IN TWO VOLUMES

Vol. II. 1791–1799

LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.

39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON
NEW YORK, BOMBAY, AND CALCUTTA
1908

All rights reserved

LIST OF PLATES TO VOLUME II.

Henry Richard, third Lord Holland, 1796[Frontispiece]
From a painting by F. X. Fabre.
Henrietta, third Countess of Bessborough[To face p. 96]
From a painting by Louis Gauffier.
John, Viscount Boringdon (afterwards Earl of Morley), 1798 „  [190]
From a painting by J. Hoppner.

JOURNAL OF ELIZABETH LADY HOLLAND

26th July, 1799.—Left H. H. this morning to make a tour into Wales and the west of England. Ld. H. went to dine at St. Anne’s, and Drew, Charles, and myself came to this place (General Fitzpatrick’s, Sunninghill) to meet him. On Saturday, ye 27th, we arrived to dinner at Oxford. Close by the General’s, upon Ascot Heath, there is a camp. The cavalry were watered whilst we went on the road, a pretty incident; their brilliant coats contrasted with the dusky brown of the heath, and produced a very lively effect. A cross road to Henley; just as we entered the town we passed under Park Place, a late purchase of Ld. Malmesbury’s. Somewhere near Henley is the highest ground south of Trent. On ye 28th went from Oxford, by Chapel House, to Warwick. I could not help laughing at the event of our going, because the subject of seeing the Castle without being obliged by urgent solicitations to make a long visit there (as Ld. H. was sure we should be very much pressed) had occupied his thoughts for many hours. Ld. H. had written letters to Ly. W. and Mrs. Smith, so calculated as to make a refusal of the pressing invitations (which he dreaded having) quite civil; but we need not have been embarrassed. So far from being solicited to stay, the whole family flew to their fortresses in some battlemented towers, gave out that they were walking, and shunned us. It was a most fortunate escape to me, tho’ I believe Ld. H. was vexed at the impertinence of the proceeding. The Castle is magnificent, decorated with ornaments appropriate to the building, and in the very best taste possible. His taste in virtu is better than in breeding, as he manifested a gross deficiency of that quality to us.

From thence we went across a very moderate road to Kenilworth; by the remains of the castle it appears to have far exceeded Warwick in splendour and extent.