: of the country; they agreed on another appointment, and he returned to his own house, where, giving his horse to be led round to the stable by the servant that accompanied him, he opened his door with the passe-partout key, and proceeded to his chamber, without meeting anybody, where he found his beloved spouse asleep on the bed with her gallant. The opening of the door waked them the fellow immediately leaped out of the window, which looked into the garden, and was open, it being summer, and escaped over the fields, leaving his breeches on a chair by the bedside a very striking circumstance. In short, the case was such, I do not think the queen of fairies herself could have found an excuse, though Chaucer tells us she has made a solemn promise to leave none of her sex unfurnished with one, to all eternity. As to the poor criminal, she had nothing to say for herself but what I dare swear you will hear from your youngest daughter, if ever you catch her stealing of sweetmeats-"Pray, pray, she would do so no more, and indeed it was the first time." This last article found no credit with me: I cannot be persuaded that any woman who had lived virtuous till forty (for such is her age) could suddenly be endowed with such consummate impudence, to solicit a youth at first sight, there being no probability, his age and station considered, that he would have made any attempt of that kind. I must confess I was wicked enough to think the unblemished reputation she had hitherto maintained, and did not fail to put us in mind of, was owing to a series of such frolics; and to say truth, they are the only amours that can reasonably hope to remain undiscovered. Ladies that can resolve to make love thus extempore, may pass unobserved, especially if they can content themselves with low life, where fear may oblige their favourites to secrecy there wants only a very lewd constitution, a very bad heart, and a moderate understanding, to make this conduct easy: and I do not doubt it has been practised by many prudes beside her I am now speaking of. You may be sure I did not communicate these reflections. The first word I spoke was to desire Signor Carlo to sheathe his poniard, not being pleased with its glittering: he did so very readily, begging my pardon for not having done it on my first appearance, : 199 saying he did not know what he did, and indeed he had the countenance and gesture of a man distracted. I did not endeavour a defence; that seemed to me impossible; but represented to him, as well as I could, the crime of a murder, which, if he could justify before men, was still a crying sin before God; the disgrace he would bring on himself and posterity, and irreparable injury he would do his eldest daughter, a pretty girl of fifteen, that I knew he was extremely fond of. I added, that if he thought it proper to part from his lady, he might easily find a pretext for it some months hence; and that it was as much his interest as hers to conceal this affair from the knowledge of the world. I could not presently make him taste these reasons, and was forced to stay there near five hours (almost from five to ten at night) before I durst leave them together, which I would not do till he had sworn in the most serious manner he would make no future attempt on her life. I was content with his oath, knowing him to be very devout, and found I was not mistaken. How the matter was made up between them afterwards I know not; but it is now two years since it happened, and all appearances remaining as if it had never been. The secret is in very few hands; his brother, being at that time at Brescia, I believe knows nothing of it to this day. The chambermaid and myself have preserved the strictest silence, and the lady retains the satisfaction of insulting all her acquaintance on the foundation of a spotless character, that only she can boast in the parish, where she is most heartily hated, from these airs of impertinent virtue, and another very essential reason, being the best dressed woman among them, though one of the plainest in her figure. The discretion of the chambermaid in fetching me, which possibly saved her mistress's life, and her taciturnity since, I fancy appear very remarkable to you, and is what would certainly never happen in England. The first part of her behaviour deserves great praise; coming of her own accord, and inventing so decent an excuse for her admittance: but her silence may be attributed to her knowing very well that any servant that presumes to talk of his master will most certainly be incapable of talking at all in a short time, their lives being entirely in the power of their superiors: I do not mean by law, but by custom, which has full as much force. If one of them was killed, it would either never be inquired into at all, or very slightly passed over; yet it seldom happens, and I know no instance of it, which I think is owing to the great submission of domestics, who are sensible of their dependence, and the national temper not being hasty, and never inflamed by wine, drunkenness being a vice abandoned to the vulgar, and spoke of with greater detestation than murder, which is mentioned with as little concern as a drinking-bout in England, and is almost as frequent. It was extreme shocking to me at my first coming, and still gives me a sort of horror, though custom has in some degree familiarised