"Or is this fellow, loaded with Dutch ducats?" continued the King, as another burst, at no great distance. "Hear me king Charles!" cried Rochester whose impudence now fairly forsook him; while Buckingham laughed loudly at his distress. "Where is the beauty of the Netherlands?" cried Charles, "Mercy, most gracious Sovereign!" cried Rochester, "had I succeeded in that point, I could have died content!" "Drive on Coachman!" said the King, and the carriage rolled away leaving the unhappy Rochester on his knees in the dust. -- In revenge for this reception Rochester wrote the terrible satire called the "The Restoration" or "the History of Fools", and continued for a long time out of favour. On the return of the Dutch fleet to Holland, the nuptials of Captain Brakel and Minna De Witt were celebrated with great magnificence, and the bride caused the scene to be painted, in which the prophecy took place, that met with so singular a fulfilment. THE CHILDREN OF CHARLES I, OF ENGLAND. Painted by ANTONY VANDYKE. On a lovely summer evening in the year 1639, Antony Vandyke the prince of portrait painters, sat in the sumptuous apartment, which the munificence of his patron, Charles the first, assigned to him. Although still young, for he had not yet attained his thirtieth year, the countenance of the painter had lost all the freshness of youth; care or dissipation had already traced furrows on his lofty forehead, and quenched the lustre of his large and expressive eyes. Vandyke wore the elegant and picturesque costume, that his pictures have made so familiar to after ages; but the negligence visible both in his dress, and in the arrangement of his hair, not less than the jaded and fretful expression of his features, gave him the air of a man who was completely dissatisfied both with himself, and everything around him. The entrance of two persons into the apartment, caused Vandyke to rise from the couch on which he had hitherto been half sitting, half reclining; the new comers were Lord Digby a friend of the painter, and his patron the Duke of Buckingham, the prime minister, and favourite of the King. "I have the honour to inform you, Sir Antony Vandyke, that his Majesty commands your attendance at Whitehall," said the Duke; "His Majesty also informs you through me, of the continuance of his gracious favour, and that nothing can alter his Majesty's favourable disposition towards you. THE CHILDREN OF CHARLES 1, OF ENGLAND. 39 "Humph! I know what the favourable disposition of an Englishman means," said Van dyke peevishly, "my first reception here showed me that, for my part, I am tired to death of England and of everything English, and of King Charles, and his Court most especially. I shall depart for Antwerp to morrow, where if I must die of ennui, I shall at least be allowed to die in peace." "What is it you require!" exclaimed Buckingham somewhat hastily, "of what do you complain?, the King honours your Genius, as it deserves to be honoured; there lies the portrait set with diamonds, which he has presented to you, and you have already been created a knight of the Bath; to my thinking, you can scarcely complain of want of liberality on the part of the English!" "If I were inclined to boast," replied Vandyke, turning hastily towards the Duke, "I might reply, that I have received nothing in England, that I have not richly earned, I have over-worked, and exhausted myself to meet the demands of your King for whom I have executed more than a hundred paintings: and yet when three weeks since I demanded for weighty reasons, a private audience of his Majesty I was told I must come another time, as if I were a menial, rather than an Artist who owns no one for his superior. "My good friend" replied Digby, "who now took up the conversation; you must not forget, that at the present moment, the King's time is almost entirely occupied with public affairs. At a time when the throne is shaken by the English republicans, and the Scotch are on the verge of rebellion, it may surely be excused, if the welfare of the Nation is preferred to the wish of an individual." "Besides! resumed Buckingham" the King's health is far from good, and if I am to believe my friend Digby here you are too much in the habit of viewing every circumstance in the most gloomy colours." "It is but too true," said Vandyke with an air of despondency, "I see only strongly contrasted tints green and red sky - blue and black!" "Well, well, I am glad to hear you admit so much!" said Buckingham, "especially as Digby and myself have come to act the part of father confessors to you." Vandyke shook his head mournfully. "Yes Anthony," said Digby, "grasping the hand of the painter; "we come if possible, to save you from yourself, to withdraw you from the vortex of dissipation into which you have plunged, and which is evidently destroying your health, and debilitating your mental powers, and which will assuredly prove your destruction, unless you make an energetic effort to overcome it. "Ah my friend" replied Vandyke, greatly moved, "leave me in peace I pray you, I am tired of everything, even of life itself." "God forbid!" said Buckingham, laughing, "you will now first begin to live, for "by our lady" we intend nothing less than to marry you, and that forthwith." "A new course of life is necessary to you," resumed Digby," you feel yourself, that dissipation is not pleasure, and that you are wretched in the midst of what is in tended for enjoyment, the divine fire of genius burns in your breast, and yet heaven knows when you have touched either palette or pencil." "Am I then a boy!" said Vandyke, "that you can point out to me, what I cannot find for myself, how do you know that the lady, you have selected will please me, I suppose at least, I am to be allowed a voice in the matter!" The Duke of Buckingham drew from his pocket a richly mounted miniature, and handed it to Vandyke; "look at that first" said he, "and then we will resume the discourse." - Vandyke took the portrait, and observed it for a moment with great attention; suddenly the almost extinguished fire again sparkled in his eyes, his cheek flushed he examined the portrait closer, involuntary murmurs escaped him, and he appeared altogether to forget the presence of his companions. Digby laid his hand lightly on the shoulder of the Painter, who awoke from his reverie, and exclaimed, "ah! my friend this is indeed a lovely portrait; but I feel certain the original is a hundred times more beautiful who is she?" "If you will but listen to reason," said Buckingham, "I will answer for it, that you may obtain this lady for your wife." It is Mary Ruthven the daughter of the Earl of Gore, and between ourselves, the lady has already admitted, that you are not indifferent to her. If you will accept the invitation of the King, and accompany us to Court, you may this evening be introduced to your future bride." Vandyke's apathy vanished in a moment; he sprung from his couch, and called aloud for his servants. "Softly Sir,' said Buckingham "you will not find the lady Mary in the audience chamber, she is only to be seen in the apartments of the Queen. As her guardian I have hitherto objected to her public presentation at court. She is the governess of the young prince of Wales and his two sisters, and has hitherto led the life of a Nun, although within the precincts of the Court. You have only therefore to take your painting materials, and under pretence of painting the Royal children you will have every opportunity of seeing and speaking to the lady, without any chance of interruption. Vandyke obeyed. He accompanied Buckingham and Digby to Whitehall, and presented himself before the King, who received him in the most gracious manner; on a sign from the Duke, the King took the painter on one side, and looking on him with his usual melancholy smile, observed, when you are inclined to undertake a picture, Sir Anthony, you will oblige us by painting our children." "Ah! Sire you make me too happy," stammered the painter. "Buckingham has doubtlessly already informed you of our wishes in this respect, but I fear you will find the children somewhat restless sitters; however," added the King, with an arch smile, "I have no doubt that Lady Gore will do her best to make them obedient." Taking the painter familiarly by the arm, the King led him to the apartments of the Queen, and presented him to Lady Gore; the dazzling beauty of the young |