THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 This day is published, 
 
 IN THREE SERIES OF PLAIN 
 
 SERMONS, Doctrinal and Practical, 
 
 PRINTED, SINGLY, 
 
 aracter, 
 
 FOR THE USE OF 
 
 oung DtbuwsJ, anti anDtoaUS for f^olg 
 By the REV. R. WARNER, 
 
 Rtetor of Great-Chalfield, Wilts. 
 Price 15s. each Series. 
 
 Series I. On Points of Christian Faith. 
 
 1. The Scriptural Doctrine of the Fall and Corruption of Mankind. 
 
 2 ........... , ........... of Repentance. 
 
 3 ....................... of Faitb. 
 
 4 ....................... of Good Works. 
 
 5 ....................... of Conversion ; and Atonement throng it 
 
 Jesus Christ. 
 
 6 ....................... of Regeneration by Baptism. 
 
 7 ....................... of tbe Gifts of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 8 ............. .......... of the Holj Trinity, 
 
 9 ................... ... of the Holy Sacrament. 
 
 10 ....................... of Future Rewards and Punishments. 
 
 Series II. On Points of Christian Practice. 
 
 1. Loyalty ; or, the Duty of Subjects. 
 
 2. The Duty of Hearers of the Word. 
 
 3 ........ ." of Children. 
 
 4 ......... of Parents. 
 
 5 ......... of Frugality. 
 
 6 ......... of Industry, Honesty, Sobriety, and Purity. 
 
 7 ......... of Speaking Truth, and Governing the Tongue. 
 
 8 ........ . of Contentment. 
 
 9 ......... of Forgiveness. 
 
 10 ..... .... of Preparation for Death. 
 
 Series III. On the Parables of Jestis Christ. 
 
 I. The Parable of the Rich Man and La/artis. 
 J ........... of the Wheat and the Tares. 
 
 3 ..... ...... of the Sower. 
 
 4 ........... of the Pharisee and Publican. 
 
 5 ........... of the Unjust Steward. 
 
 ti ........... of the Good Samaritan. 
 
 7 ........... of the Great Supper. 
 
 8. .......... of the Mote and the Beam. 
 
 9 ........... of the Householder and Labourers. 
 
 K) ..... . ..... of the Good Shepherd.
 
 ALSO, BY THE SAMEAITHOR, 
 
 OLD CHURCH-OF-ENGLAND PRINCIPLES, 
 &c.; or SERMONS explanatory of the Old Testament, 
 tec.; the texts taken from the first chapter in the Morning 
 Service of the several Sundays and great Festivals 
 throughout the Year. 2d edit, in 3 vols. 12mo. l. 
 
 The above Sermons have been honoured with the 
 approbation (expressed in letters to the Author) of se- 
 veral Prelates and eminent Dignitaries of the Esta- 
 blished Church ; and respectably noticed in various 
 Reviews, and different periodical and other publica- 
 tions ; to the following of which the reader is referred : 
 
 " We do not know where the young Country Clergyman, de- 
 ' sirous of being led into the right medium between fanaticism and 
 ' lukewarmness, can obtain Discourses more likely to be imme- 
 'diately useful to his flock ; or to establish himself in sound ways 
 ' of thinking, and give a most desirable, because a most rational, 
 ' cast to his future religious character." Monthly Review, 1821. 
 
 See also British Critic, Feb. 1817; Monthly Review, August 
 1817 ; Gentleman's Magazine', and Anti-Jacobin Review, 
 May and June 1820. 
 
 " And here T lake leave of one of the \ew Lights, and turn to 
 "Mr. Warner. All that is intelligible, scriptural, eloquent, and 
 * pious, I find there. Mr. Warner has done great service to the' 
 " Church, and I would believe even to the State. Practical and 
 ' plain Discourses like his, so well founded, and so clearly ex- 
 " pressed, were much wanted.'' The Plain Bible and Prottstant 
 Church in England, &fc. by the Rev. \V. Lisle Bowles. 
 
 ALSO, 
 
 A CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY of our LORD 
 and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST, (from the com- 
 pounded Texts of the four Holv Evangelists;) or the 
 ENGLISH DIATESSARON: with a Map of the 
 Holy Land ; nearly one thousand Explanatory Notes, 
 and Illustrations of the Text, from the Rabbinical 
 Writers, and late Oriental Travellers ; various preli- 
 minary Articles of useful Information ; a Vocabulary 
 of the Proper Names occurring in the four Gospels, 
 with their Significations ; a brief Harmony of the 
 Evangelists ; and copious Indexes. Second edition, 
 greatly augmented and improved. In one vol. 8vo. 
 price 10$. 6d. boards. 
 
 Printed by Richard Cruttwell, St. Jamcs's-street. 
 Bath ; and sold by Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and 
 Brown, Pater-noster-row, London. i\"or. 1821.
 
 MRS. DELANY'S 
 LETTERS.
 
 Printed by A. and R. Spottiswoode, 
 Printers- Street, London.
 
 '/>.'/ 'x. 
 
 / 

 
 LETTERS 
 
 FKOM 
 
 MRS. DELANY 
 
 (WIDOW OF DOCTOR PATRICK DELANY,) 
 TO 
 
 MRS. FRANCES HAMILTON, 
 
 FROM THE YEAR 1779, TO THE YEAR 1788; 
 
 COMPRISING 
 
 V./.Vi - UNPUBLISHED AND INTERESTING 
 
 ANECDOTES OF THEIR LATE MAJESTIES 
 
 AND THE ROYAL FAMILY. 
 
 NOW FIRST PRINTED FKOM THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPTS. 
 
 Little circumstances show the real Men, better 
 than tilings of greater moment. ADDISON. 
 
 THIRD EDITION. 
 LONDON : 
 
 PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND CROWN, 
 
 PATERNOSTER- ROW. 
 
 1821.
 
 T>A 
 
 4<?3 
 
 PREFATORY NOTICE. 
 
 THE Letters now given to the public, were 
 written by Mrs. Delany, the widow of Doctor 
 Patrick Delany, well known as the friend and 
 intimate of Swift, and as a literary character of 
 some celebrity. After the death of Doctor 
 Delany, Mrs. Delany resided chiefly with the 
 Duchess Dowager of Portland (mother of the 
 late Duke), and, during her residence at Bul- 
 strode, was introduced to the notice of our late 
 venerated Sovereign and his Queen, whose ac- 
 quaintance with her soon ripened into a friend- 
 ship, which lasted till Mrs. Delany's death, and 
 was equally honourable to the illustrious per- 
 sons who conferred it, as to the venerable and 
 A 3
 
 VI PREFATORY NOTICE. 
 
 excellent object of their unremitting kindness. 
 At a moment like this, when the recent loss of 
 our beloved Monarch has excited interest to- 
 wards every circumstance illustrative of his 
 private life and character, it is thought that 
 these letters, unaffectedly displaying the domes- 
 tic happiness that reigned at Windsor Castle, 
 and recording many traits which do honour to 
 the head and the heart of the Sovereign and of 
 his Consort, would not prove uninteresting to 
 the public. Who, indeed, would not rejoice to 
 learn that " tnie happiness" characterised by a 
 great author * as " arising from the enjoy- 
 ment of one's self, and from the friendship and 
 conversation of a few select companions," should 
 have so eminently existed, where least likely to 
 be found ; in the centre of a Court, on the very 
 throne of the greatest and most powerful em- 
 pire of Europe. 
 
 Many of the anecdotes will, perhaps, be 
 thought by some readers too trivial and unim- 
 portant for public notice : did they concern pri- 
 
 * Addison.
 
 PREFATORY NOTICE. Vll 
 
 vate individuals the objection would be readily 
 admitted; but the most trifling circumstance 
 acquires dignity and interest, when it refers to 
 departed worth and greatness ; and the mind 
 dwells with more satisfaction upon the recollec- 
 tion of George the Third, as the exemplary cha- 
 racter in every social relation of life, than it does 
 upon the splendour of his regal state. Critical 
 accuracy may detect some careless phraseology, 
 and even grammatical inaccuracies, which might 
 easily have been corrected in preparing the 
 letters for the press ; but it was thought ad- 
 visable to leave them in their original unpre- 
 tending, unstudied form ; and the internal evi- 
 dence they bear of the sincerity and truth in 
 which they were written, will, perhaps, give 
 them greater interest, than often is derived 
 from more correct or even elaborate compo- 
 sitions. 
 
 Some passages, referring to private transac- 
 tions, and which would have been wholly unin- 
 teresting to the public, have been expunged- 
 The excellent person to whom these letters 
 (with the exception of the first,) were addressed, 
 A 4
 
 Vlll PREFATORY NOTICE. 
 
 had, some time previous to her death *, ex- 
 pressed a wish that they should be published. 
 It was, therefore, in contemplation to produce 
 them immediately after the demise of Her late 
 Majesty; but circumstances arose, which pre- 
 vented the fulfilment of that intention. At the 
 present moment however, it is hoped, they will 
 appear as acceptable as they could have been at 
 nny former period. 
 
 An authentic, but brief article concerning the, 
 writer, Mrs. Delany, is subjoined, and the tri- 
 butary etilogiums upon her taste, talents, and 
 character, from illustrious contemporaries, 
 which are added, will serve to bring the reader 
 in some degree acquainted with this amiable 
 lady, who seems to have been equally esteemed 
 and admired by every person acquainted with 
 her ; and as much beloved by the young for her 
 cheerful benevolence, as by those of maturer 
 years for the piety of her heart, the soundness 
 of her understanding, and the polished charms 
 of her society. 
 
 * Which occurred in March, 181!).
 
 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. 
 
 MARY DELANY, a lady of distinguished inge- 
 nuity and merit, was born in a small country- 
 house of her father's, at Coulton in Wiltshire, 
 May 14% 1700. She was the daughter of Bar- 
 nard Granville, and niece of George, after- 
 wards Lord Granville, a nobleman, whose abi- 
 lities and virtues, whose character as a poet, 
 whose friendship with Pope, Swift, and other 
 eminent writers of the time, and whose general 
 patronage of men of genius and literature, have 
 often been recorded in biographical productions. 
 As the child of such a family, she could not fail 
 of receiving the best education. It was at Long 
 Leat, the seat of the Weyniouth family, which
 
 X BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. 
 
 was occupied by Lord Lansdowne during the 
 minority of the heir of that family, that Miss 
 Granville first saw Alexander Pendarves, Esq. 
 a gentleman of large property, at Roscrow in 
 Cornwall, and who immediately paid his ad- 
 dresses to her, which were so strenuously sup- 
 ported by her uncle, whom she had not the 
 courage to deny, that she gave a reluctant con- 
 sent to the match ; and accordingly it took 
 place in the compass of two or three weeks, she 
 being then in the seventeenth year of her age. 
 From a great disparity of years, and other 
 causes, she was very unhappy during the time 
 which this connection lasted, but endeavoured to 
 make the best of her situation. The retirement 
 to which she was confined was wisely employed 
 in the farther cultivation of a naturally vigorous 
 understanding ; and the good use she made of 
 her leisure hours was eminently evinced in the 
 charms of her conversation, and in her letters to 
 her friends. That quick feeling of the elegant 
 and beautiful which constitutes taste, she pos- 
 sessed in an eminent degree, and was therefore 
 peculiarly fitted for succeeding in the fine arts. 
 At the period we are speaking of, she made a
 
 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. xi 
 
 great proficiency in music ; but painting, which 
 afterwards she most loved, and in which she 
 principally excelled, had not yet engaged her 
 practical attention. In 17^4-, Mrs. Pendarves 
 became a widow, upon which occasion she 
 quitted Cornwall, and fixed her principal resi- 
 dence in London. For several years, between 
 1730 and lV36, she maintained a correspond- 
 ence with Dr. Swift. In 1743, Mrs. Pendarves 
 was married to Dr. Delany, with whom it ap- 
 pears she had long been acquainted, and for 
 whom she had many years entertained a very 
 high esteem. She had .been a widow nineteen 
 years when this connection, which was a very 
 happy one, took place, and her husband is said 
 to have regarded her almost to adoration. 
 Upon his decease in May, 1768, she intended 
 to fix herself at Bath, and was in quest of a 
 house for that purpose. But the Duchess 
 Dowager of Portland, hearing of her design, 
 went down to the place, and having in her early 
 years formed an intimacy with Mrs. Delany, 
 wished to have near her a lady from whom she 
 had necessarily, for several years, been much 
 separated, and whose heart and talents she
 
 Xll BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. 
 
 knew, would, in the highest degree, add to the 
 happiness of her own life. Her Grace suc- 
 ceeded in her solicitations: and Mrs. Delany 
 now passed her time between London and Bui- 
 strode. On the death of the Duchess Dowager 
 of Portland, His Mrjesty *, who had fre- 
 quently seen and honoured Mrs. Delany with 
 his notice at Bulstrode, assigned her for her 
 summer residence the use of a house completely 
 furnished, in St. Alban's Street, Windsor, ad- 
 joining to the entrance of the Castle ; and 
 that the having two houses on her hands might 
 not produce any inconvenience with regard to 
 the expense of her living, His Majesty, as a 
 farther mark of his royal favour, conferred on 
 her a pension of three hundred pounds a year. 
 On the 15th of April, 1788, after a short 
 indisposition, she departed this life, at her house 
 in St. James's Place, having nearly com- 
 pleted the eighty-eighth year of her age. The 
 circumstance that has principally entitled Mrs. 
 Delany to a place in this work, is her skill 
 in painting, and in other ingenious arts, one of 
 
 * George the Third.
 
 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. XlU 
 
 which was entirely her own. With respect 
 to painting, she was late in her application to 
 it. She did not learn to draw till she was 
 more than thirty years of age, when she put 
 herself under the instruction of Goupy, a 
 fashionable master of that time, and much 
 employed by Frederick Prince of Wales. To 
 oil painting she did not take till she was past 
 forty. So strong was her passion for this art, 
 that she has frequently been known to employ 
 herself in it, day after day, from six o'clock 
 in the morning till dinner-time, allowing only 
 a short interval for breakfast. She was prin- 
 cipally a copyist; but a very fine one. The 
 only considerable original work of hers in oil, 
 was the raising of Lazarus, in the possession 
 of her friend Lady Bute. The number of 
 pictures painted by her, considering how late it 
 was in life before she applied to the art, was 
 very great. Her own house was full of them ; 
 and others are among the chief ornaments of 
 Calswich, Welsbourn, and Ham, the respective 
 residences of her nephews, Mr. Granville and 
 Mr. Dewes, and of her niece, Mrs. Port. Mrs. 
 Delany, among her other acccomplishments,
 
 XIV BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. 
 
 excelled in embroidery and shell-work ; and 
 in the course of her life, produced many ele- 
 gant specimens of her skill in these respects. 
 But, what is more remarkable, at the age of 
 seventy-four she invented a new and beautiful 
 mode of exercising her ingenuity. This was 
 by the construction of a FLORA, of a most 
 singular kind, formed by applying coloured 
 papers together, and which might not impro- 
 perly be called a species of mosaic work. Being 
 perfectly mistress of her scissars, the plant or 
 flower which she purposed to imitate she cut 
 out ; that is, she cut out its various leaves and 
 parts, in such coloured Chinese paper as suited 
 her subject: and, when she could not meet 
 with a colour to correspond with the one she 
 wanted, she dyed her own paper to answer her 
 wishes. She used a black ground, as best 
 calculated to throw out her flower ; and not the 
 least astonishing part of her art, was, that 
 though she never employed her pencil to trace 
 out the form or shape of her plant, yet 
 when she had applied all the pieces which com- 
 posed it, it hung so loosely, and gracefully, 
 that every one was persuaded it must previously
 
 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. XV 
 
 have been drawn out, and repeatedly corrected 
 by a most judicious hand, before it could have 
 attained the ease, and air of truth which, without 
 any impeachment of the honours of this ac- 
 complished lady, might justly be called a forgery 
 of nature's works. The effect was superior 
 to what painting could have produced ; and 
 so imposing was her art, that she would some- 
 times put a real leaf of a plant by the side 
 of one of her own creation, which the eye could 
 not detect, even when she herself pointed it 
 out. Mrs. Delany continued in the prosecution 
 of her design till the eighty-third year of her 
 age, when the dimness of her sight obliged her 
 to lay it aside. However, by her unwearied 
 perseverance, she became authoress of far 
 the completest FLORA that ever was executed 
 by the same hand. The number of plants 
 finished by her amounted to nine hundred and 
 eighty. This invaluable FLORA was bequeathed 
 by her to her nephew, Court Dewes, Esq. 
 and is now in the possession of Barnard 
 Dewes, Esq. of Welsbourn, in Warwickshire. 
 The liberality of Mrs. Delany's mind rendered 
 her at all times ready to communicate her
 
 XVI BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. 
 
 art. She frequently pursued her work in com- 
 pany; was desirous of showing to her friends 
 how easy it was to execute, and was often heard 
 to lament that so few would attempt it. It re- 
 quired, however, great patience and great know- 
 ledge in botanical drawing. She began to write 
 poetry at eighty years of age, and her verses 
 show at least a pious disposition : at this time 
 she wrote and prefixed the following lines to 
 the first volume of her FLORA, or HERBAL : 
 
 " Hail to the happy times when fancy led 
 " My pensive mind the flowery path to tread, 
 " And gave me emulation to presume, 
 " With timid art, to trace fair Nature's bloom ; 
 " To view with awe the great creative Power 
 " That shines confest in the minutest flower; 
 " With wonder to pursue the glorious line 
 " And gratefully adore the hand divine." 
 
