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of her acquiescence , i ^ qp that her heart might have lpeep akof ether unimpressed , especially y a sort of gratitude , for s } ie appears to have been an unaffectedly kind and gentle creature ; and if Marmontel was
young enough at fifty-six to win a young wife , and make her the grateful mother of a family , the lively conqueror of Spain , the most active man of his time , who had " seen more princes and postillions than any
man in Europe , " might have appeared no such frightful senior in the eyes of the flattered singer at fifty-seven ; for it was at that age he appears to have first known her . Even at
seventy-nine , when he died , the fire of his nature seemed to be inexhaustible ; so that Pope exclaimed in astonishment , " This man can neither live nor
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die like any one else . " * But then he was a conqueror , and an earl withal , and a rich man , and had a riband and star at his breast . Chi sa ? as the goodnatured Italians say , when a gossiping question is to be determined—Who knows ? And
so we take leave of the gallant Earl of Peterborough and the fair Anastasia . f The ladies of qtiaiity now commence their example in turn . On the 8 th of January 1739 ( we are sorry we don't know the church ) the Lady Henrietta Herbert , widow of
Lord Edward Herbert , second son of the Marquis of Powis , and daughter of James , first Earl of Waldegrave , was married to John Beard , the singer . We have a pleasure in stating the circumstance as formally as possible , for three reasons ;
• See his most interesting account of Peterborough's latter moments in one of his Letters . f In the ' Letters and Works of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu , ' lately edited by her great-grandson , Lord WharnclifFe , is the following specimen of the scandal of the day from the sprightly pen of her ladyship , too often condescending in that matter , and willing to find fault , for obvious reasons .- — " Would any one believe that Lady Holdernesse is a beauty and in love ? and that Mrs Robinson is at the same time a prude and a kept mistress ? and these things in spite of nature and fortune . The first of these ladies is tenderly attached to the polite Mr M * * * , and sunk in all the joys of happy love , notwithstanding she wants the use of her two hands by a rheumatism , and he has an arm that he cannot move . I wish I could tell you the particulars of this amour , which seems to me as curious as that between two oysters , and as well worth the serious attention of the naturalist . The second heroine has
engaged half the town in arms , from the nicety of her virtue , which was not able to bear the too near approach of Senesino in the opera ; and her condescension in accepting of Lord Peterborough for a champion , who has signalised both his love and courage upon this occasion in as many instances as ever Don Quixote did for Dulcinea . Poor Senesino , like a vanquished giant , was forced to confess upon his knees that Anastasia was a nonpareil of virtue and beauty . Lord Stanhope , as a dwarf to the said giant , joked on his side , and was challenged for his pains . Lord
Delawar was Lord Peterborough ' s second ; my lady miscarried ; the whole town divided into parties on this important point . Innumerable have been the disorders between the two sexes on so great an account , besides half the House of Peers being put under an arrest . By the providence of Heaven , and the wise cares of his Majesty , no bloodshed ensued . However , things are now tolerably accommodated ; and the fair lady rides through the town in triumph in the shining berlin of her hero , not to reckon the more solid advantage of 100 / . a month , which 'tis said he allows her . "
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162 Duchess of St Albans ; and
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 1, 1837, page 162, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1835/page/18/
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