The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-08-18 00:00:00

LITERART GLEANINGS.

Ne. XIII.
Mas. HAVLEY.—She was the sister of Jonx
of famous memory, had a large portion of his intellectual
'endowments and was very little his inferior in %ivaettv,
humour, and wit. She was married first to an opule, t
merchant, who was succeeded in his business by his head
clerk, Mr. Hayley, whose fortunes weremalle by his ob.
raining the band of the widow. lie was afterwards Aldo.
man Hayley, and was a near relatwn of. Hayley the poet,
He was a plain; sensible, good sort of than, wholly
sorbed la commetcial pursuits, and soon found it
for the sake of a quiet life, to suffer his cora ,posy to de, as
she liked. Ste was exceedingly well informed, and read a
great deal, possessed a fine taste, andwith respect to lite.
rary merit, considerable judgment. She accordingly
sought, with much avidity, the society of these who w re
distinguished in the world by their talents and their writ-
' ings. When the expression of those is used, it must be
understood to apply to men only, foron all occasions line
was at no pains to conceal het contemptuous opinion of her
own sex; and it was no uncommon thing to see her at
table, surroundedby ten or twelve etniaent men, without a
single female. - •
She had great conversation talents, and-unfortunately,
like her brother, she seldom permitted any ideas of religion,
or even of dulicacy, to impose a restraint upon her ob-
servations. _ _

—......,.....
Her disregari) for propriety was alto and conspicuously
manifested on other occasions. She invariably attended all
the more remarkable trials at the Old Bailey, where she
regularly had a certain place reserved for her. When the
discussion or trial was of such a nature that decorum, and
i
• indeed the Judges them* desired women to withdraw
she never stirred from leer trace,. but persisted in remaio-
-ins to hear the Whole, via ' Abe moot unmoved and tin.
blushing earnestness of attention.
She every summer mado an excursion to such ram of
the kingdom Iss she bad not before visited, and was slams
accompanied by a single male friend, veho for a great num..
1 her of years was an American gentleman, connected with
the house of Hayley by the ties of mercantile interest.
Upon one occasion she visited the Highlands with this
gentleman, and though accustomed to a very luxurious
style of living, she submitted to the greatest privations and
hardships in the indulgence of her. curiosity. This indeed
was unbounded ; it extended to' the manufactories, man-
ners, high and low, and worse than low, in whatever place
she visited. Her professed object was to see every body
and every thing, which deserved or excited attention.
The season in which she, visited the Higlands proved
moreover to be very wet and tempestuous, and the charac-
ter of her mind cannot perhaps be more accurately deli-
neated, than by an extraca of a letter which she wrote to
her brother, John Wilkes, from Scotland. It began—
" Dear Brother—The rain has been and still is so incomant, that
I have serious intentions of constructing another ark. into which,
however, I shall be exceedingly scrupulous whom I admit. As I
know your particular taste, I shall have a cabin for your me, lima
up, and adorned with scripture end other prints. But I sill en ;.oconsideration whatever suffer any unclean animals to enter ; for ex-
ample, nothing shall prevail on me to admit either Scotch torn it
Scotch women," etc. &c.
The whole of the epistle was of the same strain and chi.
racter, full of wit, humour, and ingenious (however unjutt)
raillery.
She had a house after her husband's death, and perhaps
before, at Bromley; the measured distance of which from
her town residence in Great Aliffe-street, Goodman's-fields,
was precisely ten miles. She had four beautiful black
bones, and on entering her carriage, she never failed to
take her watch in her hand, and her coachman was sure to
have a sorry bout of it, if he exceeded the space of an bout,
either going or coming. She had also a strong predilection
for the drama, had a box at each of the theatres, and ge-
nerally went from one house to another. She was meat
particularly fond of Shakespeare, and never failed to be
present when any of his plays were represented. She al-
loWed her coachman hut half an hour to drive from Good-
man's fields to either theatre. Her remarks on tbe per-
formances and performers were ingenious, lively, pertinent,
and just, and very much contributed to the information
and amusement of her company.
She was particularly nice in her carriage, which was al-
ways built in the highest and roost expensive style of
fashion, and kept with particular neatness. She had one
day, a rich citizen with her in one of these•excursions toot
from Bromley, who, front want of observation or attention,
did rot perceive that the glass near which he sate was
drawit up, and he was so thoughtless as to spit upon it.
She indulged in much laughter, and remarked, that her
coachman could not possibly have a greater compliment
paid to his care of the glasses.
She had a daughter, who did not appear to be exempted,
by her relationship, from the general, indeed the universal
dislike, or lather contempt, which she avowed for all her
six.

