Notes on the life of Buck Whaley.

**

Appendix.**

Extracts from Capt. Moore’s MS. Journal

[Begins] The following sheets, written on board ship, are not to be consider’d as a Composition deliberately put together, or as a work sufficiently digested to be submitted to the inspection of the Public - the undertaking I meant merely as a *passe tems *at sea, to dissipate the many heavy hours of ennui which I must, without an employment of this kind, have been subject to - intended merely as a future gratification to myself, by enabling me to recollect the occurrences of a long tour, I have not an idea of its ever appearing more publicly than within the Small circle of my most particular Friends… . *

Page *1. Gibraltar, November 6th, 1788.

Having determined to accept an invitation I received from Mr. Whaley (who with a Mr. Wilson made a stay of 10 Days at Gibraltar on their way to Smyrna) to accompany him on a tour to the Levant, Constantinople) and the coast of Syria, and to penetrate as far as Jerusalem, in consequence of a bet he had taken on in Ireland, that he would go there; We embarked on the 6th of November, 1788, on board the *London *of London, a ship bound to Srr~yrna, of which Mr. Whaley had hired the cabin. We sailed out of Gibraltar Bay that evening with a fair wind… . *

Page 32.* 19th [December]. - We all return’d to Constantinople. Soon after our arrival at the Palace, Sir Robert’s painter, a Signior Mayer, permitted us to examine a set of views he had just finish’d for the Ambassador to present to the King; they represented the most beautiful views of Constantinople, Ephesus, Athens, the Bosphorus, etc., etc… . *

Page *60. December 27th. - We started from Belgrade, near the Black Sea] soon this morning, expecting an excellent day’s sport, as the country, we were inform’d, abounded with game of every kind. We, however, found the snow so very deep that … we return’d home at one o’clock, and order’d an early dinner, as we determin’d to set off immediately after for Constantinople by land, the Ambassador having kindly sent his horses for us. We arrived in town soon after it was dark, and as soon as we had paid our respects to Sir Robert we retired early to bed. About 11 o’clock my friend Whaley, who lay in a bed near mine, awoke me. He found himself extremely indisposed, and on going to him, I was not a little alarm’d to find him in a very violent fever, which, as he afterwards acknowledged, he had brought on by eating a quantity of snow, the morning before, to quench his thirst, while he was in a great perspiration. Mr. Franklin, surgeon’s mate of the *Pearl, *was fortunately in the Palace. I immediately sent for him, and as in the course of an hour he found the fever augment rapidly, attended with a strong delirium, he administer’d large quantities of James’s Powders, . . and to our great joy the delirium was soon remov’d. *Page *62. - [A description follows of the serious nature of Whaley’s illness]… . Until the 18th of January, ‘89 he was not thought at all in a situation to embark for Smyrna… . *

Page *63. - Through the whole of that distressing period the attention and politeness of our worthy Ambassador were such as never to he forgotten by either of us. *

Page *113. - On the 1st of Jan, 1789, my friend found himself much better *… *and was unfortunately prevail’d on by Mons. le Comte de Choiseul French Minister at Constantinople, to dine with a party at his Palace… . In the evening there was a ball. The temptations to dance were too strong for my friend to resist… At nine o’clock he was obliged to go home … and the following morning … his fever was attended with the most alarming symptoms, of a putrid nature. On the 3rd, 4th, and 5th the malady had increased to so alarming a height that it fell to my lot to perform the most distressing and truly painful office of friendship, which was to assist in the final arrangement of his worldly affairs. *

Page *115. - On the 18th of Jan. my friend found himself so much better that he determin’d to embark for Smyrna, though contrary to the advice of his physician. *

Page *129. [At Smyrna] Feb. 2nd [1789]. - This evening being fix’d on for our departure, we return’d the visits of all the gentlemen who had come to see us, and prepared other matters for our embarkation in the course of the morning. We were prevail’d on to postpone our going on board till after supper. . We went after the Play to the Cassino, where we were presented to the Prince Victoire Giminé, of the Rohan family, with several of whom Whaley had been intimate when in France. He commanded a very fine frigate, the *Badine. *He is an active spirited young man, passionately fond of his profession, imitates as nearly as possible the customs of the British Navy, and spares no pains to acquire a knowledge of their regulations. When we met him he was just return’d from Athens, where he had been in search of antiquities, and where he had procured some beautiful pieces of Grecian sculpture, etc., etc. *

Page *298. [At Jerusalem.] - The Procurer then accompanied us to the Appartments of the Superior of the Convent, whom we had not before seen, as he was indisposed when we arrived … he appear’d to be a good deal oppress’d by a feverish cold. He raised himself and received us politely. He was a man far advanced in years, yet he possessed a natural vivacity in his countenance, which a life of retirement had not entirely deprived him of, and which a long beard, with the cowl and dismal Cordelier habit, could not altogether disguise. We conversed for some time on the late transactions in Europe, and he question’d us particularly concerning the motives of our journey, which we told him we had undertaken both through religion and curiosity… . We took our leave, and return’d with the Procurer to his appartments. The Superior here sent us a Certificate of our having visited Jerusalem, which we were inform’d it was customary to give to every pilgrim who visits the convents, and which we were glad to obtain, as a voucher of our having perform’d the journey required by the articles of my friend’s bet. I here annex the original Certificate for the gratification of any person who may read this. The next leaf of the MS. has been torn out.)

route.gif (16679 bytes)

Extract from Whaley’s Memoirs.

