As　she　sat　upon　the　floor；　intent　on　her　favourite　occupation；　they　on　their　knees　handed　her　cards；　traced　out　designs　for　her；　or　built　elaborate　structures　rivalling　her　own。
  Amongst　those　who　attended　her　in　this　manner　was　the　gay；　graceful；　and　profligate　Duke　of　Buckingham；　who　became　enamoured　of　her　loveliness。　　Not　only　did　he　raise　the　most　wonderful　of　card　mansions　for　her　delight；　but　having　a　good　voice；　and　she　possessing　a　passion　for　music；　he　invented　songs　and　sung　them　to　pleasure　her。　　Moreover；　he　told　her　the　wittiest　stories；　turned　the　courtiers　into　the　greatest　ridicule　for　her　entertainment；　and　made　her　acquainted　with　the　most　diverting　scandals。　　Finally；　he　professed　his　ardent　love　for　her；　but　at　this　the　fair　Stuart　either　felt；　or　feigned；　intense　astonishment；　and　so　repulsed　him　that　he　abandoned　the　pursuit　of　an　amour　over　which　he　had　wasted　so　much　time；　and　thenceforth　deprived　himself　of　her　company。
  His　attentions　were；　however；　soon　replaced　by　those　of　the　Earl　of　Arlington；　a　lord　of　the　bedchamber；　and　a　man　of　grave　address　and　great　ambition。　　Owing　to　this　latter　trait　his　lordship　was　desirous　of　winning　the　good　graces　of　Miss　Stuart　in　the　present；　in　hopes　of　governing　his　majesty　in　the　future；　when　she　became　the　king's　mistress。　　But　these　sage　and　provident　intentions　of　his　were　speedily　overturned；　for　early　in　the　course　of　their　acquaintance；　when　he　had　commenced　to　tell　her　a　story；　his　manner　so　forcibly　reminded　her　of　Buckingham's　mimicry　of　him；　that　she　burst　out　laughing　in　the　earl's　face。　　This　being　utterly　uncalled　for　by　the　circumstances　of　his　tale；　and　still　less　by　the　manner　of　its　narration；　Lord　Arlington；　who　was　serious；　punctilious；　and　proud；　became　enraged；　abruptly　left　her　presence；　and　abandoned　his　schemes　of　governing　the　king　through　so　frivolous　a　medium。
  A　man　who　had　better　chances　of　success　in　winning　this　beautiful　girl　was　George　Hamilton；　whose　name　has　been　already　mentioned。　It　was　not；　however；　his　graceful　person；　or　elegant　manner；　but　his　performance　of　a　trick　which　gained　her　attention。　　It　happened　one　night　that　an　Irish　peer；　old　Lord　Carlingford；　was　diverting　her　by　showing　how　she　might　hold　a　burning　candle　in　her　mouth　a　considerable　time　without　its　being　extinguished。　This　was　a　source　of　uncommon　delight　to　her；　seeing　which；　George　Hamilton　thought　he　would　give　her　still　further　entertainment。　　For　being　furnished　by　nature　with　a　wide　mouth；　he　placed　within　it　two　lighted　candles；　and　walked　three　times　round　the　room　without　extinguishing　them；　whilst　the　fair　Stuart　clapped　her　pretty　hands　in　delight；　and　shouted　aloud　with　laughter。
  A　man　who　could　accomplish　such　a　feat　was　worthy　of　becoming　a　favourite。　　She　at　once　admitted　him　to　terms　of　familiarity；　and　he　had　a　hundred　chances　of　paying　her　the　attentions　he　greatly　desired；　and　which　she　freely　accepted。　　Grammont；　foreseeing　that　Hamilton　would　incur　the　royal　displeasure　if　his　love　for　Miss　Stuart　became　known　to　the　king；　besought　him　to　abandon　his　addresses；　but　this　advice　did　not　at　first　sound　pleasant　to　the　lover's　ears。　　〃Since　the　court　has　been　in　the　country；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　had　a　hundred　opportunities　of　seeing　her；　which　I　had　not　before。　　You　know　that　the　dishabille　of　the　bath　is　a　great　convenience　for　those　ladies；　who；　strictly　adhering　to　all　the　rules　of　decorum；　are　yet　desirous　to　display　all　their　charms　and　attractions。　　Miss　Stuart　is　so　fully　acquainted　with　the　advantages　she　possesses　over　all　other　women；　that　it　is　hardly　possible　to　praise　any　lady　at　court　for　a　well…turned　arm；　and　a　fine　leg　but　she　is　ever　ready　to　dispute　the　point　by　demonstration；　and　I　really　believe　that；　with　a　little　address；　it　would　not　be　difficult　to　induce　her　to　strip　naked；　without　ever　reflecting　upon　what　she　was　doing。　　After　all；　a　man　must　be　very　insensible　to　remain　unconcerned　and　unmoved　on　such　happy　occasions。〃