 Her private character is thus given by her 
 friend, Mr. Keate : " She had every virtue 
 " that could adorn the human heart, with a 
 " mind so pure, and so uncontaminated by the 
 " world, that it was matter of astonishment 
 " how she could have lived in its more splendid
 
 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. XVH 
 
 " scenes, without being tainted with one sin- 
 " gle atom of its folly or indiscretion. The 
 " strength of her understanding received, in the 
 " fullest degree, its polish, but its weakness 
 " never reached her. Her life was conducted 
 " by the sentiments of true piety ; her way of 
 " thinking, on every occasion, was upright 
 " and just; her conversation was lively, plea- 
 " sant, and instructive. She was warm, delicate, 
 " and sincere in her friendships ; full of phi- 
 " lanthropy and benevolence, and loved and 
 " respected by every person who had the 
 " happiness to know her. That sunshine and 
 " serenity of mind which the good only can 
 " enjoy, and which had thrown so much attrac- 
 " tion on her life, remained without a shadow 
 " to the last; not less bright in its setting, 
 " than in its meridian lustre. That form which 
 " in youth had claimed admiration, in age 
 " challenged respect. It presented a noble 
 " ruin, become venerable by the decay of time, 
 " Her faculties remained unimpaired to the 
 " last ; and she quitted this mortal state, to re- 
 " ceive in a better world, the Crown of a well- 
 " spent life." 
 
 a
 
 XV111 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. 
 
 Mrs. Delany was buried in a vault belonging 
 to St. James's Church ; and on one of its co- 
 lumns a stone is erected to her memory, with 
 an inscription ; which, after reciting her name, 
 descent, marriages, age, &c. concludes as fol- 
 lows : " She was a lady of singular ingenuity 
 " and politeness, and of unaffected piety. These 
 " qualities had endeared her through life to 
 " many noble and excellent persons, and made 
 " the close of it illustrious, by procuring for 
 " her many signs of grace and favour from 
 " Their Majesties." 
 
 From the general Biographical Dictionary : by 
 Alexander Chalmers, vol. xi. p. 4-15 to 419. 
 
 Mr. Gilpin, when he visited Bulstrode, in 
 1 776, was shown Mrs. Delany's Herbal ; of 
 which he observes. " She has executed a great 
 " number of plants and flowers, both natives 
 " and exotics, not only with exact delineation, 
 " and almost in their full lustre of colour, but 
 " in great taste; and, what is the most ex- 
 " traordinary, her only materials are bits of 
 " paper of different colours. 
 
 " In the progress of her work, she pulls the
 
 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. XIX 
 
 " flower in pieces, examines anatomically the 
 " structure of its leaves, stems, and buds ; and 
 " having cut her papers to the shape of the 
 " several parts, she puts them together, giv- 
 " ing them a richness and consistence, by 
 " laying one piece over another, and often a 
 " transparent piece over part of a shade, which 
 " softens it. Very rarely she gives any colour 
 " with a brush. She pastes them, as she 
 " works, upon a black ground, which, at first, 
 " I thought rather injured them, as a mid- 
 " die tint would have given more strength to 
 " the shade; but I doubt whether it would 
 " have answered its effect. These flowers have 
 " both the beauty of painting and the exact- 
 " ness of botany; and the work, I have no 
 " doubt, into whatever hands it may hereafter 
 " fall, will be long considered as a great curi- 
 " osity." 
 
 Observations relating to Picturesque Beauty 
 in the Highlands of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 190. 
 
 Doctor Burney, the animated and ingenious 
 author of the General History of Music, 
 a 2
 
 XX BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. 
 
 having received from Mrs. Delaiiy some inter- 
 esting anecdotes concerning a celebrated person 
 mentioned in that work, takes the opportunity 
 of thus eulogizing her. 
 
 " The following anecdotes communicated to 
 " me in 1 787 by the late venerable Mrs. Delany, 
 " will doubtless be read with confidence and 
 " pleasure, not only by such as had the hap- 
 " piness of knowing her personally, but by all 
 " those to whom rumour has conveyed a faith- 
 " ful account of her longevity, virtues, and 
 " accomplishments : for this excellent person, 
 " having been allowed by Providence to ex- 
 " tend her existence to the great age of eighty- 
 " eight, in the constant enjoyment of all the 
 " felicity which the friendship and admiration 
 " of rank, virtue, and talents could bestow; it 
 " seems as if, without hyperbole, she may be 
 " said to have been beloved by God and Man." 
 General History qfMttsic, vol. iv. p. 246.
 
 XXI 
 
 ON MttS. DELANY S ENTERING INTO THE 
 EIGHTIETH YEAR OF HER AGE. 
 
 By Mrs. Walsingham. * 
 
 URG'D by my hopes* check'd by my fears, 
 I scarce dare wish you many years ; 
 But that they all may happy prove, 
 Agrees with reason and with love. 
 With reason, that a mind so pure, 
 Stands on the verge of life secure, 
 Whether with heartfelt satisfaction, 
 Reviewing many a generous action, 
 You trace a life, which best can tell 
 To women, how they may excel ; 
 Or looking on, with hopes elate, 
 Beyond this life's uncertain state, 
 You, with triumphant joy, descry 
 Those blest abodes prepar'd on high, 
 For spirits, perfect and refin'd ; 
 There only you will equals find ! 
 
 * Charlotte, daughter and co-heiress of Sir Charles Han- 
 bury Williams, married the Hon. Robert Boyle (fifth son of 
 Henry, first Earl of Shannon), who assumed the name of 
 Walsingham on the death of his brother Henry Boyle Wai- 
 gingham.
 
 XX11 
 
 Oh, could you leave to those below, 
 (As once a prophet did, you know) 
 A mantle blest, that might impart 
 Some of your virtues to the heart ; 
 Fill with your sentiments the mind, 
 And deck them with your sense refin'd 
 How would I strive that robe to share 
 For the dear object * of my care ! 
 Nor rob fair Portia f of her due, 
 Believe me, there's enough for two. 
 
 The Jblloiuing Lines are from the pen of the cele- 
 brated Mrs. Hannah More. 
 (Written before the year 1788.) 
 
 DELANY shines in worth serenely bright, 
 Wisdom's strong ray, and virtue's milder light ; 
 And she who bless'd the friend, and graced the page 
 Of Swift, still lends Tier lustre to our age. 
 Long, long protract thy light, oh star benign, 
 Whose setting beams with added brightness shine ! 
 
 * Miss Boyle, Mrs. VValsingham's daughter. 
 J- Mrs. Delany's niece.
 
 XX111 
 
 Doctor Darwin, the admired author of the Botanic 
 Garden, has the following passage, descriptive of 
 Mrs. Delani/s Paper Mosaics. 
 
 So now Delany forms her mimic bowers, 
 Her paper foliage and her silken flowers ; 
 Her virgin train the tender scissors ply, 
 Vein the green leaf, the purple petal dye ; 
 Round wiry stems the flaxen tendril bends, 
 Moss creeps below, and waxen fruit impends. 
 Cold winter views, amid his realms of snow, 
 Delany's vegetable statutes blow ; 
 Smooths his stern brow, delays his hoary wing, 
 And eyes with wonder all the bloom of spring.
 
 \ 
 
 s? 
 
 s 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 L ^3 * v 
 
 *^H 
 
 * x 
 
 4
 
 LETTER I. 
 
 To the Hon. Mrs. Hamilton *, Summer Hill, 
 Dublin. 
 
 Bulstrode, June 28. 1779. 
 
 WHAT a task you have set me, my dear friend ; 
 I can no more tell you the particulars of all the 
 honours I received last autumn from the King 
 and Queen, and eight of their royal progeny, 
 than I can remember last year's clouds, a 
 simile, by-the-by, ill adapted to the grace and 
 benignity of their manners, that gave a lustre, 
 
 * Dorothea, daughter of James Forth, Esq. of Redwood, 
 and widow of the Hon. and Rev. Francis Hamilton, son of 
 James Eurl of Abcrcorn.
 
 2 HOYAL VISIT TO BULSTRODE. 
 
 even to Bulstrode, superior as it is to most 
 places. I had formed to myself a very different 
 idea of such visitors, and wished the day over; 
 but their affability and good humour left no 
 room for any thing but admiration and respect : 
 for, with the most obliging condescension, there 
 was no want of proper dignity to keep the ba- 
 lance even. They were delighted with the 
 place, but above all with the mistress * of it, 
 whose sweetness of manners, and knowledge of 
 propriety, engage all ranks. To give you a just 
 notion of the entertainment, you should have a 
 plan of the house, that I might lead you through 
 the apartments; but imagine every thing that 
 is elegant and delightful, and you will do more 
 justice to the place and entertainment, than I 
 can by my description. 
 
 The royal family (ten in all) came at twelve 
 o'clock. The King drove the Queen in an open 
 chaise, with a pair of white horses. The Prince 
 of Wales and Prince Frederick rode on horse- 
 back, all with proper attendants, but no guards. 
 
 * Lady Margaret Cavendish Harley, Duchess Dowager of 
 Portland.
 
 ROYAL VISIT TO BULSTRODE. 3 
 
 Princess Royal and Lady Weymouth *, in a 
 post-chaise; Princess Augusta, Princess Eliza- 
 beth, Prince Adolphus (about seven years old), 
 and Lady Charlotte Finch f, in a coach ; Prince 
 William, Prince Edward, Duke of Montague J, 
 and Bishop of Lichfield, in a coach : another 
 coach, full of attendant gentlemen ; amongst the 
 number, Mr. Smelt , whose character sets him 
 above most men, and does great honour to the 
 King, who calls him his friend, and has drawn 
 him out of his solitude (the life he had chosen) 
 to enjoy his conversation every leisure moment. 
 These, with all their attendants in rank and 
 file, made a splendid figure as they drove 
 through the park, and round the court, up to 
 the house. The day was as brilliant as could 
 be wished, the 12th of August, the Prince of 
 Wales's birth-day. The Queen was in a hat, 
 and an Italian night-gown of purple lustring, 
 
 * The Lady Elizabeth Cavendish Bentinck, eldest daughter 
 of the Duchess Dowager of Portland. 
 
 f- Daughter of Daniel, seventh Earl of Winchilsea. 
 
 J George, last Duke of Montague : he died in 179O. 
 
 Formerly sub-governor to His R. H. the Prince of Wales : 
 from which situation he retired on a Pension in the year 1 77 1 . 
 
 B 2
 
 4. ROYAL VISIT TO BULSTRODE. 
 
 trimmed with silver gauze. She is graceful and 
 genteel ; the dignity and sweetness of her man- 
 ner, the perfect propriety of every thing she 
 says, or does, satisfies every body she honours 
 with her distinction so much, that beauty is by 
 no means wanting to make her perfectly agree- 
 able; and though age and long retirement from 
 court, made me feel timid on my being called 
 to make my appearance, I soon found myself 
 perfectly at ease ; for the King's condescension 
 and good humour took off all awe, but what 
 one must have for so respectable a character 
 (severely tried by his enemies at home, as well 
 as abroad). The three Princesses were all 
 in frocks ; the King and all the men were in 
 an uniform, blue and gold. They walked 
 through the great apartments, which are in 
 a line, and attentively observed every thing; 
 the pictures in particular. I kept back in 
 the drawing-room, and took that opportunity 
 of sitting down; when Princess Royal re- 
 turned to me, and said the Queen missed 
 me in the train : I immediately obeyed the 
 summons with my best alacrity. Her Majesty 
 met me half-way, and seeing me hasten my
 
 ROYAL VISIT TO BULSTRODE. 5 
 
 steps, called out to me, " Though I desired you 
 to come, I did not desire you to run and 
 fatigue yourself." They all returned to the great 
 drawing-room, where there were only two 
 armed chairs placed in the middle of the room 
 for the King and Queen. The King placed 
 the Duchess Dowager of Portland in his chair, 
 and walked about admiring the beauties of 
 the place. Breakfast was offered all pre- 
 pared in a long gallery that runs the length of 
 the great apartments (a suite of eight rooms 
 and three closets). The King and all his royal 
 children, and the rest of the train, chose to go 
 to the gallery, where the well-furnished tables 
 were set : one with tea, coffee, and chocolate ; 
 another with their proper accompaniments of 
 eatables, rolls, cakes, &c. ; another table with 
 fruits and ices in the utmost perfection : which 
 with a magical touch had succeeded a cold re- 
 past. The Queen remained in the drawing- 
 room : I stood at the back of her chair, which 
 happening to be one of my working, gave the 
 Queen an opportunity of saying many flatter- 
 ing and obliging things. The Duchess Dowager 
 of Portland brought Her Majesty a dish of 
 B 3
 
 6 ROYAL VISIT TO BULSTRODE. 
 
 tea on a waiter, with biscuits, which was what 
 she chose; after she had drank her tea, she 
 would not return the cup to the Duchess, but 
 got up and would carry it into the gallery her- 
 self, and was much pleased to see with what 
 elegance every thing was prepared ; no servants 
 but those out of livery made their appearance. 
 The gay and pleasant appearance they all 
 made, and the satisfaction all expressed, reward- 
 ed the attention and politeness of the Duchess 
 of Portland, who is never so happy as when 
 she gratifies those she esteems worthy of her 
 attention and favours. The young royals seemed 
 quite happy, from the eldest to the youngest, 
 and to inherit the gracious manners of their 
 parents. I cannot enter upon their particular 
 address to me, which not only did me honour, 
 but showed their humane and benevolent respect 
 for old age. 
 
 The King desired me to show the Queen one 
 of my books of plants * : she seated herself 
 in the gallery ; a table and the book lay before 
 
 " See Biographical Sketch.
 
