"Yes, ma"am," I answered, thinking her very absent,--which I thought with sorrow, as that is so small a part of her character, that I know not I ever saw any symptom of it before. Nor, in fact, as I found afterwards, did I see it now. It was soon explained. Miss Gomme, Mlle. Montmoulin, and Miss Planta, all dined with Mrs. Schwellenberg to-day. The moment I joined them, Mrs. Schwellenberg called out,--"Pray, Miss Berner, for what visit you the gentlemen?"
"Me?"
"Yes, you,--and for what, I say?"
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Amazed, I declared I did not know what she meant.
"O," cried she, scoffingly, "that won"t not do!--we all saw you,--princess royal the same,--so don"t not say that."
I stared,-and Miss Gomme burst out in laughter, and then Mrs.
Schwellenberg added,--"For what go you over to the Prince of Wales his house?--n.o.body lives there but the gentlemen,--n.o.body others."
I laughed too, now, and told her the fact.
"O," cried she, "Lady Charlotte!--ver true. I had forgot Lady Charlotte!"
"O, very well, imagine," cried I,--"so only the gentlemen were remembered!"
I then found this had been related to the queen; and Mlle.
Montmoulin said she supposed the visit had been to General Gordon!--He is the groom now in waiting.
Then followed an open raillery from Mlle. Montmoulin of Mr.
Fairly"s visits; but I stood it very well, a.s.suring her I should never seek to get rid of my two prison-visitors, Mr. Smelt and Mr. Fairly, till I Could replace them by better, or go abroad for others
IMPROVEMENT IN THE KING"S, HEALTH.
Feb. 14.-The king is infinitely better. O that there were patience in the land ! and this Regency Bill postponed Two of the princesses regularly, and in turn, attend their royal mother in her evening visits to the king. Some of those who stay behind now and then spend the time in Mrs. Schwellenberg"s room. They all long for their turn of going to the king, and count the hours till it returns. Their dutiful affection is truly beautiful to behold.
This evening the Princesses Elizabeth and Mary came into Mrs.
Schwellenberg"s room while I was yet there. They sang songs in two parts all the evening, and vary prettily in point of voice.
Their good humour, however, and inherent condescension and sweetness of manners, would make a much worse performance pleasing.
Feb. 16-All well, and the king is preparing for an interview with the chancellor Dr. Willis now confides in me all his schemes and notions; we are growing the best of friends and his son Dr. John is nearly as trusty. Excellent people! how I love and honour them all!
I had a visit at noon from Mr. Fairly. He hastened to tell
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me the joyful news that the king and queen were just gone out, to walk in Richmond gardens, arm in arm.--what a delight to all the house!
When I came to tea, I found Mr. Fairly waiting in my room. He had left Kew for Richmond park, but only dined there. We had much discussion of state business. The king is SO much himself, that he is soon to be informed of the general situation of the kingdom. O what an information!--how we all tremble in looking forward to it., Mr. Fairly thinks Mr. Smelt the fittest man for this office; Mr. Smelt thinks the same of Mr. Fairly: both have told me this.
MR. FAIRLY AND MR. WINDHAM.
Mr. Fairly began soon to look at his watch, complaining very much of the new ceremony imposed, of this attendance of handing the Queen, which, he said, broke into his whole evening. Yet he does as little as possible. "The rest of them," he said, " think it necessary to wait in an adjoining apartment during the whole interview, to be ready to show themselves when it is over!
He now sat with his watch in his hand, dreading to pa.s.s his time, but determined not to antic.i.p.ate its occupation, till half past nine o"clock, when he drew on his white gloves, ready for action.
But then, stopping short, he desired me to guess whom, amongst my acquaintance, he had met in London this last time of his going thither. I could not guess whom he meant--but I saw it was no common person, by his manner. He then continued--"A tall, thin, meagre, sallow, black-eyed, penetrating, keen-looking figure."
I could still not guess,-and he named Mr. Windham.
"Mr. Windham!" I exclaimed, "no, indeed,--you do not describe him fairly,-he merits better colouring."
He accuses me of being very partial to him: however, I am angry enough with him just now, though firmly persuaded still, that whatever has fallen from him, that is wrong and unfeeling on the subject of the Regency, has been the effect of his enthusiastic friendship for Mr. Burke: for he has never risen, on this cruel business, but in Support of that most misguided of Vehement and wild orators. This I have observed in the debates, and felt that Mr. Burke was not more run away with by violence of temper, and pa.s.sion, than Mr. Windham by excess of friendship and admiration.
Page 298 Mr. Fairly has, I fancy, been very intimate with him, for he told me he observed he was pa.s.sing him, in Queen Anne Street, and stopped his horse, to call out, "O ho, Windham! so I see you will not know me with this servant!" He was on business of the queen"s, and had one of the royal grooms with him.
Mr. Windham laughed, and said he was very glad to see who it was, for, on looking at the royal servant, he had just been going to make his lowest bow.
