Gossip in the First Decade of Victoria's Reign Part 28

1794, and ended with the fight between the Endymion and President on 25 Jan., 1815. The Medal for Waterloo was granted some long time afterwards.

In January, the British Museum received the splendid bequest of the Library of Thomas Grenville, Esqre., who died 17 Dec., 1846. This magnificent library of over 20,000 volumes, valued at the very low estimate of 50,000, contains two copies of the Mazarin bible, one on vellum, a first folio of Shakespere, Caxton's "Reynard the Fox," and countless other literary treasures and rarities. He had intended to leave this library to the Duke of Buckingham-but, reflecting that as most of the books had been paid for with the proceeds of a sinecure office (Chief Justice in eyre, south of the Trent) of 2,000 a year, which he had held from 1800 to 1817, when it was abolished, he felt it only just that they should be given to the nation, who had virtually paid for them.

With them came, as curator, his valet, Mr. Holden, who remained with his master's beloved books until three or four years since.

On 9 March a Royal Proclamation was issued for a day of Fasting and humiliation on account of the famine and distress in Ireland, and it was duly kept on the day set apart for it, 24 March.

There is a curious paragraph in the _Times_ of 23 March: "BINDING OF SATAN.-During the past two or three weeks, a number of persons have been going round the streets, on the Surrey side of the water, wearing belts, like those worn by the fire brigade, on which pa.s.sages from the Scriptures are painted, carrying with them an inkhorn and long sheets of paper, soliciting signatures to what they pretend to be a pet.i.tion to Heaven, for the binding of Satan, the Prince of darkness. So eager are those persons to get the paper signed, that men, women, and children are stopped indiscriminately, and requested to sign. Those who are too young to sign, or unable to write their names, have the same done for them by the men, who do not attempt to disguise the fact of belonging to the followers of Joanna Southcote. Upon several occasions, a great deal of confusion has been created by the parties, for they generally manage to go about with knots of forty or fifty persons; and, occasionally, discussions ensue, which are calculated to bring the Scriptures into perfect ridicule. One person, more intelligent than the persons who are hawking the pet.i.tions about, inquired who it is that will present the pet.i.tion? when the man replied, with the greatest coolness, that as soon as a sufficient number of names are attached to the pet.i.tion, it will be presented to the Throne of Mercy by Joanna Southcote herself. Surely it is high time that such exhibitions were put down by the police."

Early in April a circular from the Home Secretary was forwarded to the magistrates at the various gaols, telling them that, in consequence of the suspension of transportation of male convicts to Van Diemen's Land, it would be requisite for them to make immediate provision for the confinement and employment, in this country, of a great number of such offenders.

On the 14th of April the Queen paid a visit of inspection to the New House of Lords, and, on the next day, the Peers took possession of it, and transacted business there for the first time.

Talk of Gossip, was there ever such food for it as the arrival of Jenny Lind-it was a furore, a madness. She arrived in London late on the afternoon of Ap. 17, and was present in the evening at the performance at Her Majesty's Theatre. On May 4 she made her first appearance on the Stage in England-in this Theatre-where she played in "Robert le Diable,"

and, from that moment, until the end of the season, nothing else was thought of-nothing else talked of-but Jenny Lind, and it was no short-lived fit of enthusiasm, for she was _the_ favourite of the public until her retirement; her beautiful voice and simplicity of manner charming everyone, from Royalty downwards. Unfortunately her debut was somewhat marred by a pecuniary squabble between her and Bunn, the operatic poet, a rival _impresario_, Lumley, having secured her services.

Here is Punch's version of the squabble:

"JENNY-LINDEN.

A DREADFUL ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE SWEDISH NIGHTINGALE AND THE POET BUNN.

On LIND, when Drury's sun was low, And bootless was the wild-beast show, The lessee counted for a flow Of rhino to the treasury.

But JENNY LIND, whose waken'd sight Saw Drury in a proper light, Refused, for any sum per night, To sing at the Menagerie.

With rage and ire in vain display'd, Each super drew his wooden blade, In fury half, and half afraid For his prospective salary.

BUNN in a flaming frenzy flew, And speedily the goose quill drew, With which he was accustomed to Pen such a deal of poetry.

He wrote the maiden to remind Her of a compact she had signed, To Drury Lane's condition blind, And threatened law accordingly.

Fair as in face, in nature, she Implored the man to set her free, a.s.suring him that he should be Remunerated handsomely.

Two thousand pounds she offered, so That he would only let her go; BUNN, who would have his bond, said NO!

With dogged pertinacity.

And, now, his action let him bring, {310} And try how much the law will wring From her to do the handsome thing, Who had proposed so readily!