 ROYAL VISIT TO BULSTRODE. 7 
 
 her. I kept my distance till she called me to 
 ask some questions about the mosaic paper 
 work; and as I stood before Her Majesty, the 
 King set a chair behind me. I turned with some 
 confusion and hesitation, on receiving so great 
 an honour, when the Queen said, " Mrs. De- 
 lany, sit down, sit down : it is not every lady 
 that has a chair brought her by a King;" so I 
 obeyed. Amongst many gracious things, the 
 Queen asked me why I was not with the Duchess 
 when she came ; for I might be sure she would 
 ask for me? I was flattered, though I knew 
 to whom I was obliged for the distinction, (and 
 doubly flattered by that.} I acknowledged it 
 in as few words as possible, and said I was par- 
 ticularly happy at that time to pay my duty 
 to Her Majesty, as it gave me an opportunity of 
 seeing so many of the Royal Family, which 
 age and obscurity had deprived me of. " Oh 
 but," says Her Majesty, " you have not seen 
 all my children yet;" upon which the King 
 came up and asked what we were talking about? 
 which was repeated, and the King replied to 
 the Queen, " you may put Mrs. Delany into the 
 way of doing that, by naming a day for her 
 B 4
 
 8 EVENING AT WINDSOR CASTLE. 
 
 to drink tea at Windsor Castle. The Duchess 
 of Portland was consulted, and the next day 
 fixed upon, as the Duchess had appointed the 
 end of the week for going to Weymouth. 
 We went at the hour appointed, seven o'clock, 
 and were received in the lower private apart- 
 ment at the Castle : went through a large room 
 with great bay windows, where were all the 
 Princesses and youngest Princes, with their at- 
 tendant ladies and gentlemen. We passed on 
 to the bedchamber, where the Queen stood in 
 the middle of the room, with Lady Wey- 
 mouth and Lady Charlotte Finch. (The King 
 and the eldest Princes had walked out.) When 
 the Queen took her seat, and the ladies their 
 places, she ordered a chair to be set for me op- 
 posite to where she sat, and asked me if I 
 felt any wind from the door or window ? It 
 was indeed a sultry day. 
 
 At eight the King, &c. came into the room, 
 with so much cheerfulness and good humour, 
 that it was impossible to feel any painful re- 
 straint. It was the hour of the King and 
 Queen and eleven of the Princes and Prin- 
 cesses' walking on the terrace. They apolo-
 
 EVENING AT WINDSOR CASTLE. 9 
 
 gised for going, but said the crowd expected 
 them ; but they left Lady Wey mouth and the 
 Bishop of Lichfield to entertain us in their ab- 
 sence ; we sat in the bay-window, well pleased 
 with our companions, and the brilliant show on 
 the terrace, on which we looked ; the band of 
 music playing all the time under the window. 
 When they returned we were summoned into the 
 next room to tea, and the Royals began a ball, 
 and danced two country dances, to the music of 
 French horns, bassoons, and hautboys, which 
 were the same that played on the terrace. The 
 King came up to the Prince of Wales and 
 said he was sure, when he considered how 
 great an effort it must be to play that kind of 
 music so long a time together, that he would 
 not continue their dancing there, but that the 
 Queen and the rest of the company were 
 going to the Queen's house, and they should 
 renew their dancing there, and have proper 
 music. 
 
 I can say no more : I cannot describe 
 the gay, the polished appearance of the Queen's 
 house, furnished with English manufacture. 
 The Prince of Wales dances a minuet better
 
 10 EVENING AT WINDSOR CASTLE. 
 
 than any one I have seen for many years ; 
 but what would please you more, could I do 
 it justice, is the good sense and engaging ad- 
 dress of one and all. I think I have great 
 courage in having gone so far on this subject, 
 knowing how you hate vanity and ostentation ; 
 and I fear I have been guilty of both : but re- 
 collect how you pressed me to it, and let the 
 tempter pardon the frailty she has encouraged ; 
 and also the awkward half-sheet that begins 
 this unreasonable narration. I have obeyed 
 your commands, and am now only able to say, 
 that I, and all belonging to me, are pretty well. 
 The Duchess Dowager of Portland desires her 
 best compliments ; mine to all friends. 
 
 Ever yours, 
 
 M. DELANY. 
 
 The Duchess of Portland bids me add, that 
 she insisted on my sending you this letter ; for 
 a qualm seized me, and I would have sunk it.
 
 11 
 
 LETTER II. 
 
 To Mrs. Frances Hamilton, Summer-Hill, 
 Dublin. 
 
 Bulstrode, Nov. 17. 178O. 
 
 I AM infinitely obliged to you, my dear Mrs. 
 Frances Hamilton, for your most kind attention 
 to me in your last most cordial letter ; and don't 
 know which endears you most to me, your filial 
 tenderness *, or your fortitude and rectitude of 
 mind, which will not only prove your greatest 
 consolation, but an example worthy of emulation 
 to all that know you. * 
 
 I am most happy that Lady Drogheda f was in 
 Ireland at the time you wanted extraordinary 
 consolation, and her excellent mind and heart 
 
 * She had recently lost her mother, to whom the first Let- 
 ter is addressed. 
 
 f Ann, daughter of Francis, first Marquis of Hertford.
 
 12 LADY DKOGHEDA. 
 
 could not fail of giving it to one so sensible of 
 her great merit. I hope my next letter from 
 you will be from Moore Abbey, and that you 
 will be so good as to present my best compli- 
 ments to Lady Drogheda. She was so obliging 
 when in London, to do me the honour of calling 
 upon me, and greatly have I regretted (though 
 I claim no title to it) not having a greater inti- 
 macy with one so qualified to delight and im- 
 prove those she converses with. You judged 
 very right in not leaving your own home 
 immediately ; and when you return to it, I make 
 no doubt, but that those tender recollections, 
 which at first increased your sorrow, will then 
 pour balm into your wounds ; as those virtues, 
 which made her so dear and valuable to her 
 
 friends, could not be rewarded in this world. 
 
 ******** 
 
 I thank God, the Duchess of Portland is 
 well, and charges me with her best compliments 
 to you. Every scrap of ingenuity produced 
 and bestowed by our late unequalled friend * is 
 
 * The Honourable Mrs. Hamilton : she was almost un- 
 equalled in painting flowers and insects, and excelled in many 
 other branches of the art.
 
 QUEEN'S ATTENTIONS TO MRS. DELANY. 13 
 
 treasured up most carefully : if a duplicate of 
 flower or insect comes to your hands, when you 
 are indulging your attention to them, may I 
 beg it, if a more worthy suppliant has not been 
 before me ? After the many tokens I have been 
 indulged with from the dear and most valuable 
 
 O 
 
 hand, I fear this will appear avaricious: be it 
 so avarice is the vice of age ! I am (as it is 
 too frequently) proud of my failings. 
 
 And now, as I know you take pleasure in 
 what gives me pleasure, and does me honour, I 
 must tell you of our amiable, gracious Queen's 
 politeness, and I may presume to add, kind- 
 ness to me. She was told I had wished for a 
 lock of her hair ; she sent me one with her own 
 royal fingers : she heard, (for she was not ask- 
 ed for either,) that I wished to have one of 
 Mrs. Port's * boys in the charter-house, and she 
 gave her commands that one of my little ne- 
 phews should be set down in her list : you will 
 easily believe I was anxious to make my proper 
 acknowledgments, and under some difficulty 
 
 * Mrs. Delany's niece.
 
 14- QUEEN'S ATTENTIONS TO MRS. DELANY. 
 
 how to do it, as I am unable to pay my duty 
 in the drawing-room. Fortunately an agree- 
 able opportunity came in my way. 
 
 Last Saturday, the 1 1 th of this month, about 
 one o'clock, as I was sitting at work at my 
 paper mosaic*, in my working dress, and all 
 my papers littered about me, the Duchess 
 Dowager of Portland very intent at another 
 table, making a catalogue to a huge folio of por- 
 trait prints, Her Grace's groom of the chambers 
 announced the Queen and Princess Royal, who 
 were just driven into the court: I retired to 
 change my dress and wait for a summons, 
 should Her Majesty send me her commands. 
 The Duchess kept her station to receive her 
 royal visitors, and I was soon sent for, which 
 gave me the opportunity I so much had wished, 
 and my acknowledgments were most graciously 
 accepted. The Queen staid till past three, 
 and left us (though no strangers to her excel- 
 lencies) in admiration of her good sense, 
 affability blended with dignity, and her enter- 
 
 * Sec Biographical Sketch.
 
 EULOG1UM OF THE QUEEN. 15 
 
 taining conversation. So much propriety, so 
 excellent a heart, such true religious principles, 
 gave a lustre to her royalty that crowns and 
 sceptres cannot bestow. I tell you, my dear 
 Madam, these particulars, that you may partake 
 of that admiration which I know your good heart 
 will feel and enjoy. At the moment you are 
 struck with her superiority, you love her as a 
 friend which is very rare : though I have long 
 experienced that happy union, in the person for 
 whose sake I have received so many honours. 
 I should make you an apology for saying so 
 much of a Queen., &c. who prefers virtue to rank ; 
 but here, I present you with both. But in the 
 midst of my raptures, I have omitted the agree- 
 able sequel ; which was, our going to the 
 Queen's Lodge to inquire after Her Majesty the 
 day after she had been here ; which we did after 
 church-time. Windsor is but eight miles from 
 hence : I set the Duchess of Portland down at 
 the Queen's Lodge, and went on in her chaise 
 to Mrs. Walsingham, in the Castle, a sincere 
 admirer of Lady Drogheda, and who desired 
 me to convey her best compliments, which I put 
 into your hands. I had not been ten minutes
 
 16 MORNING VISIT TO THE QUEEN. 
 
 there, when your very ingenious and agreeable 
 cousin, Miss Hamilton * (to whom I am greatly 
 obliged), came in all haste from the Queen, to 
 bring me into her presence ; a command I wil- 
 lingly obeyed. Nobody was with the Queen, 
 but the Duchess Dowager of Portland : she 
 graciously made me sit down just before her, 
 and a three hours' conversation confirmed all I 
 have already said : from thence we went to dine 
 with Mrs. Walsingham, spent a very agreeable 
 day, and came home, by the light of a bright 
 moon, about eight o'clock. I need say nothing 
 of my health, after such exploits ; but I wish 
 you to say a great deal of my affectionate and 
 grateful regards to my dear friends in Ireland, 
 and to believe me, 
 
 Ever affectionately yours, 
 
 M. DELANY. 
 
 * The late Mr-:. Dickenson : at the time this letter was 
 written, she held a situation in the household of the Prin- 
 cesses.
 
 17 
 
 LETTER III. 
 
 To Mrs. Frances Hamilton. 
 
 Dec. 9. 1781. 
 
 I HOPE my dear Mrs. F. H. will excuse my 
 sending the inclosed, and finishing this letter 
 by another hand; but my eyes are too dim to 
 write letters, and so I give up my pen to my 
 own servant, who is now my secretary. The 
 inclosed letter was written for the amusement 
 of Miss Port * ; but, as I know you love an ac- 
 count of the royal visits, and may, perhaps, 
 have heard my exploits misrepresented, I think 
 it best to send you matter of fact, and that you 
 may see I pursue nobler game than the wily 
 fox ; and, to clear up my character entirely, I 
 
 * Mrs. Delany's great-niece. 
 C
 
 18 CONGRATULATORY VISIT OF THE QUEEN 
 
 will let you know the full extent of my chase, 
 which I suppose was not more or less than a 
 quarter of a mile from Bulstrode-gate, which 
 opens upon Garrat's Cross common. 
 
 On Saturday, the 1st of this month, the 
 Queen, Princess Royal, and Princess Augusta, 
 came here to wish the Duchess Dowager of 
 Portland joy of the marriage of Miss Thynne, 
 (Lady Weymouth's * eldest daughter,) with the 
 Earl of Aylesford. She is as amiable as beauti- 
 ful; and as he bears an exceeding good cha- 
 racter, I hope he will prove worthy of her. - 
 (This by way of parenthesis.) 
 
 The. Queen, &c. came about twelve o'clock, 
 and caught me at my spinning-wheel, (the work 
 I am now reduced to,) and made me spin on, 
 and give her a lesson afterwards; and I must 
 say did it tolerably well for a Qiieen. She 
 staid till three o'clock : and now I suppose our 
 royal visits are over for this year. 
 
 The weather now confines us to the chimney- 
 corner; but no weather can rob us of elegant 
 amusements at Bulstrode. I thank God, the 
 
 * Daughter of the Duchess Dowager of Portland.
 
 TO THE DUCHESS OF PORTLAND. 19 
 
 Duchess is very well, and her cordial kindness 
 supports me under those infirmities which I 
 must naturally expect: that considered, my 
 health is very good. 
 
 My best acknowledgements to Mr. H. Ha- 
 milton * for his very entertaining letter, which 
 enlivened me very much : and whenever he can 
 bestow on me such a dram^ it will do me more 
 good than usquebaugh. If this long detail will 
 be any amusement to my dear friend Mrs. 
 Anne Hamilton *, you will communicate it as 
 you please. 
 
 Ever your affectionate 
 
 M. DELANY. 
 
 * The late Governor, Henry Hamilton, fourth son of the 
 Honourable Henry Hamilton, son of Gustavus, first Viscount 
 Boyne. 
 
 f Eldest daughter of the Honourable Henry Hamilton. 
 
 c 2
 
 20 
 
 LETTER IV. 
 
 (Enclosed in the preceding.) 
 
 ON Tuesday morning, a quarter before ten, the 
 Duchess of Portland stept into her chaise, and I 
 had the honour of attending her. We went to 
 Garrat's Cross, about the middle of the com- 
 mon, by the appointment and command of the 
 King, who came, about a quarter of an hour 
 after, with the Prince of Wales, and a large 
 retinue. His Majesty came up immediately to 
 the Duchess of Portland's carriage, most gra- 
 cious, and delighted to see the Duchess out so 
 early. The Queen was there with the two 
 eldest Princesses and Lady Courtown*, in a 
 post-coach and four. The King came with a 
 
 * Mary, daughter and co-heiress of Richard Powis of 
 Hindlesham Hall, in Suffolk, married James, the second Earl 
 of Courtown.
 
 ROYAL STAG-HUNT. 21 
 
 message from the Queen to the Duchess of Port- 
 land, to say, Her Majesty would see her safe 
 back to Bulstrode, and breakfast with Her 
 Grace. The Duke of Cumberland * was there : 
 and a great many carriages, and many of our 
 acquaintance : amongst them, Lady Mary 
 Forbes f and her family. She took three rooms 
 at the Bull Inn, and breakfasted thirty people. 
 The King himself ordered the spot where the 
 Duchess of Portland's chaise should stand to 
 see the stag turned out. It was brought in a 
 cart to that place by the King's command. 
 The stag was set at liberty, and the poor trem- 
 bling creature bounded over the plain, in hopes 
 of escaping from his pursuers; but the dogs 
 and the hunters were soon after him, and all out 
 of sight. 
 
 The Duchess of Portland returned home, in 
 order to be ready to receive the Queen, who im- 
 mediately followed before we could pull off our 
 
 * Henry Frederick, Duke of Cumberland, brother of His 
 late Majesty George the Third, died September, 1 79O. 
 
 f Lady Mary Capel, daughter of the Earl of Essex, and 
 mother of the Honourable Mrs. W. W. Pole, and Mrs. Vil- 
 lars. 
 
 c 3
 
 22 ROYAL STAG-HUNT. 
 
 bonnets and cloaks. We received Her Majesty 
 and the Princesses on the steps at the door. She 
 is so condescending and gracious that she makes 
 every thing perfectly easy. We got home a 
 quarter before eleven o'clock ; Her Majes ty 
 staid till two. In her return back to Windsor 
 she met the chase, and was at the taking of the 
 stag : they would not let the dogs kill him. 
 
