DIARY OF AN IRISH BEAUTY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1216, 26 August 1911, Page 11

DIARY OF AN IRISH BEAUTY.

TEE TIME OF THE REGENCY. The natural vivacity of the Irishwoman, Tier alert point of view and her command of pictorial languago lend to tho diary of "An Irish Beauty of the Regency," a peculiarly alluring charm. The book is compiled by Mrs. Warenne Blake, from "Mes Souvenirs," the unpublished journals of the Hon. Mrs. Calvert, kept from 1789 to 1322, and published by John Lane. The writer of tho diary refers constantly to her age, and as constantly ranges htrBolf among the veterans, though her birthdays amounted to what in these days a womaa would' call by no means elderly. A Court Dress 100 Years Ago. When she was only in tho thirties eho records her appearance at Court, and adds:— "My dress (what signifies the dress of a woman, of thirty-seven? But I will mention it, that many years hpneo my grandchildren, if I'ever have any, may know

the costume of 1805), well—my dress was a crape petticoat, embroidered in stripes of purple velvet, trimmed with swan'sdown—no ruffles, .but two rows of very fine point, laid flat on the sleeves instead —ray head without - powder,' hair turned up in a bunch behind, with diamond comb, low on the forehead, in little curls, a wreath of diamonds, with, some-purple velvet, and seven flat white feathers. • "This dress, som'e years ago, would have been too yonthful for thirty-seven, but now there is little _ distinction in the dress of a woman of sixty and a girl of sixteen. ''To-day I am forty years of age," she writes—"a fin© old lady." Here, no •do<nbt, is a touch of raillery, but seven years later it is w.ith a sad pen that she writes: "I was forty-seven yesterday, alas! I am growing old." Entertaining Relations. Again and again the ages of various people are referred to, making the fact -verj- noticeable that good looks and juvenility are preserved in these days, owing to the advance of hygiene, to a much riper ago than was the case then. We read of the Dowager Duchess of Rutland "looking though fifty years of age, still most divinely haiadsome"; and' of lady C, who about forty, "with the help of a quantity of rouge, has great remains of beauty." Mrs. Calvert was a good hater. Hor description of some unwelcome visitors—who happened also to be relationsis'quaint enough to provoke a smile. "My head aches," she writes as a young married woman, "and I am sick of tho thoughts of my company. Mr. and Mrs. Tash and Mrs. Winter are to din© with us, and Mr. and Mrs. T. sleep hero. I devoutly pray that they may go away tomorrow. "November 20.—Alas! My prayers havo been in vain!' They stay till Saturday, and heartily sick I am already of making the agreeable from morning till night. They arrived yesterday just before dinner.

"November 21.—1 have got them all out walking at last, by which means I havo a few minutes to myself. Never was I so tired of any people in my whole life. "I had a letter from my sister to say that my Felix is in town with her. I would give anything to go and have a peep,at him. but hero I am, tied by the leg by these odious people. I am quite out of sorts. Yesterday evening I worked and played a little at backgammon with the agreeable Mr. Tash. Oh, what a beast ho is!" Quaint Manners of the Day. Many a delightful sidelight is thrown upon the manners and customs of tho

period by the diary, and among them the social treatment meted out to girls. "I went for a few minutes to Lady Bridget Bouverie's" yesterday evening. Her daughters ivcro dressed for Lady Lansdowne's masquerade. Maria, in a Spanish dress of white and silver and a largo Spanish hat, really lookod quitepretty, and little Emma, as a fairy, which suited her diminutive figure, looked very well. "But as I looked at them I thought to myself, 'I will never take my girls to a masquerade. I think it an improper place for a young and delicate female. When a woman marries she may very well go, under tho protection of hor husband, but not without him whilo very young. "At my age (if it amused me) I should havo no* scruple iu going, hut if I die while you, my Isabella and Lavinia, are under thirty, take my advice, and never K0 to a masquerade without your husbands." , ~ ~ In Paris the embargo was noticeable alsia: . "I hear Miss Polo writes word that it is not the fashion at Paris to talk with unmarried women. She danced at a ball with tho Emperor of Russia, who did not speak one word to her, but when ho had done dancing handed her to her mother, to whom ho talked away." "Mad Over Waltzing." "All the ladies in London are gone mad ovf.r waltzing," Mrs. Calvert narrates in 1811, just 100 years ago. "Lady Cowper,

Lady'Boringdon, and, in short, too many to enumerate, I think it will end by their all losing their characters; it introduces so much freedom with the men. I hear some of the husbands are beginning not .to like it." . - Concerning her daughter's debut at the age of.sixteen the anxious mother was very much disturbed, for though the girl was good looking her manners were raw. "Isabella vexes me amazingly, she will not take, any pains to hold up her head, and it really mortifies me exceedingly to see what a dowdy thing *he looks. My expectations were, I believe, too high wrought about her, and my disappointment is proportionately great,. , . ■ "Isabella and I have been this morning to seo Sir John Sebright's daughters tako their lessons in dancing. They dance, I believe,.remarkably well, but to see great, tall, ugly girls kicking and dancing about liko opera dancers is, I think, disgusting." . Hunsdon, where the Calverts lived, is not very far from Hatfield, and to Lord Salisbury's seat the Calverts made an annual visit. One particularly interesting occasion records a meeting with the Duke of Wellington: "When the. gentlemen came out we all walked on the lawn. Round tho paling an immense crowd were assembled. The duke shook hands with all ho could reach, while they rent tho air with shouts imploring blessings on his head and calling him the 'glory of England.' His modesty and unaffected simplicity of manner arc quite delightful."