Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1845-05-15
From the London Punch.
. TIL f. STORY OF
A r II A Il iii IL R
CHAPTER XI.
BY DOUGLAS JERROLD.

COUNTESS Observation-Disclosures AC-
cIDENT TO MIR. FLAMINGo.
soon discovered that their Maiestics
George the Third and Queen Charlotte
had benevolently consented that their ba.
by should be exhibited to the men and
women of England. These tidings had
rung like merry peal of bells through
oat London; and on the very morning az
ter nv exaItalionIto the Prince of Wales.
coronet, crowds were clustering at the
gates of the palace.
Here, however, must fain confess to
a disappointment. Being in the very
temple ofroyaIity, | at first INDUCED in
the most eXtravagant expectations of the
moral digni,y-the uttered wisdom of the
high and fortunate people about me. |
watched the kings mouth, as a bride
gazes on her wedding casket, wrapped
with an assurance of its contained rich.
ness. followed the motions ofthe queen
as though, for a time, she had taken leave
of the skies, to dazzle and to dignity a
benighted planet. Such were my first
emotions: but let me be frank they
we're of brief endurance. very soon
discovered his dread majesty to be mere
man who loved mutton Cor dinner, and
the queen from Paradise, quie; little
woman, with humility so marked that
it disdalned not decimal fractions.
And then there were the lords in wait
Ing-the gentlemen ofthe bcdchamber-
the women Of the like eIysium-and those
donmcd, fragile dolls aud victims Of state
God help ,hem!-thc maids of honour
In the simplicity of my inexpericnce,
believed all these people to be of anoth-
er flesh aud blood-to possess a more ex.
quisi,e anatomy-to be refined by the
pure and healthIul atmosphere of a court
into natures above the sordid Influences of
this neither sphere; to be, indeed, mid.in-
telllgences between men aud angels
Must say IL | have found the coarse
mind ofthe merest footman in the lacHy
peer; and in the lady of the bedchamber,
the small envy, the petty heartburnng of
Molly the chambermaid at the Star and
Garter Alas, too! for the maids of hon
or-Hapess images of ceremony-poor,
moving anatomies, with eyes that must not
wink, tongues that must not speak; and,
hardest tyranny of all, with mouths thai,
must not yawn at the dull discipline that
consumes them. have seen them in the
royal presence stand on their throbbing
feet, until the blood has vanished from
their lips; and had | been fairy wand, |
would have changed them straight-have
bestowed upon them the paradise OF a
three-Iegged stool, with COW to milk be-
meath the odour-breathing hawthorn.
If, however, The maids of honor affected
my compassion, the ladies inwait.ng ex.
cited my highest admiration Here,
thought, are women--doting wives and
loving molhers-quilting the serene and
holy circle Of their own hear:hs-relin-
qnishing for an appointed term the hapi-
ness and tenderness OF home, to endure a
clarifying servtude beneath the golden
yoke of ceremony Here, at last, | thought,
is self devotion: here noble sacrifice to
noble obiects-here at once the heroism
and the true religion Of loyalty,
The countess Blushrose was a lady in
waiting. Providence had expressly fash
toned her for the enobllng function. She
had some vague notion that there were
human creatures-a, white race, some
thing higher in the scheme Of the world
than the mere Houentot; bat it was also
part of her creed that, like horses and
oxen, they were sent for no other purpose
to this earth save for that Of ministering
in any manner to the will and wish Of
herself he; friends, and her immediate
acquaintance. The countess never neg
lec,ed her religious duties, for she had ;
pew that Sybarite might have slept III: and
generally once a week seemed to list
en- to the home-simplicities of the pulpit
of death, and common dust, aud common
judgement, Nevertheless, it was plaiI
that her ladyship possessed strength o
mind tina, continued superior to such an
tique prejudice-hence, to her dying hour
she remained an unconverled nearer. Tn
world, the habitable world, to her wa
composed of about an area Of two miles
with ST. James's palace for the centre
: Any part beyond that boundary was, t
her, mysterious as the Mogul country; sh
looked upon it with the intelligence tina
- Il. Al