 On Wednesday the Duchess of Portland in- 
 tended to go to return the Queen thanks for the 
 honour she had done her : we were to set out 
 early. I dressed myhead for the day before break- 
 fast, when a letter arrived from Miss Hamilton *, 
 from the Queen's lodge, to me, with a message 
 from the King, to desire we would not come till 
 Thursday evening, eight o'clock ; as he could 
 not be at home till then. Accordingly we went : 
 were there at the appointed hour. The King 
 and Queen and the Princesses received us in the 
 drawing-room, to which we went through the 
 concert-room. Princess Mary took me by the 
 left hand, Princess Sophia and the sweet little 
 
 * Afterwards Mrs. Dickinson.
 
 PRIVATE CONCERT AT WINDSOR CASTLE. 23 
 
 Prince Octavius* took me by the right hand, 
 and led me after the Duchess of Portland into 
 the drawing-room. The King nodded and 
 smiled upon my little conductors, and bid them 
 lead me up to the Queen, who stood in the 
 middle of the room. When we were all seated, 
 (for the Queen is so gracious she will always 
 make me sit down,) the Duchess of Portland 
 sat next to the Queen, and I sat next to Prin- 
 cess Royal. On the other side of me was a 
 chair, and His Majesty did me the honour to sit 
 by me. He went backwards and forwards be- 
 tween that and the music-room : he was so gra- 
 cious as to have a good deal of conversation 
 with me, particularly about Handel's music; 
 and ordered those pieces to be played which he 
 found I gave a preference to. In the course of 
 the evening the Queen changed places with 
 Princess Royal, saying, most graciously, she 
 must have a little conversation with Mrs De- 
 lany, which lasted about half an hour. She 
 then got up, it being half-an-hour after ten, and 
 said she was afraid she should keep the Duchess 
 
 Died May, 1 783, aged four years. 
 
 c 4
 
 24- PRIVATE CONCERT AT WINDSOR CASTLE. 
 
 of Portland too late, and made her courtesy, 
 and we withdrew. There was nobody but their 
 attendants, and Lord and Lady Courtown. 
 Nothing could be more easy and agreeable. 
 We came home very well lighted by our lan- 
 terns and the Northern Lights ; sat down, and 
 ate a hearty supper at twelve o'clock, and slept 
 very well after it. I own I expected to be more 
 fatigued than I was. I thank God, the Duchess 
 of Portland got no cold, and we are both very 
 well.
 
 LETTER V. 
 
 To Mrs. Frances Hamilton. 
 
 Bulstrodc, December 17. 1782. 
 
 THE darkness of the weather makes it impos- 
 sible for me to write with my own hand, and I 
 am so impatient to answer my dear friend's last 
 packet, that I cannot wait for a brighter day. 
 Great was my joy on the recovery of the fugitive 
 letter and its precious contents : though I own 
 my regret equalled my pleasure, that it did not 
 come to me at a time when my answer might 
 have been some consolation to you. I shall cer- 
 tainly lose no opportunity of giving you the 
 satisfaction you desire in regard to Lady D. 
 who, I understand, is still at Kensington, and 
 the time is uncertain when I may be within her 
 reach, as I think we shall not leave this place 
 this fortnight ; but I will send a card of inquiry
 
 26 MORNING VISIT AT W1NUSOK CASTLE. 
 
 after her, and communicate to her your aflec- 
 tionate solicitation about her. 
 
 As soon as I go to town I will give her no- 
 tice. ***** 
 I have just had the satisfaction of receiving a 
 letter from Governor Henry Hamilton, with 
 his usual kindness and pleasantry. The fre- 
 quent recollections I have of the happy days I 
 have spent with my dear friends in Ireland en- 
 liven my dark hours, and fill my heart with the 
 warmest gratitude for the happiness I have en- 
 joyed. I have been told that Mr. Edward 
 Hamilton * is in England : I hope he will not 
 fly back again to Ireland before I am within his 
 reach. 
 
 The bad weather affects even the fire-side of 
 Bulstrode ; which the Duchess of Portland and 
 myself have in some degree been sensible of, 
 though much less so, I am sure, than we should 
 in London. It has interrupted, too, a little the 
 intercourse between us and our royal neigh- 
 bours. The Queen made a morning visit here 
 about three weeks ago, and brought only Lady 
 
 * Youngest son of the Honourable Henry Hamilton.
 
 MORNING VISIT AT WINDSOR CASTLE. 27 
 
 Dartrey * with her. The Duchess paid her 
 duty in return, at the Queen's lodge, and I had 
 the honour of accompanying her. The Queen 
 was quite alone in her dressing-room : her dress 
 was simple and elegant, in a pale lilach satin. 
 She added dignity to her dress by her most gra- 
 cious manner of conversing. She was making 
 fringe in a frame, and did me the honour to 
 show me how to do it, and to say she would 
 send me such a frame as her own, as she 
 thought it was a work that would not try my 
 eyes. We were dismissed at three o'clock, and 
 as we were going to the chaise, we met, in the 
 passage, the King and his greyhounds just re- 
 turned from coursing. He told the Duchess that 
 he could not part with her so ; but we must both 
 make him a visit, and opened the door for us to 
 go with him into the drawing-room. The 
 Queen soon came to us, and invited us back to 
 her apartment, as the warmer place, and we 
 staid till four o'clock. We arrived at Bul- 
 
 * The Lady Anne Fcrmor, daughter of Thomas, first Earl 
 of Pomfret, married Thomas Lord Dartrey, created Lord 
 Viscount Cremorne in July, 1 785.
 
 28 MORNING VISIT AT WINDSOR CASTLE. 
 
 strode about half-an-hour after five o'clock : 
 found Mr. Barnard Dewes * starving in the 
 midst of plenty ; for he was determined not to 
 dine till we came home. I expect Mrs. and 
 Miss Port the 21st or 22d of January. All 
 my young people are well. Now, my dear Mrs. 
 F. Hamilton, I can say no more ; but am 
 Ever your affectionate 
 
 M. DELANY. 
 
 * Mrs. Delany's nephew.
 
 LETTER VI. 
 
 To Mrs. Frances Hamilton. 
 
 Bulstrode, October 10th, 1785. 
 
 MY dear friend, I am very much obliged to 
 you for the satisfactory account you have given 
 me of your present situation, and well pleased 
 at your cultivating an intimacy with your 
 worthy and amiable relations : when they are 
 so, our natural connections are to be preferred 
 to all others, and I am sure your own good 
 qualities and friendly disposition, must secure 
 you their love and esteem. * * * * 
 * I wish I could answer 
 your kind solicitude about my health, entirely 
 to your satisfaction. A return of the epi- 
 demic disorder soon after I came to Bulstrode
 
 30 MORNING VISIT OF THE KING 
 
 has left me a great languor behind it; but, I 
 thank God, I am now gaining strength again, 
 and only feel that gentle decay natural to my 
 years, and what I ought to be very thankful for 
 as well as my friends. The daily tender at- 
 tention I receive from my noble one here, is a 
 constant reviving cordial; she has not been 
 well, but is better, and desires me to add her 
 best wishes and compliments to you and Mrs. 
 Anne Hamilton, and thinks herself much 
 obliged to you both, for the satisfaction you ex- 
 press at my being here : and now I will add, 
 for your amusement, the way of life we 
 have led since we left town. We have had 
 many visitors for two or three days in suc- 
 cession ; and when health has permitted us, 
 have enjoyed this delightful place; but, as 
 I know you interest yourself in all the honours 
 I receive, I must now tell you of our royal 
 visitors. In a few days after our arrival here, 
 the Duchess of Portland and I were sitting in 
 the long gallery, very busy with our different 
 employments, when, without any ceremony, His 
 Majesty walked up to our table unperceived and 
 unknown, till he came quite up to us. You may
 
 TO THE DUCHESS OF PORTLAND. 31 
 
 believe we were at first a little fluttered with 
 his royal presence ; but his courteous and 
 affable manner soon made him a welcome guest. 
 lie came to inform the Duchess of Portland 
 of the Queen's perfect recovery after her lying- 
 in, which made him doubly welcome. 
 
 Breakfast was called for, and after a visit of 
 two hours, the King left us. About a week after 
 this, the King and Queen came together, only 
 accompanied by Lady Courtown. They break- 
 fasted and stayed much about the same time. 
 The etiquette is, that the person, on whom such 
 an honour is conferred, goes the next day to 
 enquire 'after Their Majesties ; but the Queen 
 waved that ceremony, and desired the Duchess 
 not to come till she received a summons, as 
 they were going to St. James's for some days. 
 Last Thursday, 2d of October, a little before 
 twelve o'clock, word was brought that the Royal 
 Family were coming up the Park : and imme- 
 diately after, two coaches-and-six, with the 
 King on horseback, and a great retinue, came 
 up to the hall door. The company were, the 
 King and Queen, Princess Royal, Princess 
 Augusta, Princess Elizabeth, Princess Mary,
 
 32 VISIT OF THE ROYAL FAMILY 
 
 and Princess Sophia, a lovely group, all dress- 
 ed in white muslin polonoises, white chip hats 
 with white feathers, except the Queen, who 
 had on a black hat and cloak ; the King 
 dressed in his Windsor uniform of blue and 
 gold; the Queen, attended by the Duchess of 
 Ancaster, who is mistress of the robes, and 
 Lady Elizabeth Waldegrave*, who attends the 
 two eldest Princesses, and Mrs. Goldsworthy, 
 who is sub-governess to the three younger 
 Princesses. The King had no attendants but 
 the equerries, Major Digby and Major Price. 
 They were in the drawing-room before I was 
 sent for, where I found the King and Queen 
 and Duchess of Portland seated at a table in 
 the middle of the room. The King, with his 
 usual graciousness, came up to me, and brought 
 me forward, and I found the Queen very busy 
 in showing a very elegant machine to the 
 Duchess of Portland, which was a frame for 
 weaving of fringe, of a new and most delicate 
 
 * Elizabeth Laura, daughter of James, second Earl Walde- 
 grave, by Maria, (daughter of Sir Edward Walpole,) afterwards 
 Duchess of Gloucester, married her first cousin, George, fourth 
 Earl of Waldegrave.
 
 TO THE DUCHESS OF PORTLAND. 33 
 
 structure, and would take up as much paper as 
 has already been written upon to describe it 
 minutely, yet it is of such simplicity as to be 
 very useful. You will easily imagine the grate- 
 ful feeling I had when the Queen presented 
 it to me, to make up some knotted fringe which 
 she saw me about. The King, at the same 
 time, said he must contribute something to my 
 work, and presented me with a gold knotting 
 shuttle, of most exquisite workmanship and taste; 
 and I am at this time, while I am dictating the 
 letter, knotting white silk, to fringe the bag 
 which is to contain it. 
 
 On the Monday after, we were appointed to 
 go to the lodge at Windsor, at two o'clock. 
 We were first taken into the Duchess of 
 Ancaster's dressing-room ; in a quarter of an 
 hour after, to the King and Queen in the draw- 
 ing-room, who had nobody with them but 
 Prince Alverstaden, the Hanoverian minister, 
 which gave me an opportunity of hearing the 
 Queen speak German ; and I may say, it was 
 the first time I had received pleasure from what 
 I did not understand; but there was such a 
 D
 
 34- INTERESTING DOMESTIC SCENE 
 
 fluency and sweetness in her manner of speak- 
 ing it, that it sounded as gentle as Italian. 
 
 There were two chairs brought in, for the 
 Duchess of Portland and myself to sit on, (by 
 order of Their Majesties,) which were easier than 
 those belonging to the room. We were seat- 
 ed near the door that opened into the concert- 
 room. The King directed them to play 
 Handel and Geminiani's music, which he was 
 graciously pleased to say was to gratify me. 
 These are flattering honours. I should not in- 
 dulge so much upon this subject, but that I 
 depend upon your considering it proceeding 
 more from gratitude than vanity. The three 
 eldest Princesses came into the room in about 
 half an hour after we were seated. All the 
 royal family were dressed in a uniform for the 
 demi-saison, of a violet-blue armozine, gauze 
 aprons, &c. &c. : the Queen had the addition of 
 a great many fine pearls. 
 
 When the concert of music was over, the 
 young Princess Amelia, nine weeks old, was 
 sent for, and brought in by her nurse and at- 
 tendants. The King took her in his arms, and
 
 AT WINDSOR CASTLE. 35 
 
 presented her to the Duchess of Portland and 
 to me. Your affectionate heart would have been 
 delighted with the royal domestic scene; an 
 example worthy of imitation by all ranks, and, 
 indeed, adding dignity to their high station. 
 We were at Bulstrode before five, and very well 
 after our expedition. I am afraid you will be 
 much more tired than we were, in travelling 
 through this long narration. If it affords any 
 amusement to our dear friend, Mrs. Anne Ha- 
 milton *,' as well as to yourself, it will give much 
 satisfaction to my dear Mrs. F. Hamilton's 
 
 Most affectionate and obliged friend, 
 
 M. DELANY 
 
 Continue your kind offices to the friends I 
 must always esteem in Ireland. 
 
 * Eldest daughter of the Hon. Henry Hamilton, son of 
 Gustavus first Viscount Boyne. 
 
 U 2
 
 36 
 
 LETTER VII. 
 
 To Mrs. Frances Hamilton. 
 
 Bulstrode, June 22. 1784. 
 
 ACCORDING to your kind wishes, my dear 
 friend, I answer your last letter from Bulstrode. 
 The Duchess Dowager of Portland came here 
 a fortnight ago, finding London too hot and 
 noisy for her. Here sweetness and tranquillity 
 reign. It was not in my power to attend her 
 till last Wednesday ; my dear child * could not 
 conveniently go home till that time, and Mrs. 
 Sandfordf being in town, made me unwilling 
 
 * Miss Port, Mrs. Delany's great-niece. 
 
 f Miss Sarah Chapone, sister-in-law to Mrs. Chapone, the 
 well-known and justly esteemed writer, and mother of the pre- 
 sent Bishop Sandford, of Edinburgh.
 
 MISS PORT. 37 
 
 to lose their company. Our dear and valuable 
 Mrs. Sandford, always the same delightful 
 friend, and ever sincerely attached to you, I 
 think, is tolerably well in health. 
 