"O, I thank you!" returned Mr. Fairly, "you took me, then, for the Duke of c.u.mberland,"
THE KING CONTINUES TO IMPROVE.
Feb. 17.-The times are now most interesting and critical. Dr.
Willis confided to me this morning that to-day the king is to see the chancellor. How important will be the result of his appearance!--the whole national fate depends upon it!
Feb. 18.-I had this morning the highest gratification, the purest feelings of delight, I have been regaled with for many months: I saw, from the road, the king and queen, accompanied by Dr.
Willis, walking in Richmond gardens, near the farm, arm in arm!-- It was a pleasure that quite melted me, after a separation so bitter, scenes so distressful-to witness such harmony and security! Heaven bless and preserve them was all I could incessantly say while I kept in their sight. I was in the carriage with Mrs. Schwellenberg at the time. They saw us also, as I heard afterwards from the queen.
In the evening Mrs. Arline, Mrs. Schwellenberg"s maid, came into Mrs. Schwellenberg"s room, after coffee, and said to me, "If you please, ma"am, somebody wants you." I concluded this somebody my shoemaker, or the like; but in my room I saw Mr. Fairly. He was in high spirits. He had seen his majesty; Dr. Willis had carried him in. He was received with open arms, and embraced; he found nothing now remaining of the disorder, but too in much hurry of spirits. When he had related the particulars of the interview, he suddenly exclaimed, "How amazingly well you have borne all this!"
I made some short answers, and would have taken-refuge in some other topic: but he seemed bent upon pursuing his own, and started various questions and surmises, to draw me on, In vain, however; I gave but general, or evasive answers,
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THE KING"S HEALTH IS COMPLETELY RESTORED.
This was a sweet, and will prove a most memorable day: Regency was put off, in the House of Lords, by a motion from the chancellor!--huzza! huzza!
And this evening, for the first time, the king came upstairs, to drink tea with the queen and princesses in the drawing-room! My heart was so full of joy and thankfulness, I could hardly breathe! Heaven--heaven be praised! What a different house is this house become!--sadness and terror, that wholly occupied it so lately, are now flown away, or rather are now driven out ; and though anxiety still forcibly prevails, "tis in so small a proportion to joy and thankfulness, that it is borne as if scarce an ill!
Feb. 23.-This morning opened wofully to me, though gaily to the house; for as my news of his majesty was perfectly comfortable, I ventured, in direct words, to ask leave to receive my dear friends Mr. and Mrs. Locke, who were now in town:--in understood sentences, and open looks, I had already failed again and again.
My answer was-" I have no particular objection, only you"ll keep them to your room." Heavens!--did they ever, unsummoned, quit it?
or have they any wish to enlarge their range of visit? I was silent, and then heard a history of some imprudence in Lady Effingham, who had received some of her friends. My resolution, upon this, I need not mention: I preferred the most lengthened absence to such a permission. But I felt it acutely! and I hoped, at least, that by taking no steps, something more favourable might soon pa.s.s. . . .
The king I have seen again in the queen"s dressing-room. On opening the door, there he stood! He smiled at my start, and saying he had waited on purpose to see me, added, "I am quite well now,--I was nearly so when I saw you before, but I could overtake you better now." And then he left the room. I was quite melted with joy and thankfulness at this so entire restoration.
End of February, 1789. Dieu merci!
(294) Physician-in-ordinary to the king-ED.
(295) Her tragedy of "Edwy and Elgiva," which was produced at Drury Lane in 1795. See note ante, vol. i., p. xlv.--ED.
(296) The "Douglas cause" was one of the causes celebres of its tine. Its history is briefly as follows. In 1746 Lady Jane Douglas married Sir John Stewart. At Paris, in July, 1748, she gave birth to twins, Archibald and Sholto, of whom the latter died an infant. Lady Jane herself died in 1753. The surviving child, Archibald, was always recognized as their son by Lady Jane and Sir John. In 1760 the Duke of Douglas, the brother of Lady Jane, being childless, recognised his sister"s son as his heir, and bequeathed to him by will the whole of the Douglas estates, revoking, for that purpose, a previous testament which he had made in favour of the Hamilton family. The Duke died in 1761, and Archibald, who had a.s.sumed his mother"s, name of Douglas, duly succeeded to the estates. His right, however, Was disputed at law by the Duke of Hamilton, on the pretence, which he sought to establish, that Archibald Douglas was not in fact the son of his reputed mother. The Lords of Session in Scotland decided in favour of the Duke of Hamilton, whereupon Mr. Douglas appealed to the House of Lords, which reversed the decision of the Scottish court (February 2-, 1769), 1, "thereby confirming to Mr. Douglas his Filiation and his Fortune."-ED.
(297) "Miss Fuzilier," the Diary-name for Miss Gunning, whom Colonel Digby did subsequently marry. "Sir R- F-" is her father, Sir Robert Gunning.-ED,