"And they who saw her snow-white hair.
And dark, sad eyes, so deep with feeling,
Breathed all at once the chancel air,
And seemed to hear the organ pealing."




[Illustration: LAVINIA COUNTESS SPENCER by REYNOLDS]


LAVINIA


In March, 1781, Walpole writes to a friend: "As your lordship has
honored all the productions of my press with your acceptance, I
venture to inclose the last, which I printed to oblige the Lucans.
There are many beautiful and poetic expressions in it. A wedding, to
be sure, is neither a new nor a promising subject, nor will outlast
the favors; still, I think Mr. Jones's ode is uncommonly good for the
occasion." The ode was "The Muse Recalled," and the occasion the
nuptials of Lord Viscount Althorp and Miss Lavinia Bingham, eldest
daughter of Sir Charles Bingham, created, in 1776, Baron Lucan of
Castlebar. Sir Charles was a man of culture, who was intimate with
Johnson, Goldsmith, Gibbon, Reynolds, and Burke. He is frequently
pleasantly mentioned by Boswell. He had married, in 1760, Margaret,
daughter of James Smith, M.P., a lady of great good sense and rare
accomplishments, and three lovely daughters were the issue from this
union. Reynolds found in them most pleasing subjects for his pencil.