It provoked
a _Reply_ from Pulteney. In this composition he spoke of Hervey as 'a
thing below contempt,' and ridiculed his personal appearance in the
grossest terms. A duel was the result, the parties meeting behind
Arlington House, in Piccadilly, where Mr. Pulteney had the satisfaction
of almost running Lord Hervey through with his sword. Luckily the poor
man slipped down, so the blow was evaded, and the seconds interfered:
Mr. Pulteney then embraced Lord Hervey, and expressing his regret for
their quarrel, declared that he would never again, either in speech or
writing, attack his lordship. Lord Hervey only bowed, in silence; and
thus they parted.
The queen having observed what an alteration in the palace Lord Hervey's
death would cause, he said he could guess how it would be, and he
produced 'The Death of Lord Hervey; or, a Morning at Court; a Drama:'
the idea being taken it is thought, from Swift's verses on his own
death, of which Hervey might have seen a surreptitious copy. The
following scene will give some idea of the plot and structure of this
amusing little piece. The part allotted to the Princess Caroline is in
unison with the idea prevalent of her attachment to Lord Hervey:--
ACT I.
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