FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   296   297   298   299   300   301   302   303   304   305   306   307   308   309   310   311   312   313   314   315   316   317   318   319   320  
321   322   323   324   325   326   327   328   329   330   331   332   333   334   335   336   337   338   339   340   341   342   343   344   345   >>   >|  
lin." "'O Patty! Soft in feature, I've been at dear Vauxhall; No paradise is sweeter, Not that they Eden call.'" whispered Dolly, paraphrasing. At that instant came hurrying Mr. Tom Tyers, who was one of the brothers, proprietors of the gardens. He was a very lively young fellow who seemed to know everybody, and he desired to know if we would walk about a little before being shown to the boxes reserved for us. "They are on the right side, Mr. Tyers?" demanded Mr. Storer. "Oh, to be sure, sir. Your man was most particular to stipulate the pink and blue flowered brocades, next the Prince of Wales's." "But you must have the band stop that piece, Mr. Tyers," cried Lady Sarah. "I declare, it is too much for my nerves. Let them play Dibbin's Ephesian Matron." "As your Ladyship wishes," responded the obliging Mr. Tyers, and sent off an uniformed warder to the band-master. As he led us into the Rotunda, my Lady Dolly, being in one of her whimsical humours, began to recite in the manner of the guide-book, to the vast diversion of our party and the honest citizens gaping at us. "This, my lords, ladies, and gentlemen," says the minx, "is that marvellous Rotunda commonly known as the 'umbrella,' where the music plays on wet nights, and where we have our masquerades and ridottos. Their Royal Highnesses are very commonly seen here on such occasions. As you see, it is decorated with mirrors and scenes and busts, and with gilded festoons. That picture was painted by the famous Hogarth. The organ in the orchestra cost--you must supply the figure, Mr. Tyers,--and the ceiling is at least two hundred feet high. Gentlemen from the colonies and the country take notice." By this time we were surrounded. Mr. Marmaduke was scandalized and crushed, but Mr. Tyers, used to the vagaries of his fashionable patrons, was wholly convulsed. "Faith, Miss Manners, and you would consent to do this two nights more, we should have to open another gate," he declared. Followed by the mob, which it seems was part of the excitement, he led us out of the building into the Grand Walk; and offered to turn on the waterfall and mill, which (so Lady Sarah explained to me) the farmers and merchants fell down and worshipped every night at nine, to the tinkling of bells. She told Mr. Tyers there was diversion enough without "tin cascades." When we got to the Grand Cross Walk he pointed out the black "Wildern
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   296   297   298   299   300   301   302   303   304   305   306   307   308   309   310   311   312   313   314   315   316   317   318   319   320  
321   322   323   324   325   326   327   328   329   330   331   332   333   334   335   336   337   338   339   340   341   342   343   344   345   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Rotunda

 

diversion

 

commonly

 

nights

 
colonies
 

country

 

Gentlemen

 
hundred
 

Highnesses

 
ridottos

masquerades

 
notice
 

scenes

 

mirrors

 
famous
 

Hogarth

 

gilded

 

painted

 

picture

 

festoons


occasions

 

figure

 

ceiling

 
supply
 

decorated

 

orchestra

 
worshipped
 

merchants

 

farmers

 

waterfall


explained

 

tinkling

 

pointed

 

Wildern

 
cascades
 

offered

 
patrons
 

fashionable

 

wholly

 
convulsed

vagaries

 

scandalized

 
Marmaduke
 

crushed

 
Manners
 

consent

 
Followed
 
building
 

excitement

 
declared