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diff --git a/old/mcg5w10.txt b/old/mcg5w10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ae0c4c8 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/mcg5w10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1860 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Ebook Memoirs of Count Grammont, v5, by Hamilton +#5 in our series by Anthony Hamilton, Edited by Sir Walter Scott + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**EBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These EBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers***** + + +Title: The Memoirs of Count Grammont, Volume 5. + +Author: Anthony Hamilton (Edited by Sir Walter Scott) + +Release Date: April, 2004 [EBook #5413] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on July 12, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + + + + + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MEMOIRS OF GRAMMONT, V5, BY HAMILTON *** + + + +This eBook was produced by David Widger <widger@cecomet.net> + + + +[NOTE: There is a short list of bookmarks, or pointers, at the end of the +file for those who may wish to sample the author's ideas before making an +entire meal of them. D.W.] + + + + + + MEMOIRS OF COUNT GRAMMONT, VOLUME 5. + + By Anthony Hamilton + + EDITED, WITH NOTES, BY SIR WALTER SCOTT + + + + + CHAPTER NINTH. + + VARIOUS LOVE INTRIGUES AT THE ENGLISH COURT. + + +Every man who believes that his honour depends upon that of his wife is +a fool who torments himself, and drives her to despair; but he who, being +naturally jealous, has the additional misfortune of loving his wife, and +who expects that she should only live for him; is a perfect madman, whom +the torments of hell have actually taken hold of in this world, and whom +nobody pities. All reasoning and observation on these unfortunate +circumstances attending wedlock concur in this, that precaution is vain +and useless before the evil, and revenge odious afterwards. + +The Spaniards, who tyrannise over their wives, more by custom than from +jealousy, content themselves with preserving the niceness of their honour +by duennas, grates, and locks. + +The Italians, who are wary in their suspicions, and vindictive in their +resentments, pursue a different line of conduct: some satisfy themselves +with keeping their wives under locks which they think secure: others by +ingenious precautions exceed whatever the Spaniards can invent for +confining the fair sex but the generality are of opinion, that in either +unavoidable danger or in manifest transgression, the surest way is to +assassinate. + +But, ye courteous and indulgent nations, who, far from admitting these +savage and barbarous customs, give full liberty to your dear ribs, and +commit the care of their virtue to their own discretion, you pass without +alarms or strife your peaceful days, in all the enjoyments of domestic +indolence! + +It was certainly some evil genius that induced Lord Chesterfield to +distinguish himself from his patient and good-natured countrymen, and +ridiculously to afford the world an opportunity of examining into the +particulars of an adventure which would perhaps never have been known +without the verge of the court, and which would everywhere have been +forgotten in less than a month; but now, as soon as ever he had turned +his back, in order to march away with his prisoner, and the ornaments she +was supposed to have bestowed upon him, God only knows what a terrible +attack there was made upon his rear: Rochester, Middlesex, Sedley, +Etheredge, and all the whole band of wits, exposed him in numberless +ballads, and diverted the public at his expense. + +The Chevalier de Grammont was highly pleased with these lively and +humorous compositions; and wherever this subject was mentioned, never +failed to produce his supplement upon the occasion: "It is strange," said +he, "that the country, which is little better than a gallows or a grave +for young people, is allotted in this land only for the unfortunate, and +not for the guilty! poor Lady Chesterfield, for some unguarded looks, is +immediately seized upon by an angry husband, who will oblige her to spend +her Christmas at a country-house, a hundred and fifty miles from London; +while here there are a thousand ladies who are left at liberty to do +whatever they please, and who indulge in that liberty, and whose conduct, +in short, deserves a daily bastinado. I name no person, God forbid I +should; but Lady Middleton, Lady Denham, the queen's and the duchess's +maids of honour, and a hundred others, bestow their favours to the right +and to the left, and not the least notice is taken of their conduct. As +for Lady Shrewsbury, she is conspicuous. I would take a wager she might +have a man killed for her every day, find she would only hold her head +the higher for it: one would suppose she imported from Rome plenary +indulgences for her conduct: there are three or four gentlemen who wear +an ounce of her hair made into bracelets, and no person finds any fault; +and yet shall such a cross-grained fool as Chesterfield be permitted to +exercise an act of tyranny, altogether unknown in this country, upon the +prettiest woman in England, and all for a mere trifle: but I am his +humble servant; his precautions will avail him nothing; on the contrary, +very often a woman, who had no bad intentions when she was suffered to +remain in tranquillity, is prompted to such conduct by revenge, or +reduced to it by necessity: this is as true as the gospel: hear now what +Francisco's saraband says on the subject: + + "Tell me, jealous-paced swain, + What avail thy idle arts, + To divide united hearts? + Love, like the wind, I trow, + Will, where it listeth, blow; + So, prithee, peace, for all thy cares are vain. + + "When you are by, + Nor wishful look, be sure, nor eloquent sigh, + Shall dare those inward fires discover, + Which burn in either lover + Yet Argus' self, if Argus were thy spy, + Should ne'er, with all his mob of eyes, + Surprise. + + "Some joys forbidden, + Transports hidden, + Which love, through dark and secret ways, + Mysterious love, to kindred souls conveys." + +The Chevalier de Grammont passed for the author of this sonnet: neither +the justness of the sentiment, nor turn of it, are surprisingly +beautiful; but as it contained some truths that flattered the genius of +the nation, and pleased those who interested themselves for the fair sex, +the ladies were all desirous of having it to teach their children. + +During all this time the Duke of York, not being in the way of seeing +Lady Chesterfield, easily forgot her: her absence, however, had some +circumstances attending it which could not but sensibly affect the +person who had occasioned her confinement; but there are certain +fortunate tempers to which every situation is easy; they feel neither +disappointment with bitterness, nor pleasure with acuteness. In the mean +time, as the duke could not remain idle, he had no sooner forgotten Lady +Chesterfield, but he began to think of her whom he had been in love with +before, and was upon the point of relapsing into his old passion for Miss +Hamilton. + +There was in London a celebrated portrait-painter called Lely, who had +greatly improved himself by studying the famous Vandyke's pictures, which +were dispersed all over England in abundance. Lely imitated Vandyke's +manner, and approached the nearest to him of all the moderns. The +Duchess of York, being desirous of having the portraits of the handsomest +persons at court, Lely painted them, and employed all his skill in the +performance; nor could he ever exert himself upon more beautiful +subjects. Every picture appeared a master-piece; and that of Miss +Hamilton appeared the highest finished: Lely himself acknowledged that he +had drawn it with a particular pleasure. The Duke of York took a delight +in looking at it, and began again to ogle the original: he had very +little reason to hope for success; and at the same time that his hopeless +passion alarmed the Chevalier de Grammont, Lady Denham thought proper to +renew the negotiation which had so unluckily been interrupted: it was +soon brought to a conclusion; for where both parties are sincere in a +negotiation, no time is lost in cavilling. Everything succeeded +prosperously on one side; yet, I know not what fatality obstructed the +pretensions of the other. The duke was very urgent with the duchess to +put Lady Denham in possession of the place which was the object of her +ambition; but as she was not guarantee for the performance of the secret +articles of the treaty, though till this time she had borne with patience +the inconstancy of the duke, and yielded submissively to his desires; +yet, in the present instance, it appeared hard and dishonourable to her, +to entertain near her person, a rival, who would expose her to the danger +of acting but a second part in the midst of her own court. However, she +saw herself upon the point of being forced to it by authority, when a far +more unfortunate obstacle for ever bereft poor Lady Denham of the hopes +of possessing that fatal place, which she had solicited with such +eagerness. + +Old Denham, naturally jealous, became more and more suspicious, and found +that he had sufficient ground for such conduct: his wife was young and +handsome, he old and disagreeable: what reason then had he to flatter +himself that Heaven would exempt him from the fate of husbands in the +like circumstances? This he was continually saying to himself; but when +compliments were poured in upon him from all sides, upon the place his +lady was going to have near the duchess's person, he formed ideas of what +was sufficient to have made him hang himself, if he had possessed the +resolution. The traitor chose rather to exercise his courage against +another. He wanted precedents for putting in practice his resentments in +a privileged country: that of Lord Chesterfield was not sufficiently +bitter for the revenge he meditated: besides, he had no country-house to +which he could carry his unfortunate wife. This being the case, the old +villain made her travel a much longer journey without stirring out of +London. Merciless fate robbed her of life, and of her dearest hopes, in +the bloom of youth. + +As no person entertained any doubt of his having poisoned her, the +populace of his neighbourhood had a design of tearing him in pieces, as +soon as he should come abroad; but he shut himself up to bewail her +death, until their fury was appeased by a magnificent funeral, at which +he distributed four times more burnt wine than had ever been drunk at any +burial in England. + + [The lampoons of the day, some of which are to be found in Andrew + Marvell's Works, more than insinuate that she was deprived of life + by a mixture infused into some chocolate. The slander of the times + imputed her death to the jealousy of the Duchess of York.] + +While the town was in fear of some great disaster, as an expiation for +these fatal effects of jealousy, Hamilton was not altogether so easy as +he flattered himself he should be after the departure of Lady +Chesterfield: he had only consulted the dictates of revenge in what he +had done. His vengeance was satisfied; but such was far from being the +case with his love; and having, since the absence of her he still +admired, notwithstanding his resentments, leisure to make those +reflections which a recent injury will not permit a man to attend to: +"And wherefore," said he to himself, "was I so eager to make her +miserable, who alone, however culpable she may be, has it in her power to +make me happy? Cursed jealousy!" continued he, "yet more cruel to those +who torment than to those