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THE
SCHOOL OF FASHION,
A NOVEL.
IN THREE VOLUMES.
VOL. I.
LONDON:
HENRY COLBURN, NEW BURLINGTON STREET.
1829.
a>A^aRq
i ( } LONDON:
Printed by J. L. Cox, Great Queen Street,
Lincoln's-Inn Fields.
.M-.... -f -
PREFACE.
After the numerous and excellent
productions that, within the last few
years, have appeared under the name
of Novels, by means of which the
manners and customs of society, in past
and present times, have been forcibly
and faithfully pourtrayed, it is with no
small degree of diffidence that the fol-
lowing pages are offered to public no-
tice. Among the works alluded to,
great has been the proportion of those
VI PREFACE.
styled Fashionable Novels. These are ge-
nerally supposed to contain a description
of that select portion of society which
can boast the ill-defined, yet strangely-
powerful attribute of fashion. Still it so
happens that the features of this select
band are the least generally known, and
have .been, -for the most part, the least
accurately described. A reason for this
may no doubt be found in the principle
q{ exclusiveness on which it has been
formed. The Author, however, has had
^gJbundant opportunities of becoming ac-
quainted with the peculiarities of this
portion of English society, whether in
town or country, at home or abroad ;
and, moreover, has not been a wholly
PREFACE. VIL
uninterested observer of that similarity
of character and difference of manners,
uniformity of object and dissimilarity of
means, pertaining to all ; and which, to
one who pleases himself with the study
of human nature, cannot fail to be' a
constant, a striking, and a useful lesson.
It can, however, be most positively as-
serted, that all personal allusions have
been scrupulously avoided. Opinions,
not people — classes, not individuals —
have been attempted to be describ-
ed. In the power of pleasing, or af-
fording even a few hours' amusement
by the perusal of this attempt, the
Author feels no confidence. A faithful
portrait may be an ill-executed picture.
VIU PREFACE.
Though the leading features may be true
to nature, the composition and colour-
ing, depending rather upon genius than
experience, must in all cases affect,
for the whole work, the prospect of
success. It is, therefore, more with an
anxious hope of approbation than an
expectation of it, that The School of
Fashion is offered to the notice of those
who are disposed to try the strength of
anonymous efforts.
1sIg!(X) hiir. i'^-
THE
SCHOOL OF FASHION.
CHAPTER I.
It was in the middle of the month of May,
and about four years after the close of the
late French wars, which had deprived half our
unmarried damsels of the chance of husbands,
and rendered the remaining half so detestably
English, as to be unfit for wives to heroes or
travelled gentlemen, that the names of Mrs.
and Miss Lovaine were seen amongst " the
fashionable departures for the Continent."
VOL. I. B
S THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.
