The enchantress summons to a splendid hall:
---- ---- In gay festoons around
Bloom'd many a wreath with rose and myrtle crown'd.
--The nymphs, who late encompassing their queen
Round her bright throne, like hov'ring clouds were seen,
Now range themselves to wind the magic dance;
The magic dance of pow'r, the dead to raise,
Or draw embodied spirits down to gaze;
Now pair by pair, now groupe by groupe unite,
The loveliest forms in thousand folded light.
SOTHEBY'S OBERON.
Before the day arrived which had been fixed for Lady Eltondale's ball,
to which Selina alluded in her letter to Mrs. Galton, a note from Lord
Osselstone was received by the Viscountess, desiring her commands to
Vienna, and informing her, that he and his nephew purposed immediately
commencing a tour to the continent they had long meditated.
Selina felt almost relieved by the certainty of Mordaunt's absence, for
she still felt a degree of painful embarrassment in his presence, though
she had taught herself no longer to expect any attention, and scarcely
even recognizance from him in public. Nor was she much more at ease in
the society of Lord Osselstone. Whenever he was near her, whatever might
be his apparent occupation, she still felt an indescribable
consciousness, that she was the object of his peculiar attention.
Sometimes a sort of reflected sensation in her own eye led her to
believe, that his was fixed upon her; though often, when this feeling
made her look round to meet his glance, she would perceive it was
directed elsewhere. At other times, if engaged in conversation, when she
had no idea whatever of his proximity, she would discover, by some
casual observation, that he had heard all she had said; and his
Lordship would then continue the discourse, be it what it might, in the
strain best adapted to the moment; for Lord Osselstone particularly
excelled in the talent of conversation:--he could--
"Choose a firm cloud before it fall, and in it
Catch, ere she change, the Cynthia of the minute."
Whether the subject was lively or sententious, gay or serious, his
abilities seemed equally applicable to all. At times his wisdom would
call forth Selina's powers of reasoning; at others he would encourage
the playfulness of her wit, till it "touch'd the brink of all we hate."
But beyond that verge no temporary exhilaration of spirits ever betrayed
the chasteness, the delicacy of Selina's judgment. And yet,
notwithstanding the urbanity and politeness of Lord Osselstone's manners
to Selina, she never felt herself perfectly at ease with him. She could
not be secure of what his real sentiments were, therefore, by a natural
consequence, she was diffident in the expression of her own. She once
described her feelings in regard to the Earl, by saying to Lady
Eltondale, in her usual playful manner, "When I talk to Lord Osselstone,
I always feel as if my mind was on stilts; and, though he seems only to
follow my lead in conversation, I get almost out of breath, lest I
should not keep up to my traces; but when I talk to Mr. Sedley, his chat
runs on with mine in its own natural way, sometimes scarcely creeping
along, and at others setting off in a full gallop: a Frenchwoman would
say, "_Je dÈbite avec l'un et cause avec l'autre._""
By this fortunate continental tour Selina was relieved from the dread of
encountering, on the festive night, the only two people whose presence
ever damped the amusement she derived from those scenes of gaiety in
which she now shone so conspicuous; and, with unmixed delight, did she
anticipate the fÍte, which, in her opinion, would eclipse all that ever
had preceded it. The munificent allowance which, by her father's will,
was made to the Viscountess for Selina's residence with her, was by no
means an unacceptable addition to Lord Eltondale's income; for though he
"never had time" to look into his own affairs, and was little aware of
the real extent of their derangement, yet the constant remonstrances of
his steward convinced him most unwillingly, that they were in a very
embarassed state. It was not, however, Lady Eltondale's intention, that
the sums received for the maintenance of her niece should be
appropriated to the discharge of any of her husband's debts;--she
claimed them as her own, and expended them in increased extravagance and
dissipation. So sensible was she of the advantages she derived from
Selina's remaining with her, that, though anxious for the match
ultimately being made between Miss Seymour and Mr. Elton, she was by no
means anxious, that their union should take place before the expiration
of her minority, at which period she knew that her niece would of course
form an establishment of her own.
