The Patricia Veryan Fan Club was created in April 1989. The official newsletter was christened The Quizzing Glass after many names including "The Mail Coach", and "The Reticule" were considered and rejected.
Today it is considered quite rude to stare at another person, but not so for the fashionable Regency and Georgian gentlemen. The quizzing glass was a part of their wardrobe as necessary as their cravat.
Patricia wields this tool with as much aplomb as the dashing men in her books, demonstrating humor, contempt, disdain, character . . . or the lack of it.
The following are a few of my favorites . . .
Winfield Hersh raised his quizzing glass to a pale blue and slightly protruding eye and scanned the viscount (St. Clair) in amusement.
"And who blushes so admirably," murmured the marquis (Damon) peering at Sophia through his quizzing glass.
"Hawkhurst! Are you run mad? And the girl in her nightrail!" "No, is she?" He turned his quizzing glass interestedly upon Euphemia as if seeing her for the first time.
A small, elegant, but irate-appearing gentleman hurried into view, quizzing glass upraised the better to survey Tristram, who was leaning against a shelf with shoulders hunched and eyes closed.
Strand was not the type to affect such things as fobs and seals, and possessed but one quizzing glass that was brought forth only occasionally.
Had he (Devenish) put a quizzing glass to his eye and leisurely surveyed his cousin through it, he could scarcely have more clearly implied his scepticism.
His (Mitchell) quizzing glass was raised, and through it he contemplated Devenish's face. "Do you say you was in the military? How very remarkable."
His (Elliot Fontlaine) quizzing glass swung gently from one well-manicured hand. His lips curving into a sardonic smile, he added softly, "You are - er, saving her?"
He'd never before seen this clod (Troy), he was certain. "I ask your pardon, sir." He surveyed the large man from the crown of his untidy head to the soles of his scuffed shoes. A quizzing glass would have been employed by Kevin at such a moment, with devastating effect. Christopher was not the type to carry such articles.
De Villars had recourse to his quizzing glass. "Who", he said with abhorrence, "is this revolting urchin?" Rebecca gave a gasp of rage. To her surprise, Anthony showed no resentment of such a greeting, but sprang to grip de Villars' hand and tug at it urgently.
Penelope caught her breath. Sir Sylvester essayed a pirouette, then waved at a choleric-appearing old gentleman, all whiskers and quizzing glass, who had half-risen from his chair to look with incredulous horror at this performance. "Pon my soul!" snorted the whiskers-and-quizzing glass.
Otton, swinging a gold-chased quizzing glass, regarded all with covert amusement.
"Quentin Chandler is a friend of mine." "Ah-h . . ." Otton took up his quizzing glass and began to swing it gently on the long silver chain that hung about his neck. "You're right. I had forgot that attachment."
"I fear I annoyed her when I ripped up her night-dress." Mr. Fairleigh was engaged in swinging a gold-chased quizzing glass from the chain that hung about his neck, but at this he gave an audible gasp, the hand holding that elegant chain jerked convulsively, and he stared wide-eyed at the physician. Reddening, Victor added, "For bandages!"
Raising a jewelled quizzing glass for a closer look, the younger of the two said indignantly, "His sire took up a collection, Smythe. From half the demned population of the demned south country!"
How benign the smile. How soft the voice. But his lordship's nerves tightened, and his neatly powdered head lifted a trace higher. He (Kadenworthy) raised his quizzing glass and through it directed a level stare at his visitor.
"Even me . . ." Falcon watched the lazy swing of his quizzing glass and said with his cynical half-smile, "Even-the Mandarin. Is that what you mean?"
He (Falcon) inspected her through his quizzing glass, and drawled with a slight curl of the lip, "Faith, but you must be a rara avis, Miss Britewell. Most ladies having the very faintest claim to a royal ancestor fairly trumpet their lineage."
"So he is." Gilbert Fowles sauntered in and scanned Cranford's artistically swaying form through his quizzing glass.
"Do not be frightened. I merely offer a token of my appreciation for . . ." He paused, rubbing his quizzing glass on the bridge of his nose. The room had become tense and hushed.
"Devil take you, Geoff," exclaimed Briley, viewing Delacourt through his haughtily upheld quizzing glass, "if you can meth about in a Jacobite frolic, you might have the goodneth to allow me to play!"
Copyright: Patricia Veryan
Permission to use quotes given by Fawcett (Random House) to The Patricia Veryan Fan Club, Nancy Eads, President.