Perhaps our readers may be inclined to think
that as the names of these ladies appeared un-
accompanied by that of any gentleman, there
Mas no Mr. Lovaine, and, therefore, to prevent
the continuance of such a mistake, we beg
leave to inform them, that Mr. Lovaine and
an adopted nephew were both in existence,
and both in good health ; the former at his
seat, Beechwood Park, a very good estate,
half way between Bath and London ; and the
latter amusing himself to the utmost of his
power in the great Babylon : nor did this tem-
porary separation of the family proceed from
any positive quarrel or habitual bickering be-
tween the husband and wife, but from the sim-
ple circumstance of two people being very
absurd in very diiferent ways,
Mr. Lovaine was a worthy^ excellent country
gentleman, and, as such, had been an M.P.,
THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 3
who always voted for the highest duty on im-
ported corn, conscientiously believing it was
the only means of affording cheap bread to the
poor. He persecuted poachers with almost
more than the utmost rigour of the law, be-
cause he considered poaching, if not quite the
most dangerous crime ever heard of in this
country, yet, to say the least, as leading to those
that were. He would not have a single Catholic
emancipated for all the value he placed on his
eternal salvation, because he knew for certain,
that if such an innovation were ever admitted,
the Pope would very soon become Archbishop
of Canterbury, and a general conflagration of
all Protestants would be the natural conse-
quence. He believed Napoleon to have been
a coward, and by far the wickedest man (Crom-
well excepted) who had existed since the days
of King Herod. He looked upon alteration as
b2
4 THE SCHOOL OF FASHFOIN'.
innovation, and innovation as a ramification
of revolution. He hated what was new be-
cause it was so, and spoke with a respect ap-
proaching to reverence of the good old times,
when our ancestors had nothing to fear from
the dangers of mitigated small-pox, as the
effect of vaccination ; of explosion from steam
or gas-pipes; or from too great velocity
in travelling, owing to the smoothness of
Macadamized roads. Let it not, however, be
supposed, that he was illiberal or prejudiced ;
he seldom missed an opportunity of declaring
that he had no prejudices, though he hated
the French (and he certainly believed all fo-
reigners to be French) ; and though not illi-
beral, he much feared that no true modesty —
no real good wives or mothers — were to be
found any where but in England ; and he
heartily thanked his Maker every night, not
THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 5
SO much for his creation and preservation,
as for the blessing of having been born an
Englishman.- ^t „ :.5 : v ?.. " ^l"; ^f J 1- - "'»
Mrs. Lovaine was of a good family; but,
from accidental circumstances, her coming out
(as the emancipation of a young lady from the
disabilities of childhood is termed), was per-
formed at Bath, instead of in London. She
had charmed her patriotic husband no less by
her beauty, than by her high gown and long
petticoats ; her habitual dread of, and implicit
hehef in, all the dreadful and dangerous con-
spiracies hatclied by a Citizen North and others
in Pig's-foot and Pye -crust Lane {vide. Ttxxc-
kleborough Hall), all of which were duly re-
tailed to her by Mr. Lovaine; and, though
last, not least, by her unfeigned admiration
of his patriotism, fashion, and fortune. But
times change, though men and women never
6 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.
do ; it was the fashion at one time to dread all
that was not English ; it became the fashion to
detest all that was so; and if Mrs. LoTaine
always followed the same leader^ how was she
inconsistent ? Mr. Lovaine, however, was ob-
stinate, and never could be brought to see this
in its proper light; and though they loved
each other quite as much, if not more than
many other happy couples, it certainly afforded
matter of frequent discussion between them,
whether there was more or less consistency in
always following the times, or going in oppo-
sition to them if they changed. Mrs. Lovaine
would, we have no doubt, have sacrificed much
of her own amusement to promote that of hex
husband ; but not to give Elinor every advan-
tage, which she considered necessary to her
succes in the beau mondey was impossible. She
would have foregone pleasure, but her duty to
her child was imperative.
THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 7
\j £_ : The kindest and the happiest pair
Will have occasion to forbear,
And something, every day tney live,
f^fffpnrrxl Xo pity, and perhaps forgive.T r- r< t Kb t?.f>tf>h
Elinor was just at that awkward age wherx
mothers say, they know not what to do witli
their daughters — that is, when they are old
enough to be rational companions; provided
their former education has not narrowed, in-
stead of enlarged their understanding. Miss
Lovaine was sixteen years old, tall, and not
inelegantly formed. She was possessed of a
good capacity, a kind heart, and even, though
not high spirits; her manners were pleasing,
rather from the absence of all affectation, than
from the presence of any particular charm;
her complexion was fresh and fair ; her fea-
tures tolerably good ; she was, to all who knew
her, a pretty girl; but by strangers she was
passed by unnoticed. Though she knew diat
c9vijBi9qfni aew blirfa i^n
8 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.
her parents did not always agree, she concluded
that they were both right in different ways ; as
Papa must know best about the nation, and
Mamma about education and the fashions. She
had managed to make them both unite in
loving her; for she was dutiful, affectionate,
and gentle. She wept with heartfelt sorrow
when she bade adieu to her father, and her
home; but she never for a moment doubted
the wisdom of her mother's plan of finishing
her education abroad.
Their first point of interest was the field of
Waterloo, to which they were escorted by
some acquaintance, whom they met at Brus-
sels. How differently does the sight of this
spot operate upon different people. Had Mr.
Lovaine been there, he would have had no
feelings but those of exultation at the downfall
of an usurper, ^nd at the bravery which had
THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. »
been exhibited by Englishmen; but Mrs.
Lovaine, who was always deeply touched with
the misfortunes of men of fashion, and who
was, by some accident, generally most over-
come when other people were present, shed
tears to the memory of many a fallen hero,
and for the loss of many a titled leg and arm.
