'How now, Charles, how
now,' said he kindly, 'twenty-four hours in the capital, and beauty-
struck already? which among our simple English maidens hath the merit
of thus gaining the approval of thy travelled eyes?--what Venus
hath bribed the purer taste of our new Paris? Ha! let me see--Lady
Joscelyn? Lady--No! by heaven,' said he following my looks, 'it is
as I could wish, Theresa Marchmont herself. How, man--knowest thou
not the daughter of our old comrade, who fell at my side in the
unfortunate affair at Worcester?'
"The king took on an early opportunity of making my admiration known
to Her Majesty; and of requesting her permission for my introduction
to Miss Marchmont; who, although born of a family distinguished only
by its loyalty to the house of Stuart, having been recommended to
the royal attention from the loss of her only surviving parent in its
cause, had sufficiently won the good will of the monarch, by her
beauty and elegant accomplishments, to obtain a distinguished post
about the person of the new Queen.
"From this period, admitted as I was into the domestic circle of the
Royal household, I had frequent opportunities afforded me of
improving my acquaintance with Theresa; whose gentle and interesting
manners more than completed the conquest which her beauty had begun.
Helen, I had visited many foreign courts, and had been familiarized
with the reigning beauties of our own, at that time eminently
distinguished by the brilliancy of female beauty, but never in any
station of life did I behold a being so lovely in the expressive
sadness of her fine countenance, so graceful in every movement of her
person.
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