The ball, which was now announced by the Viscountess, was ostensibly
given for Selina; and all that taste could design, or expense procure,
was put in requisition for the magnificent display. Selina, who had
never by deprivation been taught the real value of riches, was delighted
at the splendid preparations, and became a docile pupil in the arts of
profusion under the admirable tuition of her aunt. Lady Eltondale was
the character above all others most dangerous for the guidance or
imitation of youth. Her faults were so varnished by the specious
elegance and charms of her manners, that even the experience of age
hesitated to bestow on them the stigma of vice, while the most
thoughtless could not fail to discover, that she neither revered nor
understood the fixed immutable rules of virtue. It is true the breath of
scandal had never sullied the gloss of her fair fame; but for this,
perhaps, she was more indebted to the frigidity of her heart, than to
the rectitude of her principles; and that total annihilation of all
feeling, which she recommended both by precept and example, was more
likely to eradicate the better sentiments of benevolence and generosity,
than to serve as an effectual preventive against the temptations of
passion.
Lady Eltondale was scarcely less anxious than was Selina, that her
entertainment should stand foremost in the annals of fashionable
dissipation; for many little springs of self-interest were now set in
motion in the calculating head of the Viscountess. She was arrived at
that age, not only of her natural life, but of her existence in the
world of fashion, when she felt it not undesirable to procure some
auxiliaries, to support her on that pinnacle she had for many years
occupied. She could not forget, that before her marriage she had been
followed and flattered as a beauty, nor that, when she assumed her
present title, she had been still more courted as a leader of ton; but
she now felt conscious, that both those enviable distinctions were
beginning to fade, and she was therefore not unwilling to profit by the
various advantages she derived from the society of her niece, whose more
novel attractions drew renewed crowds to her assemblies, and fresh
visitors to her door. Nor did any personal jealousy interfere with the
more substantial pleasures she enjoyed by being _chaperone_ to Miss
Seymour. Lady Eltondale was well aware, that their beauty was so
dissimilar, that their individual admirers would always be distinct; nor
did she believe that any person, who was capable of duly appreciating
the high polish of her more matured grace, would be diverted from their
admiration by the unstudied, though exuberant charms of a girl of
seventeen. It was therefore with more satisfaction than envy, that Lady
Eltondale contemplated the unparalleled success of Selina's toilet on
the night so eagerly anticipated by both, as she appeared--
"In brilliancy of art array'd,
Jewels and pearls in many a curious braid,
Show that the unnotic'd di'mond's sunlike rays
Fail to eclipse the self-resplendent blaze,
Which round the unrivall'd charms of native beauty play'd."
"Vhy, Miss Seymour, I never seed nothing like that ere sprig in my
life," said Mrs. Sullivan, bustling through the crowd up to Selina, who
had just finished the first dance with the young Duke of Saltoun. "All
the vay as you vent up and down the middle, it nodded about and sparkled
so--you looks for all the 'versal vorld like the queen of dimonds." "Or
rather the queen of hearts," said young Webberly, with a low bow and a
deep sigh; while Selina, meeting Sedley's glance, could scarcely receive
his compliments with a becoming composure of countenance. "Or if," said
Sedley, advancing, "you want a simile, Webberly, suppose you call Miss
Seymour the planet Venus, shining at night with unrivalled
splendour;--that will do, you know, ma'am, both for the sprig and the
lady," continued he, turning with a ludicrous reverence to Mrs.
Sullivan. "Vhy as for the matter of that there, Mr. Sedley," replied the
indignant matron, "my Jack could raise a smile himself in no time,
without no promoting of any one's else's whatsomdever. He's not such a
ninny-headed feller neither as you seem to take him for, Mr. Sedley. He
can see as far into a millstone as e'er a one, Mr. Sedley; and, as far
as his mother tongue goes, he can talk orthography with you or any one
else." "No doubt, my dear ma'am," returned he, with immoveable gravity,
"and nothing can surpass his mother's tongue;--
"'In her
There is a prone and speechless dialect
Such as moves men: beside she hath a prosp'rous art,
When she will play with reason and discourse.'"