who are tormented! What have I gained by +having blasted the hopes of a more happy rival, since I was not able to +perform this without depriving myself, at the same time, of her upon whom +the whole happiness and comfort of my life was centred." + +Thus, clearly proving to himself, by a great many reasonings of the same +kind, and all out of season, that in such an engagement it was much +better to partake with another than to have nothing at all, he filled his +mind with a number of vain regrets and unprofitable remorse, when he +received a letter from her who occasioned them, but a letter so exactly +adapted to increase them, that, after he had read it, he looked upon +himself as the greatest scoundrel in the world. Here it follows: + +"You will, no doubt, be as much surprised at this letter as I was at the +unconcerned air with which you beheld my departure. I am led to believe +that you had imagined reasons which, in your own mind, justified such +unseasonable conduct. If you are still under the impression of such +barbarous sentiments it will afford you pleasure to be made acquainted +with what I suffer in the most horrible of prisons. Whatever the country +affords most melancholy in this season presents itself to my view on all +sides: surrounded by impassable roads, out of one window I see nothing +but rocks, out of another nothing but precipices; but wherever I turn my +eyes within doors I meet those of a jealous husband, still more +insupportable than the sad objects that encompass me. I should add to +the misfortunes of my life that of seeming criminal in the eyes of a man +who ought to have justified me, even against convincing appearances, if +by my avowed innocence I had a right to complain or to expostulate: but +how is it possible for me to justify myself at such a distance; and how +can I flatter myself that the description of a most dreadful prison will +not prevent you from believing me? But do you deserve that I should wish +you did? Heavens! how I must hate you, if I did not love you to +distraction. Come, therefore, and let me once again see you, that you +may hear my justification; and I am convinced that if after this visit +you find me guilty it will not be with respect to yourself. Our Argus +sets out to-morrow for Chester, where a law-suit will detain him a week. +I know not whether he will gain it; but I am sure it will be entirely +your fault if he does not lose one, for which he is at least as anxious +as that he is now going after." + +This letter was sufficient to make a man run blindfold into an adventure +still more rash than that which was proposed to him, and that was rash +enough in all respects: he could not perceive by what means she could +justify herself; but as she assured him he should be satisfied with his +journey, this was all he desired at present. + +There was one of his relations with Lady Chesterfield, who, having +accompanied her in her exile, had gained some share in their mutual +confidence; and it was through her means he received this letter, with +all the necessary instructions about his journey and his arrival. +Secrecy being the soul of such expeditions, especially before an amour +is accomplished, he took post, and set out in the night, animated by the +most tender and flattering wishes, so that, in less than no time almost, +in comparison with the distance and the badness of the roads, he had +travelled a hundred and fifty tedious miles at the last stage he +prudently dismissed the post-boy. It was not yet daylight, and +therefore, for fear of the rocks and precipices mentioned in her letter, +he proceeded with tolerable discretion, considering he was in love. + +By this means he fortunately escaped all the dangerous places, and, +according to his instructions, alighted at a little hut adjoining to the +park wall. The place was not magnificent; but, as he only wanted rest, +it did well enough for that: he did not wish for daylight, and was even +still less desirous of being seen; wherefore, having shut himself up in +this obscure retreat, he fell into a profound sleep, and did not wake +until noon. As he was particularly hungry when he awoke, he ate and +drank heartily: and, as he was the neatest man at court, and was expected +by the neatest lady in England, he spent the remainder of the day in +dressing himself, and in making all those preparations which the time and +place permitted, without deigning once to look around him, or to ask his +landlord a single question. At last the orders he expected with great +impatience were brought him, in the beginning of the evening, by a +servant, who, attending him as a guide, after having led him for about +half an hour in the dirt, through a park of vast extent, brought him at +last into a garden, into which a little door opened: he was posted +exactly opposite to this door, by which, in a short time, he was to be +introduced to a more agreeable situation; and here his conductor left +him. The night advanced, but the door never opened. + +Though the winter was almost over, the cold weather seemed only to be +beginning: he was dirtied up to his knees in mud, and soon perceived that +if he continued much longer in this garden it would all be frozen. This +beginning of a very dark and bitter night would have been unbearable to +any other; but it was nothing to a man who flattered himself to pass the +remainder of it in the height of bliss. However, he began to wonder at +so many precautions in the absence of a husband his imagination, by a +thousand delicious and tender ideas supported him some time against the +torments of impatience and the inclemency of the weather; but he felt his +imagination, notwithstanding, cooling by degrees; and two hours, which +seemed to him as tedious as two whole ages, having passed, and not the +least notice being taken of him, either from the door or from the window, +he began to reason with himself upon the posture of his affairs, and what +was the fittest conduct for him to pursue in this emergency: "What if +I should rap at this cursed door," said he; "for if my fate requires that +I should perish, it is at least more honourable to die in the house than +to be starved to death in the garden but then," continued he, "I may, +thereby, perhaps, expose a person whom some unforeseen accident may, at +this very instant, have reduced to greater perplexity than even I myself +am in." This thought supplied him with a necessary degree of patience +and fortitude against the enemies he had to contend with; he therefore +began to walk quickly to and fro, with resolution to wait, as long as he +could keep alive, the end of an adventure which had such an uncomfortable +beginning. All this was to no purpose; for though he used every effort +to keep himself warm, and though muffled up in a thick cloak, yet he +began to be benumbed in all his limbs, and the cold gained the ascendancy +over all his amorous vivacity and eagerness. Daybreak was not far off, +and judging now that, though the accursed door should even be opened, it +would be to no purpose, he returned, as well as he could, to the place +from whence he had set out upon this wonderful expedition. + +All the faggots that were in the cottage were hardly able to unfreeze +him: the more he reflected on his adventure, the circumstances attending +it appeared still the more strange and unaccountable; but so far from +accusing the charming countess, he suffered a thousand different +anxieties on her account. Sometimes he imagined that her husband might +have returned unexpectedly; sometimes, that she might suddenly have been +taken ill; in short, that some insuperable obstacle had unluckily +interposed, and prevented his happiness, notwithstanding his mistress's +kind intentions towards him. "But wherefore," said he, "did she forget +me in that cursed garden? Is it possible that she could not find a +single moment to make me at least, some sign or other, if she could +neither speak to me nor give me admittance?" He knew not which of these +conjectures to rely upon, or how to answer his own questions; but as he +flattered himself that everything would succeed better the next night, +after having vowed not to set a foot again into that unfortunate garden, +he gave orders to be awakened as soon as any person should inquire for +him: then he laid himself down in one of the worst beds in the world, and +slept as sound as if he had been in the best: he supposed that he should +not be awakened, but either by a letter or a message from Lady +Chesterfield; but he had scarce slept two hours when he was roused by the +sound of the horn and the cry of the hounds. The but which afforded him +a retreat, joining, as we before said, to the park wall, he called his +host, to know what was the occasion of that hunting, which made a noise +as if the whole pack of hounds had been in his bed-chamber. He was told +that it was my lord hunting a hare in his park. "What lord?" said he, +in great surprise. "The Earl of Chesterfield," replied the pea sant. +He was so astonished at this that at first he hid his head under the bed- +clothes, under the idea that he already saw him entering with all his +bounds; but as soon as he had a little recovered himself he began to +curse capricious fortune, no longer doubting but this jealous fool's +return had occasioned all his tribulations in the preceding night. + +It was not possible for him to sleep again, after such an alarm; he +therefore got up, that he might revolve in his mind all the stratagems +that are usually employed either to deceive, or to remove out of the way, +a jealous scoundrel of a husband, who thought fit to neglect his law-suit +in order to plague his wife. He had just finished dressing himself, and +was beginning to question his landlord, when the same servant who had +conducted him to the garden delivered him a letter, and disappeared, +without waiting for an answer. This letter was from his relation, and +was to this effect: + +"I am extremely sorry that I have innocently been accessary to bringing +you to a place, to which you were only invited to be laughed at: I +opposed this journey at first, though I was then persuaded it was wholly +suggested by her tenderness; but she has now undeceived me: she triumphs +in the trick she has played you: her husband has not stirred from hence, +but stays at home, out of complaisance to her: he treats her in the most +affectionate manner; and it was upon their reconciliation that she found +out that you had advised him to carry her into the country. She has +conceived such hatred and aversion against you for it, that I find, from +her discourse, she has not yet wholly satisfied her resentment. Console +yourself for the hatred of a person, whose heart never merited your +tenderness. Return: a longer stay in this place will but draw upon you +some fresh misfortune: for my part, I shall soon leave her: I know her, +and I thank God for it. I do not repent having pitied her at first; but +I am disgusted with an employment which but ill agrees with my way of +thinking." + +Upon reading this letter, astonishment, shame, hatred, and rage, seized +at once upon his heart: then menaces, invectives, and the desire of +vengeance, broke forth by turns, and excited his passion and resentment; +but, after he deliberately considered the matter, he resolved that it was +now the best way quietly to mount his horse, and to carry back with him +to London a severe cold, instead of the soft wishes and tender desires he +had brought from thence. He quitted this perfidious place with much +greater expedition than he had arrived at it, though his mind was far +from being occupied with such tender and agreeable ideas: however, when +he thought himself at a sufficient