the king, and will solicit him to make her one of the ladies +of the bed-chamber to the queen: this he will grant me. Toulongeon will +die, without my assistance. + + [Count de Toulongeon was elder brother to Count Grammont, who, by + his death, in 1679, became, according to St. Evremond, on that + event, one of the richest noblemen at court.--See St. Evremond's + Works. vol. ii., p. 327.] + +"Notwithstanding all his care; Miss Hamilton will have Semeat,--[A country +seat belonging to the family of the Grammonts.]--with the Chevalier de +Grammont, as an indemnification for the Norfolks and Richmonds. Now, +have you any thing to advance against this project? For I will bet you +an hundred louis, that everything will happen as I have foretold it." + +At this time the king's attachment to Miss Stewart was so public, that +every person perceived, that if she was but possessed of art, she might +become as absolute a mistress over his conduct as she was over his heart. +This was a fine opportunity for those who had experience and ambition. +The Duke of Buckingham formed the design of governing her, in order to +ingratiate himself with the king: God knows what a governor he would have +been, and what a head he was possessed of, to guide another; however, +he was the properest man in the world to insinuate himself with Miss +Stewart: she was childish in her behaviour, and laughed at everything, +and her taste for frivolous amusements, though unaffected, was only +allowable in a girl about twelve or thirteen years old. A child, +however, she was, in every other respect, except playing with a doll: +blind man's buff was her most favourite amusement: she was building +castles of cards, while the deepest play was going on in her apartments, +where you saw her surrounded by eager courtiers, who handed her the +cards, or young architects, who endeavoured to imitate her. + +She had, however, a passion for music, and had some taste for singing. +The Duke of Buckingham, who built the finest towers of cards imaginable, +had an agreeable voice: she had no aversion to scandal: and the duke was +both the father and the mother of scandal, he made songs, and invented +old women's stories, with which she was delighted; but his particular +talent consisted in turning into ridicule whatever was ridiculous in +other people, and in taking them off, even in their presence, without +their perceiving it: in short, he knew how to act all parts with so much +grace and pleasantry, that it was difficult to do without him, when he +had a mind to make himself agreeable; and he made himself so necessary to +Miss Stewart's amusement, that she sent all over the town to seek for +him, when he did not attend the king to her apartments. + +He was extremely handsome, and still thought himself much more so than he +really was: although he had a great deal of discernment, yet his vanity +made him mistake some civilities as intended for his person, which were +only bestowed on his wit and drollery: in short, being seduced by too +good an opinion of his own merit, he forgot his first project and his +Portuguese mistress, in order to pursue a fancy in which he mistook +himself; for he no sooner began to act a serious part with Miss Stewart, +than he met with so severe a repulse that he abandoned, at once, all his +designs upon her: however, the familiarity she had procured him with the +king, opened the way to those favours to which he was afterwards +advanced. + + [George Villiers, the second Duke of Buckingham, was born 30th + January, 1627. Lord Orford observes, "When this extraordinary man, + with the figure and genius of Alcibiades, could equally charm the + presbyterian Fairfax and the dissolute Charles; when he alike + ridiculed that witty king and his solemn chancellor: when he plotted + the ruin of his country with a cabal of bad ministers, or, equally + unprincipled, supported its cause with bad patriots,--one laments + that such parts should have been devoid of every virtue: but when + Alcibiades turns chemist; when he is a real bubble and a visionary + miser; when ambition is but a frolic; when the worst designs are for + the foolishest ends,--contempt extinguishes all reflection on his + character."] + +Lord Arlington took up the project which the Duke of Buckingham had +abandoned, and endeavoured to gain possession of the mind of the +mistress, in order to govern the master. A man of greater merit and +higher birth than himself might, however, have been satisfied with the +fortune he had already acquired. His first negotiations were during the +treaty of the Pyrenees: and though he was unsuccessful in his proceedings +for his employer, yet he did not altogether lose his time; for he +perfectly acquired, in his exterior, the serious air and profound gravity +of the Spaniards, and imitated pretty well their tardiness in business: +he had a scar across his nose, which was covered by a long patch, or +rather by a small plaister, in form of a lozenge. + +Scars in the face commonly give a man a certain fierce and martial air, +which sets him off to advantage; but it was quite the contrary with him, +and this remarkable plaister so well suited his mysterious looks, that it +seemed an addition to his gravity and self-sufficiency. + +Arlington, under the mask of this compound countenance where great +earnestness passed for business, and impenetrable stupidity for secrecy, +had given himself the character of a great politician; and no one having +leisure to examine him, he was taken at his word, and had been made +minister and secretary of state, upon the credit of his own importance. + +His ambition soaring still above these high stations, after having +provided himself with a great number of fine maxims, and some historical +anecdotes, he obtained an audience of Miss Stewart, in order to display +them; at the same time offering her his most humble services, and best +advice, to assist her in conducting herself in the situation to which it +had pleased God and her virtue to raise her. But he was only in the +preface of his speech, when she recollected that he was at the head of +those whom the Duke of Buckingham used to mimic; and as his presence and +his language exactly revived the ridiculous ideas that had been given her +of him, she could not forbear bursting out into a fit of laughter in his +face, so much the more violent as she had for a long time struggled to +suppress it. + +The minister was enraged: his pride became his post, and his punctilious +behaviour merited all the ridicule which could be attached to it: he +quitted her abruptly, with all the fine advice he had prepared for her, +and was almost tempted to carry it to Lady Castlemaine, and to unite +himself with her interests; or immediately to quit the court party, and +declaim freely in parliament against the grievances of the state, and +particularly to propose an act to forbid the keeping of mistresses; but +his prudence conquered his resentments; and thinking only how to enjoy +with pleasure the blessings of fortune, he sent to Holland for a wife, +in order to complete his felicity. + +Hamilton was, of all the courtiers, the best qualified to succeed in +an enterprise, in which the Duke of Buckingham and Lord Arlington had +miscarried: he was thinking upon it; but his natural coquetry traversed +his intentions, and made him neglect the most advantageous prospects in +the world, in order unnecessarily to attend to the advances and +allurements thrown out to him by the Countess of Chesterfield. This was +one of the most agreeable women in the world: she had a most exquisite +shape, though she was not very tall; her complexion was extremely fair, +with all the expressive charms of a brunette; she had large blue eyes, +very tempting and alluring; her manners were engaging; her wit lively and +amusing; but her heart, ever open to tender sentiments, was neither +scrupulous in point of constancy, nor nice in point of sincerity. She +was daughter to the Duke of Ormond, and Hamilton, being her +cousin-german, they might be as much as they pleased in each other's +company without being particular; but as soon as her eyes gave him some +encouragement, he entertained no other thoughts than how to please her, + + [This lady was Isabella, daughter to Lewis de Nassau, Lord Beverwaert, + son to Maurice, Prince of Orange, and Count Nassau. By her, Lord + Arlington had an only daughter, named Isabella.] + +without considering her fickleness, or the obstacles he had to encounter. +His intention, which we mentioned before, of establishing himself in the +confidence of Miss Stewart, no longer occupied his thoughts: she now was +of opinion that she was capable of being the mistress of her own conduct: +she had done all that was necessary to inflame the king's passions, without +exposing her virtue by granting the last favours; but the eagerness of a +passionate lover, blessed with favourable opportunities, is difficult to +withstand, and still more difficult to vanquish; and Miss Stewart's +virtue was almost exhausted, when the queen was attacked with a violent +fever, which soon reduced her to extreme danger. + +Then it was that Miss Stewart was greatly pleased with herself for the +resistance she had made, though she had paid dearly for it: a thousand +flattering hopes of greatness and glory filled her heart, and the +additional respect that was universally paid her, contributed not a +little to increase them. The queen was given over by her physicians: +the few Portuguese women that had not been sent back to their own country +filled the court with doleful cries; and the good nature of the king was +much affected with the situation in which he saw a princess, whom, though +he did not love her, yet he greatly esteemed. She loved him tenderly, +and thinking that it was the last time she should ever speak to him, she +told him, that the concern he showed for her death, was enough to make +her quit life with regret; but that not possessing charms sufficient to +merit his tenderness, she had at least the consolation in dying to give +place to a consort who might be more worthy of it, and to whom heaven, +perhaps, might grant a blessing that had been refused to her. At these +words, she bathed his hands with some tears, which he thought would be +her last: he mingled his own with hers; and without supposing she would +take him at his word, he conjured her to live for his sake. She had +never yet disobeyed him; and, however dangerous sudden impulses may be, +when one is between life and death, this transport of joy, which might +have proved fatal to her, saved her life, and the king's wonderful +tenderness had an effect, for which every person did not thank heaven in +the same manner. + +Jermyn had now for some time been recovered of his wounds: however, Lady +Castlemaine, finding his health in as deplorable a condition as ever, +resolved to regain the king's heart, but in vain: for notwithstanding the +softness of her tears, and the violence of her passions, Miss Stewart +wholly possessed it. During this period the court was variously +entertained: sometimes there were promenades, and at others the court +beauties sallied out on horseback, and to make attacks with their charms +and graces, sometimes successfully, sometimes otherwise, but always to +the best of their abilities at other seasons there were such shows on the +river, as the city of London alone can afford. + +The Thames washes the sides of a large though not a magnificent palace of +the kings of Great Britain:--[This was Whitehall, which was burnt down, +except the banqueting-house, 4th January, 1698.]--from the stairs of this +palace the court used to take water, in the summer evenings, when the +heat and dust prevented their walking in the park: an infinite number of +open boats, filled with the court and city beauties, attended the barges, +in which were the Royal Family: collations, music, and fireworks, +completed the scene. The Chevalier de Grammont always made one of the +company, and it was very seldom that he did not add something of his own +invention, agreeably to surprise by some unexpected stroke of +magnificence and gallantry. Sometimes he had complete concerts of vocal +and instrumental music, which he privately brought from Paris, and which +struck up on a sudden in the midst of these parties; sometimes he gave +banquets, which likewise came from France, and which, even in the midst +of London, surpassed the king's collations. These entertainments +sometimes exceeded, as others fell short of his expectations, but they +always cost him an immense deal of money. + +Lord Falmouth was one of those who had the greatest friendship and esteem +for the Chevalier de Grammont: this profusion gave him concern, and as he +often used to go and sup with him without ceremony, one day finding only +Saint Evremond there, and a supper fit for half a dozen guests, who had +been invited in form: "You must not," said he, addressing himself to the +Chevalier de Grammont, "be obliged to me for this visit. I come from the +king's 'coucher', where all the discourse was about you; and I can assure +you that the manner in which the king spoke of you, could not afford you +so much pleasure as I myself felt upon the occasion. You know very well, +that he has long since offered you his good offices with the King of +France; and for my own part," continued he, smiling, "you know very well +that I would solicit him so to do, if it was not through fear of losing +you as soon as your peace is made; but, thanks to Miss Hamilton, you +are in no great haste: however, I am ordered by the king, my master, +to acquaint you, that while you remain here, until you are restored to +the favour of your sovereign, he presents you with a pension of fifteen +hundred Jacobus's: it is indeed a trifle, considering the figure the +Chevalier de Grammont makes among us; but it will assist him," said he, +embracing him, "to give us sometimes a supper." + +The Chevalier de Grammont received, as he ought, the offer of a favour he +did not think proper to accept: "I acknowledge," said he, "the king's +bounty in this proposal, but I am still more sensible of Lord Falmouth's +generosity in it; and I request him to assure his Majesty of my perfect +gratitude: the king, my master, will not suffer me to want, when he +thinks fit to recall me; and while I continue here, I will let you see +that I have wherewithal to give my English friends now and then a +supper." + +At these words, he called for his strong box, and showed him seven or +eight thousand guineas in solid gold. Lord Falmouth, willing to improve +to the Chevalier's advantage the refusal of so advantageous an offer, +gave Monsieur de Comminge, then ambassador at the English court, an +account of it; nor did Monsieur de Comminge fail to represent properly +the merit of such a refusal to the French court. + +Hyde Park, every one knows, is the promenade of London! nothing was so +much in fashion, during the fine weather, as that promenade, which was +the rendezvous of magnificence and beauty: every one, therefore, who had +either sparkling eyes, or a splendid equipage, constantly repaired +thither; and the king seemed pleased with the place. + +Coaches with glasses were then a late invention. + + [Coaches were first introduced into England in the year 1564. + Taylor, the water poet, (Works, 1630, p. 240,) says,--"One William + Boonen, a Dutchman, brought first the use of coaches hither; and the + said Boonen was Queen Elizabeth's coachman; for, indeed, a coach was + a strange monster in those days, and the sight of them put both + horse and man into amazement." Dr. Percy observes, they were first + drawn by two horses, and that it was the favourite Buckingham, who, + about 1619, began to draw with six horses. About the same time, he + introduced the sedan. 