MS. No. 2, Vol. II., pp. 114-118. See Preface.

Episode of Theresina.

I shall ever [sic] forget my tender, faithful and lovely Theresina, when I had bought her from her parents. When 1 first saw her, she was sitting before the door. The beauty of her complexion, the regularity of her features, and above all, the innocent, modest and tender simplicity of her countenance, made me gaze on her with wonder, delight and admiration. The parents soon observed the lively impression their lovely child made on me, and they immediately determined to turn it to their advantage. Within a quarter of an hour the bargain was struck, I paid about £130 and Theresina was mine. Strange as it may appear, I was the only person that was astonished at so extraordinary a transaction. Theresina shed a few tears on quitting her parents, but they were soon dried up when I had provided her with all the most costly dresses that Eastern magnificence could produce.

She *[sic] *pleased and happy in her new situation. She was but 13, her mind perfectly corresponded with the wonderful simetry [sic] of her person; courteous and affable to everybody, without regretting the past, or caring for the future, her only study was to promote the happiness of a person whom she considered as a master and benefactor.

It was both my duty and inclination to provide for so charming a girl; as I was convinced that she could not be insensible to the personal accomplishment of my dear Paoulo, who was returning to his own country, I proposed a match between them, which both accepted with eagerness and gratitude. Theresina was happy with the idea of returning to her own country and of having her freedom, while Paoulo thought it a great honour and found it his interest to marry the pretty slave of his master. They had saved some money, I doubled it and paid their passage; now they are comfortably settled at Smyrna, where Paoulo carries on some trade, and they live in a simple and happy mediocrity.

Happy simplicity! I leave it to our modern philosophers and modern beaux to comment upon it. As for my part, I do not blush to acknowledge, that however customs and manners may differ among nations, I cannot help admiring the passive submission and un [sic] philosophy of my dear Theresina, while I am at a loss to find expression sufficiently strong to reprobate the selfish and interested character of her parents. *

Page *295, ante. - *“*During the period of my residence at Neufchatel (1792-4), it was also visited by Mr. Beckford, the well-known author of “Vathek,” who made his journey in a style that would astonish the princes of the present degenerate days. His travelling *menage *consisted of about 30 horses, with four carriages, and a corresponding train of servants. Immediately upon his arrival Mr. Beckford set up a fine yacht upon the lake, and by his munificent hospitality, soon ingratiated himself with the young Englishmen of rank whose names I have mentioned. The friendship, however, was not of long endurance: in the course of a few weeks, letters came from England to Captain Arbuthnot (Earl Dighy’s tutor), as the result of which our visits to Mr. Beckford ceased.” - *Personal Recollections of Valentine Lord Cloncurry, *page 11. *

Page 394, *ante. - William Beckford, in his *Portuguese Letters, refers to his stay at Evian at an earlier date. Writing from Falmouth, where he was detained by contrary winds, on the 11th March, 1787) he says: “What a fool 1 was to leave my beloved retirement at Evian! Instead of viewing innumerable transparent rills falling over the amber-coloured rocks of Melierie [sic], *I am chained down to contemplate an oosy beach… Instead of the cheerful crackling of a wood fire in the old baron’s great hall I hear the bellowing of winds in narrow chimneys. You must allow the aromatic fragrance of fir-cones, such heaps of which I used to burn in Savoy, is greatly preferable.” - Letter V.

Among other expensive luxuries in which Beckford indulged about the period when Buck Whaley met him. was the purchase of Edward Gibbon’s library at Lausanne. **

Haliday Pamphlets. (Royal Irish Academy).**

Vol. 550, page 140. Mis. Verse, 1789. *

Air: *Mr. Wh-ll-Y.

I travers’d Judah’s barren sand,

At beauty’s altar to adore-

But there the Turk had spoil’d the land,

And Sion’s daughters were no more.

In Greece the bold imperious mien,

The wanton look, the leering eye,

Bade Love’s devotion not he seen,

Where constancy is never nigh.

From thence to Italy’s fair shore

I urged my never-ceasing way,

And to Loretto’s temple bore

A mind devoted still to pray.

And there, too, superstition’s hand

Had sketch’d every feature o’er,

And made me soon regain the land,

Where beauty fills the Western shore.

