The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 154: what you’re looking at

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

132 THE COURT OF LONDON exclaimed the orphan girl, her cheeks becoming crimson with indignation, and her eyes, usually so mild and benignant in expression, now suddenly flashing fire; ‘‘ you compel me to answer you, I say, because you dare level your atrocious calumnies against the entire female sex. What, do you suppose that because in the ranks of aristocracy and fashion you have encountered titled ladies whose complaisance toward yourself has only been equalled by their contempt for the poor and humble, do you imagine that because duchesses, marchionesses, and countesses have been proud to win your smiles, even at the price of their virtue, do you _ fancy, I say, that because you have hitherto found female honour a thing of snow which the sunlight of royalty can melt in a moment, do you believe, on this account, that you have obtained a large experience of the mind and character of the entire sex? No, Prince of Wales, ten thousand times no! There is virtue in English women, there is honour in the hearts of British females. But not in the gilded saloon of fashion, nor in the mansions of the titled, nor in the gorgeous equipages which dash along, with beauty lounging so lan- guishingly inside, no, not there must you look for bright specimens of female virtue. But you must seek them amongst those classes which you and your courtly syco- phants despise, the middle and the working classes, I mean, and there only will you find the brows that are worthy to be adorned with the white roses emblematic of purity.” While giving utterance to this indignant defence on behalf of the majority of her sex, the beauty of the young maiden expanded into radiancy. Her forehead seemed to grow higher, and wider, and whiter, her eyes became lustrous in the extreme, her countenance glowed with a rich crimson hue, her bosom swelled and heaved as if the humble mortal were suddenly imbued with the Olympian pride of magnifi- cent Juno, and her attitude gave indescribable dignity and grace to her entire form. The prince gazed upon her with rapture; he heard the language that flowed from her lips, but marked only the music without heeding the sense, and as she stood before him, her modest loveliness rapidly appearing to expand into the glory of a goddess, his passion was excited to a pitch absolutely maddening. In his veins boiled the frenzied COnNICLOO© (C(O)