Next followed the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough
; then the Duchess of Ancaster, and Marquis of Blandford
— next, Lord and Lady Harcourt, then the two
Lady Spencers and Lady Charlotte Bertie, then the
Miss Vernons, and then Miss Planta and a certain F.
B.
.
We were no sooner arranged, and the door of the theatre
shut, than the king, his head covered, sat down ;
the queen did the same, and then the three princesses.
All the rest, throughout the theatre, stood.
The vice-chancellor then made a low obeisance
to the king, and producing a written paper, began
the address of the University, to thank his majesty
for this second visit, and to congratulate him and
the nation on his late escape from assassination.
He read it in an audible and distinct voice; and
in its CODclusion, an address was suddenly made to
the queen, expressive of much concern for her late
distress, and the highest and most profound veneration
for her amiable and exalted character.
An address, to me so unexpected, and on a subject
so recent and of so near concern, in presence of the
person preserved, his wife, and his children, was
infinitely touching.
The queen could scarcely bear it, though she had already,
I doubt not, heard it at Nuneham, as these addresses
niust be first read in private, to have the answers
prepared. Nevertheless, this public tribute
of loyalty to the king, and of respect to 388
herself, went gratefully to her heart, and filled
her eyes with tears-which she would not, however,
encourage, but smiling through them, dispersed them
with her fan, with which she was repeatedly obliged
to stop their Course down her cheeks.
The princesses, less guarded, the moment their father’s
danger was mentioned, wept with but little control;
and no wonder, for I question if there was one dry
eye in the theatre. The tribute, so just, so
honourable, so elegant, paid to the exalted character
of the queen, affected everybody, with joy for her
escape from affliction, and with delight at the reward
and the avowal of her virtues.
When the address was ended, the king took a paper
from Lord Harcourt, and read his answer. The
king reads admirably; with ease, feeling, and force,
and without any hesitation. His voice is particularly
full and fine. I was very much surprised by its
effect. When he had done, he took off his hat,
and bowed to the chancellor and professors, and delivered
the answer to Lord Harcourt, who, walking backwards,
descended the stairs, and presented it to the vice
chancellor.
All this ceremony was so perfectly new to me, that
I rejoiced extremely in not missing it. Indeed
I would not have given up the pleasure of seeing the
queen on this occasion for any sort of sight that
could have been exhibited to me.