 Her noble spirit of using her utmost effort for 
 the sake of her sons, struggles hard with her 
 delicate constitution ; but I think it maintains 
 its ground beyond what we could expect. Her 
 two eldest sons are at Oxford ; her third son on 
 the seas, towards Newfoundland; all going on 
 to her heart's content, and much in favour with 
 their preceptors. Her son William is to pur- 
 sue law, and Mrs. Sandford is now in London 
 in order to place him there to the best advan- 
 tage. ****** 
 As you are so kind as to enquire particularly 
 after my dear girl, (no longer little,) I can with 
 pleasure tell you, that she is in perfect good 
 health ; sensible, pleasing in her appearance, 
 quick of apprehension, very good-humoured, 
 and well-disposed. With these qualities you 
 may be sure she has been a very agreeable com- 
 panion to me ; but her dear mother, who has 
 laid the best foundation for her happiness here 
 and hereafter, by giving her good principles, 
 D 3
 
 38 THE VESEYS OF LUCAN. 
 
 has too strong a claim to a share in her com- 
 pany, for me to entirely engross her, were it 
 convenient for me to keep her, I thank God, 
 Mrs. Port and her family are well, as all my 
 nephews are in good health ; and I can boast of 
 all their unremitting kind attentions to me. The 
 Veseys, I believe, will remain in England another 
 year ; but I cannot give a very good account of 
 their health. Mr. and Mrs. Vesey, and Mrs. 
 Hancock, are in a very declining way ; but still 
 have spirit enough to engage in the tumult of 
 assemblies, or at least in large parties of com- 
 pany. Poor Mrs. Vesey is so deaf, that when 
 she is hi company she carries her stool and 
 cushion from one end of the room to the other, 
 to be near those that are engaged in convers- 
 ation. I have the satisfaction of assuring you 
 that I found the Duchess Dowager of Portland 
 in better health than when she came down. 
 Her goodness and tenderness towards me in- 
 crease with my infirmities. She always charges 
 me with her good wishes and compliments to 
 you. I thank God my own health is such as I 
 ought to be very thankful for, feeling very 
 gently the decay of nature. I am always happy
 
 FAMILY PARTY AT WINDSOR CASTLE. 39 
 
 to hear of the health and happiness of my 
 friends in Ireland, and feel that gratitude to- 
 wards them which they so highly merit. 
 
 Now, according to my usual custom, I must 
 give you an account of my past life and actions, 
 regarding royal favours. As soon as the bit- 
 terness of winter was over, I received the King 
 and Queen's commands to attend the Duchess 
 of Portland to the Queen's House, at eight 
 o'clock in the evening : there was no company 
 there but the five Princesses and Lady Char- 
 lotte Finch. There was a concert of music in 
 the next room, which (the door being open) we 
 heard in a very agreeable manner. The King 
 walked backwards and forwards between the 
 rooms ; had a great deal of conversation with 
 the Duchess of Portland ; and did me the honour 
 of sharing in it some times. 
 
 We had much talk, particularly about music ; 
 and His Majesty condescended to order those 
 pieces of music to be played, that he called my 
 favourites. The Duchess of Portland sat on 
 the Queen's right hand, and I on her left. Her 
 Majesty talked a great deal to me about books, 
 especially about those on religion, and recom- 
 D 4
 
 40 MRS. DELANY'S BIRTH-DAY. 
 
 mended to me an explanation of the four Evan- 
 gelists, translated from the German. The next 
 morning she sent me a present of the work, in 
 three volumes. 
 
 The old 14-th of May, which my dear and va- 
 luable friends in Ireland so often made a day of 
 delight to me, is not quite laid aside : my young 
 niece Port takes upon her every year, on its re- 
 turn, to invite a select set of company, not exceed- 
 ing six persons, to dine with me. On the last, a 
 summons was sent to me from Their Majesties, 
 that, as they were informed it was my birth-day, 
 they must see me, and I, with the Duchess of 
 Portland, obeyed their commands that evening. 
 Nobody there but the royal family, Lady Char- 
 lotte Finch, and Lady Weymouth, who was the 
 Lady of the Bedchamber in Waiting. It does 
 not become me to say the gracious, kind, and 
 flattering manner with which they received 
 me. The Queen ordered Lady Weymouth to 
 tie about my neck a small medallion of the 
 King, set round with brilliants. The resem- 
 blance, which is very great, and the gracious 
 manner in which it was done, make it inva- 
 luable. I cannot enter into a long detail of the
 
 COMMEMORATION OF HANDEL. 41 
 
 Commemoration of Handel, performed in West- 
 minster Abbey : the effect was wonderful, and 
 I had the courage (having a very easy oppor- 
 tunity of going into the Abbey) of hearing it 
 four times. Yesterday morning Their Majesties, 
 only accompanied by Lady Louisa Clayton, 
 breakfasted here. Thus ends the history and 
 letter of my dear Mrs. F. Hamilton's most affec- 
 tionate faithful friend and servant, 
 
 M. DELANY. 
 
 I hope Mr. Sackville Hamilton's * health is 
 established; I beg my love to him and his 
 sister. 
 
 * The late Right Hon S. Hamilton, third son of the Hon. 
 Henry Hamilton, son of Gustavus first Viscount Boyne.
 
 LETTER VIII. 
 
 To Mrs. Frances Hamilton, Summer Hill, 
 Dublin. 
 
 St. James's Place, May 19. 1785. 
 
 Now it is my turn, my dear Mrs. F. Hamilton, 
 to make an apology for a too long silence ; but 
 as we are mutually convinced of each other's 
 affection, here let apologies drop. As you have 
 been so good as to give me the satisfaction of 
 knowing how your time has passed, I will en- 
 deavour to make you the same return, though 
 not so well expressed. But first, I must thank 
 my dear friend for her kind remembrance of my 
 English friends, (who, I thank God, are all well,) 
 and for your kind negociation between me and 
 those of Ireland, who will ever be dear to me. 
 My little girl (who, indeed, now is a very tall
 
 MISS PORT. 4-3 
 
 one) is still with me, and every body tells me 
 she improves in her appearance, and as much 
 in every respect as I can expect from her years. 
 My secretary, were she at liberty, would say 
 more. Miss P. desires her compliments, and 
 wishes much to be acquainted with you. 
 
 My niece Port made me a short \isit in 
 March, and was much recovered : her daugh- 
 ter, I believe, will return back with her uncle 
 Dewes, who comes to town to hear the fine per- 
 formance of the Abbey music, which is to be 
 this year, in order to raise a sum for charitable 
 uses. The extreme coldness of the very long 
 winter kept me entirely at home ; but my fire- 
 side was enriched by the constant kind at- 
 tention of my friends and acquaintance, who 
 preferred a warm room and a sincere welcome 
 from one they are so partial to, to the dissipated 
 manner of the times ; which is, to live in 
 public from morning till night. My health, 
 during this season, has beeen better than my 
 years could promise ; though sensible of that 
 decay, which, though awful, is to lead me to 
 that happiness I humbly hope for, relying on
 
 44 LETTER FROM THE KING TO MRS. DELANY. 
 
 that mercy which has graciously promised to 
 accept of our endeavours. 
 
 Since I last wrote to you, I have had an 
 intercourse with His Majesty again by way of 
 letter, on his returning the books of Mr. Han- 
 del's music, which my nephew, J. Dewes, had 
 lent him. The King's letter was very gracious 
 and condescending; much pleased with some 
 music that was new to him among the books, 
 and sent his acknowledgments to my nephew in 
 the most obliging manner; adding, that he 
 would not ask me to come and hear it performed 
 at the Queen's House till the spring was so far 
 advanced, that it might be safe for me to ven- 
 ture. On Thursday, the 9th of May, I received 
 a note from Lady Weymouth, to tell me the 
 Queen invited me to Her Majesty's house; to 
 come at seven o'clock with the Duchess Dow- 
 ager of Portland, to hear Mrs. Siddons read 
 " The Provok'd Husband." You may be- 
 lieve I obeyed the royal summons, and was 
 much entertained. It was very desirable to me, 
 as I had no other opportunity of hearing or 
 seeing Mrs. Siddons; and she fully answered
 
 MRS. S1DDONS AT BUCKINGHAM HOUSE. 45 
 
 my expectations : her person and manner per- 
 fectly agreeable. We were received in the 
 great drawing-room by the King and Queen, 
 their five daughters and Prince Edward. Be- 
 sides the royal family, there were only the 
 Duchess Dowager of Portland, her daughter 
 Lady Weymouth, and her beautiful grand- 
 daughter Lady Aylesford ; Lord * and Lady f 
 Harcourt, Lady Charlotte Finch, Duke of 
 Montague, and the Gentlemen attendant on 
 the King. There were two rows of chairs for 
 the company, the length of the room. 
 
 Their Majesties sat in the middle of the first 
 row, with the Princesses on each hand, which 
 filled it. The rest of the ladies were seated in 
 the row behind them, and as there was a space 
 between that and the wall, the lords and gen- 
 tlemen that were admitted stood there. Mrs. 
 Siddons read standing, and had a desk with 
 candles before her: she behaved with great 
 propriety, and read two acts of the Provoked 
 
 * George Simon, second Earl Harcourt; died April, 
 
 f Elizabeth, daughter of George Venables, Lord Vernoru
 
 4-6 MRS. SIDDONS AT BUCKINGHAM HOUSE. 
 
 Husband, which was abridged, by leaving out 
 Sir Francis and Lady Wronghead's parts, &c. ; 
 but she introduced John Moody's account of the 
 journey, and read it admirably. The part of 
 Lord and Lady Townly's reconciliation she 
 worked up finely, and made it very affecting. 
 She also read Queen Katherine's last speech in 
 King Henry VIII. She was allowed three 
 pauses, to go into the next room and refresh 
 herself, for half an hour each time. After she 
 was dismissed, Their Majesties detained the 
 company some time, to talk over what had 
 passed, which was not the least agreeable part 
 of the entertainment. I was so flattered by 
 their most kind reception of me, that I really 
 did not feel the fatigue, notwithstanding I be- 
 lieve it was past twelve, before we made our last 
 courtesy; and I cannot say, though that was a 
 very late hour for me, that I suffered from it, 
 and I had tried my strength the week before, by 
 having been at two concerts. 
 
 The particular account you have sent me of 
 your agreeable relations (such societies are 
 rare) was very delightful, and you flatter me 
 very much when you say it puts you in mind of
 
 RECOLLECTIONS OF DELVILLE. 4? 
 
 ancient days at Delville, the recollection of 
 which will ever be pleasant, though painful to 
 me. I am sorry I cannot send you a copy of 
 the letters you hint at; but I have refused it 
 to near relations, and though they would do me 
 great honour, I think it is not proper. I could 
 depend on your discretion, but not on every 
 one's in whose hands they might fall. The 
 .Duchess Dowager of Portland has had a bad 
 cough, but is now better ; always enquires after 
 you in the kindest manner, and charges me 
 with her compliments. Had I another page I 
 could fill it with her goodness to me. 
 
 Mrs. Sandford, always the same amiable 
 creature, is tolerably well in health, though too 
 tender to venture out of her own house, which 
 she has not done since my being in town, and I 
 have not been able to see her above three times. 
 We never meet without your being in the sub- 
 ject of our conversation mutual in our esteem 
 and good wishes. Her sons go on to her heart's 
 content, and approved of by every body. 
 Mr. Vesey * is still alive, and that is all one can 
 
 * Agmondisham Vesey, Esq. of Lucan.
 
 4-8 ACCOUNT OF THE VESEYS. 
 
 say : poor Mrs. Vesey in deep affliction, and in 
 a very declining state of health : Mrs. Hand- 
 cock *, I fear, no less so ; but supports them 
 with her steady conduct in the best manner she 
 can : but what is human support, if we do not 
 look higher ! 
 
 My secretary says I am at the end of my let- 
 ter; and I can only add, that I am my dear 
 friend's 
 
 Most affectionate and obliged 
 
 M. DELANY. 
 
 I hear " The School for Scandal" is to be 
 got in Ireland ; I beg you will procure me two 
 copies. It has not been published in England. 
 Send them me the first opportunity. 
 
 Sister to Mrs. Vesey.
 
 49 
 
 LETTER IX. 
 
 To Mrs. Frances Hamilton, Summer-Hill, 
 Dublin. 
 
 Argyle- Street, July 24. 1785. 
 
 MADAM, 
 
 Mits. DELANY, too well knowing the concern 
 you will feel for her under her present great loss, 
 of which the newspapers must have informed 
 you, has honoured me with her commands 
 to address these lines to you, to satisfy your 
 anxiety about her as far as that can be. Mrs. 
 Delany had been with the Duchess of Port- 
 land, about ten days, at Bulstrode, when the 
 sad event of her Grace's death happened ; and 
 the next day Mrs. Delany came to town, and 
 though in great affliction, I am happy to add, in 
 good health, which, not yet failing her, and Jier 
 having many kind friends about her, we flatter 
 ourselves is not likely to do so ; as her affliction
 
 50 DEATH OF THE 
 
 is so perfectly calm and rational as to allow her 
 to accept the unwearied attentions they offer 
 her : among them my mother bears no small 
 share, as you may believe. 
 
 Mrs. Delany has much consolation from the 
 cordial civilities and kindnesses she has received 
 from the Duke and Duchess of Portland, as 
 well as from all other parts of the family, since 
 the late sad change. The Duke's own expres- 
 sion has been that ever he should see his mo- 
 ther in Mrs. Delany, and shall always think 
 himself fulfilling his late mother's wishes when 
 he obeys her commands, or contributes any 
 thing to her satisfaction. You may be as- 
 sured, Madam, that our beloved Mrs. Delany 
 is not slow in making use of such consolations 
 as these; which at the same time that they 
 testify the great worth of the friend she has lost, 
 in no less a degree prove the respectable light 
 she herself must have appeared in to all the 
 family. 
 
 Indeed from the highest to the humblest of 
 her friends, every one joins in endeavouring 
 to alleviate the grief and disappointment Mrs. 
 Delany has sustained. The King, the Queen,
 
 DUCHESS DOWAGER OF PORTLAND. 51 
 
 and Princess Amelia*, have bee^i as constant 
 and regular in their solicitous inquiries after 
 Mrs. Delany since the Duchess's death, as they 
 were of both the excellent friends during her 
 Grace's late illness, which was of a compli- 
 cated kind. But the immediate cause of her 
 death was a bilious complaint, which terminated, 
 it is apprehended, in a mortification. Poor 
 Mr. Jones, her Grace's butler, died the Sunday 
 before, at Bulstrode, of the same complaint, 
 which increased the distress of the household. 
 We understand the Duchess's remains are to be 
 interred on Friday or Saturday next, in West- 
 minster Abbey, where the late Duke was buried, 
 as well as all the Harley family. When that 
 event is over, we hope Mrs, Delany's affliction 
 will more subside. You will be glad to hear 
 that Mr. Dewes is with her ; and that Miss Port 
 will be brought to her either Friday or Saturday 
 next at farthest, which will be a great balm to 
 her, as she is indeed a very amiable young lady, 
 and greatly beloved by all Mrs. Delany's friends. 
 
 Aunt to His late Majesty. 
 E 1 2
 
 52 DEATH OF THE DUCHESS OF PORTLAND. 
 
 Though personally unknown to you, Madam, 
 I shall take great satisfaction to myself if this ac- 
 count should relieve any part of the anxiety you 
 must, at this time, feel for Mrs. Delany ; as my 
 mother has informed me that my life began with 
 obligations to you, which cannot but bind me, 
 
 Dear Madam, 
 
 Ever your most obliged and obedient 
 humble servant, 
 
 WILLIAM SANDFORD. 
 
 P. S. Mrs. Delany bids me add her affec- 
 tionate remembrances to her friends * * * *, 
 having no doubt you will kindly communicate 
 this account to them. 
 
 My mother's affectionate compliments ever 
 attend you. 
 
 I forgot to say, Mrs. Delany is going, in a few 
 days, to Mrs. Boscawen's, at Coney Hatch. 
 Mrs. Delany had a visit from the Duchess of 
 Portland ; the first visit she has made any body 
 since the Duchess Dowager's death.
 
 53 
 
 LETTER X. 
 
 To Mrs. Frances Hamilton. 
 
 St. James's Place, Aug. 31. 1785. 
 
 I HAVE waited till I was able to dictate a few 
 lines to my dear sympathising friend : the subject 
 is too tender for me to enter upon, and I endea- 
 vour to look forward to the unmerited blessings 
 still bestowed upon me, with humble resign- 
 ation, to that gracious Providence who knows 
 what is fittest for me. I feel my obligations to 
 my dear friends who think of me so kindly, and 
 assure them of my affectionate and constant 
 good wishes. 
 
