Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 3.djvu/394

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [io s. HL A, ,

to identify this person with Mrs. Crouch, the actress.

The portrait of Fox, under the title of " Lovelace," is evident :

"A swarthy complexion, black bushy beard, cor- pulent, inclining to be dropsical the darling

associate of the prince a man of noble family,

but of loosest morals who set himself in oppo- sition to the virtuous Cobham [i.e., Pitt]."

Moreover, "Lovelace" is called "the Man of the People's choice." In the reference to

"his female friend, not his lawful wife ,

bad-complexioned, marked with small-pox

of a rotundity equal to a butt of strong

English beer," remembering the caricatures of Gillray, we may presume a picture of Mrs. Armistead. It is clear that Pitt is " the virtuous Cobham," for after his retirement from office a peace with France is " patched up at Amiens" (vol. i. p. 131), and "Lord Scales [i.e., Addington], a man of too pacific a nature," succeeds him as chief minister. " The virtuous Cobham " is soon recalled to office, and " like a skilful pilot weathers the storm," but dies shortly afterwards with the words, "Alas ! my country ! " on his lips.

The following extract (vol. i. pp. 104-5) will give an idea of the style of the book :

"The learned philosophic baronet [i.e., Sir Wil- liam Hamilton], whose deep researches explored the antiquities of Rome and Naples, was captivated by the Grecian form of one who had, from a menial servant, become a lady of pleasure ; who, in an allegorical pageant, personated the goddess Hygeia, and at length became the idolized goddess of this knight of antiquity, who gave her the undisputed title of his lady "

Lady Hamilton, who is here described, fascinated " the gallant Lord Fauconberg " (i.e., Nelson), who " protected the channel against our Gallic neighbours," and who was killed in the moment of victory.

Other personages, easy to identify, may be enumerated briefly:

1. The Duchess of York, mother of Prince Edward, "far from handsome": Queen Char- lotte.

2. Princess Bona of Savoy : Princess Caro- line of Brunswick.

3. Duke of Clarence : Duke of Clarence, William IV.

4. Elinor Danjour : Mrs. Jordan, the Duke's chere amie, an actress, " with whom he established a kind of matrimonial menage and had numerous offspring."

5. Louis XI. : Napoleon.

G. Philip de Commines, "his minister": Talleyrand.

7. Col. Jack Cade : Robert Emmet.

8. Countess of Devonshire : Duchess of Devonshire.

9. Countess of Westmorland : Duchess of Gordon, "a bonne vivant [sic] indefa- tigable in marrying her daughters ^>

advantage two were wedded to Dukes,

one to a Marquis, and the fourth to a wealthy baronet."

10. Lord Fitzwalter : the twelfth Earl of Derby.

11. His wife, "a public performer": Miss Farren.

12. Chap. i. vol. ii. contains an account of the " Delicate Investigation " of 1806, and the characters concerned in it.

The identity of one of "Edward's" mis- tresses, who is called "Jane Shore," seems somewhat obscure. In many details her career, as it is described, resembles that of "Maria de Rosenvault " so closely that it appears as though the histories of Harriet Vernon and Mrs. Robinson have been con- fused. Yet, as this mythical "Jane Shore"" is said to have been a friend of Mrs. Fitz- herbert, and "likelier a Catholic," the cha- racter ought not to be intended for " Perdita."

The last chapter of the first volume of this work, headed 'A Mystery,' is indeed very mysterious. It concerns a beautiful child named " Elfrida," a princess in disguise. Were the late Mr. Thorns with us still he- would exclaim, " It is the Princess Olive !" Perhaps it is ! Do any of your readers know whether Mrs. Green had any connexion with- Olive Serres, who may perhaps have con- ceived her wonderful pretensions so early as the year 1808 1 HORACE BLEACKLEY.

[H. S. A., who asked for the key to the characters in the ' Private History,' was H. S. ASHBEE, whose death on 29 July, 1900, was recorded by MR. RALPH THOMAS at 9 th S. vi. 121. MB. BLEACKXKY may be interested in learning that P. H., the original querist, was Mr. Thorns himself, who sometimes, as in this instance, formed a signature from the initials- of the first words of a communication.]

"ENGLAND," "ENGLISH": THEIR

PRONUNCIATION.

THE question of the correct pronunciation of the name of our country and our race is raised from time to time in journals which are not fitted for exact discussion, and there- is, I think, a growing tendency to pronounce the words as they are spelt. The recent remarks of PROF. SKEAT on the etymology of the kindred word Anglesey were only remotely connected with this question ; and though so keenly observant a man as the late Dr. R. G. Latham commented upon the pronunciation which was current fifty years ago (see his 'The English Language,' 1855,