This illustration first appeared in the July, 1782 issue
of Town and Country Magazine, or, The Universal Repository of
Knowledge, Instruction, and Entertainment, facing page 345.
Mixed in with various news stories, fashion articles, and even a few brain teasers, Town and Country published one or two articles per issue which were drawn from the current gossip columns, with personalities so thinly disguised that no contemporary reader could have had any difficulty deciphering them. I've yet to find any second source to support this bit of fluff, or tell how the story ended -- aside from the obvious fact that the affair must have been brief. Within a couple of months of the publication of this article, Ban was thoroughly involved with Mary Robinson.
[p345] The hero of these memoirs is the son of a merchant who resided at Liverpool, where he acquired a genteel fortune, which at his death was divided between the Intrepid Partisan and his sister.
He received his education at Oxford, and having finished his collegiate career, he entered a student at law in the Temple; but instead of paying due attention to Coke or Littleton, whose leaves he left unsullied, he engaged in all the gaieties of a man of pleasure. He was distinguished for a beau garçon by the ladies of the ton, and is said to have been partially distinguished and favoured by some of the first rate demi-reps.
A continued circle of dissipation, in which gaming claimed a capital share of his time, particularly the Tennis Court, soon involved him in difficulties, and he judged it expedient to go aboard to avoid disagreeable consequences.
He had from his youth entertained a great propensity for a military life; had, whilst in school, learnt his exercise, and afterwards made tactics his principal study. The unfortunate misunderstanding between England America, pointed out to him the field of action, where he might at once avoid the persecution of creditors, and display his military talents. A friend and school fellow then filled an employment of some consequence under government: he procured our hero a commission, and afforded him such assistance as was required for joining his corps the other side of the Atlantic.
He was soon distinguished for his gallantry and enterprize, and was promoted by Lord C---w----s, who in the year 1780, send our hero upon several important services. The Intrepid Partisan had now attained the rank of lt. colonel, and was appointed to the command of the cavalry and a new corps of light infantry. With these he gained several victories over the American army, owing to his bravery, the celerity of his motions; and the secrecy of his operations. The success of his arms was so rapid, that lord C---w----s held him in the highest estimation, and on every occasion greatly extolled him.
Fortune does not always smile upon the brave; she thought she had sufficiently favoured him, and now chose to check his ambition, though she could not tarnish his laurels. After a variety of success, he was at length slightly sounded in an action with general G----e, upon which occasion he again received the approbation of the commander in chief.
His martial career was for the present now nearly run. Being in the army of lord C---w-----s at the time they surrendered at York Town, he was taken prisoner, and soon after arrived, upon his parole, in England. Since has returned home, he has met with a very gracious reception, due to his uncommon bravery, and military merit; and there is no reason to doubt, if the war should continue, as soon as he shall be exchanged, he will be appointed to a command, which will afford him farther opportunities of displaying his courage and abilities.
Our hero's reputation being so completely established, he no sooner appeared in public, then he was peculiarly distinguished, and caressed, by the gentlemen of the army, who considered it an honour to their profession to have so brilliant a character amongst them. Nor did he receive less attention from all ranks of the nobility, whose invitations were so numerous, that he was frequently embarrassed which to accept of, in preference to others. Amongst the persons of elevated rank who so eminently distinguished him, should not be omitted a certain heir apparent, who was solicitous of his company upon almost every occasion, and took particular satisfaction in hearing the colonel's details [p346] of his operations and exploits when in America, the minutiae of which could be communicated only verbally.
Let us not suppose that the fair sex suffered him to remain unnoticed by them. If they had before his commencing warrior, entertained a strong partiality for him, only as a man of politeness and a beau garçon, the distinguished character he had obtained as a soldier, now called forth their admiration for the hero, as well as their applause for the gentleman. In a word, the ladies seemed emulous to outvie each other in testifying their attention for the colonel; and we may reasonably suppose that he failed not profiting of these testimonials of their tendres, and improve them into opportunities, to make him as happy as they might have made him vain. We shall, however, suppress some female names which have reached us upon these occasions, as their rank in life, and their connubial connexions, should preclude them from suspicion.
Be this as it may, he certainly did not confine his amours to those private intrigues which honour stamps with secrecy; for we find him roaming at large with Perdita, the Bird of Paradise, and the Arm---d. He was in company with the last of these ladies, when an accident happened in Hyde Park, and her carriage broke down. Upon this occasion his gallantry inspired her with such spirits, that she soon forgot the danger she had been in, and laughed at the incident that had at first greatly alarmed her.
The colonel, notwithstanding he passed as gay and agreeable a life, as any man in England, and his finances being amply recruited, he had no disagreeable perspective of going abroad, on account of any embarrassment, or derangement in his affairs; he nevertheless eagerly wished for an opportunity of again signalizing himself in the field. He accordingly frequently waited upon the Secretary of War, to intreat him to include our hero in the first list of prisoners exchanged with America, that he might not be an idle saunterer here, whilst his country so loudly called for the services of those who were capable of vindicating her cause. The Secretary gave him the most positive assurances, that he should be exchanged for the first American officer of equal rank to himself, who should be taken prisoner by the British troops. These promises afforded him the greatest consolation, and he had resolved to give his friends a parting dinner, when an event that lately happened, as so far diverted his thoughts from another speedy campaign, that they were entirely occupied in contemplating the image and accomplishments of the amiable Miss W-bb.
