The Creevey Papers
Thomas Creevey to Elizabeth Ord, 6 June 1825
“6th.
“. . . Another charming day we had [at Ascot].
Prinney came as before, bowling along
the course in his carriage and four. In passing the young Duchess of Richmond’s open landau he played
off his nods and winks and kissing his hand, just as he did to all of you 20
years ago on the Brighton racecourse. . . . Lords Cowper and Jersey joined
our sandwich party. . . . As Cowper was an inmate of the
Court, I inquired as to their goings on, and how the King
lived.—‘Why,’ said he, ‘yesterday I think
we sat down about 24 or 25 to dinner at ½ past 7, and the King ate very
heartily of ![]()
| 1825-26.] | CREEVEY’S SEAT IN JEOPARDY. | 89 |
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turtle, accompanying it with punch, sherry and champaign. The dinner always
lasts a very long time, and yesterday we sat very late after it. The King
was in deep conversation with Lauderdale, and I think must have drunk a couple of bottles
of claret before we rose from table.’ . . . He had prepared for
the week by having 12 oz. of blood taken from him by cupping on the Monday.
Nevertheless, we all think he will beat brother
York still. It was not amiss to hear bold
York congratulating Sefton and the Countess
upon their victory over the railway. . . .
“Our dinner at Bruffam’s yesterday was damnable in cookery, comfort, and
everything else, tho’ the dear Countess of
Darlington was there, better dressed and looking better than any
countess in London. Mrs. Brougham sat like
an overgrown doll at the top of the table in a bandeau of roses, her face in a
perpetual simper without utterance. Bruffam, at the other
end, was jawing about nothing from beginning to end, without attending to any
one, and only caring about hearing himself talk. The company were the
Darlingtons and Ly. Arabella, the
Taylors, Dr. and Mrs. Lushington,
Lord Nugent, Anacreon Moore, a son of Rosslyn’s, a brother of
Brougham’s, and myself.”
Henry Peter Brougham, first baron Brougham and Vaux (1778-1868)
Educated at Edinburgh University, he was a founder of the
Edinburgh
Review in which he chastised Byron's
Hours of Idleness; he
defended Queen Caroline in her trial for adultery (1820), established the London University
(1828), and was appointed lord chancellor (1830).
Lady Mary Anne Brougham [née Eden] (1785-1865)
The daughter of Thomas Eden; she married (1) the Scottish MP John Spalding (d. 1815) in
1807 and (2) Henry Brougham, first Baron Brougham and Vaux in 1819.
Frederick Augustus, Duke of York (1763-1827)
He was commander-in-chief of the Army, 1798-1809, until his removal on account of the
scandal involving his mistress Mary Anne Clarke.
George Nugent Grenville, second baron Nugent (1788-1850)
Son of George Nugent Grenville, first marquess of Buckingham; he was MP, lord of the
Treasury, and author of
Portugal, a Poem, in Two Parts (1812) and
Some Memorials of John Hampden, his Party and his Times (1831).
He was remarkable for his corpulence.
Stephen Lushington (1782-1873)
Barrister, judge, and Whig MP; educated at Eton and at Christ Church, Oxford, he advised
Lady Byron on a separation from Lord Byron in 1816.
James Maitland, eighth earl of Lauderdale (1759-1839)
Scottish peer allied with Charles James Fox; he was author of
An
Inquiry into the Nature and Origin of Public Wealth, and into the Means and causes of
its Increase (1804) and other works on political economy.
Thomas Moore (1779-1852)
Irish poet and biographer, author of the
Irish Melodies (1807-34),
The Fudge Family in Paris (1818), and
Lalla
Rookh (1817); he was Byron's close friend and designated biographer.
Barbara Palmer, duchess of Cleveland [née Villiers] (1640-1709)
The daughter of William Villiers, second viscount Grandison (1614-1643) and mistress of
Charles II, who granted her the title in 1670. Her sexual adventures were detailed in
Delarivier Manley's
The New Atalantis (1709).
Michael Angelo Taylor (1757 c.-1834)
Educated at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, he was MP (1784-34) for a variety of
constituencies; originally a Tory he gravitated to the Whigs over the course of his long
career.
