The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1822-05-30 00:00:00

tR4HAM HAMILTON.

A Dowel ander this title has just made itolippliat-
*nee. rt is rrittni in a chanty "a etkOutailia,
sad M stispeeteil to he she work of a. Ika4l, of ramia,
gsp4to has- atrendtrosiren pima of literary. Mote end
talent. The following scene, we fear, re often rto•
heed in f;allionahre life
:
Splendid was Lady Orville's lisle at all nines. Tlwewaa
in her sonseihiag of that osteatatious display. which the new-
made sons of trade are fond of exhibiting; but still snore of
the old baronial pomp, which is thought due to illustrious
ancestry and ancient custom. She vial of a. boundless hoe-
pitality, of • munificence. inconsiderate, often, and lll.bo.
stowed, but still ths feeling from which these errors spews(
wee noble, and is now too rare. She was not only unwildwg
to give psis, hut to refuse any pleasure she had it is Isar
power to impart. Nor did she seek fur flaws its the cha-
racters of those who surrounded' hee„ to order to raja, the
petty triumph of excluding them from those eniertsiamenile
they would otherwise here enjoyed. No, Lady Ortilk's
whole soul was benevolent.
Oh, how then could they bear bp defame her ? I sever
heard her breathe an unkind, word of smother. The know-
ledge that a basun being wits ushappy, at once erased from
her mind the recollections-either of comity ewer.
It is unfortunate!), too bee, sad it las bees already-ex.
amplified la thy renege of my earralhaa, that a creature
Flitch as Lady arville--all kind and ftaN *fishing well to
every owe,,eyeopettintog deeply witilasisfonnue, and sail.
ows to refieve it, may be led to eirunsit more wring, and to
ewer' ranee misery, than the selfish and the depriseed. Re.
fore I flaish the sail history, spoil which my imagination
loves to dwell, of a being as fair as nature ever created-resky
me at least have the melancholy consolation of bolding up
to others these great and generous onstitiea, which it woud
be well if they would imitate, whilst they avoid her weak
sewn and faults. Let ma toll Sem that nether lovelbseas
of person, 110 r bite is attire, nor grace of manner, nor eves
it *iciest ion of mind, tea glee them that inexpreashde thorn
*lnch belonged so Lady Orville, above all others, nod which
sprang from the Item of !iodine= that best within her ho.
son. Thence that Impression of sincere good-sill, which at
once she spread neon ord thence that pleasiog address which
easy ire itself, put att others at tteir ease; thence that free.
acmr from sit meet sad petty feelimpt—ttlat aeperiority is
en vulgar coloration*. Here warno sotichode for pre emk
irenee—here was no apprehension of being degraded by the
society of others—here was no assumed contempi—here won
the calm and unassumieg confidence which ought ever to bi
the characteristic of rank and fashion. When this Is want.