distance to be out of danger of +meeting Lord Chesterfield and his hounds, he chose to look back, that +he might at least have the satisfaction of seeing the prison where this +wicked enchantress was confined; but what was his surprise, when he saw a +very fine house, situated on the banks of a river, in the most delightful +and pleasant country imaginable. Neither rock nor precipice was here to +be seen; for, in reality, they were only in the letter of his perfidious +mistress. This furnished fresh cause for resentment and confusion to a +man who thought himself so well acquainted with all the wiles, as well as +weaknesses, of the fair sex; and who now found himself the dupe of a +coquette, who was reconciled to her husband in order to be revenged on +her lover. + +At last he reached London, well furnished with arguments to maintain that +a man must be extremely weak to trust to the tenderness of a woman who +has once deceived him, but that he must be a complete fool to run after +her. + +This adventure not being much to his credit, he suppressed, as much as +possible, both the journey and the circumstances attending it; but, as we +may easily suppose, Lady Chesterfield made no secret of it, the king came +to the knowledge of it; and, having complimented Hamilton upon it, +desired to be informed of all the particulars of the expedition. The +Chevalier de Grammont happened to be present at this recital; and, having +gently inveighed against the treacherous manner in which he had been +used, said: "If she is to be blamed for carrying the jest so far, you +are no less to be blamed for coming back so suddenly, like an ignorant +novice. I dare lay an hundred guineas, she has more than once repented +of a resentment which you pretty well deserved for the trick you had +played her: women love revenge; but their resentments seldom last long; +and if you had remained in the neighbourhood till the next day, I will be +hanged if she would not have given you satisfaction for the first night's +sufferings." Hamilton being of a different opinion, the Chevalier de +Grammont resolved to maintain his assertion by a case in point; and, +addressing himself to the king: "Sir," said he, "your majesty, I suppose, +must have known Marion de l'Orme, the most charming creature in all +France: though she was as witty as an angel, she was as capricious as a +devil. This beauty having made me an appointment, a whim seized her to +put me off, and to give it to another; she therefore wrote me one of the +tenderest billets in the world, full of the grief and sorrow she was in, +by being obliged to disappoint me; on account of a most terrible +headache, that obliged her to keep her bed, and deprived her of the +pleasure of seeing me till the next day. This headache coming all of a +sudden, appeared to me very suspicious; and, never doubting but it was +her intention to jilt me: 'Very well, mistress coquette,' said I to +myself, 'if you do not enjoy the pleasure of seeing me this day, you +shall not enjoy the satisfaction of seeing another.' + +"Hereupon, I detached all my servants, some of whom patrolled about her +house, whilst others watched her door; one of the latter brought me +intelligence that no person had gone into her house all the afternoon; +but that a foot-boy had gone out as it grew dark; that he followed him as +far as the Rue Saint Antoine, where this boy met another, to whom he only +spoke two or three words. This was sufficient to confirm my suspicions, +and make me resolve either to make one of the party, or to disconcert it. + + [Marion de l'Orme, born at Chalons, in Champagne, was esteemed the + most beautiful woman of her times. It is believed that she was + secretly married to the unfortunate Monsieur Cinqmars. After his + death, she became the mistress of Cardinal Richelieu, and, at last, + of Monsieur d'Emery, superintendent of the finances.] + +"As the bagnio where I lodged was at a great distance from the Marais, as +soon as the night set in I mounted my horse, without any attendant. When +I came to the Place-Royale, the servant, who was sentry there, assured me +that no person was yet gone into Mademoiselle de l'Orme's house: I rode +forward towards the Rue Saint Antoine; and, just as I was going out of +the Place-Royale, I saw a man on foot coming into it, who avoided me as +much as he possibly could; but his endeavour was all to no purpose; I +knew him to be the Duke de Brissac, and I no longer doubted but he was my +rival that night: I then approached towards him, seeming as if I feared I +mistook my man; and, alighting with a very busy air 'Brissac, my friend,' +said I, 'you must do me a service of the very greatest importance: I have +an appointment, for the first time, with a girl who lives very near this +place; and, as this visit is only to concert measures, I shall make but a +very short stay: be so kind, therefore, as to lend me your cloak, and +walk my horse about a little, until I return; but, above all, do not go +far from this place: you see that I use you freely like a friend; but you +know it is upon condition that you may take the same liberty with me.' +I took his cloak, without waiting for his answer, and he took my horse by +the bridle, and followed me with his eye; but he gained no intelligence +by this; for, after having pretended to go into a house opposite to him, +I slipped under the piazzas to Mademoiselle de l'Orme's, where the door +was opened as soon as I knocked. I was so much muffled up in Brissac's +cloak that I was taken for him: the door was immediately shut, not the +least question asked me; and having none to ask myself I went straight to +the lady's chamber. I found her upon a couch in the most agreeable and +genteelest deshabille imaginable: she never in her life looked so +handsome, nor was so greatly surprised; and, seeing her speechless and +confounded: 'What is the matter, my fair one?' said I, 'methinks this is +a headache very elegantly set off; but your headache, to all appearance, +is now gone?' 'Not in the least,' said she, 'I can scarce support it, +and you will oblige me in going away that I may go to bed.' 'As for your +going to bed, to that I have not the least objection,' said I, 'but as +for my going away, that cannot be, my little princess: the Chevalier de +Grammont is no fool; a woman does not dress herself with so much care for +nothing.' 'You will find, however,' said she, 'that it is for nothing; +for you may depend upon it that you shall be no gainer by it.' 'What!' +said I, 'after having made me an appointment!' 'Well,' replied she +hastily, 'though I had made you fifty, it still depends upon me, whether +I chose to keep them or not, and you must submit if I do not.' 'This +might do very well,' said I, 'if it was not to give it to another.' +Mademoiselle de l'Orme, as haughty as a woman of the greatest virtue, +and as passionate as one who has the least, was irritated at a suspicion +which gave her more concern than confusion; and seeing that she was +beginning to put herself in a passion: 'Madam,' said I, 'pray do not talk +in so high a strain; I know what perplexes you: you are afraid lest +Brissac should meet me here; but you may make yourself easy on that +account: I met him not far from this place, and God knows that I have so +managed the affair as to prevent his visiting you soon.' Having spoken +these words in a tone somewhat tragical, she appeared concerned at first, +and, looking upon me with surprise: 'What do you mean about the Duke de +Brissac?' said she. 'I mean,' replied I, 'that he is at the end of the +street, walking my horse about; but, if you will not believe me, send one +of your own servants thither, or look at his cloak which I left in your +ante-chamber.' Upon this she burst into a fit of laughter, in the midst +of her astonishment, and, throwing her arms around my neck, 'My dear +Chevalier,' said she, 'I can hold out no longer; you are too amiable and +too eccentric not to be pardoned.' I then told her the whole story: she +was ready to die with laughing; and, parting very good friends, she +assured me my rival might exercise horses as long as he pleased, but that +he should not set his foot within her doors that night. + +"I found the duke exactly in the place where I had left him: I asked him +a thousand pardons for having made him wait so long, and thanked him a +thousand times for his complaisance. He told me I jested, that such +compliments were unusual among friends; and to convince me that he had +cordially rendered me this piece of service, he would, by all means, hold +my horse while I was mounting. I returned him his cloak, bade him good +night, and went back to my lodgings, equally satisfied with my mistress +and my rival. This," continued he, "proves that a little patience and +address are sufficient to disarm the anger of the fair, to turn even +their tricks to a man's advantage." + +It was in vain that the Chevalier de Grammont diverted the court with his +stories, instructed by his example, and never appeared there but to +inspire universal joy; for a long time he was the only foreigner in +fashion. Fortune, jealous of the justice which is done to merit, and +desirous of seeing all human happiness depend on her caprice, raised up +against him two competitors for the pleasure he had long enjoyed of +entertaining the English court; and these competitors were so much the +more dangerous, as the reputation of their several merits had preceded +their arrival, in order to dispose the suffrages of the court in their +favour. + +They came to display, in their own persons, whatever was the most +accomplished either among the men of the sword, or of the gown. The one +was the Marquis de Flamarens, the sad object of the sad elegies of the +Countess de la Suse, the other was the president Tambonneau, the most +humble and most obedient servant and admirer of the beauteous Luynes. As +they arrived together, they exerted every endeavour to shine in concert: +their talents were as different as their persons; Tambonneau, who was +tolerably ugly, founded his hopes upon a great store of wit, which, +however, no person in England could find out; and Flamarens, by his air +and mien, courted admiration, which was flatly denied him. + +They had agreed mutually to assist each other, in order to succeed in +their intentions; and therefore, in their first visits, the one appeared +in state, and the other was the spokesman. But they found the ladies in +England of a far different taste from those who had rendered them famous +in France: the rhetoric of the one had no effect on the fair sex, and the +fine mien of the other distinguished him only in a minuet, which he first +introduced into England, and which he danced with tolerable success. +The English court had been too long accustomed to the solid wit of Saint +Evremond, and the natural and singular charms of his hero, to be seduced +by appearances; however, as the English have, in general, a sort of +predilection in favour of anything that has the appearance of bravery, +Flamarens was better received on account of a duel, which, obliging him +to leave his own country, was a recommendation to him in England. + +Miss Hamilton had, at first, the honour of being distinguished by +Tambonneau, who thought she possessed a sufficient share of wit to +discover the delicacy of his; and, being delighted to find that nothing +was lost in her conversation, either as to the turn, the expression, or +beauty of the thought, he frequently did her the favour to converse with +her; and, perhaps, he would never have found out that he was tiresome, +if, contenting himself with the display of his eloquence, he had not +thought proper to attack her heart. This was carrying the