339
that can eat with their majesties, and those few are
only ladies; no men, of what rank soever, being permitted
to sit in the queen’s presence. I mean
and hope to leave this business wholly to Mrs. Schwellenberg,
and only to succeed Mrs. Haggerdorn in personal attendance
upon the queen.
During tea the door opened, and a young lady entered,
upon whose appearance all the company rose, and retreated
a few paces backward, with looks of high respect.
She advanced to Mrs. Schwellenberg, and desired her
to send a basin of tea into the music-room for Mrs.
Delany : then walking up to me, with a countenance
of great sweetness, she said, “I hope you are
very well, Miss Burney?” I only curtseyed,
and knew not till she left the room, which was as
soon as she had spoken a few words to Major Price,
that this was the Princess Elizabeth.
Immediately after the concert began; the band being
very full, and the performance on the ground-floor,
as is the eating-room. I heard it perhaps better,
because softer, than if I had been in the music-room.
I was very glad of this circumstance. Nothing
was played but Handel; but I was pleased to hear any
music, so much had I persuaded myself I should hear
no more.
Evening ceremonial in the QuEEN’s
dressing room.
At night I was summoned to the queen’s apartment.
Mrs. Schwellenberg was there, waiting. We sat
together some time. The queen then arrived, handed
into her dressing-room by the king, and followed by
the princess royal and Princess Augusta. None
other of the princesses slept in the queen’s
Lodge. The lower Lodge, which is at the further
end of the garden, is the dwelling-place of the four
younger princesses.
The king, with a marked appearance of feeling for
the-no doubt evident-embarrassment of my situation,
on their entrance, with a mild good-breeding inquired
of me how I had found Mrs. Delany : and then,
kissing both his daughters, left the room. The
two princesses each took the queen’s hand, which
they respectfully kissed, and wishing her good night,
curtseyed condescendingly to her new attendant, and
retired.
The queen spoke to me a little of my father, my journey,
and Mrs. Delany, and then entered into easy conversation,
in German, with Mrs. Schwellenberg, who never speaks
English but by necessity. I had no sort of employment
given me. The queen was only waited upon by
Mrs. Schwellenberg and 340
Mrs. Thielky, her wardrobe woman ; and when she had
put on her night dishabille, she wished me good night.
This consideration to the perturbed state of my mind,
that led her majesty to permit my presence merely
as a spectatress, by way of taking a lesson of my
future employment for my own use, though to her, doubtless,
disagreeable, was extremely gratifying to me, and
sent me to bed with as much ease as I now could hope
to find.
