. This girl had insinuated herself into her
royal highness's confidence by a fund of news with which she was provided
the whole year round: the court and the city supplied her; nor was it
very material to her whether her stories were true or false, her chief
care being that they should prove agreeable to her mistress: she knew,
likewise, how to gratify her palate, and constantly provided a variety of
those dishes and liquors which she liked best. These qualifications had
rendered her necessary; but, desirous of being still more so, and having
perceived both the airs that Sidney gave himself, and what was passing in
the heart of her mistress, the cunning Hobart took the liberty of telling
her royal highness that this unfortunate youth was pining away solely on
her account; that it was a thousand pities a man of his figure should
lose the respect for her which was most certainly her due, merely because
she had reduced him to such a state that he could no longer preserve it;
that he was gradually dying away on her account, in the sight of the
whole court; that his situation would soon be generally remarked, except
she made use of the proper means to prevent it; that, in her opinion, her
royal highness ought to pity the miserable situation into which her
charms had reduced him, and to endeavour to alleviate his pain in some
way or other. The duchess asked her what she meant by "endeavouring to
alleviate his pain in some way or other." "I mean, madam," answered Miss
Hobart, "that, if either his person be disagreeable, or his passion
troublesome, you will give him his discharge; or, if you choose to retain
him in your service, as all the princesses in the world would do in your
place, you will permit me to give him directions from you for his future
conduct, mixed with a few grains of hope, to prevent his entirely losing
his senses, until you find a proper occasion yourself to acquaint him
with your wishes." "What!" said the duchess, "would you advise me,
Hobart--you, who really love me--to engage in an affair of this nature,
at the expense of my honour, and the hazard of a thousand inconveniences!
If such frailties are sometimes excusable, they certainly are not so in
the high station in which I am placed; and it would be an ill-requital on
my part for his goodness who raised me to the rank I now fill to----"
"All this is very fine," interrupted Miss Hobart: "but is it not very
well known that he only married you because he was