 I have had in the house with me, ever since 
 my nephews were obliged to leave me, Miss 
 Burney, the author of Evelina and Cecilia,
 
 54 MISS BURNEY. 
 
 which, excellent as they are, are her meanest 
 praise. Her admirable understanding, her ten- 
 der affection, and sweetness of manners, make 
 her valuable to all those who have the happi- 
 ness to know her; and it has been no small 
 satisfaction to me to have had such a compa- 
 nion, during my confinement, for my dear girl. 
 I have had one week's very severe illness : a bad 
 sore throat attended with a great deal of fever, 
 which, in my nervous dejected state, was very 
 alarming; but, I thank God, I have now no- 
 thing in regard to my health to struggle with, 
 but great weakness. I have, as you may sup- 
 pose, received every kind attention and conso- 
 lation from our dear Mrs. Sandford, whose 
 health at present is tolerably good. 
 
 And now, my dear friend, I must bid you 
 adieu, as my head will not hold out to dictate 
 any more : it is unnecessary to say, could I ex- 
 press it, how truly I am your affectionate and 
 
 obliged 
 
 M. DELANY. 
 
 I employ my secretary just to add some new 
 proofs I have received of Their Majesties good-
 
 ROYAL FAVOURS TO MRS. DELANY. 55 
 
 ness to me. Astley, my servant, whom I sent to 
 Windsor last Thursday to see what conve- 
 niences there might be wanting in the house 
 Their Majesties have been so gracious to give 
 me, when there, received the King's com- 
 mand that I was only " to bring myself, niece, 
 clothes, and attendants, as stores of every kind 
 would be laid in for me." 
 
 The play-books came safe, for which accept 
 my best thanks.
 
 56 
 
 LETTER XI. 
 
 To Mrs. Frances Hamilton, Summer-Hill, 
 Dublin. 
 
 St. Alban's Street, Windsor, Sept. 20. 1785. 
 
 THE hurry that I have been in since my ar- 
 rival at this place, has prevented the intelli- 
 gence that I am sure my dear friend would like 
 to receive, and, indeed, I hardly know how to re- 
 collect the many honours and kindnesses I hourly 
 receive in my present situation. On Saturday, 
 the 3d of this month, one of the Queen's mes- 
 sengers came and brought me the following 
 letter from Her Majesty, written with her own 
 hand : 
 
 " My dear Mrs. Delany will be glad to hear 
 " that I am charged by The King to summon 
 " her to her new abode at Windsor for Tuesday 
 " next, where she will find all the most essen-
 
 THE QUEEN'S LETTER. 57 
 
 " tial parts of the house ready, excepting some 
 " little trifles, which it will be better for 
 " Mrs. Delany to direct herself in person, or 
 " by her little deputy, Miss Port. I need not, 
 " I hope, add, that I shall be extremely glad 
 " and happy to see so amiable an inhabitant in 
 " this our sweet retreat; and wish, very sin- 
 '* cerely, that my dear Mrs. Delany may enjoy 
 " every blessing amongst us that her merits de- 
 " serve. That we may long enjoy her amiable 
 " company, Amen ! These are the true senti- 
 " ments of 
 
 " My dear Mrs. Delany's 
 
 " Very affectionate Queen, 
 
 " CHARLOTTE." 
 
 Queen's Lodge, 
 Windsor, Sept. 3. 1785. 
 
 P. S. " I must also beg that Mrs. Delany 
 " will choose her own time of coming as will 
 " best suit her own convenience." 
 
 MY ANSWER. 
 
 " It is impossible to express how I am over- 
 " whelmed with Your Majesty's excess of good-
 
 58 MUS. DELANY'S ANSWER. 
 
 " ness to me. I shall, with the warmest duty 
 " and most humble respect, obey a command 
 " that bestows such honour and happiness on 
 " Your Majesty's most dutiful and most obe- 
 " dient humble servant, 
 
 " And subject, 
 
 " MARY DELANY." 
 
 I received the Queen's letter at dinner, and 
 was obliged to answer it instantly, with my own 
 hand, without seeing a letter I wrote. I thank 
 God I had strength enough to obey the gracious 
 summons on the day appointed. I arrived 
 here about eight o'clock in the evening, and 
 found His Majesty in the house ready to 
 receive me. I threw myself at his feet, indeed 
 unable to utter a word ; he raised and saluted 
 me, and said he meant not to stay longer than 
 to desire I would order every thing that could 
 make the house comfortable and agreeable to 
 me, and then retired. 
 
 Truly I found nothing wanting, as it is as 
 pleasant and commodious as I could wish it to 
 be, with a very pretty garden, which joins to that 
 of the Queen's Lodge. The next morning Her
 
 INTERVIEW WITH THE KING. 59 
 
 Majesty sent one of her ladies to know how I 
 had rested, and how I was in health, and 
 whether her coming would not be troublesome ? 
 You may be sure I accepted the honour, and 
 she came about two o'clock. I was lame, and 
 could not go down, as I ought to have done, to 
 the door; but Her Majesty came up stairs, and 
 I received her on my knees. Our meeting was 
 mutually affecting; she well knew the value of 
 what I had lost, and it was some time after we 
 were seated (for she always makes me sit down) 
 before we could either of us speak. It is im- 
 possible for me to do justice to her great con- 
 descension and tenderness, which were almost 
 equal to what I had lost. She repeated, in the 
 strongest terms, her wish, and the King's, that 
 I should be as easy and as happy as they could 
 possibly make me; that they waved all cere- 
 mony, and desired to come to me like friends. 
 The Queen delivered me a paper from the 
 King, which contained the first quarter of 300/. 
 per annum, which His Majesty allows me out 
 of His Privy Purse. Their Majesties have 
 drank tea with me five times, and the Princesses 
 three. They generally stay two hours, or longer.
 
 60 MRS. DELANY'S HAPPINESS 
 
 In short, I have either seen or heard from them 
 every day. I have not yet been at the Queen's 
 Lodge, though they have expressed an impa- 
 tience for me to come ; but I have still so sad a 
 drawback upon my spirits, that I must decline 
 the honour till I am better able to enjoy it : as 
 they have the goodness not to press me. Their 
 visits here are paid in the most quiet private 
 manner, like those of the most consoling and 
 interested friends ; so that I may truly say, they 
 are a royal cordial, and I see very few people 
 besides. They are very condescending in their 
 notice of my niece, and think her a fine girl. 
 She is delighted, as is very natural, with all the 
 joys of the place. I have been three times at 
 the King's private chapel at early prayers, 
 eight o'clock, where the royal family constantly 
 attend ; and they walk home to breakfast after- 
 wards, whilst I am conveyed in a very elegant 
 new chair home, which the King has made me 
 a present of for that purpose. As to my health 
 it is surprisingly good, considering the suffer- 
 ings of my agitated spirits; and that I was 
 hardly recovered, when I came, of a putrid sore 
 throat and fever. How thankful ought I to be
 
 AND GRATITUDE. 61 
 
 to Providence for the wonderful blessings I 
 have received ! How ungrateful must I be, not 
 to endeavour to resign those withdrawn from 
 me as I ought to do ! It is a cordial comfort to 
 me to receive a good account from you of your 
 health and prosperity, and the rest of my dear 
 friends who have so kindly felt for me. I can- 
 not dictate a word more, but believe me, unal- 
 terably and affectionately, 
 
 Yours, 
 
 M. DELANY 
 
 P. S. I sincerely rejoice at Mr. Sackville 
 Hamilton's * present situation ; indeed, I do 
 not know any distinction that he is not worthy 
 of, and the world agree with me. 
 
 The late Right Hon. Sackville Hamilton.
 
 62 
 
 LETTER XII. 
 
 To Mrs. Frances Hamilton. 
 
 St. Alban's Street, Windsor, Nov. 9. 1785. 
 
 I HAVE not, lately, been very well, which pre- 
 vented my answering my dear friend's two kind 
 letters sooner. I thank God, I am at present 
 tolerably well in health, and am surrounded 
 with so many comforts, and such uncommon 
 friends, that great must be my reproach if they 
 do not, in some degree, dissipate that gloom 
 that at times overwhelms me. You give me 
 such good reasons for the request you make of 
 communicating some parts of my letters to your 
 particular friends, that it is impossible for me 
 to refuse what you say will give you satisfaction, 
 and I know I can trust your discretion: the 
 daily marks of rm/al favour (which, indeed, 

 
 VISIT AT WINDSOR CASTLE. 63 
 
 should rather be termed friendly,} cannot be 
 arranged in a sheet of paper; they are be- 
 stowed most graciously, and received most 
 gratefully, and with such consideration as to 
 banish that awe, which otherwise would be 
 painful to me ; and my sensations, when I am 
 in their company, are, respect, admiration, and 
 affection. I have been several evenings at the 
 Queen's Lodge, with no other company but their 
 own most lovely family. They sit round a 
 large table, on which are books, work, pencils, 
 and paper. The Queen has the goodness to make 
 me sit down next to her ; and delights me with 
 her conversation, fthich is informing, elegant, 
 and pleasing, beyond description, whilst the 
 younger part of the family are drawing and 
 working, &c. &c. the beautiful babe, Prin- 
 cess Amelia, bearing her part in the entertain- 
 ment ; sometimes in one of her sisters' laps ; 
 sometimes playing with the King on the car- 
 pet ; which, altogether, exhibits such a delight- 
 ful scene, as would require an Addison's pen, 
 or a Vandyke's pencil, to do justice to. In 
 the next room is the band of music, who play 
 from eight o clock till ten. The King generally
 
 64 ROYAL VISIT TO MRS. DELANY. 
 
 directs them what pieces of music to play, 
 chiefly Handel's. Here I must stop, and re- 
 turn to my own house. Mr. Dewes, from 
 Wellsbourn, came here on the 25th of October : 
 on the 28th Their Majesties, five Princesses, and 
 the youngest Princes, came at seven o'clock in 
 the evening to drink tea with me. All the 
 Princesses and Princes had a commerce table. 
 Miss Emily Clayton, daughter to Lady Louisa 
 Clayton, and Miss Port, did the honours of it. 
 It gave me a pleasing opportunity of introducing 
 Mr. Dewes to Their Majesties : the King took 
 gracious notice of him ; and having heard that 
 his youngest brother, Mr. John Dewes, wished 
 to take the name of Granville, said to Mr. 
 Dewes, that he desired he might, from that tune, 
 be called by that name, and gave orders that 
 his sign manual should be prepared for that 
 purpose, which has accordingly been done. 
 The want of franks cuts me short : do me jus- 
 tice as usual to all dear friends, and believe 
 me ever 
 
 Affectionately yours, 
 
 M. DELANY.
 
 MISS PORT. 65 
 
 I hear Mr. Edward Hamilton is in England. 
 I hope, if he makes a visit to his friend Lord 
 Harcourt, I may have a chance of seeing him. 
 
 Miss Port is very well and very happy, and 
 I am much flattered by the approbation she 
 meets with.
 
 LETTER XIII. 
 
 To Mrs. Frances Hamilton, Summer-Hill, 
 Dublin. 
 
 Windsor, July 3. 1786. 
 
 I WILL not make any apology for a silence that 
 I hope has appeared too long for you, as well 
 as myself; or can I at this time find your last 
 letter, to answer regularly, as I ought to do, 
 all your kind intelligence of yourself and friends. 
 My health, in the main, holds out wonderfully, 
 in the midst of many trying circumstances ; but 
 1 endeavour to look forward with hope and 
 comfort to that place, where " the weary will be 
 at rest ;" enjoy the many undeserved blessings 
 still held out to me, and praying for assistance 
 lo support me under those trials Providence 
 thinks fit to lay upon me.
 
 ROYAL FAMILY AT WINDSOR CHAPEL. 67 
 
 I must wave what has passed during the 
 greatest part of my silence, as my memory 
 will not serve me to recollect, or my head able 
 to dictate, as circumstantially as formerly. 
 During my short stay in London in the whiter, 
 many alterations were made in my house here, 
 which my great benefactors thought would 
 make it more commodious to me; and in- 
 deed it is now a most complete, elegant, com- 
 fortable dwelling: and I am hourly receiving 
 marks of attention and kindness that cannot be 
 expressed. The constant course of my living 
 at present, from which I vary very little, is as 
 follows : I seldom miss going to early prayers at 
 the King's chapel, at eight o'clock, where I 
 never fail of seeing Their Majesties and all the 
 royal family. The common way of going up to 
 the chapel is through the great entrance into 
 the castle, which is a large room with stone 
 pillars, at the corner of which is a narrow wind- 
 ing staircase, which leads to the chapel; but 
 Their Majesties, with their usual goodness and 
 indulgence, have ordered that I should be ad- 
 mitted through the great staircase, which is a 
 verv easy ascent. When chapel is over, all
 
 68 ATTENTIONS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY 
 
 the congregation make a line in the great por- 
 tico till Their Majesties have passed ; for they 
 always walk to chapel and back again, and 
 speak to every body of consequence as they 
 pass : indeed, it is a delightful sight to see so 
 much beauty, dignity, and condescension, united 
 as they are in the royal family. I come home 
 to breakfast generally about nine o'clock : if I 
 and the weather are well enough, I take the 
 air for two hours. The rest of the morning is 
 devoted to business, and the company of my 
 particular friends. I admit no formal visitors, 
 as I really have not time or spirits for it, and 
 every body here is very civil and very consi- 
 derate. My afternoons I keep entirely to 
 myself, that I may have no interruption when- 
 ever my royal neighbours condescend to visit 
 me : their usual time of coming is between six 
 and seven o'clock, and generally stay till be- 
 tween eight and nine. They always drink tea 
 here, and my niece has the honour of dealing 
 it about to all the royal family, as they will not 
 suffer me to do it (though it is my place) ; the 
 Queen always placing me upon the sofa by her, 
 and the King when he sits down, which is sel-
 
 TO MRS. DELANY. 69 
 
 dom, sits next the sofa. Indeed, their visits 
 are not limited to the afternoons, for Their Ma- 
 jesties often call on me in a morning and take 
 me as they find me, not suffering any body to 
 give me notice of their being come. Great as 
 my awe is, Their Majesties have such sweetness 
 of manners that it takes off painful sensation. 
 
 I went to town at the anniversary of the 
 Abbey music : the King gave me and Miss 
 Port tickets to go ; though I suspected my own 
 ability in being able to make use of them, I 
 could not deprive Miss Port of the opportu- 
 nity of going, but she was, (I may say, happily) 
 prevented, by falling ill of the measles, which, I 
 thank God, she has passed through as well as 
 can be wished. I enjoyed one performance of 
 the music, and we returned to Windsor on the 
 16th of June. 
 
 An event has taken place lately which gives 
 me great satisfaction : I am sure you are ac- 
 quainted with the novel entitled Cecilia, much 
 admired for its good sense, variety of character, 
 delicacy of sentiment, &c. &c. : there is nothing 
 good, and amiable, and agreeable mentioned in 
 the book that is not possessed by the author of it, 
 F 3
 
 70 MISS BURNEY. 
 
 Miss Burney : I have been acquainted with her 
 now three years : her extreme diffidence of her- 
 self, notwithstanding her great genius, and the 
 applause she has met with, adds lustre to all her 
 excellencies, and all improve on acquaintance. 
 In the course of this last year, she has been so 
 good as to pass a few weeks with me at Wind- 
 sor, which gave the Queen an opportunity of 
 seeing and talking with her, which Her Majesty 
 was so gracious to admit of. One of the prin- 
 cipal ladies that attend the Queen's person as 
 dresser is going to retire into her own country, 
 being in too bad a state of health to continue 
 her honourable and delightful employment, for 
 such it must be near such a queen ; and Miss 
 Burney is to be the happy successor, chosen 
 by the Queen without any particular recom- 
 mendation from any body. I believe she comes 
 into waiting next week. 
 