The Swedish Nightingale to cage, He failed; she sought a fitting stage, And left him to digest his rage, And seek his legal remedy.

Then shook the House, with plaudits riven, When JENNY'S opening note was given, The sweetest songstress under heaven Forth bursting into melody.

But fainter the applause shall grow, At waning Drury's wild-beast show, And feebler still shall be the flow Of rhino to the treasury.

The Opera triumphs! LUMLEY brave, Thy bacon thou shalt more than save; Wave, London, all thy 'kerchiefs wave, And cheer with all thy chivalry.

'Tis night; and still yon star doth run; But all in vain for treasurer DUNN, And Mr. HUGHES, and poet BUNN, And quadrupeds, and company.

For Sweden's Nightingale so sweet, Their fellows.h.i.+p had been unmeet, The sawdust underneath whose feet Hath been the Drama's sepulchre."

Died on 15th May, at Genoa, on his route to Rome, aged 72, Daniel O'Connell, the erst "uncrowned King of Ireland," who, during his lifetime, had been a thorn (and a very troublesome one) in the side of every English government. His heart was forwarded to Rome, but his body was embalmed, and, in due time, was sent to Ireland for interment.

The _Liverpool Albion_, quoted in the _Times_ of 14 May, is responsible for the following story: "Some time ago, the Duke of Buccleugh, in one of his walks, purchased a cow from a person in the neighbourhood of Dalkeith, and left orders to send it to his palace on the following morning. According to agreement, the cow was sent, and the Duke, who happened to be _en deshabille_, and walking in the avenue, espied a little fellow ineffectually attempting to drive the animal to its destination. The boy, not knowing the Duke, bawled out to him: 'Hi! mun, come here an' gi'us a han' wi' this beast.' The Duke saw the mistake, and determined to have a joke with the little fellow. Pretending, therefore, not to understand him, the Duke walked on slowly, the boy still craving his a.s.sistance. At last, he cried in a tone of apparent distress: 'Come here, mun, an' help us, an' as sure as onything, I'll give ye half I get.' This last solicitation had the desired effect. The Duke went and lent a helping hand. 'And now,' said the Duke, as they trudged along, 'how much do you think you will get for this job?' 'Oh, dinna ken,' said the boy, 'but I am sure o' something, for the folk up at the house are good to a' bodies.' As they approached the house, the Duke darted from the boy, and entered by a different way. He called a servant, and put a sovereign into his hand, saying, 'Give that to the boy that has brought the cow.' The Duke returned to the avenue, and was soon rejoined by the boy. 'Well, how much did you get?' said the Duke. 'A s.h.i.+lling,' said the boy, 'an' there's the half o't to ye.' 'But, surely, you got more than a s.h.i.+lling,' said the Duke. 'No,' said the boy, with the utmost earnestness, 'as sure's death, that's a' I got-an' d'ye not think it's a plenty?' 'I do not,' said the Duke; 'there must be some mistake; and, as I am acquainted with the Duke, if you return, I think I'll get you more.' The boy consented; back they went. The Duke rang the bell, and ordered all the servants to be a.s.sembled. 'Now,' said the Duke to the boy, 'point out the person who gave you the s.h.i.+lling.' 'It was that chap, there, with the ap.r.o.n,' pointing to the butler. The delinquent confessed, fell on his knees, and attempted an apology; but the Duke interrupted him, indignantly ordered him to give the boy the sovereign, and quit his service instantly. 'You have lost,' said the Duke, 'your money, your situation, and your character, by your covetousness; learn, henceforth, that honesty is the best policy.' The boy, by this time, recognised his a.s.sistant, in the person of the Duke, and the Duke was so delighted with the sterling worth and honesty of the boy, that he ordered him to be sent to school, kept there, and provided for at his own expense."

Eton "Montem" was abolished this year. It was a triennial custom, and had for its purpose the presentation of a sum of money to the Captain of the school on his departure to the University. Every third year, on Whitsun Tuesday, some of the Eton boys, clad in fancy costume (as is here given from the Montem of 1844), went to Salt Hill, and the neighbourhood generally, and levied contributions, or "Salt," from all pa.s.sers-by. The custom led to grave abuses, and the Provost and Head Master determined that it should end, but, that the boy who benefited by it should not be a loser, the latter, Dr. Hawtrey, gave him 200 out of his own pocket. The following is an account of the death and burial of Eton "Montem":

