As All These Things
Are Pictures Of English Life, I Mention Them To Amuse Aunty, Who
Likes To Know How These Matters Are Managed.
After I am dressed, I join the circle in the library, where I am
introduced to Mr. and Madam Van de Weyer, and Louis Buonaparte, the
son of Louis, the ex-King of Holland, and of Hortense, Josephine's
daughter.
He was a long time imprisoned in the fortress of Ham, and
has not long been free. There was also Napoleon, son of Jerome
Buonaparte, and the Princess of Wurtemberg. They were most
agreeable, intelligent, and amiable young men, and I was glad to
meet them. Lord and Lady Langdale (who have a place in the
neighborhood) were invited to dine with us. He is Master of the
Rolls and was elevated to the peerage from great distinction at the
bar. Lady Langdale is a sensible and excellent person. At dinner I
sat between Mr. Bates and Lord Langdale, whom I liked very much.
The next morning we assembled at ten for breakfast, which was at a
round table, with a sort of circular tray, which turns at the least
touch in the centre, leaving only a rim round the table for plates
and cups. This was covered also with a white cloth and on it were
placed all the breakfast viands, with butter, sugar, cream, bread,
toast-rack and preserves. You need no servants, but turn it round
and help yourself. I believe the Van de Weyers introduced it, from
a visit in Wales. Tea and coffee are served from a side-table
always, here. Let me tell Aunty that our simple breakfast DRESS is
unknown in England. You come down in the morning dressed for the
day, until six or seven in the evening, when your dress is low neck
and short sleeves for dinner. At this season the morning dress is a
rich silk or velvet, high body quite close in the throat with
handsome collar and cuffs, and ALWAYS a cap. Madam Van de Weyer
wore every day a different dress, all very rich, but I adhered to a
black watered silk with the same simple cap I wore at home.
I took a drive through Richmond Park (where Henry the Eighth watched
to see a signal on the Tower when Anne Boleyn's head fell, and
galloped off to marry Jane Seymour) to Richmond Terrace, which is
ravishingly beautiful even at this season. . . . The next day the
gentleman all went to town, and Madam Van de Weyer and I passed the
day TETE-A-TETE, very pleasantly, as her experience in diplomatic
life is very useful to me. . . . Her manners are very pleasing and
entirely unaffected. She has great tact and quickness of
perception, great intelligence and amiability and is altogether
extremely well-fitted for the ROLE she plays in life. Her husband
is charming. . . . They have three children, very lovely. The
eldest, Victor, a fine boy of seven years old, Victoria, a girl of
four, for whom the Queen was sponsor, and Albert, to whom Prince
Albert performed the same office.
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