The Wits and Beaux of Society

CONTENTS.

GEORGE VILLIERS, SECOND DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.

Signs of the Restoration. - Samuel Pepys in his Glory. A royal Company. - Pepys

"ready to weep."-The Playmate of Charles II.-George Villiers' Inheritance.--Two

gallant young Ñoblemen.-The brave Francis Villiers.-After the Battle of Worcester.

Disguising the King.-Villiers in Hiding.-He appears as a Mountebank.-Bucking-

ham's Habits.-A daring Adventure.-Cromwell's saintly Daughter.-Villiers and the

Rabbi.-The Buckingham Pictures and Estates.-York House.-Villiers returns to En-

gland.-Poor Mary Fairfax.--Villiers in the Tower.-Abraham Cowley, the Poet.—The

greatest Ornament of Whitehall.-Buckingham's Wit and Beauty.-Flecknoe's Opinion

of him. His Duel with the Earl of Shrewsbury.-Villiers as a Poet.-As a Dramatist.

-A fearful Censure!-Villiers' Influence in Parliament.-A. Scene in the Lords.-The

Duke of Ormond in Danger.-Colonel Blood's Outrages.-Wallingford House, and Ham

House." Madame Ellen."-The Cabal.-Villiers again in the Tower.-A Change.-

The Duke of York's Theatre.-Buckingham and the Princess of Orange. His last Hours.

-His Religion.-Death of Villiers.-The Duchess of Buckingham..

..Page 13

COUNT DE GRAMMONT, ST. EVREMOND, AND LORD ROCHESTER.

De Grammont's Choice.-His Influence with Turenne.-The Church or the Army ?—An

Adventure at Lyons.-A brilliant Idea.-De Grammont's Generosity.-A Horse "for

the Cards."-Knight-Cicisbeism.-De Grammont's first Love.--His witty Attacks on

Mazarin.-Anne Lucie de la Mothe Houdancourt.-Beset with Snares.-De Grammont's

Visits to England. -Charles II.-The Court of Charles II.-Introduction of Country-

dances. Norman Peculiarities.-St. Evremond, the handsome Norman.-The most beau-

tiful Woman in Europe.-Hortense Mancini's Adventures.-Madame Mazarin's House

at Chelsea.Anecdote of Lord Dorset. —Lord Rochester in his Zenith.-His Courage and

Wit.-Rochester's Pranks in the City.-Credulity, past and present." Dr. Bendo,"

and La Belle Jennings.-La Triste Heritiere.-Elizabeth, Countess of Rochester.-Retri-

bution and Reformation.-Rochester's Exhortation to Mr. Fanshawe.-Little Jermyn.-

An incomparable Beauty.-Anthony Hamilton, De Grammont's Biographer.-The Three

Courts. La Belle Hamilton.-De Grammont's Description of her. Her practical Jokes.

-The household Deity of Whitehall.-A Chaplain in Livery.-Le Mariage forcé.--De

Grammont's last Hours.-What might he not have been?.
49

BEAU FIELDING.

On Wits and Beaux.-Scotland Yard in Charles II.'s Day.-Orlando of "The Tatler.".

Beau Fielding, Justice of the Peace.-Adonis in Search of a Wife.-The sham Widow.-

Ways and Means.-Barbara Villiers, Lady Castlemaine.-Quarrels with the King.-The

Beau's second Marriage.—The last Days of Fops and Beaux...

OF CERTAIN CLUBS AND CLUB-WITS UNDER ANNE.

The Origin of Clubs.-The Establishment of Coffee-houses.-The October Club.-The Beef-

steak Club. Of certain other Clubs.-The Kit-kat Club.-The Romance of the Bowl.-

The Toasts of the Kit-kat.-The Members of the Kit-kat.-A good Wit, and a bad Ar-

chitect." Well-natured Garth."-The Poets of the Kit-kat.-Charles Montagu, Earl

of Halifax. - Chancellor Somers. Charles Sackville, Lord Dorset. Less celebrated

Wits

WILLIAM CONGREVE.

