The Duchess of Devonshire's Gossip Guide to the 18th Century

Quotables

2012-02-03T09:29:00.001-05:00

"As her Grace, when requisite, expressed sentiments very frankly that she knew to be right, although not perfectly agreeable to some hearers, she was at that time not sparing in her animadversions. She accosted, with very great and just severity, a well-known peripatetic (we do not mean a peripatetic philospher,) and exposed his conduct in so humourous and strong satire, that is said she almost recalled to his recollection that there is such a feeling as shame in the human mind."

-Public characters of 1799-1800. To be continued annually.

Favorites

2012-02-02T10:02:00.000-05:00

Sir Thomas Lawrence, Emilia Mary Boucherett with a Doll, 1793

Gossip at Chatsworth

2012-01-30T12:03:00.000-05:00

Eliza Sheridan was certainly aware of her husband's tendencies to be, oh how do we say this delicately, a slut. When she first found out about his affair with Fanny Crewe, Eliza threw a fit, but sadly Sheridan was not a man to be controlled and Eliza ended up admitting defeat (although she had her own vengeful affairs). Her letter to her friend Mary Anne Canning in 1785 is very revealing of for genteel women had to constantly deal with their husband's infidelities:

"S is in Town—and so is Mrs Crewe. I am in the Country and so is Mr Crewe—a very convenient Arrangement, is it not? Oh the Tiddlings and Fiddlings that have been going on at Chatsworth. 'Twas quite a Comedy to see it."

Ob-sessed: Coiffure Products

2012-01-30T05:50:00.002-05:00

Oh marketing gimmicks! While looking for hairspray this weekend I came across a product with the image you see above. Did I need Umberto Gianni's Backcomb in a Bottle? No. Did I want it? You know it!

More marketing
gimmicks!

Luckily the company puts out travel sizes of their products which is ideal for impulse buyers like myself. Well, it looks like I will be buying the normal-size version in the future too, this stuff is great! Take a few strands of hair that need some pouf action and spritz them and style your glorious locks into the coiffure of your choice. It does have hairspray-like elements in it so it will harden hair. For extra 18th century action you can pair it with Bumble and Bumble white hair powder (one of my essential hair products) and you will really be indulging in your inner eighteenth-century fashionista/o.

I found Backcomb in a Bottle at Boots, North American peeps will sadly have order them from overseas, because I haven't yet found any US suppliers- let me know if you do find it stateside though!

The Duchess of Gordon's Sim City

2012-01-28T11:58:00.000-05:00

The Duchess of Gordon was known as being the quintessential Tory political hostess in fashionable London society. However, like many politicians today, she had a soft spot that didn't get exposed in the public area as much. The duchess was an economic stimulator!

The little highland estates of Badenoch and Strathspey didn't have much going on in terms of economy but when Jane Gordon looked across those rolling fields she saw an opportunity to roll in the pounds. Either that or this was how eighteenth century aristocrats played Sim City. She hired instructors to teach the locals how to raise crops of flaxen and linen (to make all those fashionable gualle gowns Marie Antoinette had popularized!). The duchess then pulled some threads to get supplies to the area.

There was only one problem, Badenoch and Strathspey weren't actual towns and therefore couldn't sustain this new influx of economy. So what did Jane do? She damn-well built a village. Because she was a duchess and duchesses have money to build their own villages if it suits their fancy.

Jane seems to have been very good at establishing and tending to villages for Kingussie (look you can have a pretty wedding there and eat haggis in the pubs and other fun things!) is still alive and well today thanks to the Duchess of Gordon.

18th Century Fashion on the Streets: Muffs

2012-01-10T07:34:00.002-05:00

I have been very pleased that every since the north wind began blowing this season that I began to see the resurrection of the muff both in shops and on the street. Not only does this allow many cleverly crass puns on your part but also another means of exhibiting an 18th century fashion trend.

In the beginning of the 18th century muffs were rather small and cozy, allowing for efficient hand-warming. Mary Robinson sports one of the smaller muffs in her 1782 Romney portrait which is similar to muffs I've seen for sale at John Lewis and Top Shop (the later of which I own and love!). Toward the end of the century muffs became bigger and bigger, escalating in size until they nearly hung to the wearers knees, turning practical hand warmers into a quite cumbersome fashion accessory. I've noticed these in the shops as well (not knee-length, thank goodness) in the form of the "snood." Snoods are circular scarves meant for your neck but it wasn't until I saw my friend using her faux fur snood as a muff on a night out that I realized furry snoods are ideal late-18th/early-19th century muffs. Check out my finds below! Not only are muffs fashionable, but they're also quite handy for texting on cold winter walks- no pulling off gloves to respond to texts anymore!

Muffs for Winter '12 by georgianagossip featuring John Lewis Women

Aso, $27
John Lewis women, £13
French connection, £18
Asos Faux Fur Muffler, $11

Remember Darlings, just because it is cold outside doesn't mean you have to sacrifice fashion! Keep those dainty fingers covered.

Guest Post: Talia Felix talks Poufs and Pompadours

2012-01-01T14:07:00.002-05:00

I am delighted to start of this new year with a guest post from illustrator, author and blogger, Talia Felix. Talia's newest adventure is her blog, The Gibson Girl's Guide to Glamor which details the toils of being a fabulous lady of fashion in the Edwardian age. Talia is here today to shed insight on the similar hairstyles that graced both the Georgian and Edwardian Ages and how you too can create these fabulous coiffures.

Can you spot the differences between these two hairstyles?

They are actually very slight, and while the Edwardian girl is trying to model herself on the Georgian look, she's made a small alteration which makes her true era quite easy to identify. It mostly just amounts to her having set her pompadour about 2 or 3 inches further forward on her crown -- all the difference there is between a pompadour and a pouf.

This observation is mostly of interest to those people who enjoy recreating historical hairdos. Hair styling methods from the Edwardian era are much better documented than those of the Georgian period, and if the methods of one also apply to the other, that's good news for the reenactor!

There is a reputation that the tall "Marie Antoinette" hairdos were achieved by simply wearing a wig. While this may have been true in some cases, examination of portraits don't usually show women with that same telltale wig-line the men's pictures tend to have. And how many women do you know who'd be willing to shave their heads entirely, even if they would be covered with a wig?

One of the few actual Georgian-era sources I've come across, that produces any sort of attempt to give a realistic description of the period's hairdressing practices, is the book Evelina. (Maybe it has the honor just because it was actually written by a woman, who knew something about the subject.) In fact Evelina and her friends get into plenty of hairy situations. It describes use of "cushions" and of false hair to supplement the natural locks, as well as ratting or "frizzling" the hair for volume, but makes clear that the women's own natural hair is the basis for all the styles. Edwardians had similar ways of gaining the amount of volume needed for the fashionable styles of their time -- ratting the hair, adding artificial rats (often cultivated from their brushes and combs, and saved till a nice mass was had) or purchasing pieces of false hair to weave or pin in. It is a fact that until the 1920s, most women kept their hair as long as possible; but really, when you think about it, even those with very long hair are unlikely to have enough of it to not only pad out a full pouf but to also have been able to achieve all the external supplementary rolls and curls as well.

The best-remembered styles of the 18th century, tall as one or two more heads stacked onto your own, didn't seem to be super-popular in England as on the continent, judging by the styles English ladies preferred to wear in their own portraits. The mere 3/4 of your own head looked like it was the standard for active English ladies, like Frances Abington and the Waldegreve girls. This is actually a fairly easy style to achieve -- and it's done with the same base as the Edwardian pompadour.

These demo pictures are being done in a very loose and messy fashion since I'm trying to style my hair myself with no mirror, and without using any pomade (if you do want to go all out yourself though, I recommend Murray's pomade. It really holds those Antoinette curls in place!) My own hair is, functionally, about hip-length -- wet and held straight the longest point goes roughly a quarter way down my thigh. This is to give some idea what's being worked with.

To make the pompadour/pouf, I'm using a hair rat made of my own hair, saved for a couple months from combs, and formed into a crescent shape.

1.Testing the rat. You'll want to comb your hair over it, but here it's just set on top of my own hair, and almost looks like a complete style.

2. Hair combed and pinned up over the rat. A ponytail is left over.

3. That ponytail gets used to create two rolls going down toward the neck. It's interesting to see how flat the style actually looks from the side.

4. Front view of the 3/4 head pouf.

Now I am sure if I had not used that rat I'd not have had hair enough remaining for the two neck curls. But if the Edwardians are anything to go by, there's a second cheat for this: if you want to rat your own hair, or for some other reason don't end up with enough hair remaining for the curls, you can just pin on pre-curled pieces of false hair. I have dark hair so we're not getting much contrast for the photo, but right over my ear in picture 5 is a pinned-in roll made entirely of false hair. Buns, coils and whatever else you want of false hair can also be thrown in.

This just goes to show that, firstly, it is possible to achieve these styles without a full wig: but also, that the fashionable 'dos might not always have been entirely one's own hair either. Let's face it, even nowadays the most fashionable hair style are made with hair extensions. But just as the Edwardians made use of "transformations" to gain the needed abundance of hair, so can we assume did the Georgians with their at least equally complicated tresses.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T00:01:00.000-05:00

Henry Raeburn, The Skating Minister, c 1790s

Wishing you all a safe, happy, and most importantly, relaxing Christmas! Thank you to all readers and the blogger community for all the joy you've spread to ME over the past year; I am incredibly thankful for all of you. Now pop that champagne and bring out the presents!

Children's Dolls

2011-12-24T15:59:00.001-05:00

In this season of shopping and gift wrapping and endless commercials my mind begins to wander to the days when children didn't have whole room dedicated to their toys. If a child was lucky enough to have a doll in the 18th century, only one would suffice. What's more amazing is when these old and beloved toys survive hundreds of years and multiple children's love.

Williamsburg

V&A, 1740s

Deerfield Memorial Hall, c 1770

Museum of London, 1766-70

Christie's

Bowes Museum, c 1735

V&A, c 1690-1710

The Met, Late 18th C

For more images of dolls, the website 18th Century Notebook has amassed a fantastic online collection of these surviving toys.

TickTock

2011-12-21T13:01:00.000-05:00

Nowadays we tend to have some sort of clock in every room of the house. If we don't have a clock usually we have a watch or, of course the ever-attached mobile phone. It's hard to imagine not having access to time. Most Georgians felt the same way too. In the previous century, a little over a quarter of households had a clock but by the 18th century that number skyrocketed to most everybody.

Well, perhaps "everybody" is not the best term to use. Strangely, clocks were one of those gadgets that men couldn't keep their hands off of and women couldn't really care less about. Somewhat ironic, considering the fancy rococo clocks we commonly see in museums! Strangely, most clocks were in the kitchen so as to prevent those cookies and tarts from being burnt. So despite the clock being seen as something incredibly masculine (even pocket watches were rarely used by women) women still managed to find more use for them than showing off their savvy knowledge of technology.

Book Review: Sense and Sensibility Bath Bicentenary Edition

2011-12-09T06:44:00.000-05:00

It has been a year of Sense and Sensibility for me. Ever since I took part in Austenprose's Bicentenary Challenge at the beginning of the year I have been exposed to many different and colourful versions of this literary classic. I have been lucky enough to end this special year with a brand new edition of the book, the Bath Bicentenary Edition.

The story is the same classic we have grown to love. A tale of two sisters dealing with family hardships as well as the toils of love all at once. The introduction by Katharine Reeve is eye-opening in terms of just how eighteenth century the book actually is. While it may not have been published until 1811, the manuscript for Sense and Sensibility, or Elinor and Marianne, was written fifteen years before, around the year 1795. It contained an underlying commentary (or even criticism) on the eighteenth century fashion for sensibility which by the turn of the new century was slowly losing steam. Yet the book was originally written in the style associated with the sentimental novel, in epistolary form. Luckily, Jane scrapped that idea to trade it in for the lovely version we have today.

And what a lovely version we are blessed with 200 years later!

The Bicentary edition delivers all sorts of the gooey Austen prettiness that Janites crave. Now that I work in an office full of Janites I had to keep slapping their hands away from this book! Why? Well firstly, the book is a hardcover edition of Sense and Sensibility. Within the covers will you not only find Austen's classic tale but the beautiful colour illustrations of Niroot Puttapipat who depicts the characters in the popular fashions of 1795. Does Puttapipat draw a hot Colonel Brandon? You bet your sweet bonnet he does! What I especially like was that aside from the large colour plates that are dispersed throughout the book, there are also smaller silhouette illustrations, adding that lovely essence of the Regency period to a Regency book. For a preview of the illustrations I have been gushing about, check out this video.

The book is out now, just in time for holiday shopping. It would make a fabulous present for any Janite in your life, even if that Janite is you!

Favorites

2011-12-05T10:45:00.000-05:00

José Camarón Boronat, Parejas en un Parque, 1785

The Edgcumbes: Devoted Animal Lovers

2011-11-21T08:59:00.000-05:00

Perhaps we are all guilty, at one time or another, for doting on our beloved pets. Some families even have a strong history of doting on their pets. The Cavendishes were quite well-known for their breeding of dog-lovers, one being the 5th Duke of Devonshire who much preferred his dogs' company to that of people!

Richard, the first Baron Edgcrumbe was one of the many 18th century men who included his dog in his formal portrait. That was pretty normal. However, when the dog died and Richard's world edgcrumbled before him, he did something a little abnormal. He had his dog's bones mounted and displayed. I'm sure Lady Edgcumbe loved that! Rumor has it that he would even talk to the bones and when they were finally moved into the family pet cemetery the dog's ghost would scratch on the door to be let in.

Sir Richard's daughter-in-law was another pet fanatic. But it wasn't a dog that she set her affections on, it was her pet pig, Cupid. Lady Edgcumbe and her pig could be seen strolling London, attending to daily business around the house, as well as taking meals together. Cupid was one of the family. Sadly, once again, an Edgcumbe was brought face to face with the death of a beloved animal. But was Emma going to mount poor Cupid's bones in the drawing room? Why of course not! Instead she is said to have buried Cupid below a memorial. Supposedly Cupid was even buried in a gold casket, but I'm not as keen to believe that. The king and queen were even said to have visited the memorial on a trip to the Edgcumbe estate.

Now we have no idea where this pig momento mori even is. But we do have something more lasting, the printed word. To comfort (or perhaps mock) the countess in her grief, a poet commemorated Cupid in verse;

Oh dry those tears so round and big
Nor waste in sight your precious wind
Death only takes a little pig
Your Lord and Son are still behind.

For more on the search for Cupid's tomb, click here.

