Page images
PDF
EPUB

TO OUR READERS.

THE Plates of Fashion in our present Number contain two Figures only; but it is not our intention to confine them to that number, as we shall occasionally give three or four Figures, and introduce correspondent furniture; and as a substitute for the Outline Plate, we shall uniformly COLOUR the Fashions in every future Number.

Notwithstanding an advance has been made in the prices of almost every periodical Publication on account of the encreased and encreasing expences of producing them, we shall pledge ourselves to our Subscribers, for the present, to continue the usual price of this Work, without abridging it in the quantity of the Letter-press, or the number of the Embellishments.

We trust, moreover, in our future Numbers greatly to add to the value and excellence of ALL the Embellishments, more particularly in the Figures of Fashion, to render which perfect and explanatory no expence will be spared.

[ocr errors]
[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

Bell's

COURT AND FASHIONABLE

MAGAZINE,

For FEBRUARY, 1809.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

OF

ILLUSTRIOUS LADIES.

The Forty-second Number.

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE VISCOUNTESS ST. ASAPH.

THE Right Honourable Charlotte Vis- || sex in every station of life.-The imputacountess St. Asaph (a beautiful Portrait of tions of vulgar calumny against the great whom, from the admired pencil of Hopp. were never so little merited as at present; ner, embellishes the present Number of for it must be remarked to the honour of La Belle Assemblée), is the eldest daughter the British Court, and is indeed chiefly of Algernon, Earl of Beverly, by Isabella owing to the example and vigilance of her Susana, second daughter of Peter Burrel, Majesty, that there is a constant and steady Esq. of Beckenham, in the County of Kent.discountenance, in the circle of St. James's, Her Ladyship is married to George Vis-of all those females who have anywise discount St. Asaph, only son of John Earl of credited themselves by a disregard of pubAshburnham. lic reputation.

Lady St. Asaph, from her rank and high station, occupies a considerable degree of attention in the sphere in which she moves; and it is but justice to her Ladyship to state, that the scrutiny of her conduct well justifies an admiration of her virtues.

There probably never was a period in which the females of the British Court exhibited a more laudable and splendid pattern of those virtues which adorn the

||

The Court, at least the female part of it, under the controuling and matronly prudence of the Queen, is made what it ought to be,-the conservator and example of morals and chastity of manners in fashionable life; the source from which refinement flows; and in which, however fashion may bear sovereign sway, she is never suffered to infringe upon the severity of virtue.

SLIGHT NARRATIVE OF THE CELEBRATED MRS. CLARK.

As this lady has attracted such universal notice, not indeed from any merit of her own, but, on the contrary, from the magnitude of her demerits, we have thought it proper to introduce some account of her in the Number of the present month-The curiosity with respect to Mrs. Clark is so general, that her reputation offers no excuse for omitting her

name.

Mrs. Clark is the daughter of a Mr. Farquhar, a native of Aberdeen, who was bred a printer, and worked at one time on The Star newspaper, and afterwards in the house of Mr. Hughs. He used to correct the proofs, and his daughter, a sprightly girl, was employed || by him to read them. A son of Mr. Day, who had the conduct of Mr. Hughs's business, took a lively interest in Miss Farquhar's fate, and sent her for two years to school, meaning as we have been told, to marry her when she had finished her education. This, however, she avoided by forming a connection with Mr. Clark, the son of the builder, which ended in their marriage. She truly said in the House of Commons, that he was of no profession, for though bred to the business of a stone-mason, he utterly neglected it, and soon sunk into the most extreme waut. She was thus at an early period of her life flung upon the world with an infant family. Her mother and she at times liv. ed together, and she has been to her in all her changes of fortune her adviser and counsel.

Mrs. Clark was summoned to attend the House of Commons about twenty minutes before eight o'clock on the first of February, and she came readily through the lobbies, with a light step and a smirking countenance. She was dressed as if she had been going out to an evening party, in a light blue silk gown and coat, edged with white fur, and a white muff. On her head she wore a white cap or veil, which at no time was let down over her face. In size she is rather small, and she does not seem to be particularly well made. She has a fair, clear, smooth skin, and lively blue eyes, but her features are not handsome. Her nose is rather short and turning up, and her teeth are very indifferent; yet she has an appearance of great vivacity and fascination of manners, though she is said not to be a well bred or accomplished woman. She appears to be about thirty-five years of age, and probably has recommended herself more by her agreeable and lively spirit than by her beauty, though it

must be allowed that she is pretty, having a soft delicate complexion, and an animated expression of features. When first she came into the House she was very pale; on her second appearance her colour had flushed into her face, which was like vermillion; but she seemed not at all daunted or embarrassed at any time. Her female friend was dressed in a white silk gown spotted with brown, and wore a white bonnet with a veil so thick and close about her face, that her features could not be distinguished. She went into the House of Commons and remained below the bar near Mrs. Clark during her examination. Mr. Gurney was seated at the bar taking the whole of the evidence in short-hand.

Mrs. Clark's family was much inferior to that of her husband. Before she was quite fifteen she married Mr. Clark, the second son of a very eminent, wealthy, and respectable bricklayer, who had been largely employed in the city of London. The eldest sou succeeded to the father's business, but is now dead, having left a family behind him, and a fortune of about twelve or fifteen thousand pounds. The second son (the husband of Mrs. Clark) was bred a stone mason by the father, and carried on that business in an extensive and respect. able manner on Snow-hill; but whether from the indiscreetuess of his marriage, or any general indiscretion, the father left him only a weekly annuity during his life, the principal going to his children, of whom he has several by Mrs. Clark, the lady of whom we are now speaking. Mr. Clark is living, but, we understand, he has for some time discontinued his business at Snow-hill. He has two brothers living, the one an eminent surveyor, the other a clergyman, both of them gentlemen of great respectability-Mrs. Clark was always of a gay turn and very expensive habits. How long she has been separated from her husband we know not, nor do we know what was her course of life between that separation and her commencing the costly establishment in Glouces ter place; but her extravagance there was unbounded; and she in particular exerted all her powers in keeping a luxurious table, set out in the most brilliant manner. Of the extent to which she went, some notion may be formed from the fact of the wine glasses, such in size as individuals usually drink out of at dinner, being so finely cut, that at the sale of her furniture, they sold for a guinea cach glass!

[ocr errors]
« PreviousContinue »