“. . . Old Salisbury* arrived yesterday . . . in her accustomed manner, in a phaeton drawn by four long-tail black Flanders mares—she driving the wheel horses, and a postilion on the leaders, with two outriders on corresponding long-tail blacks. Her man and maid were in her chaise behind; her groom and saddle horses arrived some time after her. It is impossible to do justice to the antiquity of her face. If, as alleged, she is only 74 years old, it is the most cracked, or rather furrowed piece of mosaic you ever saw; but her dress, in the colours of it at least, is absolutely infantine. . . . Sefton says she is very clever, and he ought to know. I wish you just saw her as I do now. She thinks she is alone, and I am
* The Dowager Marchioness, who was burnt to death with the west wing of Hatfield House in 1835. |
| 1827-28.] | THE CLARE ELECTION. | 167 |
