She had a house after her husband’s death, and perhaps before, at Bromley; the measured distance of which from her town residence in Great Alifte-street, Goodman’s-fields, was precisely ten miles. She had four beautiful black horses, and on entering her carriage, she never failed to take her watch in her hand, and her coachman was sure to have a sorry bout of it, if he exceeded the space of an hour either going or coming. She had also a strong predilection for the drama, had a box at each of the theatres, and generally went from one house to another. She was most particularly fond of Shakspeare, and never failed to be present when any of his plays were represented. She allowed her coachman but half an hour to drive from Goodman’s-fields to either theatre. Her remarks on the performances and performers were ingenious, lively, pertinent, and just, and very much contributed to the information and amusement of her company.
She was particularly nice in her carriage, which was always built in the highest and most expensive style of fashion, and kept with particular neatness. She had one day a rich citizen with her in one of these excursions to or from Bromley, who, from want of observation or attention, did not perceive that the glass near which he sate was drawn up, and he was so thoughtless as to spit upon it. She indulged in much laughter, and remarked, that her coachman could not possibly have had a greater compliment paid to his care of the glasses.
She had a daughter, who did not appear to be exempted, by her relationship, from the general, indeed the universal dislike, or rather contempt, which she avowed for all her sex.
They were on the very worst terms possible; and so reluctant was she, on her daughter’s marriage, to perform the stipulations required by old H.’s will, that the most harsh and rigorous proceedings were found unavoidably necessary, and she was arrested on a Saturday night on coming from the play, when she had thousands at her command, and detained, with her male friend, who always accompanied her, in a spunging-house, till the Monday morning.
In the end she served this same gentleman a most slippery trick. He was a native of Nantucket, and as Mr. H.’s commercial connections were principally in America, he was one of their most intimate and valuable correspondents. On coming to England, he took up his residence in H.’s house, and on his death, undertook the conduct of the great and extensive concern for the widow. He was her most intimate counsellor, confidant, and friend, embarked his fortunes with her’s, attended her every where, and on every occasion, and was in all respects the master of her house, and director of her family. At the conclusion of the American war, it was found expedient that some confidential person should go over to America, to see after the property still remaining in that country, and which was not much less in value than a hundred thousand pounds. Mr. R⸺ offered himself for the purpose. The lady’s attachment to him was so strong, that she determined not to part with him, and resolved to accompany him. Before they embarked, it was determined, on consultation, that they should be married, and the Archbishop’s license was accordingly obtained. From some cause or other, the solemnization was deferred, and they mutually covenanted that it should take place on their arrival in America. They accordingly set sail lovingly together. When they got to America, they were much noticed, and feasted, and were hospitably received, even by General Washington himself, and the most considerable persons of the country. Still the marriage was not solemnized. Almost the first letters which came out from England, brought the unwelcome information that the presence of Mrs. H. or her agent and representative, was indispensably necessary, to secure the property which was left behind, no less considerable than that after which they went in search. The gentleman of whom we are speaking, voluntarily undertook this mission also; and leaving his friend and mistress, with the promise, and indeed determination, to return immediately, and perform his contract, he appointed a young mercantile man to transact his business in his absence, and departed for England.
But mark the waywardness and inconstancy of some females: he had hardly set foot on British land, when a packet arrived from a correspondent in America, with the information, that the lady had found solitude in that distant part of the globe so irksome, and indeed so intolerable, that in one short week after his departure, she had united herself in indissoluble bonds with the young man whom he had left as his mercantile representative. There were no writings, settlements, or contracts, but one simple deed, stating that the longest liver should take all the property.
Before the narrative of Mrs. H. is resumed, the sequel of the fortunes of this disappointed gentleman, as far as they are known, shall be added. His grief was probably neither very acute, nor very permanent; indeed he was already beginning to feel his situation to be a sort of unmanly thaldrom: and there can be very little doubt, that if he had been either pressing or importunate, he might mutatis mutandis have been the happy bridegroom in America, rather than the forsaken lover in England. But he was a man with a great spirit of enterprize, had seen much of the world, and was anxious to see more. He had also some very lofty schemes of mercantile aggrandisement, particularly with respect to the South Sea Whale Fishery. He was an exceedingly ingenious mechanic, and had invented a machine for the more certain destruction of whales, which had the approbation of some of our most accomplished mechanics. With this view, not meeting in this country, or from our government, the encouragement he wanted, and the assistance which he asked, he removed to France.
The French Revolution had commenced, and he received from the Ruling Powers the most munificent promises, and so much immediate and effectual assistance, that by their aid and countenance he formed one establishment, upon a very large scale, at Dunkirk, and another at l’Orient. Here, for some years, he prosecuted his plans with such success, that he had the fairest prospect of acquiring the greatest opulence. Unfortunately, one of his partners at l’Orient, laboured under the suspicion of being an aristocrat, in the atrocious times of Robespierre. Suspicion was but another term with this sanguinary crew, for guilt, and the guillotine was (to use their abominable jargon) in constant requisition. This most worthy and excellent man, with little, perhaps with no form of trial, was put to death, and his friend and patron, the American, escaped with life only. All the property was seized, plundered, or confiscated, and the whole establishment fell to the ground. Whether he yet survives, or if he does, in what situation he remains, was unknown when this was written. M. R. had great talents, many amiable qualities, and, in those respects, deserved a far better fate.
Now to return to Mrs. Hayley. The hours of rapture, even with younger subjects, (votaries at the Hymeneal shrine) do not always extend beyond the honeymoon. When a female, approaching to seventy, leads to the altar a bridegroom who has not seen thirty, these hours of Elysium seldom continue quite so long. In a very short interval, a separation was mutually thought expedient. The lady, as before observed, had confided everything to the generosity of her husband, and, with such an allowance as he thought proper to make her, she took a very early opportunity of re-crossing the Atlantic; and after a short residence in London, fixed herself at Bath, where she passed
“An old age of cards.”