Hannah More on Marie Antoinette's Charges

2011-11-17T00:01:00.003-05:00

When news reached England of Marie Antoinette's trial, British citizens, despite their quarrels with the French, were absolutely disgusted. The opinionated Hannah More, like most women, was especially disgusted when charges were brought against the queen for incest,

"It is so diabolical, that if they had studied an invention on purpose to whitewash her from every charge, they could not have done it more effectively."

18 Folgate Street Daniel Severs House

2011-11-16T00:01:00.010-05:00

18 Folgate street was brought to my attention by Melanie of Madame Guillotine who posted about the museum in July. Perhaps "museum" isn't the right word. "Art Instillation" would be much more appropriate.

Dennis Severs bought the dilapidated Georgian house in 1979 and proceeded to transform it into a time capsule by collecting antiques to tell a story in each room. But they aren't just placed neatly in a room like a historic home. Instead they are placed in a way which tells a story. Take for example the drawing room. Tea is set up in the center of the room, one of the cups is still half full with tea. Pearl earrings sit beside the cup as if a woman just took them off after a long night of socializing. Fans sit on chairs and some careless person actually dropped their teacup in the course of the night and the shattered remains are left on the floor. The effect really makes you feel as though you have traveled back in time.

There are a few ground rules you should be aware of before visiting. When you arrive to what looks like any old home you will see a note telling you to ring a bell. I still am not sure where the bell is but using the door knocker works just as well. You also have to arrive during the specified hours, so make sure you plan ahead! After knocking, someone will come out and explain what you're about to do and then tell you to fork over 10 pounds, so be sure to have cash on hand! Another thing you should know is that there is no talking allowed, not even whispering. My art historian friend and I got in trouble for this...but honestly two art historians in this house...there is no way we could just point and make faces to each other! Getting chastised by the workers is also a bit confusing because they don't have uniforms or name tags. So the girl in the hallway with a messenger bag telling you to shut up; yeah that's an employee.

There are notes and images around the house to give you a feel for what you're walking into. A reminder note for George IV's coronation is pinned to the door of a regency bedroom. So you must always be taking in your surroundings. I found a black cat on a chair and broke another rule by petting it. That was the first time an exhibition literally ran away from me!

Next time any of you lovers of the 18th and 19th centuries are in London, this house should definitely be on your to do list!

The First Actresses at NPG London

2011-11-14T08:31:00.000-05:00

Every once in a while you hear of an exhibition that is so incredibly geared toward your tastes that you question whether you curated it in your sleep. Sometimes you even happen to be in the right place at the right time in order to actually see these once-in-a-lifetime shows. I am counting my blessings that I manged to be around for The First Actresses at the National Portrait Gallery which opened last month.

The exhibition is small but packs a great punch. Upon entering you are greeted by Nell Gwyn's portraits by Verelst. The first is one of the more recognizable images of the King's mistress but the second, showing Nell in state of undress, has been loaned from a private collection and shows just how stunning the comedic actress was. Upon seeing this boudoir portrait you have already made your visit worthwhile. The rest of the exhibition featured so many portraits that I have included in blog posts I felt like I was actually walking into the Gossip Guide! The rooms were separated into categories having to do with themes such as Covent Garden and the actresses as a muse. Who was there? Well, anyone who is anybody, my pet! Hester Santlow tipping her harlequin cap welcomed guests into the menagerie of eighteenth-century actresses. Mary 'Perdita' Robinson, Fanny Abington, Dorothy Jordan, Kitty Clive, Elizabeth Linley Sheridan, Sarah Siddons, Lavinia Fenton, Giovanna Baccelli, and Hester Booth are just a sampling of the wide range of ladies seen through the paint and pencil of artists such as Reynolds, Gainsborough, Hogarth, Hoppner, Gardner, and Russell. Even the beautiful Duchess was there in Gardner's depiction of her, Lady Melbourne and Anne Damer as the three witches- it is the first time in ages that the work has been on public display and now it will hopefully stay that way as a new acquisition for the museum.

While limited, the collection the curators accrued is quiet profound in terms of selection. My only criticism is the lack of gossip in the exhibition. I would have liked to see more satirical images; sadly, only a couple of Gillrays were included in the exhibition. I believe having more satirical images would have captured the actresses' celebrity and the fanfare surrounding them.

The First Actresses will be at the National Portrait Gallery until 8 January so do not hesitate to see the exhibition. For those who cannot possibly manage to get to the show, the exhibition catalog is currently on sale for £19.50 and has fun essays on things like dancing and celebrity (hopefully I will have a review up in a timely manner).

The Witching Hour

2011-10-31T05:17:00.000-04:00

For the last few months my personal research has consisted of witches, witches, and more witches. Now it is Halloween and what better way to celebrate than to display the 18th century's view of witches in art. Gone were the days of witch hunt hysteria and come were the days of the theatrical witch. Goya and Fuseli are perhaps the most famous for their witches but there were a handful more artists who experimented with the theme.

Francisco Goya, Witches in the Air, 1797-98

Francisco Goya, The Witches Sabbath, 1797-98

Henry Fuseli, The Witch and the Mandrake, 1812

Henry Fuseli, Macbeth Consulting the Vision of the Armed Head 1793-1794

John Runciman, The Three Witches, 1767-68

Francesco Zuccarelli, Macbeth Banquo and the Witches, circa 1760s

John Martin, Macbeth, 1820

James Gillray, A Phantasmagoria, 1803

Henry Fuseli, The Three Witches, 1783

Daniel Gardner, The Three Witches from Macbeth, 1775

Francisco Goya, Linda Maestra, 1798

Francisco Goya, The Witches Sabbath, 1823

Show Stoppers

2011-10-20T00:01:00.002-04:00

Sometimes a night at the ~~opera~~ theatre was not as relaxing as one would have hoped. Just ask Joseph Addison. He was trying to get some culture one night at a showing of Macbeth when the worst thing that could happen, happened. He discovered he had chosen a seat near an annoying audience member.

Some Years ago, I was at the Tragedy of Mackbeth, and unfortunately placed my self under a Woman of Quality that is since Dead; who, as I found by the Noise she made, was newly returned from France. A little before the rising of the Curtain, she broke out into a loud Soliloquy. When will the dear Witches enter? and immediately upon their first Appearance. asked a Lady that sate three Boxes from her, on her Right hand, if those Witches were not charming Creatures. A little after, as Betteron was in one of the finest Speeches of the Play, she shook her Fan at another Lady, who sate as far on her Left Hand, and told her with a Whisper, that might be heard all over the Pit, We must not expect to see a Balloon to night. Not long after, calling out to a young Baronet by his Name, who sate thtree Seats before me, she asked him whether Mackbeth's Wife was still alive; and before he could give an Answer, fell a talking of the Ghost of Banquo. She had by this time formed a little Audience to her self, and fixed the Attention of all about her. But as I had a mind to hear the Play, I got out of the Sphere of her Impertinence, and planted my self in one of the remotest Corners of the Pit."

New Exhibition: The First Actresses

2011-10-19T04:21:00.001-04:00

Words cannot express how excited I am about an exhibition opening at London's National Portrait Gallery tomorrow. The First Actresses is a celebration of the fascinating women (many written about on this blog) who took London by storm, when they ascended to the stage, a short while after it was even allowed for women to do so. According to the NPG's website,

"The First Actresses presents a vivid spectacle of femininity, fashion and theatricality in seventeenth and eighteenth-century Britain.

Taking centre stage are the intriguing and notorious female performers of the period whose lives outside of the theatre ranged from royal mistresses to admired writers and businesswomen. The exhibition reveals the many ways in which these early celebrities used portraiture to enhance their reputations, deflect scandal and create their professional identities."

The exhibition is not only monumental for the oeuvre but has acquired some amazing pieces that have been hidden away in private collections. An erotically-charged portrait of a topless Nell Gwyn, the self-proclaimed "Protestant Whore," has been restored to its original state of toplessness. Also on public display for the first time is the NPG's new acquisition, The Three Witches from Macbeth, which is quite special because now the museum finally has a adult depiction of Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire in its collection.

The First Actresses opens tomorrow but I personally will have to patiently bide my time to see the exhibition since I am planning on attending its corresponding conference on 11 November. Juicy details to follow! Who else is planning on going?

Amanda Vickery's Review
Laura Barnett's Review

Quotables

2011-10-17T06:27:00.000-04:00

"Rudeness is the weak man’s imitation of strength."

-Edmund Burke

Mrs James Fordyce, Really?

2011-10-13T16:36:00.000-04:00

While sitting in a presentation by my most excellent colleague yesterday, I nearly fell over when he informed everyone that this beauty strewing flowers about the grave of Fingle was none other than the wife of our favorite opinionated fuddy-duddy, Dr James Fordyce.

What is even more gossip-worthy is the fact that Dr Fordyce wouldn't have approved of his wife's act of honoring the Celtic hero so it is quite interesting that she is depicted as such. Looks like it's another woman ignoring your well-meant advice, Dr Fordyce!

Cheese that Stimulates the Coversation

2011-10-11T18:19:00.000-04:00

Thanks to an anonymous tip from a lovely reader I was introduced to this fantastic commercial. Did you go to your fridge looking for a bit of cheese? I know I did!

Daniel Gardner

2011-10-03T16:29:00.000-04:00

I've become obsessed, as of late, with the lesser-known artist Daniel Gardner. Gardner is an interesting individual; anal-retentive by nature, his artwork, by contrast, is characterized by a freedom of brushstrokes and a dismissal of proportion rules. Gardner had some training with Joshua Reynolds and may have even worked on some of the leafy backgrounds of some of Reynolds' work. However his technique is all his own and a bit mysterious since he only allowed the sitter in the room with him while he painted and wouldn't allow them to see the work in progress. He also is said to have been pretty experimental with his painting, even going through the woods picking up odds and to make shades of paint. The results of his short-lived career (he retired comfortably during the peak of it) are stunningly beautiful. He can be characterized by his unique shades and creative group portraits.

Sir William Heathcote, Rev William Heathcote, and Major Gilbert out Hunting

Mary Unthoff

Albinia Countess of Buckinghamshire

The Taylor Family

Mrs A Clarke

Miss Elliott as Circe

Lord Halifax and his Secretaries

Emma Countess Tankerville with her Daughters

Mrs. Paul Prickett

Portrait of an Actress, 1775

Lady Auckland and her Daughter

Elizabeth Elstone

Elizabeth Farren later Countess of Derby

Lady Rushout with her Three Elder Children, c 1773-5

Lady Melbourne the Duchess of Devonshire and Anne Damer as the Witches from Macbeth, 1775

Self-Portrait, c 1770

Dropping In

2011-09-29T17:59:00.000-04:00

For those in search of Georgiana today, take a step over to 18th Century History.com where I am lucky enough to have a guest post up where I gab about the long-lost Devonshire House.

Searching for Georgiana in London

On Georgiana

2011-09-28T19:06:00.000-04:00

"Her Grace of Devonshire is a most enchanting, Exquisite beautiful Young Creature. Were I five and twenty I could go mad about her, as I am past five and fifty I would only suffer martyrdom for her."

-David Garrick to Henry Bate

Reynolds and Regalia

2011-09-23T09:35:00.000-04:00

Who says you can't look good in the family uniform? It may be a lot of red and gold but Joshua Reynolds helped some peers pull it off. Which begs the question: Who wore it best?

Lord and Lady Pollington and their son, John, 1761-4

Anne Fitzroy, Duchess of Grafton, 1757-9

Elizabeth Percy, Duchess of Northumberland, 1757-9

The Harcourt Family, 1780

James Maitland, 7th Earl of Lauderdale, 1759

William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath, 1761

Isabella Countess of Erroll, 1763

Jane, Duchess of Gordon, 1778

Thomas Lawrence, Philadelphia Hannah, 1st Viscountess Cremorne, 1789

*Not a Reynolds, I know, but I couldn't resist this portrait's inclusion

Come to the Ball

2011-09-19T19:17:00.000-04:00

It is truly interesting what fabulous treasures from the past are left behind. The British Museum houses many of these forgotten treasures that could have been so easily thrown away in their time.

When viewing the print above from the screen of a computer, it looks like it could have been any sort of print to be displayed in the home or business of a person willing to spend a few shillings. However this one is a bit more special. This print was actually a calling card of Harriet, Lady Bessborough. One the reverse is an invitation to a ball she was holding. Whoever she invited must have appreciated the gesture enough to save the invitation many years afterward!

The Grandma Hat

2011-09-14T17:32:00.000-04:00

In the time of hair towers when bigger was better, the threat of grazing one's "head" with a lit candle was a very real danger. Not only could a budding flame at the top of a coiffure be unnoticed for some time, it could pose a real threat to not only to the wearer but to anyone in the same proximity of the flaming hair. The science of putting out house fires was still developing at the time, after all.

There was also perhaps the more dangerous of issues with having a towering coiffure: offending the old matriarchs who found offense in the fad of extreme hair. Luckily, an inventor by the name of Beaulard came to the rescue with a new contraption which he called a bonnet de la bonne maman (Grandma bonnet or Granny hat). The milliner/inventor had invented a pouf which had a hidden switch which could lower the hair tower in cases of fire hazards, offended matrons (hence the the name), and low doorways. I am sure it also made travel much easier as well.

Beaulard enjoyed much success from his invention and had the honor of serving clients such as the Princesse de Lambelle and Marie Antoinette. However when his success surpassed that of Rose Bertin, the Queen of France's personal dressmaker, the fashionista flew into a rage and spread rumors to bring about his downfall. Bertin's designs may have lost some popularity but her influence was still strong. Beaulard and his mechanical coiffure disappeared into obscurity.

Into a New Salon

2011-09-09T17:00:00.000-04:00

"How strange does it seem, my dearest Louisa, to address you at this distance! What is it that has supported me through this long journey, and given me strength to combat with all the softer feelings; to quit a respectable parent and a beloved sister; to leave such dear and tender relations, and accompany a man to whom four months since I was wholly a stranger! I am a wretched reasoner at best.—I am therefore at a loss to unravel this mystery. It is true, it became my duty to follow my husband; but that a duty so newly entered into should supersede all others is certainly strange."

-Julia to her sister, Letter 3, The Sylph by Georgiana

Although I am not following a husband, I am on quite an adventure and can understand Julia's apprehensions. I'm journeying afar this weekend to situate myself in a more eighteenth-century setting, so please excuse my absence and feel free to entertain me via twitter when I am stuck at the airport Friday night!

