170 Life of the Duchess of Newcastle 



to Hyde Park with my sisters, to take the air \ else I never 

 stirred out of my lodgings, unless to see my brothers and 

 sisters, nor seldom did I dress myself, as taking no delight 

 to adorn myself, since he I only desired to please was absent, 

 although report did dress me in a hundred several fashions. 

 'Tis true when I did dress myself I did endeavour to do it in 

 my best becoming, both in respect to myself and those I went 

 to visit, or chanced to meet. But after I had been in England 

 a year and a half, part of which time I writ a book of poems 2 , 

 and a little book called my Philosophical Fancies 3 , to which 

 I have writ a large addition, since I returned out of England, 

 besides this book and one other. As for my book entitled 

 The World's Olio, I writ most part of it before I went into 

 England, but being not of a merry, although not of a froward 

 or peevish disposition, became very melancholy, by reason I 

 was from my Lord, which made my mind so restless, as it did 

 break my sleep, and distemper my health, with which growing 

 impatient of a longer delay, I resolved to return, although 

 I was grieved to leave Sir Charles, my Lord's brother, he being 

 sick of an ague, of which sickness he died. For though his ague 



1 In Evelyn's Character of England, 1651, Hyde Park is thus described : 



' I did frequently in the spring accompany my Lord N. into a field near the town, 

 which they call Hyde Park ; the place not unpleasant, and which they use, as our Course ; 

 but with nothing that order, equipage, and splendour, being such an assembly of wretched 

 jades and hackney-coaches, as next a regiment of car-men there is nothing approaches 

 the resemblance. This Park was (it seems) used by the late King and Nobility for the 

 freshness of the air, and the goodly prospect : but it is that which now (besides all other 

 excises) they pay for here in England, though it be free in all the world beside ; every 

 coach and horse which enters buying his mouthful, and permission of the publican who 

 has purchased it, for which the entrance is guarded with porters and long staves.' 



2 The book called Poems and Fancies was published in 1653, dedicated to Sir Charles 

 Cavendish, The World's Olio, in 1655. 



3 Philosophical Fancies, published in 1653, was afterwards expanded into Philosophi- 

 cal Opinions, which passed through two editions, 1655 and 1663. In one of the Epistles 

 to the Reader in the edition of 1663, the Duchess writes : ' The ground of these my 

 philosophical and physical opinions was printed in the year 1653, to which in the year 

 1655 I made an addition, but after I returned with my noble Lord into England, I have 

 since recovered my former work, and finding it not so perfect, as I wish it had been, I 

 have employed part of my idle time to make it more intelligible for my readers.' 



At the end of the same book she informs her readers, that it is her favourite work 

 (P- 457) : 



Of all my works this work which I have writ, 

 My best beloved and greatest favourite, 

 I look upon it with a pleasing eye. 

 I pleasure take in its sweet company. 

 I entertain it with a grave respect, 

 And with my pen am ready to protect 

 The life and safety of it 'gainst all those 

 That will oppose it, or profess it foes : 

 But I am sure there's none condemn it can, 

 Unless some foolish and unlearned man, 

 That hath no understanding, judgment, wit, 

 For to perceive the reason that's in it. 



