HARVARD COLLEGE UBRARY FROM THE LIBRARY OF JOHN GRAHAM BROOKS APRIL 25, 1939 Philadelphia, C. Sherman, Printer, 19 St. James Street. r. DIARY AND LETTERS The New Year-Character of Mrs. Delany-Graciousness of the Queen-Sir George Queen's Lodge, Windsor. TUESDAY, JANUARY 1ST.-I BEGAN the new year, as I ended the old one, by seizing the first moment it presented to my own disposal, for flying to Mrs. Delany, and begging her annual benediction. She bestowed it with the sweetest affection, and I spent, as usual, all the time with her I had to spare. It seems always so short; yet we now meet almost regularly twice a-day. Yet where there is a perfect confidence, there is so much to com- municate, and so much to discuss, and compare opinions about, that the shortest absence supplies food for the longest meetings. And, indeed, with- out materials of events, an intercourse the most smooth and uninterrupted with a mind so full, an imagination so fertile, and a memory so richly stored as Mrs. Delany's, would still seem brief, if broken only by that which will I carried the Queen, in the morning, a key, I had at her command drawn up, of Swift's "History of John Bull." I found that work so filled, not only with politics (into which I have never entered), but with vulgarisms the most offensive, that I frankly told her Majesty how far I felt myself from recommending it to her own perusal, or that of the Princess Royal. Her sweetness and graciousness draw out from me, almost at full length, every thing I think upon such subjects as she starts; and this little illness of Mrs. Schwellenberg has procured me much time with her. In passing the eating-parlour, as I returned to my room, I saw Sir George Howard and Lady Frances. I went to them, and was just beginning a common chat, when suddenly the Queen appeared: she was cloaked and soon after went into her carriage; and I found she made a new year's visit to my dear Mrs. Delany, whom she told "she had come to her without telling any body"-" even Miss Burney"—as she would not let any fuss or preparation be made for her visit. My dear Mrs. Delany, to my great satisfaction seized this fair opportunity to speak to her Majesty of your F. B., and to express the grateful sense I felt of her goodness and condescension towards me. I was most happy to have this said from lips so venerable and so respected, as I have longed, lately, to make known to her Majesty the zealous and gratified sentiments she has inspired. Her graciousness indeed, of late, has augmented into the most perfect, the most flattering kindness; and very glad I was, yet not, I own, surprised, to hear that she looked very much pleased with Mrs. Delany's speech. In the evening, by long appointment, I was to receive Mr. Fisher and his bride. Mrs. Schwellenberg, of her own accord, desired me to have them in my room, and said she would herself make tea for the Equerries in the eating-parlour. Mrs. Delany and Miss P― came to meet them. Mrs. Fisher seems good-natured, cheerful, and obliging, neither well nor ill in her appearance, and I fancy, not strongly marked in any way. But she adores Mr. Fisher, and has brought him a large fortune. The Princess Amelia was brought by Mrs. Cheveley, to fetch Mrs. Delany to the Queen. Mrs. Fisher was much delighted in seeing her Royal Highness, who, when in a grave humour does the honours of her rank with a seriousness extremely entertaining. She commands the company to sit down, holds out her little fat hand to be kissed, and makes a distant courtesy, with an air of complacency and encouragement that might suit any Princess of five times her age. Late in the evening I had a leave-taking visit from General Budé, who brought back Mrs. Delany, and then came in himself for half an hour. He returns no more to Windsor, unless for a short occasional hunt, till after the King's birthday. I am sorry to lose him: he is always pleasant, goodhumoured, and well bred. Later still, Colonel Goldsworthy also called on the same errand. His waiting finished with the year, and his successor, Colonel Welbred, will accompany the King's suite in our next return from London. He opened with great warmth, and manifest discontent, upon his disappointment in being consigned to the tea-room next door, when such a party were in my room. He I had much discourse, while the rest were engaged, with Mr. Fisher, about my ever-valued, ever-regretted Mrs. Thrale. Can I call her by another name, loving that name so long, so well, for her and her sake? gave me concern by information that she is now publishing, not only the Letters of Dr. Johnson, but her own. How strange! Mr. and Mrs. Fisher stayed with me till half-past ten o'clock, and promised to dispense with any formal return, and to accept my acquaintance upon such terms as might best suit my own conveniency. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 2D.-We came to town for the next day's Drawing-room. In the evening my dear father lent me his carriage to go to Titchfield Street. I called first in St. Martin's Street. My dear father was delightfully well and gay; and Sarah employed in painting me a trimming for the Queen's birthday. Mrs. Maling, and a pretty little daughter, accompanied me to Titchfield Street, where I found the good and dear Mr. Burney infinitely better than I had ventured to hope I could see him; but our sweet Esther looks so thin -so pale-I could almost cry when my eyes fix upon her. Yet, she, too, is better, and poor Marianne is recovering. I think her a lovely girl, both in mind and person, and wish I could see more of her. How delightfully they played! how great a regale such music and such. performance to my now almost antiquated ears! For though I hear now often at Windsor, some pieces that give me great pleasure, 'tis a pleasure so inferior to what they can give, that it bears not any comparison. Charles, also, came in to tea, and I appointed him for the next day at St. James's. It was altogether a truly comfortable and interesting evening to me. THURSDAY, JANUARY 3D.-This was a great Drawing-room, as the New Year's day was kept upon it, the Ode performed, and the compliments of the season paid. My kind Mrs. Ord, by appointment, came to me early at St. James's, and stayed till three o'clock. We had much to say to each other. I proffered her an evening against my next return to town, and begged her to let me meet a party of my old friends at her house. It is high time I should see them again, after this long separation; and now that my mind is easy, and I am quite resigned to my fate and situation, I feel an anxiety not to be forgotten by those who have been kind to me, and a yet stronger one to show them I have set no forgetting example. I rather wish to make this first reentrance at the house of Mrs. Ord than at any other, because I am proud to show every body the just first place she holds with me, among all that set; next, indeed, to my most bosom friends do I prize her, and because I am sure she will make a selection that will give me pleasure. Mr. Smelt, the only person who, to both, would have been a welcome interrupter, came from the Drawing-room, to make me a little visit. We had scarce arranged ourselves when a real intruder broke in, that disconcerted us all—Mr. S— but he is never disconcerted himself, for he never perceives what mischief he enacts. He came to beg my consolation upon a misfortune he had met the day before. He was the Queen's Equerry in waiting, as usual, and came to the palace to attend her Majesty to the play; but he stole upstairs, into our eating-parlour, and stayed chattering there till he was too late, and the Queen was gone, and all the suite, and his own royal coach among the rest! So he had to walk across the park in the rain, to get into a chair. Yet he entreated me not to tell Mrs. Schwellenberg, for he said she would be more severe upon him than any body. The Queen he saw by her looks, had pardoned him, but with Mrs. Schwellenberg he could have no chance of quarter. He went not away till Mr. Smelt kindly drew him off, by proposing that they should return to the drawing-room together. Mrs. Ord was soon obliged to follow, but not till she had distressed me, in the only way she can pain me, by inveigling, rather than forcing upon me, a beautiful but very expensive new year's gift: as to her child, she says, she does it, and I feel her so truly maternal I dare not struggle with her. "And why should you?" I hear my Fredy whisper. My dearest Fredy, for the same motive that urges the struggle with yourself—a wish |