open, and some friend of his, while he was at Belvoir, tried it with his knife, with the intention, no doubt, of purloining his snuff, which was always excellent. Hearing of the outrage, Brummell said, "Confound the fellow he takes my snuff-box for an oyster: " but notwithstanding the splendid collection he possessed, and having sent his friend Capel, by permission of the First Lord, to Naples, to procure him a perfect tabatière, he actually had one of black shell and gold built at Calais. This he gave to the Duke of B————, in exchange for in exchange for a bank-note of fifty pounds; in other words, that nobleman consented to receive it that he might with more delicacy present him with that sum-for, though a ruined man, Brummell had not yet been subjected to all the dirty degradations that invariably accompany that character, when his ruin is the result of premeditated folly and unrestrained indulgence. This sketch of the drawing-room would be incomplete if I omitted to mention, that the table-cover on which all his useless elegancies were displayed was worked for him by the Duchess of York, and that his easy-chair was the gift of the same kind friend.

Correctness of taste in everything was decidedly the Beau's forte, and, seated in his fauteuil, surrounded by his buhl, paintings, prints, knick-knacks, and the Sèvres portraits of the beautiful La Vallière and her discreet rival, he appeared, amongst the heterogeneous medley of English who subsequently attended his levee, nearly the only living creature in keeping with the room and its details.

CHAPTER XXV.

Donations made to Brummell by his Friends-The Duchess of York's Liberality to Him-Her Christmas Present and Letter-Mr. Chamberlayne-Brummell learns French-Scrope Davies's Description of his Progress-The Beau's Fashionable Visitors-Lord Westmoreland invites him to Dine-Brummell's Reply-The Legal Intruder-The Exile's Daily Avocations-His dog Vick-Her Illness and DeathAnecdote from "Granby”—Brummell's Grief at the Loss of his Pet. CONSIDERING the reduced state of his circumstances, the reader will naturally inquire how it happened that Brummell managed to gratify a taste so little in accordance with them? The answer is, that though a man of fashion, he had an extraordinary number of good friends; and the sums of money that he must have received from various sources, many of them unknown, attest the fact, that he was, at this time, even too generously assisted. A clerk of M. de Vos, a Calais banker, called on him one morning to place a large sum in his hands, that had been paid into their bank the day before; it was stated to me to have been a thousand pounds, but supposing it was only half that amount, it was a large donation. So strict was the incognito preserved, that the fortunate recipient could never trace the gift to the

generous individual who sent it. But in the circle of those who administered not only to his wants but to his luxuries (the evil day had not yet come, when he was to find the utmost difficulty in procuring the necessaries of life), no one appears to have extended relief to the expatriated Beau, with more warmth of feeling or delicacy of manner, than the late Duchess of York. The "votre toute-affectionnée amie et servante" of more prosperous times, was practically illustrated towards him to the day of Her Royal Highness's death. Every year at Christmas some token of regard was conveyed to him; a purse, a card-case, or note-keeper, the work of her own fair hands; Brummell treasured these proofs of the Duchess's taste and skill, and had several of them remaining when he was at Caen. These little marks of her regard, when opened, were never found empty, and a rustling was always heard within their folds, which no doubt fell agreeably upon ears now so little familiar with the sound of bank-notes.

Here is a note she wrote to him when Brummell had only left his native land about a year, and when one of her letters addressed to the Beau had miscarried :

"Londres, ce 26 April 1817.

"Vous n'avez rien perdu à la lettre qui vous était destinée, et que Lord Alvanley a consignée aux flammes; elle contenait seulement mes remercimens pour les charmans cadeaux que vous avez eu la bonté

de m'envoyer (dont je me suis parée le soir même de ma petite fête), et mes regrets que vous n'en étiez plus. Ces regrets se renouvellent journellement, et surtout les raisons qui en sont la cause. Croyez que personne ne sent plus la perte de votre société que je le fais; je n'oublierai jamais les momens agréables que je lui ai dus, et tout ce qui pourrait m'en compenser serait la certitude de votre bonheur pour lequel je ferai (les voeux) les plus sincères comme pour ce qui peut y contribuer le plus efficacement, me flattant que vous conserverez toujours quelque souvenir de votre toute affectionnée amie et servante, F."

But women are ever the most lasting in their attachments, whether of love or friendship, and the conduct of this royal lady is the more meritorious on account of her high rank; for the opportunities which persons in her exalted station have of witnessing the miseries of human nature are few, and, from ignorance rather than indifference, they frequently are not so much alive to the sufferings of mankind as those who daily witness those sufferings: they bask in the sunshine of perpetual personal comfort, and, while plenty is ever pouring forth her blessings around them, no beggar is allowed to tread the palace courtspoverty is scarcely bold enough to make its appeal to their hearts in person, and language in the form of a petition, however strongly worded, does not truthfully and vividly describe what they seldom or never see.

The Duke of Gloucester also treated Brummell with much kindness and consideration, and when His Royal Highness, in his way through Calais, went down to the packet to embark, Brummell always accompanied him: had he only imbibed a small portion of the Duke's punctuality in the weekly audit of his accounts, he might perhaps have had the satisfaction of one day returning in his company to the opposite shore. He had also a kind friend in John Chamberlayne, Esq., who contributed to his comfort by the payment of a yearly gratuity, which it was his intention to continue in the event of his own decease; but, becoming afflicted by insanity, he left no will. This was a sad chance for Brummell: he wrote to his representatives on the subject, but the answer was unfavourable; and it was intimated to him that there was no memorandum to that effect among Mr. Chamberlayne's papers. The Duke of Argyle, though not affluent, seldom forgot to call and assist him with money; and Lord Alvanley, who never passed his door without doing the same, invariably dined with him; the dinner, bien entendu, being sent from Dessin's at his Lordship's expense.

Many other noblemen and gentlemen at various periods relieved the dull tenor of his life by their visits; and from each he received substantial proofs of their regard. Among them were the Dukes of Wellington, Rutland, Richmond, Beaufort, and Bedford; Lords Sefton, Jersey, Willoughby d'Eresby, Craven, Ward, and Stuart de Rothesay. To the