The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 141: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

a a a 126 Mrs. Brace had, as a matter of course, attended divine service in the morning at St. James’s Church ; and no one present on the occasion had appeared to pay amore marked attention than this lady to the eloquent discourse of the Reverend Dr. Twaddler. On issuing forth from the sacred edifice, when the ceremony was concluded, she had observed to two or three female friends whom she encountered in the porch, “ What a beautiful sermon!”—anid, having thus sustained her reputation of being a woman having a due sense of religion in her soul, she returned home laughing in her sleeve at the facility with which a character for piety is obtained in this land of cant, humbug, and hypocrisy. And now—at about six o’clock in the evening of this same Sunday—we find the handsome milliner seated by the cheerful fire in her elegant little parlour, and amusing herself with a Number of the Town and Country Magazine—a publication which chronicled the fashions and scandal of the times, and which, being written in a style that would bring a blush to the cheek even in a brothel, enjoyed a large circula- tion amongst the aristocratic classes. For the prurient imaginations of ladies in high life have ever revelled in scenes of licentiousness, whether | described in books or delineated in pictures. or this reason Shakspeare’s works are so greedily devoured by them :—and what well-born Miss of sixteen has ‘not perused Byron’s Don Juan? Let aristocratic papas and mammas examine the shelves in the library; and they will find that the books most fre- quently in request amongst the young ladies, are Jom Jones, Joseph Andrews, and Peregrine Pickle, Again, look in the fashionable print-shops, and con- template the engravings which, from their price, can find purchasers only in wealthy circles—and you will not fail to observe that they are nearly all invested with an air of voluptuousness. Half-naked bosoms lend their charms to these pictures ;—and the same may be said of the plates which embellish Annzals, Keepsakes, and Books of Beauty. Is not this true, reader? But if another proof be requisite to support our argument, it is found in the plays produced at the theatres frequented by the Fashion and the Aris- tocracy; for those pieces which abound in the most indecent allusions or in scenes which furnish food for animpure fancy to elaborate, are invariably the most successful. And that ladies in high life only affect morality, and really care nothing about it in their hearts, is undoubtedly demonstrated by the circumstance that, whereas they shrink in loathing and horror from contact with the daughter of crime who may chance to cross their path as they step from their carriage into the lobby of the theatre— yet they enter that theatre with the foreknowledge that they are about to behold the acting or listen to the warbling of women whose profligacy and disso- luteness are notorious throughout the civilised world. Let us not, then, be again told of the immorality of the millions: let not the titled, the high-born, and the wealthy set themselves up as examples ;—for when they thus insolently arrogate to themselves the right of being taken as models, they become breath- ing—living-—walking lies ! | It was six o’clock, we said—and Mrs. Brace was seated in her own private parlour. She was dressed in a style of the most becoming elegance ;—and, though in her fortieth year, never perhaps had she appeared so truly handsome. Her hair, as Plorimel had observed on a former occasion, pense =e ee a —_ — —_ —_—- — Se THE MYSTERIES. ee eS ee ee was radiant in its glossy blackness:—a soft tint of artificial red blended so finely and delicately with the natural white on her plump cheeks, that the presence of the roseate cosmetic would not have been suspected by even the most experienced observer ;—her well- shaped nose, with a scarcely petceptible rising in the middle, imparted a graceful air to her countenance; —her mouth, pouting but not gross, was Soft even to the eye, and, when smiling, revealed a set of teeth dazzling and perfect ;—and the whiteness of her neck continued with an increasing delicacy and transparency to the full bosom, which was only half- concealed by the low corsage of her dress. There was altogether about this charming woman such a halo of voluptuousness tempered by an ex- quisite refinement of manner,—such a melting sen- suousness relieved by a winning grace,—such an ad- mirable blending of physical charms with moral fascinations,—that even a youth of sixteen might have forgotten her forty years and have fallen at her feet, languishing for her smiles. The time-piece on the mantel had proclaimed, with its tinkling silver bell, the hour of six, when | Harriet, the confidential lady’s-maid, threw open the door and announced “ Mr. Harley.” Mrs. Brace instantly rose from her seat, and ad- vanced to welcome her visitor with profound re- spect—and yet with a smiie which divested her man- ner of anything bordering on servility or cringing» sycophancy. “TI received the note which your Royal High- | ness ——” began the lady. * Hush! am not I always Mr. Harley—plain Mr. Harley—within these wails?” interrupted the Prince, as he pressed Mrs. Brace’s hand in his own. “ When- ever you are indiscreet enough to address me other- wise than by my pseudonym, I shall silence you thus ;’—and, passing his arm round her waist, he | drew her towards him and imprinted a long kiss upon her pouting lips. “fam fearful, Mr. Harley,” she observed, with a fascinating smile, “ thatif you punish me in this manner I shall prove guilty of the oversight very often,” “Is it possible, Fanny, that you can care one fig for me after the lapse of so many years?” said the | Prince, conducting her to her chair and seating himself on another near her. “To have loved you once, Mr. Harley, is to love you for ever,” answered Mrs. Brace. « And yet you not only know that I am constantly up to my very neck in intrigues,” rejoined his Royal Highness; “but you kindly lend me your invaluable aid.” “Certainly! it is my delight to make you happy,” returned the lady. “You reason like a sensible woman,” said the Prince. “ Besides, you yourself indulge in little love-passages occasionally. Come—confess the truth to me, Fanny. Youand Tare such old friends, | you know—friends of fifteen or sixteen years’ stand- ing—that we need not be ashamed to give each other our confidence.” “ My dear Mr. Harley, you know that Iam not a saint,” observed Mrs. Brace, in a subdued tone and casting down her eyes. | “T should indeed wonder if you were,” exclaimed | the Prince: “for you are really as handsome now | as you struck me to be the first time I ever saw you. Somewhat stouter—but then I adore embon- —— SS ......T™l ee COLMA (ElOOO|KS,.COMNn