When and where was he born?-The Middle Temple.-Congreve finds his Vocation.-

Verses to Queen Mary.-The Tennis-court Theatre.-Congreve abandons the Drama.—

Jeremy Collier.-The Immorality of the Stage.-Very improper Things.-Congreve's

Writings.-Jeremy's Short Views.-Rival Theatres.--Dryden's Funeral.-A Tub-Preach-

er.--Horoscopic Predictions.-Dryden's Solicitude for his Son.-Congreve's Ambition.-

Anecdote of Voltaire and Congreve.-The Profession of Mæcenas.-Congreve's private

Life." Malbrook's" Daughter.-Congreve's Death and Burial...

109

The King of Bath.-Nash at Oxford." My Boy Dick."-Offers of Knighthood.-Doing

Penance at York.-Days of Folly.-A very romantic Story.-Sickness and Civilization.

-Nash descends upon Bath.-Nash's Chef-d'œuvre.-The Ball.--Improvements in the

Pump-room, etc.-A public Benefactor.-Life at Bath in Nash's Time.-A Compact with

the Duke of Beaufort.-Gaming at Bath.-Anecdotes of Nash." Miss Sylvia."-A gen-

erous Act. Nash's Sun setting. A Panegyric. — Nash's Funeral. His Characteris-

tics

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PHILIP, DUKE OF WHARTON.

Wharton's Ancestors--His early Years.-Marriage at sixteen.-Wharton takes leave of

his Tutor. The young Marquis and the old Pretender.-Frolics at Paris.-Zeal for the

Orange Cause.-A Jacobite Hero. The Trial of Atterbury.-Wharton's Defense of the

Bishop. Hypocritical Signs of Penitence.-Sir Robert Walpole duped.-Very trying.

-The Duke of Wharton's "Whens."-Military Glory at Gibraltar." Uncle Horace."

-Wharton to Uncle Horace. -The Duke's Impudence. - High Treason. Wharton's

ready Wit.-Last Extremities.-Sad Days in Paris. His last Journey to Spain. His

Death in a Bernardine Convent..

LORD HERVEY.

145

George II. arriving from Hanover.-His Meeting with the Queen.-Lady Suffolk.-Queen
Caroline. Sir Robert Walpole.-Lord Hervey.-A Set of fine Gentlemen.-An eccentric
Race.-Carr, Lord Hervey.-A fragile Boy.-Description of George II.'s Family.-Anne
Brett. A bitter Cup.-The Darling of the Family.-Evenings at St. James's.-Freder-
ick, Prince of Wales.-Amelia Sophia Walmoden.-Poor Queen Caroline !-Nocturnal
Diversions of Maids of Honor.-Neighbor George's Orange-chest. Mary Lepel, Lady
Hervey.-Rivalry.-Hervey's Intimacy with Lady Mary.-Relaxations of the royal
Household.-Bacon's Opinion of Twickenham.-A Visit to Pope's Villa.-The little
Nightingale. The Essence of small Talk.-Hervey's Affectation and Effeminacy.-Pope's
Quarrel with Hervey and Lady Mary.-Hervey's Duel with Pulteney.-"The Death of
Lord Hervey a Drama."-Queen Caroline's last Drawing-room.-Her Illness and Ag-
ony. A painful Scene. -The Truth discovered. The Queen's dying Bequests.-The
King's Temper. Archbishop Potter is sent for. The Duty of Reconciliation. — The
Death of Queen Caroline.-A Change in Hervey's Life.-Lord Hervey's Death.-Want
of Christianity.-Memoirs of his own Time.

165

PHILIP DORMER STANHOPE, FOURTH EARL OF CHESTERFIELD.

The King of Table Wits.-Early Years.-Hervey's Description of his Person.-Resolutions
and Pursuits.--Study of Oratory.-The Duties of an Embassador.-King George II.'s
Opinion of his Chroniclers.-Life in the Country.-Melusina, Countess of Walsingham.
-George II. and his Father's Will.-Dissolving Views.-Madame du Bouchet.-The
Broad-bottomed Administration.-Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in time of Peril.-Reform-
ation of the Calendar.-Chesterfield House.-Exclusiveness.-Recommending "John-
son's Dictionary."—"Old Samuel" to Chesterfield.-Defensive Pride of the "respect-
able Hottentot."-The Glass of Fashion.-Lord Scarborough's Friendship for Chesterfield.
The Death of Chesterfield's Son. His Interest in his Grandsons. "I must go and

rehearse my Funeral."-Chesterfield's Will. What is a Friend?-Les Manières nobles.