it to my imagination. Robbery would be pursued with great vivacity, and punished with the utmost rigour, therefore is very rare, though stealing is in daily practice; but as all the peasants are suffered the use of fire-arms, the slightest provocation is sufficient to shoot, and they see one of their own species lie dead before them with as little remorse as a hare or a partridge, and, when revenge spurs them on, with much more pleasure. A dissertation on this subject would engage me in a discourse not proper for the post. My compliments to Lord Bute: his kindness to you ought to obtain the friendship of all that love you. My blessing to your little ones. Think of me as ever, Have Your most affectionate mother. you received my letter to my sister Mar? TO THE COUNTESS OF OXFORD. [Received at Welbeck, Thursday, April 5th, O.S., 1750.] March 2, N. S., [1750.] DEAREST MADAM,-I received this day the happiness of two letters you have honoured me with, dated December 23rd and January 6th. I am very glad your health is mended; though it is not so well re-established as I could wish, yet I hope time will perfect it. I have passed this winter without any complaint, which I attribute to the waters of Lovere, and am resolved to drink them again in the season. I beg of you, dearest madam, let not your tenderness for me give you any uneasy moments; I could wish, indeed, my destiny had placed me near Welbeck, but then I remember that could not be, without being also near another place, from whence I should often hear accounts that would embitter even your ladyship's conversation. I am more sensible (perhaps) than I ought to be, of the figure my family makes, and often reflect on the happiness of my father, who died without seeing any of the misfortunes that have since happened. I heartily congratulate the satisfaction you express in your hopeful growing children; I pray God continue it, and every other blessing. I think you have a fair prospect in the good sense and goodnature of the Duke and Duchess of Portland: they cannot give better proof of both, than in a right behaviour to you; it is no more than your due; but in this age 'tis an uncommon merit to be just. I hope my daughter will be so far her own friend as to show herself on all occasions one of the duchess's humble servants. She sends me such a description of London as would cure me of desiring to see it, if it was my inclination, which, since your ladyship is not there, is no way my wish. Public life is what I was never fond of, and would now become me less than ever : I have always been amazed at the passion for it continuing, as in the late Duchess of Marlborough, and can only attribute it to the flatterers round her, who nourished in her that desire of applause, which is as vain as the endeavours of children that run to catch the rainbow. I need not say this to your ladyship, who, in highly deserving it, have always shunned it; but you have the goodness to permit me to communicate my thoughts to you, and 'tis a pleasure to me to show myself eternally, dearest madam, Your ladyship's devoted humble servant. TO THE COUNTESS OF OXFORD. [Received at Cav. Lodge, Thursday, June 21st.] May 24, N.S. [1750]. FOR the first time in my life, I have had a kind letter from dear Lady Oxford lay by me four days unanswered; it found me on a sick-bed, from which I can scarce say I am risen, since I am up but a few hours in the day; and this is wrote (God knows) with a feeble hand, but I am impatient to thank your ladyship for your unwearied goodness to me. I have had the severest illness I ever had, and heard sentence of death pronounced against me. I am now told I am out of danger; I will not hurt your tenderness (which I am well acquainted with) by a recital of my sufferings. Since Lady N. Pawlet1 would take a boy, I am surprised she has found one with so good an estate; I suppose his father has many other sons, or is not fond of posterity. May God continue every blessing to you! My weakness obliges me to finish my letter, with the assurance of my being ever, dearest madam, Your faithful obedient servant. I will write again soon if it please God to restore my health. TO MR. WORTLEY MONTAgu. May 28, N.S. [1750]. I RECEIVED yours on the 2nd of April, O.S., two days ago. I was then on a sick-bed, and am now scarce recovered of a very severe illness. It was a great comfort to me to hear of your health, for which I was in much pain. I have not had any letter from my daughter of a long time, and am sorry she breeds so fast, fearing it will impair her constitution. I wonder you do not imitate, at London, the wise conduct of this state, who, when they found the rage of play untameable, invented a method to turn it to the advantage of the public. Now fools lose their estates, and the government profits by it. I have wrote several long letters to my daughter, but 1 Lady Isabella Tufton, youngest daughter and co-heir of Thomas sixth Earl of Thanet, widow of Lord Nassau Pawlet, son of Charles second Duke of Bolton, by his third wife, Henrietta Crofts, youngest natural daughter of James Scott, Duke of Monmouth, by Eleanor, youngest daughter of Sir Robert Needham of Lambeth. Lord N. Pawlet died in 1741; she married, secondly, Francis Blake Delaval, afterwards Knight of the Bath, eldest son of Francis Blake Delaval, Esq., of Seaton Delaval, in the county of Northumberland.-W. |