ote's farce of the Cozeners. Lady ----. A certain
Mrs. Phipps audaciously set up in a fashionable quarter of the town as a
person through whose influence, properly propitiated, favours and
situations of importance might certainly be obtained--always for a
consideration. She cheated many people, and maintained the trick for
many months. One trick was to get the equipage of Lord North, and other
persons of importance, to halt before her door as if the owners were
within. With respect to most of them, this was effected by bribing the
drivers. But a gentleman, who watched her closely, observed that Charles
J. Fox actually left his carriage and went into the house, and this
more than once. He was then, it must be noticed, in the Ministry. When
Mrs. Phipps was blown up, this circumstance was recollected as deserving
explanation, which Fox readily gave at Brooks's and elsewhere. It seems
Mrs. Phipps had the art to persuade him that she had the disposal of
what was then called a hyaena--that is, an heiress--an immense Jamaica
heiress, in whom she was willing to give or sell her interest to Charles
Fox. Without having perfect confidence in the obliging proposal, the
great statesman thought the thing worth looking after, and became so
earnest in it, that Mrs. Phipps was desirous to back out of it for fear
of discovery. With this view she made confession one fine morning, with
many professions of the deepest feelings, that the hyaena had proved a
frail monster, and given birth to a girl or boy--no matter which. Even
this did not make Charles quit chase of the hyaena. He intimated that if
the cash was plenty and certain, the circumstance might be overlooked.
Mrs. Phipps had nothing for it but to double the disgusting dose. "The
poor child," she said, "was unfortunately of a mixed colour, somewhat
tinged with the blood of Africa; no doubt Mr. Fox was himself very dark,
and the circumstance might not draw attention," etc. etc. This singular
anecdote was touched upon by Foote, and is the cause of introducing the
negress into the _Cozeners_,[192] though no express allusion to Charles
Fox was admitted. Lady ------ tells me that, in her youth, the laugh was
universal so soon as the black woman appeared. It is one of the numerous
hits that will be lost to posterity. Jack Fuller, celebrated for his
attempt on the Speaker's wig, told me he was editing Foote, but I think
he has hardly taste enough. He told me Colman was to be his
assistant.[19