They were from all neighboring
countries--crowds of English, as you may fancy, armed with Murray's
guide-books, troops of chattering Frenchmen, Frankfort Jews with
roulette-tables, and Tyrolese, with gloves and trinkets--all hied
towards the field where the butts were set up, and the archery practice
was to be held. The Childe and his brother archers were, it need not be
said, early on the ground.
But what words of mine can describe the young gentleman's emotion when,
preceded by a band of trumpets, bagpipes, ophicleides, and other wind
instruments, the Prince of Cleves appeared with the Princess Helen, his
daughter? And ah! what expressions of my humble pen can do justice to
the beauty of that young lady? Fancy every charm which decorates the
person, every virtue which ornaments the mind, every accomplishment
which renders charming mind and charming person doubly charming, and
then you will have but a faint and feeble idea of the beauties of her
Highness the Princess Helen. Fancy a complexion such as they say (I know
not with what justice) Rowland's Kalydor imparts to the users of that
cosmetic; fancy teeth to which orient pearls are like Wallsend coals;
eyes, which were so blue, tender, and bright, that while they run you
through with their lustre, they healed you with their kindness; a neck
and waist, so ravishingly slender and graceful, that the least that
is said about them the better; a foot which fell upon the flowers no
heavier than a dew-drop--and this charming person set off by the most
elegant toilet that ever milliner devised! The lovely Helen's hair
(which was as black as the finest varnish for boots) was so long, that
it was borne on a cushion several yards behind her by the maidens of
her train; and a hat, set off with moss-roses, sunflowers, bugles,
birds-of-paradise, gold lace, and pink ribbon, gave her a distingue air,
which would have set the editor of the Morning Post mad with love.
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