he
elder silk-stocking grafter of Chelsea, while yet the fair offspring of
her house were lisping infants, innocent and beautiful as playful lambs.
Debouchette himself was a right jolly fellow, careless of domestic
~40~~happiness, and very fond of his bottle; and indeed that was
excusable, as during a long period of his life he was concerned in the
wine trade. To the conduct and instructions of the mother the daughters
are indebted for their present share of notoriety, with all the
attendant infamy that attaches itself to Harriette and her sisters:--and
this perhaps is the reason why Mrs. Rochford, alias Harriette Wilson, so
liberally eulogises, in her Memoirs, a parent whose purity of principle
is so much in accordance with the exquisite delicacy of her accomplished
daughter. As the girls grew up, they were employed, Amy and Harriette,
at their mother's occupation, the grafting of silk stockings, while the
junior branches of the family were operative clear starchers, as the
old board over the parlour window used to signify, which Brummel would
facetiously translate into getters up of fine linen, when Petersham
did him the honour of driving him past the door, that he might give
his opinion upon the rising merits of the family, who, like fragrant
exotics, were always placed at the window by their judicious parent, to
excite the attention of the curious. But, allons" said Crony, "we shall
be late at the carnival, and I would not miss the treat of such an
assemblage for the honour of knighthood."

A very few minutes brought Transit, Eglantine, Crony, and myself, within
the vortex of this most seductive scene. Waltzing was the order of the
night--

"Endearing waltz! to thy more melting tune
Bow Irish jig and ancient rigadoon;
Scotch reels avaunt! and country dance forego
Your future claims to each fantastic toe.
Waltz--Waltz alone both legs and arms demands,
Liberal of feet and lavish of her hands.
Hands, which may freely range in public sight,
Where ne'er before--but--pray 'put out the light.'"

A coruscation of bright eyes and beauteous forms shed a halo of delight
around, that must have warmed the cyprian's ball ~41~~the heart and
animated the pulse of the coldest stoic in Christendom. The specious M.
C, General O'M***a, introduced us in his best style, quickly bowing each
of us into the graces of some fascinating fair, than whom