 I had the pleasure, before I came out of 
 town, of seeing Governor Hamilton in good 
 health and spirits. He and my young niece 
 hold a droll correspondence : he and I some- 
 times quarrel about his talking of her beauty 
 to her face. She is really pretty, and I trust
 
 MISS PORT. 71 
 
 will be good and agreeable. The way to have 
 her so, is to keep her out of the line of vanity. 
 I think I have got H. H. in pretty good order 
 now. Continue your usual good offices between 
 me and your good friends in Ireland, and 
 Believe me ever yours 
 
 most affectionately, 
 
 M. DELANY. 
 
 Mrs. Sandford and her sons are very well. 
 I have hopes of her making me a visit for some 
 days. 
 
 F 4
 
 72 
 
 LETTER XIV. 
 
 'Jo Mrs. Frances Hamilton, 
 
 St. Alban's Street, Windsor, Sept. 24. 1786. 
 
 MY dear friend, I will not stint myself in 
 room, though I fear the contents will not pay 
 for the trouble of reading them : yet so much I 
 depend upon your partial indulgence, I will 
 hazard that consequence to show my readiness 
 in complying with your request. You oblige 
 me beyond expression, my dear friend, in giving 
 me so particular an account of yourself and 
 friends. Time and absence, I think, rather 
 increase than diminish affection, when we from 
 time to time communicate that mutual remem- 
 brance and regard which has lasted so many 
 years. 
 
 Your charming account of my amiable old
 
 MILS. DELANY'S PIETY AND GRATITUDE. 73 
 
 friend, Mrs. Clements, gives me cordial com- 
 fort, and is a strong^ testimony what an excel- 
 lent preservative is sweetness of disposition, and 
 a conscious reflection of her having done her 
 duty in every state of life. How desirable it is 
 to imitate such an example ! 
 
 Miss Port, I thank God, is now very well : 
 much grown, much improved, and I am much 
 flattered by the approbation she meets with ; 
 as she has good sense, and her principles, I 
 trust, well founded. I hope she will prove a 
 reasonable creature, and be able to stem the 
 torrent of folly and indiscretion which her youth 
 and the world may subject her to. . My own 
 health is very tolerable, though subject to at- 
 tacks of faintness and nervous disorders, that 
 sometimes, I fear, may alarm my friends: I 
 would fain lessen their anxiety, and leave them 
 to think calmly of that hour, which, I thank 
 God, appears to me without terror : the de- 
 privation of the friends we have loved best, and 
 the falling off of many for whom we have a 
 great regard, casts such a melancholy gloom as 
 to make one long for eternity ; humbly beseech- 
 ing the Almighty to make me fit for the change :
 
 74 THE KING'S ESCAPE 
 
 but there are times, I assure you, when that 
 gloom is dispelled, and my heart is relieved and 
 warmed by the very kind attentions of my 
 friends of all degrees : and my greatest distress 
 is, that I feel such an overflowing of gratitude 
 as cannot be expressed. 
 
 It is impossible for me to enumerate the daily 
 instances I receive from my royal friends ; who 
 seem unwearied in the pursuit of making me 
 as happy as they can. I am sure you must be 
 very sensible how thankful I am to Providence 
 for the late wonderful escape of His Majesty 
 from the stroke of assassination: indeed, the 
 horror that there was a possibility that such an 
 attempt would be made, shocked me so much 
 at first, that I could hardly enjoy the blessing of 
 such a preservation. The King would not suf- 
 fer any body to inform the Queen of that event, 
 till he could show himself in person to her. He 
 returned to Windsor as soon as the Council 
 was over. When His Majesty entered the 
 Queen's dressing-room, he found her with the 
 two eldest Princesses ; and entering, in an ani- 
 mated manner, said, " Here I am, safe and 
 well !" The Queen suspected from this say-
 
 FROM ASSASSINATION. 75 
 
 ing, that some accident had happened, on which 
 he informed her of the whole affair. The Queen 
 stood struck and motionless for some time, till 
 the Princesses burst into tears, in which she 
 immediately found relief by joining with them. 
 Joy soon succeeded this agitation of mind, on 
 the assurance that the person was insane that 
 had the boldness to make the attack, which 
 took off all aggravating suspicion ; and it has 
 been the means of showing the whole kingdom, 
 that the King has the hearts of his subjects. 
 I must tell you a particular gracious attention 
 to me on the occasion : Their Majesties sent 
 immediately to my house to give orders I should 
 not be told of it till the next morning, for fear 
 the agitation should give me a bad night. Dow- 
 ager Lady Spencer was in the house with me, 
 and went with me to early prayers, next morn- 
 ing, at eight o'clock ; and after chapel was over 
 she separated herself from me, and had a long 
 conference with the King and Queen, as they 
 stopped to speak to her on our coming out of 
 chapel. When we returned to breakfast, I 
 taxed her with her having robbed me of an op- 
 portunity of hearing what Their Majesties said
 
 76 PRINCESS ELIZABETH. 
 
 to her, by standing at such a distance. She 
 told me, it was a secret ; but she had now their 
 permission to tell me what it was, and then in- 
 formed me of the whole affair. 
 
 I was commanded in the evening to attend 
 them at the Lodge, where I spent the evening ; 
 the happiness of being with them not a little 
 increased by seeing the fulness of joy that 
 appeared in every countenance. This important 
 affair has taken up so much of my paper, as 
 well as my thoughts, that I can add but little 
 more to it. Soon after this, Princess Elizabeth's 
 illness cast a damp on all this joy, but I thank 
 God she seems now restored to that health 
 which every one who knows her must wish on 
 her own account (as well as many others) to 
 possess. She is still delicate, and does not attend 
 them at the drawing-room when they go to 
 town. Last Friday evening she had the good- 
 ness to permit me and Miss Port to spend the 
 evening with her : nothing can be more amiable 
 or more engaging than she is. 
 
 My secretary puts me in mind (for I don't 
 know how to send your letters free) that I have 
 no more room left : if I had, and was able to
 
 REMEMBRANCE OF FRIENDS. 77 
 
 proceed farther, I should with the greatest 
 satisfaction yield to the dictates of my inclina- 
 tion. Continue, my dear friend, your kind 
 representations of me to all my dear friends in 
 Ireland, and believe me, 
 
 Ever most faithfully yours, 
 
 M. DELANY.
 
 78 
 
 LETTER XV. 
 
 To Mrs. Frances Hamilton. 
 
 Windsor, December 25th, 1786. 
 
 As delays are dangerous, I will not defer 
 seizing the first opportunity of thanking you, 
 my dear friend, for your most excellent and 
 kind letter, dated November 27th. I feel all 
 your enjoyments, and wish you a long continu- 
 ance of them, blessing, as you are blessed. My 
 health, or rather my strength, is fluctuating 
 like the weather; but upon the whole in such 
 a state as I ought to be very thankful for. 
 Since my writing of this, I have had a visit 
 from my nephew, Mr. B Dewes, from Bath, 
 where he is ordered for the recovery of his 
 health, and, I thank God, has found great 
 benefit from it. He brought me a letter from
 
 ROYAL INVITATION TO KEW. 79 
 
 Mrs. Preston *, full of kindness, and wishing 
 to see me. Whatever interruptions may have 
 happened in the course of our long acquaint- 
 ance, I never can forget the happiness and 
 cordial love I have ever borne to root and 
 branch of that delightful society. 
 
 When Governor H. H. made me a visit 
 here, he told me there was something in agita- 
 tion for his establishment, and I hope it is ac- 
 complished, though I have heard no particulars 
 about it. I believe (if report has not done it 
 for me) you know nothing of my flights to 
 Kew, which is about ten miles from this place. 
 The royal family once a fortnight take Kew in 
 their way to London ; they leave Windsor on 
 Tuesday, and return on Saturday. Their Ma- 
 jesties were so gracious as to hint a wish of 
 my spending some days at Kew when they 
 were there, and to make it completely agree- 
 able and commodious, engaged Mr. and Mrs. 
 Smelt, who live there, to invite me to their 
 house., a pleasure of itself, that would have given 
 
 * Mary, youngest daughter of the Hon. Henry Hamilton, 
 son of Gustavus, Viscount Boyne.
 
 80 EXCURSION TO KEW. 
 
 me wings for the undertaking ; and accordingly 
 I availed myself of the command of one, and 
 the invitation of the other, and spent part of 
 two weeks there. I think you can hardly be a 
 stranger to the character of Mr. Smelt, a man 
 that has the honour of being friend to the 
 King, and testified to the world by his disin- 
 terested and steady behaviour, how worthy he 
 is of such a distinction. His character is that of 
 the most noble and delicate kind, and deserves 
 the pen of a Clarendon to do justice to it. Mrs. 
 Smelt is a very sensible, friendly, agreeable 
 woman. Their house is convenient and ele- 
 gant, situated upon the banks of the Thames, 
 open to all its beauties, and guarded from all 
 its inconveniences, and within a short walk 
 from thence to the Royal Lodge, and they are 
 visited more than once a day by Their Majesties 
 or some of the royal family ; which pleasure I 
 had the honour of partaking. We were appoint- 
 ed to dine every day at Miss Burney's table, at 
 the Lodge, which we did almost every day. It 
 is very magnificent, and the society very agree- 
 able : about eight or ten persons, belonging to 
 Their Majesties. Coffee was ready about six
 
 MISS BURNEY. 81 
 
 o'clock, which was immediately after dinner: 
 about seven the King generally walked into the 
 room, addressing every body with the most de- 
 lightful condescension, and after that, com- 
 manded me and Mrs. Smelt to follow him into 
 the Queen's apartment, where we drank tea, 
 and stayed till near ten o'clock. It is impos- 
 sible to describe the pleasure and satisfaction 
 such a society bestowed. Princess Elizabeth, 
 who, I thank God, is now perfectly restored to 
 health, was not well enough at that time to 
 make one of that society, so that her sisters took 
 their turns of being with her. Ever since the 
 last excursion I made there, the weather has 
 been too bad for me to venture again, and has, 
 indeed, so much shaken my frame, that I find 
 it necessary not to run any hazard: indeed, 
 were I inclined to do it, my dear and noble 
 friends will not allow me, but make it up to me 
 by permitting me to enjoy as much of their 
 company as they can. 
 
 I have fixed my time for going to London, 
 the 12th of January, to settle for a few months. 
 Miss Burney is very happy in her situation ; 
 much admired ; in great esteem with every body
 
 82 MRS. SANDFORD, &C. 
 
 round her, which will still increase as she is 
 more known. It is doing me too much honour 
 to say, that I placed her there ,- but, as I be- 
 lieve I told you before, it was her own merits, 
 and the Queen's great penetration that pre- 
 ferred her. 
 
 I had a glimpse of Mrs. Sandford on her road 
 from Bath to London, about two months ago. 
 She was not well enough to make me a visit at 
 Windsor, which I was sorry for ; but I hear she 
 is now pretty well, and happy in her sons' being 
 every thing one can wish them to be. I hear 
 but an indifferent account of our poor friend, 
 Mrs. Vesey; Mrs. Handcock is pretty well. 
 Now, my dear friend, I must conclude with my 
 requesting you to believe me, truly, 
 
 Affectionately yours, 
 
 M. DELANY. 
 
 I must add my wishes for your enjoyment of 
 a merry Christmas, and many happy new years.
 
 83 
 
 LETTER XVI. 
 
 To Mrs. Frances Hamilton. 
 
 St. James's Place, April 3. 1 787. 
 
 BEFORE this, my dear friend must have heard 
 of the bad state of health I have been in ever 
 since the beginning of January, as your most 
 kind letter, dated February the 9th, mentions 
 nothing of it. I came to town, with a very bad 
 fever upon me, the 10th of January; which 
 fasting, and twice bleeding, did not conquer, 
 though it abated enough for me to take the 
 journey. I was then seized with a degree of 
 putrid sore throat, at which I was not so much 
 alarmed as those that were about me ; that was 
 succeeded by a violent defluxion, and the fever 
 
 G 2
 
 84- MRS. DELANY'S ILLNESS. 
 
 still continuing, for near two months. I thank 
 God, Dr. Turton's skill, as well as my apothe- 
 cary Mr. Young's attention, answered the 
 wishes of my friends ; and I am now, though 
 not so well as before this illness, better than I 
 could have expected. I am rather weak than 
 low : much is expected from settled good wea- 
 ther when it comes. I ought not to repine at 
 what I have suffered ; it was the will of God it 
 should be so, and I am most truly sensible of 
 many advantages from it ; and my heart is full 
 of gratitude, the most delightful of all sensa- 
 tions, for the tender and constant attention of the 
 friends I value from the highest to the lowest. 
 If I had strength of spirits to communicate to 
 you in this manner the unremitting honours and 
 favours I have received from my royal friends, it 
 would be a mutual gratification to us both ; but 
 that I do not find myself equal to. 
 
 I thought this account would be more satis- 
 factory to you, than any you could receive from 
 any other hand : it has made me take the first 
 opportunity of writing. I must add my best 
 acknowledgments for the particular account you 
 give me of yourself and the rest of my dear
 
 HER RECOVERY. 85 
 
 friends in Ireland. Believe me ever faithfully 
 and 
 
 Affectionately yours, 
 
 M. DELANY. 
 
 To convince you I am now in a fair way of 
 doing well, I must tell you that Miss Port left 
 me this morning to meet her mother at Wells- 
 bourn, and is to return to me in a fortnight or 
 three weeks : at which time I have thoughts of 
 settling at Windsor. When this letter began, 
 I was in hopes I should have been able to have 
 filled it. Governor Hamilton is well : I have 
 been able to see him twice. 
 
 G 3
 
 86 
 
 LETTER XVII. 
 
 To Mrs. Frances Hamilton. 
 
 Windsor, May 17. 1787. 
 
 I THOUGHT it would be more satisfactory to you, 
 my dear friend, when I could inform you how I 
 bore my journey to Windsor : I therefore de- 
 ferred answering your kind and agreeable letter 
 to this time. I am infinitely obliged to you for 
 your good intelligence of my few remaining 
 friends in Ireland, and for your good offices 
 between me and them, and beg their conti- 
 nuance. 
 
 If I undertook to be particular upon a sub- 
 ject so dear to me, it would lead me beyond my 
 strength. Happy should I be, could I comply 
 with your agreeable request of relating -all the
 
 ATTENTIONS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY. 87 
 
 marks of favour and increasing kindness I re- 
 ceive from my most noble and condescending 
 friends ; they are indeed inexpressible. I came 
 here on Thursday the 10th, but Their Majesties 
 did not come to Windsor till the Saturday fol- 
 lowing. They called upon me before they 
 went to their own Lodge, accompanied by 
 Princess Royal and Princess Amelia, and made 
 my heart glad to see them look so well and in 
 such good spirits. I was not well enough to 
 venture out in the evening, and, indeed, had 
 company I could not leave, Lady Bute * and 
 Lady Louisa Stewart, her daughter. On Sun- 
 day evening I was asked with them to drink tea 
 at the Queen's Lodge, between seven and eight 
 o'clock. There was nobody with them but 
 Lady Pembroke f, the Lady of the Bedchamber 
 in Waiting ; and though a circle of the most 
 awful nature, it was far from a painful one : the 
 condescending address and gracious manner of 
 
 * Mary, only daughter of Edward Wortley Montague, Esq. 
 by the celebrated Lady Mary Wortley Montague, daughter of 
 Evelyn Pierpoint. 
 
 f Elizabeth, daughter of Charles second Duke of Marl- 
 borough. 
 