tag, rid when, on the other hand, there is found every
where an uneasy anxiety fur distinction, a pining afte►
petty advantages, a dislike of mixing with the public fo►
fear of being confounded with the vulgar—when these feel.
Inge and notions generally prevail, they are a sure sign also
of the prevalence of conscious mediocrity, and of t►e ate
acne. of all natural superiority.
Many there were who moved in the same sphere with her,
many who committed the same errors, ■nd were guilty o(
the same forgetfulness of serious duties; but where was the
beactoienee which could not bear to humiliate or mortify!
—which found every where, and hp°o all occasions, a pride
end a pleasure in soothing, conciliatiog, and la making
happy? When wan it then? Where is it mew? I feat
that in this narrow, timid, and little-miuded age, we have no
each spirit left.
As soon as I catered the apartments she semiefileward
towards we, era, without oar reproach, weleeoled me to her
last fele. The watching were tuning their insteaments, the
servants were lighting t►e lustre,; but no use was expected,
mot even the old ladles, and card-playing gentlemen, for a■
hour. Lady Orville was dressed, and sever—oever had I
seen her so handsome as upon that evening. She always
looked best whet, her beautiful long hair was braided, and
without other ornaments then diamonds.
Now ht my situation at this moment be imagined—let it
be remembered how very young I then was—how very bma-
Wul the person who add d me: sod thep let me hope
for forgiveness, if, feeling that it would give her pain, I
broke all my resolutions, and did not dare inform her that I
was inintediwely going to be married. I faltered out some.
thing shout havieg bete very particularly engaged the
whole of last week; bet smiling she bade me say nothing
farther, and, loukiag upon me, said—" I see the chain is on ;
and as it was given, Graham, by one you will possibly see
wo wore, promise M weer it ; it Way save you .whea yea nee
tempted to forget yourself; it may also remind you of one
whose abort aequalatenee has not, I Mope, been productive of
111 to you. Keep it ; it is perhaps imprudent in me, but I
wish yogi to remember me."-4 Can I, can I ever need any
token for that purpose ? Do you believe I shall forget,
ore--
I was going to say, change; but I recollected Gertrude,
and full of embarrassment maned away. Lady Orville ap.
peared ■ho confused. The entrance of her little sou was a
relief to both. The child knew me; I clasped him to my
heart, sad the tears streamed from my eyes. She saw bow
deeply I was affected, and sighed-4 It is well, Mr. Viand-
toe, we should part; I never behaved half so absurdly—
however, you have many ether admirers :" sad she cadre-
roared to smile, and make light of what she had said.
We were still conversing when an antiquated lady, very
finely dressed, was introduced, and is a gossiping tone berm
to apologise for being so extremely early, from the fear of
being in a crowd, to which she added a lung story about her
coachman : she looked much at me, and I could see, thought
it strange that I was there already.
The company now began to attire in great numbers;
sad those whose orer•delieary load induced them to refrain
from visiting the house of mourning (for such Lady Or-
ville's had bees for the last ten days) now gladly crowded
into this pollen of pleasure and delight.
Lady Denmout and Mies Ciairville came amongst the first;
bet I could not help gaziag upon one alone: for the thought
that I should see lady Orville uo more, and that gibe felt a
among In t t for me, eisgroseed and oppressed me.
Whether it was that I was feeble from my recent illness,
and out of spirits, I know not, but every thing on that even-
ing offewited end displeased me. The men seemed more ex-
travaosat than ever, their manners affected. their necks tied
op till they bad eenstraieed all the ease and flexibility of
safer*. The women were like exotic flowers cultured in
hot-houses; delicate, week, prettyleced, and ennateral.
Lady Orville alone was mill fresh and uofaded, fell of
health sad beauty sad exuberant lie, with all s►e charms
that belong to human nature, and much of what we imagine
of celestial reeeliewee.—Mt I ant fearful of fatiguing yen
wit► these Nereid deseriptitins; for the actual events, how-
ever they break up and destroy (may Murata of the faacy,
whether in life or in romawe, are all you look for. For me,
a witness of this last geese, the picture of it still rises before
me, still dwells is my remembrance, and 1 easing withdraw
myself from contemplating it. Yet let it pass. It termi-
nate✓, as all seen or late must teeniest/; and the evisoner
boar perestated a scene as moareful and as intexpreted a.
the fveming's entertainment had here brilliant.
The company retired lete—l watched the hats, feathers,
dime/ weds, flower., faces, fans, floosie' (foie the crowded
staircase into the 11room—the eon bad already tieen—all
lashed trnis►ed, tided, false. The light of the tworning
weediest:A at once the superiority of nature, and like the
touch of the spear of Muriel, *hewed t►e reality of things,
distinguishing youth from ego, and health from langour,
which had been somewhat mined and confused amidst the
elare of towhee and the splendour of silk and tinrel. I
aloe prepared M ►Hire; but Seat I approached Lady Or-
ville, to take leave of her. She appeared extremely agitated
' She seemed Irresolute. Ow grasped my hand—bees was
cold and tremblings every ea. war goo.. The servants ea-
treed to extintruieh the lights. She greeted inwardly, say.
iag," See, they come ;" and broke floes me—l hallowed her
a hot Norm:. bet, turning roused, ►pen hoofing a Mn* bellied
me, perceived the occasion of her terror: a atidithangod
moo was eihnonstrasing, sometimes civilly, sometimes an-
grily, with a number of other', wise had forced thew way
iota the horse. I too soon perceived they were the Sheriff's
officers. They were peeparing is seize beds, retaliate,
sofas, pictures, plate, mud every thing.

An Egyptian mummy, ferreitrd far the non-PgY-
ment of duties, wee *old at the custom-house, Ply-
mouth, eft Friday last, for 4351.