iews of
publishing are, I have since learned, strictly correct. There is not
a person mentioned in her Memoirs, or scarcely one of any note in the
Court-guide, of whom she has at any time had the slightest knowledge,
that have not been applied to repeatedly within the last three years,
and received threats of exposure to compel them to submit to extortion.
~52~~want your assistance.' Egad, I dare say, I looked rather comical
at this moment, for in truth I was somewhat alarmed at the last phrase.
Harriette burst into a loud fit of laughter; the Colonel drew in his
elegant wig, and deigned a smile; while I, involuntarily forcing my hand
into the pocket of my inexpressibles, carefully drove the few sovereigns
I had up into one corner, fearing the belle Harriette had a mighty
notion of laying strong siege to them: in this, however, I was agreeably
disappointed; for recovering herself, she acknowledged she had perceived
my embarrassment, but assured me I need be under no alarm on this
occasion, as, at present, she only wanted to borrow a few--ideas: what a
relief the last short word afforded! 'I have been writing some sketches
of my life,' said she, 'and am going to publish: give me your opinion,
Crony, upon its merits;' and without more ceremony, she thrust a little
packet of papers into my hand, headed 'Sketches in the Round Room at the
Opera House;' in which all the characters of the Opera frequenters were
tolerably well drawn, nor was the dialogue deficient in spirit; but the
titles were all fictitious--such as my Lord Red Head, for the Marquess
of H-----d, Lord Pensiveham, for P------m, and so on to the end of
the chapter. Having glanced through the contents, I recommended her
to Colburn, as the universal speculator in paper and print; but his
highness is playing _magnifico_, a la Murray, in his new mansion, it
would seem; for he, as I have since learned, refused to publish.
At length, after trying Allman and others, belle Harriette hit upon
Stockdale, who having made some bad hits in his time, thought a
little _courtesanish_ scandal could not make bad worse. Under his
superintendence real names were substituted for the fictitious; and it
is said, that the choice notes of the lady are interwoven and extended,
connected and illustrated, by the same elegant Apollo who used to write
love letters for Mary Ann, and ~58~~love epistles to half a thousand,
including Bang and the Bantum, in the dark refectory of the celebrated
mo