They were on the very worst terms possible ; arta so rt
metaist was she, on her daughter's marriage, to pedals
tlt stipalations required by old H.'s will, that the meet
harsh rigorous proceedings were found unavoidably
treessary, and she was arrested on a Saturday night on
coining from the play, when she had thousands at her coin-
inand, and detained, with her male friend, who alwats
accompanied her, • in a spenging-house, till the Monde),
morning.
In the end she served this same gentleman a most din.
pert' trick. Ile was a native of Nantucket, and as Mr.
H. 's commercial connexions were principally in America,
he was one of their most intimate and valuable cone.
spondents. On coming to England he took up his resi-
dence hi H.'s house, and on his death undertook the cert.
duct of die great and extensive concern for the widow.
He was her most intimate counsellor, confidant, and friend,
embarked his fortunes with hers, attended her every
*lsm, and on every occasion, and was iu all respects the
master of her house, and director of her family. At the
conclusion of the American war, it was found expedient
that come -.confidential person should go over to Amelia,
to see after the property still remaining in that country,
and- which was not much less in value than a hundred
thousand pounds.. Mr. Il offered himself for the
purpose. The lady's attachment to him was so strong,
that she determined not to part with him, and resolved to
accompany him. Before they embarked it was determined,
on consultation, that they should be married, and the
Archbishop's license was accordingly obtained. Front
some cause or other the solemnization was deferred, and
they mutually covenanted that it should take place on their
arrival in America. They accordingly set sail loving!!
together. When they got to America they were much
noticed, and feasted, and were hospitably teceived, even
by General Washington himself, and the most considerable
persons of the country. Sill the marriage was not sole:e-
lks& Almost the fiat letters which came out from Eng-
land, brought the unwelcome information that the presence
of Mrs. H. or her agent and rep resentative,was indispensably
necessary to secure the property which was left behind, no
leas considerable than that after which thee went in search.
The gentleman of whom we are speaking, voluntarily
undertook this mission also ; and leaving his friend and
mistress, with the Froinise, and indeed determination, to
return immediately, and perform his contract, he sr-
pointed a young mercantile man to transact his business is
MI absence, and departed for England.
But mark the waywardness and inconstancy of torte
females : he had hardly set foot on British land, whin I
packet arrived from a correspondent in America, with the
Information, that the lady hail found solitude in that distant
part of the globe so irksome, and indef(' so intolerable,
that in one short week after his departure she had united
herself in indissoluble bonds with the young mail whom
he had left as his mercantile representative. There nyee
no writings, settlements, or contracts, but one simple ele'e'L
stating that the longest liver should take all the pee'
perty.
Before the narrative of Mrs. H. is resumed, the soltl"
of the fortunes of this disappointed gentleman, as far it
they are known, shall he added. Ilia grief was probably
neither very acute, nor very permanent ; itaksed lie 1"'
already beginning to feel his situation to be a sort of In-
manly thraldom : and there can be very little doubt that if
he had been either pressing or importunate., he might
lahwtii mutandis have been the happy bridegroom in Ar.,-
rica, rather than the forsaken lover in England. But 111'
was a man with a great spirit of enterprise, had seen mud'
of the world, and was anxious to see n.ore. He hail els°
some very lofty schemes of mercantile attgrantlisenwlg:
particularly with respect to the South Sea Inale
lle was an exceedingly ingenious mechanic, and had in
vonted a machine for the Inure certain destruction of wildest
which had the approbation of some of our molt ECM'

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It--; offered himself for the ,
tachment to him was so strong,
3 part svith him, and resolved to
hey embarked it was determined,
ey should be married, and the •
,s accordingly obtained. From
solemnization was deferred, and
that it should take place on their
ey accordingly set sail lovingly
ut to America they were much
d were hospitably teccived, even
iiinself, and the most considerable
Sill the marriage was not soletr-
etters which came out from Eng-
nne information that the presence
1 repreaentative,was indispensably ':4l
operty which was left behind, no
t after which they went in search. •
in we are speaking, voluntarily
also ; and leaving his friend and
Ilse, and indeed determination, to
I perform his contract, he sr-
ile man to transact his business is
for England.
irdness and inconstancy of sorts
set foot on British land, wilo I
rrespondent in America, with the
hail found solitude in that distant 3'
;some, and inileNl so intolerable,
after Ilia departure she had united
rands with the young man whom
.stile representative. There west
or contracts, but one simple deed.
liver should take all the ro•
Mrs. H. is resumed, the oesit'd
isappoin tea getitleman, as far As
added. his grief was probably
very permanent ; indeed he o"5
his situation to be a sort of tri-
ere can be very little doubt that if
we; or importunate, he might
the happy bridegroom in Ay
aken lover in England. But
fe
pirit of enterprise, had seen much
xious to see n.ore. lde had also
is of mercantile aggrandisement,
to the South Sea IVhale Fishery. •
ngeuioua mechanic, and had in-
more certain destruction of wholes*
ation of some of our most screw
• -"

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