XXVI The End of Gore House
Before following D’Orsay to Paris, we will witness the end of the Blessington régime at Gore House. The harassed lady’s creditors swarmed round her; she had given bills and bonds in anticipation of her jointure for something like £1500; Howell & James’ account seems to have amounted to £4000!! Money-lenders, bill-discounters, tax-collectors, tradesmen of every kind, all rushed in to see what could be saved. In the event it was found impossible to avoid a sale of her goods and effects.
On April 9th, 1849, Lady Blessington writes to Forster from Gore House:
“As I purpose leaving England in a few days, it will pain me very much to depart without personally wishing you farewell; and though I am in all the fever of packing up, I will make time to receive a visit from you, if you can call any day this week between eleven o’clock in the fore-noon, or after nine in the evening. Count d’Orsay was called to Paris so suddenly, that he had not time to take leave of any of his friends, but he charged me to say a thousand kind things to you.”
The following from Disraeli reached her in Paris:—
25th April 1849.
“We returned to town on the 16th, and a few days after, I called at Gore House, but you were gone. It was a pang; for though absorbing duties of my life have prevented me of late from passing as much time under that roof as it was once my happiness and good fortune through your kindness to do; you are well assured, that my heart never changed for an instant to its inmates and that I invariably entertained for them the same interest and affection.
“Had I been aware of your intentions, I would have come up to town earlier, and specially to have said ‘Adieu!’ mournful as that is.
“I thought I should never pay another visit to Paris, but I have now an object in doing so. All the world here will miss you very much, and the charm with which you invested existence; but for your own happiness, I am persuaded you have acted wisely. Every now and then, in this life, we require a great change; it wonderfully revives the sense of existence. I envy you; pray, if possible, let me sometimes hear from you.”
Thackeray writes to Mrs Brookfield:—
“I have just come away from a dismal sight; Gore House full of snobs looking at the furniture. Foul Jews; odious bombazine women, who drove up in mysterious flys which they had hired, the wretches, to be fined (? fine), so as to come in state to a fashionable lounge; brutes keeping their hats on in the kind old drawing-room—I longed to knock some of them off, and say, ‘Sir, be civil in a lady’s room.…’ There was one of the servants there, not a powdered one, but a butler, a whatd’youcallit. My heart melted towards him and I gave him a pound. Ah! it was a strange, sad picture of Vanity Fair.”
The catalogue of the sale gives an idea of the “household gods”:—
“Costly and elegant effects: comprising all the magnificent furniture, rare porcelain, sculpture in marble, bronzes, and an assemblage of objects of art and decoration; a casket of valuable jewellery and bijouterie, services of chased silver and silver-gilt plate, a superbly-fitted silver dressing-case; collection of ancient and modern pictures, including many portraits of distinguished persons, valuable original drawings, and fine engravings, framed and in portfolios; the extensive and interesting library of books, comprising upwards of 5000 volumes, expensive table services of china and rich cut glass, and an infinity of useful and valuable articles. All the property of the Right Hon. the Countess of Blessington, retiring to the Continent.”
So wrote Mr Phillips, “that eminent author of auctioneering advertisements.”
The sale took place in May, and was attended by a crowd of fashionables, and the net sum realised was £11,985, 4s. 0d. Lawrence’s portrait of Lady Blessington, now in the Wallace Collection, fetched £336 and was purchased by Lord Hertford, who also acquired D’Orsay’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington for £189. Chalon’s portrait of Lady Blessington was saved from the wreck; it is now in the National Portrait Gallery.
Lady Blessington’s French valet, Avillon, writes to her:—
“Gore House, Kensington,
May 8th, 1849.
“My Lady,—J’ai bien reçu votre lettre, et je me serais empressé d’y répondre le même jour, mais j’ai été si occupé étant le premier de la vente qu’il m’a été impossible de le faire. J’ai vu M. P.— dans l’après midi. Il avais un commis ici pour prendre le prix des différents objets vendu le 7 May, et que vous avez sans doute reçu maintenant, au dire des gens qui ont assisté à la vente. Les choses se sont vendus avant agencement et je dois ajouter que M. Phillips n’a rien négligé pour rendre la vente intéressante a toute la noblesse d’ici.
“Lord Hertford a acheté plusieurs choses, et ce n’est que dimanche dernier fort tard dans l’après midi, qu’il est venu voir la maison. En un mot je pense sans exagération, que le nombre de personnes qui sont venus a la maison pendant les 5 jours quelle a été en vue, que plus de 20,000 personnes y sont entrées; une très grande quantité de Catalogue ont été vendus, et nous en vendons encore tous les jours, car vous le savez, personne n’est admis sans cela. Plusieurs des personnes qui fréquantent la maison sont venus les deux premiers jours.…
“Le Dr. Quin est venu plusieurs fois, et á paru prendre le plus grand intêret a ce qui se passait ici. M. Thackeray est venu aussi, et avait les larmes aux yeux en partant. C’est peut-être la seule personne que j’ai vu réellement affecté a votre depart.”
Lady Blessington and her two nieces had left for Paris on 14th April.