Interior Scenes

2011-09-09T00:46:00.001-04:00

Arthur Devis, Mr and Mrs Atherton, c.1743

Arthur Davis, The John Bacon Family, c.1742-43

Johann Zoffany, Sir Lawrence Dundas and his Son, c. 1775

Johan Zoffany, Colonel Blair with his Family and an Indian Ayah, 1786

William Hogarth, The Cholmondely Family, 1732

Pehr Hillestrom, Gustavian Style Interior with Cardplayers, c. 1779

Pehr Hillestrom, Conversations at Drottningholms Palace, 1779

Niclas Lafrensen, Count Alexander Stroganov with his wife and Children , c. 1778

Arthur Devis, Sir Roger Newdigate in the Library at Arbury

William Hogarth, The Strode Family, 1738

Movie Review: Courage, New Hampshire

2011-09-07T15:16:00.001-04:00

It is a truth universally acknowledged that there aren't nearly enough series set in the 18th century. Well, maybe it isn't universally acknowledged, but it is certainly acknowledged by me! That is why I was pretty excited when I received a kind email from a producer from the Colony Bay Productions asking if I wanted to check out an independent historical film that they had made, Courage, New Hampshire.

Courage, New Hampshire is the chronicle of a small colonial town in the years leading up to the revolution beginning with the first episode, The Travail of Sarah Pine. As with most small towns, everyone knows each other, a secret is seldom a secret, and dashing redcoats moving through the town will certainly cause a stir. When one of those dashing redcoats finds himself in Courage he is greeted with an accusation of fathering a child out of wedlock.

The production company's goal in making Courage, New Hampshire was to create a historically accurate series that could engage its audience and give viewers a renewed interest in this great time in history. Uhoh, that's almost like an open invite for historians to nit-pick at it! I did find though, for the most part, the movie was very accurate despite some strange wording every once in a while. The story was not a sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat sort of tale, but it was enough to make me curious about the next part of the series (not to mention blog production stills add to the curiosity!). What I really enjoyed the most about Courage, New Hampshire was the gorgeous filming. There were so many beautiful shots of notoriously beautiful New England and the sets and lighting also gave a lovely sense of the time period. The production was also very impressive given the independent nature of the company: high quality sets, costuming, music, and editing. However, you won't find me swooning over the acting which wasn't as impressive as I hoped. Still, I am curious as to where this series will take us as it continues.

So how does one check out this series? You can order the episode here or you have the very cool option of renting it from their site for $2.95.

Book Review: At Home, A Short History of Private Life

2011-09-05T00:01:00.002-04:00

If you are still looking for that summer-read that has absolutely blown you away, look no further, it is Bill Bryson's At Home: A Short History of Private Life. How I came in contact with the book is somewhat interesting. My uncle placed it in my hands saying, "This is such a Heather book, you must read it." He was absolutely right. Once I began reading the book I couldn't put it down.

The author is an interesting character. He was born in the Midwest but fell in love with an English girl and now resides in England in an old rectory. It was that rectory that inspired the book. While climbing up into the attic, he noticed his home had a tiny balcony of sorts in the roof and while he stood on the space taking in the view he wondered why in the world the original owner put in such an odd thing which led to him wondering why we have many odd traditions in our human existence that are never written about. In his introduction, Bryson states that he is covering English history since 1850, but I would chose to disagree since he covers history from the Stoneage to the Guilded Age.

Why do we call it "room and board," why do Americans have more love for ice in their drinks than the English, and why should we be most thankful for bats. These questions are answered and fun facts are on every page. Bryson's writing is funny and engaging so you don't feel as though you're in the classroom, you feel as if a pub-buddy is telling you a funny story over pints...and you don't want him to stop!

As an anglophile living in America I found Bryson's perspective very relatable. He is obviously as energetic about English history as everyone who journeys to this blog but he also enjoys the history of England and America's relationship with one another; so readers will get a large dose of English history with a a nice pinch of American. I can't recommend this book enough for all lovers of history and trivia, I believe the book's appeal is that it speaks to so many people in a way that is both educating and enjoyable.

Yay or Nay? Madame la Vidame d'Amiens

2011-09-04T00:00:00.000-04:00

Well Lady Susan Fox-Stangways certainly had us scratching our heads in wonderment on how her dress managed to crawl up her neck and attack her, but we still dug her threads, earning her a Yay. This week we shall check out another classic cut that is drawn in an elusive way, leaving much to the imagination. How mysterious!

Louis Carrogis Carmontelle draws Madame la Vidame d'Amiens who has a rather advanced knowledge of exterior pockets (aka purses) in her rosie gown of white. Yay or Nay?

[Musée Condé]

Elegance & Decadence & A Fat Regent

2011-09-02T19:40:00.000-04:00

The BBC keeps serving up so many good historical programs lately it is making me give The History Channel a very intentional side-eye for their lack new material that doesn't have something to do with pawning or whathaveyou. Take for example Elegance & Decadence, a small series Lucy Worsley put together to explore the regency era. Sound awesome? Why of course it is! Evangeline from Edwardian Promenade was kind enough to put the first episode up here so you can watch it in its entirety. It mostly explores our good friend the Prince of Wales and even goes on to mention a bit about his girth which we were just gossiping about. How timely!

Those lucky enough to have a TV in the UK can watch the next segment of the series this coming Monday.

A Stolen Child

2011-08-31T14:10:00.000-04:00

It is quite strange that an era in which sleeping with another man's wife was considered a misuse or stealing of property yet there were no laws outlawing kidnapping. No wonder people were worried about the gypsies stealing children- they certainly could with little to no legal repercussions.

An unfortunate mother who had to deal with the lack of child protection laws was Mary Davis, a military wife and landlady. Mary's husband was fighting in Spain, leaving Mary and her six-year-old son alone in their Westminster house, which she rented out to lodgers. One of the lodgers offered to watch over Mary's son while Mary went to her job as a washer-woman, an offer which the over-worked gladly accepted. However, when Mary returned from work that night neither her son nor the babysitter could be found anywhere.

The devastated mother searched high and low for her son, even after she delivered another son a few months after the incident. Eventually Mary found herself and her newborn at an Inn in Folkingham (over a hundred miles away from London) where they stopped to rest for the night. Mary was eating dinner at the Inn when the landlady insisted that two young chimney sweeps who just entered eat something as well. To the dismay of everyone, one of the sooty children looked up from his dinner and jumped into Mary's arms with the joyful cry of, "That's my mother!"

Mary's story was one of the few with a happy ending (despite never finding the woman responsible for her son's indentured servitude) and thankfully, two years later in 1814 a law was finally passed outlawing the theft of children.

(A Reluctant) Out of the Salon

2011-08-29T09:45:00.000-04:00

It's been quite a week of natural disasters hasn't it! Unfortunately the hurricane that swept by my house decided to take the modern convenience of electricity with it which means many things for me, namely no blogging. But never fear, I will come and gossip with you in person for the small price of your washing machine and dryer.

Yay or Nay? Lady Susan Fox-Strangways

2011-08-28T00:01:00.003-04:00

Frizzy hair aside, Mrs Juel won us over with her sunny gown which got a very happy Yay from the panel. This week we will travel to England for our selection. A non-frizzy hair selection.

Allan Ramsay paints Lady Susan (1761) in frilly white gown with a delft-blue stomacher. Yay or Nay?

Charitable Duties

2011-08-26T00:01:00.011-04:00

Earlier this week an earthquake shook us inexperienced east-coasters but luckily left no one seriously injured. However some of our beloved and treasured works of art were badly damaged, specifically the National Cathedral. I don't like to see any crumbling cathedrals! So if any fellow art-lovers out there can spare a copper the non-government funded cathedral could really really use it. It is only American!

You can drop a few virtual coins into the jar here.

Fat George, Fashion Icon

2011-08-24T18:00:00.000-04:00

"Who is your fat friend?"
-Beau Brummel

George Prince of Wales was not a prince to be taken very seriously and then he became king, he wasn't much of a king to be taken seriously either. Perhaps the saddest part of this recollection was that he was regent for a mad king, making a hedonistic and incompetent young man the backup for ruling an Empire. Ah, monarchy!

Surprisingly enough the Prince's hedonism led to some of the famous fashion trends of the time period that was named after him, the Regency era. The foppish prince was never slender but always enjoyed being rather fashionable. By the 1790s George's waistline was in serious trouble, earning him the affection nickname, The Prince of Whales. It was challenging for a egotistical prince to continue in his role as a fashionista with his stomach spilling over his trousers so like the cartoon character that he was, he began wearing a corset. At one point the corset had to reach around fifty inches of waist and required some strong servants to string him into it. The corset may have given George a slightly daintier shape but it couldn't cover up the double and triple chins he was sporting so George began wearing high collars -- extremely high collars. The collars caught on and began to be part of every fashionable male's outfit.

Overall, George did pretty well in disguising his girth with dark colors, corsets, high collars and whatever else. Looking back on his portraits from the time you wouldn't exactly call him obese, although flattering portrait painters like Lawrence, could probably be credited for that. However when the sovereign's head appeared on currency in the traditional roman motif, there was no disguising the king's weight from his subjects....or the fact that they had been dressing in weight-disguising fashions the whole time!

Flushing Your Troubles Away

2011-08-23T00:48:00.000-04:00

Normally when the term "toilet" is used in a Georgian context the image of a lady sitting at a dressing table comes to mind. Did you know, though, that the flushing toilet existed at the time? It's difficult to picture when we know this was the time period when these were still popular. But believe it or not, the likes of Thomas Jefferson were sitting upon this flushing water closet.

The flushing water closet is very English. The first flushing toilet was made for Queen Elizabeth, who was delighted by the new, yet unreliable invention. I suppose that means "throne" is a rather accurate nickname. The model obviously didn't catch on, despite Liz's affection for it. Next, a real Renaissance man, Alexander Cummings took the idea and improved upon it. He installed a lever on the primitive toilet which you would slide aside and therefore create an exit for the unwanted waste. New water would come in as the waste would hopefully move into the sewers. Perhaps the smartest part about the invention was that Cummings got a patent for it in 1775. It is always good to protect yourself!

Bramah's useful contraption

Three years later a clever locksmith/plumber by the name of Joseph Bramah was installing some of Cummings' patented invention and couldn't help but notice that the water in the toilet would freeze on especially cold days which didn't help anyone. He replaced the sliding valve with a flap that sealed off the bottom of the bowl. Now the toilet water wouldn't freeze and as an added bonus: those sewer smells stopped traveling up the pipes and into your house. The description reminds me a bit of those frightening airplane bathrooms that we so enjoy while in mid-air.

Of course the modern flush toilet as we know it wasn't to arrive until the following century. Ironically, the inventor who is responsible for that was named Thomas Crapper.

Quotables

2011-08-22T00:01:00.001-04:00

After someone commented on how dirty her hand was after shaking it,

"What would you say if you saw my feet?"

-Mary Wortley Montague

Yay or Nay? Mrs Juel

2011-08-21T00:01:00.002-04:00

Sorry Wilhelmine Encke Gräfin Lichtenau, the Nay was loud and clear for your pink wardrobe malfunction. As for those who asked about why her nipple was showing, nipple exposure was not as risque as now, and it wasn't uncommon for ladies' nipples to be exposed. These were usually covered by fichus. Perhaps some less loud and more delicate, this week?

Jens Juel paints his wife (1791) gazing with admiration at his work while wearing a gauze gown and yellow petticoat. Yay or Nay?

Voltaire in a Field

2011-08-19T00:01:00.001-04:00

It may be hard to believe, but this famous sculpture of Voltaire by the esteemed artist Jean-Antoine Houdon was found tossed in a cow pasture. A pasture just outside Monticello no less!

When Houdon sculpted Voltaire in 1778 the racy philosopher had just returned to Paris after another lengthy exile. It would turn out to be a quite timely modeling since Voltaire expired a mere two months afterward. The finished sculpture received the highest of praise for its realism and for capturing the essence of Voltaire. I imagine that sly, smug little smile graced Voltaire's lips plenty of times. Due to the sculpture's popularity, Houdon experimented with recreating it in different mediums and styles; adding Voltaire's famous wig to the original's nude ancient Roman style.

One of these Voltaire busts found itself in Thomas Jefferson's home, Monticello. The bust was in the the entrance hall to greet guests as they entered the house. After Jefferson's death Monticello, which was never fully finished, fell into disrepair. The home's next owner James Barlcay is rumored to be the one whom we can blame for placing Voltaire portraits in field. Rumor has it that Barclay, a rather unEnlightened individual born in the 19th century, saw the bust, declared Voltaire to be an "antichrist" and flung it into the field. I'm sure Voltaire would be flattered to know he still has the ability to ruffle feathers fifty years after his death.

Movie Review: Sense and Sensibility (1981)

2011-08-18T00:01:00.001-04:00

To conclude my Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge from Austenprose I chose to check out the movie adaption from 1981. Perhaps the movie is a victim of being dated due to being viewed thirty years after it premiered on Masterpiece Theater. Or perhaps I am the victim, for I feel it is adaptions such as these that stereotype Austen's work as stuffy and uninteresting because, frankly, that's how this movie came across.

Many know the story of Jane Austen's 1811 classic, Sense and Sensibility, and those who aren't familiar with it, would do best to avoid this as an introduction. While the screenplay doesn't stray far from the storyline, with minor exceptions such as there only being two Dashwood sisters, it is is not presented in an engaging way. It is almost as if there is a wall between the audience and the characters that prevents you from relating to their plights.

One of the aspects of the movie I did find interesting what the actors' interpretation of the characters particularly Elinor (Irene Richard) and Marianne (Tracey Childs). Richard's Elinor is not as submissive as she is usually interpreted. Childs also was more believable as a teenager which I liked. The sisters also squabbled and butted heads more in this versions than others I have seen.

As for the superficial elements (hot men and good costuming) those were also a disappointment. However I did enjoy noticing all the ladies on the screen were given little purses to hold at all times.

My advice is to skip over this one unless you are a true S&S aficionado with some time on their hands and a strong curiosity.

Newport for the Day

2011-08-17T09:33:00.000-04:00

The Newport mansions may not be related to the Georgian age, but that doesn't mean they are any less fabulous to go see. Lauren and I are venturing to see a couple of them today and I am hoping to tweet some pictures to share with all of you. Stay tuned by following me at @GeorgianaGossip, especially if I can't bring myself to leave the mansions!

Insurance for your Sedan...Chair

2011-08-16T00:01:00.010-04:00

I got a nice email from reader, Florence who directed me to an eighteenth-century themed commercial that those like myself in the Colonies may have missed. Its operatic theme reminds me of those awful JG Wentworth commercials! If only those had more wigs and sedan chairs.

Finally! An Illustrated Evelina for the Modern Reader

2011-08-15T11:16:00.000-04:00

Not too long ago I was bemoaning the fact that it was difficult to come by a hard copy of Fanny Burney's Evelina, particularly one with the fabulous illustrations of Hugh Thomson. As if reading my mind, Laura at GirleBooks somehow managed to get her hands on the Thomson illustrations and update the GirleBooks version of Evelina into an illustrated edition of the tale.

