The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-11-23


rous characters the crowd and the rspidy Of his
sienogrsphc jongs down, with their lucid appartion
ia print days after ia Loudon) would. in tho times
represented by the about him. have burnt him
a. The stake for wizard with the consent Of every
knight in Chrstendom.
was received by the Knight Marshall Of the Lists.
who did the honors Of hospitality for Lord Eglngton
during his preparation for the passage Of arms, and
finding old friend under the grey beard aud seal
Top shell Of venerable palmer whose sandal and bare
toes CHANGED 10 stumble over, passed 10 together
10 The large dining room Of the Castle Lunch" Was on
the table, and hundred OF the Esrls outlodg
Ing guests busy knife and fork, while here and
there visible Of those unconscious snachfon-
isns which, to me- made the zest Of the tournament
pilgrims eating Irgord pes, es9ures dressed after The
manner Of the 18th century diving most scientifically
into the richer veins OF pates dc foiegras danes IN
ruff aud arhngae, discussing bias blanc mango, and
knight with an overnight headache calling out for
cup Of tea.
Ga returning to the Hall Of the Castle, which was the
principal place Of assemblage. saw with LILLE
greet that ladies' were coming from their carriages under
umbrellas The fair archers pped in doors from their
crowded tent, the knight Of the Dragon, who had been
out to look after his charge, being wiped dry by
friendly pocket handkerchief and oil countenances had
fallen with the barometer II time for the process
sion to start however, and the knights appeared
by armed cap.s-pe, oil tire helmet till last
the Hall was crowded with steeclad and chiyalric
forms and they waited only for the advent Of the Queen
OF Beauty. After admrng not little the manly bear
ing aud powerful .thcwes and snews display ed by the
array Of modern Englsh nobility, in the trying
and harness Of olden times, stepped out upon the lawn
with some curiosity to see how much heavy metal
to be got nlo a dem pique saddle Af.er one
two Intellectual attempts oiled partly by the restless
ness OF his horse the first knight called inglorousy for
chair. Another scrambled with great difficulty,
and fancy though Lord Waterford and Lord Eglinon.
and other whom noticed, mounted very CALAMITY
and tbn al ~h.ht
difficult feat Of the day. The ancient achievement Of
leaping the stced back from the ground in complete
armour, would certainly have broken the spine OF any
horse present. and probably done but in story
Once in the saddle, however, English Workmanship
told WELL and one Of the finest sights Of the day,
thought, was tho breaking away OF powerful horse
from the grooms before his rider had gathered up his
reins, and at furons speed through the open
park during which the steel horsemon rode
safely foxhunter, and subd led the aifrighted
animal and brought him back in q style worthy OF
wreath from the Queen Of Beauty
Driven in by the rain, ! standing at the upper
side Of the Hall, when movement in the crowd and
an unusual making way" announced the coming OF
the "cynosure of all eyes" She entered from the in
terror of the castle with her held up by beau
ful pages Of ten twelve years Of age, and attended
by two fair and very young Maids Of Honor Her jack
ct OF ermlne her drapery OF violet and blue velvet the
collars of superb jewels which embraced her throat and
bosom, and her sparkling crown, were, on her, (what
they seldom are but should be only) accessories
TO her own predominating and radiant beauty.
Lady Seymours features are nearly faultless is
consistent with expression her figure and face are
rounded 10 the complete lullness of the mould for
Juno her walk queenly and peculiarly unstudied and
graceful; yet q could but think then and since)
she not well chosen for the Queen Of Tourna-
rnent. The character Of her beauty, uncommon and
superb it is, is that Of decacy and lovenessthe
bly, rather than the rose-the modest pearl, not the
imperial diamond. The eyes to fash crowd at
a Tournament, to be admired from distance to beam
down upon Knight kneelIng for public award Of
honor, should be full OF command, dark, lustrous and
fiery Hers Of the and most tranquil blue
that reflected the Heaven Of happy hearth,
eyes to love- not wonder at-to adore and rely upon
not admire and renbe for, AT the distance, at which
most Of the spectators Of the Tournament Lady
Seymour, Fanny Kemble's stormy orbs would have
shown much finer, and the forced and imperative action
OF a s,age-tsught head and figure would have been
applaudcd than the quiet nameless and ndescrba
BILE grace lost all but those Immediately around her
had seen the Queen Of Beauty in small society,
dressed in simple white, without an ornament, when
she far more becomngy drest and more beautiful
than here and have seem SINCE the engIavlngs
and prints Of Lady Seymour which fill every window in
the London shops, without eeLg that II was profa
nation OF style Of loneliness that should be
''prodigal enough
II it unveild It's beauty to the MOON
The day wore on, and the Knight Marshal OF the
Lists (Sr Charles Lamb, the step-faher OF Lord Eg-
linton, by far The most knightly looking person the
Tournament appeared IN his rich surcoat and emboss
ed armor and with desparng look at the increasing
torrents OF raia gave the order get horse AT the
first blast OF the trumpet the hickeaved around
the castle gave out each dozen two Of gay coord
horscmen, who had stood almost unseen under the low
hanging branches-monned musicians in silk and gay
trdpplngs, mounted demi suits OF armour,
deputy marshas aud hslberders and around the west
ern tower where their caparlsons had been arranged
ard their horse armour carefully looked to, rode the
glltterng and noble company OF Knights, Lord Eglln-
in his Of inlald gold and Lord Afford with
his athletic frame and very handsome features conspcn
Gus above all The ram, meantime, spared neither the
rich tabard OF The Ponrsuivant, nor the embroidered
saddle cloths OF the Queens impatient palfrey; aud
after hafdozen of dripping detachmepts had formed
and led on as the head Of the procession, the Lady
Archers (~ho were to 60 foot,) called by the
Marshall with a smile aud glance upward, which
might have been construed into advice to stay in
doors.
Gracefully and majesticsly, however, with culver "a,
her back and bow in hand, the tall and fair archer Of
whose uncommon beauty have already spoken, step
ped from the castle doors and regardless of the rain
which fell in drops large pearls her unprotected
forehead and snowy shoulders she took her place in the
procession. with her silken-booted troop picking their
way gingerly the pools, behind her. Slight as The
circumstance may seem, there in the manner Of the
lady, and her calm disregard of self in the cause she
had undertaken, which would leave me in no doubt
where to look for heroine, the days Of Wallace
(whose compatriot she s) 10 come over again The
Knight Marshal put spurs to his horse and reordered
the little troop TO the castle and regrettipg that had
the honor OF the adys acquaintance for my auhor
~, performed my only chlvalric achievement for the
day, sending haberder whom had Glanced to re-
member as the servant of old friend on a crusade
into the castle for ladys maid and pair of dry stock
ngs, Whether they found and the fair archer