can only enjoy by stealth that blessed liberty which the poorest peasant's wife daily experiences.

Before the reign of Philip V. the Kings of Spain were slaves to their grandeur. They were compelled to observe, with the utmost rigour, the laws of etiquette which formed a written code, containing all the ceremonies attendant upon their state, from the hour of their birth to the last moment of their existence. This code included a vast variety of instructions for the education and treatment through life of the monarchs of Spain. Their clothes, their food, the hours of their going to bed and getting up, and, mirabile dictu, the conversations they were permitted to have with each other and those around them. But this book of etiquette imposed yet greater restraint upon the queen consorts, who were forbidden even the most innocent pleasures, and, like human nature in every other walk of life, but too frequently rushed into opposite ones in order to escape from restraints, against which nature, however subdued by reason, must rebel.

The Duchess of Terra Nova, Camerara Mayor (first Lady of the Bedchamber to the wife of Charles the Second), told her Majesty plainly that the Queens of Spain must not look out of a window of the palace, as the light and air should be conveyed to them, and they not have the disgrace of seeking it as other women did.

The Queen was extremely fond of riding, and several fine horses having been brought to her from Andalusia, she had a mind to try one of them; no sooner had she mounted but the proud steed began to prance, and threw his noble burthen off her seat. Her Majesty's foot hitched in the stirrup, and the horse dragged her along at the utmost peril of her life. All the court were spectators of this unlucky accident, but etiquette forbade any man whatsoever, on pain of death, to touch the Queen of Spain, and more especially her foot. Charles, who had great love for his Queen, and who from a balcony witnessed the danger she was in, cried out vehemently, but the untouchable foot restrained the well-bred courtiers from intermeddling with so delicate an affair. At length two brisk cavaliers, not having the fear of etiquette before their eyes, viz., Don Louis de las Torres, and Don Jacopo de Soto Mayor, resolved to hazard everything in spite of the law of the Queen's foot, "La Lei del Pie porla Reyna," one seized the bridle of the horse, and the other boldly laid hold of the sacred foot and disengaged it from the stirrup: in rendering this service he dislocated one of his fingers. No sooner, however, was her Majesty placed in safety than the cavaliers retired, mounted their steeds, and fled to a distant place of security, to avoid the punishment incurred for having dared to infringe the august law of etiquette.

The Queen, not seriously injured, on recovering from her fright, very naturally desired to see her two deliverers, that she might return them becoming thanks for their gallantry, but was informed that they were obliged to fly from the

penalty attached to their daring insolence. The Queen, who was a French woman, knew nothing about the prerogative of her royal heel, and thinking it a very impertinent custom to punish men for saving her life, pleaded so strongly in favour of her brave friends, that she obtained not only a remission of death, but cbtained for them a rich reward, and great honours at court.

Now, in this said book of etiquette, among its other minute statements, was written in what way the kings of Spain were to behave,-what presents they were to make,—what provision they were to afford to their favourites and magistrates, as the one might chance to succeed the other, but it did not make mention of any legal enactment for the conduct of the Queens of Spain, if they naughtily transgressed in any affair of the heart, or head, and, notwithstanding all the chains of constraint that Spanish etiquette inflicted, some of the queens of Spain appear to have given way to the impropriety, if not to something worse, of gallantry, in those days, and subsequently.

The Queen of Philip the Fourth had a criminal penchant for the Count de Montérei, and she was at a loss how to make him sensible of her passion without indignity to herself as a Queen. The Princess could find no better expedient than to drop a paper out of her hand one day when Montérei was giving her an account of some affair with which she had charged him; he took it respectfully up, and kneeling, presented it to her Majesty. "Perhaps," said the Queen, "you imagine this paper to be of importance; I will have you judge of it.” The Count opened it, and read therein these words :-"Estoy toda la noche, despierta, sola, triste, y descando, mis penas son martirios, mis martirios songustos;" that is, "I pass the night alone, without rest, dull, forming desires; my pain is a martyrdom, but such as I take delight in."

The Count did not, or would not, seem to understand the meaning of these words, and perused it with the imperturbable coolness of a Spanish courtier of the olden times. The amorous Queen, perceiving his stupidity or indifference, with spite and indignation snatched the writing from his hand. "Go, fool!" she passionately exclaimed, you may justly exclaim Domine non sum dignus.”

These anecdotes will remind the reader of the smart old conundrum, "What is Majesty without its externals?" Do you give it up? Why, a jest, to be sure.

JULT, 1845.

50.

HAMPTON COURT.

"Close by those meads, for ever crown'd with flowers,
Where Thames with pride surveys his rising towers,
There stands a structure of majestic frame,

Which from the neighb'ring Hampton takes its name.”—POPE.

"

Felix Summerly, in his "Hand-book for Hampton Court," elegantly says, a gift of royal benevolence, right voluntary too-making many days, bright and holy days, in the lives of thousands, even hundreds of thousands-is the unrestricted freedom of man, woman, and child of every degree, to enter Hampton Court Palace." He goes on to observe, that Harry the Eighth, with his narrow, selfish soul, smothered in sensuality, snatched its courts and gardens from Cardinal Wolsey, its founder; and that the better to herd, undisturbedly, like Nebuchadnezzar, among the beasts of the field, chased the people from the country for miles around. The royal pretences, as recorded in the "Acte," whereby the manor of Hampton Court is made an honour and a royal chase, are worthy of exhibiting" The moste excellent and moste dread Sovereigne Lorde," being so pleased, "hathe of late erected, builded, and made a goodly sumptuous house, beautifull and princely manour, mete and convenient for a kinge; and the same endewed with parkes, orchardes, gardeyns, and other great commodities and pleasures thereunto adjoynynge, mete and pertinent to his royall majestie, most requisite for the prosperous contynuance of his most royall person, which the subjects of this realme most entierlie, above all worldly things, chieflie desire of Almighty God." For which reason, and "the furnyshinge of the manour with manifolde thinges of pleasure for disporte, pastyme, comfort, and consolation of his highnes, his grace's plesure is to erecte and make a chace aboute the said manour for the increase of venery and fowle of warren, which chace shal be called Hampton Court Chace, and that Est Mulsey, West Mulsey, Walton, Essher, Weybridge, and parte of Cobham, shall be within the same." The pale was to extend from "the Kemmys side to Cobham, and thence to the water of Weye." Trespassers were subjected to the usual penalties.

But in course of time Victoria, the gentle and the generous, gets possession, and throws open the gates of Hampton Court, to share unreservedly with the humblest of her subjects the delights of its accumulated treasures. And how many are these inestimable treasures,—how various the ennobling and exhilarating delights of a visit to its regal beauties. Nature's works and man's bravest achievements go hand and hand together here. Space bounded by art, which crowds can never rob of solitude! Trees, never leafless,-verdure and brightness

!