For those who can't resist having a bit of artwork to accompany a good book I would highly recommend you checking out this deal of an ebook which is a mere $1. I got a sneak peek of the book and it is quite lovely; keeping the tradition of captioned illustration plates in classic literature.

GirleBook's Evelina Illustrated

Yay or Nay? Wilhelmine Encke Gräfin Lichtenau

2011-08-14T00:01:00.001-04:00

It's difficult to say no to good looking man. It's especially difficult to say nay to one when they have the good taste of Jacques Cathelineau who earned a starry-eyed Yay from our panel. All this manliness needs to be countered with a bit of girlishness for this week's selection.

Anna Dorthea Therbusch paints Wilhelmine Encke Gräfin Lichtenau (1776) in a pink gown prone to wardrobe malfunctions. Yay or Nay?

[New Palace, Potsdam]

Out of the Salon

2011-08-11T23:17:00.000-04:00

Pardon my absence, doves, but I must step out of the Salon for a weekend of polo matches and horse races. Your regularly schedule gossip will continue after I have rubbed shoulders with enough aristos.

Country Homes: Lansdown Tower

2011-08-10T23:08:00.000-04:00

Location: Somerset
Famous Inhabitants: William Beckford
Website: http://www.bath-preservation-trust.org.uk/?id=9

My Feathered Head is on the Move

2011-08-09T00:01:00.005-04:00

I try to avoid personal matters on this blog unless they correspond to visiting fantastic places or exhibitions (or bad business from Bookmooch, never use that site!) however I feel the need to bring up one that has been looming over my head for a while that has already brought about some changes for the blog. A month from now I will be packing up two suitcases worth of possession and moving back to the fabulous UK to begin my PhD in History of Art. With some luck, maybe I'll actually finish it too!

While this by no means I will cast off Georgiana's Gossip Guide, it could possibly mean I won't be updating as much, which has already begun seeing how this summer has found me running around making last minute arrangements. It also means I will be back in the libraries finding many new topics to gossip about which I am really looking forward to. Thank you all for bearing with me as I transition to this new phase!

Oh! And if any UK peeps out there has any recommendations for an inexpensive smartphone plan, I would love to hear. I must continue to have access to blogging/tweeting on the go!

New Gainsborough Self-Portrait?

2011-08-08T00:01:00.002-04:00

This weekend I was alerted to this article thanks to M from Alberti's Window. To summarize: art historian, Stephen Conrad bought a miniature at an auction, struck by the familiar face. He now believes that he is in possession of Thomas Gainsborough's first self-portrait. Conrad's evidence is the uncanny likeness and the fact that the miniature is painted in Sudbury around 1736/7 when Gainsborough would have been about ten years old. Conrad's suspicions seemed founded when on the back in a "childish script" was written, "Gainsboro."

Now could this sitter be a young Gainsborough? Absolutely. The facial features are congruent with Gainsborough's self-portraits. Is this a self-portrait? I highly doubt it.

When I first read the article Gainsborough's 1754 self-portrait immediately popped into my head. Painted when Gainsborough was in his late teens, this unfinished work shows how Gainsborough's proficiency was still developing. The skill demonstrated in the miniature seems much more honed than that of the 1754 portrait which was done by a young man who had studied art in London for about five years.

The other peculiar thing about this newly revealed painting is the sitter's eyes. From what I can tell, they are brown. If we look at Gainsborough's self-portrait from 1787 two blue eyes are looking at us. Supposed portraits of Marie Antoinette have been disproved merely by incorrect eye color.

I am curious to see where this discovery will go. What do you think?

Yay or Nay? Jacques Cathelineau

2011-08-07T00:01:00.003-04:00

Week after week I've come to find out that I can't predict the outcome of our weekly selection. So is the case of Mrs. Peale, who I assumed would have to simple a dress for everyone's taste. I was wrong and Mrs. Peale earned a Yay. This week, let's look at what handsome French war heroes were wearing.

Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson paints Jacques Cathelineau in his dashing outfit fit more for a pirate than soldier. Yay or Nay?

[Musée d' Histoire et des Guerres de Vendee]

Name That Gainsborough

2011-08-05T00:01:00.002-04:00

The Grueling Life of a Vicar

2011-08-02T22:41:00.001-04:00

While reading Jane Austen's books do you find yourself wondering why so many characters' love interests are either in the clergy or planning to enter the clergy as their career path? Well, the answer could be as simple as the fact that Jane was the daughter of a rector herself, but I believe it has something to do with most of her books dealing with love interests in the upper classes.

In the age of the aristocrat, younger sons were notoriously out of luck when it came to inheriting titles and lands and all other good things that came with be born into a wealthy family. That meant they had to get a job. No, not one where they'd actually have to work, Silly! They were still blue blood after all. The two common options for these younger sons was a career in the military (like Frederick Tilney in Northanger Abbey) or the clergy (like Henry Tilney or Edmund Bertram from Mansfield Park). Although the two career paths seem quite opposite, one did not necessarily have to have a strong faith in order to become an Anglican vicar or rector. In fact, having your own rectory or vicarage was quite easy, hence the blue blood career choice, there were books of sermons which you could read from every Sunday in church (most of England didn't attend regularly at the time anyway so it didn't matter). Local farmers were forced to pay the salary of the local clergy so quality of work was of little consequence.

It's no wonder so many rich young men chose this "humble" career. It allowed for a lot of free time in order to pursue other hobbies; hobbies which had nothing to do with being a man of God. In Bill Bryson's book, At Home, he has laid out what a few of these clergymen managed to accomplish with their free time:

Reverend Thomas Bayes (1701-1761) came up with the extremely complex math theorem which is used today to do things like predict stock market behavior and climate change.
Laurence Stern (1717-1768) wrote The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman.
Reverend John Michell (1724–1793) taught William Herschel how to build a telescope, which he did and then discovered Uranus.
William Buckland (1784-1856) wrote the first scientific description of dinosaurs, and was the one who named Dr Plot's discovery, Megalosaurus.
Reverend Jack Russell (1795-1883) bred a new breed of terrier.
Reverend George Garrett (1852–1902) invented the submarine

The list goes on and on. I wonder what sort of hobbies Henry Tilney and Edmund Bertram picked up after their marriage.

Cornelia Presenting her Children

2011-08-01T00:01:00.001-04:00

Angelica Kauffman was one of the handful of women in the eighteenth century to be an esteemed and respected artist whose talents were sought after. Kauffman also took a great role in the Neoclassical movement, preferring to place her subjects in a Greco-Roman atmosphere.

Kauffman also had a fondness for painting subjects with a moralistic message, especially when she could use stories from her beloved antiquity, such as her 1785 painting, Cornelia Presenting Her Children, the Gracchi, as Her Treasures. Now before I tell you the story behind this painting I want to selfish show why I enjoy this particular piece so much. Kauffman not only proves that she can take the wheel in the male-driven world of history painting, but that she could bring in her knowledge of human emotion. Here we have Cornelia presenting her two sons, with a causal gesture that has a strong impact. The two sons look both humble and serene as they enter, one holds a book to show that he going places with his knowledge.

As this moralistic tale goes, Cornelia was a Roman matron and the example of virtue. Romans were great lovers of virtue (in their women, at least) but that didn't necessarily mean that it was filled with the virtuous. Here, Cornelia's guest, shows off her new treasures, no doubt gifts from a conquering Roman husband. She then asks Cornelia to show her jewels to which Cornelia calls in her children and tells her that they are her, "treasures."

This is where Kauffman's skill in depicting human emotion, or perhaps females in general, comes into play. Just look at the matron's face. The history painting ends here and a more realistic depiction is revealed. We have all seen that gobsmacked expression before. I just can't decide if the proper caption would be, "Are you kidding me?" or "What the heck." since those are usually the two things that run through my head at a moment such as this. I'm sure that's one less superficial Roman matron who will be visiting Cornelia from now on.

Yay or Nay? Mrs James Peale

2011-07-31T00:01:00.001-04:00

Last week Mrs Gage was up for judgement and our panel spied (heh heh heh) a big Yay. A la Turque gowns must have been quite the show-stoppers at American events, so I can't blame Mrs. Gage for opting to being painted in the style. This week's selection is no longer in the Turkish style but we have another American fashionista to judge.

James Peale paints his family (1795) and shows off his wife in her simple grey and white robe a l'anglais which she has accessorized with her yellow shawl. Yay or Nay?

[Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts]

Trouble with Travel: Hats

2011-07-30T23:38:00.000-04:00

While scouring for pictures of the royal wedding in Edinburgh today I cam across this gem, which I found rather adorable.

Get in the back, Kate!

Then I looked at it again and realized poor Katie Cambridge is hunched over due to her rather large hat (been there, Honey)!

That instantly brought to mind a satirical print from Matthew Darly in 1776 when hair heights were at their largest. Elegant females were constantly forced to sit on the floor due to their hair; there was no other way to get around it aside from sticking your head out the window. Here's hoping that someday we will have vehicles to accommodate fashion!

Books For Sale

2011-07-30T16:09:00.003-04:00

Ladies and Gents,

There are catladies and bookladies. Both collect something until their house is overrun with it, and the only solution is to send those things out to better, more loving homes. I am a booklady. My shelf is overrun and I sadly have to give up some books in anticipation of a move to come later in the year. But I hate the thought of trading them in to my local Book Barn without giving you readers a look through them first. That way, I would know they'd be going to a good home!

Most of these books are barely broken into (by me at least) and some I received as gifts or promotional items (for those I only charge shipping). The prices listed include shipping within the US; for overseas orders I will have to tack on a couple extra dollars. If you are interested in any of the books (or have questions about them) please email me at GeorgianaGossip@gmail.com and make sure you have a valid paypal account.

Up for grabs (in a wonky layout)

Audiobook, $7

$3, Please note, different cover

Also,
English Painting by R. H. Wilenski (a very old, fat book) $7

Bess: More of a Hervey than a Foster

2011-07-28T13:48:00.000-04:00

It was two hundred and twenty years ago that Fanny Burney met Georgiana and her family for the first time, despite the two women being in the celebrity spotlight for over a decade.

The truth of the matter is that Fanny had no interest in Georgiana and her group. To her, it would be like the modern equivalent of having the opportunity to meet a tabloid celebrity who was famous for no good reason (ie: Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian), Fanny was disgusted and just not interested. However, no one was as surprised as herself when, with little effort, Georgiana won Fanny over, "it is impossible to view...this celebrated woman without feeling the strongest disposition to admire and like her." Fanny found that Georgiana's sister, Harriet, whom her pre-conceived notions were even harsher on, was surprisingly equally likable. However, she found Lady Spencer to be a bore, the Devonshire nanny (Selina Trimmer) to be full of herself, and Bess and the Duke's daughter, Caroline to be a brat. As for Bess herself, Fanny reserved her harshest criticisms. "To the tales told about her, scandal is nothing - INFAMY enwraps them." Fanny found herself smothered by the sycophantic Bess, whose efforts made it almost impossible to socialize with anyone else.

In the end Fanny decided that after talking to Bess, "Lady Elizabeth has the general character of inheriting all the wit, all the subtlety, all les agréments [charms], and all the wickedness of the Herveys. While I can't imagine Bess would be too pleased with this assessment, I have a feeling her relative John Hervey, would have found it quite flattering.

Voices from the Old Bailey

2011-07-26T23:52:00.000-04:00

I am a little late in reporting a great radio program that UK peeps have the privilege of listening to. Fabulous historian extraordinaire, Amanda Vickery presents Voices from the Old Bailey a radio-documentary on the scandalous court cases of Georgian London. The first part of this four-part series has already aired but you can (and should) catch the next one at 9:00am (9:30 pm is your second chance). BBC has a fun preview which everyone can check out here.

A Stanky Subject

2011-07-25T15:21:00.000-04:00

Fashion and wit may have been more of a priority than hygiene in the age of Enlightenment, with the subjects of Britain having a reputation for being...well, rather gross. Casanova's sensibilities were shaken as he toured St James's Park and saw, "hinder parts of persons relieving nature in the bushes..." Casanova was rather shocked at the Bosh-like qualities of the metropolis and went on to say that people were even relieving themselves in the middles of the street rather than hiding themselves to do their business. Visitors to the royal court would find much of the same behavior. The French ambassador's wife was known to use the court chamber pots in view of everyone, "...at least ten times a day amongst a cloud of witnesses." Yup, England had no shame. The little shame that they did have could easily be covered up with powder and perhaps a few patches.

To add insult to injury, defecating in public was the least of England's hygiene problems. Bathing tended to only include the washing of hands and the face. Most everything else was neglected, resulting in course commentary about the sort of odors emitted from body parts. As much as sex was enjoyed as a recreational activity, the appendages needed for the act didn't get much love from the bath tub. Due to this transgression 18th-century lovers tended to avoid putting their mouth on anything they didn't have to, and clothing tended to stay on in the bedroom. If that doesn't leave horrible enough images in your imagination, just ask John Wilkes who was especially harsh on poor Scottish girls,

"it is shocking how much of [the vagina] is neglected, especially in the Northern part of this Island. The Face, the neck, the Hands, I owe are clean, but of a Whiteness which would rival Leda's lover. All the rest, alas! is hid in mysterious Sluttishness."

Wilkes was also known to famously say, "the nobler parts are never in this island washed by women; they are left to be lathered by men." This naturally leaves one to wonder how clean Mr. Wilkes' gentlemen-bits were.

In the last quarter of the century bath basins became slightly more widespread, at least in the homes of the more well-to-do. Dr James Graham who would be dismissed as a quack (and was Scottish) for his work in the sexual field was a strong advocate of frequent bathing. When childless couples came to him for help in the bedroom, a relaxing bath was usually part of the procedure. Graham's novel advice seemed to catch on, for one of the prostitutes in Harris' List of Covent Garden Ladies's trademark was her hygiene which, "from a practical knowledge of its increase of pleasure, from motives of cleanliness, or as a certain preventative we will not pretend to say; but we know it makes her the more desirable bed-fellow." Based on this evidence it is safe to say that there were prostitutes that were cleaner than heads of state, yikes!

Yay or Nay? Margaret Gage

2011-07-24T00:01:00.002-04:00

"Nix the chapeau, Pompadour," cried our panel last week. That silly small hat looked foolish on such a haute outfit, which earned the royal mistress as Yay. This week we are going to trade in straw hats for turbans.

John Singleton Copley paints Mrs. Thomas Gage (1771) in her Turkish-inspired peach gown. Yay or Nay?

[Timken Museum of Art]

Fordyce's Sermons to Young Women, Sermon III, Page 77

2011-07-21T00:01:00.001-04:00

"Yes those more accomplished ensnarers are sufficiently aware that there is no allurement equal to that of maiden virtue and therefore having lost the reality they study to retain the appearance. In this instance no doubt as in numberless others the operations of Nature may be counteracted by violence and her most speaking features silenced by dissimulation. But ah! how much more easy pleasant noble and happy to be virtuous than only to seem so!"

