ure I derive at finding that any of my unworthy compositions can afford your ladyship a moment's gratification. B. SIMMONDS." "4 Ashley Crescent, City Road, 12th Nov., 1840. "Do you remember that greedy creature in Roman story who, on her betraying the city to the Gauls for the sake of the gold chains upon their bucklers, sank under the shields which they flung upon her as they entered, and so perished miserably? "I assure you I feel at this moment something like the traitress in question; you have overwhelmed and punished me for my shabby request of last summer by the reproachful costliness of the books I have just received. But as, in the words of your familiar adage, 'Little said is soon mended,' I shall merely say that your present is worthy of that magnificent spirit which characterizes every thing connected with you, and that if any thing were wanting to enhance its value, you have supplied it in the gratification afforded me by the perusal of one of the articles in those volumes-your admirable, faithful, and useful story of The Old Irish Gentleman. B. SIMMONDS." "January 2d, 1841. "I have just seen my friend, Mr. Arthur Plunkett, who tells me there is some alarming superstition connected with the bestowal of presents with points, which, however, he says, may be averted by the exchange of a small piece of silver. If the mischief, then, be neutralized in proportion to the smallness of the coin, let me hope that the moneys I beg to inclose will completely propitiate the fairy people, whose influence, I presume, is dreaded upon such occasions. B. SIMMONDS." "Sunday, July 5th. "Under the supposition that the Rhapsody I sent you on yesterday has found favor in your sight (you are generally indulgent to my vagaries), and being on the eve of departure for Ireland for some weeks, I am going to make what in our country is called a modest request: it is, that you will order me, when the book is printed, a large paper copy of the Annual that contains the verses inscribed to Lady Jane Moore, as I would not think of offering her a small paper one. B. SIMMONDS." "Kilworth, January 1st, 1842. "I have just been honored with the flattering and valuable proofs of your kind remembrance. I wish I had deserved them better. In thanking you deeply, as I now do, for giving my humble name a place in your recollection, and for your recent note of inquiry through Miss Power, I beg of you to believe that, though silent and at a distance, I never forget your friendship; and that when louder and livelier visitors have passed away, you will be remembered. as ever, with pride, admiration, and gratitude. B. SIMMONDS." JOHN KENYON. In 1838, John Kenyon published a volume of poems, many of which were of a much higher order than the ordinary "Vers de Société," written by the mere literary hangers-on of coteries of fashion, where there is a kind of under current, which carries off the floating productions of those ephemera of literature. Several of Mr. Kenyon's pieces, illustrative of Italian scenes and scenery (well known to the author), are executed with great spirit, elegance, and taste, and some of them might pass for portions of Rogers's Italy. Those pieces of least merit, and least worthy of their amiable, refined, and kindly-disposed author, are satires, some of which have an air of malignant virulence about them. Among the miscellaneous poems there is one entitled "Music," singularly beautiful, from which I venture to extract two stanzas, the first and last, to show what talent this man possessed, who was one of Lady Blessington's especial favorites. "Awake! thou harp with music stored, Awake! and let me feel thy power; The thronging notes in ceaseless shower 'Tis soft as evening's dewy sigh, Sweeter than summer's balmiest breath; Half conscious-half entranced I lie, To wake, and-Nea! dwell with thee." The detached poems of this gentleman lead one to form an opinion of his talents of a very favorable kind. No separate work of his, I believe, exists. He was a man of refined literary tastes and acquirements, and was held in high estimation by eminent literary people for his high character and his amiable disposition.. LETTER FROM JOHN KENYON, ESQ., TO LADY BLESSINGTON. "38 Rue de Neuve, St. Augustin, Paris, 15th June, 1840. "DEAR MADAM,-You will wonder at this note from one who ought in all modesty to conclude that you have, by this time, forgotten him. But if you happen to have thought of me at all, I trust you will have inferred that my absence from Gore House has been caused by absence from London. It will be one of my duties, on my return home, to show, as far as an early call may do so, that I have not forgotten all your obliging attentions. My present object is to offer a few stanzas to you, a pepper-corn offering, which perhaps I am, after all, not justified in doing-for probably the Muses, like other ladies, should wait till they are asked-and to inquire whether you can make any use of them, such as they are, for your forthcoming Annual. I have endeavored to condense into them the associations which grow out of Italy. Who can judge better than you can whether I have succeeded well or ill? But do not, I beg of you, think yourself bound to accept my offering. I shall not turn vindictive, like Cain, though your discretion may refuse it. I shall still continue to think the verses excellent verses, and only conceit that they do not happen to suit your particular views for this year's book, and you will have too much courtesy and kindness to clear away my delusion. "Should you, however, care to make use of them, may I be allowed to request that they may be printed as I send them? Is this modesty or vanity? Whatever casuists or motive-mongers may choose to decide, I hold for the former. The robust wings of the eagle will bear handling; the butterfly's are ruined, touch 'em ever so lightly. Very truly yours, JOHN KENYON." CHAPTER XVIII. MISCELLANEOUS LETTERS. From Lady Blessington to Charles Bianconi, Esq.: "Gore House, Kensington, December 2d, 1846. "DEAR