'The Ultimum Vale of John Carleton', 4to, + 1663, p. 23, will, in a great measure, ascertain the time of the + introduction of glass coaches. He says, "I could wish her (i. e. + Mary Carleton's) coach (which she said my lord Taff bought for her + in England, and sent it over to her, made of the new fashion, wide + glasse, very stately; and her pages and lacquies were of the same + livery,) was come for me," &c.] + +The ladies were afraid of being shut up in them: they greatly preferred +the pleasure of showing almost their whole persons, to the conveniences +of modern coaches: that which was made for the king not being remarkable +for its elegance, the Chevalier de Grammont was of opinion that something +ingenious might be invented, which should partake of the ancient fashion, +and likewise prove preferable to the modern; he therefore sent away +Termes privately with all the necessary instructions to Paris: the Duke +of Guise was likewise charged with this commission; and the courier, +having by the favour of Providence escaped the quicksand, in a month's +time brought safely over to England the most elegant and magnificent +calash that had ever been seen, which the Chevalier presented to the +king. + +The Chevalier de Grammont had given orders that fifteen hundred louis +should be expended upon it; but the Duke of Guise, who was his friend, +to oblige him, laid out two thousand. All the court was in admiration +at the magnificence of the present; and the king, charmed with the +Chevalier's attention to everything which could afford him pleasure, +failed not to acknowledge it: he would not, however, accept a present +of so much value, but upon condition that the Chevalier should not +refuse another from him. + +The queen, imagining that so splendid a carriage might prove fortunate +for her, wished to appear in it first, with the Duchess of York. Lady +Castlemaine, who had seen them in it, thinking that it set off a fine +figure to greater advantage than any other, desired the king to lend her +this wonderful calash to appear in it the first fine day in Hyde Park: +Miss Stewart had the same wish, and requested to have it on the same day. +As it was impossible to reconcile these two goddesses, whose former union +was turned into mortal hatred, the king was very much perplexed. + +Lady Castlemaine was with child, and threatened to miscarry, if her rival +was preferred; Miss Stewart threatened, that she never would be with +child, if her request was not granted. This menace prevailed, and Lady +Castlemaine's rage was so great, that she had almost kept her word; and +it was believed that this triumph cost her rival some of her innocence. + +The queen dowager, who, though she had no share in these broils, had no +objection to them, and as usual being diverted with this circumstance, +she took occasion to joke with the Chevalier de Grammont, for having +thrown this bone of contention among such competitors; and did not fail +to give him, in the presence of the whole court, those praises which so +magnificent a present deserved: "But how comes it," said she, "that you +have no equipage yourself, though you are at so great an expense? for I +am told that you do not keep even a single footman, and that one of the +common runners in the streets lights you home with a stinking link." +"Madam," said he, "the Chevalier de Grammont hates pomp: my linkboy, of +whom you speak, is faithful to my service; and besides, he is one of the +bravest fellows in the world. Your Majesty is unacquainted with the +nation of link-boys: it is a charming one, I can assure you: a man cannot +step out in the night without being surrounded by a dozen of them. The +first time I became acquainted with them, I retained all that offered me +their services; so that when I arrived at Whitehall, I had at least two +hundred about my chair: the sight was new; for those who had seen me pass +with this illumination, asked whose funeral it was. These gentlemen, +however, began fighting about some dozen shillings I had thrown among +them then; and he whom your Majesty mentions having beaten three or four +of his companions, I retained him for his valour. As for the parade of +coaches and footmen, I despise it: I have sometimes had five or six +valets-de-chambre at once, without having a single servant in livery, +except my chaplain Poussatin." "How!" said the queen, bursting out +laughing, "a chaplain in your livery! he surely was not a priest?" +"Pardon me, madam," said he, "and the first priest in the world for +dancing the Biscayan jig." "Chevalier," said the king, "pray tell us the +history of your chaplain Poussatin." + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +Ambition to pass for a wit, only established her tiresome +An affectation of purity of manners +Despising everything which was not like themselves +Duke would see things if he could +Every thing that is necessary is honourable in politics +Good attendants, but understood cheating still better +Great earnestness passed for business +Hardly possible for a woman to have less wit, or more beauty +He talked eternally, without saying anything +His mistress given him by his priests for penance +Impenetrable stupidity (passed) for secrecy +Life, in his opinion, was too short to read all sorts of books +Never felt the pressure of indigence +Not that he wanted capacity, but he was too self-sufficient +Obstinate against all other advices +One amour is creditable to a lady +Possessed but little raillery, and still less patience +Reasons of state assume great privileges +She just said what she ought, and no more +They can by no means bear the inconstancy of their mistresses +Very willing to accept, but was tardy in making returns +Wealth was necessary for the conveniencies of a long life + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Memoirs of Count Grammont, Volume 3 +by Anthony Hamilton + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK COUNT GRAMMONT *** + +***** This file should be named 5411.txt or 5411.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/5/4/1/5411/ + +Produced by David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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D.W.] + + + + + + MEMOIRS OF COUNT GRAMMONT, VOLUME 3. + + By Anthony Hamilton + + EDITED, WITH NOTES, BY SIR WALTER SCOTT + + + + + CHAPTER SIXTH. + + HIS ARRIVAL AT THE ENGLISH COURT-- + THE VARIOUS PERSONAGES OF THIS COURT + + +Curiosity to see a man equally famous for his crimes and his elevation, +had once before induced the Chevalier de Grammont to visit England. +Reasons of state assume great privileges. Whatever appears advantageous +is lawful, and every thing that is necessary is honourable in politics. +While the King of England sought the protection of Spain in the Low +Countries, and that of the States-General in Holland, other powers sent +splendid embassies to Cromwell. + +This man, whose ambition had opened him a way to sovereign power by the +greatest crimes, maintained himself in it by accomplishments which seemed +to render him worthy of it by their lustre. The nation, of all Europe +the least submissive, patiently bore a yoke which did not even leave her +the shadow of that liberty of which she is so jealous; and Cromwell, +master of the Commonwealth, under the title of Protector, feared at home, +but yet more dreaded abroad, was at his highest pitch of glory when he +was seen by the Chevalier de Grammont; but the Chevalier did not see any +appearance of a court. One part of the nobility proscribed, the other +removed from employments; an affectation of purity of manners, instead of +the luxury which the pomp of courts displays all taken together, +presented nothing but sad and serious objects in the finest city in the +world; and therefore the Chevalier acquired nothing by this voyage but +the idea of some merit in a profligate man, and the admiration of some +concealed beauties he had found means to discover. + +Affairs wore quite a different appearance at his second voyage. The joy +for the restoration of the royal family still appeared in all parts. The +nation, fond of change and novelty, tasted the pleasure of a natural +government, and seemed to breathe again after a long oppression. In +short, the same people who, by a solemn abjuration, had excluded even the +posterity of their lawful sovereign, exhausted themselves in festivals +and rejoicings for his return. + +The Chevalier de Grammont arrived about two years after the restoration. +The reception he met with in this court soon made him forget the other; +and the engagements he in the end contracted in England lessened the +regret he had in leaving France. + +This was a desirable retreat for an exile of his disposition. + +Everything flattered his taste, and if the adventures he had in this +country were not the most considerable, they were at least the most +agreeable of his life. But before we relate them it will not be improper +to give some account of the English court, as it was at that period. + +The necessity of affairs had exposed Charles II. from his earliest youth +to the toils and perils of a bloody war. The fate of the king his father +had left him for inheritance nothing but his misfortunes and disgraces. +They overtook him everywhere; but it was not until he had struggled with +his ill-fortune to the last extremity that he submitted to the decrees of +Providence. + +All those who were either great on account of their birth or their +loyalty had followed him into exile; and all the young persons of the +greatest distinction having afterwards joined him, composed a court +worthy of a better fate. + +Plenty and prosperity, which are thought to tend only to corrupt manners, +found nothing to spoil in an indigent and wandering court. Necessity, on +the contrary, which produces a thousand advantages whether we will or no, +served them for education; and nothing was to be seen among them but an +emulation in glory, politeness, and virtue. + +With this little court, in such high esteem for merit, the King of +England returned two years prior to the period we mention, to ascend a +throne which, to all appearances, he was to fill as worthily as the most +glorious of his predecessors. The magnificence displayed on thus +occasion was renewed at his coronation. + +The death of the Duke of Gloucester, and of the Princess Royal, which +followed soon after, had interrupted the course of this splendour by a +tedious mourning, which they quitted at last to prepare for the reception +of the Infanta of Portugal. + + [The Princess Royal: Mary, eldest daughter of Charles I., born + November 4th, 1631, married to the Prince of Orange, 2nd May, 1641, + who died 27th October, 1650. She arrived in England, September + 23rd, and died of the smallpox, December 24th, 1660,-according to + Bishop Burnet, not much lamented. "She had lived," says the author, + "in her widowhood for some years with great reputation, kept a + decent court, and supported her brothers very liberally; and lived + within bounds. But her mother, who had the art of making herself + believe anything she had a mind to, upon a conversation with the + queen-mother of France, fancied the King of France might be inclined + to marry her. So she wrote to her to come to Paris. In order to + that, she made an equipage far above what she could support. So she + ran herself into debt, sold all her jewels, and some estates that + were in her power as her son's guardian; and was not only + disappointed of that vain expectation, but fell into some + misfortunes that lessened the reputation she had formerly lived in." + History of his Own Times, vol. i., p. 238. She was mother of + William III.] + + ["The Infanta, of Portugal landed in May (1662) at Portsmouth. The + king went thither, and was married privately by Lord Aubigny, a + secular priest, and almoner to the queen, according to the rites of + Rome, in the queen's chamber; none present but the Portuguese + ambassador, three more Portuguese of quality, and two or three + Portuguese women. What made this necessary was, that the Earl of + Sandwich did not marry her by proxy, as usual, before she came away. + How this happened, the duke knows not, nor did the chancellor know + of this private marriage. The queen would not be bedded, till + pronounced man and wife by Sheldon, bishop of London."--Extract 2, + from King James II.'s Journal.--Macpherson's State Papers, vol. i. + In the same collection is a curious letter from the King to Lord + Clarendon, giving his opinion of the queen after having seen her.] + +It was in the height of the rejoicings they were making for this new +queen, in all the splendour of a brilliant court, that the Chevalier de +Grammont arrived to contribute to its magnificence and diversions. + +Accustomed as he was to the grandeur of the court of France, he was +surprised at the politeness and splendour of the court of England. The +king was inferior to none, either in shape or air; his wit was pleasant; +his disposition easy and affable; his soul, susceptible of opposite +impressions, was compassionate to the unhappy, inflexible to the wicked, +and tender even to excess; he showed great abilities in urgent affairs, +but was incapable of application to any that were not so: his heart was +often the dupe, but oftener the slave, of his engagements. + +The character of the Duke of York was entirely different he had the +reputation of undaunted courage, an inviolable attachment for his word, +great economy in his affairs, hauteur, application, arrogance, each in +their turn: a scrupulous observer of the rules of duty and the laws of +justice; he was accounted a faithful friend, and an implacable enemy. + + [James, Duke of York, afterwards King James II. He was born 15th + October, 1633; succeeded his brother 6th February, 1684-5; abdicated + the crown in 1688; and died 6th September, 1701. Bishop Burnet's + character of him appears not very far from the truth.--" He was," + says this writer, "very brave in his youth; and so much magnified by + Monsieur Turenne, that till his marriage lessened him, he really + clouded the king, and passed for the superior genius. He was + naturally candid and sincere, and a firm friend, till affairs and + his religion wore out all his first principles and inclinations. he + had a great desire to understand affairs: and in order to that he + kept a constant journal of all that passed, of which he showed me a + great deal. The Duke of Buckingham gave me once a short but severe + character of the two brothers. It was the more severe, because it + was true: the king, (he said,) could see things if he would: and the + duke would see things if he could. He had no true judgment, and was + soon determined by those whom he trusted: but he was obstinate + against all other advices. He was bred with high notions of kingly + authority, and laid it down for a maxim, that all who opposed the + king were rebels in their hearts. He was perpetually in one amour + or other, without being very nice in his choice: upon which the king + once said, he believed his brother had his mistress given him by his + priests for penance. He was naturally eager and revengeful: and was + against the taking off any, that set up in an opposition to the + measures of the court, and who by that means grew popular in the + house of commons. He was for rougher methods. He continued many + years dissembling his religion, and seemed zealous for the church of + England, but it was chiefly on design to hinder all propositions, + that tended to unite us among ourselves. He was a frugal prince, + and brought his court into method and magnificence, for he had + L100,000. a-year allowed him. He was made high admiral, and he came + to understand all the concerns of the sea very particularly."] + +His morality and justice, struggling for some time with prejudice, had at +last triumphed, by his acknowledging for his wife Miss Hyde, maid of +honour to the Princess Royal, whom he had secretly married in Holland. +Her father, from that time prime minister of England, supported by this +new interest, soon rose to the head of affairs, and had almost ruined +them: not that he wanted capacity, but he was too self-sufficient. + +The Duke of Ormond possessed the confidence and esteem of his master: the +greatness of his services, the splendour of his merit and his birth, and +the fortune he had abandoned in adhering to the fate of his prince, +rendered him worthy of it nor durst the courtiers even murmur at seeing +him grand steward of the household, first lord of the bed-chamber, and +lord-lieutenant of Ireland. He exactly resembled the Marshal de +Grammont, in the turn of his wit and the nobleness of his manners: and +like him was the honour of his master's court. + +The Duke of Buckingham and the Earl of St. Albans were the same in +England as they appeared in France: the one full of wit and vivacity, +dissipated, without splendour, an immense estate upon which he had just +entered: the other, a man of no great genius, had raised himself a +considerable fortune from nothing, and by losing at play, and keeping a +great table, made it appear greater than it was. + + ["The Duke of Buckingham is again one hundred and forty thousand + pounds in debt; and by this prorogation his creditors have time to + tear all his lands to pieces."