matter a +little too far for Miss Hamilton's complaisance, who was of opinion +that she had already shown him too much for the tropes of his harangues: +he was therefore desired to try somewhere else the experiment of his +seducing tongue, and not to lose the merit of his former constancy +by an infidelity which would be of no advantage to him. + +He followed this advice like a wise and tractable man; and some time +after, returning to his old mistress in France, he began to lay in a +store of politics for those important negotiations in which he has since +been employed. + +It was not till after his departure that the Chevalier de Grammont heard +of the amorous declaration he had made: this was a confidence of no great +importance; it, however, saved Tambonneau from some ridicule which might +have fallen to his share before he went away. His colleague, Flamarens, +deprived of his support, soon perceived that he was not likely to meet in +England with the success he had expected, both from love and fortune: but +Lord Falmouth, ever attentive to the glory of his master, in the relief +of illustrious men in distress, provided for his subsistence, and Lady +Southesk for his pleasures: he obtained a pension from the king, and from +her everything he desired; and most happy was it for him that she had no +other present to bestow but that of her heart. + +It was at this time that Talbot, whom we have before mentioned, and +who was afterwards created Duke of Tyrconnel, fell in love with Miss +Hamilton. There was not a more genteel man at court: he was indeed but +a younger brother, though of a very ancient family, which, however, was +not very considerable either for its renown or its riches; and though he +was naturally of a careless disposition, yet, being intent upon making +his fortune, and much in favour with the Duke of York, and fortune +likewise favouring him at play, he had improved both so well that he was +in possession of about forty thousand pounds a year in land. He offered +himself to Miss Hamilton, with this fortune, together with the almost +certain hopes of being made a peer of the realm, by his master's credit; +and, over-and-above all, as many sacrifices as she could desire of Lady +Shrewsbury's letters, pictures, and hair; curiosities which, indeed, are +reckoned for nothing in housekeeping, but which testify strongly in +favour of the sincerity and merit of a lover. + +Such a rival was not to be despised; and the Chevalier de Grammont +thought him the more dangerous, as he perceived that Talbot was +desperately in love; that he was not a man to be discouraged by a first +repulse; that he had too much sense and good breeding to draw upon +himself either contempt or coldness by too great eagerness; and, besides +this, his brothers began to frequent the house. One of these brothers +was almoner to the queen, an intriguing Jesuit, and a great match-maker: +the other was what was called a lay-monk, who had nothing of his order +but the immorality and infamy of character which is ascribed to them; and +withal, frank and free, and sometimes entertaining, but ever ready to +speak bold and offensive truths, and to do good offices. + +When the Chevalier de Grammont reflected upon all these things, there +certainly was strong ground for uneasiness: nor was the indifference +which Miss Hamilton showed for the addresses of his rival sufficient to +remove his fears; for being absolutely dependent on her father's will, +she could only answer for her own intentions: but Fortune, who seemed to +have taken him under her protection in England, now delivered him from +all his uneasiness. + +Talbot had for many years stood forward as the patron of the distressed +Irish: this zeal for his countrymen was certainly very commendable in +itself; at the same time, however, it was not altogether free from self- +interest: for, out of all the estates he had, through his credit, +procured the restoration of to their primitive owners, he had always +obtained some small compensation for himself; but, as each owner found +his advantage in it, no complaint was made. Nevertheless, as it is very +difficult to use fortune and favour with moderation, and not to swell +with the gales of prosperity, some of his proceedings had an air of +haughtiness and independence, which offended the Duke of Ormond, then +Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, as injurious to his Grace's authority. The +Duke resented this behaviour with great spirit. As there certainly was +a great difference between them, both as to their birth and rank, and +to their credit, it had been prudent in Talbot to have had recourse to +apologies and submission; but such conduct appeared to him base, and +unworthy for a man of his importance to submit to: he accordingly acted +with haughtiness and insolence; but he was soon convinced of his error; +for, having inconsiderately launched out into some arrogant expressions, +which it neither became him to utter nor the Duke of Ormond to forgive, +he was sent prisoner to the Tower, from whence he could not be released +until he had made all necessary submissions to his Grace: he therefore +employed all his friends for that purpose, and was obliged to yield more +to get out of this scrape than would have been necessary to have avoided +it. By this imprudent conduct he lost all hopes of marrying into a +family, which, after such a proceeding, was not likely to listen to any +proposal from him. + + [A very exact account of this transaction is given by Lord + Clarendon, by which it appears, that Talbot was committed to the + Tower for threatening to assassinate the Duke of Ormond-- + Continuation of Clarendon, p. 362.] + +It was with great difficulty and mortification that he was obliged to +suppress a passion which had made far greater progress in his heart than +this quarrel had done good to his affairs. This being the case, he was +of opinion that his presence was necessary in Ireland, and that he was +better out of the way of Miss Hamilton, to remove those impressions which +still troubled his repose: his departure, therefore, soon followed this +resolution. + +Talbot played deep, and was tolerably forgetful: the Chevalier de +Grammont won three or four hundred guineas of him the very evening on +which he was sent to the Tower. That accident had made him forget his +usual punctuality in paying the next morning whatever he had lost over- +night; and this debt had so far escaped his memory, that it never once +occurred to him after he was enlarged. The Chevalier de Grammont, who +saw him at his departure, without taking the least notice of the money he +owed him, wished him a good journey; and, having met him at court, as he +came to take his leave of the king: "Talbot," said he, "if my services +can be of any use to you during your absence, you have but to command +them: you know old Russell has left his nephew as his resident with Miss +Hamilton: if you please, I will act for you in the same capacity. Adieu, +God bless you: be sure not to fall sick upon the road; but if you should, +pray remember me in your will." Talbot, who, upon this compliment, +immediately recollected the money he owed the Chevalier, burst out a- +laughing, and embracing him: "My dear Chevalier," said he, "I am so much +obliged to you for your offer, that I resign you my mistress, and will +send you your money instantly." The Chevalier de Grammont possessed a +thousand of these genteel ways of refreshing the memories of those +persons who were apt to be forgetful in their payments. The following is +the method he used some years after with Lord Cornwallis: this lord had +married the daughter of Sir Stephen Fox,--treasurer of the king's +household, one of the richest and most regular men in England. His son- +in-law, on the contrary, was a young spendthrift, was very extravagant, +loved gaming, lost as much as any one would trust him, but was not quite +so ready at paying. His father-in-law disapproved of his conduct, paid +his debts, and gave him a lecture at the same time. The Chevalier de +Grammont had won of him a thousand or twelve hundred guineas, which he +heard no tidings of, although he was upon the eve of his departure, and +he had taken leave of Cornwallis in a more particular manner than any +other person. This obliged the Chevalier to write him a billet, which +was rather laconic. It was this: + + "MY LORD, + + "Pray remember the Count de Grammont, and do not forget Sir Stephen + Fox." + +To return to Talbot: he went away more concerned than became a man who +had voluntarily resigned his mistress to another: neither his stay in +Ireland, nor his solicitude about his domestic affairs, perfectly cured +him; and if at his return he found himself disengaged from Miss +Hamilton's chains, it was only to exchange them for others. The +alteration that had taken place in the two courts occasioned this +change in him, as we shall see in the sequel. + +We have hitherto only mentioned the queen's maids of honour, upon account +of Miss Stewart and Miss Warmestre the others were Miss Bellenden, +Mademoiselle de la Garde and Mademoiselle Bardou, all maids of honour, +as it pleased God. + +Miss Bellenden was no beauty, but was a good-natured girl, whose chief +merit consisted in being plump and fresh-coloured; and who, not having a +sufficient stock of wit to be a coquette in form, used all her endeavours +to please every person by her complaisance. Mademoiselle de la Garde, +and Mademoiselle Bardou, both French, had been preferred to their places +by the queen dowager: the first was a little brunette, who was +continually meddling in the affairs of her companions; and the other by +all means claimed the rank of a maid of honour, though she only lodged +with the others, and both her title and services were constantly +contested. + +It was hardly possible for a woman to be more ugly, with so fine a shape; +but as a recompense, her ugliness was set off with every art. The use +she was put to, was to dance with Flamarens, and sometimes, towards the +conclusion of a ball, possessed of castanets and effrontery, she would +dance some figured saraband or other, which amused the court. Let us now +see in what manner this ended. + +As Miss Stewart was very seldom in waiting on the queen, she was scarcely +considered as a maid of honour: the others went off almost at the same +time, by different adventures; and this is the history of Miss Warmestre, +whom we have before mentioned, when speaking of the Chevalier de +Grammont. + +Lord Taaffe, eldest son of the Earl of Carlingford, was supposed to be +in love with her; and Miss Warmestre not only imagined it was so, but +likewise persuaded herself that he would not fail to marry her the first +opportunity; and in the mean time she thought it her duty to entertain +him with all the civility imaginable. Taaffe had made the Duke of +Richmond his confidant: these two were particularly attached to each +other; but still more so to wine. The Duke of Richmond, notwithstanding +his birth, made but an indifferent figure at court; and the king +respected him still less than his courtiers did: and perhaps it was in +order to court his majesty's favour that he thought proper to fall in +love with Miss Stewart. The Duke and Lord Taaffe made each other the +confidants of their respective engagements; and these were the measures +they took to put their designs in execution. Little Mademoiselle de la +Gardet was charged to acquaint Miss Stewart that the Duke of Richmond +was dying of love for her, and that when he ogled her in public it was +a certain sign that he was ready to marry her, as soon as ever she would +consent. + +Taaffe had no commission to give the little ambassadress for Miss +Warmestre; for there everything was already arranged; but she was charged +to settle and provide some conveniences which were still wanting for the +freedom of their commerce, such as to have free egress and regress to her +at all hours of the day or night: this appeared difficult to be obtained, +but it was, however, at length accomplished. + +The governess of the maids of honour, who for the world would not have +connived at anything that was not fair and honourable, consented that +they should sup as often as they pleased in Miss Warmestre's apartments, +provided their intentions were honourable, and she one of the company. +The good old lady was particularly fond of green oysters, and had no +aversion to Spanish wine: she was certain of finding at every one of +these suppers two barrels of oysters; one to be eaten with the party, and +the other for her to carry away: as soon, therefore, as she had taken her +dose of wine, she took her leave of the company. + +It was much about the time that the Chevalier de Grammont had cast his +eyes upon Miss Warmestre, that this kind of life was led in her chamber. +God knows how many ham pies, bottles of wine, and other products of his +lordship's liberality were there consumed! + +In the midst of these nocturnal festivals, and of this innocent commerce, +a relation of Killegrew's came up to London about a lawsuit: he gained +his cause, but nearly lost his senses. + +He was a country gentleman, who had been a widower about six months, and +was possessed of fifteen or sixteen thousand pounds a-year: the good man, +who had no business at court, went thither merely to see his cousin +Killegrew, who could have dispensed with his visits. He there saw Miss +Warmestre; and at first sight fell in love with her. His passion +increased to such a degree that, having no rest either by day or night, +he was obliged to have recourse to extraordinary remedies; he therefore +early one morning called upon his cousin Killegrew, told him his case, +and desired him to demand Miss Warmestre in marriage for him. + +Killegrew was struck with wonder and astonishment when he heard his +design: nor could he cease wondering at what sort of creature, of all the +women in London, his cousin had resolved upon marrying. It was some time +before Killegrew could believe that he was in earnest; but when he was +convinced that he was, he began to enumerate the dangers and +inconveniences attending so rash an enterprise. He told him that a girl +educated at court, was a terrible piece of furniture for the country; +that to carry her thither against her inclination, would as effectually +rob him of his happiness and repose, as if he was transported to hell; +that if he consented to let her stay, he needed only to compute what it +would cost him in equipage, table, clothes, and gaming-money, to maintain +her in London according to her caprices; and then to cast up how long his +fifteen thousand a-year would last. + +His cousin had already formed this computation; but, finding his reason +less potent than his love, he remained fixed in his resolution; and +Killegrew, yielding at length to his importunities, went and offered his +cousin, bound hand and foot, to the victorious fair. As he dreaded +nothing more than a compliance on her part, so nothing could astonish him +more than the contempt with which she received his proposal. The scorn +with which she refused him, made him believe that she was sure of Lord +Taaffe, and wonder how a girl like her could find out two men who would +venture to marry her. He hastened to relate this refusal, with all the +most aggravating circumstances, as the best news he could carry to his +cousin; but his cousin would not believe him: he supposed that Killegrew +disguised the truth, for the same reasons he had already alleged; and not +daring to mention the matter any more to him, he resolved to wait upon +her himself. He summoned all his courage for the enterprise, and got his +compliment by heart; but as soon as he had opened his mouth for the +purpose, she told him he might have saved himself the trouble of calling +on her about such a ridiculous affair; that she had already given her +answer to Killegrew; and that she neither had, nor ever should have, any +other to give; which words she accompanied with all the severity with +which importunate demands are usually refused. + +He was more affected than confounded at this repulse: everything became +odious to him in London, and he himself more so than all the rest: he +therefore left town, without taking leave of his cousin, went back to his +country seat, and thinking it would be impossible for him to live without +the inhuman fair, he resolved to neglect no opportunity in his power to +hasten his death. + +But whilst, in order to indulge his sorrow, he had forsaken all +intercourse with dogs and horses; that is to say, renounced all the +delights and endearments of a country squire, the scornful nymph, who was +certainly mistaken in her reckoning, took the liberty of being brought +to-bed in the face of the whole court. + +An adventure so public made no small noise, as we may very well +imagine: all the prudes at court at once broke loose upon it; and those +principally, whose age or persons secured them from any such scandal, +were the most inveterate, and cried most loudly for justice. But the +governess of the maids of honour, who might have been called to an +account for it, affirmed that it was nothing at all, and that she was +possessed of circumstances which would at once silence all censorious +tongues. She had an audience of the queen, in order to unfold the +mystery; and related to her majesty how everything had passed with her +consent, that is to say, upon honourable terms. + +The queen sent to inquire of Lord Taaffe, whether he acknowledged Miss +Warmestre for his wife: to which he most respectfully returned for +answer, that he neither acknowledged Miss Warmestre nor her child, and +that he wondered why she should rather father it upon him than any other. +The unfortunate Warmestre, more enraged at this answer than at the loss +of such a lover, quitted the court as soon as ever she was able, with a +resolution of quitting the world the first opportunity. + +Killegrew, being upon the point of setting out upon a journey, when this +adventure happened, thought he might as well call upon his afflicted +cousin in his way, to acquaint him with the circumstance; and as soon as +he saw him, without paying any attention to the delicacy of his love, or +to his feelings, he bluntly told him the whole story: nor did he omit any +colouring that could heighten his indignation, in order to make him burst +with shame and resentment. + +We read that the gentle Tiridates quietly expired upon the recital of the +death of Mariamne; but Killegrew's fond cousin falling devoutly upon his +knees, and lifting up his eyes to Heaven, poured forth this exclamation: + +"Praised be the Lord for a small misfortune, which perhaps may prove +the comfort of my life! Who knows but the beauteous Warmestre will now +accept of me for a husband; and that I may have the happiness of passing +the remainder of my days with a woman I adore, and by whom I may expect +to have heirs?" "Certainly," said Killegrew, more confounded than his +cousin ought to have been on such an occasion, "you may depend upon +having both: I make no manner of doubt but she will marry you as soon as +ever she is recovered from her lying-in; and it would be a great ill- +nature in her, who already knows the way, to let you want children: +however, in the meantime I advise you to take that she has already, +till you get more." + +Notwithstanding this raillery, all that was said did take place. This +faithful lover courted her, as if she had been the chaste Lucretia, or +the beauteous Helen: his passion even increased after marriage, and the +generous fair, first out of gratitude, and afterwards through +inclination, never brought him a child of which he was not the father; +and though there have been many a happy couple in England, this certainly +was the happiest. + +Some time after, Miss Bellenden, not being terrified by this example, +had the prudence to quit the court before she was obliged so to do: the +disagreeable Bardou followed her soon after; but for different reasons. +Every person was at last completely tired of her saraband, as well as of +her face; and the king, that he might see neither of them any more, gave +each a small pension for her subsistence. There now only remained little +Mademoiselle de la Garde to be provided for neither her virtues nor her +vices were sufficiently conspicuous to occasion her being either +dismissed from court, or pressed to remain there: God knows what would +have become of her, if a Mr. Silvius, a man who had nothing of a Roman in +him except the name, had not taken the poor girl to be his wife. We have +now shown how all these damsels deserved to be expelled, either for their +irregularities, or for their ugliness; and yet, those who replaced them +found means to make them regretted, Miss Wells only excepted. + +She was a tall girl, exquisitely shaped: she dressed very genteel, walked +like a goddess; and yet, her face, though made like those that generally +please the most, was unfortunately one of those that pleased the least: +nature had spread over it a certain careless indolence that made her look +sheepish. This gave but a bad opinion of her wit: and her wit had the +ill-luck to make good that opinion: however, as she was fresh coloured, +and appeared inexperienced, the king, whom the fair Stewart did not +render over nice as to the perfections of the mind, resolved to try +whether the senses would not fare better with Miss Wells's person than +fine sentiments with her understanding: nor was this experiment attended +with much difficulty: she was of a loyal family; and her father having +faithfully served Charles the First, she thought it her duty not to +revolt against Charles the Second. But this connection was not attended +with very advantageous circumstances for herself; some pretended that she +did not hold out long enough, and that she surrendered at discretion +before she was vigorously attacked; and others said, that his majesty +complained of certain other facilities still less pleasing. The Duke of +Buckingham made a couplet upon this occasion, wherein the king, speaking +to Progers, the confidant of his intrigues, puns upon the name of the +fair one, to the following purport: + + When the king felt the horrible depth of this Well, + "Tell me, Progers," cried Charlie, "where am I? oh tell! + Had I sought the world's centre to find, I had found it, + But this Well! ne'er a plummet was made that could sound it." + + [Edward Progers, Esq., was a younger son of Philip Progers, Esq., of + the family of Garreddin, in Monmouthshire. His father was a colonel + in the army, and equerry to James I. Edward was early introduced to + court, and, after having been page to Charles I., was made groom of + the bed-chamber to his son, while Prince of Wales. He attached + himself to the king's interest during the war with the parliament, + with laudable fidelity. The following letter, from which + antiquaries may derive the minute information that Charles II. did + wear mourning for a whole year for his father, serves to shew the + familiar style which Charles used to Progers, as well as his + straitened circumstances while in the island of Jersey. + + "Progers, I wold have you (besides the embroidred sute) bring me a + plaine riding suite, with an innocent coate, the suites I haue for + horsebacke being so spotted and spoiled that they are not to be + seene out of this island. The lining of the coate, and