Personal Sketches of His Own Times, Vol. 2 (of 3)

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Jonah Barrington. Personal Sketches of His Own Times, Vol. 2 (of 3)

THE FIRE-EATERS

DUELLING EXTRAORDINARY

GEORGE HARTPOLE

HAMILTON ROWAN AND THE BAR

SELF-DECAPITATION

FATHER O’LEARY

DEATH OF LORD ROSSMORE

MEMORANDA CRITICA

MEMORANDA POETICA

THEATRICAL RECOLLECTIONS

MRS. JORDAN

MRS. JORDAN IN FRANCE

MEMORY

POLITICAL CONDUCT OF THE AUTHOR

SCENES AT HAVRE DE GRACE

COMMENCEMENT OF THE HUNDRED DAYS

THE ENGLISH IN PARIS

INAUGURATION OF THE EMPEROR

PROMULGATION OF THE CONSTITUTION

LAST DAYS OF THE IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT

DETENTION AT VILETTE

PROJECTED ESCAPE OF NAPOLEON

BATTLE OF SEVRES AND ISSY

CAPITULATION OF PARIS

THE CATACOMBS AND PERE LA CHAISE

PEDIGREE-HUNTING

Отрывок из книги

At an election for Queen’s County, between General Walsh and Mr. Warburton, of Garryhinch, about the year 1783, took place the most curious duel of any which occurred within my recollection. A Mr. Frank Skelton, one of the half-mounted gentlemen described in the early part of the first volume, – a boisterous, joking, fat young fellow, called a harmless blackguard, – was prevailed on, much against his grain, to challenge Roberts, the exciseman of the town, for running the butt-end of a horse-whip down his throat the night before, while he sat drunk and sleeping with his mouth open. The exciseman insisted that snoring at a dinner-table was a personal offence to every gentleman in company, and would therefore make no apology.

Frank, though he had been nearly choked, was very reluctant to fight; he said “he was sure to die if he did, as the exciseman could snuff a candle with his pistol-ball; and as he himself was as big as a hundred dozen of candles, what chance could he have?” We told him jocosely to give the exciseman no time to take aim at him, by which means he might perhaps hit his adversary first, and thus survive the contest. He seemed somewhat encouraged and consoled by the hint, and most strictly did he adhere to it.

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I also read, as far as its hitherto slight development would admit, the character of Maria Otway. I could perceive neither the languor of love nor the restlessness of suspense at all predominant in her feelings. Perfect ease and entire resignation appeared to sit most cheerfully on her brow: she seemed voluntarily to consider the wish of her parents as the rule of her destiny; and it was perceptible that Hartpole had the love entirely at his own disposal.

Maria united in her appearance, her manners, and her obvious disposition, most of those amiable and engaging traits which the age of eighteen can develope in a female. – Her figure, in height rather below the middle stature, had arrived at that proportionate fulness which forms the just medium between the round and slender, and without the defects of either gives the advantages of both. Her limbs, cast in the mould of perfect symmetry, moved with that ease and moderate activity which constitute the natural grace of female action. Her features small, and not justifying the epithet of “beautiful,” yet formed in their assemblage a blooming and expressive index of the young heart that ruled them: the imperfections of the profile were lost in the brilliant delicacy of the complexion which embellished it. Her blue eyes were untutored; but her smile was intoxicating; and my friend was bound and fettered in the trammels of female witchery.

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