No one ever said it was easy being a fashionable duchess! Take for example the week of 14 February, 1785. Georgiana was just swamped with social events!
Monday
On that day (a Monday) Georgiana wrote her daily letter to
her mother before going out. She reassured Lady Spencer that although she was going to many balls she was never out after midnight and that dancing was a good distraction from the temptations of gambling. Well, there was a lot of distraction this week,
"There is a ball tonight at Ly Beauchamp's, Tuesday Ly Lucan's, (I GO upon PARTICULAR invitation), Wednesday Princes, Thursday D'Adhemar's, Friday Mrs. Poole (who was Miss Forbes), Saturday, the Prince, and Monday the survivors dance Scotch reels at the Dss of Gordon's..."
The Duchess of Gordon's? Georgiana's foil? I predict some major dramz!
Tuesday NightGeorgiana wrote that the Duchess of Gordon "made a great riot at the Opera." She was tricked into thinking that in France it was a proper mark of respect to kiss a blood royal upon introduction. So when introduced to
Louis, the Duke of Chartes (future Duke of Orleans and Louis Egalite) Jane laid a big one on him! Oh the laughs that must have followed... Georgiana also reported that
"Ly Lucan's was a very pretty ball...Nannette's dancing is vastly pretty, but my sister is without question the best. I sup'd and was home about 3."
What happened to 'before midnight' Cinderella?
WednesdayThe Pri
nce of Wales' ball at
Carlton House was a hit. Georgiana spent most of the letter gushing that her and her sister's outfits which were "very smart." She went into detail,
"Our gowns were night gowns of my invention. The body and sleeves black velvet bound with pink and fasten'd with silver buttons. The pettycoat light pink, and the skirt, apron and handkerchief crape bound with light pink, large chip hats with feathers and pinks."
If that doesn't sound absolutely fabulous, I don't know what is! She added, "My shape look'd very decent." After describing the rooms, Georgiana went back to talking some smack on the Duchess of Gordon,
"[She] was drest in the Prince's uniform [what a suck-up!], blue and buff, and his buttons. They persecuted her by pinning foxes' tails to her back..."
The moral of that story, Mrs. Gordan: stick to your roots because no one likes a sycophant!
You now have until midnight tonight to submit your gossip to either Lauren or I for the Blogiversary Gossip Party which will be held tomorrow on both of our blogs. Remember, email either of us with your 18th century gossip and you will be qualified to win some fabulous prizes from each of our blogs. Of course, don't forget to to write which prize you prefer at the bottom of the email. Some fabulous gossip is being spread by readers and I'm just happy to be the first to hear it!
