If you're wondering: I know the English spell it "Hanover" with one n, but the town in Germany as well as the current noble family is spelled with two n over here, hence my usually spelling it with two. So, you may have gathered Hervey isn't much impressed, though he doesn't limit his not impressedness to the House of Hannover. Not knowing den einzigen König, he thinks the lot of them are rubbish:
For my own part, I have the conduct of princes in so little veneration, that I believe they act yet oftener without design than other people, and are insensibly drawn into both good and bad situations without knowing how they came there. (...) I think most of these political contenders for profit and power are, like Catiline and Caesar, actuated by the same principles of ambition and interest, and that as their success determines their characters, so accident determines their success. Had Csesar fallen in the plains of Pharsalia, like Catiline in those of Pistoia, they had both been remembered in the same manner; the different fortune of those battles is what alone constitutes the different characters of these two men, and makes the one always mentioned as the first and the other as the last of mankind.
Hervey on the coronation of G2 and Queen Caroline:
In October the ceremony of the Coronation was performed with all the pomp and magnificence that could be contrived ; the present King differing so much from the last, that all the pageantry and splendour, badges and trappings of royalty, were as pleasing to the son as they were irksome to the father. The dress of the Queen on this occasion was as fine as the accumulated riches of the City and suburbs could make it ; for besides her own jewels (which were a great number and very valuable) she had on her head and on her shoulders all the pearls she could borrow of the ladies of quality at one end of the town, and on her petticoat all the diamonds she could hire of the Jews and jewellers at the other; so that the appearance and the truth of her finery was a mixture of magnificence and meanness not unlike the eclat of royalty in many other particulars when it comes to be nicely examined and its sources traced to what money hires or flattery lends.
You may gather from this that contrary to what Halsband told me in his biography, Hervey writes critical stuff about Queen Caroline as well as about the rest of the family. This upsets Croker in the introduction, not least because Hervey also insists he loved the Queen and she loved him. Though our Victorian editor is most upset about what Hervey presumably didn't mean critically at all, to wit, Caroline a) despising her oldest son, and b) having no problem with her husband's mistresses. Speaking of whom, remember Lady Suffolk, who started out as Mrs. Howard and whom G2 took as an English mistress when he was still Prince of Wales when his Dad G1 upset people by bring a German mistress along? Whom G2 visited strictly by the hour and was more dutiful than affectionate towards as opposed to his wife? This is how Hervey introduces her:
She was civil to everybody, friendly to many, and unjust to none : in short, she had a good head and a good heart, but had to do with a man who was incapable of tasting the one or valuing the other.
Meanwhile, Queen Caroline: Her predominant passion was pride, and the darling pleasure of her soul was power; but she was forced to gratify the one and gain the other, as some people do health, by a strict and painful regime, which few besides herself could have had patience to support, or resolution to adhere to. She was at least seven or eight hours tute-a-tcte with the King every day, during which time she was generally saying what she did not think, assenting to what she did not believe, and praising what she did not approve ; for they were seldom of the same opinion, and he too fond of his own for her ever at first to dare to controvert it (" consilii quamvis egregii quod ipse non afferret, inimicus :"— " An enemy to any counsel, however excellent, which he himself had not suggested." — Tacitus) ;'' she used to give him her opinion as jugglers do a card, by changing it imperceptibly, and making him believe he held the same with that he first pitched upon. But that which made these tete-a-tetes seem heaviest was that he neither liked reading nor being read to (unless it was to sleep) : she was forced, like a spider, to spin out of her own bowels all the conversation with which the fly was taken. However, to all this she submitted for the sake of power, and for the reputation of having it ; for the vanity of being thought to possess what she desired was equal to the pleasure of the possession itself. But, either for the appearance or the reality, she knew it was absolutely necessary to have interest in her husband, as she was sensible that interest was the measure by which people would always judge of her power. Her every thought, word, and act therefore tended and was calculated to preserve her influence there ; to him she sacrificed her time, for him she mortified her inclination ; she looked, spake, and breathed but for him, like a weathercock to every capricious blast of his uncertain temper, and governed him (if such influence so gained can bear the name of government) by being as great a slave to him thus ruled, as any other wife could be to a man who ruled her. For all the tedious hours she spent then in watching him whilst he slept, or the heavier task of entertaining him whilst he was awake, her single consolation was in reflecting she had power, and that people in coffeehouses and ruelles were saying she governed this country, without knowing how dear the government of it cost her.
