only appeared by halves in those gallantries which love inspires. It was not long since the fashion of high-crowned hats had been left off, in order to fall into the other extreme : old Russell, amazed at so terrible a change, resolved to keep a medium, which made him remarkable: he was still more so, by his constancy for cut doublets, which he supported a long time after they had been universally suppressed; but, what was more surprising than all, was a certain mixture of avarice and liberality, constantly at war with each other, ever since he had entered the lists with love. His nephew was only of a younger brother's family, but was considered as his uncle's heir; and though he was under the necessity of attending to his uncle for an establishment, and still more so of humouring him, in order to get his estate, he could not avoid his fate. Mrs. Middleton shewed him a sufficient degree of preference; but her favours could not secure him from the charms of Miss Hamilton: his person would have had nothing disagreeable in it, if he had but left it to nature; but he was formal in all his actions, and silent even to stupidity; and yet rather more tiresome when he did speak. The Chevalier de Grammont, very much at his ease in all these competitions, engaged himself more and more in his passion, without forming other designs, or conceiving other hopes, than to render himself agreeable: though his passion was openly declared, no person at court regarded it otherwise than as a habit of gallantry, which goes no farther than to do justice to merit. His monitor, Saint Evremond, was quite of a different opinion; and finding, that, besides an immense increase of magnificence and assiduity, he regretted those hours which he bestowed on play; that he no longer sought after those long that this new attachment everywhere robbed him of himself. time "For your brother Toulongeon, whose disposition I am cquainted with, will not have the complaisance to die, to avour your pretensions: but suppose you had a competent ortune for you both, and that is supposing a good deal, are you cquainted with the delicacy, not to say capriciousness, of this air one about such an engagement? Do you know that she as had the choice of the best matches in England? The Duke f Richmond paid his addresses to her first; but though he as in love with her, still he was mercenary: however, the ing, observing that want of fortune was the only impediment o the match, took that article upon himself, out of regard to » ton, and to her father's services; but, resenting that a man who pretended to be in love should bargain like a merchant, and likewise reflecting upon his character in the world, she did not think that being duchess of Richmond was a sufficient recompense for the danger that was to be feared from a brute and a debauchee. "Has not little Jermyn, notwithstanding his uncle's great estate and his own brilliant reputation, failed in his suit to her? And has she ever so much as vouchsafed to look at Henry Howard,86 who is upon the point of being the first duke in England, and who is already in actual possession of all the estates of the house of Norfolk? I confess that he is a clown; but what other lady in all England would not have dispensed with his stupidity, and his disagreeable person, to be the first duchess in the kingdom, with twenty-five thousand ? a year "To conclude; Lord Falmouth has told me himself, that he has always looked upon her as the only acquisition wanting to complete his happiness; but that, even at the height of the splendour of his fortune, he never had had the assurance to open his sentiments to her; that he either felt in himself too much weakness, or too much pride, to be satisfied with obtaining her solely by the persuasion of her relations; and that, though the first refusals of the fair on such occasions are not much minded, he knew with what an air she had received the addresses of those whose persons she did not like. After this, Monsieur le Chevalier, consider what method you intend to pursue; for, if you are in love, the passion will still increase, and the greater the attachment, the less capable will you be of making those serious reflections that are now in your power." "My poor philosopher," answered the Chevalier de Gram erses, you understand the course, and are acquainted with he nature of the stars in the firmament; but, as for the lumiaries of the terrestrial globe, you are utterly unacquainted with them; you have told me nothing about Miss Hamilton, -ut what the king told me three days ago. That she has reused the savages you have mentioned is all in her favour; if he had admitted their addresses, I would have had nothing o say to her, though I love her to distraction. Attend now to vhat I am going to say; I am resolved to marry her, and I vill have my tutor Saint Evremond himself to be the first man o commend me for it. As for an establishment, I shall make ny peace with the king, and will solicit him to make her one -f the ladies of the bedchamber to the queen; this he will grant me. Toulongeon 87 will die, without my assistance, and otwithstanding all his care; and Miss Hamilton will have Semeat,88 with the Chevalier de Grammont, as an indemnifiation for the Norfolks and Richmonds. Now, have you any thing to advance against this project? For I will bet you hundred louis, that every thing will happen as I have Foretold it." At this time the king's attachment to Miss Stewart was so public, that every person perceived, that if she was but posessed of art, she might become as absolute a mistress over his conduct as she was over his heart. This was a fine oppor unity for those who had experience and ambition. The Duke of Buckingham formed the design of governing her in order o ingratiate himself with the king; God knows what a governor he would have been, and what a head he was possessed of, to guide another; however, he was the properest man in the world to insinuate himself with Miss Stewart; she was childish in her behaviour, and laughed at every thing, and her caste for frivolous amusements, though unaffected, was only child, however, she was, in every other respect, except playing with a doll; blind-man's buff was her most favourite amusement; she was building castles of cards, while the deepest play was going on in her apartments, where you saw her surrounded by eager courtiers, who handed her the cards, or young architects, who endeavoured to imitate her. She had, however, a passion for music, and had some taste for singing. The Duke of Buckingham, who built the finest towers of cards imaginable, had an agreeable voice: she had no aversion to scandal; and the duke was both the father and the mother of scandal; he made songs, and invented old women's stories with which she was delighted; but his particular talent consisted in turning into ridicule whatever was ridiculous in other people, and in taking them off, even in their presence, without their perceiving it. In short, he knew how to act all parts, with so much grace and pleasantry, that it was difficult to do without him, when he had a mind to make himself agreeable; and he made himself so necessary to Miss Stewart's amusement, that she sent all over the town to seek for him, when he did not attend the king to her apart ments. He was extremely handsome,89 and still thought himself much more so than he really was; although he had a great deal of discernment, yet his vanity made him mistake some civilities as intended for his person, which were only bestowed on his wit and drollery. In short, being seduced by too good an opinion of his own merit, he forgot his first project and his Portuguese mistress, in order to pursue a fancy in which he mistook himself; for he no sooner began to act a serious part with Miss Stewart, than he met with so severe a repulse, that he abandoned, at once, all his designs upon her; however, the familiarity she had procured him with the king opened |