The major, who knows her very well, and who first
had introduced her to me on my settling here, was
much amused with her rattle; and General Bud`e is
always pleased with anything bordering upon the ridiculous.
Our evening therefore turned out very well.
I have something to relate now that both my dearest
friends will take great pleasure in hearing, because
it appertains to my dignity and consequence.
The queen, in the most gracious manner, desired me
this morning to send an invitation to M. 418
Mithoff, a German clergyman, to come to dinner; and
she added, “I assure you he is a very worthy
man, of very excellent character, or I would not ask
you to invite him.”
Was not this a very sweet manner of making over to
me the presidency of the table in Mrs. Schwellenberg’s
absence?
It was for the next day, and I sent John to him immediately
;-rather awkward, though, to send my compliments to
a man I had never seen, and invite him to dine with
me. But there was no other mode —I
could not name the queen. I knew Miss Port would
be happy to make us a trio, and I begged her not to
fail me.
But alas!—If awkwardness was removed, something
worse was substituted in its place ; my presidency
was abolished on the very day it was to be declared,
by the sudden return of its rightful superseder.
I acquainted her with the invitation I had been desired
to send, and I told her I bad also engaged Miss Port.
I told of both as humbly as possible, that I might
raise no alarms of any intention of rivalry in power.
Mr. Mithoff was not yet come when dinner was announced,
nor yet Miss Port; we sat down t`ete-`a-t`ete, myself
in some pain for my invitations, my companion well
content to shew she would wait for none of my making,
At length came Miss Port, and presently after a tall
German clergyman entered the room. I was a little
confused by his immediately making up to me, and thanking
me in the strongest terms for the honour of my invitation,
and assuring me it was the most flattering one he
had ever received.
I answered as short as I could, for I was quite confounded
by the looks of Mrs. Schwellenberg. Towards
me they were directed with reproach, and towards the
poor visitor with astonishment: why I could not
imagine, as I had frequently heard her speak of M.
Mithoff with praise.
Finding nothing was said to him, I was obliged to
ask him to take a place at the table myself, which
he did; still, and with great glee of manner, addressing
himself wholly to me, and never finishing his warm
expressions of gratitude for my invitation. I
quite longed to tell him I had her majesty’s
orders for what I had done, that he might cease his
most unmerited acknowledgments; but I could not at
that time. The dinner went off very ill . nobody
said a word but this gentleman, and he spoke only to
do himself mischief.
