Volume I Part 7 (1/2)
Doctor Dismal Drew pa.s.sing one morning through the college courts, from the library to his chambers, happened to meet a young student who had been only a few days matriculated, and such are, in popular parlance in the university, called _jibs_; the young student had the ill-fortune to pa.s.s this learned Leviathan, without the usual salutation of doffing his four-cornered cap to his mighty superior:--”Halloo,” roared the Doctor, ”come back; hark ye, I say, young master, pray how long, young gentleman, allow me to ask, have you worn the academic gown?”
”Just eight days, may it so please your Reverence.”
”Ay, ay; in sooth, young master, I thought as much, for we all know that puppies cannot make use of their eyes until they are nine days old!”
When Doctor Dismal Drew had with-drawn from the dinner-room, Lord Glandarah addressed the Duke of Tyrconnel in an under tone: ”Gad save me, my Lord Duke, _mais cette est un homme austere, outre, et tres singulier; et, par tout, un bete horrible_.”
”Adonis, you recollect, my Lord, was killed by a _boar_!”
”Excellent, O Duke! and I too should be killed by--the Doctor's company!--_non, pardonnez moi_ presence, I should say; he be no company!
_en verite_ two entire days would despatch me. He is _a.s.surement Polyphemus le second, mais avec cette dissemblance par tout que le monstre il eut un oeil bel excellent, pendant que, le Docteur ave sans doubte deux diaboleux_ bad eyes!”
”Oh, unquestionably, my Lord! but then he has an intellectual one; and we must give due credit to Sir James Caldwell for the attention and kindness which he dispenses to his quondam tutor. It is kind, considerate, grateful, and honourable, to his feelings.”
Sir James Caldwell, for whom the Duke of Tyrconnel entertained a great regard and affection, from long acquaintance and intercourse, took an opportunity, previous to the departure of His Grace, of making a strong and impressive request that the Duke would be pleased to appoint his worthy and learned friend the Doctor to be one of His Grace's domestic chaplains.
”Why really, my kind and worthy friend, your request appears to me to be a matter of greater difficulty than you, Sir James, seem to be aware of, bia.s.sed, no doubt, by your kindness and partiality for the Doctor; however you must needs acknowledge that there is somewhat _outre_ and repulsive in the _tout ensemble_ of this extraordinary man; his general appearance, his manners, his dress, and address, and those unindurable appendices of green goggles, and his _je ne scai quoi_ impression, which is better seen than described. However, if it be possible I shall willingly a.s.sent to your request, provided that you, on the part of the learned Doctor, accede to my capitulations, which I require and demand.
First, I insist upon the total abandonment of those everlasting green goggles, in which I verily believe he sleeps withal. Secondly, I resolve, as a _sine qua non_, that the learned Doctor, upon his arrival in the metropolis, shall employ either a drill sergeant or a _maitre de danse_, to mollify his movements of legs and arms! You stare in astonishment, my good Sir James, but marry, I do not mean, in sooth, that your grave Doctor and L.L.D. should slowly glide down the sober minuet, or the more solemn paven, with formal features and extended ca.s.sock, _chausse_ the cotillion, or trot down the merry _contredanse_; no, _mehercule_, by no means, but this exercise I would fain prescribe merely in order to give a gentlemanly ease and deportment of person. And thirdly, I must require that the Doctor should purchase a new gown and ca.s.sock; these habiliments having become threadbare in the service of old Alma. Fourthly, that the Doctor shall, _sine mora_, have constructed a neat orthodox wig, curled and powdered _a la Louis Quatorze_, &c. &c.”
All these sage and precise preliminaries being agreed, ratified, and concluded upon, by the high contracting parties, the Duke upon the following morning took a friendly leave, and set off to pursue his journey to Dublin. He kindly offered the Lord Glandarah a seat in his carriage, who was likewise destined for Dublin; and which offer was most thankfully accepted by the n.o.ble peer. Having duly paid their respective devoirs to their hospitable host they departed, much gratified by their reception at the n.o.ble and social mansion of Castle-Caldwell.
The Duke and his n.o.ble _compagnon de voyage_ travelled onward without any accident or occurrence worth narrating, and arrived that day to dinner at Tarah-Castle, the n.o.ble residence of the Lord Tarah. But at the present day no vestige of this once celebrated castle remains, where once
”To chiefs and ladies bright The harp of Tarah swelled!”
Upon this distinguished day the hospitable board was loaded with every luxury; generous Burgundy and enlivening Champaign flowed around in b.u.mpers; while it seemed a mooted matter of opinion which was most to be admired, the generous courtesy and hospitality of the n.o.ble proprietor of the castle, the excellence of his viands and wines, or the ”soul of music” that breathed around!