This young lady is the daughter of a solicitor of eminence, who had a very extensive practice, and lived in a splendid and elegant manner, keeping a genteel equipage, a town and country house, and several servants. He failed not to give Emily, his only daughter, a very polite education. She learnt French, Italian, dancing and music, and was considered as a proficient by all her masters, who greatly plumed themselves upon having a pupil who did them so much honour.
As Emily advanced towards maturity, she had many suitors; some of rank and family, and indeed she might have been an ornament to a coronet. It was generally believed from the stile of her father's living that he was capable of giving her a good fortune; and though she had charms and attractions sufficient to supply the place of all pecuniary considerations, they failed not to have their weight.
Sir Robert B---, who was just come of age, paid his addresses to her in form. He being an agreeable, sensible young gentleman, she gave him sufficient encouragement to induce him to apply to her father. Mr. W--bb was a chearful man, and loved a generous glass of wine. The baronet being announced, he was introduced to him at his villa, whilst the lawyer was smoking his pipe after dinner. Sir Robert was going to make his [p347] overtures, when Mr. W--bb interrupted him, by saying, "he never entered upon business with strangers during the first bottle." If he was indebted to the baronet for his visit, on a subject he surmised, he should like to be a little better acquainted with him before the matter was brought upon the carpet, and immediately ordered two bottles of claret, saying, that by the time that [befell?] them, and those were emptied, he should be enabled to from some opinion of his visitor, from his conversation and sentiments.
This was a severe talk for the baronet, who had an aversion to drinking; but he judged it prudent upon this occasion to yield to the old gentleman.
Politics, philosophy, the manners of the world, the dissipation of the times, and a variety of other topics occurred, in which the baronet coincided entirely with the lawyer. By this time the three bottles were emptied, when "Now, Sir, said Mr. W-bb, we will have a peremptory bottle, and come to business." No sooner was the wine decanted, and the servant retired, than Sir Robert opened his matrimonial budget. He told Emily's father, that he had some reason to believe he was not disagreeable to his daughter, and that he had waited upon him to obtain his consent to offer the young lady his hand.
"Sir, said Mr. W-bb, upon such occasions I think it very improper for parents to interfere; if you like Emily, and she likes you, and you think you can be happy together, I have no sort of objection to your marriage."
The baronet thanked him very politely for his acquiescence, and after a pause and a glass, renewed the discourse. "Then, Sir, there is nothing left to settle but what fortune you propose giving your daughter, that I may proportion her settlement accordingly."
"As to fortune, replied Mr. W-bb, I will be very explicit, I shall not part with a farthing till my death, and then I shall bequeath her all that I am possessed of. I have already made my will, and I am pretty certain, she will never give me any reason to cancel it."
"Is that your positive determination?" said Sir Robert. "It is indeed," replied W-bb. Upon which the baronet took his leave, turned upon his heel, and never again passed the threshold.
This was a severe stroke upon poor Emily, though it was what she dreaded, as she knew pretty well the situation of her father's affairs.
Soon after a young clergyman, nearly related to a nobleman, and who was in possession of a comfortable living, and was not without hopes of one day wearing lawn sleeves, paid his addresses to our heroine, and was so successful as to gain a tacit promise of her hand; but, alas! the same stumbling block produced the like effect. Another admirer, succeeded another lover; but they were all so mercenary, that finding the lovely girl had nothing but her mental and personal accomplishments to recommend her, they each by turns abandoned the professed idol of their hearts.
Soon after she had met with repeated mortifications upon this score, her father paid the great debt of nature, when it as found he was insolvent. Luckily for Emily an aunt had died a short time before, who, judging of her brother's distress by his extravagant manner of living, bequeathed her niece a legacy of fifty pounds a year; by which she was enabled to exist -- but in a manner so different from what she had been accustomed to, that one day seeing an advertisement in a news-paper, that a lady of fortune wanted an agreeable companion, she accepted of the proposal, and was in this situation when our hero first met with her at one of the watering places.
Having passed an evening in Emily's company, he as so deeply smitten with her charms, that he dreamt of her all night, had nothing but her image before him all day; in [p348] a word, he was fascinated, and resolved to obtain the dear charmer, if possible.
On the other hand, Emily felt a reciprocal conflict in her bosom; she knew not whether to listen to his addresses or shun him, for she was convinced, from the language of his eyes, that he would soon explain his sentiments.
After throwing himself at her feet, and making a most fervent declaration of his passion, he obtained such a confession from the lovely, the amiable girl, as convinced him, she was no longer mistress of her heart.
After a week's regular siege, she capitulated, and they decamped à la [?], to the capital. What circumstances have since occurred, we will leave the reader to conjecture, and shall only add, that they sleep under the same roof, and that the colonel has not been once at the war office for some time to hasten his exchange, gain an appointment, or given any fresh orders for his parting dinner.
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