DURING my blindness I was hospitably1 housed in Eaten Place byMr. Whitbread, the head of the renowned2 firm. After myrecovery I had the good fortune to meet there Lady Morgan,the once famous authoress of the 'Wild Irish Girl.' Shestill bore traces of her former comeliness3, and had probablylost little of her sparkling vivacity4. She was known to likethe company of young people, as she said they made her feelyoung; so, being the youngest of the party, I had the honourof sitting next her at dinner. When I recall herconversation and her pleasing manners, I can well understandthe homage5 paid both abroad and at home to the bright geniusof the Irish actor's daughter.
We talked a good deal about Byron and Lady Caroline Lamb.
This arose out of my saying I had been reading 'Glenarvon,'
in which Lady Caroline gives Byron's letters to herself asGlenarvon's letters to the heroine. Lady Morgan had been theconfidante of Lady Caroline, had seen many of Byron'sletters, and possessed6 many of her friend's - full of detailsof the extraordinary intercourse7 which had existed betweenthe two.
Lady Morgan evidently did not believe (in spite of LadyCaroline's mad passion for the poet) that the liaison8 everreached the ultimate stage contemplated9 by her lover. Thisopinion was strengthened by Lady Caroline's undoubtedattachment to her husband - William Lamb, afterwards LordMelbourne - who seems to have submitted to his wife'svagaries with his habitual10 stoicism and good humour.
Both Byron and Lady Caroline had violent tempers, and werealways quarrelling. This led to the final rupture11, when,according to my informant, the poet's conduct was outrageous12.
He sent her some insulting lines, which Lady Morgan quoted.
The only one I remember is:
Thou false to him, thou fiend to me!
Among other amusing anecdotes13 she told was one of Disraeli.
She had met him (I forget where), soon after his firstsuccess as the youthful author of 'Vivian Grey.' He wasnaturally made much of, but rather in the Bohemian world thanby such queens of society as Lady Holland or Lady Jersey14.
'And faith!' she added, with the piquante accent whichexcitement evoked15, 'he took the full shine out of his janius.
And how do ye think he was dressed? In a black velvet16 jacketand suit to match, with a red sash round his waist, in whichwas stuck a dagger17 with a richly jew'lled sheath and handle.'
The only analogous18 instance of self-confidence that I cancall to mind was Garibaldi's costume at a huge reception atStafford House. The ELITE19 of society was there, in diamonds,ribbons, and stars, to meet him. Garibaldi's uppermost andoutermost garment was a red flannel20 shirt, nothing more norless.
The crowd jostled and swayed around him. To get out of theway of it, I retreated to the deserted21 picture gallery. Theonly person there was one who interested me more than thescarlet patriot22, Bulwer-Lytton the First. He was saunteringto and fro with his hands behind his back, looking dingy23 inhis black satin scarf, and dejected. Was he envying theItalian hero the obsequious24 reverence25 paid to his miner'sshirt? (Nine tenths of the men, and still more of the womenthere, knew nothing of the wearer, or his cause, beyondthat.) Was he thinking of similar honours which had beenlavished upon himself when HIS star was in the zenith? Washe muttering to himself the usual consolation26 of the 'have-beens' - VANITAS VANITATUM? Or what new fiction, what oldlove, was flitting through that versatile27 and fantasticbrain? Poor Bulwer! He had written the best novel, the bestplay, and had made the most eloquent28 parliamentary oration29 ofany man of his day. But, like another celebrated30 statesmanwho has lately passed away, he strutted31 his hour and willsoon be forgotten - 'Quand on broute sa gloire en herbe deson vivant, on ne la recolte pas en epis apres sa mort.' The'Masses,' so courted by the one, however blatant32, are not thearbiters of immortal33 fame.
To go back a few years before I met Lady Morgan: when mymother was living at 18 Arlington Street, Sydney Smith usedto be a constant visitor there. One day he called just as wewere going to lunch. He had been very ill, and would not eatanything. My mother suggested the wing of a chicken.
'My dear lady,' said he, 'it was only yesterday that mydoctor positively34 refused my request for the wing of abutterfly.'
Another time when he was making a call I came to the doorbefore it was opened. When the footman answered the bell,'Is Lady Leicester at home?' he asked.
