Secret Memoirs Of The Courts Of Europe V1 (1840)

Secret OF THE Courts of FROM THB t6TH TO THE igTH CENTURY VOLUME IX SECRET MEMOIRS Written at t e ffini of VOLUME 1 MARIB-TH R SE OF AUSTRIA, DAUGHTER OF CHARLES VI AND EMPRESS OF GERMANY f tcr a painting in the Gallery of Versailles Unknown artist of the XVIII century COURTS OF EUROPE at tijr BY HENRY SWINBURNE IN TWO VOLUMES VOL. I ILLUSTRATED GEORGE BARRIE SONS, PUBLISHERS INTRODUCTION ALTHOUGH Mr. Swinburnes career was not dis tinguished by any of those remarkable incidents, vicissitudes or adventures, which give interest to the lives of mariners, soldiers, and explorers of distant regions, it is desirable that the reader should be made acquainted with the outline of his history, as well as with the circumstances that gave rise to the corre spondence which I have undertaken to lay before the public. I shall commence, therefore, by stating that Henry Swinburne first saw the light in May, 1752, and that he was the third son of Sir John Swinburne, Bart., of Capheaton, in the county of Northumberland, and the youngest child of a numerous and very ancient Catholic family. After receiving the first elements of an excellent education under the superintendence of his parents, Mr, Swinburne was sent to complete his studies at the monastic seminary of Lacelle, in France. There he made rapid progress in ancient and modern languages, in history, philosophy and the belles HIIKT CWNEDIE-MELLON PITTSffMGH, PEfOriYAfffl 15211 X INTRODUCTION and, moreover s greatly improved Ms natural taste for painting and the fine arts. Thus he was subsequently enabled not only to enrich the literature of his coun try with two productions that rendered his name con spicuous amongst the travellers of the lastcentury but to execute an extensive series of drawings, as remarkable for their accuracy as for their beauty of design. 1 By the death of his eldest brother, Mr. Swinburne came into the possession of an annuity, as well as a small estate at Hamsterley, in the county of Durham which, added to his own patrimony, placed him in independent, though not in very wealthy, circumstances, He therefore determined to avail himself of an opportu nity which occurred at that period, for making what was called the grand tour, and proceeded to visit Turin, Genoa, Florence and other parts of Italy, After Im proving Ids classical knowledge and taste for antiquities by a careful examination of the pictures, statues and splendid relics of architecture which he encountered during his travels, and having perfected himself in drawing and in the language of the divine Alleghieri, he bade a temporary adieu to Italy, and retraced his steps, by way of Paris, towards his native land A circumstance occurred to him, however, ere h reached the end of his journey, which not only delayed i These drawings are in the possession of his daughter Mrs R. Walker, late of Mitchel Grove, Sussex. INTRODUCTION XI his progress, but Influenced the destinies of his future life for it happened, during his passage through the French capital, that he met with, and became tenderly attached to, a Miss Baker, daughter of the then Solicitor-General for the West Indies. This young lady, with whom he became acquainted at the house of Lady Webb, to whose superintendence she had been en trusted, was at that time placed for her education at the convent of Ursuline Nuns an establishment not only in great repute amongst the French nobility, butfrequented by many young English and Irish ladies of the most distinguished Catholic families. To the ad vantages of considerable personal beauty, graceful man ners, and a highly cultivated mind, Miss Baker added the attraction of a good fortune so that she no sooner made her appearance in Lady Webbs salons, than she became an object of general attention, and, indeed, received several flattering matrimonial offers. Amongst other persons of note who courted her smiles was Charles Howard, subsequently Duke of Norfolk...