"Aye, aye, Mr. Sedley, you may go on as you please; preside in your own
vay, but remember I knows what's what. I can tell Miss Seymour here,
impudence is a bad prostitute for honesty." Though Selina could not
quite understand the full import of Mrs. Sullivan's observations, which
she endeavoured to render still more significant by shrugs and gestures;
yet by the heightened colour of the lady's complexion, and a transient
gravity that passed over the countenances of both gentlemen, she plainly
discovered the conversation had taken a turn unpleasant to all parties;
therefore, with that true politeness which arises from natural
benevolence, she endeavoured to soothe the irrascible feelings of each,
by diverting their thoughts into another channel. To Mrs. Sullivan she
paid an elegant, and not very exaggerated compliment on Cecilia's
particularly good looks. To Mr. Webberly's request that she would dance
with him, she acceded with an alacrity, that seemed to verify her
expression of regret that her other engagements obliged her to postpone
hers with him for some dances; and by sending Sedley on an embassy to
Lady Eltondale, she prevented a renewal of the skirmish between him and
the offended mother, which the equivocal expression of his countenance
led her to believe was not an impossible event. "Lawk, mama!" exclaimed
Miss Webberly, in an elevated tone, as soon as he had left the groupe,
"I wonder you can condescend to notice him so;--you're always fighting
him now." "Vhy I know, Meely, I oughtn't to demon myself to such a
feller; but I can't bear, not I, to see him ballooning (lampooning) poor
Jack there, while every feature in his physiology shows that he's
mocking him up all the time:--I can't bear no such hypercritics, not I."
Cecilia now warmly undertook his defence, which she entered upon with
still more zeal as the subject of her mother's philippic had made an
_amende honorable_ to her at least, by engaging her for the same set
that her brother was to dance with Miss Seymour, who in the mean time
having succeeded in parting the combatants, had gone to resume her
station amongst the dancers.
The time at last arrived for the fulfilment of Selina's engagement with
Webberly, and they stood up together. At first the youth was so busily
engaged in settling his cravat, putting on and taking off his glove, and
eyeing askance his neighbour the Duke of Saltoun, all of whose motions
he endeavoured to imitate, that he had no time to attend to his fair
partner. At last he recollected his duty, and hastily stepping across
the dance, prepared to give utterance to a tender speech he had composed
in the morning. But as he stooped forward to pour the soft accents in
his fair one's ear, having, like the simple partridge, safely deposited
his head, he became careless of the rest of his person; and
unfortunately his noble prototype the Duke, at the same moment exerting
himself vigorously in a Highland fling, came unexpectedly in contact
with the dying swain, and threw him sprawling into the arms of his
mistress, before either were prepared for so novel a situation. The
salute was as little agreeable to poor Selina as it was unexpected, and
she hastily disengaged herself from Webberly before he had succeeded in
recovering his balance, or the Duke had uttered more than half his
apologies. At last the youth accomplished regaining that erect posture,
which is man's first characteristic, and returned in silence to his
place opposite Selina, where he occupied himself, indefatigably in
pulling down his coat behind, pushing up his hair before, and looking
sternly round, in the vain hope of suppressing the titter that buzzed on
all sides of him. Thus without his renewing the attack, did they reach
in silence the top of the dance, and before the effect of his disaster
was obliterated from his mind or his countenance, their turn came to
begin. He now determined, by increased exertions, to make amends for his
unfortunate commencement, and by dint of manual labour to eclipse even
the Duke of Saltoun in agility. His figure was athletic, and his limbs
were ponderous; but art, in nature's despight, had made him at least an
active dancer. And now he cut, and he leapt, and he sprang into the air,
till the perspiration burst from his forehead. If by chance he got
foremost down the middle, he dragged Selina's fragile form after him,
_vi et armis_, the whole length of the set; but this inconvenience she
did not often encounter, for he generally spent so much longer time than
necessary in his coupees, and his settings, and his pirouettes, that he
was forced to sail down the middle after his partner, like another
Johnny Gilpin, while with terror in their countenances all beholders
cleared the course before him. It was impossible for Selina long to
endure the danger and fatigue of such a partner; and before they had
half measured the length of the set, (except by the flying visits before
mentioned) she proposed retiring to the bottom. But that situation was
not more propitious to our hero than the top had been; long before he
became stationary his breath was exhausted, and that gradual extension
of the lungs, which he intended to be the
"Softest note of whisper'd anguish,
"Harmony's refined part,"
became an audible and protracted groan, whilst his eyes, starting from
their sockets from the violence of his exertions, were any thing but the
messengers of passion. "Good God! Miss Seymour, what is the name of your
partner?" exclaimed Sir James Fenton, as he calmly surveyed the gasping
hero through his spy-glass:--"Mr. Weatherly do you call him? Poor young
man! he must dance for the good of his health! Tam O' Shanter himself
never saw such 'louping and flinging' as he has exhibited to-night--pray
introduce me to him." Then without waiting for the solicited
presentation, he advanced to the new Vestris, and, with all possible
gravity, began to compliment him on "his astonishing performance." Each
compliment called forth a fresh specimen from the flattered beau, as he
was turned, or otherwise joined in the dance, to the infinite amusement
of the surrounding crowd; and what between the necessary application of
his pocket handkerchief, the exhibition of his extraordinary talent,
and the proper returns of bows and smiles to every address of the
malicious Sir James Fenton, he had no time left for courtship.