Bookspotting: Mistress of My Fate

2011-07-20T00:03:00.000-04:00

Some of you may be well aware of my love for Hallie Rubenhold's biography on the scandalous Lady Worsley, Lady Worsley's Whim (The Lady in Red, in the US) which I just couldn't put down. Fans of Rubenhold's work and historical fiction lovers alike should be pleased to know that Ms Rubenhold has taken a small break from her nonfiction writing to pen a novel set in our favorite century, Mistress of My Fate: The Confessions of Henrietta Lightfoot. Says the author:

"[Mistress of My Fate] the first in a series of French Revolutionary / Napoleonic era novels which features the adventures of Henrietta Lightfoot, accidental courtesan, card sharp, actress - and later - spy, governess and art forger as she winds her way through a Europe in upheaval."

Accidental courtesan and spy? No, that doesn't sound like something this group of polite readers would enjoy at all! To further whet your appetite the book has a fun website that has 18th century recipes, beauty tips, and a quiz to find out what kind of courtesan of the time you would be.

What has my curiosity going is that some of our favorite tart-ish friends make appearances in the book. From my examinations of the website, Lady Lade and Gertrude Mahon are characters that appear in the book, and given Ms Rubenhold's excellent grip on the century, I am sure she will paint a fabulous portrayal of these most colorful and interesting women of the time.

Mistress of My Fate is now available to UK readers, but never-fear US readers, this tartly tale is due to hhit shelves next year.

Smiling Chamber Pots

2011-07-18T00:51:00.000-04:00

We all know the 18th century was time that predated indoor plumbing. That meant chamber pots, lots and lots of chamber pots. These chamber pots can now be found housed in some of the greatest museums and private collections and range from the crude clay pottery used by the lower classes to the fanciest silver (brr!) used by the upper echelons of society. But there are some chamber pots that stand out among the rest.

Pretend, for example, you are a guest in someone's house and nature calls. You politely excuse yourself to make a dash for the chamber pot, shuffle your various layers and...

Boo!

Well, I suppose we also all know about the legendary British sense of humor which was just as prominent in the Georgian age as it is today. I also know I would not be comfortable utilizing this sort of chamber pot, never mind cleaning it! It isn't the only chamber pot like this that I have come face to face with. There is also this beautiful chamber pot that houses a miniature Napoleon Bonaparte, just in case you wanted to let the Emperor known exactly how you feel about him.

First: Chamber pot, Victoria & Albert Museum, ca. 1800-15
Second: Chamber pot, Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove, ca. 1805

Yay or Nay? Madame Pompadour

2011-07-17T00:01:00.002-04:00

It's a Yay or Nay first. For once we are split right down the center and cannot come to a decision of whether Lady Egremont is in or out. To be honest I am a little stunned! However, this week I think we shall have no trouble deciding whether we like this selection or not!

François-Hubert Drouais paints Jeanne Antoinette Poisson in a warm grey day dress and small straw hat. Yay or Nay?

[Chateau de Champs-sur-Marne]

Teatro Argentina

2011-07-14T00:26:00.002-04:00

The Teatro Argentina is a grand rococo theater in Rome. It was built in the 1730s and is where the opera, The Barber of Seville first premiered. But when one looks at the impressive interior you get the sense that The Argentina is a true reflection of its time. Sure, it has all the rococo grandeur in the form of cupids and pastels, but remember, going to the theater in the 18th century was less about going to see the play and more about seeing the attendees. In order to accommodate this essential detail the Teatro Argentina was built with six stories of opera boxes, which makes viewing and gossiping all the easier.

Like Canaletto and his views of London, although times have changed we can still look upon the same structure. The Argentina has gone through many alterations through the years, which has stripped it of its rococo look and replaced it with a more simple one. But luckily for us Giovanni Paolo Panini painted the theater in 1747, leaving us with the grand spectacle that it once was when it was filled with all its gossiping guests.

Giovanni Paolo Panini, Feast at the Teatro Argentina in Rome in Honor of the Second Marriage of the French Dauphin, 1747

The Hamilton Burr Duel: A Tale of New York Politicians Suitable for MTV Reality Programing

2011-07-12T04:01:00.001-04:00

Many know that Alexander Hamilton was killed by Aaron Burr in duel and yet do not know the particulars of the circumstances. For example, Burr was actually serving as vice president at the time when he killed Hamilton in the duel which sheds some light on just how far a political squabble can go.

The Duelers
Alexander Hamilton- Federalist, Guy on $10 bill, New Yorker, Columbia graduate, war hero, politician and first ever Secretary of Treasury.
Aaron Burr- Republican, Jersey boy, New York politician, Princeton graduate, Mary Wollstonecraft fan and femenist, and third Vice President.

The Deal
Here's the skinny. Aaron Burr, like Benedict Arnold gets painted in impressionable little American children's heads as this bad guy when they learn their fundamental history. Yes, you can easily counter with the fact that he is a murderer but one must look at the background before they cast any stones. Burr and Hamilton had it out for each other from the start. The two New York politicians were very competitive with each other and had a long history of taking (figurative) punches at one another. Burr saw that Hamilton's true opinion on John Adams was published (obtained from papers that were supposed to be secret) and Hamilton saw that Burr didn't receive the presidency when he tied with Thomas Jefferson in votes. So both founding fathers had questionable conduct in the workplace but outside it were pretty decent guys (Burr loved Wollstonecraft so much he had her portrait hung above his mantel and had his daughter taught based on her teachings, along with how to shoot on horseback, so he was actually quite awesome.)

The Duel
Everything came to a head more than a decade after the two began officially hating each other. The year was 1804 and the race for New York governor was on. Burr wanted the position so badly that he ran as an independent and the thought of Burr running his beloved New York state was sickening to Hamilton. Once again Hamilton did everything in his power to dissuade the voting in favor of Burr and was pleased when things turned out in his favor. But Hamilton couldn't just leave things as they were; nope, he was just as much of a grudge-queen as I, and continued to bad mouth the defeated Burr. These ramblings were published in an Albany newspaper.

Embarrassed, ticked-off, and hoping that a duel would revive his political career, Burr demanded satisfaction. Hamilton didn't want to fight, but what could he do? If he didn't duel it would be like saying Burr was right, and he (Hamilton) had no honor. No that wouldn't do at all! So at dawn on July 11, 1804 the two met on the dueling grounds of Weehawken, New Jersey on which, three years previously, Hamilton's son had died in a duel. The two shot, Hamilton's bullet hit a branch above Burr and Burr's bullet hit Hamilton. Much debate has carried on through the ages about whether Hamilton misfired on purpose (a common dueling practice) but Burr would tell you that would be, "Contemptible, if true."

Hamilton died of the abdominal wound the on the following day, July 12. Burr was charged with two counts of murder and treason. Needless to say, after his term as Vice President ended he never held a political office again. Burr shot his career dead along with Hamilton, so one could easily argue that Hamilton got the last word in this famous political rivalry.

For a drunken recap of the story check out the 4th video on this post.

Favorites

2011-07-11T00:01:00.001-04:00

Antoine Raspal, The Couturier's Workshop, Arles, 1760

Yay or Nay? Alicia Maria Countess of Egremont

2011-07-10T00:01:00.002-04:00

Despite some comparisons to wallpaper, das Baron Thure Leonard Klinckowström managed to come out with a Yay for his handsome blue coat. Speaking of interior decorating elements, I have a great selection for this week!

Arthur Devis paints Alicia Maria Carpenter (1745) in gold trim and ruched ivory silk. Yay or Nay?

[The California Palace of the Legion of Honor]

The American Kings

2011-07-07T00:01:00.002-04:00

In 1710 Queen Anne received royal visitors. These four unique visitors were not from the gilded courts of Europe but from the rustic forests of the New World.

"The Four Kings" as they were called, were originally five, and were chiefs and representatives of their respected tribes. The MC or tour organizer of this momentous event was Peter Schuyler, a Dutch-American and governor of New York. Schuyler recruited the "chiefs" to ask the queen for military support against the French who were becoming too close for the Dutch and natives to be comfortable. The three Mohawks and one Mahican* (all of the Iroquois Nation) received the royal treatment and were taken about in royal carriages to see the sights of London including the Tower of London and St Paul's.

The kings were given scarlet cloaks as gifts and Queen Anne commissioned portraits of them in their new cloaks to commemorate the visit. Prints were made of the portraits and were popular due to the curiosity evoked by the unusual foreigners. The portraits hung in Kensington Palace for centuries before Queen Elizabeth II decided it would be more appropriate for they to be moved to Canada, despite all the sitters' all being from New York. The oil paintings are small but quite captivating, and one can look on them in wonder today in perhaps the same wonder they were looked upon when Jan Verelst first painted them. Each man stands in and gestures in the common Western style of the time, but were portrayed in their native clothing.

Sa Ga Yeath Qua Pieth Tow of the Bear Clan, "King of the Maquas" (recognize that name from Last of the Mohicans?) was not an actual chief. He proudly shows his tattoos which must have looked quite fierce to the Londoners who beheld him. The Mohawk is depicted with a rifle with his hatchet at his feet, perhaps symbolizing his openness to his tribe's relationship with Great Britain. The creature behind him is actually a bear (we can assume Verelst never saw one) representing his clan. Sa Ga Yeath Qua Pieth Tow would take the Christian name of Peter Brant and was the grandfather of Joseph Brant who would later trump his grandfather's fame.

Ho Nee Yeath Taw No Row (literally, "great boiling pot") was another non-chief from the Mohawk. he would later be known as John of Canojaharie. He is depicted holding a bow that looks too incredibly small to be accurate. Behind him is a ferocious wolf representing Ho Nee Yeath Taw No Row's clan.

Tee Yee Neen Ho Ga Row (literally, "double life") was also of the Wolf Clan (although not born into), as can be determined by the wolf behind him. He was actually the son of a Mohawk woman and Mohegan (not Mahican) father, born in what is now Massachusetts. He wears the clothing of the Dutch settlers and holds up a wampum belt. Theyanoguin (ahhh, isn't it so much easier to read that way!) was a sachem and would take the Christian name of Hendrick Peters. He would later be known as "King Hendrick" and was devoted to the crown, dying while fighting with the English in a French and Indian War battle in Lake George. Later portrayals of him depict him in the emblematic red coat of the English Army.

Etow Oh Koam King of the River Nation was the only non-Mohawk (and therefore non-Iroquois) of the group. The Mahicans considered themselves the people of the River Nation and this representative hailed from the Turtle Clan as Verelst struggled depicting with the awkward turtle sulking on the ground. Etow Oh Koam holds a tomahawk and wears an English saber around his waist to show his connection to the two nations.

*Not to be confused with the Mohegan tribe of which would be represented twelve years later in a royal visit requesting the English settlers not take so much of their land in modern-day Connecticut

Name That Gainsborough

2011-07-06T00:01:00.001-04:00

Royal Pains Winner

2011-07-05T09:32:00.000-04:00

The randomly-selected winner of the copy of Royal Pains by Leslie Carroll is....

Carrots

Congratulations! Email: GeorgianaGossip@gmail.com with your address to claim your prize! Thank you to all the royal pains who participated.

Monaco Bridesmaids

2011-07-04T22:24:00.002-04:00

Did anyone watch the Monaco wedding this weekend? Despite being home very little, I did manage to catch some of it. Honestly, the newly married couple would have done better holding off on the wedding until next year, since it just couldn't match the previous royal wedding in April. Yes, yes I know that is quite a superficial statement. However, I couldn't help but compare the two weddings, the later of which was missing some major magic. What it did have, though, was super-cute bridesmaids!

The bridesmaids were wearing "traditional" Monaco costumes, which Princess Caroline directed and had the director of the Ballets de Monte-Carlo create. Look at how cute they are! Each one of the little 18th century candy-striper outfits took 120 hours to create. Now stripes are usually the last choice of a bride for her wedding party (not to mention 18th century dresses) but I like the effect that they had walking behind Princess
Charlene.

Another adorable thing about these little cupcakes is that they were not personally connected to the royal couple. The girls are local girls from all around Monaco (all .76 square miles of it) and embroidered on each of their aprons they had the couple's monogram and the the area (neighborhood?) where the girl is from. I think if I were a royal I would have these little maids follow me around all the time!

Yay or Nay? Baron Thure Leonard Klinckowström

2011-07-03T00:01:00.001-04:00

Poor Sarah Siddons, she threw on a Lady Macbeth gown and got a big Nay for it. Honestly, I think the hair was what really killed this Lady MacBeth. We haven't had a male selection for some time, I wonder how this one will fair.

Alexander Roslin paints Baron Thure Leonard Klinckowström (1758) in blue flower-patterned coat. Yay or Nay?

[Sinebrychoffin taidemuseo]

Book Review: Silksound Audio Books' Evelina

2011-07-01T14:05:00.000-04:00

By now I am sure most of you know of my affinity for Fanny Burney's Evelina. Some of you may even know of my fondness for audiobooks; despite my lack of reviews of them appearing here. I have already reviewed Evelina, which only a select few publishers have released and is virtually impossible to find in a hardcover edition. However, Silksound Books, whose tagline is, "Audiobooks read by star performers" has a most delectable version of Evelina which was as enjoyable to listen to as it was to read the first time.

Burney's premier book is written as an epistolary novel beginning with correspondence between Evelina's guardian, Mr. Villars and his friend, Lady Howard about the possibility of Evelina spending time with Lady Howard's family. After Mr. Villars gives his consent so begins the correspondence of Evelina to him describing her various adventures in London and so forth. Given there are multiple letter-writers in Evelina, Sourcebooks recruited a cast for the reading of the book, an unusual move for an audiobook. And what a cast it is! Listeners will hear none other Dame Judi Dench in the opening pages. Her daughter, Finty Williams reads the letters of Evelina. Geoffrey Palmer is responsible for the male authored-letters.

One of the things that make an audiobook (both fiction and nonfiction) successful is the reader's ability to distinguish voices in quotations. Williams narrated all of Evelina's letters but these letters are littered with the voices of the various characters she meets, which she distinguishes like a pro. Madame Duval has the obnoxious French accent, the Captain sounds like a pompous buffoon and Sir Clement like the slimey sycophant you would expect. I was shocked that Palmer, responsible for the male-authored letters was the same person when I heard his Mr. Villars and Sir Clement. Mr. Villars voice was that of a lecturing old professor, easy to doze off to while he's in the middle of a lecture, while Sir Clement's sounded magically thirty years younger! My only criticism with the narration would be that it could alter the listener's opinion of characters before they could form it themselves. However, this is a trifle that comes with listening to any audiobook.

