DISGUSTING SIGHTS.

183

have adopted, or rather re-introduced within the last few years. I allude to their patronage of dwarfs, and the eagerness with which they crowded to an exhibition of this nature that has long been one of the sights of London, and indeed of the principal provincial towns. I can understand the feeling which led them to pet the juvenile hippopotamus on his first arrival in England; there was something quite novel, and there was a real interest in beholding such a spectacle as the lively young monster presented when taking his bath. But to look on an abortive effort of nature, burlesquing humanity with the regularity of an automaton--a creature whose regular height, size, and strength have been artificially contracted to those of an infant-what there is worthy of a sensible person's observation in this littleness I cannot imagine. It is natural that children should find amusement in exhibitions of Tom Thumbs and Commodore Nutts and Minnie Warrens, and the rest of the small fry, as they formerly found it in "Industrious Fleas," because it is a childish affair without anything in it that can appeal to a mature intellect; but what should take matrons and grown-up young women to throng to such a sight, I never was able to discover.

It is quite true that dwarfs have been ladies' pets from time immemorial, but not in an age of enlightenment, affording in every direction objects of profitable contemplation. The lady of the middle ages had some excuse for amusing herself with her toy

184

DISGUSTING SIGHTS.

man or her toy monkey; but the lady of the nineteenth century has nothing of this sort. Her littlemindedness is a tacit acknowledgment that she cannot appreciate what is exalted, or great, or noble in the world around her.

CHAPTER IX.

THE TRUE STORY OF L. E. L.

Attacks on me-Mr. Carter Hall-Mystification about L. E. L., and the scandals respecting her-Her position with Dr. Maginn-Her letter to a lover to whom she was engagedAccepts the Governor of Cape Coast Castle-His conductThe wedding breakfast-The voyage to Africa-Mrs. Maclean's sudden death-Excitement produced in England by erroneous statements-Dr. Madden's inquiry-Animosity of criticsCarter Hall's bombast-His accusation of her general untruthfulness-Relations of editors with female writers-Lockhart's burlesque ode on Dr. Maginn-Anonymous cowardice.

IN my former volumes, while relating my quarrel with Dr. Maginn, I was forced into mentioning the unfortunate cause of it. I did so, however, with as much reserve as was possible, suppressing her name so carefully that the general reader could not from that narrative have discovered who was therein referred to. Since their publication, some of my critics, under no necessity whatever of disturbing this wellintended reservation, have declared Miss Landon to be the person to whom I have alluded, and not contenting themselves with a denial of my statements, have abused me for having made them without their having the slightest foundation in fact.

One of these, the editor of the "Art Journal," in the April number of that periodical, 1865, has ventured

186

THE EDITOR OF THE ART JOURNAL."

far beyond the limits of criticism in his remarksbetraying his own ignorance and self-conceit in a manner that would be thought astounding in any other public writer. This is the gentleman who sometimes seeks to entertain an audience by relating what he thinks of his most celebrated contemporaries-it would entertain them still more could they hear what his distinguished contemporaries think of him-beginning with that masterly portrait of a great artist, the immortal "Mr. Pecksniff."

There was nothing new in my declaration of the relations that existed between Dr. Maginn and his hapless victim. They were a matter, to a certain extent, of public notoriety, and had been referred to again and again in biographical notices. Mr. Laman Blanchard, who was too inexperienced a biographer to be entrusted with the task he undertook, hints vaguely at the fact; Mrs. Thomson, in her "Recollections of Literary Characters," indulges in a similar mystification about L. E. L., contenting herself with the acknowledgment that "she made one false step;" Dr. Madden, in his "Literary Life and Correspondence of the Countess of Blessington," is characteristically diffuse on "the designs of malevolent people preventing her union with two persons who had made honourable proposals.

This mystification has been kept up in other publications, but that the truth was known, in literary circles at least, I have not the slightest doubt. That I have confined myself to that portion of it connected with my own history may be proved by a

letter from Lady Blessington, dated January 29th, 1839,* in which two editors, both married men, are named as her paramours by public report.

Notwithstanding the representations of more than one of her female literary friends, I am quite certain that Miss Landon placed no confidence in them. That she endeavoured to convince them of her innocence of wrong-doing, is natural enough. That she did not succeed with all who knew her, is equally true. Her warmest friend, writing of Dr. Maginn's improper intimacy with her, says, "Some of those who disbelieved the other scandal affected to give credit to this, and stung the sensitive mind of poor L. E. L. almost to madness by their hypocritical conduct!"†

It is incredible that "the calumny and hatred of the envious" should pursue an unoffending woman in this way. Such general terms ought to deceive no one-the poor creature had placed herself in the power of a hoary reprobate; and when he feared that his prey would escape him-not on account of any love for her, but for her money-he had recourse to the anonymous letters and other circulated slanders, which rendered her life a burden to her.

Then it was that she looked out for some one able and willing to protect her. I was known for some skill in manly accomplishments to more than one of her intimate friends, besides being possessed of physical strength that would render a personal contest a thing to be avoided by her persecutors, were they many or few. She saw no other way of escape * Madden's "Blessington," vol. ii. p. 295. † Ibid. p. 296.