Saucy bastard

August 1812

My dearest Caroline,

If tears, which you saw & know I am not apt to shed, if the agitation in which I parted from you, agitation which you must have perceived through the whole of this most nervous nervous affair, did not commence till the moment of leaving you approached, if all that I have said & done, & am still but too ready to say & do, have not sufficiently proved what my real feelings are & must be ever towards you, my love, I have no other proof to offer.

God knows I wish you happy, & when I quit you, or rather when you from a sense of duty to your husband & mother quit me, you shall acknowledge the truth of what I again promise & vow, that no other in word or deed shall ever hold the place in my affection which is & shall be most sacred to you, till I am nothing.

I never knew till that moment, the madness of -- my dearest & most beloved friend -- I cannot express myself -- this is no time for words -- but I shall have a pride, a melancholy pleasure, in suffering what you yourself can hardly conceive -- for you don not know me. -- I am now about to go out with a heavy heart, because -- my appearing this Evening will stop any absurd story which the events of today might give rise to -- do you think now that I am cold & stern, & artful -- will even others think so, will your mother even -- that mother to whom we must indeed sacrifice much, more much more on my part, than she shall ever know or can imagine.

"Promises not to love you" ah Caroline it is past promising -- but shall attribute all concessions to the proper motive -- & never cease to feel all that you have already witnessed -- & more than can ever be known but to my own heart -- perhaps to yours -- May God protect forgive & bless you -- ever & even more than ever.

yr. most attached
BYRON

Dame Barbara Cartland

After forty a woman has to choose between losing her figure or her face. My advice is to keep your face, and stay sitting down.

l'apathie de la bougeoisie; Baroness Helene de Ludinghausen

For 31 years the directrice of Yves Saint Laurent Couture. The last surviving Stroganoff and a Rothschild. She also has a Parrot. He likes mascara.   

Ballet Russes

Anna Pavlova...

And I ain't talking posh desserts. 

Next proper post subject: Diaghilev.

We are family

The Mitford sisters

Baron & Baroness Redesdale, Thomas and the six sisters

Probably the most influential aristocratic family of the 20th century. 

Ben Macintyre of the Times condensed the sisters characters effectively in one sentence: "Diana the Fascist, Jessica the Communist, Unity the Hitler-lover; Nancy the Novelist; Deborah the Duchess and Pamela the unobtrusive poultry connoisseur". Who would you invite round for tea first?

The sisters epitomised the high society glamour of the 1930's, brushing off the dowdy, tweedy image of the landed gentry; bringing an element of hollywood exoticism to a grey Britain in the midst of a financial crisis.

Each had their own attraction. Although I'm not sure whether Fascism or indeed a passion for poultry are classified as attractions?

Place one's hand on one's hip. Makes
for a more flattering photograph Diana.

Regardless of the sisters themselves, the family have produced a few of the biggest names in fashion today. Daphne Guinness is the great granddaughter of Diana, wife to British union of fascists leader Sir Oswald Mosley. Stella Tennant, "discovered" by Isabella blow, the best friend of Ms Guinness, is the great granddaughter of Deborah, Duchess of Devonshire.

The girls are collectively and individually fascinating. Hitler and all. Even if they were effectively on giant PR disaster. Oh Unity why did you choose Nazism over poultry!?  

l'apathie de la bougeoisie, Henrietta Tiarks

Henrietta Tiarks, Dowager Duchess of Bedford

I don't know the exact date of this photograph, or the whereabouts of its setting. I'd imagine its around 1958 and appears to be by the photographer Mark Shaw, although I'm not certain. There are very few pictures of HT as a model. Most of which are also taken by Shaw. 

Henrietta Tiarks, Duchess of Bedford

Angelica Houston was once told; "you'll never be pretty but you'll always be magnificent." This is perhaps the secret of Ms Tiarks. Imagine her drifting into a smokey cocktail bar. Now imagine Kate Moss stumbling out of Boujis, nipples to the wind at 3.15 in the morning. 

"I still have some beautiful ball dresses, but they live in a cupboard — nobody gives balls any more. I haven’t worn a tiara in 25 years. Times have changed. The aristocracy has no point any more."