Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

register in the vestry-book. To e
severe disappointment the earl recovered,
while the duke of Kingston, still igno-
rant of her marriage, solicited her hand.
She made unavailing efforts to prevail on
the earl of Bristol to agree to a divorce,
till at length he became enamoured of
another lady, and a divorce by mutual
consent was pronounced at Doctors' Com-
mons. She had now reached the summit
of her wishes, and was publicly married
on the 8th of March, 1769, to Evelyn
Pierrepont, duke of Kingston, with whom
she lived till his death, in 1773. The
duke bequeathed to her his entire pro-
perty, upon condition that she should
never marry again; and the duchess
plunged into a course of licentiousness
which exposed her to public censure, and
in consequence of which she went to Italy.
A magnificent yacht, built and ornamented
at an immense expense, conveyed her to
Rome, where she was received by the
pope and cardinals with great pomp, and
treated as a princess. During her resi
dence at Rome, she was on the eve of
bestowing her hand and fortune upon an
adventurer, who represented himself to be
the prince of Albania, when he was
apprehended as a swindler, and committed
suicide in prison. Soon afterwards she
learned that the heirs of the duke of
Kingston sought to establish against her
the charge of bigamy, in order to invali-
date her marriage with the duke, and set
aside his will. She instantly repaired to
her banker, who, having been gained over
by the other party, concealed himself, to
avoid giving her the sum requisite for a
journey to London. She placed herself
at his door, and, pistol in hand, com-
pelled him to comply with her demand.
Upon her arrival in England she found
that her first marriage had been declared
valid, upon the ground of incompetency
in the court which had pronounced it void.
Public opinion was against her; and, under
the character of lady Kitty Crocodile, she
was ridiculed by Foote, in A Trip to
Calais, which she succeeded in obtaining
to be prohibited. The validity of her first
marriage being established, preparations
were made to try her for bigamy, and West-
minster Hall was fitted up with great August 28. Day breaks
state. The trial was attended by most
of the members of the royal family, the
foreign ambassadors, members of par-
liament, and other distinguished per-
sonages. The duchess, in deep mourning,
took her seat unmoved, attended by two

femmes de chumbre, a physician, an apothe
cary, her secretary, and six counsel. She
addressed the peers with energy, but was
declared guilty. But, although her marriage
with the duke was declared bad, his will
was decided to be good: she lost the title
but retained the property. Upon this
issue of the affair, the adversaries of lady
Bristol took measures to prevent her
quitting the kingdom; but, whilst the writ
ne exeat regno was preparing, she em-
barked for Calais and proceeded to Rome.
After remaining there for some time she
returned to Calais, and hired a spacious
mansion which she splendidly furnished;
but, the monotony of the town not suiting
her volatile and turbulent disposition, she
made a voyage to St. Petersburgh, in a
magnificent yacht, and was received with
the highest distinction by the Empress
Catherine, to whom she presented the
valuable collection of pictures formed by
the Kingston family. She afterwards
went to Poland, where prince Radzivil
gave sumptuous entertainments in honor
of her visit, particularly a bear-hunt ty
torch-light. Upon returning to France
she purchased the beautiful château de
Sainte Assize, two leagues from Fontaine-
bleau, and the mansion in the rue Coq-
Héron, at Paris, where she died, after
executing a will, made by two attorneys
who came from England on purpose.
She bequeathed a set of jewels to the
Empress of Russia, a large diamond to
the pope, and a costly pearl necklace and
ear-rings to the countess of Salisbury,
because they had belonged to a lady who
bore that title in the reign of Henry IV.
Her property in France was estimated at
£200,000 sterling, besides which she had
valuable possessions in England and
Russia.*

The character of this female is easily explained. She had a foolish fashionable mother, who taught her to covet the vanity of distinction. She acquired it by nefarious arts, became rich and ostentatious, lived flagitiously, died dishonored, and is only remembered for her vices.

h. m.

[ocr errors]

2 55

Sun rises

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

5 6

sets

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

6254

9 5

[ocr errors]

Twilight ends

Blackberries ripen.

Paris iii. 221

[graphic]

OLD CHAPEL AT PADDLESWORTH, [For the Year Book.]

