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
What a multitude of people we have here, Jews, Haberdashers, and
money-lenders without number, a sort of Marine Cheapside, Mr Solomons,
Mrs Levis, and all the Miss Abrahams; in short, Hook Noses, Mosaical
Whiskers and the whole tribe of Benjamin occupy every shop, every
donkey-cart, and every seat in Box, Pit, and Gallery. I am very tired
of them, and shall probably take flight at the end of the week to
Worthing.
The Beaumonts no doubt are still travelling _en suite_ in Scotland. I
wonder how many darts and hearts have been fired and wounded amongst
my too susceptible Countrymen! We shall see when they return. I
suppose half the Country will follow them back into Yorkshire.
Later in the year, from the same town, another friend, Sir James Graham,
[17] wrote:--
BRIGHTON, _December 28th, 1819._
The Regent is in the best possible state of health and spirits, and
moves to London and back frequently. He leaves to-day for a few days.
The Pavilion Palace is not in a state to receive Company and therefore
he sees very few. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester have been here
some time, and remain until the 5th or 6th of January, and this place
is quite full of company-not a good house to be got. Lady Elizabeth
Lowther has been here and is much better than usual.
Perhaps stirred by the letters received from their friends in England, the
thoughts of the exiled family turned more and more towards their home, and
Marianne wrote to her brother--
I shall be delighted to nationalise in old England. I think as much as
mind is superior to body, so much is English society better than
French-I mean that in which we live.... This is a dancing generation,
I think people's wits live in their heels and they cultivate nothing
else, though Mrs Poplim, who is now at the bottom of the precipice,
_tout à fait_, gives Proverbs and Concerts.
Lady Morgan [18] is quite the light of Paris, people flock to her
house as they would to a wild beast show. She has Talma, Mile.
Georges, and all the other Lions, foreign and home-bred. She and the
Rochefoucaulds are very thick--a great proof of their want of tact,
for she is the most impudent pretender to literature I ever met with.
_Mrs Spencer-Stanhope to Charles Spencer-Stanhope._
_December 12th, 1819._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account