the petit + toies are referred to your greate discretion, provided there want + nothing when it comes to be put on. I doe not remember there was a + belt, or a hat-band, in your directions for the embroidred suite, + and those are so necessarie as you must not forget them. + + "Jearsey, 14th Jan. old stile, 1649. CHARLES R."] + +Miss Wells, notwithstanding this species of anagram upon her name, and +these remarks upon her person, shone the brightest among her new +companions. These were Miss Levingston, Miss Fielding, and Miss Boynton, +who little deserve to be mentioned in these memoirs; therefore we shall +leave them in obscurity until it please fortune to draw them out of it. + +This was the new establishment of maids of honour to the queen. The +Duchess of York, nearly about the same time, likewise recruited hers; but +showed, by a happier and more brilliant choice, that England possessed an +inexhaustible stock of beauties. But before we begin to speak of them, +let us see who were the first maids of honour to her royal highness, and +on what account they were removed. + +Besides Miss Blague and Miss Price, whom we have before mentioned, the +establishment was composed of Miss Bagot and Miss Hobart, the president +of the community. Miss Blague, who never knew the true reason of her +quarrel with the Marquis de Brisacier, took it up upon that fatal letter +she had received from him, wherein, without acquainting her that Miss +Price was to wear the same sort of gloves and yellow riband as herself, +he had only complimented her upon her hair, her fair complexion, and her +eyes marcassins. This word she imagined must signify something +particularly wonderful, since her eyes were compared to it; and being +desirous, some time afterwards, to know all the energy of the expression, +she asked the meaning of the French word marcassin. As there are no wild +boars in England, those to whom she addressed herself, told her that it +signified a young pig. This scandalous simile confirmed her in the +belief she entertained of his perfidy. Brisacier, more amazed at her +change, than she was offended at his supposed calumny, looked upon her +as a woman still more capricious than insignificant, and never troubled +himself more about her; but Sir Yarborough, of as fair a complexion as +herself, made her an offer of marriage in the height of her resentment, +and was accepted: chance made up this match, I suppose, as an experiment +to try what such a white-haired union would produce. + +Miss Price was witty; and as her person was not very likely to attract +many admirers, which, however, she was resolved to have, she was far from +being coy when an occasion offered: she did not so much as make any +terms: she was violent in her resentments, as well as in her attachments, +which had exposed her to some inconveniences; and she had very +indiscreetly quarrelled with a young girl whom Lord Rochester admired. +This connection, which till then had been a secret, she had the +imprudence to publish to the whole world, and thereby drew upon herself +the most dangerous enemy in the universe: never did any man write with +more ease, humour, spirit, and delicacy; but he was at the same time the +most severe satirist. + +Poor Miss Price, who had thus voluntarily provoked his resentment, was +daily exposed in some new shape: there was every day some new song or +other, the subject of which was her conduct, and the burden her name. +How was it possible for her to bear up against these attacks, in a court, +where every person was eager to obtain the most insignificant trifle that +came from the pen of Lord Rochester? The loss of her lover, and the +discovery that attended it, was only wanting to complete the persecution +that was raised against her. + +About this time died Dongan, a gentleman of merit, who was succeeded by +Durfort, afterwards Earl of Feversham, in the post of lieutenant of the +duke's life guards. Miss Price having tenderly loved him, his death +plunged her into a gulf of despair; but the inventory of his effects had +almost deprived her of her senses: there was in it a certain little box +sealed up on all sides: it was addressed in the deceased's own +handwriting to Miss Price; but instead of receiving it, she had not even +the courage to look upon it. The governess thought it became her in +prudence to receive it, on Miss Price's refusal, and her duty to deliver +it to the duchess herself, supposing it was filled with many curious and +precious commodities, of which perhaps she might make some advantage. +Though the duchess was not altogether of the same opinion, she had the +curiosity to see what was contained in a box sealed up in a manner so +particularly careful, and therefore caused it to be opened in the +presence of some ladies, who happened then to be in her closet. + +All kinds of love trinkets were found in it; and all these favours, it +appeared, came from the tender-hearted Miss Price. It was difficult to +comprehend how a single person could have furnished so great a +collection; for, besides counting the pictures, there was hair of all +descriptions, wrought into bracelets, lockets, and into a thousand other +different devices, wonderful to see. After these were three or four +packets of letters, of so tender a nature, and so full of raptures and +languors so naturally expressed, that the duchess could not endure the +reading of any more than the two first. + +Her royal highness was sorry that she had caused the box to be opened in +such good company; for being before such witnesses, she rightly judged it +was impossible to stifle this adventure; and, at the same time, there +being no possibility of retaining any longer such a maid of honour, Miss +Price had her valuables restored to her, with orders to go and finish her +lamentations, or to console herself for the loss of her lover, in some +other place. + +Miss Hobart's character was at that time as uncommon in England, as her +person was singular, in a country where, to be young, and not to be in +some degree handsome, is a reproach; she had a good shape, rather a bold +air, and a great deal of wit, which was well cultivated, without having +much discretion. She was likewise possessed of a great deal of vivacity, +with an irregular fancy: there was a great deal of fire in her eyes, +which, however, produced no effect upon the beholders and she had a +tender heart, whose sensibility some pretended was alone in favour +of the fair sex. + +Miss Bagot was the first that gained her tenderness and affection, which +she returned at first with equal warmth and sincerity; but perceiving +that all her friendship was insufficient to repay that of Miss Hobart, +she yielded the conquest to the governess's niece, who thought herself as +much honoured by it as her aunt thought herself obliged by the care she +took of the young girl. + +It was not long before the report, whether true or false, of this +singularity, spread through the whole court, where people, being yet so +uncivilized as never to have heard of that kind of refinement in love +of ancient Greece, imagined that the illustrious Hobart, who seemed so +particularly attached to the fair sex, was in reality something more +than she appeared to be. + +Satirical ballads soon began to compliment her upon these new attributes; +and upon the insinuations that were therein made, her companions began to +fear her. The governess, alarmed at these reports, consulted Lord +Rochester upon the danger to which her niece was exposed. She could not +have applied to a fitter person: he immediately advised her to take her +niece out of the hands of Miss Hobart; and contrived matters so well that +she fell into his own. The duchess, who had too much generosity not to +treat as visionary what was imputed to Miss Hobart, and too much justice +to condemn her upon the faith of lampoons, removed her from the society +of the maids of honour, to be an attendant upon her own person. + +Miss Bagot was the only one who was really possessed of virtue and beauty +among these maids of honour: she had beautiful and regular features, and +that sort of brown complexion, which, when in perfection, is so +particularly fascinating, and more especially in England, where it is +uncommon. There was an involuntary blush almost continually upon her +cheek, without having anything to blush for. Lord Falmouth cast his eyes +upon her: his addresses were better received than those of Miss Hobart, +and some time after Cupid raised her from the post of maid of honour to +the duchess to a rank which might have been envied by all the young +ladies in England. + +The Duchess of York, in order to form her new court, resolved to see all +the young persons that offered themselves, and, without any regard to +recommendations, to choose none but the handsomest. + +At the head of this new assembly appeared Miss Jennings and Miss Temple; +and indeed they so entirely eclipsed the other two, that we shall speak +of them only. + +Miss Jennings, adorned with all the blooming treasures of youth, had the +fairest and brightest complexion that ever was seen: her hair was of a +most beauteous flaxen: there was something particularly lively and +animated in her countenance, which preserved her from that insipidity +which is frequently an attendant on a complexion so extremely fair. Her +mouth was not the smallest, but it was the handsomest mouth in the world. +Nature had endowed her with all those charms which cannot be expressed, +and the graces had given the finishing stroke to them. The turn of her +face was exquisitely fine, and her swelling neck was as fair and as +bright as her face. In a word, her person gave the idea of Aurora, or +the goddess of the spring, "such as youthful poets fancy when they love." +But as it would have been unjust that a single person should have +engrossed all the treasures of beauty without any defect, there was +something wanting in her hands and arms to render them worthy of the +rest: her nose was not the most elegant, and her eyes gave some relief, +whilst her mouth and her other charms pierced the heart with a thousand +darts. + +With this amiable person she was full of wit and sprightliness, and all +her actions and motions were unaffected and easy: her conversation was +bewitching, when she had a mind to please; piercing and delicate when +disposed to raillery; but as her imagination was subject to flights, +and as she began to speak frequently before she had done thinking, her +expressions did not always convey what she wished; sometimes exceeding, +and at others falling short of her ideas. + +Miss Temple, nearly of the same age, was brown compared with the other: +she had a good shape, fine teeth, languishing, eyes, a fresh complexion, +an agreeable smile, and a lively air. Such was the outward form; but it +would be difficult to describe the rest; for she was simple and vain, +credulous and suspicious, coquettish and prudent, very self-sufficient +and very silly. + +As soon as these new stars appeared at the duchess's court, all eyes were +fixed upon them, and every one formed some design upon one or other of +them, some with honourable, and others with dishonest intentions. Miss +Jennings soon distinguished herself, and left her companions no other +admirers but such as remained constant from hopes of success: her +brilliant charms attracted at first sight, and the charms of her wit +secured her conquests. + +The Duke of York having persuaded himself that she was part of his +property, resolved to pursue his claim by the same title whereby his +brother had appropriated to himself the favours of Miss Wells; but he did +not find her inclined to enter into his service, though she had engaged +in that of