March 8th, 1798.
My dear friend,-The queen has commanded me to acquaint you that she desires you will be at the Queen"s house on Thursday morning at ten o"clock, with your lovely boy. You are desired to come upstairs in Princess Elizabeth"s apartments, and her majesty will send for you as soon as she can see you. Adieu! Yours most affectionately, M. Planta.
A little before ten, you will easily believe, we were at the ,Queen"s house, and were immediately ushered into the apartment of the Princess Elizabeth, who, to show she expected my little man, had some playthings upon one of her many tables; for her royal highness has at least twenty in her princ.i.p.al room. The child, in a new muslin frock, sash, etc." did not look to much disadvantage, and she examined him with the most good-humoured pleasure, and, finding him too shy to be seized, had the graciousness, as well as sense, to play round and court him by sportive wiles, instead of being offended at his insensibility to her royal notice. She ran about the room, peeped at him through chairs, clapped her hands, half caught without touching him, and showed a skill Page 164
and a sweetness that made one almost sigh she should have no call for her maternal propensities.
There came in presently Miss D-, a young lady about thirteen, who seems in some measure under the protection of her royal highness, who had rescued her poor injured and amiable mother, Lady D-, from extreme distress, into which she had been involved by her unworthy husband"s connexion with the infamous Lady W-, who, more hardhearted than even bailiffs, had forced certain of those gentry, in an execution she had ordered in Sir H. D-"s house, to seize even all the children"s playthings ! as well as their clothes, and that when Lady D-- had but just lain in, and was nearly dying! This charming princess, who had been particularly acquainted with Lady D- during her own illness at Kew Palace, where the queen permitted the intercourse, came forward upon this distress, and gave her a small independent house in the neighbourhood of Kew, with every advantage she could annex to it.
But she is now lately no more, and, by the sort of reception given to her daughter, I fancy the princess transfers to her that kind benevolence the mother no longer wants.
just then, Miss Planta came to summon us to the Princess Augusta.
She received me with her customary sweetness, and called the little boy to her. He went fearfully and cautiously, yet with a look of curiosity at the state of her head, and the operations of her friseur, that seemed to draw him on more powerfully than her commands. He would not, however, be touched, always flying to my side at the least attempt to take his hand. This would much have vexed me, if I had not seen the ready allowance she made for his retired life, and total want of use to the sight of anybody out of our family, except the Lockes, amongst whom I told her his peculiar preference for Amelia. "Come then," cried she, "come hither, my dear, and tell me all about her,--is she very good to you?--do you like her very much?"
He was now examining her fine carpet, and no answer was to be procured. I would have apologised, but she would not let me.
""Tis so natural," she cried, ""that he should be more amused with those shapes and colours than with my stupid questions."
Princess Mary now came in, and, earnestly looking at him, exclaimed, "He"s beautiful!--what eyes!--do look at his eyes!"
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"Come hither, my dear," again cried Princess Augusta, "come hither;" and, catching him to her for a Moment, and, holding up his hair. to lift up his face and made him look at her, she smiled very archly, and cried, "O ! horrid eyes!
shocking eyes!--take them away!"
Princess Elizabeth then entered, attended by a page, who was loaded With playthings which she had been sending for. You may suppose him caught now! He seized upon dogs, horses, chaise, a cobbler, a watchman, and all he could grasp but would not give his little person or cheeks, to my great confusion, for any of them.
I was fain to call him a little savage, a wild deer, a creature just caught from the woods, and whatever could indicate his rustic life, and apprehension of new faces,--to prevent their being hurt ; and their excessive good nature helped all my excuses, nay, made them needless, except to myself. .
Princess Elizabeth now began playing upon an organ she had brought him, which he flew to seize. "Ay, do! that"s right, my dear," cried Princess Augusta, stopping her ears at some discordant sounds; "take it to mon ami, to frighten the cats out of his garden."
And now, last of all, came in Princess Amelia, and, strange to relate ! the child was instantly delighted with her! She came first up to me, and, to my inexpressible surprise and enchantment, she gave me her sweet beautiful face to kiss!--an honour I had thought now for ever over, though she had so frequently gratified me with it formerly. Still more touched, however, than astonished, I would have kissed her hand, but, withdrawing it, saying, "No, no,--you know I hate that!" she again presented me her ruby lips, and with an expression of -such ingenuous sweetness and innocence as was truly captivating. She is and will be another Princess Augusta.
She then turned to the child, and his eyes met hers with a look of the same pleasure that they were sought. She stooped down to take his unresisting hands, and, exclaiming "Dear little thing!"
took him in her arms, to his own as obvious content as hers.
"He likes her!" cried Princess Augusta, "a little rogue! see how he likes her!"
"Dear little thing!" with double the emphasis, repeated the young princess, now sitting down and taking him upon her knee; "and how does M. d"Arblay do?"
The child now left all his new playthings, his admired Page 166
carpet, and his privilege of jumping from room to room, for the gentle pleasure of sitting in her lap and receiving her caresses.
I could not be very angry, you will believe, yet I would have given the world I could have made him equally grateful to the Princess Augusta. This last charming personage, I now found, was going to Sit for her picture--I fancy to send to the d.u.c.h.ess of Wurtemberg. She gave me leave to attend her with my bantling.
