They Take Him To The Salons, Too, Of The Faubourg St.
Germain, Among The Old French Aristocracy, And To Innumerable
Receptions.
Wednesday
To-morrow I go to the Drawing-Room alone, and to complete the
climax, the Queen has sent us an invitation to dine at the Palace
to-morrow, and I must go ALONE for the FIRST TIME.
If I live
through it, I will tell you all about it; but is it not awkward in
the extreme?
Friday Morning
At eight o'clock in the evening I drove to the Palace. My dress was
my currant-colored or grosseille velvet with a wreath of white Arum
lilies woven into a kind of turban, with green leave and bouquet to
match, on the bertha of Brussels lace. I was received by a servant,
who escorted me through a long narrow corridor the length of
Winthrop Place and consigned me to another who escorted me in his
turn, through another wider corridor to the foot of a flight of
stairs which I ascended and found another servant, who took my cloak
and showed me into the grand corridor or picture gallery; a noble
apartment of interminable length; and surrounded by pictures of the
best masters. General Bowles, the Master of the Household, came
forward to meet me, and Lord Byron, who is one of the Lords in
Waiting. I found Madam Lisboa already arrived, and soon came in
Lord and Lady Palmerston, the Duke of Norfolk, the Marquis and
Marchioness of Exeter, Lord and Lady Dalhousie, Lord Charles
Wellesley, son of the Duke of Wellington, Lady Byron, and Mr.
Hallam. We sat and talked as at any other place, when at last the
Queen was announced. The gentlemen ranged themselves on one side,
and we on the other, and the Queen and Prince passed through, she
bowing, and we profoundly curtseying. As soon as she passed the
Marquis of Exeter came over and took Madam Lisboa, and Lord
Dalhousie came and took me. The Queen and Prince sat in the middle
of a long table, and I was just opposite the Prince, between Lord
Exeter and Lord Dalhousie, who is the son of the former Governor of
Nova Scotia, was in the last ministry, and a most agreeable person.
I talked to my neighbors as at any other dinner, but the Queen spoke
to no one but Prince Albert, with a word or two to the Duke of
Norfolk, who was on her right, and is the first peer of the realm.
The dinner was rather quickly despatched, and when the Queen rose we
followed her back into the corridor. She walked to the fire and
stood some minutes, and then advanced to me and enquired about Mr.
Bancroft, his visit to Paris, if he had been there before, etc. I
expressed, of course, the regret he would feel at losing the honor
of dining with Her Majesty, etc. She then had a talk with Lady
Palmerston, who stood by my side, then with all the other ladies in
succession, until at last Prince Albert came out, soon followed by
the other gentlemen. The Prince then spoke to all the ladies, as
she had done, while she went in succession to all the gentlemen
guests. This took some time and we were obliged to stand all the
while.
At last the Queen, accompanied by her Lady in Waiting, Lady Mount
Edgcumbe, went to a sofa at the other end of the corridor in front
of which was a round table surrounded by arm-chairs. When the Queen
was seated Lady Mount Edgcumbe came to us and requested us to take
our seats round the table. This was a little prim, for I did not
know exactly how much I might talk to others in the immediate
presence of the Queen, and everybody seemed a little constrained.
She spoke to us all, and very soon such of the gentlemen as were
allowed by their rank, joined us at the round table. Lord Dalhousie
came again to my side and I had as pleasant a conversation with him,
rather SOTTO VOCE, however, as I could have had at a private house.
At half-past ten the Queen rose and shook hands with each lady; we
curtsied profoundly, and she and the Prince departed. We then bade
each other good-night, and found our carriages as soon as we chose.
LETTER: To W.D.B. and A.B.
LONDON, May 16, 1847
My dear Sons: My letters by this steamer will have very little
interest for you, as, from being in complete retirement, I have no
new things to related to you. . . . We have taken advantage of our
leisure to drive a little into the country, and on Tuesday I had a
pleasure of the highest order in driving down to Esher and passing a
quiet day with Lady Byron, the widow of the poet. She is an
intimate friend of Miss Murray, who has long wished us to see her
and desired her to name the day for our visit.
Esher is a little village about sixteen miles from London, and Lady
Byron has selected it as her residence, though her estates are in
Leicestershire, because it is near Lord and Lady Lovelace, her only
child, the "ADA" of poetry. We went in our own carriage, taking
Miss Murray with us, and as the country is now radiant with blossoms
and glowing green, the drive itself was very agreeable. We arrived
at two o'clock, and found only Lady Byron, with the second boy of
Lady Lovelace and his tutor. Lady Byron is now about fifty-five,
and with the remains of an attractive, if not brilliant beauty. She
has extremely delicate features, and very pale and finely delicate
skin. A tone of voice and manner of the most trembling refinement,
with a culture and strong intellect, almost masculine, but which
betrays itself under such sweet and gentle and unobtrusive forms
that one is only led to perceive it by slow degrees.
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