Part 11 (1/2)
Hamilton, if possible, more astonished, andin a proper state to afford hi but jealousy, and breathed nothing but revenge; but these eht be caluainst Lady Chesterfield, he desired her husband to suspend his resolutions, until he washim, however, that if he found the circuard and consult no other interest than his
Upon this they parted; and Hamilton found, on the first inquiry, that almost the whole court was infor in relating it Vexation and resentuished every reht easily have seen her, and have enerally inclined to do, on such occasions; but he was too ht have led to an explanation: he considered himself as the only person essentially injured in this affair; for he could never bring his mind to think that the injuries of the husband could be placed in competition with those of the lover
He hastened to Lord Chesterfield, in the transport of his passion, and told hiive such advice, as he should follow himself in the saly prepossessed, and who perhaps had not yet lost all her innocence, though she had totally lost her reason, he ought not to delay one single instant, but ireatest possible expedition, without allowing her the least tireed to follow this advice, which he had already considered as the only counsel a friend could give him; but his lady who did not suspect he hadwith her, when he told her to prepare for going into the country in two days: she was the more induced to think so as it was in the very middle of an extremely severe winter; but she soon perceived that he was in earnest: she knew froht he had sufficient reason to treat her in this i all her relations serious and cold to her complaint, she had no hope left in this universally abandoned situation but in the tenderness of Hained she should hear from him the cause of her norant, and that his love would invent some means or other to prevent a journey, which she flattered herself would be evenpity from a crocodile
At last, when she saw the eve of her departure was co journey; that she was receiving farewell visits in for from Hamilton, both her hopes and her patience forsook her in this wretched situation A few tears perhaps ht have afforded her some relief, but she chose rather to deny herself that coive her husband so much satisfaction Hamilton's conduct on this occasion appeared to her unaccountable; and as he still never ca billet
”Is it possible that you should be one of those, ithout vouchsafing to tell me for what cried from society? What means your silence and indolence in a juncture wherein your tenderness ought most particularly to appear, and actively exert itself? I a, and a upon it with horror, as I have reason to believe that you are less concerned at it than any other person: do, at least, let ed; what is to be done with me within a wilderness? and on what account you, like all the rest of the world, appear changed in your behaviour towards a person whoard to you, if your weakness or your ingratitude did not render you unworthy of her tenderness”
This billet did but harden his heart, and eance: he sed down full draughts of pleasure in beholding her reduced to despair, being persuaded that her grief and regret for her departure were on account of another person: he felt unco her, and was particularly pleased with the scheme he had contrived to separate her fro ainst his natural tenderness, with all the severity of jealous resentment, he saw her depart with an indifference which he did not even endeavour to conceal from her: this unexpected treatment, joined to the complication of her other ed her into despair
The court was filled with the story of this adventure; nobody was ignorant of the occasion of this sudden departure, but very few approved of Lord Chesterfield's conduct In England they looked with astonishment upon a man who could be so uncivil as to be jealous of his wife; and in the city of London it was a prodigy, till that time unknown, to see a husband have recourse to violent means, to prevent what jealousy fears, and what it always deserves They endeavoured, however, to excuse poor Lord Chesterfield, as far as they could safely do it, without incurring the public odiu all the blame on his bad education This made all the mothers vow to God that none of their sons should ever set a foot in Italy, lest they should bring back with the restraint upon their wives
CHAPTER NINTH VARIOUS LOVE INTRIGUES AT THE ENGLISH COURT
Every man who believes that his honour depends upon that of his wife is a fool who tor naturally jealous, has the additionalhis wife, and who expects that she should only live for him; is a perfect madman, whom the torments of hell have actually taken hold of in this world, and who and observation on these unfortunate circu wedlock concur in this, that precaution is vain and useless before the evil, and revenge odious afterwards
The Spaniards, who tyrannise over their wives, more by custo the niceness of their honour by duennas, grates, and locks
The Italians, who are wary in their suspicions, and vindictive in their resentments, pursue a different line of conduct: so their wives under locks which they think secure: others by ingenious precautions exceed whatever the Spaniards can invent for confining the fair sex but the generality are of opinion, that in either unavoidable danger or in ression, the surest way is to assassinate