This was not how G2 saw it, of course: The King himself was so little sensible of this being his case, that one day enumerating the people who had governed this country in other reigns, he said Charles I. was governed by his wife ; Charles II. by his mistresses ; King James by his priests ; King William by his men—and Queen Anne by her women—favourites. His father, he added, had been by anybody that could get at him. And at the end of this compendious history of our great and wise monarchs, with a significant, satisfied, triumphant air, he turned about, smiling, to one of his auditors, and asked him—"And who do they say governs now?" Whether this is a true or a false story of the King, I know not, but it was currently reported and generally believed. The following verses will serve for a specimen of the strain in which the libels, satires, and lampoons of these days were omposed : — " You may strut, dapper George, but 't will all be in vain ; We know 'tis Queen Caroline, not you, that reign— You govern no more than Don Philip of Spain. Then if you would have us fall down and adore you, Lock up your fat spouse, as your dad did before you." '
And as for that love rat, Fritz of Wales:
The Prince's character at his first coming over, though little more respectable, seemed much more amiable than, upon his opening himself further and being better known, it turned out to be ; for though there appeared nothing in him to be admired, yet there seemed nothing in him to be hated—neither anything great nor anything vicious ; his behaviour was something that gained one's good wishes, though it gave one no esteem for him ; for his best qualities, whilst they prepossessed one the most in his favour, always gave one a degree of contempt for him at the same time ; his carriage, whilst it seemed engaging to those who did not examine it, appearing mean to those who did : for though his manners had the show of benevolence from a good deal of natural or habitual civility, yet his cajoling everybody, and almost in an equal degree, made those things which might have been thought favours, if more judiciously or sparingly bestowed, lose all their weight. He carried this affectation of general benevolence so far that he often condescended below the character of a Prince; and as people attributed this familiarity to popular, and not particular motives, so it only lessened their respect without increasing their good will, and instead of giving them good impressions of his humanity, only gave them ill ones of his sincerity. He was indeed as false as his capacity would allow him to be, and was more capable in that walk than in any other, never having the least hesitation, from principle or fear of future detection, in telling any lie that served his present purpose. He had a much weaker understanding, and, if possible, a more obstinate temper, than his father ; that is, more tenacious of opinions he had once formed, though less capable of ever forming right ones. Had he had one grain of merit at the bottom of his heart, one should have had compassion for him in the situation to which his miserable poor head soon reduced him ; for his case, in short, was this :—he had a father that abhorred him, a mother that despised him, sisters that betrayed him, a brother set up against him, and a set of servants that neglected him, and were neither of use, nor capable of being of use to him, nor desirous of being so.
There, there, Hervey. Celebrity break-ups are the worst, we know. Have a glass with Voltaire.
Heh, that sounds downright nice about Caroline, especially given the other stuff he's said about other women :PP Well, no, actually, a lot of it is nice! I feel like he's the kind of guy who can't resist getting in some digs when there's a good witticism to be had, mind you. (Wow, he really is kind of like Voltaire. Would they like each other or would this be an epic insult battle for the ages? ...what am I even saying? I know what Fritz/Voltaire was like, of course it'd be the latter! with two sets of fake memoirs)
At least from Hervey's description, Caroline sounds a lot more savvy than SD. Of course, G2 isn't exactly FW, either.
And as for that love rat, Fritz of Wales:
I must say I love the soubriquet "love rat" and will have to find more opportunities to use it :D But anyway, lol forever to that description! Is there a bit anywhere later on describing their soulful, tempestuous, star-crossed reunion? :D
(Wow, he really is kind of like Voltaire. Would they like each other or would this be an epic insult battle for the ages? ...what am I even saying? I know what Fritz/Voltaire was like, of course it'd be the latter! with two sets of fake memoirs)
Well, apparently it was like Fritz/Voltaire in some ways, not in others:
En route back from Italy, Hervey renews his friendship with Voltaire (whom he'd met earlier when Voltaire had been in England); this includes showing Voltaire his poetry and asking his opinion of it. (I sense a theme.)
Hervey's friendship for Voltaire the man did not prevent him from criticizing Voltaire the writer. When he read the tragedy Zaire (early in 1733) and sent a copy to Henry Fox , he was certain that like himself Fox would "have some Compassion for a silly Christian [heroine) as well as the greatest regard, Esteem , & Affection for a noble, good, tender & charming Mahometan' who through a tragic misunderstanding kills her. He was irritated , though, by Voltaire's dedication of the play to Edward Falkener, English merchant. In France it was regarded as scandalous because it was addressed not only to a commoner but to a foreign one at that . Hervey told Henry Fox that he thought it "bad, false, & impertinent ... by a superficial Frenchman to an Englishman , & the Dedicator pretends to be better acquainted with our Country, our Manners, our Laws, & even our Language than the Dedicatee'.