-Letters to his Son..

THE ABBÉ SCARRON.

203

An Eastern Allegory.-Who comes here?-A mad Freak and its Consequences.-Making
an Abbé of him.-The May-fair of Paris.-Scarron's Lament to Pellisson.-The Office
of the Queen's Patient.-"Give me a simple Benefice."-Scarron's Description of him-
self.-Improvidence and Servility. The Society at Scarron's.-The witty Conversation.
- Françoise D'Aubigné's Début. The sad Story of La Belle Indienne. - Matrimonial

Considerations." Scarron's Wife will live forever."-Petits Soupers.-Scarron's last

Moments.-A Lesson for gay and grave

227

FRANCOIS, DUC DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT AND THE DUC DE SAINT-SIMON.

Rank and Good-breeding. The Hotel de Rochefoucault. Racine and his Plays. - La

Rochefoucault's Wit and Sensibility.-Saint-Simon's Youth.-Looking out for a Wife.-

Saint-Simon's Court Life.-The History of Louise de la Vallière.-A mean Act of Louis

Quatorze. All has passed away!-Saint-Simon's Memoirs of his own Time........ 245

HORACE WALPOLE.

The Commoners of England.-Horace's Regret for the Death of his Mother.-"Little Hor-

ace" in Arlington Street.-Introduced to George I.-Characteristic Anecdote of George I.

-Walpole's Education.-Schoolboy Days.-Boyish Friendships.-Companionship of

Gray. A dreary Doom. -- Walpole's Description of youthful Delights. Anecdote of

Pope and Frederick of Wales.--The Pomfrets.--Sir Thomas Robinson's Ball.-Political
Squibs. That "Rogue Walpole."--Sir Robert's Retirement from Office.--The splendid
Mansion of Houghton.--Sir Robert's Love of Gardening.-What we owe to the "Grandes
Tours."--George Vertue.-Men of one Idea.-The noble Picture-gallery at Houghton.
-Sir Robert's Death.-The Granville Faction.--A very good Quarrel.-Twickenham.
Strawberry Hill.-The Recluse of Strawberry.-Portraits of the Digby Family.-Sacri-
lege. Mrs. Damer's Models. The Long Gallery at Strawberry.-The Chapel. — “ A
dirty little Thing."-The Society around Strawberry Hill.-Anne Seymour Conway.-
A Man who never doubted.-Lady Sophia Fermor's Marriage.--Horace in Favor.-Anec-
dote of Sir William Stanhope. A paper House. -- Walpole's Habits. Why did he not
Marry?"Dowagers as plenty as Flounders."--Catherine Hyde, Duchess of Queensber-
ry.-Anecdote of Lady Granville.--Kitty Clive.-Death of Horatio Walpole.--George,
third Earl of Orford.-A Visit to Houghton.-Family Misfortunes.-Poor Chatterton.-
Walpole's Concern with Chatterton.-Walpole in Paris.-Anecdote of Madame Geoffrin.
"Who's that Mr. Walpole ?"--The Miss Berrys.-Horace's two "Straw Berries.".

Tapping a new Reign.-The Sign of the Gothic Castle.-Growing old with Dignity.

Succession to an Earldom.--Walpole's last Hours.-Let us not be ungrateful... Page 255

GEORGE SELWYN.

A Love of Horrors.-Anecdotes of Selwyn's Mother.-Selwyn's College Days.-Orator Hen-

ley.-Selwyn's blasphemous Freak.-The Profession of a Wit.-The Thirst for Hazard.

-Reynolds's Conversation-piece.--Selwyn's Eccentricities and Witticisms.-A most im-

portant Communication. - An amateur Headsman. - The Eloquence of Indifference.