'No, sir,' was the answer.
'That's a good job,' he exclaimed, but with a heartiness35 thatfairly took Jeames' breath away.
As Sydney's face was perfectly36 impassive, I never felt quitesure whether this was for the benefit of myself or of theastounded footman; or whether it was the genuine expressionof an absent mind. He was a great friend of my mother's, andof Mr. Ellice's, but his fits of abstraction were notorious.
He himself records the fact. 'I knocked at a door in London,asked, "Is Mrs. B- at home?" "Yes, sir; pray what name shallI say?" I looked at the man's face astonished. What name?
what name? aye, that is the question. What is my name? Ihad no more idea who I was than if I had never existed. Idid not know whether I was a dissenter37 or a layman38. I feltas dull as Sternhold and Hopkins. At last, to my greatrelief, it flashed across me that I was Sydney Smith.'
In the summer of the year 1848 Napier and I stayed a coupleof nights with Captain Marryat at Langham, near Blakeney. Heused constantly to come over to Holkham to watch our cricketmatches. His house was a glorified39 cottage, very comfortableand prettily40 decorated. The dining and sitting-rooms werehung with the original water-colour drawings - mostly byStanfield, I think - which illustrated41 his minor42 works.
Trophies from all parts of the world garnished43 the walls.
The only inmates44 beside us two were his son, a strange, butclever young man with considerable artistic45 abilities, andhis talented daughter, Miss Florence, since so well known tonovel readers.
Often as I had spoken to Marryat, I never could quite makehim out. Now that I was his guest his habitual reservedisappeared, and despite his failing health he was genialityitself. Even this I did not fully47 understand at first. Atthe dinner-table his amusement seemed, I won't say to make a'butt' of me - his banter48 was too good-natured for that - buthe treated me as Dr. Primrose49 treated his son after thebushel-of-green-spectacles bargain. He invented the mostwonderful stories, and told them with imperturbablesedateness. Finding a credulous50 listener in me, he drew allthe more freely upon his invention. When, however, hegravely asserted that Jonas was not the only man who hadspent three days and three nights in a whale's belly51, butthat he himself had caught a whale with a man inside it whohad lived there for more than a year on blubber, which, hedeclared, was better than turtle soup, it was impossible toresist the fooling, and not forget that one was the Moses ofthe extravaganza.
In the evening he proposed that his son and daughter and Ishould act a charade52. Napier was the audience, and Marryathimself the orchestra - that is, he played on his fiddle53 suchtunes as a ship's fiddler or piper plays to the heaving ofthe anchor, or for hoisting54 in cargo55. Everyone was inromping spirits, and notwithstanding the cheery Captain'ssigns of fatigue56 and worn looks, which he evidently strove toconceal, the evening had all the freshness and spirit of animpromptu pleasure.
When I left, Marryat gave me his violin, with some sad wordsabout his not being likely to play upon it more. Perhaps heknew better than we how prophetically he was speaking.
Barely three weeks afterwards I learnt that the humorouscreator of 'Midshipman Easy' would never make us laugh again.
In 1846 Lord John Russell succeeded Sir Robert Peel aspremier. At the General Election, a brother of mine was theLiberal candidate for the seat in East Norfolk. He wasreturned; but was threatened with defeat through anoccurrence in which I was innocently involved.
The largest landowner in this division of the county, next tomy brother Leicester, was Lord Hastings - great-grandfatherof the present lord. On the occasion I am referring to, hewas a guest at Holkham, where a large party was thenassembled. Leicester was particularly anxious to be civil tohis powerful neighbour; and desired the members of his familyto show him every attention. The little lord was anexceedingly punctilious57 man: as scrupulously58 dapper inmanner as he was in dress. Nothing could be more courteous,more smiling, than his habitual demeanour; but his bite wasworse than his bark, and nobody knew which candidate hisagents had instructions to support in the coming contest. Itwas quite on the cards that the secret order would turn thescales.
