of his partial regard for her; but, agreeable and artful as he was, she remained very much upon her guard, which rather increased than diminished his admiration and passion for her. Yet still his pride struggled with his inclination; for all this time she was engaged to sing in public, a circumstance very grievous to her; but urged by the best of motives, she submitted to it in order to assist her parents, whose fortune was much reduced by Mr. Robinson's loss of sight, which deprived him of the benefit of his profession as a painter.

"At length Lord P- made his declaration on honourable terms; he found it would be vain to make proposals on any other, and as he omitted no circumstance that could engage her esteem and gratitude, she accepted them, as she was sincerely attached to him. He earnestly requested her keeping it a secret till it was a more convenient time for him to make it known, to which she readily consented, having a perfect confidence in his honour. Among the persons of distinction that professed a friendship for Mrs. A. Robinson were the Earl and Countess of Oxford, daughter-in-law to the Lord Treasurer Oxford, who not only bore every public testimony of affection and esteem for Mrs. A. Robinson, but Lady Oxford attended her when she was privately married to the Earl of P—, and Lady P— ever acknowledged her obligations with the warmest gratitude; and after Lady Oxford's death, she was particularly distinguished by the Duchess of Portland, Lady Oxford's daughter, and was always mentioned by her with the greatest kindness, for the many friendly offices she used to do her in her childhood, when in Lady Oxford's family, which made a lasting impression on the Duchess of Portland's noble and generous heart.

"After the death of Mr. Robinson, Lord P took a house near Fulham, in the neighbourhood of his own villa at Parson's Green, where he settled Mrs. Robinson and her mother. They never lived under the same roof, till the earl

being seized with a violent fit of illness, solicited her to attend him at Mount Bevis, near Southampton, which she refused with firmness, but upon condition that, though still denied to take his name, she might be permitted to wear her weddingring; to which, finding her inexorable, he at length consented.

"His haughty spirit was still reluctant to the making a declaration that would have done justice to so worthy a character as the person to whom he was now united, and indeed, his uncontrollable temper, and high opinion of his own actions, made him a very awful husband, ill-suited to Lady's P.'s good sense, amiable temper, and delicate sentiments. She was a

Roman Catholic, but never gave offence to those of a contrary opinion, though very strict in what she thought her duty. Her excellent principles and fortitude of mind supported her through many severe trials in her conjugal state. But at last. he prevailed upon himself to do her justice, instigated, it is supposed, by his bad state of health, which obliged him to seek another climate; and she absolutely refused to go with him unless he declared his marriage. Her attendance upon him

in his illness nearly cost her her life.

"He appointed a day for all his nearest relations to meet him at an apartment, over the gateway of St. James's Palace, belonging to Mr. Pointz, who was married to Lord Peterborough's niece, and at that time preceptor to Prince William, afterwards Duke of Cumberland. Lord P- also appointed Lady P to be there at the same time. When they were all assembled, he began a most eloquent oration, enumerating all the virtues and perfections of Mrs. A. Robinson, and the rectitude of her conduct during his long acquaintance with her, for which he acknowledged his great obligations and sincere attachment, declaring he was determined to do her that justice which he ought to have done long ago, which was presenting her to all his family as his wife. He spoke this harangue with so much energy, and in parts so pathetically, that Lady P——

not being apprised of his intentions, was so affected that she fainted in the midst of the company.

away

"After Lord P.'s death she lived a very retired life, chiefly at Mount Bevis, and was seldom prevailed on to leave that habitation, but by the Duchess of Portland, who was always happy to have her company at Bulstrode, when she could obtain it, and often visited her at her own house.

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'Among Lord P.'s papers she found his memoirs, written by himself, in which he declared he had been guilty of such actions as would have reflected very much upon his character. For which reason she burnt them. This, however, contributed to complete the excellency of her principles, though it did not fail giving offence to the curious inquirers after anecdotes of so remarkable a character as that of the Earl of Peterborough.**

Lord Peterborough was an extraordinary person in every respect, and very likely he perplexed not a little the faculties of poor Anastasia Robinson. But the perplexity was not all of his own creation. She must have known his reputation as a general lover before she married him; and though the vivacity of his temperament seems to have kept him young in a manner to the last, yet the disproportion of their ages was great enough to warrant a doubt of the disinterestedness of her acquiescence. Not that her heart might have been altogether unimpressed, especially by a sort of gratitude, for she appears to have been a really kind and gentle creature; and if Marmontel was young enough at fifty-six to win the affections of a young wife, and make her the grateful mother of a family, the lively conqueror of Spain,

* Burney's "History of Music." Vol. iv.

the most active man of his time, who had “ seen more princes and postillions than any man in Europe," might have appeared no such frightful senior in the eyes of the flattered singer at fiftyseven; for it was at that age he appears to have first known her. Even at seventy-nine, when he died, the fire of his nature appeared so inexhaustible, that Pope exclaimed in astonishment, "This man can neither live nor die like any one else.” But then he was a conqueror, and an earl withal, and a rich man, and had a riband and star at his breast. Chi sa? as the good-natured Italians say, when a gossiping question is to be determined-Who knows? And so we take leave of the gallant Earl of Peterborough and the fair Anastasia.†

* See his interesting account of Peterborough's latter moments in one of his Letters.

+ In the "Letters and Works of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu," lately edited by her great-grandson, Lord Wharncliffe, is the following specimen of the tattle of the day from the sprightly pen of her ladyship, who for obvious reasons is too much given to scandal, and willing to find fault. "Would any one believe that Lady Holdernesse is a beauty and in love? and that Mrs. Robinson is at the same time a prude and a kept mistress? and these things in spite of nature and fortune. The first of these ladies is tenderly attached to the polite Mr. M ***, and sunk in all the joys of happy love, notwithstanding she wants the use of her two hands by a rheumatism, and he has an arm that he cannot move. I wish I could tell you the particulars of this amour, which seems to me as curious as that between two oysters, and as well worth the serious attention of the naturalist. The second heroine has engaged half the town

The ladies of quality now commence their example. On the 8th of January 1739, the Lady Henrietta Herbert, widow of Lord Edward Herbert, second son of the Marquis of Powis, and daughter of James, first Earl of Waldegrave, was married to JOHN BEARD, the singer. We have a pleasure in stating the circumstance as formally as possible, for three reasons; first, because the marriage was a happy one; second, because all mention of it is omitted in the Peerages; and third, because Lord Wharncliffe, in his edition of the "Letters and Works of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu," above mentioned, designated Beard, we know not

in arms, from the nicety of her virtue, which was not able to bear the too near approach of Senesino in the opera, and her condescension in accepting of Lord Peterborough for a champion; who has signalised both his love and courage upon this occasion in as many instances as ever Don Quixote did for Dulcinea. Poor Senesino, like a vanquished giant, was forced to confess upon his knees, that Anastasia was a nonpareil of virtue and beauty. Lord Stanhope, as a dwarf to the said giant, joked on his side, and was challenged for his pains. Lord Delawar was Lord Peterborough's second; my lady miscarried; the whole town divided into parties on this important point. Innumerable have been the disorders between the two sexes on so great an account, besides half the House of Peers being put under an arrest. By the providence of Heaven, and the wise cares of his Majesty, no bloodshed ensued. However, things are now tolerably accommodated; and the fair lady rides through the town in triumph in the shining berlin of her hero, not to reckon the more solid advantage of 100%. a month, which 't is said he allowsher."