quence of the Duc D'Angoulême's presence, held out the longest in favour of the Bourbons. The English that are here are very uncertain what steps to take; and I fancy many would have taken flight some time since, had not the fear of banditti been stronger than any other; and indeed poor Irvine * will, I hope, write you an account of his adventure with them, which will interest you much, but which must have been as unpleasant a piece of romance as ever befell a poor traveller: but you will be happy to hear that the said banditti wore green velvet jackets, with a power of gold buttons-and white hats looped up with ribbons innumerable. Elizabeth, who sends her kind regards to you, is going to set off for Paris with a certain Countess Waleska [sicWalewska], of whom Her Royal Highness will give you an account; and with her I consider her quite safe. From France she will probably go to England. Gell and I have the most comfortable and, we think, the prettiest apartment in the whole town, which is the admiration of all our countrymen. We give them tea every evening, at any hour from eight till eleven-as, if we are not at home, the tea-pot is and we generally have very good company, headed by Ward, who is in a kind of honey mood, which renders him an universal, and I must add, unexpected favourite. The beauty of the country just now is not to be described by pen; but I hope peace will enable you to judge of it next year, for I never mean to leave it again, except perhaps for a short time, if I am able, &c. &c. Yours most sincerely and affectionately, K. C. HOLLAND HOUSE, Dec. 8th. MY DEAR —]—When we have once determined on taking an important step, we are glad of the suffrage even of an insignificant person in favour of it; and though I am afraid that you have known me too long and too well to have much confidence in my judgment, on the other hand, you must by this time be too thoroughly persuaded of the warm * Mr. Irvine was one of many persons who were attacked by the banditti between Rome and Naples. He escaped with his life, but not without being severely wounded. [Original note.] and sincere interest which I take in your welfare, to doubt that if I rejoice at your having taken any particular step, it can only be from my believing that it is likely to contribute to your benefit and pleasure. I therefore take the liberty of telling you that I am very glad of your accepting [—]. I have lately seen a good deal of your future mistress, and am persuaded of her possessing many estimable qualities. She is extremely good-humoured and obliging, and seems very much attached to the persons in whose favour she conceives a prepossession. She is by no means exigeante; at the same time, no little attention is lost upon her. She seems grateful for the slightest indication of good-will towards her, (probably, poor soul! the ill treatment which she has at times received since her arrival in this country has made such doubly acceptable to her,) and she is generous; indeed I may say profuse, in her manner of returning it. She reads a great deal, and buys all new books; is very fond of music, and the play; has boxes at the Opera and both the theatres, which Her Royal Highness attends frequently. She has concerts often at the palace, with the best performers; is fond of having persons of distinction at her table, either for rank or for political and literary merits; and I need not tell you, that her ladies are all most agreeable persons. Lady Glenbervie and Lady C. Lindsay are pétillantes d'esprit, and Lady [] will please you infinitely. *** I know you well enough to assert, upon my own authority, that the above is exactly the sort of society which you would have chosen for yourself. The gêne of a court attendance will be less felt by you than by almost any body else; as I know few people who have been more in the habit of sacrificing their own inclinations to those of the persons with whom they were living; and the Princess, by her manner of speaking of you, seems prepared to like every thing you say and do. To be sure, I have endeavoured to clear up her ideas on this subject, but I cannot say with much success; she seems most obstinately prejudiced in your favour. Into the bargain, I confess it will give me great pleasure to see you placed in your proper sphere,* and occupying a situation in which * What a mistake Mr. Lewis made in wishing his friend such joy at the appointment about the Princess of Wales! for though what he said of Her Royal Highness's society at that time was true, and you cannot fail to appear to so much advantage. Her Royal Highness has for some time past been so kind to me, that gratitude for her attentions must necessarily render me a partial judge but even, making all possible allowance, I cannot help flattering myself that you will have reason to be satisfied with your new situation. There is no news of any kind. Mr. R. Walpole has been tapped for the dropsy, and is considered as being in a very dangerous state. exigente, E good-will wr nt which she! country hist ing it. St Ty fond of oth the ently S perkarazo. table etter and I am persors des dispe I know v that the ld have c er of spe Ever yours, M. G. LEWIS. Letter from HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCESS OF WALES to [—].* DEAR -],-I resume my pen again. By the franc which you received on Tuesday, you have seen that Lord Byron was of the party on Sunday; and he was really the hero of the party, for he was in very high spirits, free like a He intended bird in the air, having just got rid of his chains. still to go abroad, but where, how and with whom, he is I am sorry to mention, quite unsettled in his mind about it. that his last poem upon "The Decadence of Bonaparte," is So much about him. worthy neither his pen nor his muse. We sat down seventeen, and the dinner was as merry as any party of the sort could go off. Everybody was determined to be good-humoured and witty. Even old Borringdon did "son petit possible." After we had left the gentlemene and we ladies sat round the fire, equal in number to the nine Muses, a German flute-player, of the name of Foust, came to assume the place of the demigod Pan. He worked much upon the feelings of Lady Anne, who was quite enraptured. that it was a very agreeable one, it was no feather in any body's cap to have been in that unfortunate lady's service. On the contrary, so vindictive are all members of the R- F— in their feelings towards her even to this day, that nothing would induce them to have any person in their households who had ever been about the Princess. No worldling ever served Her Royal Highness; and even those who were personally attached to her, and felt her wrongs, were at last compelled, one by one, to leave her service. [Original note.] *The following letters really belong to an earlier part of the book, but are placed here-an instance of the haste and carelessness with which it was put together. She went close to the sounds of his flute, looking strangely into his face, as if looking him through and through. Upon the other virgin's heart, Miss Hayman,* he also had much effect. She took out her pair of spectacles, and went to the pianoforte to accompany this bewitching flute. Lady Anne acted the pantomime the whole time the music continued. I could admire neither the one nor the other. This heathen god is deaf upon one ear, which occasioned him to produce a great many false notes, and I was too happy when released from this cacaphonie. On Monday, as I mentioned to you, I had a little children's ball in honour of my nephews, little Princes Charles and William.† Twenty couple never were better fitted for dancing, for beauty, and skill. Lady Anne presided at the head of the large table appropriated for the children. There was no dancing after supper, but fireworks, which made the conclusion of the evening. I confess I was as tired as if I had danced also, from the noise and from the total want of any real good conversation with the grown people. I think, in general, people are grown more old and dull since the two years I have not met them. Nothing but the wine at table exhilarates their spirits, and the high dishes takes them out of their [word wanting]. But I am glad to assure you that I have now done my duty for this year, and shall not be troubled again. I wish to God for never with any sight of them. Yesterday I made morning visits to Lady Glenbervie and Lady Charlotte, at the Pheaseantry; this evening I go to Covent Garden, and to-morrow to Drury Lane, to amuse Willy, and to take away from the dreadful dreary and long evenings I passed with La Pucelle d'Orleans. Everybody of my acquaintance almost is gone to Paris. Mr. Ward went on Monday; the Pools went, like conjugal felicity, to Paris also, and took their only petit fruit d'amour, Emily, with them. Lord Lucan has sold his house in Hamilton Place to Lord Wellington: the former is going abroad for three *This lady was a fine and rare specimen of English character: rough in manner, right in principle, blunt in speech, but tender in heart; kind, true, and trust-worthy; with a love for, and true understanding of music, in which she was a proficient. [Original note.] † Prince William was afterwards the reigning Duke of Brunswick : on the deposition of his brother, Prince Charles. |