Hugh S. Legaré to his Sisters-Visit of the Queen of France to Brussels. sofa, or at least recline quite at my ease after dinner, this part of my diplomatic duties, aggravated as it is by being buttoned up close in a uniform coat made last summer, when I was by no means in such good case as I am now, is quite a serious task. But I never suffered so much from it as at a concert given at Court two days after the dinner I speak of. All guests invited to a palace, but especially the members of the diplomatic corps, are expected to be very punctual, for, as Louis XVIII. is said to have remarked, "Punctuality is the politeness of kings." We were invited then to the said concert at three-quarters past seven o'clock, and what with the presentations, the slow progress of the processions through a suite of a half dozen rooms, and the musical performance itself, I was standing four mortal hours. To be sure I did not suffer alone, there being five or six hundred people present. The ladies had seats on two rows of benches at the two sides of a vast hall, leaving a space between for the circulation of the gentlemen invited, the waiters with refreshments, in short, every thing but air; for although it was freezing and snowing out of doors, our artificial atmosphere was so disagreeably heated, that our little Queen, in her delicate situation, could not bear it, and had to leave us amidst our excruciating delight at the various performance. The rest of the party exhibited a very tender solicitude at this untoward event, and went out with her but soon after they all returned except the King, and even he after a delay of some time longer. I own I was not overpowered by the music, though to be sure I had heard most of the performers before. They were all very good, but a concert is too stupid in itself for any thing but remarkable and exciting talent to make agreeable. And thus ends my long history of the Queen of the French at Brussells. William H. Prescott to Miss Prescott-Young Ladies in England. The Ascot Races. XLIV.-YOUNG LADIES IN ENGLAND. THE ASCOT RACES.* William H. Prescott to Miss Prescott. LONDON, June 24th, 1850. MY DEAR LIZZIE: As your mother tells me that you are to write to me this week, I will do the same good turn to you. What shall I tell you about? there are so many things that would interest you in this wonderful city. But first of all, I think, on reflection, you judged wisely in not coming. You would have had some lonely hours, and have been often rather awkwardly situated. Girls of your age make no great figure here in society. One never, or very rarely, meets them at dinner parties; and they are not so numerous in the evening parties as with us, unless it be the balls. Six out of seven women whom you meet in society are over thirty, and many of them over forty and fifty, not to say sixty. The older they are the more they are dressed and diamonded. Young girls dress little, and wear very little ornament indeed. They have not much money to spend on such costly luxuries. At the Ascot races yesterday, I happened to be next to Lady, a very pleasing girl, the youngest sister of Lord She seemed disposed to bet on the horses; so I told her I would venture anywhere from a shilling to a sovereign. She said she never bet higher than a shilling, but on this occasion would go as high as half a crown. So she did, and lost it. It was quite an exciting race between a horse of Lord Eglinton's, named " Flying Dutchman," and a little mare of Lord Stanley's, named "Canezon." The former had won on several occasions, but the latter had lately begun to This letter is taken from the biography of Mr. Ticknor, the most interesting literary biography probably in our language.-H. William H. Prescott to Miss Prescott-Young Ladies in England. The Ascot Races. make a name in the world, and Lord Stanley's friends were eagerly backing her. It was the most beautiful show in the world. But I will begin with the beginning. I went with the Lawrences. We went by railway to Windsor, then took a carriage to Ascot, some half dozen miles distant. The crowds of carriages, horses, etc., on the road, filled the air with a whirlwind of dust, and I should have been blinded but for a blue veil which was lent me to screen my hat and face. The Swedish Minister, who furnished these accommodations, set the example by tying himself up. On reaching Ascot we were admitted to the salon, which stands against the winning post, and which is occupied by the Queen when there. It was filled with gay company, all in high spirits. Lord Stanley was looking forward to a triumph, though he talked coolly about it. He is one of the ablest, perhaps the ablest debater in Parliament, and next Monday will make a grand assault on the Cabinet. This is the way he relieves himself from the cares of public life. I suspect he was quite as much interested in the result of the race yesterday as he will be in the result of the parliamentary battle on Monday. The prize, besides a considerable stake of money from subscription, was a most gorgeous silver vase, the annual present of the Emperor of Russia for the Ascot races. It represents Hercules taming the horses of Diomed, beautifully sculptured, making an ornament for a sideboard or a table some five feet in height, and eighteen inches square. What a trophy for the castle of the Earl of Derby or for the Eglinton halls in Scotland! The horses were paraded up and down before the spectators; betting ran very high-men and women, nobles and commoners, who crowd the ground by thousands, all entering into it. Five William H. Prescott to Miss Prescott-Young Ladies in England. The Ascot Races. horses started on a heat of two miles and a half. The little bay mare led off gallantly-" Flying Dutchman" seemed to lose ground-the kuowing ones began to shake-and the odds rose in "Canezon's" favor, when, just as they were within half a mile of the goal, Lord Eglinton's jockey gave his horse the rein, and he went off in gallant style-not running, but touching the ground in a succession of flying leaps that could hardly have brushed the wet from the grass, for it began to rain. There was a general sensation; bets changed; the cry was for the old favorite; and as the little troop shot by us, "Flying Dutchman" came in at the head, by the length of several rods, before all the field. Then there was a shouting and congratulations, while the mob followed the favorite horse as if they would devour him. He was brought directly under our windows, and Lady Eglinton felt, I have no doubt, as much love for him at the moment as for any of her children. It was a glorious triumph, and the race was hers, or her lord's, whom I did not see. Now I do not feel the least excited by all this, but excessively tired, and I would not go to another race if I could do it by walking into the next street; that is, if I had to sit it out, as I did here, for three mortal hours. How hard the English people are driven for amusement! Coming home, we drove through the Royal Park at Windsor, among trees hundreds of years old, under which troops of deer were lazily grazing, secure from all molestation. The Thames is covered with swans, which nobody would dare to injure. How beautiful all this is! I wish, dear Lizzie, you could have a peep at the English country, with its superb, widestretching lawns, its numerous flocks of sheep everywhere dotting the fields, and even the parks in town, and the beautiful William H. Prescott to Miss Prescott-Young Ladies in England. The Ascot Races. white cows, all as clean as if they had been scrubbed down. England, in the country, is without a rival. But in town the houses are all dingy, and most of them as black as a chimney with the smoke. This hangs like a funeral pall over the city, penetrating the houses, and discoloring the curtains and furniture in a very short time. You would be amused with the gay scene which the streets in this part of the town present. Splendid equipages fill the great streets as far as the eye can reach, blazing with rich colors, and silver mountings, and gaudy liveries. Every thing here tells of a proud and luxurious aristocracy. I shall see enough of them to-day, as I have engagements of one kind or another to four houses before bedtime, which is now with me very regularly about twelve, sometimes later, but I do not like to have it later. Why have I no letter on my table from home? I trust I shall find one there this evening, or I shall, after all, have a heavy heart, which is far from gay in this gayety. Your affectionate father, WILLIAM H. PRESCOTT. |