I enjoyed Silksounds' Evelina as a previous reader of the book and I do believe it will also appeal to those who haven't had the time to pick up the book who still would like to read it. The talented narrators capture the feel of the book, giving voice to Burney's masterpiece.
This form of audiobook is only available in downloadable format; so you get your book instantly. If you don't have an mp3 player, I believe you have the option of burning them onto CDs. Evelina can be purchased here.

Evelina, Volume 3, Letters 11- 23 (72-84)

2011-06-30T00:01:00.010-04:00

Summary
Evelina is on a mission and that mission is to avoid Lord Orville at all costs. In the past this mission would be more easily accomplished but since being guests together, Lord Orville is difficult to avoid and Evelina is finding it difficult to come up with excuses out of his invitations. Evelina is further upset when she finds that she is included in an anonymous poem, Beauties of the Wells as the most beautiful woman in town. Lord Orville’s polite jealousy is further revealed when she returns with Sir Clement who accosted her during a walk.
Lord Orville finally confronts Evelina about recent avoidance of him which has been driving him bonkers. When she reveals that she had no attachment to Sir Clement Lord Orville is relieved and eventually admits his love for her and Evelina can’t help but admit her similar feelings, hurray! But we still have more letters to go!
In rapid succession many mysteries are solved. Mr. Macartney finds out that his father is Sir Belmont (the same person who is the father of his great love) and Evelina happily informs him that they are then brother and sister. After many attempts from the determined Mrs Selwyn, Sir Belmont finally comes face to face with Evelina and instantly recognizes his wife’s face in Evelina. It is then determined that the nursemaid switched baby Evelina with her own daughter who Belmont raised and who Macartney fell in love with.
Everything is wrapped up nice and neatly in the end. Sir Clement admits to writing the letter which had set Evelina against Orville. Sir John grants both Evelinas (true and imposter) joint heiresses. Mr Macartney marries Miss Belmont and the reverend sends Evelina his blessing to marry her Lord Orville.

Discuss
Oh my goodness our salons are at an end already!

Did anyone else find it ironic how Lord Orville and especially Sir Clement keep ending up in the same place as Evelina? Of course we’re discussing a fictional story here but it makes one wonder just how realistic that possibility could be. Fashionable/Aristocratic circles did travel to migrate a predictably as Monarch Butterflies so I did find myself wondering about how when it came to the ton, would the scenery change yet the people remain the same? Goodness, it’s like taking a vacation to Disney World and seeing all your coworkers there!

The whole incestuous situation of the Evelina, Mr Macartney, Miss Belmont affair is a bit confusing, especially when the pieces begin falling together. For we know about the unrequited love Mr Macartney had for a daughter of a baronet but her name was never mentioned. Once Evelina sees Mr Macartney’s reaction when “Miss Belmont” enters the pump room, almost all is revealed. Mr Macartney is the son of Sir Belmont making him half-brother to Evelina. He couldn’t marry Miss Belmont since he would be marrying a sister…however since she was a fraudulent daughter, in the overplayed words of Celine Dion, their "love will go on." Poor Miss Belmont. She may be getting the man she loves but she’s headed straight for a mental breakdown with all the adjustments she’s bound to encounter. That’s quite a transition to the middle class.

Meanwhile, Evelina and Lord Orville were able to admit their love of each other in a sigh-worthy scene in the Library of all places. It sets my nerdy heart all a flutter! How is this not yet a movie!

I’m sure many found the ending of Evelina a bit perplexing. For we have the end…or what should be the end, where we all find out we can get married and live happily ever after. But once again Captain Mirvin barges into the story and, finding there to be a genuine lack of Madame Duvals to torture, goes right ahead and delivers one last crowning prank on the foppish Mr Lovel, involving a monkey. As out of place this little side story seemed to be, I did enjoy the prank; there’s a few New York hipsters that could be humbled with that same prank nowadays, however I think they’d be in much better humor about it.

Through our many salons, I have loved hearing the opinions of everyone since they were so vast and different. The same is true of when the book was freshly released. According to the editor of the Broadview editions, Susan Howard, “The violence of several scenes disconcerted some readers but entertained others: Dr Burney and Samuel Crisp both found Lovel too harshly dealt with by Captain Mirvin and the monkey, but Mrs. Thrale and Dr Johnson were amused by Captain Mirvan’s practical jokes.” Aren’t we a literary circle of equivocal cleverness?!

I believe the best way to voice my final thoughts would be through the ingenious method presented by the site, Better Book Titles (Check out their version of Mary Wollstonecraft’s Vindication of the Rights of Women). Here are two of my suggestions:

A big thank you to all who participated! Thursday was my favorite day of the week in June, I was absolutely delighted by the colorful conversation you all brought to the table. With that said, what are your final thoughts on Evelina?

The Other Duchess

2011-06-29T15:53:00.000-04:00

The White Swan may sound like a pure sot of establishment but anyone who would have walked into it in the late 18th and early 19th centuries would probably know that was not the case. It seems as though the tavern had a reputation as a seedy motel where one could conduct an illicit affair, away from prying eyes. The White Swan offered more services than just a rendezvous point, though. If you didn’t have a prearranged partner to meet up with, there were plenty of males mulling about on the second floor to entertain you...for a price.

While male prostitution isn’t so wholly unusual in this place and time, the names these men picked for themselves is. Like our modern-day strippers with names like “Sapphire,” the White Swan prostitutes went by names that their mothers obviously did not give them: Miss Selina, Harriet, and even Kitty Fisher (a nod to the original, perhaps) could be found loitering about the tavern looking for customers. But perhaps the most grandiose of these gay prostitutes was one man who must have been pretty confident in his abilities for he went by the name, the Duchess of Devonshire.

Perhaps the most delightful bit of this juicy gossip is that these colorful tavern workers only took this role by night. If you needed to find the Duchess of Devonshire before the sun set, you could find her (or him) at her day job as a blacksmith.

Book Review: Royal Pains and Giveaway!

2011-06-27T20:52:00.002-04:00

Royals are the ultimate level of the privileged sect. Their lives are notoriously unavailable and therefore theoretically private to us small folk. Perhaps that is why we have always found them so interesting...especially when they are so badly behaved. Leslie Carroll (no relation) is no stranger to the tantalizing, and perhaps more scandalous, tales of royals throughout the ages. Her newest book, Royal Pains: A Rogues' Gallery of Brats, Brutes, and Bad Seeds is a collection of tales of royal family member all over the world, and throughout history who were, well, a big pain!

Beginning with King John of England and ending with the current sovereign of that country's late sister, Princess Margaret, Carroll covers both well known royal pains and not-so-well known pains. For example, I had previously been unaware of how emo Archduke Rudolf of Austria was; it would be the cause of his untimely end. Her expertise and love of English history is very apparent, with many of the chapters being dedicated to the badly behaved family members of the British monarchy so anglophiles will surely enjoy this read. However, variety is the name of the game with this collection of royal biographies; not only are the subjects from different families and times they also distinct themselves in their uniquely painful behavior. Some are pains in their love of mutilating those they rule over while others are painful in their willful pursuit of hedonism. So who are these guilty parties lucky enough to be honored in Royal Pains you may ask? Carroll has quite an intriguing selection: King John, Vlad the Impaler, George Duke of Clarence, Richard III, Ivan the Terrible, Lettice Knollys, Elizabeth Bathory, Henry Duke of Cumberland, Pauline Bonaparte, Archduke Rudolf, Prince Albert Victor, and Princess Margaret.

Royal Pains is one of those lovely reads that you either can't put down or you can read at your leisure, picking it up when you are in the mood for some Richard III gossip. As a fellow enthusiast of English history I actually found myself enjoying the non-British royals' stories more. Perhaps this was due to their stories being more foreign to me. I also guiltily relished in all the gross and gruesome details of the lives of Vlad the Impaler and Elizabeth ~~Bartgory~~* Bathory. Those who already know of the pain-inducing antics of these royals may want to skip over this one but those who have yet to be introduced will likely enjoy this introduction to those who wore crowns or coronets on their unworthy heads. Just don't get any ideas!

Giveaway!
Want a copy of Leslie Carroll's Royal Pains? Leave a comment describing how you would be a simply delectable royal pain. Winners will be drawn at random and announced Tuesday July 5 and have 5 days to claim their prize. Good luck!

*Freudian slip?

Yay or Nay? Sarah Siddons

2011-06-26T00:01:00.003-04:00

Mary Boteler wow most with her look over overflowing ribbons and bows, earning her a Yay. This week we have another hat in a very theatrical selection.

Thomas Beach paints Sarah Siddons (1786) in theatrical dress for the character of Lady MacBeth. Yay or Nay?

[Garrick Club]

Evelina, Volume 2, Letter 23- Volume 3 Letter 9 (54-71)

2011-06-23T00:01:00.037-04:00

Summary
Buckle up kiddos, a lot happened!

While on an outing to Kensington gardens with the Branghtons and Madame Duval Evelina is horrified to once again spy Lord Orville also enjoying the gardens and tries to avoid him for fear of her party making spectacles of themselves again. Her efforts have to opposite effect and when her party realizes her connection to a rich man they insist on taking his coach home by using her name. Evelina wants to melt into the ground and die. The next day Evelina finds out that Tom Branghton broke one of the windows after she left the coach and he went to Lord Orville himself to apologize as well as promote his father’s service as a silversmith. So humiliated by the turn of events, Evelina breaks etiquette by initiating written contact to Lord Orville in order to apologize and explain what brought about the impropriety.
Rev Villars sends his friend Mrs. Clinton to pick up Evelina to bring her back home. The timing could not have been better since Madame Duval just stumbled upon M. Dubois proclaiming his love for the shocked Evelina.
Evelina is overjoyed to be back home with Rev Villars and following her arrival is a letter from Lord Orville assuring her that her actions didn’t offend and hinting that he has strong feelings for her. Initially Evelina is relieved but upon a second reading she is embarrassed for Lord Orville, realizing that the letter is uncharacteristically improper. She grows gloomy over her crush’s impropriety and goes to Bristol with a family friend, Mrs. Selwyn to regain her health.
While in Bristol Evelina meets another rake, Lord Merton, and finds Lord Orville is there as well. Much to Evelina’s surprise Lord Orville doesn’t bring up the letter and acts as he did before the written exchange. Mrs. Selwyn and Evelina then take up Mrs. Beaumont’s invitation to stay at her home where Lord Orville is a guest as well. One morning during her garden stroll Evelina runs into Mr. Macartney who wants advice about his love life. Lord Orville runs into the two and shows his jealous side, but still in a gentleman-like manner.

Discuss

Like Evelina, I was horrified that she was the only person in the party to see how inappropriate it was to borrow Lord Orville’s coach (what is wrong with these people!). The icing on the cake however was when young Branghton sticks his head out the closed window like idiot he is and breaks the coach window! However, I also enjoyed how, when hearing this, Evelina acted her age and ran away in a temper tantrum. She also did something else her age and impulsively wrote a note explaining herself to Lord Orville. Ah I remember doing something like that in middle school; it’s never a good decision. Evelina realizes this only after the letter has been sent. As you can probably judge by Evelina’s hindsight, a woman initiating written contact to a man outside the family is most improper, and a proper man such as Lord Orville should chose to ignore the impropriety. Like Evelina, I was both initially excited by Orville’s written response. But her fearful recollection of the impropriety had me going “No, no, no, no!” and putting my hands up slowly as if to avoid an accident (Can you tell I just want these two to end up together?). However, I see the logic and am also a little suspicious of the letter.

Soon the letter becomes this mammoth issue that almost seems blown out of proportion. In a past salon (I can't recall which, now!) someone compared Evelina with Jersey Shore. Anyone who has suffered through the second season of that show (aka Miami Shore) should know that the whole season revolved around a letter as well. I can't help but compare!

So of course, Evelina should only run into Lord Orville again, in Bristol of all places, after swearing him off. At first she attempts to avoid him as best she can but the fact that he seems more attentive to her than ever in a company of haughty people has Evelina finding it difficult to avoid Lord Orville. After mistaking Mr Macartney for Evelina’s potential love-interest Lord Orville becomes a bit pesky. Could he be jealous? He then tells Evelina he sees her as a little sister, which adds a bit of some creep points to my personal Lord Orville roster. Do you believe that sister crap? I’m not convinced. Now that Evelina is more aloof with him it seems to bring out his true feelings for her.

This section of letters also introduces us to a new character. Mrs Selwyn. I am curious as to everyone’s thoughts on the lady. Evelina doesn’t seem too fond of her, and Mr Villars is known to not be much a fan (despite letting his daughter go with her). I however enjoy the woman’s intelligence and bluntness. She actually reminds me a bit of the author herself! Many have noted how Burney was quite shy, however her letters were always full of strong opinions. I like to think of Mrs Selwyn as Burney's inner-dialogue personified. However, if questioned, I wonder if Burney would agree! What do you think?

Embroidery

2011-06-21T23:18:00.000-04:00

Despite my tendency to be a detail-oriented person, I tend to take fashion in as a whole. But just as the accessories can make an outfit, so too can the minute details. Take embroidery for example. Embroidery was such an important aspect of high fashion of the 18th century yet it is often lost to us in paintings of the time. Luckily we have surviving examples of the amazing embroidered work of the time, which are better appreciated on their own.

A woman's jacket, circa 1620. The black and white style of embroidery actually reminds me of black and white tattoos (example).

Women's smock, England, circa 1630. A simplistic pattern but don't you just love the smiling snails? You would never catch that from far away.

Man's waistcoat, 1780s. Monkeys! Even if you don't like the mischievous little fellows you have to appreciate this amazing piece of embroidery. Although I wouldn't get to close to rake sporting this waistcoat. For more on the monkey craze, check out Susan's post.

Mantua and petticoat, England, 1740s. What can you say about such breathtaking work? The only problem with it is that you would draw an excessive amount of unnecessary attention to your backside.

Mantua petticoat, England, 1740-5. Can you image walking into a room with a rectangular skirt? How about a rectangular skirt like this? Would many people bend over to examine the awesome needlework?

Gown, England, circa 1780. Simple yet gorgeous. I love how so many of these patterns have birds hiding in them. This bird reminds me of some of the imagery I recall seeing in Arizona. If I saw it by itself I probably wouldn't have guessed it to be of English origin.

As if You Needed Advertising Louboutin!

2011-06-20T19:12:00.000-04:00

The Christian Louboutin Fall lookbook is out and boy, does it look fab! This season Louboutin has recreated great paintings from history to display these most fabulous of shoes. Honestly, though, didn't they know we'd be drooling over them as it is?

The nod to the 18th century features a Boucher-like image. I can't believe they actually found a model with enough meat on her face! The result is photoshopped, but lovely all the same.