What could have aroused such a violent opinion ? In the dedicatory epistle , after praising the high rank and regard the mercantile class enjoyed in England, Voltaire continues : 'I know very well that this profession is despised by our petits-maîtres ; but you also know that our petits -maîtres and yours are the most ridiculous species that proudly crawl on the face of the earth '. This , rather than the general remarks about French and English theatre, could have been offensive to one who was certainly closer to being a petit-maître than a man of commerce.
Fritz: You've got it backwards, Hervey. Voltaire is the literal worst, the scum of humanity, but his writing! *sparkly hearts*
I also really enjoyed "love rat," that was awesome. Had never heard it, but Google tells me it's a thing.
Oh RIGHT, I can't believe I forgot that, it wasn't like it was that long ago *facepalm* Um, it's been kind of a long week? :) Because I remember it now, that was hilarious :D LOLOLOLOL Voltaire (again), always going after... everybody :D
Although I have to say that now having read more of selenak's synopses on Hervey, it's even funnier that Hervey wants to know Voltaire's opinion on his poetry :D
If you're wondering: I know the English spell it "Hanover" with one n, but the town in Germany as well as the current noble family is spelled with two n over here, hence my usually spelling it with two.
Oh, I'm used to your German spellings. So used to them that I've involuntarily started adopting some of them, like Rokoko! If I haven't started using "Hannover" too yet, I will soon enough, between you and Wilhelmine's memoirs. ;)
gain the other, as some people do health, by a strict and painful regime, which few besides herself could have had patience to support, or resolution to adhere to. She was at least seven or eight hours tute-a-tcte with the King every day, during which time she was generally saying what she did not think, assenting to what she did not believe, and praising what she did not approve ; for they were seldom of the same opinion, and he too fond of his own for her ever at first to dare to controvert it (" consilii quamvis egregii quod ipse non afferret, inimicus :"— " An enemy to any counsel, however excellent, which he himself had not suggested." — Tacitus) ;'' she used to give him her opinion as jugglers do a card, by changing it imperceptibly, and making him believe he held the same with that he first pitched upon.
Wow, this is a great description. I can see why his memoirs are considered so readable.
There, there, Hervey. Celebrity break-ups are the worst, we know. Have a glass with Voltaire.
Haha.
Thank you for the write-up! I'm a little short on time and brain for comments, but I appreciated it as always. I'm constantly amazed at the free education in this salon!
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Hervey's Memoirs: Meet the (Royal) Family
For my own part, I have the conduct of princes in so little veneration, that I believe they act yet oftener without design than other people, and are insensibly drawn into both good and bad situations without knowing how they came there. (...) I think most of these political contenders for profit and power are, like Catiline and Caesar, actuated by the same principles of ambition and interest, and that as their success determines their characters, so accident determines their success. Had Csesar fallen in the plains of Pharsalia, like Catiline in those of Pistoia, they had both been remembered in the same manner; the different fortune of those battles is what alone constitutes the different characters of these two men, and makes the one always mentioned as the first and the other as the last of mankind.
Hervey on the coronation of G2 and Queen Caroline:
In October the ceremony of the Coronation was performed with all the pomp and magnificence that could be contrived ; the present King differing so much from the last, that all the pageantry and splendour, badges and trappings of royalty, were as pleasing to the son as they were irksome to the father. The dress of the Queen on this occasion was as fine as the accumulated riches of the City and suburbs could make it ; for besides her own jewels (which were a great number and very valuable) she had on her head and on her shoulders all the pearls she could borrow of the ladies of quality at one end of the town, and on her petticoat all the diamonds she could hire of the Jews and jewellers at the other; so that the appearance and the truth of her finery was a mixture of magnificence and meanness not unlike the eclat of royalty in many other particulars when it comes to be nicely examined and its sources traced to what money hires or flattery lends.