the duchess. She would not pay any attention to the perpetual +ogling with which he at first attacked her. Her eyes were always +wandering on other objects, when those of his royal highness were looking +for them; and if by chance he caught any casual glance, she did not even +blush. This made him resolve to change his manner of attack: ogling +having proved ineffectual, he took an opportunity to speak to her; and +this was still worse. I know not in what strain he told his case; but it +is certain the oratory of the tongue was not more prevailing than the +eloquence of his eyes. + +Miss Jennings had both virtue and pride, and the proposals of the duke +were consistent with neither the one nor the other. Although from her +great vivacity one might suppose that she was not capable of much +reflection, yet she had furnished herself with some very salutary maxims +for the conduct of a young person of her age. The first was, that a lady +ought to be young to enter the court with advantage, and not old to leave +it with a good grace: that she could not maintain herself there but by a +glorious resistance, or by illustrious foibles and that, in so dangerous +a situation, she ought to use her utmost endeavours not to dispose of her +heart until she gave her hand. + +Entertaining such sentiments, she had far less trouble to resist the +duke's temptations, than to disengage herself from his perseverance: she +was deaf to all treaties for a settlement, with which her ambition was +sounded: and all offers of presents succeeded still worse. What was then +to be done to conquer an extravagant virtue that would not hearken to +reason? He was ashamed to suffer a giddy young girl to escape, whose +inclinations ought in some manner to correspond with the vivacity that +shone forth in all her actions, and who nevertheless thought proper to be +serious when no such thing as seriousness was required of her. + +After he had attentively considered her obstinate behaviour, he thought +that writing might perhaps succeed, though ogling, speeches, and +embassies had failed. Paper receives everything, but it unfortunately +happened that she would not receive the paper. Every day billets, +containing the tenderest expressions, and most magnificent promises, were +slipped into her pockets, or into her muff: this, however, could not be +done unperceived; and the malicious little gipsy took care that those who +saw them slip in, should likewise see them fall out, unperused and +unopened; she only shook her muff, or pulled out her handkerchief; as +soon as ever his back was turned, his billets fell about her like hail- +stones, and whoever pleased might take them up. The duchess was +frequently a witness of this conduct, but could not find in her heart to +chide her for her want of respect to the duke. After this, the charms +and prudence of Miss Jennings were the only subjects of conversation in +the two courts: the courtiers could not comprehend how a young creature, +brought directly from the country to court, should so soon become its +ornament by her attractions, and its example by her conduct. + +The king was of opinion that those who had attacked her had ill-concerted +their measures; for he thought it unnatural that she should neither be +tempted by promises, nor gained by importunity: she, especially, who in +all probability had not imbibed such severe precepts from the prudence of +her mother, who had never tasted any thing more delicious than the plums +and apricots of Saint Albans. Being resolved to try her himself, he was +particularly pleased with the great novelty that appeared in the turn of +her wit, and in the charms of her person; and curiosity, which at first +induced him to make the trial, was soon changed into a desire of +succeeding in the experiment. God knows what might have been the +consequence, for he greatly excelled in wit, and besides he was king: +two qualities of no small consideration. The resolutions of the fair +Jennings were commendable, and very judicious; but yet she was +wonderfully pleased with wit; and royal majesty prostrate at the feet +of a young person, is very persuasive. Miss Stewart, however, would +not consent to the king's project. + +She immediately took the alarm, and desired his majesty to leave to the +duke, his brother, the care of tutoring the duchess's maids of honour, +and only to attend to the management of his own flock, unless his majesty +would in return allow her to listen to certain proposals of a settlement +which she did not think disadvantageous. This menace being of a serious +nature, the king obeyed; and Miss Jennings had all the additional honour +which arose from this adventure: it both added to her reputation, and +increased the number of her admirers. Thus she continued to triumph over +the liberties of others without ever losing her own: her hour was not yet +come, but it was not far distant; the particulars of which we shall +relate as soon as we have given some account of the conduct of her +companion. + +Though Miss Temple's person was particularly engaging, it was +nevertheless eclipsed by that of Miss Jennings; but she was still more +excelled by the other's superior mental accomplishments. Two persons, +very capable to impart understanding, had the gift been communicable, +undertook at the same time to rob her of the little she really possessed: +these were Lord Rochester and Miss Hobart: the first began to mislead her +by reading to her all his compositions, as if she alone had been a proper +judge of them. He never thought proper to flatter her upon her personal +accomplishments; but told her that if heaven had made him susceptible of +the impressions of beauty, it would not have been possible for him to +have escaped her chains; but not being, thank God, affected with anything +but wit, he had the happiness of enjoying the most agreeable conversation +in the world without running any risk. After so sincere a confession he +either presented to her a copy of verses, or a new song, in which whoever +dared to come in competition in any respect with Miss Temple was laid +prostrate before her charms, most humbly to solicit pardon: such +flattering insinuations so completely turned her head that it was +a pity to see her. + +The duchess took notice of it, and well knowing the extent of both their +geniuses, she saw the precipice into which the poor girl was running +headlong without perceiving it; but as it is no less dangerous to forbid +a connection that is not yet thought of, than it is difficult to put an +end to one that is already well established, Miss Hobart was charged to +take care, with all possible discretion, that these frequent and long +conversations might not be attended with any dangerous consequences: with +pleasure she accepted the commission, and greatly flattered herself with +success. + +She had already made all necessary advances to gain possession of her +confidence and friendship; and Miss Temple, less suspicious of her than +of Lord Rochester, made all imaginable returns. She was greedy of +praise, and loved all manner of sweetmeats, as much as a child of nine or +ten years old: her taste was gratified in both these respects. Miss +Hobart having the superintendence of the duchess's baths, her apartment +joined them, in which there was a closet stored with all sorts of +sweetmeats and liqueurs: the closet suited Miss Temple's taste, as +exactly as it gratified Miss Hobart's inclination, to have something that +could allure her. + +Summer, being now returned, brought back with it the pleasures and +diversions that are its inseparable attendants. One day, when the ladies +had been taking the air on horseback, Miss Temple, on her return from +riding, alighted at Miss Hobart's, in order to recover her fatigue at the +expense of the sweetmeats, which she knew were there at her service; but +before she began she desired Miss Hobart's permission to undress herself, +and change her linen in her apartment; which request was immediately +complied with: "I was just going to propose it to you," said Miss Hobart, +"not but that you are as charming as an angel in your riding habit; but +there is nothing so comfortable as a loose dress, and being at one's +ease: you cannot imagine, my dear Temple," continued she, embracing her, +"how much you oblige me by thus free unceremonious conduct; but, above +all, I am enchanted with your particular attention to cleanliness: how +greatly you differ in this, as in many other things, from that silly +creature Jennings! Have you remarked how all our court fops admire her +for her brilliant complexion, which perhaps, after all, is not wholly her +own; and for blunders, which are truly original, and which they are such +fools as to mistake for wit: I have not conversed with her long enough to +perceive in what her wit consists; but of this I am certain, that if it +is not better than her feet, it is no great matter. What stories have I +heard of her sluttishness! No cat ever dreaded water so much as she +does: fie upon her! Never to wash for her own comfort, and only to +attend to those parts which must necessarily be seen, such as the neck +and hands." + +Miss Temple swallowed all this with even greater pleasure than the +sweetmeats; and the officious Hobart, not to lose time, was helping her +off with her clothes, while the chambermaid was coming. She made some +objections to this at first, being unwilling to occasion that trouble to +a person, who, like Miss Hobart, had been advanced to a place of dignity; +but she was overruled by her, and assured that it was with the greatest +pleasure she showed her that small mark of civility. The collation being +finished, and Miss Temple undressed: "Let us retire," said Miss Hobart, +"to the bathing closet, where we may enjoy a little conversation secure +from any impertinent visit." Miss Temple consented, and both of them +sitting down on a couch: "You are too young, my dear Temple," said she, +"to know the baseness of men in general, and too short a time acquainted +with the court to know the character of its inhabitants. I will give you +a short sketch of the principal persons, to the best of my knowledge, +without injury to any one; for I abominate the trade of scandal. + +"In the first place, then, you ought to set it down as an undoubted fact +that all courtiers are deficient either in honesty, good sense, judgment, +wit, or sincerity; that is to say, if any of them by chance possess some +one of these qualities, you may depend upon it he is defective in the +rest: sumptuous in their equipages, deep play, a great opinion of their +own merit, and contempt of that of others, are their chief +characteristics. + +"Interest or pleasure are the motives of all their actions: those who are +led by the first would sell God Almighty, as Judas sold his Master, and +that for less money. I could relate you a thousand noble instances of +this, if I had time. As for the sectaries of pleasure, or those who +pretend to be such, for they are not all so bad as they endeavour to make +themselves appear, these gentlemen pay no manner of regard either to +promises, oaths, law, or religion; that is to say, they are literally no +respecters of persons; they care neither for God nor man, if they can but +gain their ends. They look upon maids of honour only as amusements, +placed expressly at court for their entertainment; and the more merit any +one has, the more she is exposed to their impertinence, if she gives any +ear to them; and to their malicious calumnies, when she ceases to attend +to them. As for husbands, this is not the place to find them; for unless +money or caprice make up the match, there is but little hopes of being +married: virtue and beauty in this