( 569 ) 



NOTES OF THE MONTH. 



GRAND DOINGS AT WENTWORTH HOUSE. It appears that Lord 

 Fitzwilliam's eldest son, Lord Milton, is come of age ; and that a 

 splendid entertainment has been given in consequence of that extra- 

 ordinary event. 



Far be it from us to profane by the plebeian scratchings of our 

 pen the aristocratic festivities recently in progress; particularly as 

 one of the fourth estate has found a correspondent so poetical, and at 

 the same time so precise so figurative in language, and yet so evi- 

 dently in full fig so able and, withal, so willing that were we 

 rudely to attempt to snatch the glorious argument from his hands, it 

 might haply be compared to the endeavour of a satyr to prig a posy 

 from a sylph, or of a pork-butcher to take precedence of Mr. Rundell 

 in other words, it would be throwing swine before pearls. 



Let us, however, admire, although we may not and cannot imitate 

 let us play second kit, although we cannot play first fiddle. 



The correspondent thus describes the illuminated mansion : 



" Amidst the blaze of light which was poured forth from every part of 

 the noble residence, the grand fa?ade, and all its architectural auxiliaries, 

 were seen with even more effect than in the open day. The entire darkness 

 of the mass by which it was surrounded; and from out of which it seemed to 

 spring, gave it the appearance of a fairy palace suspended in mid-air." 



This is truly poetical. We have heard of " castles in the air," but 

 they are usually built by persons who have nothing to eat, except the 

 element on which they erect their habitations ; but here we have a 

 bona-Jide brick and mortar leaping mansion a palace with a pirou- 

 ette a vaulting villa. Only put bowels into the great master 

 builders, and lights into Fishmonger's Hall, and you shall see that 

 now stationary building spring over the Monument. 



But the company is arriving ; let us, therefore, get out of the way, 

 and make room for the correspondent. 



" Returning to the living throng, amidst the splendour of which all 

 other thoughts became gradually absorbed, the approach to the illumi- 

 nated mansion became more and more overpowering in its brilliance ; 

 every window in its extended front pouring forth a flood of light, and the 

 effect of this being greatly heightened by the intense darkness of all the 

 surrounding space, through which, however, could be descried from afar 

 meteors flitting along one level line in pairs, marking the onward progress 

 of interminable lines of carriages, nothing of which could be seen but the 

 lamps, as beacons harbingering their approach." 



Why, this must really have been a grand scene ! " meteors flitting 

 along in pairs" cheek-by-jowl, as it were marking the progress of 

 carriages, nothing of which could be seen but the lamps, as beacons. 



Here, we confess, we are at a non-plus ; were not these meteors 

 the lamps which were now officiating as beacons? the meteors, it 

 seems, flitted into the lamps, and the lamps erected themselves into 

 beacons ; which, unlike other beacons, were not contented to stand 