--Andrew Marvell's Works, 4to. edit., + vol. i. p. 406.] + +Sir George Berkeley, afterwards Earl of Falmouth, was the confidant and +favourite of the King: he commanded the Duke of York's regiment of +guards, and governed the Duke himself. He had nothing very remarkable +either in his wit, or his person; but his sentiments were worthy of the +fortune which awaited him, when, on the very point of his elevation, he +was killed at sea. Never did disinterestedness so perfectly characterise +the greatness of the soul: he had no views but what tended to the glory +of his master: his credit was never employed but in advising him to +reward services, or to confer favours on merit: so polished in +conversation, that the greater his power, the greater was his humility; +and so sincere in all his proceedings, that he would never have been +taken for a courtier. + +The Duke of Ormond's sons and his nephews had been in the king's court +during his exile, and were far from diminishing its lustre after his +return. The Earl of Arran had a singular address in all kinds of +exercises, played well at tennis and on the guitar, and was pretty +successful in gallantry: his elder brother, the Earl of Ossory, was not +so lively, but of the most liberal sentiments, and of great probity. + +The elder of the Hamiltons, their cousin, was the man who of all the +court dressed best: he was well made in his person, and possessed those +happy talents which lead to fortune, and procure success in love: he was +a most assiduous courtier, had the most lively wit, the most polished +manners, and the most punctual attention to his master imaginable: no +person danced better, nor was any one a more general lover: a merit of +some account in a court entirely devoted to love and gallantry. It is +not at all surprising, that with these qualities he succeeded my Lord +Falmouth in the King's favour; but it is very extraordinary that he +should have experienced the same destiny, as if this sort of war had been +declared against merit only, and as if this sort of combat was fatal to +none but such as had certain hopes of a splendid fortune. This, however, +did not happen till some years afterwards. + +The beau Sydney, less dangerous than he appeared to be, + + [Robert Sydney, third son of the Earl of Leicester, and brother of + the famous Algernon Sydney, who was beheaded. This is Lord Orford's + account; though, on less authority, I should have been inclined to + have considered Henry Sydney, his younger brother, who was + afterwards created Earl of Rumney, and died 8th April, 1704, as the + person intended. There are some circumstances which seem + particularly to point to him. Burnet, speaking of him, says, "he + was a, graceful man, and had lived long in the court, where he lead + some adventures that became very public. He was a man of a sweet + and caressing temper, had no malice in his heart, but too great a + love of pleasure. He had been sent envoy to Holland in the year + 1679, where he entered into such particular confidences with the + prince, that he had the highest measure of his trust and favour that + any Englishman ever had."--History of his Own Times, vol. ii., p. + 494. + + In the Essay on Satire, by Dryden and Mulgrave, he is spoken of in + no very decent terms. + + "And little Sid, for simile renown'd, + Pleasure has always sought, but never found + Though all his thoughts on wine and women fall, + His are so bad, sure he ne'er thinks at all. + The flesh he lives upon is rank and strong; + His meat and mistresses are kept too long. + But sure we all mistake this pious man, + Who mortifies his person all he can + What we uncharitably take for sin, + Are only rules of this odd capuchin; + For never hermit, under grave pretence, + Has lived more contrary to common sense." + + These verses, however, have been applied to Sir Charles Sedley, + whose name was originally spelt Sidley. Robert Sydney died at + Pensburst, 1674.] + +had not sufficient vivacity to support the impression which his figure +made; but little Jermyn was on all sides successful in his intrigues. +The old Earl of St. Albans, his uncle, had for a long time adopted him, +though the youngest of all his nephews. It is well known what a table +the good man kept at Paris, while the King his master was starving at +Brussels, and the Queen Dowager, his mistress, lived not over well in +France. + + [To what a miserable state the queen was reduced may be seen in the + following extract from De Retz.-" Four or five days before the king + removed from Paris, I went to visit the Queen of England, whom I + found in her daughter's chamber, who hath been since Duchess of + Orleans. At my coming in she said, 'You see I am come to keep + Henrietta company. The poor child could not rise to-day for want of + a fire.' The truth is, that the cardinal for six months together + had not ordered her any money towards her pension; that no + tradespeople would trust her for anything; and that there was not at + her lodgings in the Louvre one single billet. You will do me the + justice to suppose that the Princess of England did not keep her bed + the next day for want of a faggot; but it was not this which the + Princess of Conde meant in her letter. What she spoke about was, + that some days after my visiting the Queen of England, I remembered + the condition I had found her in, and had strongly represented the + shame of abandoning her in that manner, which caused the parliament + to send 40,000 livres to her majesty. Posterity will hardly believe + that a Princess of England, grand-daughter of Henry the Great, hath + wanted a faggot, in the month of January, to get out of bed in the + Louvre, and in the eyes of a French court. We read in histories, + with horror, of baseness less monstrous than this; and the little + concern I have met with about it in most people's minds, has obliged + me to make, I believe, a thousand times, this reflection,--that + examples of times past move men beyond comparison more than those of + their own times. We accustom ourselves to what we see; and I have + sometimes told you, that I doubted whether Caligula's horse being + made a consul would have surprised us so much as we imagine."-- + Memoirs, vol. i., p. 261. As for the relative situation of the king + and Lord Jermyn, (afterwards St. Albans,) Lord Clarendon says, that + the "Marquis of Ormond was compelled to put himself in prison, with + other gentlemen, at a pistole a-week for his diet, and to walk the + streets a-foot, which was no honourable custom in Paris, whilst the + Lord Jermyn kept an excellent table for those who courted him, and + had a coach of his own, and all other accommodations incident to the + most full fortune: and if the king had the most urgent occasion for + the use but of twenty pistoles, as sometimes he had, he could not + find credit to borrow it, which he often had experiment of."-- + History of the Rebellion, vol. iii., p. 2.] + +Jermyn, supported by his uncle's wealth, found it no difficult matter to +make a considerable figure upon his arrival at the court of the Princess +of Orange: the poor courtiers of the king her brother could not vie with +him in point of equipage and magnificence; and these two articles often +produce as much success in love as real merit: there is no necessity for +any other example than the present; for though Jermyn was brave, and +certainly a gentleman, yet he had neither brilliant actions, nor +distinguished rank, to set him off; and as for his fibre, there was +nothing advantageous in it. He was little: his head was large and his +legs small; his features were not disagreeable, but he was affected in +his carriage and behaviour. All his wit consisted in expressions learnt +by rote, which he occasionally employed either in raillery, or in love. +This was the whole foundation of the merit of a man so formidable in +amours. + +The Princess Royal was the first who was taken with him: Miss Hyde seemed +to be following the steps of her mistress: this immediately brought him +into credit, and his reputation was established in England before his +arrival. Prepossession in the minds of women is sufficient to find +access to their hearts: Jermyn found them in dispositions so favourable +for him, that he had nothing to do but to speak. + +It was in vain they perceived that a reputation so lightly established, +was still more weakly sustained: the prejudice remained: the Countess of +Castlemaine, a woman lively and discerning followed the delusive shadow; +and though undeceived in a reputation which promised so much, and +performed so little, she nevertheless continued in her infatuation: she +even persisted in it, until she was upon the point of embroiling herself +with the King; so great was this first instance of her constancy. + +Such were the heroes of the court. As for the beauties, you could not +look anywhere without seeing them: those of the greatest reputation were +this same Countess of Castlemaine, afterwards Duchess of Cleveland, Lady +Chesterfield, Lady Shrewsbury, the Mrs. Roberts, Mrs. Middleton, the +Misses Brooks, and a thousand others, who shone at court with equal +lustre; but it was Miss Hamilton and Miss Stewart who were its chief +ornaments. + + [Lady Shrewsbury: Anna, Maria, Countess of Shrewsbury, eldest + daughter of Robert Brudenel, Earl of Cardigan, and wife of Francis, + Earl of Shrewsbury, who was killed in a duel by George, Duke of + Buckingham, March 16, 1667. She afterwards re-married with George + Rodney Bridges, Esq., second son of Sir Thomas Bridges of Keynsham, + in Somersetshire, knight, and died April 20, 1702. By her second + husband she had one son, George Rodney Bridges, who died in 1751. + This woman is said to have been so abandoned, as to have held, in + the habit of a page, her gallant, the duke's horse, while he fought + and killed her husband; after which she went to bed with him, + stained with her husband's blood.] + +The new queen gave but little additional brilliancy to the court, either +in her person or in her retinue, which was then composed of the Countess +de Panetra, who came over with her in quality of lady of the bedchamber; +six frights, who called themselves maids of honour, and a duenna, another +monster, who took the title of governess to those extraordinary beauties. + + [Lord Clarendon confirms, in some measure, this account. "There + was a numerous family of men and women, that were sent from + Portugal, the most improper to promote that conformity in the queen + that was necessary for her condition and future happiness that could + be chosen; the women, for the most part, old, and ugly, and proud, + incapable of any conversation with persons of quality and a liberal + education: and they desired, and indeed had conspired so far to + possess the queen themselves, that she should neither learn the + English language, nor use their habit, nor depart from the manners + and fashions of her own country in any particulars: which + resolution," they told, "would be for the dignity of Portugal, and + would quickly induce the English ladies to conform to her majesty's + practice. And this imagination had made that impression, that the + tailor who had been sent into Portugal to make her clothes could + never be admitted to see her, or receive any employment. Nor when + she came to Portsmouth, and found there several ladies of honour and + prime quality to attend her in the places to which they were + assigned by the king, did she receive any of them till the king + himself came; nor then with any grace, or the liberty that belonged + to their places and offices. She could not be persuaded to be + dressed out of the wardrobe that the king had sent to her, but would + wear the clothes which she had brought, until she found that the + king was displeased, and would be obeyed; whereupon she conformed, + against the advice of her women, who continued their opiniatrety, + without any one of them receding from their own mode, which exposed + them the more to reproach."--Continuation of Clarendon's Life, p. + 168. In a short time after their arrival in England, they were + ordered back to Portugal.] + +Among the men were Francisco de Melo, brother to the Countess de Panetra; +one Taurauvedez, who called himself Don Pedro Francisco Correo de Silva, +extremely handsome, but a greater fool than all the Portuguese put +together: he was more vain of his names than of his person; but the Duke +of Buckingham, a still greater fool than he, though more addicted to +raillery, gave him the additional name of Peter of the Wood. He was so +enraged at this, that, after many fruitless complaints and ineffectual +menaces, poor Pedro de Silva was obliged to leave England, while the +happy duke kept possession of a Portuguese nymph more hideous than the +queen's maids of honour, whom he had taken from him, as well as two of +his names. Besides these, there were six chaplains, four bakers, a Jew +perfumer, and a certain officer, probably without an office, who called +himself her highness's barber. Katharine de Braganza was far from +appearing with splendour in the charming court where she came to reign; +however, in the end she was pretty successful. + + [Lord Clarendon says, "the queen had beauty and wit enough to make + herself agreeable to him (the king); and it is very certain, that, + at their first meeting, and for some time after, the King had very + good satisfaction in her. . . . Though she was of years enough + to have had more experience of the world, and of as much wit as + could be wished, and of a humour very agreeable at some seasons, + yet, she had been bred, according to the mode and discipline of her + country, in a monastery, where she had only seen the women who + attended her, and conversed with the religious who resided there; + and, without doubt, in her inclinations, was enough disposed to have + been one of that number: and from this restraint she was called out + to be a great queen, and to a free conversation in a court that was + to be upon the matter new formed, and reduced from the manners of a + licentious age to the old rules and limits which had been observed + in better times; to which regular and decent conformity the present + disposition of men or women was not enough inclined to submit, nor + the king enough disposed to exact."--Continuation of Lord + Clarendon's Life, p. 167. After some struggle, she submitted to the + king's licentious conduct, and from that time lived upon easy terms + with him, until his death. On the 30th March, 1692, she left + Somerset-house, her usual residence, and retired to Lisbon, where + she died, 31st December, 1705, N. S.] + +The Chevalier de Grammont, who had been long known to the royal family, +and to most of the gentlemen of the court, had only to get acquainted +with the ladies; and for this he wanted no interpreter: they all spoke +French enough to explain themselves, and they all understood it +sufficiently to comprehend what he had to say to them. + +The queen's court was always very numerous; that of the duchess was less +so, but more select. This princess had a majestic air, a pretty good +shape, not much beauty, a great deal of wit, and so just a discernment of +merit, that, whoever of either sex were possessed of it, were sure to be +distinguished by her: an air of grandeur in all her actions made her be +considered as if born to support the rank: which placed her so near the +throne. + + ["The Duchess of York," says Bishop Burnet, "was a very + extraordinary woman. She had great knowledge, and a lively sense of + things. She soon understood what belonged to a princess, and took + state on her rather too much. She wrote well, and had begun the + duke's life, of which she showed me a volume. It was all drawn from + his journal; and he intended to have employed me in carrying it on. + She was bred in great strictness in religion, and practised secret + confession. Morley told me he was her confessor. She began at + twelve years old, and continued under his direction till, upon her + father's disgrace, he was put from the court. She was generous and + friendly, but was too severe an enemy."-history of his Own Times, + vol. i., p. 237. She was contracted to the duke at Breda, + November 24, 1659, and married at Worcester-house, 3rd September, + 1660, in the night, between eleven and two, by Dr. Joseph Crowther, + the duke's chaplain; the Lord Ossory giving her in marriage.-- + Kennet's Register, p. 246. She died 31st March, 1671, having + previously acknowledged herself to be a Roman Catholic.--See also + her character by Bishop Morley.