This building, now used as an outhouse, is situated within a short walk of Snodland, Kent. The exterior offers little worthy of observation, but internally it bears

considerable evidence of antiquity. "On entering it," says the author of Summer Wanderings, "a large white owl, scared by our presence, slid out by an old loophole in one of its walls, and swam silently

away through the garish light, to seek some other congenial resort. There yet remains the mitred archway very fair and large, of wrought stone, which separated the chancel from the body of the Church,' apparently of more recent workmanship than the rest of the building. One of the gable ends having suffered considerable injury, the roof in many places stands off from it, and the light thus admitted strikes so vividly on the eye as to produce a painful effect. When Hasted saw it, there was a breach made in the north side, wide enough for cattle to go in for shelter, and to receive ploughs, harrows, and other implements of husbandry; it is now repaired."

A little boy went into a barn,

And lay down on some hay:
An owl came out and flew about,
And the little boy ran away.

So runs one of those "Songs for the Nursery" endeared to us by association with our brightest and most pleasurable days. It is culled from a collection published in 1825, by William Darton, Holborn-hill,

who is entitled to our best thanks for car

rying us back to those scenes of infancy and boyhood which the mist of years cannot shroud, but on the contrary serves only to invest with an air of sanctity and beauty. These verses are different in their character, and display a variety of talent. Some are instructive, some amusing, some traditionary, but all, with one or two exceptions, are just what they should be. The mens conscia recti is admirably iliustrated in the little narrative of

[blocks in formation]

And pulled out a plum

And said, 'What a good boy am I !' From this history it will be at once evident that the complacency of Little Jack arises, not from his simple and undivided interest in the pie, but from a consciousness that he had acted uprightly,—the pastry being very possibly the reward of his honorable behaviour.

For sublimity of conception I know of nothing that excels the following:

To be sung on a high wind
Arthur o'Bower has broken his band,
He comes roaring up the land-
King of Scots, with all his power,
Cannot turn Arthur of the bower.

Milton's winds 'rushing abroad from the four hinges of the world, and falling on the vext wilderness," shrinks into insignificance, when compared with this mighty conqueror "breaking his band," roaring and raving up the land, and daring even a "King of Scots" to take the field against him. Then there is the sweet blending of high and manty dignity with all the gentleness of love supposed, in the name bestowed on this valorous personage-the greatness and majesty couched under the appellation "Arthur," combined with the soft and soothing considerations inseparably connected with his title "of the bower !"

Take as a contrast to this busy bustling hero, a piece of "still life" transplanted from p. 11:

Hickory, dickory, dock,

The mouse ran up the clock,
The clock struck one,

And the mouse came down,
Hickory, dickory, dock!

Think, gentle reader, of the "gim and
breathless hour of noon," and transport
yourself to a cottage in the country, with
its door standing ajar, and the window
stands within a few minutes of the "very
thrown open to the widest. The clock
witching hour of day," but the good
housewife, not having read Milton, knows
nothing of the "fear lest dinner cool,"
and has dropped into her neighbour's to
hear the news.
A poor mouse steals out
into the quiet sunshine and clambers up
the varnished case of this appendage, for
what purpose this deponent saith not,
when lo!

[blocks in formation]

Alas for Miss Muffett! she has marveilously diverted us:

Little Miss Muffett

She sat on a tuffett,

Eating of curds and whey There came a little spider, And sat down beside her, And frightened Miss Muffett away. Picture to yourself the dark and side-long gait of the smart little spider, scrambling towards the young lady, and taking in most orderly sort his seat beside her! Then for the distress and consternation of little Miss Muffett; how she screams out, leaps up, and shakes her frock as if all the scorpions in Egypt were clinging round it, and then wheels round like a dying peg-top, till, having staggered a few paces onwards, she settles down upon a daisied bank to take breath; and, ten to one, dreams of spiders all the next night! St. Pierre was right when he said that persons usually choose for their companions through life those who differ from them in certain essentials, and this constitutes the grand mystery of conjugal felicity. Take a lesson from Jack Sprat's wife, and choose one whose habits will as happily dove-tail with yours:

[blocks in formation]

ST. JOHN BAPTIST BEHEADED. There are particulars concerning the former celebrations of this day in the Every-Day Book, ii. 1140, where are also some legendary accounts of the Baptist's decollation by order of Herod. SALOME.

