A Book for a Rainy Day; or, Recollections of the Events of the Years 1766-1833Smith, John Thomas
History
A Book for a Rainy Day; or, Recollections of the Events of the Years 1766-1833
Smith, John Thomas
Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 18th century; Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
[167] Anne, or Nancy, Parsons is supposed to have been the daughter
of a Bond Street tailor. She lived under the protection of a Mr.
Horton, a West India merchant, with whom she went to Jamaica. On
her return she lodged in Brewer Street, and, after living with
Duke of Dorset and others, became the mistress of the Duke of
Grafton. Junius bitterly says: “The name of Miss Parsons would
hardly have been known if the first Lord of the Treasury had not
led her in triumph through the Opera House, even in the presence of
the Queen. When we see a man act in this manner, we may admit the
shameless depravity of his heart, but what are we to think of his
understanding?” Ultimately Nancy Parsons married Charles, second
Viscount Maynard.
[168] Sir Richard Colt Hoare, second baronet (1758-1838), began
life in the family bank, but, being made independent of business,
he married a daughter of William Henry, Lord Lyttelton, and devoted
himself to travel, study, and his art collections. He completed
histories of ancient and modern Wiltshire, and smaller works, and
was an excellent example of the wealthy antiquary.
[169] George Huddesford (1749-1809) was an artist in early life,
studying under Reynolds; in middle life he took to scribbling,
and showed a turn for satire. A collected edition of his works
appeared in 1801, entitled: “The Poems of George Huddesford, M.A.,
late Fellow of New College, Oxford. Now first collected, including
Salmagundi, Topsy-Turvy, Bubble and Squeak, and Crambe Repetita,
with corrections and original additions.”
[170] These verses begin--
“In Liquorpond-street, as is well known to many,
An Artist resided who shaved for a penny.
Cut hair for three-halfpence, for three pence he bled,
And would draw, for a groat, every tooth in your head.
What annoy’d other folks never spoil’d his repose,
’Twas the same thing to him whether stocks fell or rose;
For blast and for mildew he car’d not a pin,
His crops never fail’d, for they grew on the chin.”
[171] Henry Kett (1761-1825) was a frequent subject of caricatures.
The learned Thomas Warton’s comment on his “Juvenile Poems” was--
“Our Kett not a poet!
Why, how can you say so?
For if he’s no Ovid
I’m sure he’s a Naso.”
From his long face he was known as “Horse” Kett, and, enjoying the
joke, he would say that he was going to “trot down the ‘High.’”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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