--Kennet's Register, p. 385, 390.] + +The queen dowager returned after the marriage of the princess royal, and +it was in her court that the two others met. + +The Chevalier de Grammont was soon liked by all parties those who had not +known him before were surprised to see a Frenchman of his disposition. +The king's restoration having drawn a great number of foreigners from all +countries to the court, the French were rather in disgrace; for, instead +of any persons of distinction having appeared among the first who came +over, they had only seen some insignificant puppies, each striving to +outdo the other in folly and extravagance, despising everything which +was not like themselves, and thinking they introduced the 'bel air', by +treating the English as strangers in their own country. + +The Chevalier de Grammont, on the contrary, was familiar with everybody: +he gave in to their customs, eat of everything, and easily habituated +himself to their manner of living, which he looked upon as neither vulgar +nor barbarous; and as he showed a natural complaisance, instead of the +impertinent affectation of the others, all the nation was charmed with a +man, who agreeably indemnified them for what they had suffered from the +folly of the former. + +He first of all made his court to the king, and was of all his parties +of pleasure: he played high, and lost but seldom: he found so little +difference in the manners and conversation of those with whom he chiefly +associated, that he could scarcely believe he was out of his own country. +Everything which could agreeably engage a man of his disposition, +presented itself to his different humours, as if the pleasures of the +court of France had quitted it to accompany him in his exile. + +He was every day engaged for some entertainment; and those who wished to +regale him in their turn, were obliged to take their measures in time, +and to invite him eight or ten days before hand. These importunate +civilities became tiresome in the long run; but as they seemed +indispensable to a man of his disposition, and as they were the most +genteel people of the court who loaded him with them, he submitted with +a good grace; but always reserved to himself the liberty of supping at +home. + +His supper hour depended upon play, and was indeed very uncertain; +but his supper was always served up with the greatest elegance, by the +assistance of one or two servants, who were excellent caterers and good +attendants, but understood cheating still better. + +The company, at these little entertainments, was not numerous, but +select: the first people of the court were commonly of the party; but the +man, who of all others suited him best on these occasions, never failed +to attend: that was the celebrated Saint Evremond, who with great +exactness, but too great freedom, had written the history of the treaty +of the Pyrenees: an exile like himself, though for very different +reasons. + +Happily for them both, fortune had, some time before the arrival of the +Chevalier de Grammont, brought Saint Evremond to England, after he had +had leisure to repent in Holland of the beauties of that famous satire. + + [Charles de St. Denis, Seigneur de Saint Evremond, was born at St. + Denis le Guast, in Lower Normandy, on the 1st of April, 1613. He + was educated at Paris, with a view to the profession of the law; but + he early quitted that pursuit, and went into the army, where he + signalized himself on several occasions. At the time of the + Pyrenean treaty, he wrote a letter censuring the conduct of Cardinal + Mazarin, which occasioned his being banished France. He first took + refuge in Holland; but, in 1662, he removed into England, where he + continued, with a short interval, during the rest of his life. In + 1675, the Duchess of Mazarin came to reside in England; and with her + St. Evremond passed much of his time. He preserved his health and + cheerfulness to a very great age, and died 9th of September, 1703, + aged ninety years, five months, and twenty days. His biographer + Monsieur Des Maizeaux, describes him thus: "M. de St. Evremond had + blue, lively, and sparkling eyes, a large forehead, thick eyebrows, + a handsome mouth, and a sneering physiognomy. Twenty years before + his death, a wen grew between his eye-brows, which in time increased + to a considerable bigness. He once designed to have it cut off, but + as it was no ways troublesome to him, and he little regarded that + kind of deformity, Dr. Le Fevre advised him to let it alone, lest + such an operation should be attended with dangerous symptoms in a + man of his age. He would often make merry with himself on account + of his wen, his great leather cap, and grey hair, which he chose to + wear rather than a periwig." St. Evremond was a kind of Epicurean + philosopher, and drew his own character in the following terms, in a + letter to Count de Grammont. He was a philosopher equally removed + from superstition and impiety; a voluptuary who had no less aversion + from debauchery than inclination for pleasure: a man who had never + felt the pressure of indigence, and who had never been in possession + of affluence: he lived in a condition despised by those who have + everything, envied by those who have nothing, and relished by those + who make their reason the foundation of their happiness. When he + was young he hated profusion, being persuaded that some degree of + wealth was necessary for the conveniencies of a long life: when he + was old, he could hardly endure economy, being of opinion that want + is little to be dreaded when a man has but little time left to be + miserable. He was well pleased with nature, and did not complain of + fortune. He hated vice, was indulgent to frailties, and lamented + misfortunes. He sought not after the failings of men with a design + to expose them; be only found what was ridiculous in them for his + own amusement: he had a secret pleasure in discovering this himself, + and would, indeed, have had a still greater in discovering this to + others, had not he been checked by discretion. Life, in his + opinion, was too short to read all sorts of books, and to burden + one's memory with a multitude of things, at the expense of one's + judgment. He did not apply himself to the most learned writings, in + order to acquire knowledge, but to the most rational, to fortify his + reason: he sometimes chose the most delicate, to give delicacy to + his own taste, and sometimes the most agreeable, to give the same to + his own genius. It remains that he should be described, such as he + was, in friendship and in religion. In friendship he was more + constant than a philosopher, and more sincere than a young man of + good nature without experience. With regard to religion, his piety + consisted more in justice and charity than in penance or + mortification. He placed his confidence in God, trusting in His + goodness, and hoping that in the bosom of His providence he should + find his repose and his felicity."--He was buried in Westminster + Abbey.] + +The Chevalier was from that time his hero: they had each of them attained +to all the advantages which a knowledge of the world, and the society of +people of fashion, could add to the improvement of good natural talents. +Saint Evremond, less engaged in frivolous pursuits, frequently gave +little lectures to the Chevalier, and by making observations upon the +past, endeavoured to set him right for the present, or to instruct him +for the future. "You are now," said he, "in the most agreeable way of +life a man of your temper could wish for: you are the delight of a +youthful, sprightly, and gallant court: the king has never a party of +pleasure to which you are not admitted. You play from morning to night, +or, to speak more properly, from night to morning, without knowing +what it is to lose. Far from losing the money you brought hither, as you +have done in other places, you have doubled it, trebled it, multiplied it +almost beyond your wishes, notwithstanding the exorbitant expenses you +are imperceptibly led into. This, without doubt, is the most desirable +situation in the, world: stop here, Chevalier, and do not ruin your +affairs by returning to your old sins. Avoid love, by pursuing other +pleasures: love has never been favourable to you. + + ["Saint Evremond and Bussi-Rabutin, who have also written on the + life of the Count de Grammont, agree with Hamilton in representing + him as a man less fortunate in love than at play; not seeking for + any other pleasure in the conquest of a woman but that of depriving + another of her; and not able to persuade any one of his passion, + because he spoke to her, as at all other times, in jest: but cruelly + revenging himself on those who refused to hear him; corrupting the + servants of those whom they did favour, counterfeiting their + handwriting, intercepting their letters, disconcerting their + rendezvous; in one word, disturbing their amours by everything which + a rival, prodigal, indefatigable, and full of artifice, can be + imagined to do. The straitest ties of blood could not secure any + one from his detraction. His nephew, the Count de Guiche, was a + victim: he had in truth, offended the Count de Grammont, by having + supplanted him in the affection of the Countess de Fiesque, whom he + loved afterwards for the space of twelve years. Here was enough to + irritate the self-love of a man less persuaded of his own merit." + Hamilton does not describe the exterior of the count, but accuses + Bussi-Rabutin of having, in the following description, given a more + agreeable than faithful portrait of him: "The chevalier had laughing + eyes, a well-formed nose, a beautiful mouth, a small dimple in the + chin, which had an agreeable effect on his countenance, a certain + delicacy in his physiognomy, and a handsome shape, if he had not + stooped."] + +"You are sensible how much gallantry has cost you; and every person here +is not so well acquainted with that matter as yourself. Play boldly: +entertain the court with your wit: divert the king by your ingenious and +entertaining stories; but avoid all engagements which can deprive you of +this merit, and make you forget you are a stranger and an exile in this +delightful country. + +"Fortune may bow weary of befriending you at play. What would have +become of you, if your last misfortune had happened to you when your +money had been at as low an ebb as I have known it? Attend carefully +then to this necessary deity, and renounce the other. You will be missed +at the court of France before you brow weary of this; but be that as it +may, lay up a good store of money: when a man is rich he consoles himself +for his banishment. I know you well, my dear Chevalier: if you take it +into your head to seduce a lady, or to supplant a lover, your gains at +play will by no means suffice for presents and for bribes: no, let play +be as productive to you as it can be, you will never gain so much by it +as you will lose by love, if you yield to it. + +"You are in possession of a thousand splendid qualifications which +distinguish you here: generous, benevolent, elegant, and polite; and for +your engaging wit, inimitable. Upon a strict examination, perhaps, all +this would not be found literally true; but these are brilliant marks; +and since it is granted that you possess them, do not show yourself here +in any other light: for, in love, if your manner of paying your addresses +can be so denominated, you do not in the least resemble the picture I +have just now drawn." + +"My little philosophical monitor," said the Chevalier de Grammont, "you +talk here as if you were the Cato of Normandy." "Do I say anything +untrue?" replied Saint Evremond: "Is it not a fact, that as soon as a +woman pleases you, your first care is to find out whether she has any +other lover, and your second how to plague her; for the gaining her +affection is the last thing in your thoughts. You seldom engage in +intrigues, but to disturb the happiness of others: a mistress who has no +lovers would have no charms for you, and if she has, she would be +invaluable. Do not all the places through which you have passed furnish +me with a thousand examples? Shall I mention your coup d'essai at Turin? +the trick you played at Fontainebleau, where you robbed the Princess +Palatine's courier upon the highway? and for what purpose was this fine +exploit, but to put you in possession of some proofs of her affection for +another, in order to give her uneasiness and confusion by reproaches and +menaces, which you had no right to use? + +"Who but yourself ever took it into his head to place himself in ambush +upon the stairs, to disturb a man in an intrigue, and to pull him back by +the leg when he was half way up to his mistress's chamber? yet did not +you use your friend the Duke of Buckingham in this manner, when he was +stealing at night to ------ although you were not in the least his rival? +How many spies did not you send out after d'Olonne? + + [Mademoiselle de la Loupe, who is mentioned in De Retz's Memoirs, + vol. iii., p. 95. She married the Count d'Olonne, and became + famous for her gallantries, of which the Count de Bussi speaks so + much, in his History of the Amours of the Gauls. Her maiden name + was Catherine Henrietta d'Angennes, and she was daughter to Charles + d'Angennes, Lord of la Loupe, Baron of Amberville, by Mary du + Raynier. There is a long character of her by St. Evremond, in his + works, vol. i., p. 17. The same writer, mentioning the concern of + some ladies for the death of the Duke of Candale, says, "But his + true mistress (the Countess d'Olonne) made herself famous by the + excess of her affliction, and had, in my opinion, been happy, if she + had kept it on to the last. One amour is creditable to a lady; and + I know not whether it be not more advantageous to their reputation + than never to have been in love."--St. Evremond's works, vol. ii., + p. 24.] + +"How many tricks, frauds, and persecutions, did you not practise for the +Countess de Fiesque, who perhaps might have been constant to you, if you +had not yourself forced her to be otherwise? But, to conclude, for the +enumeration of your iniquities would be endless, give me leave to ask +you, how you came here? Are not we obliged to that same evil genius of +yours, which rashly inspired you to intermeddle even in the gallantries +of your prince? Show some discretion then on this point here, I beseech +you; all the beauties of the court are already engaged; and however +docile the English may be with respect to their wives, they can by no +means bear the inconstancy of their mistresses, nor patiently suffer the +advantages of a rival: suffer them therefore to remain in tranquillity, +and do not gain their ill-will for no purpose. + +"You certainly will meet with no success with such as are unmarried: +honourable views, and good landed property, are required here; and you +possess as much of the one as the other. Every country has its customs: +in Holland, unmarried ladies are of easy access, and of tender +dispositions; but as soon as ever they are married, they become like so +many Lucretias: in France, the women are great coquettes before marriage, +and still more so afterwards; but here it is a miracle if a young lady +yields to any proposal but that of matrimony and I do not believe you yet +so destitute of grace as to think of that." + +Such were Saint Evremond's lectures; but they were all to no purpose: the +Chevalier de Grammont only attended to them for his amusement; and though +he was sensible of the truth they contained, he paid little regard to +them: in fact, being weary of the favours of fortune, he had just +resolved to pursue those of love. + +Mrs. Middleton was the first whom he attacked: she was one of the +Handsomest women in town, though then little known at court: so much of +the coquette as to discourage no one; and so great was her desire of +appearing magnificently, that she was ambitious to vie with those of the +greatest fortunes, though unable to support the expense. All this suited +the Chevalier de Grammont; therefore, without trifling away his time in +useless ceremonies, he applied to her porter for admittance, and chose +one of her lovers for his confidant. + +This lover, who was not deficient in wit, was at that time a Mr. Jones, +afterwards Earl of Ranelagh: what engaged him to serve the Chevalier de +Grammont, was to traverse the designs of a most dangerous rival, and to +relieve himself from an expense which began to lie too heavy upon him. +In both respects the Chevalier answered his purpose. + +Immediately spies were placed, letters and presents flew about: he was +received as well as he could wish: he was permitted to ogle: he was even +ogled again; but this was all. He found that the fair one was very +willing to accept, but was tardy in making returns. This induced him, +without giving up his pretensions to her, to seek his fortune elsewhere. + +Among the queen's maids of honour, there was one called Warmestre: she +was a beauty very different from the other. Mrs. Middleton was well +made, fair, and delicate; but had in her behaviour and discourse +something precise and affected. The indolent languishing airs she gave +herself did not please everybody: people grew weary of those sentiments +of delicacy, which she endeavoured to explain without understanding them +herself; and instead of entertaining she became tiresome. In these +attempts she gave herself so much trouble, that she made the company +uneasy, and her ambition to pass for a wit, only established her the +reputation of being tiresome, which lasted much longer than her beauty. + +Miss Warmestre was brown: she had no shape at all, and still less air; +but she had a very lively complexion, very sparkling eyes, tempting +looks, which spared nothing that might ensnare a lover, and promised +everything which could preserve him. In the end, it very plainly +appeared that her consent went along with her eyes to the last degree of +indiscretion. + +It was between these two goddesses that the inclinations of the Chevalier +de Grammont stood wavering, and between whom his presents were divided. +Perfumed gloves, pocket looking-glasses, elegant boxes, apricot paste, +essences, and other small wares of love, arrived every week from Paris, +with some new suit for himself; but, with regard to more solid presents, +such as ear-rings, diamonds, brilliants, and bright guineas, all this was +to be met with of the best sort in London, and the ladies were as well +pleased with them as if they had been brought from abroad. + +Miss Stewart's beauty began at this time to be celebrated. + + [Frances, Duchess of Richmond, daughter of Walter Stewart, son of + Walter, Baron of Blantyre, and wife of Charles Stewart, Duke of + Richmond and Lennox: a lady of exquisite beauty, if justly + represented in a puncheon made by Roettiere, his majesty's engraver + of the mint, in order to strike a medal of her, which exhibits the + finest face that perhaps was ever seen. The king was supposed to be + desperately in love with her; and it became common discourse, that + there was a design on foot to get him divorced from the queen, in + order to marry this lady. Lord Clarendon was thought to have + promoted the match with the Duke of Richmond, thereby to prevent the + other design, which he imagined would hurt the king's character, + embroil his affairs at present, and entail all the evils of a + disputed succession on the nation. Whether he actually encouraged + the Duke of Richmond's marriage, doth not appear; but it is certain + that he was so strongly possessed of the king's inclination to a + divorce, that, even after his disgrace, he was persuaded the Duke of + Buckingham had under taken to carry that matter through the + parliament. It is certain too that the king considered him as the + chief promoter of Miss Stewart's marriage, and resented it in the + highest degree. (See Pepys' Diaries. DW) The ceremony took place + privately, and it was publicly declared in April, 1667. From one of + Sir Robert Southwell's dispatches, dated Lisbon, December ?