Catching a Housebreaker.--The Family of the Selwyns.-The Man of the People.-Sel-

wyn's parliamentary Career.-True Wit.-Some of Selwyn's witty Sayings.-The Sov-

ereignty of the People.-On two Kinds of Wit.-Selwyn's Home for Children. Mie-Mie,

the little Italian. Selwyn's little Companion taken from him. His later Days and

Death...

RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN.

307

Sheridan a Dunce.-Boyish Dreams of literary Fame.-Sheridan in Love.-A Nest of Night-

ingales.-The Maid of Bath.-Captivated by Genius.-Sheridan's Elopement with "Ce-

cilia."-His Duel with Captain Matthews.-Standards of Ridicule.-Painful family Es-

trangements.-Enters Drury Lane.-Success of the Famous "School for Scandal.".

Opinions of Sheridan and his Influence.-The Literary Club.-Anecdote of Garrick's

Admittance. Origin of "the Rejected Addresses."-New Flights.-Political Ambition.

---The gaming Mania. -Almack' s.-Brookes'.-Black-balled.-Two Versions of the Elec-

tion Trick.-St. Stephen's won.-Vocal Difficulties.-Leads a double Life.-Pitt's vul-

gar Attack.Sheridan's happy Retort-Grattan's Quip.-Sheridan's Sallies.-The Trial

of Warren Hastings.-Wonderful Effect of Sheridan's Eloquence. The supreme Effort.

-The Star culminates.-Native Taste. for Swindling.-A shrewd but graceless Oxon-

ian.-Duns outwitted. -The Lawyer jockeyed.-Adventures with Bailiffs.--Sheridan's

Powers of Persuasion.-House of Commons Greek.-Curious Mimicry.-The royal boon

Companion.-Lights and Shadows of Depravity.-Street Frolics at Night.-An old Tale.

-The Fray in St. Giles'.-Sheridan's gradual Downfall.-Unopened Letters.-An odd

Incident. Reckless Extravagance.-Sporting Ambition.-Like Father like Son.-A se-

vere and witty Rebuke.-Convivial Excesses of a past Day.--Worth wins at last.-Bit-

ter Pangs.-The Scythe of Death.-The fair, loving, neglected Wife.-Debts of Honor.

Drury Lane burned.-The Owner's Serenity.-Misfortunes never come singly.—The

Whitbread Quarrel.-Ruined, undone, and almost forsaken.-The dead Man arrested..

The Stories fixed on Sheridan.-Extempore Wit and inveterate Talkers

BEAU BRUMMELL.

329

net Brummell. - The Beau's Studio. The Toilet. "Creasing down." Sneers and

Snuff-boxes. A great Gentleman. - Anecdotes of Brummell. "Don't forget Brum:

Goose at Four!"-Offers of Intimacy resented.-Never in Love.-Brummell out Hunt-

ing. Anecdote of Sheridan and Brummell.-The Beau's poetical Efforts.-The Value

of a crooked Sixpence. -The Breach with the Prince of Wales. "Who's your fat

Friend?" The Climax is reached.-The Black-mail of Calais.-George the Greater and

George the Less. An extraordinary Step. Down the Hill of Life. A miserable Old

Age. In the Hospice du bon Sauveur.-Ö young Men of this Age, be warned!..... 381

THEODORE EDWARD HOOK.

ARD

The greatest of modern Wits.-What Coleridge said of Hook.-Hook's Family.-Redeem-

ing Points.--Versatility.-Varieties of Hoaxing.-The Black-wafered Horse.-The Ber-

ners Street Hoax.-Success of the Scheme.-The Strop of Hunger.-Kitchen Examina-

tions. The wrong House.-Angling for an Invitation.-The Hackney-coach Device.-

The Plots of Hook and Mathews.-Hook's Talents as an Improvisatore.-The Gift be-

comes his Bane. Hook's Novels. College Fun. - Baiting a Proctor. The punning

Faculty.--Official Life opens.-Troublesome Pleasantry.-Charge of Embezzlement.-

Misfortune.-Doubly disgraced.-No Effort to remove the Stain.-Attacks on the Queen.
-An incongruous Mixture.-Specimen of the Ramsbottom Letters.-Hook's Scurrility.

-Fortune and Popularity.-The End..

SYDNEY SMITH.