SIR,-Accept my best thanks for the statistical statement you have sent me. I have perused it with warm interest, and feel, as all must who have read it, that my native land has found in you her best benefactor. I thank you for discovering those noble qualities in my poor countrymen which neglect and injustice may have concealed, but have not been able to destroy. While bettering their condition, you have elevated the moral character of those you employ. You have advanced civilization while inculcating a practical code of morality that must ever prove the surest path to lead to an amelioration of Ireland. Wisdom and humanity, which ought ever to be insep arable, shine most luminously in the plan you have pursued, and its results must win for you the esteem, gratitude, and respect of all who love Ireland. The Irish are not an ungrateful people, as they have too often been represented. My own feelings satisfy me on this point. Six of the happiest years of my life have been passed in your country, where I learned to appreciate the high qualities of its natives, and consequently I am not surprised, though delighted, to find an Italian conferring so many benefits on mine. "When you next come to England, it will give me great pleasure to see you, and to assure you in person how truly I am, dear sir, your obliged "MARGUERITE BLESSINGTON." To Lady Blessington, from a correspondent whose signature is FW—— T———— : "November 24th. "Your sister took me by surprise; but what I blundered out was still the truth I felt the necessity of withdrawing myself from the fascination of your society, and from motives which I could not explain, but left you and her to guess. To your sister they were such as should rather flatter than offend. "I have now nothing more to add but this, that no suspicion of your want of friendship has ever crossed my mind. I feel conscious that I have never deserved to forfeit your good opinion; and, so far from believing you capable of saying or doing toward me aught that would lessen you in my opinion, I should not hesitate at this very moment to place my life or (what I value more) my honor in your hands. But still I must persist in the course I have marked out for myself, and avoid you. “As a friend, I have never betrayed; as a foe, I should disdain to deceive any one; and I am confident these expressions do not refer to me. “I shall only add, that in reflecting on our relative positions, my judgment and my feelings, my — * head and my warm heart, equally press on me the conviction that he who has known you as I have done, and felt the influence of your attractions as I have done, can not degenerate into an acquaintance. My philosophy knows but one way to escape the fascination of the syren, and that is to avoid her. "I am just setting out for B-, to pay my Christmas visit to your old friend. Adieu; may every blessing be yours. F. W. T." From Lady Blessington to a contributor to the "Book of Beau ty." "Gore House, Saturday. "MY DEAREST FRIEND,-I have this moment received the proof which I send you. Are you not sorry for poor Prince Louis's madness? for I look on his attempt as nothing short of it. How are you? "M. BLESSINGTON." * Word illegible. From Lady Blessington to Lady: 46 November 29th, 1841. "MY DEAR MADAM,—Severe indisposition has prevented me from sooner thanking your ladyship for the two charming books you were so kind as to send me. I would not employ any pen but my own to tell you the delight that their perusal has afforded me-delight that has often soothed the hours of pain and languor peculiar to long illness. I found in both books thoughts as original as they are beautiful, and sentiments fraught with grandeur and truth. Our sex may indeed be proud of one who paints woman in all her excellence, and yet excites an interest for her that the sinless monster which the world never saw' never creates. "Your heroines are the very beau ideals of women, but there are so many natural and exquisite touches in the painting, that, like some of the finest pictures in the world, they bear evidence of being true portraits. I beg to subscribe myself, dear madam, your ladyship's obliged "MARGUERITE BLESSINGTON." To Lady Blessington, on the subject of the publication of her Memoirs, from a distinguished litterateur : "Brighton, December 1st, 1844. "I am very much flattered that you should wish to have my suggestions with respect to your next work. I suggest Anecdotes and Recollections of a Literary Life. You may add the latter part of the sentence or not. I think two most interesting volumes might be written by you on such a subject, commanding a great sale, and yet not laborious. You have only to remember all the distinguished persons you have known (now dead; I would not, except in rare cases, take living persons), and give sketches and recollections of such. Consider the artists, actors (such as Kemble), authors, statesmen, royal persons, foreigners, &c. "If you disliked this, I think a very pretty, taking work might be written, called Modern Life,' consisting of short tales, illustrative of manners and morals of our time, for which the Contes Moraux' of Marmontel furnish an admirable example. They exactly describe the philosophy and manners of his day. Something of the same kind, equally faithful to ours, might be prettily got up, and even illustrated, if desirable. "I can also imagine a charming lady's book written, called The Book of the Drawing-room.' In this, we suppose the authoress in her drawing-room; her recollections of it-snatches of dialogue with the people who have been there recollections-reflections- the life in-doors of an intellectual feuille woman. If these do not strike you, turn over the French correspondence and memoirs of the last century; ponder a little over that delightful chit-chat and philosophy of the salons, and I think something similar will occur to yourself, which your peculiar mind would yet make original. Much which a woman only can do may be done in this line, new with us, but always captivating." |