esterfield could not see the Duke of York, except
in public assemblies, she was under the necessity of making the most
extravagant advances, in order to seduce him from his former connection;
and as he was the most unguarded ogler of his time, the whole court was
informed of the intrigue before it was well begun.

Those who appeared the most attentive to their conduct were not the least
interested in it. Hamilton and Lord Chesterfield watched them narrowly;
but Lady Denham, vexed that Lady Chesterfield should have stepped in
before her, took the liberty of railing against her rival with the
greatest bitterness. Hamilton had hitherto flattered himself that vanity
alone had engaged Lady Chesterfield in this adventure; but he was soon
undeceived, whatever her indifference might have been when she first
commenced this intrigue. We often proceed farther than we at first
intended, when we indulge ourselves in trifling liberties which we think
of no consequence; for though perhaps the heart takes no part at the
beginning, it seldom fails to be engaged in the end.

The court, as we have mentioned before, was an entire scene of gallantry
and amusements, with all the politeness and magnificence which the
inclinations of a prince naturally addicted to tenderness and pleasure,
could suggest: the beauties were desirous of charming, and the men
endeavoured to please: all studied to set themselves off to the best
advantage: some distinguished themselves by dancing; others by show and
magnificence; some by their wit, many by their amours, but few by their
constancy. There was a certain Italian at court, famous for the guitar:
he had a genius for music, and he was the only man who could make
anything of the guitar: his style of play was so full of grace and
tenderness, that he would have given harmony to the most discordant
instruments. The truth is, nothing was so difficult as to play like
this foreigner. The king's relish for his compositions had brought the
instrument so much into vogue, that every person played upon it, well or
ill; and you were as sure to see a guitar on a lady's toilet as rouge or
patches. The Duke of York played upon it tolerably well, and the Earl of
Arran like Francisco himself. This Francisco had composed a saraband,
which either charmed or infatuated every person; for the whole guitarery
at court were trying at it; and God knows what an universal strumming
there was. The Duke of York, pretending not to be per