Her assemblies were the most brilliant in the town, and the most to be
desired entrance to. Wits and beauties planned and intrigued that they
might be bidden to her house; beaux and fine ladies fell into the spleen
if she neglected them. Her lord's kinsman the Duke of Osmonde, who had
been present when she first knelt to Royalty, had scarce removed his eyes
from her so long as he could gaze. He went to Dunstanwolde afterwards
and congratulated him with stately courtesy upon his great good fortune
and happiness, speaking almost with fire of her beauty and majesty, and
thanking his kinsman that through him such perfections had been given to
their name and house. From that time, at all special assemblies given by
his kinsman he was present, the observed of all observers. He was a man
of whom 'twas said that he was the most magnificent gentleman in Europe;
that there was none to compare with him in the combination of gifts given
both by Nature and Fortune. His beauty both of feature and carriage was
of the greatest, his mind was of the highest, and his education far
beyond that of the age he lived in. It was not the fashion of the day
that men of his rank should devote themselves to the cultivation of their
intellects instead of to a life of pleasure; but this he had done from
his earliest youth, and now, in his perfect though early maturity, he had
no equal in polished knowledge and charm of bearing. He was the patron
of literature and art; men of genius were not kept waiting in his
antechamber, but were received by him with courtesy and honour. At the
Court 'twas well known there was no man who stood so near the throne in
favour, and that there was no union so exalted that he might not have
made his suit as rather that of a superior than an equal. The Queen both
loved and honoured him, and condescended to avow as much with gracious
frankness. She knew no other man, she deigned to say, who was so worthy
of honour and affection, and that he had not married must be because
there was no woman who could meet him on ground that was equal. If there