But, ye courteous and indulgent nations, who, far froive full liberty to your dear ribs, and commit the care of their virtue to their own discretion, you pass without alarms or strife your peaceful days, in all the enjoyments of doenius that induced Lord Chesterfield to distinguish hiood-natured countrymen, and ridiculously to afford the world an opportunity of exa into the particulars of an adventure which would perhaps never have been knoithout the verge of the court, and which would everywhere have been forgotten in less than a month; but now, as soon as ever he had turned his back, in order to march aith his prisoner, and the ornaments she was supposed to have bestowed upon him, God only knohat a terrible attack there was e, and all the whole band of wits, exposed him in numberless ballads, and diverted the public at his expense
The Chevalier de Grahly pleased with these lively and humorous compositions; and wherever this subject was mentioned, never failed to produce his supplee,”
said he, ”that the country, which is little better than a gallows or a grave for young people, is allotted in this land only for the unfortunate, and not for the guilty! poor Lady Chesterfield, for sory husband, ill oblige her to spend her Christmas at a country-house, a hundred and fifty miles from London; while here there are a thousand ladies who are left at liberty to do whatever they please, and who indulge in that liberty, and whose conduct, in short, deserves a daily bastinado I name no person, God forbid I should; but Lady Middleton, Lady Denham, the queen's and the duchess's maids of honour, and a hundred others, bestow their favours to the right and to the left, and not the least notice is taken of their conduct As for Lady Shrewsbury, she is conspicuous I would take a wager she ht have a man killed for her every day, find she would only hold her head the higher for it: one would suppose she iences for her conduct: there are three or four gentlemen ear an ounce of her hair made into bracelets, and no person finds any fault; and yet shall such a cross-grained fool as Chesterfield be perether unknown in this country, upon the prettiest woland, and all for a mere trifle: but I a; on the contrary, very often a woman, who had no bad intentions when she was suffered to ree, or reduced to it by necessity: this is as true as the gospel: hear nohat Francisco's saraband says on the subject:
”Tell me, jealous-paced swain, What avail thy idle arts, To divide united hearts?
Love, like the wind, I trow, Will, where it listeth, blow; So, prithee, peace, for all thy cares are vain
”When you are by, Nor wishful look, be sure, nor eloquent sigh, Shall dare those inward fires discover, Which burn in either lover Yet Argus' self, if Argus were thy spy, Should ne'er, with all his mob of eyes, Surprise
”Soh dark and secret ways, Mysterious love, to kindred souls conveys”
The Chevalier de Grammont passed for the author of this sonnet: neither the justness of the sentily beautiful; but as it contained soenius of the nation, and pleased those who interested themselves for the fair sex, the ladies were all desirous of having it to teach their children
During all this ti Lady Chesterfield, easily forgot her: her absence, however, had so it which could not but sensibly affect the person who had occasioned her confinement; but there are certain fortunate tempers to which every situation is easy; they feel neither disappointment with bitterness, nor pleasure with acuteness In the mean tiotten Lady Chesterfield, but he began to think of her whom he had been in love with before, and was upon the point of relapsing into his old passion for Miss Hamilton
There was in London a celebrated portrait-painter called Lely, who had greatly i the faland in abundance Lely imitated Vandyke's manner, and approached the nearest to hi desirous of having the portraits of the handsomest persons at court, Lely painted them, and employed all his skill in the performance; nor could he ever exert himself upon more beautiful subjects Every picture appeared a hest finished: Lely hied that he had drawn it with a particular pleasure The Duke of York took a delight in looking at it, and began again to ogle the original: he had very little reason to hope for success; and at the same time that his hopeless passion alarht proper to renew the negotiation which had so unluckily been interrupted: it was soon brought to a conclusion; for where both parties are sincere in a negotiation, no ti succeeded prosperously on one side; yet, I know not what fatality obstructed the pretensions of the other The duke was very urgent with the duchess to put Lady Denham in possession of the place which was the object of her auarantee for the perforh till this time she had borne with patience the inconstancy of the duke, and yielded submissively to his desires; yet, in the present instance, it appeared hard and dishonourable to her, to entertain near her person, a rival, ould expose her to the danger of acting but a second part in the midst of her own court However, she saw herself upon the point of being forced to it by authority, when a far more unfortunate obstacle for ever bereft poor Lady Denha that fatal place, which she had solicited with such eagerness
Old Denham, naturally jealous, became round for such conduct: his as young and handsoreeable: what reason then had he to flatter himself that Heaven would exempt him from the fate of husbands in the like circu to himself; but when compliments were poured in upon hi to have near the duchess's person, he for himself, if he had possessed the resolution The traitor chose rather to exercise his courage against another He wanted precedents for putting in practice his resented country: that of Lord Chesterfield was not sufficiently bitter for the revenge he meditated: besides, he had no country-house to which he could carry his unfortunate wife This being the case, the old villainout of London Merciless fate robbed her of life, and of her dearest hopes, in the bloom of youth