DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.51519#0368
MISS JENNINGS,
AFTERWARDS DUCHESS OF TYRCONNEL.
“ Say, why are Beauties praised and honour’d most ?
The wise man’s passion, and the vain man’s toast ?
Why deck’d with all that land or sea afford ?
Why angels called, and angel-like adored ?
How vain are all these glories, all our pains,
Unless good sense preserve what Beauty gains !”
Pope.
When the Duchess of York found herself under the necessity of
reforming’ her establishment of honourable handmaidens^ she was
resolved not to leave the selection of her new attendants to chance
or interest^ but to depend on her own taste alone; and listen to no
recommendations which were not presented in person. Her choice
fell on Miss Temple; Miss Jennings, and Miss Churchill: we will
discuss the last-mentioned first.
Hamilton; who has done for the court of Charles II. what Ovid
did for that of Olympus;—revealed to mocking' mortals “ all the
laughing’ scandal of the lower sky/’ has treated Miss Churchill
with peculiar malice; and even denied her any pretensions to that
beauty which she certainly did possess; if her portraits may be
trusted. She was the eldest sister of him who was afterwards the
great Duke of Marlborough; but at this time merely an ensign
in the Guards; and page of honour to the Duke of York. When
AFTERWARDS DUCHESS OF TYRCONNEL.
“ Say, why are Beauties praised and honour’d most ?
The wise man’s passion, and the vain man’s toast ?
Why deck’d with all that land or sea afford ?
Why angels called, and angel-like adored ?
How vain are all these glories, all our pains,
Unless good sense preserve what Beauty gains !”
Pope.
When the Duchess of York found herself under the necessity of
reforming’ her establishment of honourable handmaidens^ she was
resolved not to leave the selection of her new attendants to chance
or interest^ but to depend on her own taste alone; and listen to no
recommendations which were not presented in person. Her choice
fell on Miss Temple; Miss Jennings, and Miss Churchill: we will
discuss the last-mentioned first.
Hamilton; who has done for the court of Charles II. what Ovid
did for that of Olympus;—revealed to mocking' mortals “ all the
laughing’ scandal of the lower sky/’ has treated Miss Churchill
with peculiar malice; and even denied her any pretensions to that
beauty which she certainly did possess; if her portraits may be
trusted. She was the eldest sister of him who was afterwards the
great Duke of Marlborough; but at this time merely an ensign
in the Guards; and page of honour to the Duke of York. When