/12, + 1667, it appears that the report of the queen's intended divorce had + not then subsided in her native country.--History of the Revolutions + of Portugal, 1740, p. 352. The duchess became a widow in 1672, and + died October 15, 1702. See Burnet's History, Ludlow's Memoirs, and + Carte's Life of the Duke of Ormond. A figure in wax of this duchess + is still to be seen in Westminster-abbey.] + +The Countess of Castlemaine perceived that the king paid attention to +her; but, instead of being alarmed at it, she favoured, as far as she was +able, this new inclination, whether from an indiscretion common to all +those who think themselves superior to the rest of mankind, or whether +she designed, by this pastime, to divert the king's attention from the +commerce which she held with Jermyn. She was not satisfied with +appearing without any degree of uneasiness at a preference which all +the court began to remark: she even affected to make Miss Stewart her +favourite, and invited her to all the entertainments she made for the +king; and, in confidence of her own charms, with the greatest +indiscretion, she often kept her to sleep. The king, who seldom +neglected to visit the countess before she rose, seldom failed likewise +to find Miss Stewart in bed with her. The most indifferent objects have +charms in a new attachment: however, the imprudent countess was not +jealous of this rival's appearing with her, in such a situation, being +confident, that whenever she thought fit, she could triumph over all the +advantages which these opportunities could afford Miss Stewart; but she +was quite mistaken. + +The Chevalier de Grammont took notice of this conduct, without being able +to comprehend it; but, as he was attentive to the inclinations of the +king, he began to make his court to him, by enhancing the merit of this +new mistress. Her figure was more showy than engaging: it was hardly +possible for a woman to have less wit, or more beauty: all her features +were fine and regular; but her shape was not good: yet she was slender, +straight enough, and taller than the generality of women: she was very +graceful, danced well, and spoke French better than her mother tongue: +she was well bred, and possessed, in perfection, that air of dress which +is so much admired, and which cannot be attained, unless it be taken when +young, in France. While her charms were gaining ground in the king's +heart, the Countess of Castlemaine amused herself in the gratification of +all her caprices. + +Mrs. Hyde was one of the first of the beauties who were prejudiced with +a blind prepossession in favour of Jermyn she had just married a man whom +she loved: by this marriage she became sister-in-law to the duchess, +brilliant by her own native lustre, and full of pleasantry and wit. +However, she was of opinion, that so long as she was not talked of on +account of Jermyn, all her other advantages would avail nothing for her +glory: it was, therefore, to receive this finishing stroke, that she +resolved to throw herself into his arms. + +She was of a middle size, had a skin of a dazzling whiteness, fine hands, +and a foot surprisingly beautiful, even in England: long custom had given +such a languishing tenderness to her looks, that she never opened her +eyes but like a Chinese; and, when she ogled, one would have thought she +was doing something else. + +Jermyn accepted of her at first; but, being soon puzzled what to do with +her, he thought it best to sacrifice her to Lady Castlemaine. The +sacrifice was far from being displeasing to her; it was much to her glory +to have carried off Jermyn from so many competitors; but this was of no +consequence in the end. + +Jacob Hall (the famous rope-dancer) was at that time in vogue in London; +his strength and agility charmed in public, even to a wish to know what +he was in private; for he appeared, in his tumbling dress, to be quite of +a different make, and to have limbs very different from the fortunate +Jermyn. + + ["There was a symmetry and elegance, as well as strength and + agility, in the person of Jacob Hall, which was much admired by the + ladies, who regarded him as a due composition of Hercules and + Adonis. The open-hearted Duchess of Cleveland was said to have been + in love with this rope-dancer and Goodman the player at the same + time. The former received a salary from her grace."--Granger, vol. + ii., part 2, p. 461. In reference to the connection between the + duchess and the ropedancer, Mr. Pope introduced the following lines + into his "Sober Advice from Horace:" + + "What push'd poor E--s on th' imperial whore? + 'Twas but to be where Charles had been before, + The fatal steel unjustly was apply'd, + When not his lust offended, but his pride + Too hard a penance for defeated sin, + Himself shut out, and Jacob Hall let in."] + +The tumbler did not deceive Lady Castlemaine's expectations, if report +may be believed; and as was intimated in many a song, much more to the +honour of the rope-dancer than of the countess; but she despised all +these rumours, and only appeared still more handsome. + +While satire thus found employment at her cost, there were continual +contests for the favours of another beauty, who was not much more +niggardly in that way than herself; this was the Countess of Shrewsbury. + +The Earl of Arran, who had been one of her first admirers, was not one of +the last to desert her; this beauty, less famous for her conquests than +for the misfortunes she occasioned, placed her greatest merits in being +more capricious than any other. As no person could boast of being the +only one in her favour; so no person could complain of having been ill +received. + +Jermyn was displeased that she had made no advances to him, without +considering that she had no leisure for it; his pride was offended; but +the attempt which he made to take her from the rest of her lovers was +very ill-advised. + +Thomas Howard, brother to the Earl of Carlisle, was one of them; there +was not a braver, nor a more genteel man in England; and though he was +of a modest demeanour, and his manners appeared gentle and pacific, no +person was more spirited nor more passionate. Lady Shrewsbury, +inconsiderately returning the first ogles of the invincible Jermyn, did +not at all make herself more agreeable to Howard; that, however, she paid +little attention to; yet, as she designed to keep fair with him, she +consented to accept an entertainment which he had often proposed, and +which she durst no longer refuse. A place of amusement, called Spring +Garden,--was fixed upon for the scene of this entertainment. + +As soon as the party was settled, Jermyn was privately informed of it. +Howard had a company in the regiment of guards, and one of the soldiers +of his company played pretty well on the bagpipes; this soldier was +therefore at the entertainment. Jermyn was at the garden, as by chance; +and, puffed up with his former successes, he trusted to his victorious +air for accomplishing this last enterprise; he no sooner appeared on the +walks, than her ladyship showed herself upon the balcony. + +I know not how she stood affected to her hero; but Howard did not fancy +him much; this did not prevent his coming up stairs upon the first sign +she made to him; and not content with acting the petty tyrant, at an +entertainment not made for himself, no sooner had he gained the soft +looks of the fair one, than he exhausted all his common-place, and all +his stock of low irony, in railing at the entertainment, and ridiculing +the music. + + [Spring Garden: They stay there so long as if they wanted not time + to finish the race; for it is usual here to find some of the young + company till midnight; and the thickets of the garden seem to be + contrived to all advantages of gallantry, after they have refreshed + with the collation, which is here seldom omitted, at a certain + cabaret, in the middle of this paradise, where the forbidden fruits + are certain trifling tarts, newts' tongues, spacious meats, and bad + Rhenish, for which the gallants pay sauce, as indeed they do at all + such houses throughout England; for they think it a piece of + frugality beneath them to bargain or account for what they eat in + any place, however unreasonably imposed upon.''-Character of + England, 12mo., 1659, p. 56, written, it is said, by John Evelyn, + Esq. Spring Garden is the scene of intrigue in many of our comedies + of this period.] + +Howard possessed but little raillery, and still less patience; three +times was the banquet on the point of being stained with blood; but three +times did he suppress his natural impetuosity, in order to satisfy his +resentment elsewhere with greater freedom. + +Jermyn, without paying the least attention to his ill-humour, pursued his +point, continued talking to Lady Shrewsbury, and did not leave her until +the repast was ended. + +He went to bed, proud of this triumph, and was awakened next morning by a +challenge. He took for his second Giles Rawlings, a man of intrigue, and +a deep player. Howard took Dillon, who was dexterous and brave, much of +a gentleman, and, unfortunately, an intimate friend to Rawlings. + +In this duel fortune did not side with the votaries of love poor Rawlings +was left stone dead; and Jermyn, having received three wounds, was +carried to his uncle's, with very little signs of life. + +While the report of this event engaged the courtiers according to their +several interests, the Chevalier de Grammont was informed by Jones, his +friend, his confidant, and his rival, that there was another gentleman +very attentive to Mrs. Middleton: this was Montagu, no very dangerous +rival on account of his person, but very much to be feared for his +assiduity, the acuteness of his wit, and for some other talents which are +of importance, when a man is once permitted to display them. + +There needed not half so much to bring into action all the Chevalier's +vivacity, in point of competition: vexation awakened in him whatever +expedients the desire of revenge, malice, and experience, could suggest, +for troubling the designs of a rival, and tormenting a mistress. His +first intention was to return her letters, and demand his presents, +before he began to tease her; but, rejecting this project, as too weak a +revenge for the injustice done him, he was upon the point of conspiring +the destruction of poor Mrs. Middleton, when, by accident, he met with +Miss Hamilton. From this moment ended all his resentment against Mrs. +Middleton, and all his attachment to Miss Warmestre: no longer was he +inconstant: no longer were his wishes fluctuating: this object fixed them +all; and, of all his former habits, none remained, except uneasiness and +jealousy. + +Here his first care was to please; but he very plainly saw, that to +succeed he must act quite in a different manner to that which he had been +accustomed to. + +The family of the Hamiltons, being very numerous, lived in a large and +commodious house, near the court: the Duke of Ormond's family was +continually with them; and here persons of the greatest distinction in +London, constantly met: the Chevalier de Grammont was here received in a +manner agreeable to his merit and quality, and was astonished that he had +spent so much time in other places; for, after having made this +acquaintance, he was desirous of no other. + +All the world agreed that Miss Hamilton was worthy of the most ardent and +sincere affection: nobody could boast a nobler birth, nothing was more +charming than her person. + + [Elizabeth, sister of the author of these Memoirs, and daughter of + Sir George Hamilton, fourth son of James, the first Earl of + Abercorn, by Mary, third daughter of Thomas, Viscount Thurles, + eldest son of Walter, eleventh Earl of Ormond, and sister to James, + the first Duke of Ormond. She married Philibert, Count of Grammont, + the hero of these Memoirs, by whom she had two daughters: Claude + Charlotte, married, 3rd April, 1694, to Henry, Earl of Stafford; and + another, who became superior, or abbess, of the Canonesses in + Lorraine.] + + + + + CHAPTER SEVENTH. + + HE FALLS IN LOVE WITH MISS HAMILTON--VARIOUS ADVENTURES + AT THE BALL IN THE QUEEN'S DRAWING-ROOM--CURIOUS VOYAGE + OF HIS VALET-DE-CHAMBRE TO AND FROM PARIS. + + +The Chevalier de Grammont, never satisfied in his amours, was fortunate +without being beloved, and became jealous without having an attachment. + +Mrs. Middleton, as we have said, was going to experience what methods he +could invent to torment, after having experienced his powers of pleasing. + +He went in search of her to the queen's drawing-room, where there was a +ball; there she was; but fortunately for her, Miss Hamilton was there +likewise. It had so happened, that of all the beautiful women at Court, +this was the lady whom he had least seen, and whom he had heard most +commended; this, therefore, was the first time that he had a close view +of her, and he soon found that he had seen nothing at court before this +instant; he asked her some questions, to which she replied; as long as +she was dancing, his eyes were fixed upon her; and from this time he no +longer resented Mrs. Middleton's conduct. Miss Hamilton was at the happy +age when the charms of the fair sex begin to bloom; she had the finest +shape, the loveliest neck, and most beautiful arms in the world; she was +majestic and graceful in all her movements; and she was the original +after which all the ladies copied in their taste and air of dress. Her +forehead was open, white, and smooth; her hair was well set, and fell +with ease into that natural order which it is so difficult to imitate. +Her complexion was possessed of a certain freshness, not to be equalled +by borrowed colours: her eyes were not large, but they were lively, and +capable of expressing whatever she pleased: her mouth was full of graces, +and her contour uncommonly perfect; nor was her nose, which was small, +delicate, and turned up, the least ornament of so lovely a face. In +fine, her air, her carriage, and the numberless graces dispersed over her +whole person, made the Chevalier de Grammont not doubt but that she was +possessed of every other qualification. Her mind was a proper companion +for such a form: she did not endeavour to shine in conversation by those +sprightly sallies which only puzzle; and with still greater care she +avoided that affected solemnity in her discourse, which produces +stupidity; but, without any eagerness to talk, she just said what she +ought, and no more. She had an admirable discernment in distinguishing +between solid and false wit; and far from making an ostentatious display +of her abilities, she was reserved, though very just in her decisions: +her sentiments were always noble, and even lofty to the highest extent, +when there was occasion; nevertheless, she was less prepossessed with her +own merit than is usually the case with those who have so much. Formed, +as we have described, she could not fail of commanding love; but so far +was she from courting it, that she was scrupulously nice with respect to +those whose merit might entitle them to form any pretensions to her. + +The more the Chevalier de Grammont was convinced of these truths, +the more did he endeavour to please and engage her in his turn: his +entertaining wit, his conversation, lively, easy, and always +distinguished by novelty, constantly gained him attention; but he was +much embarrassed to find that presents, which so easily made their way in +his former method of courtship, were no longer proper in the mode which, +for the future, he was obliged to pursue. + +He had an old valet-de-chambre, called Termes, a bold thief, and a still +more impudent liar: he used to send this man from London every week, on +the commissions we have before mentioned; but after the disgrace of Mrs. +Middleton, and the adventure of Miss Warmestre, Mr. Termes was only +employed in bringing his master's clothes from Paris, and he did not +always acquit himself with the greatest fidelity in that employment, as +will appear hereafter. + +The queen was a woman of sense, and used all her endeavours to please the +king, by that kind obliging behaviour which her affection made natural to +her: she was particularly attentive in promoting every sort of pleasure +and amusement especially such as she could be present at herself. + +She had contrived, for this purpose, a splendid masquerade, where those, +whom she appointed to dance, had to represent different nations; she +allowed some time for preparation, during which we may suppose, the +tailors, the mantua makers, and embroiderers, were not idle: nor were the +beauties, who were to be there, less anxiously employed; however, Miss +Hamilton found time enough to invent two or three