Star.
London, England, 1826-10-13 00:00:00

THE HAMPTON COURT BEAUTIES.

rnnu THE NEW MeINTHLY MAGAZINE.

(Continued from the STA II of Wednesday.)
THE DUCHESS OF GRAFTON.—This beautiful woman,
who appears to have been the favourite object of ado-
ration and celebration among the wits of her time, was
the Lady Isabella Bennet, only d.ar:_;hter and heiress of
Henry Benner, Earl of Arlington, one of that cabal of
profligate Ministers, who are answerable for the politi-
cal disgraces of Charles's reign. As she inherited is her
own right her father's title, as well as the immense for-
tune he had accumulated at Court, there were many
competitors for so rich a prize, even while she was yet
a child; bur the King speedily silenced all the aspirants
by bestowing her on Henry Fitzroy, his son by the
Duchess of Cleveland. At the time of his marriage, the
young Duke of Grafton was only eleven years old; but he
afterwards proved himself worthy of his good fortune.
He distinguished himself greatly as a naval Officer, and
was, says Burnet, "a gallant though a rough man : he'
had more spirit that, any one of the King's sons." After
the accession of James the Second, he was one of those
who openly sheered their discontent at the innovations
in Church and State introduced by the King. His
answer to James on this occasion was much talked of.'
The King reproached him with " factious behaviour,"
and said." he was sure he could not pretend to act upon
principles of conscience, for he had been so ill-bred, that
as he knew little of religion, so he regarded it less."
The Duke replied bluntly, " that though he might have
little conscience himself, he was of a party who had a
great deal." He was one of the first who went over to
the party of the Prince of Orange, who placed great
confidence in him. In 1690, the Duke of Grafton at-
tended the Duke (then Earl) of Marlborough, to the
siege of COI k, and while leading on the grenadiers to
the attack, he received a shot from the walls, and fell,
gallantly encouraging his men. He was in his twenty-
ninth year, and much regretted by all parties. His
young Duchess remained for some time inconsolable
for has loss, but afterwards married Sir Thomas Han-
auer, and died in 1722. We find this lovely Duchess of
Grafton frequently alluded to by the poets of that age ;
and until the four matchless daughters of Marlborough
appeared at Court to eclipse all their contemporaries,
she seems to have reigned supreme " Lady of Hearts."
Lord Lansdown, in his " Proeress of Beauty," places
her fist among the fair ones of Biitain—

" Love in a shining galaxy appears
Triumphant still. and Grafton leads the tiara.

• •
Ten thousand loves, • ten thousand several
ways,
Invade adoring crowds, who die to gaze,"—Ste.

It must be confessed that " Love triumphant in a shining
galaxy," is at most exceeding good sense-less;" but
such was the affected style of the day. In another poem,
Lord Lansdown celebrates " The hearing in the House
of Lords of a cause between the Duchess of Grafton and
the Lord Chief Justice," ►elative to a disputed grant
spade by Charles the Second Odle first Duke of Graf.
too. The Duchess pleaded in behalf of her infant son.
What need of wilds with such commanding eyes?
" Must 1 then speak. 0 heavens !" the charmer cries—
" 0 barbarous clime ! where Beauty borrows aid
" From Eloquence, to charm, or to persuade !"
Of course the "ill-mannered monsters of the Bar," as
his Lordship most irreverently terms them, are put to
silence, and "tyrant Law" defeated by the " omoipo.
tence" of Beauty.
" Conquest can newer fail in radiant Grafton's eyes."

She is also alluded to in Codrington's happy and
beautiful compliment to Garth:
0 The nymph has Grafton's, Cecil's • Churchilfst charms,
If with resistless fires my soul she' warms," ice.

It may easily be suppo:ed that in that age of gal-
lantry and satire, her Grace could not escape unnoticed
by mote licentious and ill•natured witi. There is a
lampoon extant, which insinuates that her maid having
unexpectedly discovered Charles Mordaunt I hid its her
ckset, sercanied out, on which
-" Tbe.DuciWss Hew to kis relief, -
And saved his being niurkired for a thief."

• The picture before us scarcely does justice to the
beautiful original, either as a'painting or a resemblance.
.e is standing rear a fountain. and is catching in a
shell the stream which a young Trion is pouring from
his v•rithed horn ; but as she is studiously turning her
face the other way, no wonder the water runs over. The
featutes ale fine, wi.h an expression of more hauieur
than sweetiiesi, and the turn of the head and the whole
figure have mort dignity than grace. The drapery is
• Afterwards Lady R. ant).
t utheietta, daughter of the Duke of Marlborouslt.
f Probably LAW Peterborough.