The other princesses retired to dress for Court.
It was with great difficulty I could part my little love from his grand collection of new playthings, all of which he had dragged into the painting-room, and wanted now to pull them down-stairs to the queen"s apartment. I persuaded him, however, to relinquish the design without a quarrel, by promising we would return for them.
HIS PRESENTATION TO THE QUEEN.
I was not a little anxious, you will believe, in this presentation of my unconsciously honoured rogue, who entered the White closet totally unimpressed with any awe, and only with a sensation of disappointment in not meeting again the gay young party, and variety of playthings, he had left above. The queen, nevertheless, was all condescending indulgence, and had a Noah"s ark ready displayed upon the table for him.
But her look was serious and full of care, and, though perfectly gracious, none of her winning smiles brightened her countenance, and her voice was never cheerful. I have since known that the Irish conspiracy with France was just then discovered, and O"Connor that very morning taken.(156) No wonder she should have felt a shock that pervaded her whole mind and manners! If we all are struck with horror at such developments of treason, danger, and guilt, what must they prove to the royal family, at whom they are Page 167
regularly aimed ? How my heart has ached for them in that horrible business!
"And how does your papa do?" said the queen.
"He"s at Telsea," answered the child.
"And how does grandDapa do?"
"He"s in the toach," he replied.
"And what a pretty frock you"ve got on! who made it you, mamma, or little aunty?"
The little boy now grew restless, and pulled me about, with a desire to change his situation. I was a good deal embarra.s.sed, as I saw the queen meant to enter into conversation as usual; which I knew to be impossible, unless he had some entertainment to occupy him. She perceived this soon, and had the goodness immediately to open Noah"s ark herself, which she had meant he should take away with him to examine and possess at once. But he was now soon in raptures : and, as the various animals were produced, looked with a delight that danced in all his features; and when any appeared of which he knew the name, he capered with joy; such as, "O! a tow [cow]!" But at the dog, he clapped his little hands, and running close to her Majesty; leant upon her lap, exclaiming, "O, it"s bow wow!"
"And do you know this, little man?" said the queen, showing him a cat.
"Yes," cried he, again jumping as he leant upon her, "its name is talled p.u.s.s.ey!"
And at the appearance of Noah, in a green mantle, and leaning on a stick, he said, "At"s (that"s] the shepherd"s boy!"
The queen now inquired about my dear father, and heard all I had to say relative to his apartments, with an air of interest, yet not as if it was new to her. I have great reason to believe the accommodation then arranging, and since settled, as to his continuance in the College, has been deeply influenced by some royal hint. . . .
I imagined she had just heard of the marriage of Charlotte, for she inquired after my sister Frances, whom she never had mentioned before since I quitted my post. I was obliged briefly to relate the transaction, seeking to adorn it by stating Mr.
Broome"s being the author of "Simkin"s Letters." She agreed in their uncommon wit and humour.
My little rebel, meanwhile, finding his animals were not given into his own hands, but removed from their mischief, was struggling all this time to get at the Tunbridge-ware of Page 168
the queen"s work-box, and, in defiance of all my efforts to prevent him, he seized one piece, which he called a hammer, and began violently knocking the table with it. I would fain have taken it away silently - but he resisted such grave authority, and so continually took it back, that the queen, to my great confusion, now gave it him. Soon, however, tired also of this, he ran away from me into the next room, which was their majesties"
bedroom, and in which were all the jewels ready to take to St.
James"s, for the Court attire. I was excessively ashamed, and obliged to fetch him back in my arms, and there to keep him. "
"Get down, little man," said the queen; "you are too heavy for your mamma."
He took not the smallest notice of this admonition. The queen, accustomed to more implicit obedience, repeated it but he only nestled his little head in my neck, and worked" about his whole person, so that I with difficulty held him.
The queen now imagined he did not know whom she meant, and said, " What does he call you? Has he any particular name for you?"
He now lifted up his head, and, before I could answer, called out, in a fondling manner, "Mamma, mamma!"
"O!" said she, smiling, "he knows who I mean!"
His restlessness still interrupting all attention, in defiance of my earnest whispers for quietness, she now said, "Perhaps he is hungry?" and rang her bell, and ordered a page to bring some cakes.
He took one with great pleasure, and was content to stand down to eat it. I asked him if he had nothing to say for it; he nodded his little head, and composedly answered, "Sanky, queen!" This could not help amusing her, nor me, neither, for I had no expectation of quite so succinct an answer.
The carriages were now come for St. James"s, and the Princesses Augusta and Elizabeth came into the apartment. The little monkey, in a fit of renewed la.s.situde after his cake, had flung himself on the floor, to repose at his ease. He rose, however, upon their appearance, and the sweet Princess Augusta said to the queen, "He has been so good, up-stairs, mamma, that nothing could be better behaved." I could have kissed her for this instinctive kindness, excited by a momentary view of my embarra.s.sment at his little airs and liberties.
The queen heard her with an air of approving, as well as understanding, her motive, and spoke to me with the utmost Page 169