eyes of Mademoiselle d'Aubigné smile and the beauty of Madame de
Chevreuse delights, and all the company make fun of Mazarin and recite
the verses of Voiture.

There are others of these wits and beaux with whom we might like to
linger; but our space is running short; it is time to say good-bye.
Congreve the dramatist and gentleman, Rochefoucault the wit, Saint-Simon
the king of memoir-writers, Rochester and St. Evremond and de Grammont,
Selwyn and Sydney Smith and Sheridan each in turn appeals to us to tarry
a little longer. But it is time to say good-bye to these shadows of the
past with whom we have spent some pleasant hours. It is their duty now
to offer some pleasant hours to others.

JUSTIN HUNTLY M'CARTHY.




PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.


In revising this Publication, it has scarcely been found necessary to
recall a single opinion relative to the subject of the Work. The general
impressions of characters adopted by the Authors have received little
modification from any remarks elicited by the appearance of 'The Wits
and Beaux of Society.'

It is scarcely to be expected that even _our_ descendants will know much
more of the Wits and Beaux of former days than we now do. The chests at
Strawberry Hill are cleared of their contents; Horace Walpole's latest