DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.51519#0301
MRS. MIDDLETON.
253
a man of good family but small fortune, of whom nothing- is known
but that he gave his name to a very beautiful coquette., who, under
the shelter of that name, is said to have played some fantastic
tricks.
Mrs. Middleton was never attached to the court, nor had she
rank or fortune to enable her to take any distinguished place there,
but her charms, the admiration she inspired, her love of pleasure
and her love of splendour, drew her within that brilliant but dan-
gerous vortex. We find her associating- habitually with many
well known characters of her own sex, those who were distin-
guished for correctness of conduct, as well as those who were
notorious for the reverse ; and surrounded by admirers, the gayest
and noblest cavaliers of that dissipated court.
Among these was the Chevalier de Grammont: she appears to
have been the first who attracted his notice after his arrival in
England. “ Then,” says his gay historiographer, a lettres et pre-
sens trotterent—the first were answered, the last not rejected.
But the lover en restait la: the lady was not quite so facile as the
gentleman expected. “ II s’appercut que la belle prenait volontiers,
mais qu’elle ne donnait que pen•” and, in his usual style, he seems
to have taken pains to make himself hated where he failed in
making- himself loved.
It appears, that in addition to her pretensions as a beauty, Mrs.
Middleton affected the airs of a precieuse. She talked as if she
had just arrived from that fantastic land the pays du tendre, so
minutely described with all its districts, its river d' inclination, and
its various villages of jolis-vers, and petits soins, &c. in the most
famous romance of the time •* but though she sometimes put her
lovers to sleep by discoursing in a strain of the most refined senti-
* The Clelie of Mademoiselle de Scuderi. There will be no talking to your
sister when she has read Clelia, for the wise folks say it is the most improving
book that can be read.”—See Lady Russell’s Life, p. 94,
253
a man of good family but small fortune, of whom nothing- is known
but that he gave his name to a very beautiful coquette., who, under
the shelter of that name, is said to have played some fantastic
tricks.
Mrs. Middleton was never attached to the court, nor had she
rank or fortune to enable her to take any distinguished place there,
but her charms, the admiration she inspired, her love of pleasure
and her love of splendour, drew her within that brilliant but dan-
gerous vortex. We find her associating- habitually with many
well known characters of her own sex, those who were distin-
guished for correctness of conduct, as well as those who were
notorious for the reverse ; and surrounded by admirers, the gayest
and noblest cavaliers of that dissipated court.
Among these was the Chevalier de Grammont: she appears to
have been the first who attracted his notice after his arrival in
England. “ Then,” says his gay historiographer, a lettres et pre-
sens trotterent—the first were answered, the last not rejected.
But the lover en restait la: the lady was not quite so facile as the
gentleman expected. “ II s’appercut que la belle prenait volontiers,
mais qu’elle ne donnait que pen•” and, in his usual style, he seems
to have taken pains to make himself hated where he failed in
making- himself loved.
It appears, that in addition to her pretensions as a beauty, Mrs.
Middleton affected the airs of a precieuse. She talked as if she
had just arrived from that fantastic land the pays du tendre, so
minutely described with all its districts, its river d' inclination, and
its various villages of jolis-vers, and petits soins, &c. in the most
famous romance of the time •* but though she sometimes put her
lovers to sleep by discoursing in a strain of the most refined senti-
* The Clelie of Mademoiselle de Scuderi. There will be no talking to your
sister when she has read Clelia, for the wise folks say it is the most improving
book that can be read.”—See Lady Russell’s Life, p. 94,