Where Hymen with celestial power

Connubial transports doth adorn;

Where purest virtue sports the hour

That ushers in each happy morn.

Ye daughters of old Albion’s isle,

Where’er I go, where’er I stray,

O! Charity’s sweet children, smile

To cheer a pilgrim on his way.

* 

Ibid. Vol. 358, page 52.***

Miss Whaley.***

Now Wh-l-y comes adorn’d with Beauty’s flowers,

But comes resplendent with superior powers,-

What tho’ that cheek exceeds the Peach’s bloom,

That fragrant breath Arabia’s rich perfume;

Faint in the eye of sense those charms are seen,

To that intelligence which rules within:

That polish’d mind, by every truth imprest,

And the meek virtues which adorn her breast.

 

• This and the two pieces following refer to Buck Whaley’s sister Anne, who married the Rt. Hon. John Fitzgibbon in 1786. At a later period, when Lady Clare, she was distinguished for her wit and cleverness in the gay society which the Princeof Wales collected about him in the Pavilion at Brighton.

Mr. W. H. Wilkins, in his *Mrs. Fitzherbert and George IV., *London, 1905, Vol. 1., 157, speaking of Canton House in the year 1786, and the entertainments there over which Mrs. Fitzherbert presided as hostess, states that Lady Clare was among the “beautiful and brilliant women” who were frequently present. She was still, however, Mrs. Fitzgibbon at that time, her husband not being Lord Clare until 1795. Later in the same Vol. (p. 268), referring to the rollicking parties continuously given by H.R.H. at Brighton in 1790, he mentions a number of favoured Irish guests whose “merry recklessness of temperament had a great attraction for the Prince of Wales, and indeed bore a peculiar affinity to his own character,” and adds - “among whom was the witty and fascinating Lady Clare, an Irish lady who was a friend of Mrs. Fitzherbert.” *

Ibid. Vol. 572, page 3.***

From “The Mirror.”**

See smiling Fitzgibbon in negligence bright,

With a person of elegance, eye of delight;

Behold how she swims through the mazes of fashion,

No stranger, tho’ gay, to the joys of compassion;

Her charms are confess’d, yet more bright they appear

When refresh’d by the dew of benignity’s tear. *

Ibid. Vol. 538, page 22,* “The Promenade, or Theatre of Beauty.” **

Mrs. F-tz-bon.

**With loveliest form F-tz-bon next is seen,

Grace rules her step, and elegance her mien;

The sweet impression which our hearts pursue,

In her resplendent meets th’ admiring view;

Strikes the quick sense, in majesty array’d,

And casts each meaner Beauty into shade.

Not with more swiftness darts the rapid course

Of fires electric shot with fiercest force.

** 

Extract from Memoir of Joseph Holt, General of the Irish Rebels in 1798.**

Ed. by T. Crofton Croker. Lond., 1838. *

Vol 1, page 160*. - [Holt, speaking of his enemies] “They had as many setters about me as Buck Whaley when he got the Duke of Y---, Miss ---, into his keeping.”

[On which Croker has the following note. “I am not able to illustrate the scandalous anecdote here alluded to by Holt. Those curious in the chronicles of slander may, no doubt, readily have their curiosity gratified by referring to the pages of the *Court Magazine, *or the *Town and Country Magazine, *if such worse than useless publications have been preserved. Buck Whaley, however, was a notorious character, from his pilgrimage to Jerusalem and other achievements, famous in the annals of sporting. The *Annual Register *for 1788 has the following notice of the first of these affairs. ‘A young Irish gentleman, for a very considerable wager, set out on Monday, the 22nd instant [September], to walk to Constantinople and back in one year. It is said that the young gentleman has £20,000 depending on the performance of his exploit.’ … Whaley’s extraordinary achievement, as it was then considered, gave rise, in Dublin, to a popular song, known by the name of its burden, ‘Round the world for sport.’

Mr. Whaley’s sister, Isabella [?], married the first Lord Clare, and to Mr. Whaley belonged the seat more than once mentioned [in *Holt’s Memoirs] *as Whaley’s Abbey. It is situated on the side of the mountain west of the first Meeting of the Waters in the Vale of Avoca

“Mr. Whaley is said to have been the possessor of some of the best-bred horses in Ireland. His town residence was in St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin, from the drawing-room window of which, for a considerable wager, he is commonly believed to have leaped, on a favourite little Arabian horse, over a mail coach. This *fete *was accomplished by taking out the window-frame, and having a quantity of straw laid on the pavement below to receive the gallant horse and its determined rider. I do not vouch for the accuracy of this sporting anecdote; I merely ‘tell the tale as told to me.’” Croker in the same note mentions that “General” Holt at one period of the Rebellion rode a blood mare which had belonged to Whaley.

Whaley Index