They Had "At Homes" Every
Monday, One Week For Dancing, The Next For Music, (The Latter I Never
Missed Attending, To Play On The Harp,) They Had Also Grand Dinners
De Ceremonie.
Amongst the habitues I can yet recall some names;
Hon.
Mathew Bell and lady; (Mrs. B. was a Miss McKenzie, of Three
Rivers,) Miss Bell (Mrs. Walker,) Sir John Pownal, the Montizamberts,
Judge Kerr and Misses Kerr, Miss Uniacke, the Duchesnays, the
Vanfelsons, De Gaspes, Babys and others. (I may be wrong in quoting
some names after half a century.)
Mr. Perceval, was a member of the Legislative Council, as well as
Collector of Customs, an imperial appointment which yielded him L8000
in fees per annum. English and French society were equally welcome
under his hospitable roof. His beautiful and accomplished wife, was
the eldest daughter of Sir Charles Flower, Lord Mayor of London, in
1809 - had filled the position of Lady Mayoress, when 18 years of age,
her father being a widower; she brought her husband L40,000 and
subsequently inherited L100,000. She was eminently fitted to grace
Spencer Wood - her beauty, her refined and cordial manners made her
receptions eminently attractive. Her education was perfect, she was
mistress of four languages, English, French, Italian and Latin, which
studies she took great trouble in keeping up and which she herself
taught to her children, ten in number, besides teaching them the
piano, the harp and drawing. Instead of fancy work the young ladies
were taught to repair their clothes and do plain sewing; this did not
prevent them from making most brilliant matches.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 455 of 864
Words from 124125 to 124391
of 236821
