The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1849-01-23
MISCELLANY.
DEATH OF KING CHARLES II
Hy THOMAS DARLINGTON MAcAULAY.*

ny THOMAS DARLINGTON MACAULAY.*
The death of King Charles The Second
took the nation by surprise. His frame was
naturally strong, and did Lot appear 10 have
suffered from excess. He had always oeen
mindful OF his health, even in his pleasure ;
and his habits were such as promise long
life and a robust old age. lndolent as he
was on all occasions which required tension
of the mind, he was active and perseverlng
in bodilv exercise. He had when young,
been renowned as a tennis player. and was,
even in the decline Of life, an interchangeable
walker HIS ordinary pace was such thai
those who we're admitted 10 the honor oil his
society found it difficult 10 keep up with him.
He rose early, and generally passed three or
four hours day in tie open air. lie might
be seen, before the dew was oil the grass, IN
81. James's Park, striding among.ihe trees.
pIayinG with his spaniels, and finglng corn
10 his ducks, and these exhibitions eDdeared
him 10 The common people, wEo always love
10 see the great unbend.
At length, towards the close OF the year
1854, he was prevented, by slight attack
of what was supposed 10 be the govt, from
rambling as usual. Ii now spent his morn
inys in his laboratory, where he amused HIM
self with experiments on the properties oil
mercury. His temper seemed TO have suffer
ed from confinement. He had no apparent
cause for disquiet. His kingdom was tran
Gull he was not in pressing want oil mon
ey: his power was greater than 1t had ever
been; Il 10 party which had long thwar'eu
him had been beaten down, but cheeriuness,
which had supported him against ADVERSE
fortune, had vanished in this season oil pros
perry.
A trihe now suificed 10 dcpress those elias
tic spirits which had borne up against de-
feat. exile, and penury. His irritation Ire
nuentlv showed itself by looks and words
such as could hardly have been expect ca
from a man so eminentIy distinguished BY
good humor and good breeding. 1t was moi
supposed, however, that his constitution was
seriously injured.
His palace had seldom presented a gayel
or more scandalous appearance man on Inc
evening OF Sunday, The first Of February
| l6S5.-Some grave persons who had gone
ihither. after the fashion of that age, 10 pa.
their duty 10 their sovereign, and who haC
expected that, on such day, his court woult
wear a decent aspect, were struck with aston
lshment and korror-The great gallery o
Whitehall, all admirable relic OF the magnil
icence OF the Tudors, was crowded viii
jewellers and gamblers. The King salt
there chatting and toying with three women
whose charms were the boast, and whose VI
ces were the disgrace, of three nations
Barbara Palmer, Duchess ofCleveland, wa
there, no longer young, but sill retaining
some traces of that superb and volupiuou
loneliness, which. twenty years before, over
came the hearts of all men. There, loo, wa
the Duchess ofPortsmouIh, whose soft an
inGantine features were lighted up with III
yiyaciiy of France.--Hortensia> Mancln
Duchess of MaZarin, and niece oil the grea
Cardinal, completed the group. She ha
been early removed from her native Italy, I
the court where her uncle was supreme. Ill
mower, and her own attractions, had draw
a crowd of ilustrious suitors around her.
Charles himself, during his exile, had sougf
her hand in vain. No gilt OF nature or oil iol
tune seemed 10 be wanting 10 her. Her lac
was beautiful with the rich beauty oil Ill
! South, her understanding quick, her maj
= ners graceful, her rank exalted; her posses
. siops immense; but her ungovernable pa
s;ons had turned all these blessings into cur'
es. She had found The misery oi an lila
sorted marriage iniolerable. had he'd irol
her husband. had abandoned her vast wealil
e and after having astonished Rome ana flet
!, mont bv her adventures, had fixed her abod
D in England. Her house was the 1avorl
: resort Of men OF witand pleasure, who II
e the sake of her smiles and her table, endu
q ed her frequent fits of insoience and hi-h
NOR. Rochester and Godolphn sometim n
) forgot the cares of state in her company. D
y rillon and Saint Evermond found IN n
J, DRAWN groom consolation for Their long na
i ishmenl from Paris. The learning oil 'o
+ sius. the wit of Waller, were daily employ
f 10 flaiier and amuse her. But her dlseas
!, mind required stronger siimulan's, and sous
= Them in gallantry, in basset, and IN usgu
q baush While Charles 1irted with ms 'nr
J suIlanas, Hor,ensia's French page han
d some boy whose vocal performances VIZ
re the delight of Whitehall, and were rewai
ed By numerous presents OF rich clothes,