Identifier: headsofpeopleorp02mead (find matches)
Title: Heads of the people, or, Portraits of the English
Year: 1864 (1860s)
Authors: Meadows, Joseph Kenny, 1790-1874
Subjects:
Publisher: London : Henry G. Bohn
Contributing Library: University of Pittsburgh Library System
Digitizing Sponsor: Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation

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blic good. She thinksthe carts and omnibuses might just as well be ordered to keep tothe back streets, that the principal thoroughfare to the west-endmight be clearer for private carriages. She contrives, when con-versing with her friends on the duties of her station, to droop, withgraceful fatigue, over the idea of keeping up a continual round ofvisits to the palace and the houses of the aristocracy ; yet this lifeshe must lead,—these calls she must make; the court expects it, sheremarks, for all the people thereabouts have taken such a liking toher; and, as for her daughters, it is no slight labour to drag thepoor things every day out of the arms of six countesses at a time. She never glances at her offspring, male or female, withoutwondering, tenderly, whether the number of them will be increasedduring the mayoralty. His lordship so fondly desires such anevent; and she owns, for herself, that the silver cradle whichmodern stinginess, called economy, could not withhold, would be a
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THE SWOED-BEAREE. Officious, and not valiant. THE SWORD-BEARER. 307 very desirable heir-loom in the family. She begins late in the yearto have her doubts; and, as she passes Bow Church, devoutlywishes that the bells would chime to the tune of the old prophecyin Dick Whittingtons time; she is willing to compound for thechance of thrice, with a second edition of the mayoralty. Asthe year rolls round, and November comes again, the hope dies ;and she comforts her heart with the reflection that ministers willhave no excuse with posterity, should his lordships title actuallycease on the 9th. A day or two before this eventful period, sheconfesses to an old friend, who lives at Hackney, that the alristo-cracy, though very kind, very polite, are apt to be troublesome,—that there are positive bores even in high life,—that Lady Fitz-blues parties were shabby, and the Countess of Mumpshires stupid,—that there is such a thing as having too many duchesses aboutone. She promises to come and ta

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