Venetia

of the American war, and the flagrant union with Lord North, the Whig party, and especially Charles Fox, then in the full vigour of his bold and ready mind, were stung to t

t, very beautiful, and, although she had been married some years, still young, the celebrated wife of Lord Monteagle found herself the centre of a circle alike powerful, brilliant, and refined. She was the Muse of the Whig party, at whose shrine every man of wit and fashion was pr

toinette, Lady Monteagle, with an eye sparkling with excitement and a cheek flushed with emotion, ap

ordship, 'I have asked the new

ladyship, 'what could induce

as usual,' said his lordship, shru

house. I never find fault with what you do. But what could indu

oined his lordship; 'and yet he would not have come if I h

would be wrong; y

tutor at Christchurch, when poor dear Herbert and I were such friends, and very kind he was to us both

smiling. 'It is rather ridiculous: but I

has his opinions, not at all a partisan. I assure you poor dear Herbert loved him

r tutor, but Herbert's, should be a

shows that it is quite useless in this world to lay pl

r being very vexed that that stupid old Bangerford should not have died when

ham, that is his name, was at Weymouth this year;

? Why should I thi

h Herbert

hat horr

Lady A

his daughter?

a most beautiful creature they say

egret I never saw him

rt gave him, and is their chaplain and counsellor, and friend of the family, and all that sort of thing, though I really believe he has always acted for the best, he was with them. Well, the King took the greate

p; 'and the drollest thing of all is,

durcis to-day?' s

,' said he

ines

is new poem; it will not be

it g

enry!' exclaimed Lady Monteagle. 'Good! Of cours

s other things? Will it make as

that if there be anything I dislike in

sed, I am quite content. There is a knock. Some of your friends. I am

essed his lips, and just effected his escape as the serv

new poem; it will not he published till to-morrow, and it really has destroyed my nerves.

' said Mr. Pole, with a sneer. 'I

ar Mr. Pole, you h

thank Heaven!' dr

have a quarrel abou

l you men are

women, I think, t

agle faint

He complains bitterly that so many women are in love with him. B

he is the most conceited, affected fellow tha

d Lady Monteagle, shaking her head. 'You

e, 'or his writings either. For my

p, with a glance of triumph, 'that it was

ed that a connection with a person who attracts so much notice as Cadurcis unfortunately does, and whose opinions on morals and rel

dyship, in a tone of affected depre

s of genius, Lady Monteagle,

, rising from her recumbent posture, wi

de upon our contemporari

that ever existed,' said her ladyship, as if

n a lampoon on the roy

o

d Lady Monteagle; 'but you do not prov

yond my power and my ambition,' replied Mr

Monteagle, 'and then decide

no great willingness, and turned over a pa

gotism to excess, and, which perhaps is the only portion that is genuine, mixed with common-place scepticism and impossible morals, and a sort of vag

assumption of indignation, 'and you are going to

opularity, Lady Monteagle, is that there is not a dinner party where one can escape him. I met him yesterday at Fanshawe's. He amused himself

ould a poet live? On coarse food, like you coarse mortals? Cadurcis is

e all spirit, Lady Monteagle, and therefore of course are not in the least inconvenienc

,' replied her ladyship

cis enter

ed Mr. Pole. 'I will admire him as much as you des

doubt you know them by hea

d Cadurcis, to entreat him to be with her at five o'clock, which was at least half an hour be