You may gather from this that contrary to what Halsband told me in his biography, Hervey writes critical stuff about Queen Caroline as well as about the rest of the family. This upsets Croker in the introduction, not least because Hervey also insists he loved the Queen and she loved him. Though our Victorian editor is most upset about what Hervey presumably didn't mean critically at all, to wit, Caroline a) despising her oldest son, and b) having no problem with her husband's mistresses. Speaking of whom, remember Lady Suffolk, who started out as Mrs. Howard and whom G2 took as an English mistress when he was still Prince of Wales when his Dad G1 upset people by bring a German mistress along? Whom G2 visited strictly by the hour and was more dutiful than affectionate towards as opposed to his wife? This is how Hervey introduces her:
She was civil to everybody, friendly to many, and unjust to none : in short, she had a good head and a good heart, but had to do with a man who was incapable of tasting the one or valuing the other.
Meanwhile, Queen Caroline:
Her predominant passion was pride, and the darling pleasure of her soul was power; but she was forced to gratify the one and gain the other, as some people do health, by a strict and painful regime, which few besides herself could have had patience to support, or resolution to adhere to. She was at least seven or eight hours tute-a-tcte with the King every day, during which time she was generally saying what she did not think, assenting to what she did not believe, and praising what she did not approve ; for they were seldom of the same opinion, and he too fond of his own for her ever at first to dare to controvert it (" consilii quamvis egregii quod ipse non afferret, inimicus :"— " An enemy to any counsel, however excellent, which he himself had not suggested." — Tacitus) ;'' she used to give him her opinion as jugglers do a card, by changing it imperceptibly, and making him believe he held the same with that he first pitched upon. But that which made these tete-a-tetes seem heaviest was that he neither liked reading nor being read to (unless it was to sleep) : she was forced, like a spider, to spin out of her own bowels all the conversation with which the fly was taken. However, to all this she submitted for the sake of power, and for the reputation of having it ; for the vanity of being thought to possess what she desired was equal to the pleasure of the possession itself. But, either for the appearance or the reality, she knew it was absolutely necessary to have interest in her husband, as she was sensible that interest was the measure by which people would always judge of her power. Her every thought, word, and act therefore tended and was calculated to preserve her influence there ; to him she sacrificed her time, for him she mortified her inclination ; she looked, spake, and breathed but for him, like a weathercock to every capricious blast of his uncertain temper, and governed him (if such influence so gained can bear the name of government) by being as great a slave to him thus ruled, as any other wife could be to a man who ruled her. For all the tedious hours she spent then in watching him whilst he slept, or the heavier task of entertaining him whilst he was awake, her single consolation was in reflecting she had power, and that people in coffeehouses and ruelles were saying she governed this country, without knowing how dear the government of it cost her.
This was not how G2 saw it, of course:
The King himself was so little sensible of this being his case, that one day enumerating the people who had governed this country in other reigns, he said Charles I. was governed by his wife ; Charles II. by his mistresses ; King James by his priests ; King William by his men—and Queen Anne by her women—favourites. His father, he added, had been by anybody that could get at him. And at the end of this compendious history of our great and wise monarchs, with a significant, satisfied, triumphant air, he turned about, smiling, to one of his auditors, and asked him—"And who do they say governs now?"
Whether this is a true or a false story of the King, I know not, but it was currently reported and generally believed. The following verses will serve for a specimen of the strain in which the libels, satires, and lampoons of these days were omposed :
—
" You may strut, dapper George, but 't will all be in vain ;
We know 'tis Queen Caroline, not you, that reign—
You govern no more than Don Philip of Spain.
Then if you would have us fall down and adore you,
Lock up your fat spouse, as your dad did before you." '
And as for that love rat, Fritz of Wales:
The Prince's character at his first coming over, though little more respectable, seemed much more amiable than, upon his opening himself further and being better known, it turned out to be ; for though there appeared nothing in him to be admired, yet there seemed nothing in him to be hated—neither anything great nor anything vicious ; his behaviour was something that gained one's good wishes, though it gave one no esteem for him ; for his best qualities, whilst they prepossessed one the most in his favour, always gave one a degree of contempt for him at the same time ; his carriage, whilst it seemed engaging to those who did not examine it, appearing mean to those who did : for though his manners had the show of benevolence from a good deal of natural or habitual civility, yet his cajoling everybody, and almost in an equal degree, made those things which might have been thought favours, if more judiciously or sparingly bestowed, lose all their weight. He carried this affectation of general benevolence so far that he often condescended below the character of a Prince; and as people attributed this familiarity to popular, and not particular motives, so it only lessened their respect without increasing their good will, and instead of giving them good impressions of his humanity, only gave them ill ones of his sincerity. He was indeed as false as his capacity would allow him to be, and was more capable in that walk than in any other, never having the least hesitation, from principle or fear of future detection, in telling any lie that served his present purpose. He had a much weaker understanding, and, if possible, a more obstinate temper, than his father ; that is, more tenacious of opinions he had once formed, though less capable of ever forming right ones.
