CHAPTER IX,

Brighton-Present from the Duke of Clarence of a haunch of venison-An illiberal landlord-Lord Erskine's pike and Mrs. Coutts's pun-A visit from the sisters of Mr. Entwisle-Sir Henry Tempest and the spare bed—King of Sicily-Fuseli and Dr. Ruddiman-A moving story.

WHEN Mr. and Mrs. Coutts were at Brighton in 1817, staying at an hotel on the New Steyne, they gave large dinner parties every day, and a paltry advantage which was taken of their liberality made them leave the house and never re-enter it, so that the imposition was as unprofitable as it was illiberal.

The Duke of Clarence had sent an immense haunch of venison to Mrs. Coutts, which strangers went to view in the hotel larder, and she gave a dinner-party, for which it was dressed. As the hotel was full of distinguished guests, and the venison scarcely touched at her table,

Mrs. Coutts gave the landlord permission to serve it next day to other parties, for which she received the thanks of several strangers, and the landlord's most grateful speeches. On the third day, at luncheon, Mr. Coutts rejected his usual spare diet, fancied he could eat a little hashed venison, and Mrs. Coutts anxiously ordered it, if possible, to be procured, which they managed, and the poor old gentleman merely tasted it. In settling their heavy daily account that evening, there was some exorbitant charge made for "a dish of hashed venison."

Liberal even to profusion as Mr. Coutts was in some matters, still the man of business would not submit to imposition of this glaring nature: he resolved to leave the hotel instantly, which was accordingly done, and they removed to the corner of the Old Steyne, remaining there two or three months, never again bestowing their patronage on the other landlord, who had overreached himself instead of his guests.

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Lord Erskine soon afterwards came Brighton, and told Mrs. Coutts, if she would

give him a dinner he would provide the fish from his own ponds. She agreed; and his present proved to be an overgrown pike, weighing between twenty and thirty pounds, and so hideous in its appearance that no guest touched it, the mere sight of it being perfectly disagreeable to many.

It had been dressed with unusual care, and Mrs. Coutts not wishing to pay Lord Erskine the bad compliment of sending away his fish as being uneatable, said, "I let you all look at it, but I intend it as a feast for the poor bath. ing-women and their husbands, who are to dine below stairs, and then I shall send them to the play."

Twenty or thirty of these poor people, in their ordinary dress, were hastily summoned, and a repast made for them, graced by the gigantic pike, which they actually devoured.

It being a benefit night, Mr. and Mrs. Coutts and their party went to the theatre, and, in a short time, they observed the entrance of a very merry party into the pit, who kept bowing and curtseying respectfully towards their box.

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Oh, I see who they are, Mrs. Coutts," said Lord Erskine; "they are your ragged staff." "Indeed they are not," she answered; they are my pike-staff."

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In 1818, when part of Mr. Coutts's family— Lady Guildford and her daughters—were staying with him at Holly Lodge, Mrs. Coutts received a letter from the sisters of Mr. Entwistle stating that they were coming to London, and wished to see her. With her indulgent husband's permission, she sent them an invitation to exchange their London visit for one to Holly Lodge; and, accordingly, there came two portly, elderly women, the Misses Entwisle, and one of their brothers. They remained a month or six weeks, and were treated with every consideration by Mr. and Mrs. Coutts, on account of their kindness to Miss Mellon during her childhood. That it required some extent of good feeling to bear with their peculiarities may be inferred from the fact, that they all daily smoked in their rooms for some hours. However, all the party were well-bred towards them, and the three

departed, much pleased with the grateful remembrance of former days displayed by “little Harriot," who loaded them with golden souvenirs of their visit.

But more distinguished guests followed this visit, concerning whom the old schoolmistress before named relates an eccentric anecdote. The deposed King of Sicily was at that time in England, and Mr. Coutts had asked him out to dine at Holly Lodge, with several persons to meet him, among whom was Sir Henry Tempest. The royal guest was to have a bed, and the principal apartment was allotted to him; but the house being filled with visitors, so that Mr. Coutts could not offer to accommodate Sir Henry, he said, "You will be able to make out a bed for yourself somewhere near here;" to which the other assented, and soon after withdrew. Nothing further was said, nor any consideration of how he had disposed of himself until the attendants, when lighting up the royal dormitory, perceived Sir Henry there, reposing on "the downy bed" in a profound sleep, from which he could not (or would not) be wakened. The

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