“to her who was once miss biddy bellair.
“greeting.
“no boisterous hackney coachman clown,
no frisky fair nymph of the town
e’er wore so insolent a brow
as captain flash, since hymen’s vow
to him in silken bonds has tied
so sweet, so fair, so kind a bride.
well! curse me, now, if i can bear it!—
though to his face i’d not declare it—
to think that you should take a dance
with such a roister into france;
and leave poor will in torturing anguish
to sigh and pine, to grieve and languish.
’twas—let me tell you, ma’am—quite cruel!
though jack and i shall fight a duel
if ever he to england come
and does not skulk behind a drum.
but—apropos to coming over,
i hope you soon will land at dover
that i may fly, more swift than hawk,
with you to have some serus talk.
[pg 114]
the while, how great will be my bliss
should you but deign to let me kiss—
o may these ardent vows prevail!—
your little finger’s vermeil nail!
who am,
till direful death to dust shall crumble,
my dearest cretur! yours,
most humble,
“will fribble.”
mrs. greville, too, had commenced being an author; but without either the throes of pain or the joys of hope. it was, in fact, a burst of genius emanating from a burst of sorrow, which found an alleviating vent in a supplication to indifference.
this celebrated ode was no sooner seen than it was hailed with a blaze of admiration, that passed first from friend to friend; next from newspapers to magazines; and next to every collection of fugitive pieces of poetry in the english language.[16]
[pg 115]
the constant friendship that subsisted between this lady and mr. burney bad been cemented after his marriage, by the grateful pleasure with which he saw his chosen partner almost instantly included in it by a triple bond. the quick-sighted, and quick-feeling author of that sensitive ode, needed nor time nor circumstance for animating her perception of such merit as deserved a place in her heart; which had not, at that early period, become a suppliant for the stoical composure with which her wounded sensibility sought afterwards to close its passage.
she had first seen the fair esther in the dawning bloom of youthful wedded love, while new-born happiness enlivened her courage, embellished her beauty, and enabled her to do honour to the choice of her happy husband; who stood so high in the favour of mrs. greville, that the sole aim of that lady, in the opening of the acquaintance, had been his gratification; aided, perhaps, by a natural curiosity,
[pg 116]
which attaches itself to the sight of any object who has inspired an extraordinary passion.
far easier to conceive than to delineate was the rapture of the young bridegroom when, upon a meeting that, unavoidably, must have been somewhat tremendous, he saw the exertions of his lovely bride to substitute serenity for bashfulness; and read, in the piercing eyes of mrs. greville, the fullest approbation of such native self-possession.
from that time all inferiority of worldly situation was counteracted by intellectual equality.[17]
but the intercourse had for several years been interrupted from the grevilles living abroad. it was renewed, however, upon their return to england; and the burneys, with their eldest daughter,[18] visited wilbury house upon every vacation that allowed time to mr. burney for the excursion. and every fresh meeting increased the zest for another. they fell into the same train of observation upon characters, things, and books; and enjoyed, with the same gaiety of remark, all humorous incidents,
[pg 117]
and all traits of characteristic eccentricity. mrs. greville began a correspondence with mrs. burney the most open and pleasantly communicative. but no letters of mrs. burney remain; and two only of mrs. greville have been preserved. these two, however, demonstrate all that has been said of the terms and the trust of their sociality.[19]