Once on a charger there was laid,
And brought before a royal maid,
As price of attitude and grace,
A guiltless head, a holy face,

It was on Herod's natal day,
Who o'er Judea's land held sway.
He married his own brother's wife,
Wicked Herodias. She the life
Of John the Baptist long had sought,
Because he openly had taught
That she a life unlawful led,
Having her husband's brother wed.

This was he, that saintly John,
Who in the wilderness alone
Abiding, did for clothing wear
A garment made of camel's hair ;

Honey and locusts were his food,
And he was most severely good.
He preached penitence and tears,
And, waking first the sinner's fears,
Prepared a path, made smooth a way
For his diviner master's day.

Herod kept in princely state
His birth-day. On his throne he sate,
After the feast, beholding her
Who danced with grace peculiar ;
Fair Salome, who did excel

All in that land for dancing well.
The feastful monarch's heart was fired,
And whatso'er thing she desired,
Though half his kingdom it should be,
He in his pleasure swore that he
Would give the graceful Salome.
The damsel was Herodias' daughter:
She to the queen hastes, and besought ho
To teach her what great gift to name.
Instructed by Herodias, came

The damsel back; to Herod said,
"Give me John the Baptist's head;
"And in a charger let it be
"Hither straightway brought to me."
Herod her suit would fain deny,
But for his oath's sake must comply,
When painters would by art express
Beauty in unloveliness,

Thee, Herodias' daughter, thee,
They fittest subject take to be.
They give thy form and features grace;
But ever in thy beauteous face
They show a stedfast cruel gaze,
An eye unpitying; and amaze
In all beholders deep they mark,
That thou betrayest not one spark
Of feeling for the ruthless deed
That did thy praiseful dance succeed.
For on the head they make you look,
As if a sullen joy you took,
A cruel triumph, wicked pride,
That for your sport a saint had died.
CHARLES LAMB.

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

[For the Year Book.]

"If any thing," says Voltaire, "could justify those who believe in an unavoidable fatality, it would be the series of misfortunes which, for the space of three hundred years, have befallen the House of Stuart.'

It is affirmed that when Fleance, the son of Banquo, fled into North Wales to shield himself from the power of Macbeth, the tyrant of Scotland, he found a friendly asylum at the court of Griffydth ap Llewellyn, the reigning prince, by whom he was long entertained with the warmest affection; and tnat becoming enamoured of Nest, the daughter of Grif fydth, and violating the laws of hospitality and honor, he formed an illicit intimacy with her, and had by her a son whom they named Walter. Gryffydth, in resentment for so foul an offence, ordered Fleance to be slain, and reduced his daughter to servitude. As her son Walter advanced in years, he excelled in valor and elevation of mind. In a dispute with a companion his birth was reproachfully retorted on him; he slew his antagonist on the spot, and fearing to abide the consequences fled into Scotland, where he attached himself to the English, in the train of Queen Margaret, sister to Edgar Atheling. Walter by his conduct and ability acquired great esteem; he obtained honorable public employment, and was ultimately appointed High Steward of Scotland, from which office he and his descendants took the name of Stewart, or Stuart. From this root sprung the royal family of Stuart, as well as other

branches of illustrious families in Scotland.*

Sir Walter Scott, however, alleges that "Early authorities show us no such persons as Banquo and his son Fleance, nor have we reason to think that the latter ever fled further from Macbeth than across the flat scene according to the stage directionneither were Banquo or his son ancestors to the house of Stuart."+ In addition to this, there is a statement of more importance by Sir Walter-"The genealogy of the Stewart family, who acceded to the throne of Scotland, has been the theme of many a fable. But their pedigree has by late antiquarians been distinctly traced to the great Anglo-Norman family of FitzAlan in England: no unworthy descent for a race of monarchs. In David the first's time, Walter Fitz-Alan held the high post of Senechal or high steward of the king's household; and, the dignity becoming hereditary in the family, what was originally a title became a surname." I

That the Stuarts themselves believed in their being descended from Banquo, and that one of our Universities also gave credence to it, is a recorded fact-for University of Oxford, on passing the gate when James I. (of England) visited the of St. John's College, his Majesty was saluted by three youths representing the weird sisters (Sibyllæ) who in Latin hexameters bade the descendant of Banquo hail, as king of Scotland, England, and Ireland. "Ad Regis introitum, e Joanensi Collegio extra portam urbis Borealem sito, tres quasi Sibyllæ, ut e sylvâ salutâ

runt.

[blocks in formation]
« ZurückWeiter »