little tricks, in a +conjuncture so favourable, for turning into ridicule the vain fools of +the court. There were two who were very eminently such: the one was Lady +Muskerry, who had married her cousin-german; and the other a maid of +honour to the Duchess, called Blague. + +The first, whose husband most assuredly never married her for beauty, +was made like the generality of rich heiresses, to whom just nature seems +sparing of her gifts, in proportion as they are loaded with those of +fortune: she had the shape of a woman big with child, without being so; +but had a very good reason for limping; for, of two legs uncommonly +short, one was much shorter than the other. A face suitable to this +description gave the finishing stroke to this disagreeable figure. + +Miss Blague was another species of ridicule: her shape was neither good +nor bad: her countenance bore the appearance of the greatest insipidity, +and her complexion was the same all over; with two little hollow eyes, +adorned with white eye-lashes, as long as one's finger. With these +attractions she placed herself in ambuscade to surprise unwary hearts; +but she might have done so in vain, had it not been for the arrival of +the Marquis de Brisacier. Heaven seemed to have made them for each +other: he had in his person and manners every requisite to dazzle a +creature of her character he talked eternally, without saying anything, +and in his dress exceeded the most extravagant fashions. Miss Blague +believed that all this finery was on her account; and the Marquis +believed that her long eyelashes had never taken aim at any but himself: +everybody perceived their inclination for each other; but they had only +conversed by mute interpreters, when Miss Hamilton took it into her head +to intermeddle in their affairs. + +She was willing to do everything in order, and therefore began with her +cousin Muskerry, on account of her rank. Her two darling foibles were +dress and dancing. Magnificence of dress was intolerable with her +figure; and though her dancing was still more insupportable, she never +missed a ball at court: and the queen had so much complaisance for the +public, as always to make her dance; but it was impossible to give her a +part in an entertainment so important and splendid as this masquerade: +however, she was dying with impatience for the orders she expected. + +It was in consequence of this impatience, of which Miss Hamilton was +informed, that she founded the design of diverting herself at the expense +of this silly woman. The queen sent notes to those whom she appointed to +be present, and described the manner in which they were to be dressed. +Miss Hamilton wrote a note exactly in the same manner to Lady Muskerry, +with directions for her to be dressed in the Babylonian fashion. + +She assembled her counsel to advise about the means of sending it: this +cabinet was composed of one of her brothers and a sister, who were glad +to divert themselves at the expense of those who deserved it. After +having consulted some time, they at last resolved upon a mode of +conveying it into her own hands. Lord Muskerry was just going out, when +she received it: he was a man of honour, rather serious, very severe, and +a mortal enemy to ridicule. His wife's deformity was not so intolerable +to him, as the ridiculous figure she made upon all occasions. He thought +that he was safe in the present case, not believing that the queen would +spoil her masquerade by naming Lady Muskerry as one of the dancers +nevertheless, as he was acquainted with the passion his wife had to +expose herself in public, by her dress and dancing, he had just been +advising her very seriously to content herself with being a spectator +of this entertainment, even though the queen should have the cruelty +to engage her in it: he then took the liberty to show her what little +similarity there was between her figure, and that of persons to whom +dancing and magnificence in dress were allowable. His sermon concluded +at last, by an express prohibition to solicit a place at this +entertainment, which they had no thoughts of giving her; but far from +taking his advice in good part, she imagined that he was the only person +who had prevented the queen from doing her an honour she so ardently +desired; and as soon as he was gone out, her design was to go and throw +herself at her Majesty's feet to demand justice. She was in this very +disposition when she received the billet: three times did she kiss it; +and without regarding her husband's injunctions, she immediately got into +her coach in order to get information of the merchants who traded to the +Levant, in what manner the ladies of quality dressed in Babylon. + +The plot laid for Miss Blague was of a different kind: she had such faith +in her charms, and was so confident of their effects, that she could +believe anything. Brisacier, whom she looked upon as desperately +smitten, had wit, which he set off with common-place talk, and with +little sonnets: he sung out of tune most methodically, and was +continually exerting one or other of these happy talents: the Duke of +Buckingham did all he could to spoil him, by the praises he bestowed both +upon his voice and upon his wit. + +Miss Blague, who hardly understood a word of French, regulated herself +upon the Duke's authority, in admiring the one and the other. It was +remarked, that all the words which he sung to her were in praise of fair +women, and that always taking this to herself, she cast down her eyes in +acknowledgment and consciousness. It was upon these observations they +resolved to make a jest of her, the first opportunity. + +While these little projects were forming, the king, who always wished to +oblige the Chevalier de Grammont, asked him, if he would make one at the +masquerade, on condition of being Miss Hamilton's partner? He did not +pretend to dance sufficiently well for an occasion like the present; yet +he was far from refusing the offer: "Sire," said he, "of all the favours +you have been pleased to show me, since my arrival, I feel this more +sensibly than any other; and to convince you of my gratitude, I promise +you all the good offices in my power with Miss Stewart." He said this, +because they had just given her an apartment separate from the rest of +the maids of honour, which made the courtiers begin to pay respect to +her. The king was very well pleased at this pleasantry, and having +thanked him for so necessary an offer: "Monsieur le Chevalier," said he, +"in what style do you intend to dress yourself for the ball? I leave you +the choice of all countries." "If so," said the Chevalier, "I will dress +after the French manner, in order to disguise myself; for they already do +me the honour to take me for an Englishman in your city of London. Had +it not been for this, I should have wished to have appeared as a Roman; +but for fear of embroiling myself with Prince Rupert, who so warmly +espouses the interests of Alexander against Lord Thanet, who declares +himself for Caesar, I dare no longer think of assuming the hero: +nevertheless, though I may dance awkwardly, yet, by observing the tune, +and with a little alertness, I hope to come off pretty well; besides, +Miss Hamilton will take care that too much attention shall not be paid to +me. As for my dress, I shall send Termes off tomorrow morning; and if I +do not show you at his return the most splendid habit you have ever seen, +look upon mine as the most disgraced nation in your masquerade." + +Termes set out with ample instructions, on the subject of his journey: +and his master, redoubling his impatience on an occasion like the +present, before the courier could be landed, began to count the minutes +in expectation of his return: thus was he employed until the very eve of +the ball; and that was the day that Miss Hamilton and her little society +had fixed for the execution of their project. + +Martial gloves were then very much in fashion: she had by chance several +pairs of them: she sent one to Miss Blague, accompanied with four yards +of yellow riband, the palest she could find, to which she added this +note: + +"You were the other day more charming than all the fair women in the +world: you looked yesterday still more fair than you did the day before: +if you go on, what will become of my heart? But it is a long time since +that has been a prey to your pretty little young wild boar's eyes. Shall +you be at the masquerade to-morrow? But can there be any charms at an +entertainment, at which you are not present? It does not signify: I +shall know you in whatever disguise you may be: but I shall be better +informed of my fate, by the present I send you: you will wear knots of +this riband in your hair; and these gloves will kiss the most beautiful +hands in the universe." + +This billet, with the present, was delivered to Miss Blague with the same +success as the other had been conveyed to Lady Muskerry. Miss Hamilton +had just received an account of it, when the latter came to pay her a +visit: something seemed to possess her thoughts very much; when, having +stayed some time, her cousin desired her to walk into her cabinet. As +soon as they were there: "I desire your secrecy for what I am going to +tell you," said Lady Muskerry. "Do not you wonder what strange creatures +men are? Do not trust to them, my dear cousin: my Lord Muskerry, who, +before our marriage, could have passed whole days and nights in seeing me +dance, thinks proper now to forbid me dancing, and says it does not +become me. This is not all: he has so often rung in my ears the subject +of this masquerade, that I am obliged to hide from him the honour the +queen has done me, in inviting me to it. However, I am surprised I am +not informed who is to be my partner: but if you knew what a plague it +is, to find out, in this cursed town, in what manner the people of +Babylon dress, you would pity me for what I have suffered since the time +I have been appointed: besides, the cost which it puts me to is beyond +all imagination." + +Here it was that Miss Hamilton's inclination to laugh, which had +increased in proportion as she endeavoured to suppress it, at length +overcame her, and broke out in an immoderate fit: Lady Muskerry took it +in good humour, not doubting but it was the fantastical conduct of her +husband that she was laughing at. Miss Hamilton told her that all +husbands were much the same, and that one ought not to be concerned at +their whims; that she did not know who was to be her partner at the +masquerade; but that, as she was named, the gentleman named with her +would certainly not fail to attend her; although she could not comprehend +why he had not yet declared himself, unless he likewise had some +fantastical spouse, who had forbid him to dance. + +This conversation being finished, Lady Muskerry went away in great haste, +to endeavour to learn some news of her partner. Those who were +accomplices in the plot were laughing very heartily at this visit, when +Lord Muskerry paid them one in his turn, and taking Miss Hamilton aside: +"Do you know," said he, "whether there is to be any ball in the city +tomorrow?" "No," said she; "but why do you ask?" "Because." said he, +"I am informed that my wife is making great preparations of dress. I +know very well she is not to be at the masquerade: that I have taken care +of; but as the devil is in her for dancing, I am very much afraid that +she will be affording some fresh subject for ridicule, notwithstanding +all my precautions: however, if it was amongst the citizens, at some +private party, I should not much mind it." + +They satisfied him as well as they could, and having dismissed him, under +pretence of a thousand things they had to prepare for the next day, Miss +Hamilton thought herself at liberty for that morning, when in came Miss +Price, one of the maids of honour to the Duchess. This was just what she +was wishing for: This lady and Miss Blague had been at variance some +time, on account of Duncan, whom Miss Price had drawn away from the +other; and hatred still subsisted between these two divinities. + +Though the maids of honour were not nominated for the masquerade, yet +they were to assist at it; and, consequently, were to neglect nothing to +set themselves off to advantage. Miss Hamilton had still another pair of +gloves of the same sort as those she had sent to Miss Blague, which she +made a present of to her rival, with a few knots of the same riband, +which appeared to have been made on purpose for her, brown as she was. +Miss Price returned her a thousand thanks, and promised to do herself the +honour of wearing them at the ball. "You will oblige me if you do," said +Miss Hamilton, "but if you mention that such a trifle as this comes from +me, I shall never forgive you; but," continued she, "do not go and rob +poor Miss Blague of the Marquis Brisacier, as you already have of Duncan: +I know very well that it is wholly in your power: you have wit: you speak +French: and were he once to converse with you ever so little the other +could have no pretensions to him." This was enough: Miss Blague was only +ridiculous and coquettish: Miss Price was ridiculous, coquettish, and +something else besides. + +The day being come, the court, more splendid than ever, exhibited all its +magnificence at this masquerade. The company were all met except the +Chevalier de Grammont: every body was astonished that he should be one +of the last at such a time, as his readiness was so remarkable on every +occasion; but they were still more surprised to see him at length appear +in an ordinary court-dress, which he had worn before. The thing was +preposterous on such an occasion, and very extraordinary with respect to +him: in vain had he the finest point-lace, with the largest and best +powdered peruke imaginable his dress, magnificent enough for any other +purpose, was not at all proper for this entertainment. + +The king immediately took notice of it: "Chevalier," said he, "Termes is +not arrived then?" "Pardon me, sire," said he, "God be thanked!" "Why +God be thanked?" said the king; "has anything happened to him on the +road?" "Sire," said the Chevalier de Grammont, "this is the history of +my dress, and of Termes, my messenger." At these words the ball, ready +to begin, was suspended: the dancers making a circle around the Chevalier +de Grammont, he continued his story in the following manner: + +"It is now two days since this fellow ought to have been here, according +to my orders and his protestations: you may judge of my impatience all +this day, when I found he did not come: at last, after I had heartily +cursed him, about an hour ago he arrived, splashed all over from head to +foot, booted up to the waist, and looking as if he had been +excommunicated 'Very well, Mr. Scoundrel,' said I, 'this is just like +you, you must be waited for to the very last minute, and it is a miracle +that you are arrived at all.' 'Yes, faith,' said he, 'it is a miracle. +You are always grumbling: I had the finest suit in the world made for +you, which the Duke de Guise himself was at the trouble of ordering.' +'Give it me then, scoundrel,' said I. 'Sir,' said he, 'if I did not +employ a dozen embroiderers upon it, who did nothing but work day and +night, I am a rascal: I never left them one moment: 'And where is it +traitor?' said I: 'do not stand here prating, while I should be +dressing.' 'I had,' continued he, 'packed it up, made it tight, and +folded it in such a manner, that all the rain in the world could never +have been able to reach it; and I rid post, day and night, knowing your +impatience, and that you were not to be trifled with.' 'But where is +it?' said I. 'Lost, sir,' said he, clasping his hands. 'How! lost,' +said I, in surprise. 'Yes, lost, perished, swallowed up: what can I say +more?' 'What! was the packet-boat cast away then?' said I. 'Oh! +indeed, sir, a great deal worse, as you shall see,' answered he: 'I was +within half a league of Calais yesterday morning, and I was resolved to +go by the sea-side, to make greater haste; but, indeed, they say very +true, that nothing is like the highway; for I got into a quicksand, where +I sunk up to the chin.' 'A quicksand,' said I, 'near Calais?' 