The reminiscences and recollections of Captain Gronow, being anecdotes of the camp, court, clubs and society, 1810-1860 . nce, no rows of monotonous houses re-minded you of the vicinity of a large city, andthe atmosphere of Hyde Park was then much morelike what God had made it than the hazy, gray, coal-darkened, half-twilight of the London of to-day. Thecompany which then congregated daily about fivewas composed of dandies and women in the best so-ciety ; the men mounted on such horses as Englandalone could then produce. The dandys dress con-sisted of a blue coat with brass buttons, leatherbre
The reminiscences and recollections of Captain Gronow, being anecdotes of the camp, court, clubs and society, 1810-1860 . nce, no rows of monotonous houses re-minded you of the vicinity of a large city, andthe atmosphere of Hyde Park was then much morelike what God had made it than the hazy, gray, coal-darkened, half-twilight of the London of to-day. Thecompany which then congregated daily about fivewas composed of dandies and women in the best so-ciety ; the men mounted on such horses as Englandalone could then produce. The dandys dress con-sisted of a blue coat with brass buttons, leatherbreeches, and top boots; and it was the fashionto wear a deep, stiff white cravat, which preventedyou from seeing your boots while standing. All theworld watched JBrummell to imitate him, and ordertheir clothes of the tradesman who dressed thatsublime dandy. One day a youthful beau ap-proached Brummell and said, Permit me to askyou where you get your blacking V Ah! re-plied Brummell, gazing complacently at his boots, my blacking positively ruins me. I will tell youin confidence ; it is made with the finest cham-pagne !. < Q. LU I H o I co< Q 111 I LONDON HOTELS IN 1814. 53 Many of the ladies used to drive into the parkin a carriage called a vis-a-vis, which held onlvtwo persons. The hammer-cloth, rich in heraldicdesigns, the powdered footmen in smart liveries,and a coachman who assumed all the gaiety andappearance of a wigged archbishop, were indispens-able. The equipages were generally much moregorgeous than at a later period, when democracyinvaded the parks, and introduced what may betermed a Brummagem society, with shabby-gen-teel carriages and servants. The carriage companyconsisted of the most celebrated beauties, amongstwhom were remarked the Duchesses of Rutland,Argyle, Gordon, and Bedford, Ladies Cowper, Foley,Heathcote, Louisa Lambton, Hertford, and Mount-joy. The most conspicuous horsemen were thePrince Regent, (accompanied by Sir BenjaminBloomfield;) the Duke of Y
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