Eye Spy A Miniature

Portrait miniatures (such as the one of the notorious Count Fersen below) abounded in the eighteenth century, having been fashionable since the sixteenth century. They were often exchanged between lovers, and even served as advertisements for eligible women - an aristocratic gentleman would invariably commission a series of portrait miniature of his daughter to send to suitors who resided a long distance away.

For the most part, the convention of the portrait miniature remained unaltered up until their decline in popularity during Edwardian times (with the advent of photography), however the late eighteenth century saw the emergence of a peculiar trend of eye miniatures which continued to be produced throughout the nineteenth century. Their design preserved the anonymity of the subject and were therefore considered to be more intimate tokens of one's affection. The following is an excellent example of such an object, dating from around the 1790s

The popular miniaturist Richard Cosway charged a mere five guineas per eye, and even received commissions from the Prince Regent. Horace Walpole was recorded as remarking upon the fashion to Lady Ossory in the following way:

"Do you know Madam, that the fashion now, is not to have portraits but of an eye? They say,
'Lord! Don't you know it.'"

While Lady Eleanor Bultler noted that young men returning from their Grand Tour of Europe brought back with them "an Eye, done in Paris & set in a ring - a true French idea." suggesting that the fashion may have originated on the Continent.

Text Speak, Georgian Style

In the twenty-first century, we are all accustomed to the convention of 'text speak', a form of abbreviation generally employed in a non-formal context, such as in composing a text message or a response to a friend's post on Facebook. We instantly understand what is meant by 'Lol', 'rofl', 'atm' and 'wbu' and can easily incorporate them into our own repetoire. While these particularly terms are relatively modern innovations, it is a common misconception that such forms of abbreviation are a phenomenon confined to this century. In reading James Munson's most excellent book 'Maria Fitzherbert', I have been introduced to the Georgian equivalent of text speak, a variety of shorthand commonly used in composing letters.
Let me acquaint you with the most common forms -
"ye" for "the"
"ym" for "them"
"yr" for "your"
"yt" for "that"
"wt" for "what" or "with"
"wh" for "which"
"wd" for "would"

To view these quaint abbreviations in action, let me quote from a letter from the Prince Regent to Lady Anne Barnard (née Lindsay) regarding his intentions to (illegally) marry the Catholic widow, Mrs. Fitzherbert:

"I think you are perfectly right respecting yr. ideas of writing to her Relatives; it was ye best way of hinting her situation to ym. without alarming ym. too much...I shall be totally guided in this by yr. prudence & judgement & I only hope yt. as soon as it is in your power you will see me either at yr. own House or some third place: you really know not what I have suffer'd."