More after the jump (one is NSFW)

Mozart on View

2011-06-20T00:01:00.005-04:00

Music aficionados who find themselves in New York City this summer will not want to miss the newest papers pulled out of the archives of The Morgan Library.

In celebration of their Music Manuscripts Online, a project displaying the music manuscripts of some of the greatest composers, The Morgan is displaying two of their most valued manuscripts.

The Mozart compositions were originally part of a music notebook belonging to his sister, Nannerl. On view are two pages; along a margin, Leopold, their father, teacher, and the transcriber, wrote "compositions by Wolfgangerl in the first 3 months of his 5th year of life." These are the earliest documented works by Mozart anywhere and an indication of the genius that would soon change music history.

How fabulous; rock star relics!

Yay or Nay? Mary Boteler

2011-06-19T00:01:00.001-04:00

What a daring crowd we have Naying an empress! Maria Theresa's lace extravagance was not appreciated, or perhaps it was the color that truly killed it, either way she ended up with a Nay. This week there has been much talk about the Royal Ascot and the hats that appeared with it. So I can't help but put forth a selection this week that includes a hat fit for Ascot.

John Hoppner paints Mary Boteler (1786) in her double buckle picture hat complete with gown of ribbons and gauze and classic black choker. Yay or Nay?

[Cecil Higgins Art Gallery]

Society Sisters

2011-06-17T00:01:00.002-04:00

Ever since the royal wedding in April, Pippa Middleton has become a star. The newly dubbed Duchess of Cambridge has been no stranger to the spotlight for some time now but as soon as her sister, Pippa stepped out in that famous McQueen gown, she too was turning heads.

Now whenever the two Middleton sisters step out together it's a double-duo of celebrity, paparazzi and fabulosity. So of course, I am reminded of two other society sisters who became celebrities once one married a duke. Photographs may not have existed in the 1770's but the press and satirical images certainly did. Georgiana was almost always portrayed with her sister, Harriet who became a celebrity for her associations with her elder sister. Once again, history repeats itself.

Evelina, Volume 2, Letters 7-22 (38-53)

2011-06-16T00:01:00.003-04:00

Summary
Reverend Villars reluctantly agrees to let Evelina stay with Madame Duval and the Branghtons in London for a month rather than let her allow her to return to France with the estranged grandmother. Evelina meets the Branghton’s boarder, Mr. Macartney, a poor Scottish poet. Later, Evelina comes across Mr. Macartney attempting, what she believes to be, suicide and she stops him. When Mr. Macartney recovers he is touched by Evelina’s kindness and is forever indebted to her.
While at Vauxhall with the Branghton brood and her new unwanted suitor, Mr. Smith, Evelina and the Miss Branghtons separate from the group. They are accosted by a group of brutes who manhandle Evelina. She is then saved by none other than Sir Clement. The persistent lover then manages to scheme his way into sharing a coach with Evelina so he can find out where she is staying.

Evelina finds herself back with the Branghtons in a pleasure garden, this time, Marybone-Gardens (aka Marylebone Gardens). Once again she becomes separated from the group and is rescued by two prostitutes. When Evelina and her two new friends find the party Evelina is horrified when the prostitutes decide to also join the party. Queue Lord Orville’s arrival to witness the motley crew. The next day Lord Orville arrives in Holborn to ask Evelina about the two women he saw her with and is relieved to find out that they aren’t normal acquaintances.

Discuss
The name of the game this week is “trashy” because that is all I can think of whenever the Branghtons are in the picture. They are so socially unaware of what is acceptable. If I were to travel back in time, I know I would make a few social faux-pas due to the contemporary rules of etiquette but the Branghtons crass-ness transcends time to the point where I am aghast. When the awful Madame Duval told them her sad tale of the Captain’s haywire prank the Branghtons all laugh at her! I think we all know what they really think of their French relative now.

Evelina’s letter from June 10 (XXII) is packed with all sort of juice. It begins with an invitation from Mr. Smith to the Hampstead assembly which Evelina must decline as it would not be proper for her to attend unchaperoned (plus, ew!). Mr Smith has let on that he is more refined than the trashy Branghtons but hillbillies tend to habitate with other hillbillies, and Smith reveals himself as just as unrefined as them by not understanding the impropriety in inviting Evelina.

In a letter dated the following day Evelina writes to the Reverend with some disturbing news. The Scottish lodger made a suicide attempt virtually before Evelina’s eyes and had she not been there, he would have probably succeeded. The character of Macartney is a bit mysterious (I personally picture him to look somewhat like John Keats) and these major events cement him in Burney’s tale. But we as readers haven’t the faintest idea what Burney has in store for us with regards to Mr. Macartney just yet.

Evelina is unfortunate enough to have two negative pleasure garden experiences. These London gardens aren’t very pleasurable for her (ba-dum dish)! In the first, she is mistaken for an actress, aka prostitute, by some ruffians, and once again has no choice but to be saved by Sir Clement. The free license these men take with Evelina was pretty eye-opening to how women, particularly those alone were treated by men. At Marylebone it is those “actresses” whom Evelina was previously mistaken for who now save Evelina from men with ill-intentions (no wonder women didn’t go anywhere by themselves). It seems like this occasion was the one time Sir Clement didn’t happen to be around; but I did just die for Evelina when Lord Orville appeared. The poor thing. I am sure she wants him back in her life just as much as I, but not like this, no not at all. However, the fact that he checked in on her the day after their reunion had my hopes up. I was also quite impressed that he was able to find her despite only knowing she was in Holborn. It brought to mind Pride and Prejudice 1995 when Mr. Darcy was scouring the streets of London for Lydia and Wickham. Now where’s that fainting sofa?

Evelina’s time with her dear grandmamma is almost up. That means no more London no more Branghtons. Madame Duval still thinks that she can manage to bring Evelina to Paris, but neither she nor her guardian are going to let that happen. Yet we are halfway through the book. What are your predictions for when Evelina is freed from this trashy crowd? And more importantly, Evelina just reunited with Lord Orville, what will become of the two’s relationship when Evelina leaves London? And do we even care? I know I do but it seems many of our readers just aren't as smitten with Lord Orville as I.

In this grouping of chapters we are also introduced to many of the attractions of London of the time, many of which are gone now. All the famous pleasure gardens Evelina manages to visit yet she also manages to have a bad experience there. Has this book changed your view on the highly romanticized London pleasure gardens? (I'd still go!)

The London Tourist

2011-06-14T00:01:00.038-04:00

While visiting with the Branghtons in London, Evelina is introduced to a variety of sites that tourists of the time enjoyed seeing. Some like the Tower of London are an attraction that is still a must-see for London tourists centuries years later. Others have been lost to the ages. So let's use the Braghntons' suggestions to guide us through the amusements that amused 18th century London.

One of the first suggestions was Don Saltero's coffee shop which was more a curiosity cabinet than a coffeeshop.

Sadler's Wells was founded in 1683 when a surveyor discovered a mineral spring there. It became a fashionable resort for high society but declined in popularity. It also served as a music hall before becoming a theater and today is a dance house of which there is no mention of any mineral springs on the site. For shame!

"The Monument" is another tourist attraction tourists flock to today. Erected in 1677 by Christopher Wren, it marks where the Great Fire of London is said to have started. Visitors could climb to the top to gain an impressive view of the city. Visitors now can do the same, with the help of a fence around the platform, which was added in the 19th century due to multiple suicides. Goodness, I wouldn't want to be on that platform without that fence, especially in panniers!

Of course there were the famous pleasure gardens which had both residents and tourists alike flocking to. Evelina is fortune (or perhaps unfortunate) enough to visit the most famous ones. Vauxhall, Ranelagh, Marylebone, and Kensington Gardens drew both the upper echelons of society and the prostitutes that fed off them. Every garden had endless amusements, both in the gardens and in watching the people in attendance at them.

Remember when there were no new television shows during the summer and you had to wait until fall for all the premieres? So was the case for theater-goers in London. The theater season began in September and ended in June. That is, if your theater wasn't "Foote's." Samuel Foote's theater took advantage of the off season to stage plays for those who remained in London for the summer.

At King's Cross Road one could visit Bagnigge Wells, another fashionable spa which brought the country to London. One could roam in a honeysuckle covered tea arbour, visit the gardens and fish ponds, skittle alley, bowling green, or bun house. Just as with any fashionable pump room you could rub shoulders with the elite as well as attend concerts.

Frances Burney

2011-06-13T00:01:00.180-04:00

The exceptional life of Frances Burney is a bit of Cinderella tale with the exception of Fanny's intelligence and talent saving her from a stepmother and life of drudgery rather than a handsome prince.

Fanny was born June 13, 1752 to Dr Charles Burney and his wife, Esther. Dr Burney was an esteemed musical historian and Mrs Burney was the daughter of a French emigrant with the familiar name of DuBois. The Burneys had six children, Fanny the third-born and subjugated to middle-child injustices. Her sisters, Susanna and Esther were sent to be educated in Paris while at the age of eight, Fanny still didn't know the alphabet. However, two years later Fanny had learned to read and couldn't stop writing stories which she secretly did on scraps of papers; for to be caught would surely earn her a punishment for not contributing to helping out around the house. It was at this age that Fanny suffered the loss of her mother, a loss she would never fully heal from.

Fanny continued her writing in secret, even beginning a draft of a novel, The History of Carolyn Evelyn, what would become a prequel to Evelina. Although scholarly, Dr Burney only had one novel in his home, and frowned upon writing. At the same time Fanny was plagued with guilt for her dirty habit of writing which was "unladylike" and only acceptable in society if a woman was in desperate financial need for money based on her writing. On her fifteenth birthday she attempted to forever extinguish her dirty habit by burning all her writing in a bonfire, including the ill-fated The History of Carolyn Evelyn. But we all know that didn't work. Fanny already had the story of Evelina in her head, she just hadn't written in down yet.

The Burney brood soon grew larger. The same year Fanny made her resolution not to write, her father remarried a woman with three children from her previous marriage and who wasn't kind to her new stepchildren. The situation, however unfortunate, did serve to make the Burney children closer to one-another. Fanny spent her teenage years acting as her father's secretary. Her urge to write could no longer be suppressed and she began writing Evelina in secret.

Evelina was published in secret too. To preserve her decency it was published anonymously. Fanny's younger brother, Charles even dropped off the manuscript to publishers disguised as an older gentleman. By 1778 the novel was on bookshelves in three volumes and many were singing the unknown twenty-five year old's praises. One of those who sung the book's praises was Dr Burney who read it after stumbling upon the truth of the author and proudly proclaimed it, "...the best Novel I know except Fielding's..."*

When the author's true identity was revealed, she was quickly swept up in the creme de la creme of London. She became very close with Hester Thrale and was introduced to other great minds of the time. In 1782 she published Cecilia which also received praises. Four years later Fanny found herself in employment to the queen (a huge fan of Evelina) as a Keeper of the Robes. Fanny was hesitant to accept the position, worried that it would interfere with her time to write but felt obligated to accept. After four years in the position Fanny decided it was time for her to move on and resigned, yet continued her friendship with the queen and princesses.

It was now 1791, the French Revolution was in full-swing and Fanny was nearly forty. In Fanny's many circles she became acquainted with a number of French exiles but one in particular caught her attention. General Alexandre D'Arblay was an artillery officer who fought alongside Lafayette. Fanny was smitten with him and in 1793 the two were married. The following year the D'Arblays welcomed a son, Alexander.

In 1801 Alexandre was offered a position with Napoleon's government. The family moved to Paris, expecting to live there for a year, but instead remained there for ten years. While still in France Fanny underwent a mastectomy to remove a cancerous breast. She documented the ordeal and it remains one of the most compelling accounts of a successful early mastectomy, although many who read it find themselves surprised she survived the ordeal at all!

Fanny continued to live and to write for many years after her surgery. She outlived both her husband and son, whom she was buried with when she eventually died at the age of 87 in Bath, 1840. The posthumous publishing of her journals and letters only served to earn her a greater appreciation, almost downplaying her novels. Today she is considered one of the great writers of the 18th century who continues to delight many with her real and fictional accounts of English life in the Age of Reason.

*Probably Amelia since that was the only novel in the house!

Yay or Nay? Maria Theresa

2011-06-12T00:01:00.000-04:00

Mrs. Turner's midnight blue gown met with a Yay although accessorizing it with the pink and white ruff choker did raise many eyebrows. This week we will get out of the Colonies and evaluate the fashion decisions of a queen, nay, empress...if we dare.

Martin van Meytens paints Empress Maria Theresa (1744) in pink and lace. Yay or Nay?

[Ghent Town Hall]

Coming Exhibitions: The First Actresses

2011-06-11T15:20:00.000-04:00

I nearly jumped out of my seat in excitement when I read this announcement from the Nation Portrait Gallery today:

The First Actresses: Nell Gwyn to Sarah Siddons
20 October 2011 - 8 January 2012

Wolfson Gallery
Tickets £11/£10/£9

The First Actresses will explore the vibrant and sometimes controversial relationship between art, gender and the theatre in eighteenth-century England. Combining much-loved masterpieces with newly-discovered works, the exhibition will look at the ways in which actresses used portraiture to enhance their reputations, deflect scandal and increase their popularity and professional status.

The exhibition features portraits by artists such as Joshua Reynolds, Thomas Gainsborough, John Hoppner and James Gillray, with highlights including Reynolds’s famous portrait of Sarah Siddons as the Tragic Muse, Hogarth’s The Beggar’s Opera and Gainsborough’s portrait of Elizabeth Linley. Visitors will discover the fascinating stories of actresses including Nell Gwyn, Kitty Clive, Hester Booth, Lavinia Fenton, Sarah Siddons and Dorothy Jordan.

Starting with the emergence of the actress’s profession in the late seventeenth century, The First Actresses will show how women performers were key figures in celebrity culture. Fuelled by gossipy theatre and art reviews, satirical prints and the growing taste for biography, eighteenth-century society engaged in heated debate about the moral and sexual decorum of women on stage and revelled in the traditional association between actress and prostitute. The exhibition will also look at the resonances with modern celebrity culture and the enduring notion of the actress as fashion icon.

This sounds like an exhibition not to be missed since no museum has ever housed so many tarts at once! I have never had the pleasure of seeing my favorite portrait of Perdita Robinson (by Hoppner) and it appears it will be one of the highlights of the collection. Time to begin counting down the days until October.

Evelina, Letters 21- Volume 2, Letter 6 (21- 37)

2011-06-09T00:01:00.005-04:00

Summary
This series of letters opens with Evelina’s account of her humiliating trip to the opera with the pushy Branghton family. To escape the public humiliation she allows Sir Clement to bring her home but instantly regrets her decision when Lord Orville sees them together. On the carriage ride back Sir Clement makes advances on Evelina causing her to almost jump out of the carriage. She is further embarrassed when she arrives safely to the Mirvins to find Lord Orville had arrived earlier out of concern for her.