Elinor was interested in hearing details of the
battle, but she was of a less sensitive nature
than her mother; and as they had lost no
friend or relation during the whole of the war,
concluded; that she was not well, and was so
wholly without tact as to ask if the sun op-
pressed her. Mrs. Lovaine replied in the
negative, and remarked directly in a tremu-
lous voice to her neighbour, that Waterloo
was indeed an affecting sight; by which she
ingeniously prevented the danger of others
being equally ignorant of the cause of h^r
b5
10 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.
agitation, as was the unsuspecting and artless
Elinor. t jfirij.
As Mrs. Lovaine had felt it to be her duty
to go abroad for the benefit of her daughter's
education, she wisely determined never to lose
a moment in promoting that object; and by
the time they had spent a day or two in
Brussels, Miss Lovaine was furnished with
masters for every accomplishment deemed
necessary by her mother, to ensure her succes
in the world. After three weeks had been
spent in the cultivation of several very de-
lightful talents, which nature had unluckily
forgotten to bestow upon poor Elinor, they
proceeded on their travels, by the Rhine into
Switzerland, and from thence to Florence*
Such an opportunity for the cultivation of the
fine arts in general, as a sejour in Italy, and
of music in particular, as being in the same
THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 11
town with Manielli, was not to be neglected ;
but it was in vain that Elinor heai*d and
repeated over and over again th^ same air —
she lent an attentive, but not a musical ear to
her master's instructions. Anxiously did she
wish to please her mother, and all her pastors
and masters — ^but as she never could hum a
tune, or even recognize one which she had
been in the habit of hearing twice a day, it
was not her fault that she could not detect the
difference between singing in or otd of time and
tune— her voice had power, but not to please —
her tongue to read, but not to pronounce Ita-
lian — and her ears to hear, but not to be dis-
tressed at the eri'ors which she involuntarily
committed. Mrs. Lovaine knew that all good
judges approved of Manielli's manner, and
that most people of fashion learned to sing;
the idea, therefore, of natural incapacity ope-
IS THE SCHOOL OF FASHIO:^'.
rating against her daughter's improvement
never crossed her mind. During their tour on
the Rhine, Elinor had been recommended tai
sketch ruins, old buildings, and mountains; d
but she at last successfully pleaded as an ex-
cuse for declining to libel the beauties of na». :
ture, the shortness of the time she had learnt ia?
draw, and gratified her mother by the promise ^
that she would take great pains at Florence.
A whole week therefore, according to her pro-
mise, she worked most dihgently, and had
nearly succeeded in unlearning all she had
previously learnt at Brussels, when Mrs. Lo- ;j
vaine determined upon changing her master, :j>
It so happened that the Misses Nimblefinger,
with whose aunt Mrs. Lo vaine had formerly
been acquainted at Bath, were also come .
abroad to be topped up, and learn taste, and
had produced some fine sketches of the human
THE SCHOOL OF FASHIOS^* 13
figure. The said sketches were talked of at a
very fashionable house, and much praised in
her presence ; not a moment, therefore, was to
be lost, and Elinor, with perfect docility,
devoted her time to drawling men and women,
too defiM'med for even Mr. Cheshire to make
straight, instead of continuing to draw houses
too infirm for any number of props to preserve
from falling. Luckily for herself, Mrs. Lovaine,
being no judge of the fine arts, was quite igno-
rant of her daughter's failures; she was per-
fectly satisfied that she had every advantage
that could be derived from her being abroad,
and was herself very much occupied in making
fashionable new — and cutting dowdy old —
friends (for both were to be found at Florence),
in order to give Elinor the full advantage of
the very best society, ^qu l>dq^03 t^J
14 THE SCHOOL OP FASHION.
flB tHdvufinuU mid bdsifi^di
noateq o/fj n3'>d bed ?b r» pysb
i&fC 90ni8 rijBcl Jit :^4n^'f tin 7.! ^v\o^>A»w Jeom
CHAPTER II.
