peace, he preferred the honour (or dishonour) of being the favourite of
Lady Castlemaine, and Mrs. Hyde escaped the disgrace she, perhaps,
merited.

De Grammont appears absolutely to have hated Jermyn; not because he was
immoral, impertinent, and contemptible, but because it was Jermyn's
boast that no woman, good or bad, could resist him. Yet, in respect to
their unprincipled life, Jermyn and De Grammont had much in common. The
Chevalier was at this time an admirer of the foolish beauty, Jane
Middleton; one of the loveliest women of a court where it was impossible
to turn without seeing loveliness.

Mrs. Middleton was the daughter of Sir Roger Needham, and she has been
described, even by the grave Evelyn, as a 'famous, and, indeed,
incomparable beauty.' A coquette, she was, however, the friend of
intellectual men; and it was probably at the house of St. Evremond that
the Count first saw her. Her figure was good, she was fair and delicate;
and she had so great a desire, Count Hamilton relates, to 'appear
magnificently, that she was ambitious to vie with those of the greatest
fortunes, though unable to support the expense.'

Letters and presents now flew about. Perfumed gloves, pocket
looking-glasses, elegant boxes, apricot paste, essences, and other small
wares arrived weekly from Paris; English jewellery still had the
preference, and was liberally bestowed; yet Mrs. Middleton, affected and
somewhat precise, accepted the gifts but did not seem to encourage the
giver.

The Count de Grammont, piqued, was beginning to turn his attention to
Miss Warmestre, one of the queen's maids of honour, a lively brunette,