The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-12-19 00:00:00

fested at a later date, in the time of the ostentatfou.
Louis XIV.

~.csence of a few ladies enlivened, nevertheless
the appearance of a court, the dullness of whit..—
origin to the quarrels and intrigues of the facti

med its

Amongst those who still came to pay their respect. _
Queen, the Duchess of Chevreuse might be especially.re-
marked. She was a tall woman, with a haughty and -.

)oK, and one whose appearance was that of a su
perannuated coquette. Her daughter, who accompanie4
her, was a pretty and lively girl. but possessed of a „pt,

lant and impatient temper.- Madlle. Chevreuse, it was
thought, held no insignificant a place in the good opinion
of the Coadjutor. Near the grand entrance which opened
into the apartments of the Queen were found the maids
of honour waiting until their service was required by their
royal mistress ; mingling with them were the officers of
the guard in brilliant uniforms, while young abbes, smell-
ing strongly of musk and ambergris, coquetted first with
le and then another; pages passed to and fro, in gay

laughing merrily at the anecdotes and witticisms
passing about. ,

costume

.apse from
It appeared as if on this occasion there bad been some- virtue, she had been expelled from the paternal home
thing more than common to amuse the courtiers—some and it was whilst detained by an accident upon his jour-
other source of gaiety than the sonnets of Benserado or ney to see her (in the home which he had provided for
Voiture : there was a rumour afloat of the disturbance her) and to make her his wife, tbat the bulk of the corres-
caused the preceding evening by the appearance of the pondence in this volume took place, as well as the inter-
carriage of the Queen upon Pont Neuf, and the event was views—passionate and dangerous they appear to have been
spoken of in a hundred contradictory versions. on both sides—which are referred to by them.
In the midst of the graceful group of maids of honour, On both sides, the letters exhibit fearful deviations from
there was oae person present who could have given, had propriety, of thought at least; and on that of Burns a
she chosen to do so, the particulars of the riot on Pont- sad, sad want of good taste. Clarinda is, of course, rap-
Neuf better than any other : this was Mlle. de Montglat. turous in her expressions of admiration, and yet conscious
She was dressed with all the eclat which the nature of her of the impropriety of the intercourse in which she is en-
occupation near the Queen required—diamonds adorned gaged—now lecturing him upon his confessed irregulari-
her neck and hair, but her pale and wearied features con- lies, and now schooling him in religion. His replies ex-
trasted straagely with her brilliant toilet. Her eyes were hihit a much greater desire to skew off, as a letter writer
red as if with weeping during the night, and traces of tears and a sentimentalist, than to pay due respect to the cha-
still remained on her lovely countenance. ratter, and regard for the happiness, of one whom he pro-
It was in vain that several idlers came to interrogate her fesses so devotedly to adore. What, for instance, can be
upon the events which formed the subject of conversation. more open to the suspicion of hollowness and insincerity
She only replied by monosyllables, and in a tone of slight than the following, written after one of their interviews?
impkience, as if she had a secret repugnance to trust the " SYLVANDER TO CL ARINDA.
scat' al-loving courtiers with a recital of an adventure " Sunday Morning, (27th Jan.)
which touched herself so nearly. " I have just been before the throne of my God, Cla-
The Duchess of Chevreuse, her protectress, fancying rinda. According to my association of ideas(!), my senti-
that she would doubtless be more favoured than others, ments of love and friendship, I next devote myself to you.
advanced towards her, with a slow and majestic step, and Yesternight I was happy—happiness' that theworld cannot
said, smilingly, a few words in a low confidential tone of give.' I kindle at the recollection ; but it, is a flame
voice. But the young Countess, when she perceived her where innocence looks smiling on, an honour stands by,
proximity, could not restrain herself from the expression a sacred guard. Your heart, your fondest wishes, your
of an involuntary gesture of terror, and she replied, in a dearest thoughts, these are yours to bestow (! !) : your
stifled tone— person is unapproachable : and he loves not as I do who
"Do not ask me, madame; I have already answered would make you miserable."
you too many questions. It is you that have betrayed me." Wretched obliquity of principle and morality this, ad-
The haughty lady lifted up her head, and cast upon the dressed to one whose heart should have been as faithfully
poor girl a disdainful look.
- kept as her person, by one whose heart and h- d s.--

..and were
_ . ..
" Little ingrate," murmured she
' . be as discreet as you already pledged, and morally bound, to another ! Nor
will—in time I shall know the truth." are all the nice distinctions with which Clarinda seeks to
Turning her back upon Elizabeth de Montglat, she lay down the boundaries which friendship may approach
walked away with a slow and majestic pace. without becoming unholy love, in much better taste, ac-
Having ceased to torment her victim, she contented companied as they are by lamentations that she is " formed
herself by whispering, and pointing her finger towards the with emotions that she dare not indulge." Some passages
spot where Elizabeth stood, when the door of the royal too of the lady her grandson (who publishes the corre-
apartments opened, and a smart little page, twelve or thin- spondence to shield her memory from reproach) might
teen years old, with a pert and flippant air, entered the advantageously have paused over before he took such a
grand saloon. The bystanders flocked towards him, fan- step. The following is an instance in point :—" Last night
eying that he was the bearer of some message the secret mu Ft have shown you Clarinda, not `divine', but as she
of which they each wished to partake; but the boy, mali- really is. I can't recollect some things I said without a
ciously treading on the toes of the most curious, advanced degree of pain. Nature has been kind to me in several
towards Elizabeth, making her a profound obeisance, respects ; but one essential she has denied me entirely :