^OniT fins* M**ff ^ 7^«H''t '**^p?T*«>fr»
Fashion is like the sun, it first dazzles by
its splendour and then blinds the object who
gazes on it too intently. Such was the fate of
Mrs. Lovaine, whose judgment was indeed
most woefully blinded by that dangerous me-
teor. Whilst promenading one day in the
celebrated Florentine gallery, and directing
Elinor to admire those beauties in the works
of different artists, which were most noted in
the journals of many previous foreign travel-
lers, (but to which, in fact, both she and her
daughter were equally insensible,) she was
accosted by a gentleman to whose appearance
she was no stranger. She almost instantly
THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 15
recognized him as Lord Dunhaven, an Irish
Earl of immense fortune, and who, in the
days of her girlhood, had been the pei'son
most recherche by all ranks at Bath. Since her
marriage they had not met, nor had she for
some years even heard of his Lordship. Per-
ceiving that he was accompanied by a lady,
whose beauty time was only beginning to mark
with his iron hand, and whose tall fiorure and
elegant dress could not fail to attract attention,
she cast an inquiring look at his Lordship ;
who, taking the hint, soon alluded to Lady
Dunhaven in such a manner as left no doubt
upon Mrs. Lovaine's mind, that the lady in
question was his wife ; and consequently, with-
out further hesitation, she requested to be pre-
sented to the Countess. ;itiiup9 9"!'^ HI*
To one less devoted to fashion than was
Mrs. Lovaincj there was that in Lady Dun -
16 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.
haven's manner which might have excited sur-
prise. Her countenance at first sight appeared
confident, ahnost bold ; but when introduced
to Mrs. Lovaine, her colour heightened, and
there was an embarrassment in her address
which ill accorded with the rest of her appear-
ance.
â– " Has your Ladyship been long in this de-
lightful city ?" inquired Mrs. Lovaine.
V " Only a few days."
; " It is indeed a treat to the lovers of
the fine arts, to "be thus surrounded by the
finest productions in painting and sculp-
ture." i^<j«.4.!.vatt4ii03 nfg^jsi ngv
,i»i-Lord Dunhaven assented; her Ladyship
was silent. 7fW- bsaJRO^r^
" Is Mr. Lovaine in Florence," continued
Lord Dunhaven, " or is he too much devoted
to his cpuntry pursuits to leave home ?^' p^^h^-
THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 17
" He is in England ; and much ais I wished
to travel, I do not think I should ever hme^
accomplished so great a journey, had not my
duty to my child induced me to forego all
other considerations ; it is such an advantage
to a girl to come abroad, before she is out' in
London."
Then turning to her daughter, who was
waiting at a little distance, " Elinor, my dear,
though you are not regularly out, yet I must
introduce you to my old friend. Lord Dun-
haven : Lady Dunhaven I must present my
little girl to you." i.^ -^ ^xi^i^^ii-i^^...
Lady Dunhaven again coloured, and almost
betrayed an impatience to be gone ; but Mrs.
Lovaine was too well pleased with her new
and old acquaintance to let them off im-
mediately, and they did not part till she
had ascertained where they lived, and at what
18 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.
hour she was most likely to find them at
home. -^rjrfrrjrrinrrn'^- '-Trj-jT^" -;t f>es?od^!fi
. 5* What a charming woman is Lady Dun-
haven !" said Mrs. Lovaine to her daughter,
when they reached home. ., ., ..^
" I saw so little of her, Mamma, that I can
hardly judge; but I did not think her mannei;?
so very pleasing." , , ,_. ^ .
" You are indeed almost too young to judge,
my love."
Elinor concluded she was, and the conver-
sation dropped.
The following morning Elinor was ordered
to make herself scnart, that she might accom-
pany her mother to the Countess Dunhaven's.
They found her seated on a sofa — very expen-
sively attired, and the whole room bore the
marks of luxury and splendour. Her manner
appeared far less constrained than it had done
THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 19
on the preceding day, and she seemed much
disposed to improve her acquaintance both
with mother and daughter. Still, to Elinor's
mind, there was something unsatisfactory in
her way of answering the various questions
with which Mrs. Lovaine assailed her. A
pretty little child of about six years old was
playing in the room, and, like all other pretty
children, furnished a topic of conversation.
" This sweet little girl is almost too young
to derive much benefit from her travels," ob-
served Mrs. Lovaine. " Your Ladyship's
eldest, I presume.'*' ^^^^^^ ^*-^'
" She is our only juvenile companion," was
the reply, and in a tone that conveyed no wish
to continue the subject. The various lions of
the town were next discussed ; and Lady Dun-
haven having arrived so recently at Florence,
Mrs. Lovaine proposed escorting her in her
20 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.
morning's walk to see what was best worth
seeing. '^t
To this proposal Lord and Lady Dunhaven
instantly agreed, and at the close of the day
Mrs. Lovaine again exclaimed, and with in-
creased warmth, " What a charming woman
is Lady Dunhaven."