  Hamilton　was　therefore　not　willing　to　renounce　Miss　Stuart；　but　upon　Grammont　showing　that　attentions　paid　the　lady　would　certainly　provoke　the　king's　anger；　he　resolved　on　sacrificing　love　to　interest；　and　abandoning　the　company　of　the　fair　maid　of　honour　for　evermore。　　The　truth　was；　his　majesty　loved　her　exceedingly；　as　was　indeed　evident；　for　he　constantly　sought　her　presence；　talked　to　her　at　the　drawing…rooms　as　if　no　one　else　were　by；　and　kissed　her　〃to　the　observation　of　all　the　world。〃　But　though　she　allowed　Charles　such　liberties；　she　refused　to　become　his　mistress；　notwithstanding　the　splendid　settlements　and　high　titles　with　which　the　monarch　engaged　to　reward　the　sacrifice　of　her　virtue。　　And　so；　though　a　king；　it　was　not　given　him　to　be　obeyed　in　all。　　And　though　generally　loved　for　his　easy　ways　and　gracious　manners；　he　was　continually　harassed　by　his　mistresses；　reproved　by　his　chancellor；　and　ridiculed　by　his　courtiers。　　Indeed；　they　now　spoke　of　him　in　his　absence　as　〃Old　Rowley；〃　the　reason　of　which　is　given　by　Richardson。　　〃There　was　an　old　goat；〃　writes　he；　〃in　the　privy　garden；　that　they　had　given　this　name　to；　a　rank　lecherous　devil；　that　everybody　knew　and　used　to　stroke；　because　he　was　good…humoured　and　familiar；　and　so　they　applied　this　name　to　the　king。〃
  CHAPTER　VIII。
  The　Duke　of　York's　intrigues。My　Lady　Chesterfield　and　his　royal　highnessThe　story　of　Lady　Southesk's　love。Lord　Arran　plays　the　guitar。Lord　Chesterfield　is　jealous。The　countess　is　taken　from　court。Mistress　Margaret　Brooke　and　the　king。Lady　Denham　and　the　duke。Sir　John　goes　mad。My　lady　is　poisoned。
  The　while　his　majesty　devoted　himself　to　pleasure　and　intrigue；　neglectful　of　affairs　of　state；　and　heedless　of　public　scandal；　his　brother　of　York；　whose　disposition　was　not　less　amorous；　likewise　followed　the　bent　of　his　inclinations。　　Soon　after　her　appearance　at　court　he　professed　himself　in　love　with　the　beautiful　Elizabeth　Hamilton；　whom　to　behold　was　to　admire。　　But　the　duke　being　a　married　man；　and　she　a　virtuous　woman；　he　dared　not　address　her　on　the　subject　of　his　affection；　and　was　therefore　obliged　to　confine　the　expression　of　his　feelings　to　glances。　　These　she　refused　to　interpret；　and　he；　becoming　weary　of　a　pursuit　which　promised　no　happy　results；　turned　his　attentions　to　the　Countess　of　Chesterfield；　who　seemed　in　no　way　loath　to　receive　them。
  This　charming　woman　had　married　my　Lord　Chesterfield　in　compliance　with　a　family　arrangement；　and　discovered　too　soon　she　had　no　place　in　the　heart　of　him　whose　life　she　shared。　　His　coldness　to　her　was　only　equalled　by　his　ardour　for　Lady　Castlemaine；　whose　lover　he　continued　to　remain　after　his　marriage。　　The　affection　his　wife　had　offered　and　he　had　repulsed；　in　the　dawn　of　their　wedded　life；　changed　by　degrees　to　disdain　and　hatred。
  Now　as　chamberlain　to　the　queen　my　Lord　Chesterfield　had；　apartments　in　the　palace；　by　reason　of　which　the　countess　became　an　habituee　of　the　court。　　The　moral　atmosphere　of　Whitehall　was　not　calculated　to　strengthen　her　conjugal　virtue；　but　its　perpetual　gaiety　was　destined　to　dissipate　her　sense　of　neglect。　It　was　not　possible　for　a　woman　endowed　with　so　much　beauty；　and　possessed　of　such　engaging　manners；　to　be　disregarded；　in　a　court　entirely　devoted　to　love　and　gallantry；　and　accordingly　she　soon　became　an　object　of　general　admiration。　　This　was　by　no　means　pleasing　to　my　Lord　Chesterfield；　who；　though　he　had　wilfully　repulsed　her　affections；　was　selfishly　opposed　to　their　bestowal　upon　others。　　Accordingly　he　became　watchful　of　her　conduct；　and　jealous　of　her　admirers。
  Prominent　amongst　these　were　James　Hamilton　and　the　Duke　of　York。　The　former　was　her　cousin；　and　her　husband's　confidant；　in　consequence　of　which　my　lord　failed　to　associate　him　with　the　suspicion　he　entertained　towards　all　other　men　who　approached　her：　　the　latter　he　regarded　with　the　uttermost　distrust。　　His　royal　highness　had　before　now　disturbed　the　happy　confidence　which　husbands　had　placed　in　their　wives；　as　my　Lord　Carnegy　could　testify。
  The　story　which　hangs　thereby　had；　a　little　while　before　the　duke　fell　in　love　with　Lady　Chesterfield；　afforded　vast　amusement　to　the　court；　and　was　yet　fresh　in　the　recollection　of　many。　　It　happened　that　his　royal　highness　became　enamoured　of　my　Lady　Carnegy；　daughter　of　the　gallant　Duke　of　Hamilton；　and　friend　of　the　gay　Lady　Castlemaine。　　Lady　Carnegy　loved　pleasure　mightily；　painted　her　face　〃devilishly；〃　and　drove　in　the　park　flauntingly。　She　was　endowed　with　considerable　beauty　of　form　and　great　tenderness　of　heart；　as　many　gallants　acknowledged　with　gratitude。　　Now　when　the　Duke　of　York　made　advances　to　her；　she　received　them　with　all　the　satisfaction　he　could　desire；　an　intimacy　therefore　followed；　which　she　was　the　better　able　to　entertain　on　account　of　her　husband's　absence　in　Scotland。　Whilst　my　Lord　Carnegy　was　in　that　country；　his　father；　the　Earl　of　Southesk；　died；　and　he　succeeded　to　the　title　and　estates。　　In　due　time　the　new　earl　returned　to　London　and　his　wife；　and　was　greeted　by　rumours　of　the　friendship　which　in　his　absence　had　sprung　up　between　my　lady　and　the　duke。　　These；　as　became　a　good　husband；　he　refused　to　believe；　until　such　time　as　he　was　enabled　to　prove　their