One evening after dinner, when the ladies had left us, themen were drawn59 together and settled down to their wine. Itwas before the days of cigarettes, and claret was plentifullyimbibed. I happened to be seated next to Lord Hastings onhis left; on the other side of him was Spencer Lyttelton,uncle of our Colonial Secretary. Spencer Lyttelton was anotable character. He had much of the talents and amiabilityof his distinguished60 family; but he was eccentric,exceedingly comic, and dangerously addicted61 to practicaljokes. One of these he now played upon the spruce andvigilant little potentate62 whom it was our special aim to win.
As the decanters circulated from right to left, Spencerfilled himself a bumper63, and passed the bottles on. LordHastings followed suit. I, unfortunately, was speaking toLyttelton behind Lord Hastings's back, and as he turned andpushed the wine to me, the incorrigible64 joker, catching65 sightof the handkerchief sticking out of my lord's coat-tail,quick as thought drew it open and emptied his full glass intothe gaping66 pocket. A few minutes later Lord Hastings, whotook snuff, discovered what had happened. He held thedripping cloth up for inspection67, and with perfect urbanitydeposited it on his dessert plate.
Leicester looked furious, but said nothing till we joined theladies. He first spoke46 to Hastings, and then to me. Whatpassed between the two I do not know. To me, he said:
'Hastings tells me it was you who poured the claret into hispocket. This will lose the election. After to-morrow, Ishall want your room.' Of course, the culprit confessed; andmy brother got the support we hoped for. Thus it was thatthe political interests of several thousands of electorsdepended on a glass of wine.
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hospitably
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| 亲切地，招待周到地，善于款待地 | |
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renowned
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| adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的 | |
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comeliness
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| n. 清秀, 美丽, 合宜 | |
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vivacity
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| n.快活，活泼，精神充沛 | |
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homage
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| n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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liaison
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| n.联系，（未婚男女间的）暖昧关系，私通 | |
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contemplated
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| adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
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habitual
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| adj.习惯性的；通常的，惯常的 | |
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rupture
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| n.破裂；(关系的)决裂；v.(使)破裂 | |
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outrageous
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| adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的 | |
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anecdotes
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| n.掌故，趣闻，轶事( anecdote的名词复数 ) | |
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jersey
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| n.运动衫 | |
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evoked
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| [医]诱发的 | |
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velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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analogous
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| adj.相似的；类似的 | |
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elite
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| n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的 | |
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flannel
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| n.法兰绒；法兰绒衣服 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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patriot
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| n.爱国者，爱国主义者 | |
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dingy
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| adj.昏暗的，肮脏的 | |
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obsequious
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| adj.谄媚的，奉承的，顺从的 | |
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reverence
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| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
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consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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versatile
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| adj.通用的，万用的；多才多艺的，多方面的 | |
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eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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oration
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| n.演说，致辞，叙述法 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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strutted
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| 趾高气扬地走，高视阔步( strut的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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blatant
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| adj.厚颜无耻的；显眼的；炫耀的 | |
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immortal
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| adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的 | |
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positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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heartiness
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| 诚实，热心 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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dissenter
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| n.反对者 | |
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layman
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| n.俗人，门外汉，凡人 | |
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glorified
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| 美其名的，变荣耀的 | |
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prettily
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| adv.优美地；可爱地 | |
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illustrated
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| adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词 | |
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minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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garnished
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| v.给（上餐桌的食物）加装饰( garnish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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inmates
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| n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 ) | |
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artistic
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| adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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banter
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| n.嘲弄，戏谑；v.取笑，逗弄，开玩笑 | |
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primrose
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| n.樱草，最佳部分， | |
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credulous
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| adj.轻信的，易信的 | |
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belly
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| n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛 | |
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charade
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| n.用动作等表演文字意义的字谜游戏 | |
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fiddle
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| n.小提琴；vi.拉提琴；不停拨弄，乱动 | |
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hoisting
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| 起重，提升 | |
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cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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punctilious
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| adj.谨慎的，谨小慎微的 | |
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scrupulously
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| adv.一丝不苟地；小心翼翼地，多顾虑地 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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addicted
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| adj.沉溺于....的，对...上瘾的 | |
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potentate
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| n.统治者；君主 | |
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bumper
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| n.(汽车上的)保险杠；adj.特大的，丰盛的 | |
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incorrigible
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| adj.难以纠正的，屡教不改的 | |
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catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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