Side lights on English history; . upon the weather,or some such poor topics, without anyvariety or entertainment. Upon whichaccount it was a sort of unhappiness toher that she naturally loved to have agreat crowd come to her; for \vhenthey were come to Court, she nevercared to have them come in to her, norto go out herself to them, having littleto say to them, but that it was eitherhot or cold ; and little to enquire ofthem, but how long they had been intown, or the like weighty matters. Shenever discovered any readiness of parts,either in asking questions, or in givinganswers. In matters of o
Side lights on English history; . upon the weather,or some such poor topics, without anyvariety or entertainment. Upon whichaccount it was a sort of unhappiness toher that she naturally loved to have agreat crowd come to her; for \vhenthey were come to Court, she nevercared to have them come in to her, norto go out herself to them, having littleto say to them, but that it was eitherhot or cold ; and little to enquire ofthem, but how long they had been intown, or the like weighty matters. Shenever discovered any readiness of parts,either in asking questions, or in givinganswers. In matters of ordinary mo-ment, her discourse had nothing ofbrightness or wit; and in weightiermatters, she never spoke but in a hurry,and had a certain knack of sticking towhat had been dictated to her, to adegree often very disagreeable, andwithout the least sign of understandingor judgment. Her letters were very indifferent, l)othin sense and spelling, unless they weregenerally enlivened witli a few passion-ate expressions, sometimes pretty. I. Smith /r. ft ex. Oueen Anne and the Marlborouo^hs 227 enough, but repeated over and overa^^ain, without tlie mixture of any-thing either of chversion or ins-truction. Her civility and good manners in con-versation (to which the education ofgreat persons naturally leads) were?general enough, till in her latter daysher new friends untaught her tlieseaccomplishments and then her wholedeportment was visibly changed to thatdegree, that when some things disagree-able to her own honour or passion havebeen laid before her, she would descendto the lowest and most shockingforms of contradiction; and what, inany of a meaner station, would havebeen esteemed the height of unpolite-ness. Her friendships were flames of ex-travagant passion, ending in indiffer-ence or aversion. Her love to thePrince seemed, in the eye of the world,to be prodigiously great; and great aswas the passion of her grief, herstomach was greater; for that very dayhe died she eat three very
Size: 1458px × 1715px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublishernewyorkhholtandcom
