xvi The Duchess of Newcastle 



because of pimples about her mouth; naked-necked, 

 without any thing about it, and a black just-au-corps. 

 She seemed to me a very comely woman : but I hope to 

 see more of her on May-day." 



And on May-day (the same upon which he saw Nell 

 Gwynn in Drur^'- Lane) he had at least a sensation of 

 her in black-and-white: 



" Thence Sir W. Pen and I in his coach, Tibume way, 

 into the Park, where a horrid dust, and number of 

 coaches, without pleasure or order. That which we, 

 and almost all went for, was to see my Lady Newcastle; 

 which we could not, she being followed and crowded 

 upon by coaches all the way she went, that nobody 

 could come near her; only I could see she was in a 

 large black coach, adorned with silver instead of gold, 

 and so white curtains, and every thing black and white, 

 and herself in her cap." 



We see by these accounts that she was something of 

 a nine days' wonder, and a prodigy. The Court half 

 wondered, half laughed at her preciosity, her strange 

 garments and strange self -obsession. 



Mistress Evelyn gives us an indoor portrait, sketched 

 in a letter about the same time, which more than confirms 

 the notion of her that then passed current as an "original " 

 and a chimera. 



" I was surprised to find so much extravagancy and 

 vanity in any person not confined within four walls. Her 

 habit particular, fantastical, not unbecoming a good 

 shape, which she may truly boast of. Her face dis- 

 covers the facility of the sex, in being yet persuaded 

 it deserves the esteem years forbid, by the infinite care 

 she takes to place her curls and patches. Her mien 

 surpasses the imagination of poets, or the descriptions 

 of a romance heroine's greatness; her gracious bows, 

 seasonable nods, courteous stretching out of her hands, 

 twinkling of her eyes, and various gestures of approba- 

 tion, show what may be expected from her discourse, 

 which is as airy, empty, whimsical, and rambling as her 

 books, aiming at science, difficulties, high notions, ter- 

 minating commonly in nonsense, oaths and obscenity." 