Had he had one grain of merit at the bottom of his heart, one should have had compassion for him in the situation to which his miserable poor head soon reduced him ; for his case, in short, was this :—he had a father that abhorred him, a mother that despised him, sisters that betrayed him, a brother set up against him, and a set of servants that neglected him, and were neither of use, nor capable of being of use to him, nor desirous of being so.
There, there, Hervey. Celebrity break-ups are the worst, we know. Have a glass with Voltaire.
Re: Hervey's Memoirs: Meet the (Royal) Family
with two sets of fake memoirs)At least from Hervey's description, Caroline sounds a lot more savvy than SD. Of course, G2 isn't exactly FW, either.
And as for that love rat, Fritz of Wales:
I must say I love the soubriquet "love rat" and will have to find more opportunities to use it :D
But anyway, lol forever to that description! Is there a bit anywhere later on describing their soulful, tempestuous, star-crossed reunion? :D
Re: Hervey's Memoirs: Meet the (Royal) Family
Well, apparently it was like Fritz/Voltaire in some ways, not in others:
En route back from Italy, Hervey renews his friendship with Voltaire (whom he'd met earlier when Voltaire had been in England); this includes showing Voltaire his poetry and asking his opinion of it. (I sense a theme.)
Hervey's friendship for Voltaire the man did not prevent him from criticizing Voltaire the writer. When he read the tragedy Zaire (early in 1733) and sent a copy to Henry Fox , he was certain that like himself Fox would "have some Compassion for a silly Christian [heroine) as well as the greatest regard, Esteem , & Affection for a noble, good, tender & charming Mahometan' who through a tragic misunderstanding kills her. He was irritated , though, by Voltaire's dedication of the play to Edward Falkener, English merchant. In France it was regarded as scandalous because it was addressed not only to a commoner but to a foreign one at that . Hervey told Henry Fox that he thought it "bad, false, & impertinent ... by a superficial Frenchman to an Englishman , & the Dedicator pretends to be better acquainted with our Country, our Manners, our Laws, & even our Language than the Dedicatee'.
What could have aroused such a violent opinion ? In the dedicatory epistle , after praising the high rank and regard the mercantile class enjoyed in England, Voltaire continues : 'I know very well that this profession is despised by our petits-maîtres ; but you also know that our petits -maîtres and yours are the most ridiculous species that proudly crawl on the face of the earth '. This , rather than the general remarks about French and English theatre, could have been offensive to one who was certainly closer to being a petit-maître than a man of commerce.
Fritz: You've got it backwards, Hervey. Voltaire is the literal worst, the scum of humanity, but his writing! *sparkly hearts*
I also really enjoyed "love rat," that was awesome. Had never heard it, but Google tells me it's a thing.
Re: Hervey's Memoirs: Meet the (Royal) Family
Although I have to say that now having read more of
Re: Hervey's Memoirs: Meet the (Royal) Family
Oh, I'm used to your German spellings. So used to them that I've involuntarily started adopting some of them, like Rokoko! If I haven't started using "Hannover" too yet, I will soon enough, between you and Wilhelmine's memoirs. ;)
gain the other, as some people do health, by a strict and painful regime, which few besides herself could have had patience to support, or resolution to adhere to. She was at least seven or eight hours tute-a-tcte with the King every day, during which time she was generally saying what she did not think, assenting to what she did not believe, and praising what she did not approve ; for they were seldom of the same opinion, and he too fond of his own for her ever at first to dare to controvert it (" consilii quamvis egregii quod ipse non afferret, inimicus :"— " An enemy to any counsel, however excellent, which he himself had not suggested." — Tacitus) ;'' she used to give him her opinion as jugglers do a card, by changing it imperceptibly, and making him believe he held the same with that he first pitched upon.
Wow, this is a great description. I can see why his memoirs are considered so readable.
There, there, Hervey. Celebrity break-ups are the worst, we know. Have a glass with Voltaire.
Haha.
Thank you for the write-up! I'm a little short on time and brain for comments, but I appreciated it as always. I'm constantly amazed at the free education in this salon!