The Letter-Bag of Lady Elizabeth Spencer-Stanhope — Volume 1
History
The Letter-Bag of Lady Elizabeth Spencer-Stanhope — Volume 1
Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 19th century; Spencer-Stanhope, Elizabeth Wilhelmina Coke, Lady, 1795-1873
Lord Alvanley came to Paris a few days ago with his mistress. They
refused him admittance at the _Hôtel de Londres_, saying they had
English families there, among others "the great Mrs Beaumont." He
coolly replied that they need not mind _her_, for her fortune had
been made by keeping a house of bad character; and so he got in! Did
you ever hear of such _scandalous impudence_!
On behalf of Lord Alvanley, however, it may be added that about this date
another story got abroad respecting him which redounds more to his credit.
He and Lord Kinnaird were playing whist one evening, when, owing to some
mistaken move in the game on the part of Lord Alvanley, Lord Kinnaird
completely lost his self-control and abused his friend in the most violent
manner. Lord Alvanley listened in silence to the torrent of denunciation,
then, rising from the card table, observed very quietly, "Not being
blessed with your Lordship's angelic temper, I shall retire for fear of
losing mine!"
Moreover, Marianne Stanhope, about the same time, makes mention of an
instance of Lord Alvanley's good-nature which came under her notice. It
appears that one of his greatest friends was an Irish dandy who, for long,
went by the nickname of "King Allen" on account of his having achieved a
unique position in the world of fashion. This monarch of the _beau monde_
spent his days, as did others of his class, exhibiting his faultless
clothes in fashionable resorts; and so wedded was he to this existence
that he could seldom be persuaded to quit London even for the benefit of
his health.
Once, however, Lord Alvanley found his friend moping at the sea-side, a
prey to profound depression, and spending sleepless nights tossing on his
couch, unable to account to his own satisfaction either for his insomnia
or his melancholia. With the intuition of a kindred soul Lord Alvanley at
once probed the root of the dandy's complaint. He recognised that it was
impossible for such a man to exist apart from the bustle and noise of the
great city to which he was accustomed, and _faute de mieux_, Lord Alvanley
invented a remedy. At his own expense, he engaged a hackney coachman who
undertook to rattle his vehicle up and down past King Allen's lodgings
till the early dawn, and another man who agreed to shout the hours
throughout the night in the strident tones of a London watchman. The ruse
was successful. Whether other persons living in the neighbourhood were
equally pleased, history does not relate, but the melancholy dandy,
deluded into a belief that he was back once more in his favourite haunts,
slumbered peacefully, and was in time restored in perfect health to the
scenes of his former triumph.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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