Supper was at length announced, and Sedley, who with his partner had
been standing near Selina, offered her his arm, alleging, that Mr.
Webberly was too busy just then to attend to her: "Yes, (replied Selina
laughingly, passing her arm through his) my Achilles seems only
vulnerable in the heel to-night." But Cecilia not choosing to lose any
share of Sedley's attention, roared out, "Why, brother! brother John,
what are you capering there for, like a great jack-ass, as you are, and
leaving Miss Seymour to take care of herself?" The hint was not lost
upon him--he made one _entrechat_ which cleared the intimidated throng,
and brought him to Selina's side, then seizing her hand, he led her
triumphantly off before she had time to remonstrate, or he to recover
sufficient breath to apologize for his previous inattention. However he
fully determined to make up for his lost opportunity at the supper
table; and therefore, fearful of interruption, was by no means desirous
to find room for his mother and sister, who with Sedley and Cecilia
joined them. But Miss Seymour's politeness to her guests counteracted
his design; and while he was fortifying himself with a copious draught
of _champagne_, as a necessary preliminary to the declaration he
purposed making, Mrs. Sullivan was endeavouring to insinuate herself
into the little space which her daughters had reserved for her, with
more attention to their own comfort, than to their parent's
circumference. At last, however, she became seated, and, with maternal
solicitude, immediately turned her anxious eye on her beloved son's
countenance. But great was her dismay, and rapid was her utterance, as
the following eloquent address burst forth in a sharp _contralto_ key,
"Vhy, Jack! Lord deliver me, Jack! you be all of a lather! And your
nose, child, as smutty as a sweep's, from one end to t'other; why what,
in the name of mercy, have you been about? Oh! vhy your hands be puxzy,
I suppose, and so they have taken all the japanning off Miss Seymour's
fan here, I suppose."--"Mother can't ye mind your own business, and
leave mine alone," roared the dutiful son, in a voice of thunder, at the
same time profiting by the hint he condemned, and again wiping his
face.--"Vhy I only tell you for own good, Jacky; but you are grown so
copious of late, there's no wenturing to speak a vord, and my advice
never makes no oppression on you, else I'd discommend your buttoning
your waistcoat; and if you impress that ere wiolent perspiration you're
in, I shall have you laid up in a titmouse fever, that's all Jack.--I
know it ba'nt the fashion to mind any thing a parent says, now-a-days;
but if I vasn't your own mother that bared ye, you'd attend to me, fast
enough; though, (continued she, turning to Selina,) Miss Seymour, a vife
is another guess matter to a young man; and Jack would make a wery good
husband, I'm certain, if you'd but fancy him, though he's not quite so
diligent to me as he might be."
Meantime, poor Jack, his faculties almost benumbed with his mother's
rhetoric, and his own previous exhaustion, had allowed her to proceed
without interruption, while he busied himself in buttoning the
unfortunate waistcoat, that had called forth her animadversions. But his
evil stars still pursued him: in his agitation he also buttoned up the
greater part of the very pocket handkerchief which had before been in
such constant requisition; one unlucky corner alone escaped; and, as he
stood up to help himself to a fresh bottle of _champagne_ that was at
some distance, this singular appendage struck his anxious parent with
fresh dismay. Her exclamations, at his extraordinary appearance, were
too much for the risible muscles of the rest of the company. A universal
shout of laughter burst from the whole table. In vain did Mrs. Sullivan
roar out, "Button it up, Jack! button it up!" In vain did Jack cast the
most indignant glances, not only upon her, but upon the whole company.
The laugh was not to be repressed; and, starting up, with a tremendous
oath, the unfortunate Webberly rushed out of the room.
It may be supposed, Selina did not much regret his absence; and in the
following dance, Sedley's inimitable caricature of the whole family
amply compensated to her for the trifling mortification their vulgarity
had occasioned. To use the language of the Morning Post, "The dancing
was continued till a late hour, when the company departed, highly
gratified by the splendor of the entertainment, the elegance of the
hostess, and the unrivalled charms of her accomplished niece."