'Yes, +sir,' said he, 'and such a quicksand that, the devil take me, if they saw +anything but the top of my head when they pulled me out: as for my horse, +fifteen men could scarce get him out; but the portmanteau, where I had +unfortunately put your clothes, could never be found: it must be at least +a league under ground.' + +"This, sire," continued the Chevalier de Grammont, "is the adventure, and +the relation which this honest gentleman has given me of it. I should +certainly have killed him, but I was afraid of making Miss Hamilton wait, +and I was desirous of giving your Majesty immediate advice of the +quicksand, that your couriers may take care to avoid it." + +The King was ready to split his sides with laughing, when the Chevalier +de Grammont, resuming the discourse, "apropos, sire," said he, "I had +forgot to tell you, that, to increase my ill-humour, I was stopped, as I +was getting out of my chair, by the devil of a phantom in masquerade, who +would by all means persuade me that the queen had commanded me to dance +with her; and as I excused myself with the least rudeness possible, she +charged me to find out who was to be her partner, and desired me to send +him to her immediately so that your Majesty will do well to give orders +about it; for she has placed herself in ambush in a coach, to seize upon +all those who pass through Whitehall. However, I must tell you, that it +is worth while to see her dress; for she must have at least sixty ells of +gauze and silver tissue about her, not to mention a sort of a pyramid +upon her head, adorned with a hundred thousand baubles." + +This last account surprised all the assembly, except those who had a +share in the plot. The queen assured them, that all she had appointed +for the ball were present; and the king, having paused some minutes: +"I bet," said he, "that it is the Duchess of Newcastle." "And I," said +Lord Muskerry, coming up to Miss Hamilton, "will bet it is another fool; +for I am very much mistaken if it is not my wife." + +The king was for sending to know who it was, and to bring her in: Lord +Muskerry offered himself for that service, for the reason already +mentioned; and it was very well he did so. Miss Hamilton was not sorry +for this, knowing very well that he was not mistaken in his conjecture; +the jest would have gone much farther than she intended, if the Princess +of Babylon had appeared in all her glory. + +The ball was not very well executed, if one maybe allowed the expression, +so long as they danced only slow dances; and yet there were as good +dancers, and as beautiful women in this assembly, as were to be found in +the whole world: but as their number was not great, they left the French, +and went to country dances. When they had danced some time, the king +thought fit to introduce his auxiliaries, to give the others a little +respite; the queen's and the duchess's maids of honour were therefore +called in to dance with the gentlemen. + +Then it was that they were at leisure to take notice of Miss Blague, and +they found that the billet they had conveyed to her on the part of +Brisacier had its effect: she was more yellow than saffron: her hair was +stuffed with the citron-coloured riband, which she had put there out of +complaisance; and, to inform Brisacier of his fate, she raised often to +her head her victorious hands, adorned with the gloves we have before +mentioned: but, if they were surprised to see her in a head-dress that +made her look more wan than ever, she was very differently surprised to +see Miss Price partake with her in every particular of Brisacier's +present: her surprise soon turned to jealousy; for her rival had not +failed to join in conversation with him, on account of what had been +insinuated to her the evening before; nor did Brisacier fail to return +her first advances, without paying the least attention to the fair +Blague, nor to the signs which she was tormenting herself to make him, +to inform him of his happy destiny. + +Miss Price was short and thick, and consequently no dancer, the Duke of +Buckingham, who brought Brisacier forward as often as he could, came to +desire him, on the part of the king, to dance with Miss Blague, without +knowing what was then passing in this nymph's heart: Brisacier excused +himself, on account of the contempt that he had for country dances: Miss +Blague thought that it was herself that he despised; and, seeing that he +was engaged in conversation with her mortal enemy, she began to dance, +without knowing what she was doing. Though her indignation and jealousy +were sufficiently remarkable to divert the court, none but Miss Hamilton +and her accomplices, understood the joke perfectly: their pleasure was +quite complete; for Lord Muskerry returned, still more confounded at the +vision, of which the Chevalier de Grammont had given the description. He +acquainted Miss Hamilton, that it was Lady Muskerry herself, a thousand +times more ridiculous than she had ever been before, and that he had had +an immense trouble to get her home, and place a sentry at her chamber +door. + +The reader may think, perhaps, that we have dwelt too long on these +trifling incidents; perhaps he may be right. We will therefore pass to +others. + +Everything favoured the Chevalier de Grammont in the new passion which he +entertained: he was not, however, without rivals; but, what is a great +deal more extraordinary, he was without uneasiness: he was acquainted +with their understandings, and no stranger to Miss Hamilton's way of +thinking. + +Among her lovers, the most considerable, though the least professedly so, +was the Duke of York: it was in vain for him to conceal it, the court was +too well acquainted with his character to doubt of his inclinations for +her. He did not think it proper to declare such sentiments as were not +fit for Miss Hamilton to hear; but he talked to her as much as he could, +and ogled her with great assiduity. As hunting was his favourite +diversion, that sport employed him one part of the day, and he came home +generally much fatigued; but Miss Hamilton's presence revived him, when +he found her either with the queen or the duchess. There it was that, +not daring to tell her of what lay heavy on his heart, he entertained her +with what he had in his head: telling her miracles of the cunning of +foxes and the mettle of horses; giving her accounts of broken legs and +arms, dislocated shoulders, and other curious and entertaining +adventures; after which, his eyes told her the rest, till such time as +sleep interrupted their conversation; for these tender interpreters could +not help sometimes composing themselves in the midst of their ogling. + +The duchess was not at all alarmed at a passion which her rival was far +from thinking sincere, and with which she used to divert herself, as far +as respect would admit her; on the contrary, as her highness had an +affection and esteem for Miss Hamilton, she never treated her more +graciously than on the present occasion. + +The two Russells, uncle and nephew,--were two other of the Chevalier de +Grammont's rivals: the uncle was full seventy, and had distinguished +himself by his courage and fidelity in the civil wars. His passions and +intentions, with regard to Miss Hamilton, appeared both at once; but his +magnificence only appeared by halves in those gallantries which love +inspires. It was not long since the fashion of high crowned hats had +been left off, in order to fall into the other extreme. Old Russell, +amazed at so terrible a change, resolved to keep a medium, which made him +remarkable: he was still more so, by his constancy for cut doublets, +which he supported a long time after they had been universally +suppressed; but, what was more surprising than all, was a certain mixture +of avarice and liberality, constantly at war with each other, ever since +he had entered the list with love. + +His nephew was only of a younger brother's family, but was considered as +his uncle's heir; and though he was under the necessity of attending to +his uncle for an establishment, and still more so of humouring him, in +order to get his estate, he could not avoid his fate. Mrs. Middleton +showed him a sufficient degree of preference; but her favours could not +secure him from the charms of Miss Hamilton: his person would have had +nothing disagreeable in it, if he had but left it to nature; but he was +formal in all his actions, and silent even to stupidity; and yet rather +more tiresome when he did speak. + +The Chevalier de Grammont, very much at his ease in all these +competitions, engaged himself more and more in his passion, without +forming other designs, or conceiving other hopes, than to render himself +agreeable. Though his passion was openly declared, no person at court +regarded it otherwise than as a habit of gallantry, which goes no farther +than to do justice to merit. + +His monitor, Saint Evremond, was quite of a different opinion; and +finding, that, besides an immense increase of magnificence and assiduity, +he regretted those hours which he bestowed on play; that he no longer +sought after those long and agreeable conversations they used to have +together; and that this new attachment everywhere robbed him of himself: + +"Monsieur le Chevalier," said he, "methinks that for some time you have +left the town beauties and their lovers in perfect repose: Mrs. Middleton +makes fresh conquests with impunity, and wears your presents, under your +nose, without your taking the smallest notice. Poor Miss Warmestre has +been very quietly brought to bed in the midst of the court, without your +having even said a word about it. I foresaw it plain enough, Monsieur le +Chevalier, you have got acquainted with Miss Hamilton, and, what has +never before happened to you, you are really in love; but let us consider +a little what may be the consequence. In the first place, then, I +believe, you have not the least intention of seducing her: such is her +birth and merit, that if you were in possession of the estate and title +of your family, it might be excusable in you to offer yourself upon +honourable terms, however ridiculous marriage may be in general; for, if +you only wish for wit, prudence, and the treasures of beauty, you could +not pay your addresses to a more proper person: but for you, who possess +only a very moderate share of those of fortune, you cannot pay your +addresses more improperly. + +"For your brother Toulongeon, whose disposition I am acquainted with, will +not have the complaisance to die, to favour your pretensions: but suppose +you had a competent fortune for you both--and that is supposing a good +deal--are you acquainted with the delicacy, not to say capriciousness, of +this fair one about such an engagement? Do you know that she has had the +choice of the best matches in England? The Duke of Richmond paid his +addresses to her first; but though he was in love with her, still he was +mercenary: however, the king, observing that want of fortune was the only +impediment to the match, took that article upon himself, out of regard to +the Duke of Ormond, to the merit and birth of Miss Hamilton, and to her +father's services; but, resenting that a man, who pretended to be in +love, should bargain like a merchant, and likewise reflecting upon his +character in the world, she did not think that being Duchess of Richmond +was a sufficient recompense for the danger that was to be feared from a +brute and a debauchee. + +"Has not little Jermyn, notwithstanding his uncle's great estate, and his +own brilliant reputation, failed in his suit to her? And has she ever so +much as vouchsafed to look at Henry Howard, who is upon the point of +being the first duke in England, and who is already in actual possession +of all the estates of the house of Norfolk? I confess that he is a +clown, but what other lady in all England would not have dispensed with +his stupidity and his disagreeable person, to be the first duchess in the +kingdom, with twenty-five thousand a year? + +"To conclude, Lord Falmouth has told me himself, that he has always +looked upon her as the only acquisition wanting to complete his +happiness: but, that even at the height of the splendour of his fortune, +he never had had the assurance to open his sentiments to her; that he +either felt in himself too much weakness, or too much pride, to be +satisfied with obtaining her solely by the persuasion of her relations; +and that, though the first refusals of the fair on such occasions are not +much minded, he knew with what an air she had received the addresses of +those whose persons she did not like. After this, Monsieur le Chevalier, +consider what method you intend to pursue: for, if you are in love, the +passion will still increase, and the greater the attachment, the less +capable will you be of making those serious reflections that are now in +your power." + +"My poor philosopher," answered the Chevalier de Grammont, "you +understand Latin very well, you can make good verses, you understand the +course, and are acquainted with the nature of the stars in the firmament; +but, as for the luminaries of the terrestrial globe, you are utterly +unacquainted with them: you have told me nothing about Miss Hamilton, but +what the king told me three days ago. That she has refused the savages +you have mentioned is all in her favour if she had admitted their +addresses, I would have had nothing to say to her, though I love her +to distraction. Attend now to what I am going to say: I am resolved +to marry her, and I will have my tutor Saint Evremond himself to be the +first man to commend me for it. As for an establishment, I shall make my +peace with the king, and will solicit him to make her one of the ladies +of the bed-chamber to the queen: this he will grant me. Toulongeon will +die, without my assistance. + + [Count de Toulongeon was elder brother to Count Grammont, who, by + his death, in 1679, became, according to St. Evremond, on that + event, one of the richest noblemen at court.--See St. Evremond's + Works. vol. ii., p. 327.] + +"Notwithstanding all his care; Miss Hamilton will have Semeat,--[A country +seat belonging to the family of the Grammonts.]--with the Chevalier de +Grammont, as an indemnification for the Norfolks and Richmonds. Now, +have you any thing to advance against this project? For I will bet you +an hundred louis, that everything will happen as I have foretold it." + +At this time the king's attachment to Miss Stewart was so public, that +every person perceived, that if she was but possessed of art, she might +become as absolute a mistress over his conduct as she was over his heart. +This was a fine opportunity for those who had experience and ambition. +The Duke of Buckingham formed the design of governing her, in order to +ingratiate himself with the king: God knows what a governor he would have +been, and what a head he was possessed of, to guide another; however, +he was the properest man in the world to insinuate himself with Miss +Stewart: she was childish in her behaviour, and laughed at everything, +and her taste for frivolous amusements, though unaffected, was only +allowable in a girl about twelve or thirteen years old. A child, +however, she was, in every other respect, except playing with a doll: +blind man's buff was her most favourite amusement: she was building +castles of cards, while the deepest play was going on in her apartments, +where you saw her surrounded by eager courtiers, who handed her the +cards, or young architects, who endeavoured to imitate her. + +She had, however, a passion for music, and had some taste for singing. +The Duke of Buckingham, who built the finest towers of cards imaginable, +had an agreeable voice: she had no aversion to scandal: and the duke was +both the father and the mother of scandal, he made songs, and invented +old women's stories, with which she was delighted; but his particular +talent consisted in turning into ridicule whatever was ridiculous in +other people, and in taking them off, even in their presence, without +their perceiving it: in short, he knew how to act all parts with so much +grace and pleasantry, that it was difficult to do without him, when he +had a mind to make himself agreeable; and he made himself so necessary to +Miss Stewart's amusement, that she sent all over the town to seek for +him, when he did not attend the king to her apartments. + +He was extremely handsome, and still thought himself much more so than he +really was: although he had a great deal of discernment, yet his vanity +made him mistake some civilities as intended for his person, which were +only bestowed on his wit and drollery: in short, being seduced by too +good an opinion of his own merit, he forgot his first project and his +Portuguese mistress, in order to pursue a fancy in which he mistook +himself; for he no sooner began to act a serious part with Miss Stewart, +than he met with so severe a repulse that he abandoned, at once, all his +designs upon her: however, the familiarity she had procured him with the +king, opened the way to those favours to which he was afterwards +advanced. + + [George Villiers, the second Duke of Buckingham, was born 30th + January, 1627. Lord Orford observes," When this extraordinary man, + with the figure and genius of Alcibiades, could equally charm the + presbyterian Fairfax and the dissolute Charles; when he alike + ridiculed that witty king and his solemn chancellor: when he plotted + the ruin of his country with a cabal of bad ministers, or, equally + unprincipled, supported its cause with bad patriots,--one laments + that such parts should have been devoid of every virtue: but when + Alcibiades turns chemist; when he is a real bubble and a visionary + miser; when ambition is but a frolic; when the worst designs are for + the foolishest ends,--contempt extinguishes all reflection on his + character."] + +Lord Arlington took up the project which the Duke of Buckingham had +abandoned, and endeavoured to gain possession of the mind of the +mistress, in order to govern the master. A man of greater merit and +higher birth than himself might, however, have been satisfied with the +fortune he had already acquired. His first negotiations were during the +treaty of the Pyrenees: and though he was unsuccessful in his proceedings +for his employer, yet he did not altogether lose his time; for he +perfectly acquired, in his exterior, the