Moments of convivial joy and harmony, however, soon pa.s.s by, and are forgotten likewise in the advance of time.
The following morning, soon after breakfast was concluded, the Duke of Tyrconnel bade an affectionate adieu to the Lord of Tarah, and accompanied by Lord Glandarah, set off in his travelling carriage for the castle of Dublin. The journey was safely proceeded on to Dunshauglin, where the Duke's state carriages and horses were in attendance to convey him to Dublin, accompanied by a squadron of horse.
As he approached the city of Dublin, at the barrier of Barrack-street the horses were taken from the carriage by the populace, and His Grace was drawn in triumph to the capital; all the cathedral and church bells ringing forth a merry peal. His Grace was sworn into his high office, the patent having been read, before the privy council; at the same moment three rockets in succession ascended from Birmingham Tower, which were signals of His Grace having been sworn into his high official station; and were duly responded to by the salute-battery in His Majesty's royal chase, or park; and the salute was again returned by the battery stationed on the south-wall of the Liffey. At night a general and splendid illumination succeeded, which concluded the rejoicings of this most memorable day.
CHAPTER VI.
----The nature of our people, Our city's inst.i.tutions, and the terms Of common justice, y'are as pregnant in As art and practice hath enriched any That we remember. There is our commission!
MEASURE FOR MEASURE.
Fully resolved justly and conscientiously to discharge with unremitting and unceasing attention the responsible duties of his high office, the Duke now commenced his vice-regal career. He arose at an early hour, and whatever public business was to be transacted, he constantly despatched before the hour of breakfast. He was polite, courteous, and accessible to all; his was the _suaviter in modo_, but it was also accompanied with the _fort.i.ter in re_.
The first day for holding a vice-regal levee, as specified by public notice from the Chamberlain's office, having arrived, it commenced exactly at one o'clock, and was most numerously attended. Among the vast a.s.semblage were noticed the Lord Mayor, the Lord High Chancellor Sir Alexander Fitton Lord Baron of Gausworth; the judges and great officers of state; a long train of gentry, numerous members of the lower and upper houses of parliament attended; many a grave and reverend prelate, and many a baron bold--”_Post alios_; _fortemque Gyan_, _fortemque Cloanthum_,” &c.
The company appeared arrayed in full and appropriate court costume.
There were likewise present the different staff officers, besides those of the garrison; and a large body of ecclesiastics, Protestant and Catholic, attended. The ceremonies of the day were throughout conducted with great decorum and propriety.
Among the notable personages that were this day presented to the Duke, we must not omit to notice the Honourable Mr. Berenger, M. P. for the County of----, of an ancient and enn.o.bled family, whose ancestor came to Ireland in the time of the second Henry. He wore a very large black curled peruke, which flowed like a lion's mane adown his shoulders; his coat and small-clothes were of light blue velvet, richly embroidered; a waistcoat richly worked, and adorned with foliations formed of various precious stones. He wore, too, a superb diamond-hilted sword; diamond shoe and knee buckles; silk stockings, with gold embroidered clokes; and the heels of his shoes were of red Morocco leather. He was indeed, beyond all dispute, the unparalleled dandy of his day! Mr. Berenger had been in his youth a very handsome man; but his face now was deadly pale; and his eyes, which had been once brilliant as the diamonds which adorned him, reposed, dim and shorn of their beams, within their hollow and shrivelled sockets. Time, too, had left his stern impress in the indented furrows of the cheek and the care-scored wrinkles of his brow: he looked the languid voluptuary, while surfeit and satiety seemed to seal up his lips. His figure, notwithstanding, was yet even still fine and commanding. His countenance, however, spoke more plainly of the preterpluperfect than either of the present or future tense. His eyes reposed on the carpet or upon vacancy; they had in them ”no speculation, that they did glare withal.” When attending the gay and dissipated court of the second Charles he had often revelled with Rochester, and jested with Killigrew and, moreover, had the high distinction paid him of being called ”a very finished gentleman indeed” by the witty monarch, ”whose word no man relied on!”
The eccentric Mr. Berenger had severally proposed at three different times a matrimonial alliance with Lady Lucy, the Duke's youngest sister, who politely, but positively refused him; and upon some overtures to renew his solicitations, Lady Lucy observed, that as she had so long delayed to marry for love, she was now resolved not to marry in the capacity of a nurse-tender! This was so home an _argumentum ad superbiam_ a cut and thrust at the pride of the Honourable Member, that he now seemed to have no intention of becoming a Benedict. Lady Let.i.tia found great fault with her sister, complained of her cruelty, and st.u.r.dily maintained ”that the Honourable M. P. having shewn such a confirmed constancy, ought not to have met with this sharp repulse; for it was evident and manifest that Mr. Berenger did not indeed belong to the shabby cla.s.s of '_perhaps_' suitors.