The group returns to Howard Grove this time with Captain Mirvan and Madame Duval, who are making the atmosphere uncomfortable for everyone else, especially Evelina who feels responsibility for the presence of her grandmother. Madame Duval comes up with a scheme to sue Evelina's estranged father, Sir Belmont so that he will acknowledge Evelina as his daughter, a crass move that everyone except Madame Duval can see will have embarrassing effects. Lady Howard manages to stop Madame Duval by writing to the gentleman herself but Sir Belmont’s response returns, rejecting the proposal of meeting with Evelina.
In the meantime Evelina is very displeased when Sir Clement comes to visit, invited by Captain Mirvin in order to jointly make Madame Duval’s stay miserable. The two proceed with a complicated prank of faking a robbery and a kidnapping of her companion, M. DuBois.

Discuss
Is it any surprise to you that Madame Duval and the Braghtons are related? Their behavior leading up to and at the opera was just insane. Had Mr. Braghton but read the Gossip Guide he would know not to leave during the first act. I honestly couldn’t blame Evelina for running away with Sir Clement, even I subsided my hate for him and silently encouraged her to get away from that awful company. But boy were we both deceived! We all know about riding in cars with boys and must remember those rules apply to carriages as well. As Susan Howard notes in my edition of Evelina, Willoughby had ordered the driver to drive east rather than to the West End where Queen-ann-street is. I was genuinely concerned for our Evelina…we all know what happened to Clarissa!

Is anyone else getting the feeling that Captain Mirvin and Sir Clement are their own little fraternity? That extravagant prank with Madame Duval confirmed it my mind. Which gets me thinking: there are movie adaptions of Shakespeare’s and Austen’s works set in modern times. Could Evelina be set in our times? Sir Clement is that privileged frat boy and Lord Orville is that cool guy you’re always flustered in front of. But I digress. The prank also leaves Evelina, once again, alone in a carriage with Sir Clement who continues his efforts to desperately seduce her. But the part of this haywire prank what really got me was Madame Duval's reaction afterward, “Her feet were soon disentangled; and then, though with great difficulty, I assisted her to rise. But what was my astonishment, when, the moment she was up, she hit me a violent slap on the face!” Bitch! I would have told her to have fun finding her way back home (although I would have been equally upset to lose a wig). That would have been the last straw for me.

Our weekly salon draws to a close with the news that Sir Belmont will not see Evelina which is more of a relief to her than anything. But what I am left wondering is just how much more Madame Duval can Evelina take? Why oh why does she still put up with her, and why doesn't the Reverend do more when he finds out about the new level of abuse Evelina has dealt with? Last week (when Evelina's stories were not nearly as horrifying) many were surprised that the Reverand didn't quickly bring Evelina home. Honestly, Mrs Mirvin is a saint for having Duval as a guest. Also, were you excited that Lord Orville came to see Evelina off and just as quickly disappointed by the utter lack of courtesy he had to endure?

My lingering question is, why does Sir Clement persist in attempting to seduce Evelina. He has already made it clear that his interest in her isn't honorable; so why bother. It seems like a hopeless cause in my mind. Could he possibly and actually be in love with her?

...and Congratulations to Erin Blakemore whose name I drew for a copy of the book! Email me with your address and I'll mail it off to you!

A Collection of Insults, Care of Captain Mirvan

2011-06-08T00:01:00.001-04:00

Our favorite century was, by no means, well behaved. Yet the language and culture of the time put a certain panache on describing things of a bawdy or crass nature. Take for example this small except from Rambler's Magazine, 1823 about discovering two people in compromising positions: "What he did behind the lady, we do not pretend to know; but this we know, that he had not any business there with his friend's wife." Dare I proclaim that curses and insults were more works of art than they are now? Perhaps that is simply due to their exotic nature.

Those who are reading or have read Fanny Burney's Evelina know that the character of Captain Mirvan is not short of insults for the high-strung Frenchwoman Madame Duval. Being a member of the British Navy one might expect the Captain to have a mouth on him, although the saying back then was He/She "swears like Lady Lade" rather than a sailor. I've been quite enjoying his insults and name-calling so I thought I would arrange a collection here for everyone's enjoyment and use.

Frog- French. A term derived from impoverished people's habit of eating frogs. Letter 14
Spark- a boyfriend or suitor. Letter 16
Beldame- When used in condensation, an old witch. Letter 16
Trumpery- "Showy but unsubstantial apparel; worthless finery." (OED) Letter 16
Draggle-tailed- "A woman whose skirts are wet, and draggled, or whose dress hangs about her untidily and dirty; a slut." (OED) Letter 19
Mrs. Turkey-Cock Letter 21
Canaille- The mob, commoners. Letter 23
Dish-clout- dish cloth. Vol 2 Letter 2
Dangler- "One who hangs or hovers about a woman,; a dallying follower." (OED) Vol 3, Letter 15
Bantling- "A young or small child, a brat." (OED) Vol 3, Letter 18
Old Tabby- Old lady. Vol 3, Letter 21

Mother Knows Best, Birthday Edition

2011-06-07T00:01:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow, my dearest Georgiana, you will have been born 28 years, and yesterday* you have been married 11. The first of these events was attended with almost every advantageous circumstance that birth could give. and the latter set you up in so elevated a situation that you must always be liable to the censures or approbation of the world. I bless God it is not yet too late, if you will exert yourself in earnest, of those who know you, and I must add that if you have any regard for your own peace of mind or mine, you will set about doing it immediately.

Lady Spencer
6 June 1785

*In Amanda Foreman's biography of Georgiana she states that the Duchess was married on her birthday, June 7. I am now very curious as to where this confusion came about and how it came about!

Evelina Character Guide

2011-06-06T00:01:00.000-04:00

There are many characters we come across in Evelina, some of which disappear and reappear. Some may find it a bit helpful to have a bit of a guide in telling everyone apart.

Miss Evelina Anville is the daughter of Lady Caroline Belmont (nee Evelyn) and Sir John Belmont whom she has been estranged from. She has been raised by her guardian, Reverend Villars, who is like a father to her. She is pretty, with a good heart, but considered naïve due to living a safe and sheltered childhood.
Reverend Arthur Villars is Evelina’s father-figure. He is very protective of his adoptive daughter and has shielded her from many of the world’s evils. It is the Reverend Villars whom Evelina address most of her letters.
Lady Howard is the good friend of Reverend Villars and mother of Mrs. Mirvan. She lives at Howard Grove.
Mrs. Mirvan is like a mother to Evelina. She invites Evelina to stay with her in London and introduce her to society.
Miss Maria Mirvan is Evelina’s best friend.
Captain Mirvan is a retired captain in the navy who is the father of Evelina’s friend Maria. He is the comedic representation of John Bull, the average French-hating, humor-loving Englishman.
Sir Clement Willoughby is an egotistical baronet who represents the personality of many aristocrats of the time. He makes it his personal mission to seduce the naïve young country girl, Evelina who finds his personality repugnant.
Lord Orville is an earl who stands out to Evelina due his good morals and non-foppish or hedonistic ways. He is handsome and noble and Evelina finds herself flustering her words every time she is in his presence.
Mr. Lovel is the definition of a fop. He makes Evelina’s life miserable after she declines a dance invitation from him, not knowing it is social suicide.
Madame Duval is Evelina’s estranged maternal grandmother from France. She disapproves of Evelina’s raising and wants to take over her care.
M. Dubois is the male companion of Madam Duval.
The Branghtons are a low-bred family who Madame Duval introduces to Evelina as more estranged relations. They own a silversmith's shop in High Holborn. Despite Evelina’s naivety to society she is embarrassed by their lack of class.
Mr. Macartney is poor Scottish poet, who boards with the Branghtons. Evelina takes pity on him and befriends him.
Lord Merton is another rakish peer who remains a bit of a mystery until Evelina finally learns his name. Based on her past experiences with aristocrats of the same personality Evelina is untrusting of him.
Mrs. Selwyn A neighbor to Berry Hill, Mrs Selwyn is very opinionated but lady of society who means well
Mrs. Beaumont an elderly lady of the upper class and friend to Mrs. Selwyn

Homes
Berry Hill Home of Evelina and Rev Villars
Howard Grove Home of Lady Howard and occasionally the Mirvan family
Clifton Hill Home of Mrs. Beaumont

Yay or Nay? Mary Turner Sargent

2011-06-05T00:01:00.004-04:00

Dolce and Gabbana was right in taking a cue from Madame Adelaide who earned many Yays for her starry peach gown. Of course many, like myself, wouldn't like the gown at all if not for the stars. Perhaps if they were on this week's gown...

John Singleton Copley paints Mrs Sargent in a midnight blue robe a la francaise. Yay or Nay?

[Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco]

Attention Researchers and Students

2011-06-03T00:01:00.001-04:00

I sent out a tweet Wednesday that proved to be quite useful to many so I cannot help but spread the news further ever since I myself found out via the ever-helpful blog, Enfilde.

Electronic Enlightenment is offering a free trial for the whole month of June. For those unfamiliar to the project, Electronic Enlightenment is an online database of letters and correspondence of the eighteenth century. Just log in to the site with Username: ee2011 and Password: enlightenment to gain access. Don't forget the proper citations!

Enjoy!

Evelina, Volume 1 Letters 1-20 and Giveaway

2011-06-02T00:01:00.051-04:00

Summary
Our story opens with a letter from Lady Howard to her dear friend Rev. Villars concerning his ward, Evelina. Lady Howard reports that Evelina’s estranged French grandmother Madame Duvall intends to renew her acquaintance with Evelina. Rev. Villars nixes the idea right away. Lady Howard writes back to invite Evelina to stay with her, her daughter (Mrs. Mirvan) and her granddaughter (Maria, Evelina’s bff) which the Reverend eventually agrees to. Shortly after Evelina’s arrival the Mirvans receive word they must meet with Captain Mirvan in London and they bring Evelina, who has never been to London.
Evelina is dazzled by London and makes many social errors. At a ball she insults the macaroni, Mr. Lovell and is flustered by the handsome Lord Orville due to his civilities. Lord Orville, in a very Darcy-like manner, refers to Evelina as a “poor weak girl” but still defends her when Mr. Lovell vengefully sets himself against her after Evelina’s unintentional slight. She also meets Sir Clement Willoughby whose attentions are very unwelcome to Evelina.
The next day the group has an accidentally meeting with non-other than Evelina’s estranged grandmother, Madame Duvall who automatically becomes the butt of Captain Mirvin’s jokes. Madame Duvall is pushy and unpleasant but becomes a regular part of the party due to Mrs. Mirvin’s kindness. Madame Duvall wants to take Evelina to Paris to bring her up in French society but the idea isn’t attractive to anyone. She also introduces Evelina to her nephew, Mr. Branghton’s family who lives in Holburn. The family is animated and open to their new cousin but Evelina finds them crude and trashy.
As Evelina prepares to leave London with the Mirvans she is surprised by a visit from Lord Orville in which he expresses sadness at her departure. Evelina is shocked and attempts to deduce whether his sentiment is one of courtesy or true feelings.

Discuss
After the necessary background introductions from Lady Howard and Rev. Villars Evelina finally begins her letter diary. Her initial letters are blooming with the excitement you can expect a teenage girl to have upon her first visit to London. I particularly enjoy how she talks about the process of getting her hair done-up with all the primping and teasing (“When I shall be able to make use of a comb for myself, I cannot tell…”), which was also something the character Julia spoke of initially in The Sylph. However, unlike Julia who hated the process, Evelina is amazed by it and seems to like playing dress-up.

The ball, oh the ball! Is where most of the action happens so it is difficult to know where to begin. I guess we should say firstly, this is not only where the plot begins but where we are introduced to two main and foil characters, Lord Orville and Sir Clement Willoughby. Many have noted on the event’s similarity to Austen’s scene where Lizzy and Mr Darcy meet at the Meryton Assembly in Pride and Prejudice. Just as Darcy tells his bro how Lizzy isn’t pretty enough to tempt him, the equally hunky Lord Orville proclaims, after dancing with her all night, that Evelina is “a poor weak girl.” Ouch!

I don’t know about you, but every time Madame Duval opens her mouth I get a sick feeling in my stomach. I feel as though I am standing next Evelina, equally helpless; which shows the timelessness of the book. Doesn’t most everyone have that friend who seems to forget to act their age and proceeds to cause a scene in a group of people/friends causing that awkward situation where others are trying to cover up for their impropriety? That’s where it is handy to have a Captain Mirvin! The Captain certainly has me laughing aloud many times. Of course he is just as immature as Madame Duval, and as a *ahem* civilized young lady I shouldn’t approve of his antics. Oh but I do…I do! How about you?

What are your first impressions of the characters? Evelina, Lord Orville, Mr Lovell, Madame Duval, the Capatin, etc?

Jane Austen was a fan of Burney’s work; do you think her Meryton Assembly was a direct reference or homage to Evelina?

[Anyone participating in our premiere salon is qualified to win a copy of Oxford World's Classic's Evelina (unless you note that you don't need a copy)! The winner will be announced at next week's salon. Good luck!]

No Ball Faux-Pas Please!

2011-06-01T00:01:00.030-04:00

Those of you have begun reading Evelina have perhaps reached Evelina's first ball in London where the poor girl has made a few social errors resulting in an offended macaroni. A fatal error! Just as now, there were many rules of etiquette in Evelina's time; some more obvious than others. Had she but been schooled in those rules of dance etiquette.

Going to a ball or assembly was not all fun and games, oh no. Both men and women had obligations, especially the hosts of the party. Georgiana and Harriet were known to be excellent dancers and Georgiana was known to dance herself into exhaustion due to obligations to the many men who asked her to dance. It was all part of the toils of the political hostess. Could you reject a partner who asked you to dance? Yes; if you had accepted to dance with another gentleman you should certainly decline the invitation; for an invitation to dance was understood to actually be an invitation for at least two dances with your partner. However, if you wanted to decline, despite not being engaged to another, you should politely beg forgiveness and then sit out for two more dances before considering an invitation from a new partner. It was almost easier to just accept the dance invitation! Another reason women may have rarely declined a dance is because it was considered rude on a man's part if he wasn't engaged to a partner to allow a woman to sit out of a dance. In the famous assembly scene in Pride and Prejudice when Lizzie and Darcy meet, Mr Darcy was being rude to not dance when there were ladies without partners. Of course, if you continue to decline invitations as lady, know that there comes a point when the gentlemen are just being courteous. Don't be so picky!

Think these dance rules are a breeze? Take this situational test put together by four lovely ladies at the University of Michigan (although who knows how old this is, they could now be the happy wives of men they picked up with their good dance etiquette these days!).