Hampton Court ... Illustrated with forty-three drawings by Herbert ...

KNELLER'S "BEAUTIES" 107
her husband's neglect; and china and plants have still
their representatives in the Palace.
A new amusement she found in trying to rival
Lely's collection of Charles II.'s Beauties. Her court,
too, she thought, had its charms, and Kneller should
immortalise them. Horace Walpole tells how the old
Lady Carlisle told him that poor Marv only made
herself unpopular by it. " If the King," said Lady
Dorchester, " were to ask for the portraits of all the
wits in his court, would not the rest think he called
them fools ? " As one looks at the portraits of the
ladies of Mary's court, the comparison seems to gain
a double bitterness; for if these are the beauties, what
must the others have been ?
Kneller was delighted to emulate Lely, and he was
well rewarded for his efforts. Polite poets complimented
him in their verses, and he did not lack more
substantial rewards. Lansdowne's couplets are well
known —
" O Kneller!likethy picture were my song,
Clear like thy paint, andlike thy pencil strong,
The matchlessbeauties shouldrecorded be,
Immortalin my verse as in thy gallery."
The "Beauties," as they now appear in William the
Third'sPresence-Chamber, arereduced to eight. Only
the most loyal flatterer could rank the Queen herself
among the beauties;but the great Sarah Jennings has
also disappeared. Those who remain are Diana, the
heiress ofthegreat EarlsofOxford,thoseDe Vereswhose