n's letters, vol. ii., p. 332. In
a letter from the same nobleman to Lord Sandwich, written about
October, 1667, we find the cause of Sir George Hamilton's entering
into the French service "Concerning the reformadoes of the guards
of horse, his majesty thought fit, the other day, to have them
dismissed, according to his promise, made to the parliament at the
last session. Mr. Hamilton had a secret overture made him, that he,
with those men, should be welcome into the French service; his
majesty, at their dismissal, having declared they should have leave
to go abroad whither they pleased." They accepted of Mr. Hamilton's
offer to carry them into France. "Arlington's Letters," vol. i., p.
185. Lodge, in his Peerage of Ireland, says, Sir George Hamilton
died in 1667, which, from the first extract above, appears to be
erroneous. He has evidently confounded the father and son; the
former of whom was the person who died in 1667.]

I know not whether poor Wetenhall took the blame upon herself; but it is
certain, she was extremely mortified upon it. Soon after being obliged
to return to her cabbages and turkeys at Peckham, she had almost gone
distracted: that residence appeared a thousand times more dreadful to
her, since she had been initiated into the amusements of London; but
as the queen was to set out within a month for Tunbridge Wells, she was
obliged to yield to necessity, and return to the philosopher, Wetenhall,
with the consolation of having engaged Miss Hamilton to come and live at
her house, which was within ten or twelve miles of Tunbridge, as long as
the court remained there.

Miss Hamilton promised not to abandon her in her retirement, and further
engaged to bring the Chevalier de Grammont along with her, whose humour
and conversation extremely delighted her. The Chevalier de Grammont,
who on all occasions started agreeable raillery, engaged on his part
to bring George Hamilton, which words overwhelmed her with blushes. The
court set out soon after to pass about two months in the place of all
Europe the most rural and simple, and yet, at the same time, the most
entertaining and agreeable. Tunbridge is the same distance from London,
that Fontainebleau is from Paris, and is, at the season, the general
rendezvous of all the gay and handsome of both sexes. The company,
though always numerous, is always select: since those who repair thither
for diversion, ever exceed the num