respect here are equally useless. +Lady Falmouth is the only instance of a maid of honour well married +without a portion; and if you were to ask her poor weak husband for what +reason he married her, I am persuaded that he can assign none, unless it +be her great red ears and broad feet. As for the pale Lady Yarborough, +who appeared so proud of her match, she is wife, to be sure, of a great +country bumpkin, who, the very week after their marriage, bid her take +her farewell of the town for ever, in consequence of five or six thousand +pounds a year he enjoys on the borders of Cornwall. Alas! poor Miss +Blague! I saw her go away about this time twelvemonth, in a coach with +four such lean horses, that I cannot believe she is yet half way to her +miserable little castle. What can be the matter! all the girls seem +afflicted with the rage of wedlock, and however small their portion of +charms may be, they think it only necessary to show themselves at court +in order to pick and choose their men: but was this in reality the case, +the being a wife is the most wretched condition imaginable for a person +of nice sentiments. Believe me, my dear Temple, the pleasures of +matrimony are so inconsiderable in comparison with its inconveniences, +that I cannot imagine how any reasonable creature can resolve upon it: +rather fly, therefore, from this irksome engagement than court it. +Jealousy, formerly a stranger to these happy isles, is now coming into +fashion, with many recent examples of which you are acquainted. However +brilliant the phantom may appear, suffer not yourself to be caught by its +splendour, and never be so weak as to transform your slave into your +tyrant: as long as you preserve your own liberty, you will be mistress of +that of others. I will relate to you a very recent proof of the perfidy +of man to our sex, and of the impunity they experience in all attempts +upon our innocence. The Earl of Oxford fell in love with a handsome, +graceful actress belonging to the duke's theatre, who performed to +perfection, particularly the part of Roxana, in a very fashionable new +play, insomuch that she ever after retained that name: this creature +being both very virtuous and very modest, or, if you please, wonderfully +obstinate, proudly rejected the addresses and presents of the Earl of +Oxford. This resistance inflamed his passion: he had recourse to +invectives, and even to spells; but all in vain. This disappointment had +such effect upon him that he could neither eat nor drink; this did not +signify to him; but his passion at length became so violent, that he +could neither play nor smoke. In this extremity love had recourse to +Hymen; the Earl of Oxford, one of the first peers of the realm, is, you +know, a very handsome man: he is of the order of the garter, which +greatly adds to an air naturally noble. In short, from his outward +appearance, you would suppose he was really possessed of some sense; +but as soon as ever you hear him speak, you are perfectly convinced of +the contrary. This passionate lover presented her with a promise of +marriage, in due form, signed with his own hand: she would not, however, +rely upon this, but the next day she thought there could be no danger, +when the earl himself came to her lodgings attended by a clergyman, and +another man for a witness: the marriage was accordingly solemnized with +all due ceremonies, in the presence of one of her fellow players, who +attended as a witness on her part. You will suppose, perhaps, that the +new countess had nothing to do but to appear at court according to her +rank, and to display the earl's arms upon her carriage. This was far +from being the case. When examination was made concerning the marriage, +it was found to be a mere deception: it appeared that the pretended +priest was one of my lord's trumpeters, and the witness his kettle +drummer. The parson and his companion never appeared after the ceremony +was over; and as for the other witness, they endeavoured to persuade her +that the Sultana Roxana might have supposed, in some part or other of a +play, that she was really married. It was all to no purpose, that the +poor creature claimed the protection of the laws of God and man, both +which were violated and abused, as well as herself, by this infamous +imposition: in vain did she throw herself at the King's feet to demand +justice: she had only to rise up again without redress; and happy might +she think herself to receive an annuity of one thousand crowns, and to +resume the name of Roxana, instead of Countess of Oxford. You will say, +perhaps, that she was only a player; that all men have not the same +sentiments as the earl; and, that one may at least believe them, when +they do but render justice to such merit as yours. But still do not +believe them, though I know you are liable to it, as you have admirers; +for all are not infatuated with Miss Jennings: the handsome Sydney ogles +you; Lord Rochester is delighted with your conversation; and the most +serious Sir Lyttleton forsakes his natural gravity in favour of your +charms. As for the first, I confess his figure is very likely to engage +the inclinations of a young person like yourself; but were his outward +form attended with other accomplishments, which I know it is not, and +that his sentiments in your favour were as real as he endeavours to +persuade you they are, and as you deserve, yet I would not advise you +to form any connections with him, for reasons which I cannot tell you +at present. + +"Sir Lyttleton is undoubtedly in earnest, since he appears ashamed of the +condition to which you have reduced him; and I really believe if he could +get the better of those vulgar chimerical apprehensions, of being what is +vulgarly called a cuckold, the good man would marry you, and you would be +his representative in his little government, where you might merrily pass +your days in casting up the weekly bills of housekeeping, and in darning +old napkins. What a glory would it be to have a Cato for a husband, +whose speeches are as many lectures, and whose lectures are composed of +nothing but ill-nature and censure! + +"Lord Rochester is, without contradiction, the most witty man in all +England; but then he is likewise the most unprincipled, and devoid even +of the least tincture of honour; he is dangerous to our sex alone; and +that to such a degree that there is not a woman who gives ear to him +three times, but she irretrievably loses her reputation. No woman can +escape him, for he has her in his writings, though his other attacks be +ineffectual; and in the age we live in, the one is as bad as the other in +the eye of the public. In the mean time nothing is more dangerous than +the artful insinuating manner with which he gains possession of the mind: +he applauds your taste, submits to your sentiments, and at the very +instant that he himself does not believe a single word of what he is +saying, he makes you believe it all. I dare lay a wager, that from the +conversation you have had with him, you thought him one of the most +honourable and sincerest men living; for my part I cannot imagine what he +means by the assiduity he pays you not but your accomplishments are +sufficient to excite the adoration and praise of the whole world; but had +he even been so fortunate as to have gained your affections, he would not +know what to do with the loveliest creature at court: for it is a long +time since his debauches have brought him to order, with the assistance +of the favours of all the common street-walkers. See then, my dear +Temple, what horrid malice possesses him, to the ruin and confusion of +innocence! A wretch! to have no other design in his addresses and +assiduities to Miss Temple, but to give a greater air of probability to +the calumnies with which he has loaded her. You look upon me with +astonishment, and seem to doubt the truth of what I advance; but I do not +desire you to believe me without evidence: 'Here,' said she, drawing a +paper out of her pocket, 'see what a copy of verses he has made in your +praise, while he lulls your credulity to rest, by flattering speeches and +feigned respect.'" + +After saying this, the perfidious Hobart showed her half-a-dozen couplets +full of strained invective and scandal, which Rochester had made against +the former maids of honour. This severe and cutting lampoon was +principally levelled against Miss Price, whose person he took to pieces +in the most frightful and hideous manner imaginable. Miss Hobart had +substituted the name of Temple instead of Price, which she made to agree +both with the measure and tune of the song. This effectually answered +Hobart's intentions: the credulous Temple no sooner heard her sing the +lampoon, but she firmly believed it to be made upon herself; and in the +first transports of her rage, having nothing so much at heart as to give +the lie to the fictions of the poet: "Ah! as for this, my dear Hobart," +said she, "I can bear it no longer: I do not pretend to be so handsome as +some others; but as for the defects that villain charges me with, I dare +say, my dear Hobart, there is no woman more free from them: we are alone, +and I am almost inclined to convince you by ocular demonstration." Miss +Hobart was too complaisant to oppose this motion; but, although she +soothed her mind by extolling all her beauties, in opposition to Lord +Rochester's song, Miss Temple was almost driven to distraction by rage +and astonishment, that the first man she ever attended to should, in his +conversation with her, not even make use of a single word of truth, but +that he should likewise have the unparalleled cruelty falsely to accuse +her of defects; and not being able to find words capable of expressing +her anger and resentment, she began to weep like a child. + +Miss Hobart used all her endeavours to comfort her, and chid her for +being so much hurt with the invectives of a person whose scandalous +impostures were too well known to make any impression: she however +advised her never to speak to him any more, for that was the only method +to disappoint his designs; that contempt and silence were, on such +occasions, much preferable to any explanation, and that if he could +once obtain a hearing, he would be justified, but she would be ruined. + +Miss Hobart was not wrong in giving her this counsel: she knew that an +explanation would betray her, and that there would be no quarter for her +if Lord Rochester had so fair an opportunity of renewing his former +panegyrics upon her; but her precaution was in vain: this conversation +had been heard from one end to the other, by the governess's niece, who +was blessed with a most faithful memory; and having that very day an +appointment with Lord Rochester, she conned it over three or four times, +that she might not forget one single word, when she should have the +honour of relating it to her lover. We shall show in the next chapter, +what were the consequences resulting from it. + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +Better to partake with another than to have nothing at all +How I must hate you, if I did not love you to distraction +So weak as to transform your slave into your tyrant +Terrible piece of furniture for the country (educated girl) +What a glory would it be to have a Cato for a husband + + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MEMOIRS OF GRAMMONT, V5, BY HAMILTON *** + +************* This file should be named mcg5w10.txt or mcg5w10.zip ************ + +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, mcg5w11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, mcg5w10a.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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