serious air and profound gravity +of the Spaniards, and imitated pretty well their tardiness in business: +he had a scar across his nose, which was covered by a long patch, or +rather by a small plaister, in form of a lozenge. + +Scars in the face commonly give a man a certain fierce and martial air, +which sets him off to advantage; but it was quite the contrary with him, +and this remarkable plaister so well suited his mysterious looks, that it +seemed an addition to his gravity and self-sufficiency. + +Arlington, under the mask of this compound countenance where great +earnestness passed for business, and impenetrable stupidity for secrecy, +had given himself the character of a great politician; and no one having +leisure to examine him, he was taken at his word, and had been made +minister and secretary of state, upon the credit of his own importance. + +His ambition soaring still above these high stations, after having +provided himself with a great number of fine maxims, and some historical +anecdotes, he obtained an audience of Miss Stewart, in order to display +them; at the same time offering her his most humble services, and best +advice, to assist her in conducting herself in the situation to which it +had pleased God and her virtue to raise her. But he was only in the +preface of his speech, when she recollected that he was at the head of +those whom the Duke of Buckingham used to mimic; and as his presence and +his language exactly revived the ridiculous ideas that had been given her +of him, she could not forbear bursting out into a fit of laughter in his +face, so much the more violent as she had for a long time struggled to +suppress it. + +The minister was enraged: his pride became his post, and his punctilious +behaviour merited all the ridicule which could be attached to it: he +quitted her abruptly, with all the fine advice he had prepared for her, +and was almost tempted to carry it to Lady Castlemaine, and to unite +himself with her interests; or immediately to quit the court party, and +declaim freely in parliament against the grievances of the state, and +particularly to propose an act to forbid the keeping of mistresses; but +his prudence conquered his resentments; and thinking only how to enjoy +with pleasure the blessings of fortune, he sent to Holland for a wife, +in order to complete his felicity. + +Hamilton was, of all the courtiers, the best qualified to succeed in +an enterprise, in which the Duke of Buckingham and Lord Arlington had +miscarried: he was thinking upon it; but his natural coquetry traversed +his intentions, and made him neglect the most advantageous prospects in +the world, in order unnecessarily to attend to the advances and +allurements thrown out to him by the Countess of Chesterfield. This was +one of the most agreeable women in the world: she had a most exquisite +shape, though she was not very tall; her complexion was extremely fair, +with all the expressive charms of a brunette; she had large blue eyes, +very tempting and alluring; her manners were engaging; her wit lively and +amusing; but her heart, ever open to tender sentiments, was neither +scrupulous in point of constancy, nor nice in point of sincerity. She +was daughter to the Duke of Ormond, and Hamilton, being her cousin- +german, they might be as much as they pleased in each other's company +without being particular; but as soon as her eyes gave him some +encouragement, he entertained no other thoughts than how to please her, + + [This lady was Isabella, daughter to Lewis de Nassau, Lord Beverwaert, + son to Maurice, Prince of Orange, and Count Nassau. By her, Lord + Arlington had an only daughter, named Isabella.] + +without considering her fickleness, or the obstacles he had to encounter. +His intention, which we mentioned before, of establishing himself in the +confidence of Miss Stewart, no longer occupied his thoughts: she now was +of opinion that she was capable of being the mistress of her own conduct: +she had done all that was necessary to inflame the king's passions, without +exposing her virtue by granting the last favours; but the eagerness of a +passionate lover, blessed with favourable opportunities, is difficult to +withstand, and still more difficult to vanquish; and Miss Stewart's +virtue was almost exhausted, when the queen was attacked with a violent +fever, which soon reduced her to extreme danger. + +Then it was that Miss Stewart was greatly pleased with herself for the +resistance she had made, though she had paid dearly for it: a thousand +flattering hopes of greatness and glory filled her heart, and the +additional respect that was universally paid her, contributed not a +little to increase them. The queen was given over by her physicians: +the few Portuguese women that had not been sent back to their own country +filled the court with doleful cries; and the good nature of the king was +much affected with the situation in which he saw a princess, whom, though +he did not love her, yet he greatly esteemed. She loved him tenderly, +and thinking that it was the last time she should ever speak to him, she +told him, that the concern he showed for her death, was enough to make +her quit life with regret; but that not possessing charms sufficient to +merit his tenderness, she had at least the consolation in dying to give +place to a consort who might be more worthy of it, and to whom heaven, +perhaps, might grant a blessing that had been refused to her. At these +words, she bathed his hands with some tears, which he thought would be +her last: he mingled his own with hers; and without supposing she would +take him at his word, he conjured her to live for his sake. She had +never yet disobeyed him; and, however dangerous sudden impulses may be, +when one is between life and death, this transport of joy, which might +have proved fatal to her, saved her life, and the king's wonderful +tenderness had an effect, for which every person did not thank heaven in +the same manner. + +Jermyn had now for some time been recovered of his wounds: however, Lady +Castlemaine, finding his health in as deplorable a condition as ever, +resolved to regain the king's heart, but in vain: for notwithstanding the +softness of her tears, and the violence of her passions, Miss Stewart +wholly possessed it. During this period the court was variously +entertained: sometimes there were promenades, and at others the court +beauties sallied out on horseback, and to make attacks with their charms +and graces, sometimes successfully, sometimes otherwise, but always to +the best of their abilities at other seasons there were such shows on the +river, as the city of London alone can afford. + +The Thames washes the sides of a large though not a magnificent palace of +the kings of Great Britain:--[This was Whitehall, which was burnt down, +except the banqueting-house, 4th January, 1698.]--from the stairs of this +palace the court used to take water, in the summer evenings, when the +heat and dust prevented their walking in the park: an infinite number of +open boats, filled with the court and city beauties, attended the barges, +in which were the Royal Family: collations, music, and fireworks, +completed the scene. The Chevalier de Grammont always made one of the +company, and it was very seldom that he did not add something of his own +invention, agreeably to surprise by some unexpected stroke of +magnificence and gallantry. Sometimes he had complete concerts of vocal +and instrumental music, which he privately brought from Paris, and which +struck up on a sudden in the midst of these parties; sometimes he gave +banquets, which likewise came from France, and which, even in the midst +of London, surpassed the king's collations. These entertainments +sometimes exceeded, as others fell short of his expectations, but they +always cost him an immense deal of money. + +Lord Falmouth was one of those who had the greatest friendship and esteem +for the Chevalier de Grammont: this profusion gave him concern, and as he +often used to go and sup with him without ceremony, one day finding only +Saint Evremond there, and a supper fit for half a dozen guests, who had +been invited in form: "You must not," said he, addressing himself to the +Chevalier de Grammont, "be obliged to me for this visit. I come from the +king's 'coucher', where all the discourse was about you; and I can assure +you that the manner in which the king spoke of you, could not afford you +so much pleasure as I myself felt upon the occasion. You know very well, +that he has long since offered you his good offices with the King of +France; and for my own part," continued he, smiling, "you know very well +that I would solicit him so to do, if it was not through fear of losing +you as soon as your peace is made; but, thanks to Miss Hamilton, you +are in no great haste: however, I am ordered by the king, my master, +to acquaint you, that while you remain here, until you are restored to +the favour of your sovereign, he presents you with a pension of fifteen +hundred Jacobus's: it is indeed a trifle, considering the figure the +Chevalier de Grammont makes among us; but it will assist him," said he, +embracing him, "to give us sometimes a supper." + +The Chevalier de Grammont received, as he ought, the offer of a favour he +did not think proper to accept: "I acknowledge," said he, "the king's +bounty in this proposal, but I am still more sensible of Lord Falmouth's +generosity in it; and I request him to assure his Majesty of my perfect +gratitude: the king, my master, will not suffer me to want, when he +thinks fit to recall me; and while I continue here, I will let you see +that I have wherewithal to give my English friends now and then a +supper." + +At these words, he called for his strong box, and showed him seven or +eight thousand guineas in solid gold. Lord Falmouth, willing to improve +to the Chevalier's advantage the refusal of so advantageous an offer, +gave Monsieur de Comminge, then ambassador at the English court, an +account of it; nor did Monsieur de Comminge fail to represent properly +the merit of such a refusal to the French court. + +Hyde Park, every one knows, is the promenade of London! nothing was so +much in fashion, during the fine weather, as that promenade, which was +the rendezvous of magnificence and beauty: every one, therefore, who had +either sparkling eyes, or a splendid equipage, constantly repaired +thither; and the king seemed pleased with the place. + +Coaches with glasses were then a late invention. + + [Coaches were first introduced into England in the year 1564. + Taylor, the water poet, (Works, 1630, p. 240,) says,--"One William + Boonen, a Dutchman, brought first the use of coaches hither; and the + said Boonen was Queen Elizabeth's coachman; for, indeed, a coach was + a strange monster in those days, and the sight of them put both + horse and man into amazement." Dr. Percy observes, they were first + drawn by two horses, and that it was the favourite Buckingham, who, + about 1619, began to draw with six horses. About the same time, he + introduced the sedan. 'The Ultimum Vale of John Carleton', 4to, + 1663, p. 23, will, in a great measure, ascertain the time of the + introduction of glass coaches. He says, "I could wish her (i. e. + Mary Carleton's) coach (which she said my lord Taff bought for her + in England, and sent it over to her, made of the new fashion, wide + glasse, very stately; and her pages and lacquies were of the same + livery,) was come for me," &c.] + +The ladies were afraid of being shut up in them: they greatly preferred +the pleasure of showing almost their whole persons, to the conveniences +of modern coaches: that which was made for the king not being remarkable +for its elegance, the Chevalier de Grammont was of opinion that something +ingenious might be invented, which should partake of the ancient fashion, +and likewise prove preferable to the modern; he therefore sent away +Termes privately with all the necessary instructions to Paris: the Duke +of Guise was likewise charged with this commission; and the courier, +having by the favour of Providence escaped the quicksand, in a month's +time brought safely over to England the most elegant and magnificent +calash that had ever been seen, which the Chevalier presented to the +king. + +The Chevalier de Grammont had given orders that fifteen hundred louis +should be expended upon it; but the Duke of Guise, who was his friend, +to oblige him, laid out two thousand. All the court was in admiration +at the magnificence of the present; and the king, charmed with the +Chevalier's attention to everything which could afford him pleasure, +failed not to acknowledge it: he would not, however, accept a present +of so much value, but upon condition that the Chevalier should not +refuse another from him. + +The queen, imagining that so splendid a carriage might prove fortunate +for her, wished to appear in it first, with the Duchess of York. Lady +Castlemaine, who had seen them in it, thinking that it set off a fine +figure to greater advantage than any other, desired the king to lend her +this wonderful calash to appear in it the first fine day in Hyde Park: +Miss Stewart had the same wish, and requested to have it on the same day. +As it was impossible to reconcile these two goddesses, whose former union +was turned into mortal hatred, the king was very much perplexed. + +Lady Castlemaine was with child, and threatened to miscarry, if her rival +was preferred; Miss Stewart threatened, that she never would be with +child, if her request was not granted. This menace prevailed, and Lady +Castlemaine's rage was so great, that she had almost kept her word; and +it was believed that this triumph cost her rival some of her innocence. + +The queen dowager, who, though she had no share in these broils, had no +objection to them, and as usual being diverted with this circumstance, +she took occasion to joke with the Chevalier de Grammont, for having +thrown this bone of contention among such competitors; and did not fail +to give him, in the presence of the whole court, those praises which so +magnificent a present deserved: "But how comes it," said she, "that you +have no equipage yourself, though you are at so great an expense? for I +am told that you do not keep even a single footman, and that one of the +common runners in the streets lights you home with a stinking link." +"Madam," said he, "the Chevalier de Grammont hates pomp: my linkboy, of +whom you speak, is faithful to my service; and besides, he is one of the +bravest fellows in the world. Your Majesty is unacquainted with the +nation of link-boys: it is a charming one, I can assure you: a man cannot +step out in the night without being surrounded by a dozen of them. The +first time I became acquainted with them, I retained all that offered me +their services; so that when I arrived at Whitehall, I had at least two +hundred about my chair: the sight was new; for those who had seen me pass +with this illumination, asked whose funeral it was. These gentlemen, +however, began fighting about some dozen shillings I had thrown among +them then; and he whom your Majesty mentions having beaten three or four +of his companions, I retained him for his valour. As for the parade of +coaches and footmen, I despise it: I have sometimes had five or six +valets-de-chambre at once, without having a single servant in livery, +except my chaplain Poussatin." "How!" said the queen, bursting out +laughing, "a chaplain in your livery! he surely was not a priest?" +"Pardon me, madam," said he, "and the first priest in the world for +dancing the Biscayan jig." "Chevalier," said the king, "pray tell us the +history of your chaplain Poussatin." + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +Ambition to pass for a wit, only established her tiresome +An affectation of purity of manners +Despising everything which was not like themselves +Duke would see things if he could +Every thing that is necessary is honourable in politics +Good attendants, but understood cheating still better +Great earnestness passed for business +Hardly possible for a woman to have less wit, or more beauty +He talked eternally, without saying anything +His mistress given him by his priests for penance +Impenetrable stupidity (passed) for secrecy +Life, in his opinion, was too short to read all sorts of books +Never felt the pressure of indigence +Not that he wanted capacity, but he was too self-sufficient +Obstinate against all other advices +One amour is creditable to a lady +Possessed but little raillery, and still less patience +Reasons of state assume great privileges +She just said what she ought, and no more +They can by no means bear the inconstancy of their mistresses +Very willing to accept, but was tardy in making returns +Wealth was necessary for the conveniencies of a long life + + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MEMOIRS OF GRAMMONT, V3, BY HAMILTON *** + +************* This file should be named mcg3w10.txt or mcg3w10.zip ************ + +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, mcg3w11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, mcg3w10a.txt + +This eBook was produced by David Widger <widger@cecomet.net> + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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