A Dandy Diatribe by one in their midst! | Captain Gronow reflects... and rebukes the Regency Beaux 🎩

 

Take a deep breath, dear reader. This rant simmered under four monarchs prior to print in 1866:

"How unspeakably odious - with a few brilliant exceptions, such as Alvanley and others - were the dandies of forty years ago. They were a motley crew, with nothing remarkable about them but their insolence. They were generally not high-born, nor rich, nor very good-looking, nor clever, nor agreeable; and why they arrogated to themselves the right of setting up their own fancied superiority on a self-raised pedestal, and despising their betters, Heaven only knows. They were generally middle-aged, some even elderly men, had large appetites and weak digestions, gambled freely - and had no luck. They hated everybody, and abused everybody, and would sit together in White's bay window, or the pit boxes at the Opera, weaving tremendous crammers. (1) They swore a good deal, never laughed, had their own particular slang, looked hazy after dinner, and had most of them been patronised at one time or other by Brummell and the Prince Regent. These gentlemen were very fond of having a butt. Many years ago Tom Raikes filled this capacity: though he did kick out sometimes, and to some purpose. They gloried in their shame, and believed in nothing good, or noble, or elevated. Thank Heaven, that miserable race of used-up dandies has long been extinct! May England never look upon their like again!"

'Captain Gronow's Last Recollections, Being The Fourth and Final Series Of His Reminiscences And Anecdotes, London 1866.' (2)

So, harsh but fair?

Well it seems that way.

But most likely peevish to the hilt too! 

As Captain Gronow was only on the fringe of an idle set. Despite being among the select dandies of Beau Brummell's coterie. 

An Almack's member whom Player's cigarettes would feature in their 1932 series of collectible cards.  

'Dandies' - Captain Gronow (centre) struts his stuff among the best (and the worst) of them! A definitive set of 50 annotated cards.

However, Captain Gronow "was never admitted to the inner circle at White's, and thus debarred from the Bow Window." (3)

Which may have bothered him a bit. And inspired the fellow to form a similar clique around a bow window in Paris. (4)

Otherwise, Gronow's temperament was remarkably cool. And his Recollections of later dandy, Count d'Orsay, rather reverential. 

Which is relevant, as the Captain was quite short and the Count always greeted him as 'No-grow'!

So it seems Brummell's lot were simply less amicable in their banter. And a lot less forgivable in their ways!

1) tall tales

(2) An edited compilation by Christopher Summerville was published in 2006: 'Regency Recollections: Captain Gronow's Guide to Life in London and Paris' (Ravenhall Books).

3) 'The Beaux and the Dandies', Clare Jerrold (Stanley Paul & Co. 1910)

4) ibid

John Gilheany is a freelance Copywriter available at: 'A dash of Tonic!'