"Tuesday, 25 May.-This being the day on which the triennial festival of 'Montem' would have been celebrated at Eton and Salt Hill, had it not been abolished by the Provost and the authorities of Eton, considerable excitement prevailed in the vicinity of the College from an early hour this morning, in consequence (from rumours which had been in circulation for some time past) of its being apprehended that some 'demonstration' would be made by the boys, a.s.sisted by several old Etonians from Oxford and Cambridge (who are strongly opposed to the abolition of the ceremony), which might lead to a breach of the peace. With the exception of about a thousand small squares of gla.s.s being demolished in the vicinity of the lower school, and similar breakages, but to a much smaller extent, at the houses of parties who were supposed to be in favour of the determination which had been come to by the Provost, we have heard of no demonstration of a riotous character on the part of the boys. This being a 'whole holiday,' several of the head boys had permission to proceed in boats, up the Thames, for the day, as far as Cliefden. Between 100 and 200 have, also, left for the Whitsun holidays; thus thinning the number remaining at College to a considerable extent.

[Picture: Dresses, Eton "Montem." 1844]

"As soon as 'absence' had been called by the head master, the Rev.

Dr. Hawtrey, shortly after 12 o'clock, the boys, numbering between 200 and 300, formed in procession in the playing fields, and marched across the fields, preceded by a black flag, to the celebrated mount at Salt Hill. They were joined by a great many of the old Etonians from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, who arrived at Eton this morning. Each wore, on his left arm, a band and rosette of black c.r.a.pe, and many had white hatbands and scarves. As they were seen wending their way towards Salt Hill, they had all the appearance of mourners (merry though they might be) in a funeral procession.

Upon their arrival at the Mount, the black flag was waved in solemn silence, and, afterwards, placed on the summit, drooping on the ground, typical of the lost glories of Montem. The large party then proceeded to Botham's, at the Windmill Hotel, whence, after partaking of a luncheon, they again returned to the Mount, and, with the flag, retraced their steps back to College.

"A match at cricket was played during the day, between the Oxonians and the present Etonians, in the shooting fields attached to the College. A splendid cold collation was provided, in the evening, for the players, by Mr. Clarke, of the Christopher Inn. The waiters who attended upon the guests were compelled to wear black c.r.a.pe around their arms, 'in keeping,' as it was observed, 'with the solemnity of the occasion.' Such were the fears entertained by some of the College authorities that a disturbance might take place in the course of the day, that a strong body of the Metropolitan A division of police was stationed at Slough, in plain clothes (as we are informed), to be in readiness to a.s.sist the local authorities, in the event of their services being required, it being expected that a mob, composed of the idle and lazy of the two towns, might, in the course of the evening, show some disposition to create a disturbance. The abolition of Montem is not only considered to be a most unpopular proceeding on the part of the old and present Etonians; but, also, by the tradesmen of Eton and Windsor, amongst the former of whom a large sum of money was triennially circulated, both before and during the festival."

_Punch_ has a lament on it, of which I reproduce three verses:

"Say, Hill of Salt, for thou hast seen Full many a n.o.ble race Do what might be considered mean In any other case- With cap in hand, and courtly leg, Waylay the traveller, and beg; Say, was it not a pleasing sight Those young Etonians to behold, For eleemosynary gold, Arrest the pa.s.sing wight.

Whilst some, of more excursive bent, Their vagrant arts to ply, To all the various places went, That in the neighbourhood lie; To Datchet, Slough, or Horton they, Or e'en to Colnbrook, took their way, Or ancient Windsor's regal town; Stopp'd every body they could meet, Knocked at each house, in every street, In hopes of half a crown.

Gay clothes were theirs, by fancy made; Some were as Romans drest, Some in the Grecian garb array'd, Some bore the knightly crest; Theirs was attire of every hue, Of every fas.h.i.+on, old, or new, Various as Nathan's ample store.

Angelic beings! Ladies! say Will ye let these things pa.s.s away?

Must Montem be no more?"

From this, to the Accession of the Queen, there is no more Gossip to chronicle.

[Picture: Decorative picture of person with crown]

Footnotes:

{10} Then a very active M.P.; afterwards Judge in the Admiralty and Probate Courts, Dean of Arches, &c.

{23} It is said that this was the last chime rung.

{27} Still in use on the Royal Exchange.

{81a} It is needless to say that the Queen's Speech to Parliament on 5th Feb. was absolutely silent on the matter; indeed, the Queen did not inform her Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne, of her choice until October of this year.

{81b} Poems by the Lady Flora Hastings, edited by her sister.

Edinburgh, 1841, 8vo.

{84} The Queen's most intimate companion from her childhood.

{119a} This was preliminary, and was ent.i.tled "An Act for Exhibiting a Bill in this present Parliament for naturalising His Serene Highness Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha."