As husbands ought to be that love their ladies!
Louis Gauffier, pinx.
Emery Walker Ph.sc.
Henrietta, third Countess of Bessborough
CHIRAC
Dumont mentioned a curious anecdote of Chirac, the celebrated physician of Louis XIV.,[119] told to him by Condorcet. At 84 years old he fell into a violent illness, which was his last. He lay for two days in a state of insensibility; he suddenly jumped up and sat upright in his bed, felt the pulse of his left hand with his right, shook his head, and in a loud voice cried, ‘On m’a appelé trop tard, le malade est mourant,’ He immediately fell back, verified his own prediction, and expired. He was the man roused in the night to attend a dying Cardinal, a person of very profligate life and infamous character. To hasten the physician, the messenger said, ‘Venez donc, il souffre comme un damné.’ ‘Comment déjà?’—a bitter sarcasm in one word. He was present at a dispute upon the Resurrection of Christ; some thought it was impossible that he should have arisen after death. Chirac only said, ‘Si il était mort de ma façon,’ implying without levity, his own incredulity.
We have had a consultation with three lawyers, Piggott, Erskine, and Richards, upon the propriety of taking out a licence, or getting an Act of Parliament for my name, as it is particularly enjoined by my grandfather’s will that the person to whom the estate goes by descent should bear his name. There is some nicety in ye question, because, tho’ I am only just come into the profits of it, yet I was virtually possessed of it when that unhappy man compelled me to renounce it to him, and it may lead to an examination as to our signatures. This would be troublesome, as out of accommodation to him I signed two bonds without the name of Vassall. Ld. H. has only a marital dominion over it, and cannot be subject to forfeiture. Richards and Erskine think the title of honour supersedes all, and that no mischief has been yet incurred. It is not yet decided. Ld. H. went yesterday to Plummer’s. I wrote to Ld. Ossory, and begged him to accompany him—a proposal certain of pleasing, not only as it showed confidence and attention, but that it gratified his curiosity.
It appears that the average of the net produce, deducting outfit, annuities, mortgage, jointure, insurance, and, in short, every expenditure, is within a hundred or two of six thousand pr. anm., an ample acquisition, but as yet must not be anticipated or enjoyed. Sir G. W. has left property, however, to answer all debts. Webby must have 1000l. pr. ann. certain; that accumulating for ten years and half will be something. Henry and Harriet five thousand each.
Canning is immediately to be married to Miss Scott;[120] she has an immense fortune. He has just been made a Privy Councillor and Joint Paymaster; if ever a man was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, surely it was him.