Elinor was not wanting in good sense or
discernment; but from her placid and diffident
disposition, she was so little in the habit' of
diffenng with any one, and so persuaded that
she was more likely to be mistaken than her
mother, that though she did not agree with
her in opinion, she did not contradict her. —
Indeed, she scarcely knew why she did not
like Lady Dunhaven — but she felt as many
young people do, and as all must feel, who
are not accustomed to analyse their own cha-
racters and motives, as well as those of other
THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 21
people, that distastes would arise unaccompa-
nied by any distinct conception of the reasons
for them. ^ i^^^-'^jj, k^
There had been a cold embarrassment in her
premier abord which Elinor had deemed proud
and repulsive ; for her whole appearance con-
tradicted the idea of shyness being even the
possible cause of her ungracious manner — and
there was an inconsistency in the desire, which
she afterwards evinced, upon their second and
third meetings, to become extremely intimate ;
— this created in. Elinor a distaste for her so-
ciety, which she could not disguise from her-
Mrs. Lovaine, on the contrar}^, was more
and more delighted with her new friend ; — and
indeed. Lady Dunhaven was far from wanting
the power to make herself pleasant ; she was
lively in conversation — admired Elinor—
22 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.
thought that all things fashionable might be
learnt better in Italy than in England : — in
short, their friendship became daily more
cemented, by the discovery of fresh points of
agreement.
" I wonder why Lady Dimhaven never goes
out in an evening," remarked Elinor one night,
as she returned from a little soiree with her
mother. — " She has been here so short a time,
my love, that it is hardly probable she should
have made many acquaintance as yet ; and pos-
sibly she might wish to recover the fatigues of
her journey, before she encountered that of
visiting."
This simple observation of Elinor's, how-
ever, suggested to Mrs. Lovaine, that it would
not be at all an unpleasant office, for her to un-
dertake the introduction of the wife of this
very old friend into society. The next queiy
THE SCHOOL OF FASHIOIC. ^
was, how to realize her kind intention. —
Elinor was quite old enough for the continen-
tal, though too young for the London world ; —
they had a very good sized room — Elinor danc-
ed very tolerably well — it would be an advan-
tage to her to know dancing men ; and as she
had come abroad solely for her daughter's ad-
vantage, it was her duty never to neglect that
object — ergo — she ought to give a ball. — She
determined to do so, and cards were immedi-
ately issued.
For a whole week, Elinor's education suf-
fered considerable interruption from the visits
of mantua-makers — stay-makers — shoe-makers
— ^flower-makers, &c. &c., all of whom were
to do their very best for her advantage. Whilst
Mrs. Lovaine was unceasing in her exertions
for the good arrangement of the rooms — re-
moving chairs, sofas, and tables — ordering
24 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.
supper — answering notes — and doing all the
innumerable things necessary to the future
enjoyment of four or five hours.
At length the day arrived. Mrs. Lovaine
had been diligent in making both her house
and her daughter look to the best advantage ;
and Elinor, though neither conceited, or of a
very excitable disposition, did feel all that hap-
piness, which we believe is always felt by a
very young girl the first time she puts on a
ball gown, to appear as a grown person. Her
dress was in good taste — her coiffure good —
and she looked pleasing, fresh, and young:
three grand points towards beauty. Mrs. Lo-
vaine looked her over from head to foot, and
as she was quite sure that her coiffure was the
right one, she, for once, did not alter the ar-
rangement of her curls a dozen times. — She
always loved Elinor, but she never loved her
THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 25
better than at this moment, for she never felt
so confident that she would be admired ; and,
in fact, there was an animation in her counte-
nance, which was as unusual, as it was be-
coming.
Cynics would fain teach us never to hope —
and prudent, well-intentioned advisers, would
try to undermine this our main support in life,
by hinting, that hope is but the parent of dis-
appointment. We, however, think that hope
and happiness are also very nearly allied : ami
altliough the former may tell " a flattering tale,'
it is one to which it is so agreeable to listen,
that we much doubt whether, if a regular deb-
tor and creditor account could be made out,