 G 4
 
 88 MISS BURNEY. 
 
 Their Majesties and the Princesses, made it 
 perfectly easy and pleasant. I was dismissed 
 as an invalid at nine o'clock ; but the truth is, 
 I believe, the Queen had a mind to indulge me 
 with an hour's conversation with Miss Burney, 
 whose apartment is upon the same floor, and I 
 had the happiness of finding her recovered from 
 a long and dangerous illness. And here again I 
 have a new field to expatiate upon, on the 
 Queen's great goodness to her, whose attention 
 to her has been that of a tender friend ; and Miss 
 Burney now only wants time to restore her to 
 strength and her happy occupation *, which she 
 delights in. As a proof of the wonderful effect 
 of such cordials, I have been able to obey their 
 commands in attending them every day at the 
 Lodge, till yesterday morning, when they went 
 to London again, and I at present feel desolate ; 
 but on Saturday next I hope to revive again, 
 and on the Tuesday following expect my niece 
 Granville and my dear Mary Anne f, which, in- 
 deed, will be a great comfort to me. I left Mrs. 
 
 * As Dresser to Her Majesty. 
 f Miss Port, her great-niece.
 
 MRS. SANDFORD. 89 
 
 Sandford and her family, I think, very well for 
 them : her sons going on with great propriety in 
 their different departments. We always talk of 
 you when we meet, and they never fail to desire 
 I will make their best compliments to you. 
 And now, my dear friend, I must bid you adieu ! 
 my head giving me warning that I have dic- 
 tated a sufficient quantity this morning, and fear 
 you have reason to think so too; but at all 
 times believe me most sincerely 
 
 And affectionately yours, 
 
 M. DELANY.
 
 LETTER XVIII. 
 
 To Mrs. Frances Hamilton. 
 
 Windsor, August 11. 1787. 
 
 MY DEAR FRIEND, 
 
 1 OWE you so much in the kind interest you 
 take in my health and happiness, that it would 
 be most ungrateful in me did I omit giving you 
 those informations you so kindly desire: but 
 my powers are not always equal to my will, 
 though, upon the whole, I find myself tolerably 
 well : my days are unequal, and I am subject 
 to a languor at times, that makes me unable to 
 dictate. I am infinitely obliged to you for the 
 justice you do me to all my dear friends in Ire- 
 land, and for your information about them. 
 Continue your kind offices. I do not know
 
 FAMILY PARTY AT WINDSOR CASTLE. 1)1 
 
 how to particularise the condescending good- 
 ness which I daily experience ; and it is a mat- 
 ter of real astonishment to me, so unqualified as 
 I am, and under the load of years and some in- 
 firmities, that I should receive so many unre- 
 mitting marks of favour : but the truth is, the 
 love of giving comfort, and bestowing happi- 
 ness, seems to predominate in the hearts of my 
 royal friends. At this time of the year the 
 evenings are devoted by them to the Terrace 
 till eight o'clock, when they return to the 
 Lodge to their tea and concert of music : 
 happy are those who are admitted to that 
 circle ! The Queen has had the goodness to 
 command me to come to the Lodge, whenever 
 it is quite easy to me to do it, without sending 
 particularly for me, lest it should embarrass me 
 to refuse that honour ; so that most evenings, at 
 half-an-hour past seven, I go to Miss Burney's 
 apartment, and when the royal family return from 
 the Terrace, the King, or one of the Princesses 
 (generally the youngest, Princess Amelia, just 
 four years old) come into the room, take me 
 by the hand, and lead me into the drawing-
 
 92 FAMILY PARTY 
 
 room, where there is a chair ready for me by 
 the Queen's left hand : the three eldest Prin- 
 cesses sit round the table, and the Ladies in 
 Waiting, Lady Charlotte Finch and Lady Eli- 
 zabeth Waldegrave. A vacant chair is left for 
 the King, whenever he pleases to sit down in it. 
 Every one is employed with pencil, needle, or 
 knotting. Between the pieces of music the con- 
 versation is easy and pleasant ; and, for an hour 
 before the conclusion of the whole, the King 
 plays at backgammon with one of his equerries, 
 and I am generally dismissed: I then go to 
 Miss Burney's room again, where Miss Port 
 generally spends the evenings that I am at the 
 Lodge, and has an opportunity of being in very 
 good company there. It will not become me 
 to commend her as much as I believe others do, 
 and I hope she will deserve the approbation she 
 has hitherto met with. 
 
 Last Saturday morning Governor Hamilton 
 made me a flying visit; the few of his family he 
 could tell me any thing about (which were Mrs. 
 Preston and her daughters) he gave me a good 
 account of, and that there was likelihood of my
 
 AT WINDSOR CASTLE. 93 
 
 seeing her in London before they left England, 
 which will give me great pleasure, though mixed 
 with some painful recollections. 
 
 August 13. 
 
 I began this on Saturday, but found myself not 
 equal to finish it, but being better in the evening 
 I went to the Lodge, to Miss Burney's apart- 
 ments ; but had not been there a quarter of 
 an hour before the King walked into the room, 
 took me by the hand, and said, " Come along, 
 Mrs. Delany," and led me into the Queen's 
 apartment, and placed me in the chair allotted 
 for me, next to Her Majesty,( which, however, I 
 am indebted to my deafness for,) where I spent 
 two hours, not knowing which gave me most 
 delight, the harmony of the music, or that of the 
 amiable society. The two Princes were there. 
 Yesterday was the Prince of Wales's birthday, 
 and it being Sunday, the entertainment that was 
 to be given was put off till Monday, which was 
 yesterday, for here I was interrupted, and am 
 now come to Tuesday the 14th. 
 
 The entertainment at the Castle, yesterday, 
 was very superb indeed: there were above a
 
 94 ENTERTAINMENT 
 
 hundred people of the first rank, Ministers of 
 State, and foreigners invited to come to the 
 Castle. At seven o'clock, and after the Draw- 
 ing-room was over, and all compliments paid 
 and received on the day, the company were 
 conducted into the music-room, where there 
 was a very fine concert, chiefly of Mr. Handel's 
 music, and most exquisitely performed. When 
 that was over, which was about twelve o'clock, 
 there was a supper prepared in St. George's 
 Hall, which for magnificence exceeded every 
 thing that had been done before. The com- 
 pany were not all dispersed till two o'clock ; and 
 are invited again to the same entertainment on 
 Thursday, which is the Duke of York's birth- 
 day. The younger part of the company are in 
 hopes of a ball. I went again, yesterday even- 
 ing, to Miss Burney's apartment, and delighted 
 myself with looking out of the window, which 
 almost fronts the Castle-gate, while Miss Bur- 
 ney and Miss Port went on the terrace, where 
 every body, who were not of consequence to be 
 invited to the Castle, walked; some sighing 
 that they were not within the walls with the 
 gi-and monde , whilst others were blessing them-
 
 AT WINDSOR CASTLE. 95 
 
 selves with enjoying the fine air of Windsor, 
 the evening being very fine. My spirits are 
 now exhausted, and will not suffer me to be 
 as minute in my account as I wish to be for 
 your entertainment, but hope the newspapers 
 will make you amends for my deficiencies. I 
 had a visit last Saturday from Mrs. Mary 
 Henry, and we talked of you, my dear Mrs. 
 F. H., for the greatest part of the time she was 
 with me. The justice she did my excellent 
 friend, was no small gratification to one who is 
 most sincerely and affectionately yours, 
 
 M. DELANY.
 
 96 
 
 LETTER XIX. 
 
 To Mrs. Frances Hamilton. 
 
 London, 13th September, 1787. 
 
 I WILL not delay giving you the pleasure I 
 know you must receive, my good friend, from 
 hearing such a account of Mrs. Delany, as I 
 can truly give you, from having spent two 
 hours with her this morning, and will not put 
 off writing even for a day, as fresh intelligence 
 on so very interesting a subject must be most 
 acceptable. I shall name no other, and be 
 as particular as my time and paper will allow. 
 I was with her at nine this morning, and 
 heard (with no small agitation) her well-known 
 foot hastening down to meet me. For a few 
 minutes our meeting was silent; as many cir- 
 cumstances rushed into our minds very affecting
 
 INTERESTING ACCOUNT OF MRS. DELANY. 97 
 
 to us both. I dreaded seeing the alteration 
 in her, that was naturally to be expected from 
 twenty years' absence, from the period in her 
 life of, from sixty-seven to eighty-seven ; but I 
 was soon set at ease, by seeing the same appre- 
 hension, cheerfulness, attention, benevolence, 
 and comfortable enjoyment of every pleasant 
 circumstance in her situation, that you remem- 
 ber in her. Her inquiries, her remarks, her 
 whole conversation, full of life and ingenuity, 
 and that kind heart, and manner of express- 
 ing its feelings, as warm as ever. She is as 
 upright, and walks as alertly as when yoti saw 
 her. In short, I could have had no idea of 
 her being as I saw her in every Avay. She lets 
 me know when her only spare bed is at li- 
 berty, as she insists on having her child (as she 
 honoured me by naming me) again in her own 
 house ; and I shall instantly obey her sum- 
 mons, with the pleasure you can suppose, but I 
 could not express. Miss Port is a most 
 pleasing girl, with the manners you may sup- 
 pose Mrs. Delany's eleve would have, and 
 seems high in favour, and to be extremely at- 
 tentive and proper towards her aunt. The 
 u
 
 98 MRS. DELANY S PAPER MOSAICS. 
 
 King and Queen, and all the younger branches, 
 increase in affection and respect to Mrs. D. 
 She breakfasted with them yesterday, and the 
 King always makes her lean on his arm. Her 
 house is cheerful, and filled with her own 
 charming works. No pictures have held their 
 colours so well. I had tune to look over near 
 a volume of her flowers, which are, I think, as 
 exact representations of nature, as those you 
 are acquainted with ; she has finished nine hun- 
 dred and eighty sheets, and regrets that the 
 thousand she intended, wants twenty of its full 
 number. Her inquiries and all she said of 
 you, would have gratified you highly from her 
 lips ; but you would think them a little too 
 flattering from my pen. Now, my good friend, 
 repay me for sitting up after a fatiguing day, 
 to communicate this pleasing intelligence to you, 
 by telling me your schemes. 
 
 Farewell, and believe me, my good friend, 
 Yours, very truly, 
 
 M. PRESTON.
 
 99 
 
 LETTER XX. 
 
 To Mrs. Frances Hamilton. 
 
 October, 1787. 
 
 * * * * I left Mrs. Delany in per- 
 fect health ; and, the day before, cut the two 
 profiles 1 send you ; the largest much the likest*, 
 and so much so, the Queen desired one. 
 Mrs. Delany actually went on Wednesday last 
 to Mr. Locke's, twenty-two miles from Wind- 
 sor, to spend some days. One little anecdote 
 of the Queen struck me, as a stronger instance 
 of her real tender feeling towards our dear 
 old friend, than all her bounties or honours. 
 As soon as the Duchess of Portland died, Mrs. 
 Delany got into a chaise to go to her own house ; 
 
 * From which the prefixed engraving is taken. 
 H 2
 
 100 AMIABLE TRAIT OF THE gUEEN. 
 
 the Duke followed her, begging to know 
 what she would accept of, that belonged to his 
 mother ; Mrs. Delany recollected a bird that 
 the Duchess always fed and kept in her own 
 room, desired to have it, and felt towards it as 
 you must suppose. In a few days she got a bad 
 fever, and the bird died ; but for some hours 
 she was too ill even to recollect her bird. The 
 Queen had one of the same sort which she 
 valued extremely (a weaver bird) ; she took it 
 with her own hands, and while Mrs. Delany 
 slept, had the cage brought, and put her own 
 bird into it, charging every one not to let it 
 go so near Mrs. Delany, as that she could per- 
 ceive the change, till she was enough recovered 
 to bear the loss of her first favourite. This 
 requires no comment, as it speaks strongly for 
 itself. * * ****** 
 I must now write to my dear Lady de V., so, 
 with the affectionate wishes of this house, 
 
 Bid you farewell. 
 
 M. PRESTON.
 
 101 
 
 LETTER XXI. 
 
 To Mrs. Frances Hamilton. 
 
 London, St. James's Place, January 18th, 1788. 
 
 I FLATTER myself that my dear friend will 
 think it long since she heard from me, at the 
 same time I will do her kind heart justice 
 that she has not blamed me for it. I have 
 often prepared myself to do it, and have as 
 often been interrupted. Airing when the 
 weather would permit me, and many kind neigh- 
 bours that call often upon me in a morning, 
 have partly occasioned my silence, and at 
 tunes when I had more leisure, I have 
 not been well enough to dictate. I came to 
 town the beginning of this week : my illus- 
 trious neighbours have also removed to their
 
 102 MISS POUT. 
 
 winter-quarters, which makes me less regret my 
 leaving Windsor : and, indeed, as I cannot en- 
 joy my old friends (that reside here) when I 
 am there, it makes me support what now is a 
 melancholy home to me, as recollection brings 
 back the happy hours that made this situation 
 dear to me. My niece is now of an age to 
 be indulged with those amusements, which are 
 reasonable at her time of life ; and, indeed, I 
 think her worthy of all my care. And now I 
 know, my dear friend, you wish for some little 
 anecdotes concerning my intercourse with those 
 who do me so much honour as to continue 
 their partiality and indulgence to me: calling 
 on me if I am confined at any time, and allow- 
 ing me the great privilege and happiness of 
 attending them when I am able, every evening 
 at the Queen's Lodge, which is generally 
 two or three times in the week; and by that 
 means, I have an opportunity of seeing my 
 amiable and much esteemed friend Miss Burney, 
 whenever I go there, and when I cannot go, 
 she is permitted to come to me : but now I 
 know this does not satisfy, and you want me to 
 be more particular. The most extraordinary
 
 THE LOCKE FAMILY. 103 
 
 account I can give of myself is, my having made 
 a visit to Mr. and Mrs. Locke, at Norbury Park, 
 about thirty miles from Windsor, in the month 
 of October, very particular friends of Miss 
 Burney's. Their characters, their dwelling, 
 their manner of living, and their extraordinary 
 qualifications want the pen of the author of 
 Cecilia to do justice to : it is like entering into 
 a new planet. Mr. Locke is esteemed one of 
 the most perfect characters living. His lady's 
 outward form and amiable disposition are 
 truly angelical. They have two sons and 
 three daughters, all beautiful; most rationally 
 and elegantly educated. The eldest son, Mr. 
 William Locke, is the first genius of the age, 
 for drawing. My niece and I spent four 
 days there very agreeably, and, I thank God, 
 though a bold undertaking, it agreed very 
 well with me. The day before I intended to 
 leave Windsor, when Mary Anne * and I were 
 set down to our little dinner, one simple dish 
 of veal-collops, without any notice, the Queen 
 walked into the dining-room, and said, I must 
 
 * Miss Port.
 
 104 THE QUEEN'S VISIT TO MRS. DELANY. 
 
 not be angry with my servant, for she would 
 come in, and that my dinner smelt so well, 
 she would partake of it with me. I was both 
 delighted and confused with the honour con- 
 ferred upon me. Miss Port very readily 
 resigned her place, and became our attendant. 
 The Queen honoured my humble board, not 
 only by partaking of it, (which she did to make 
 me go on with my dinner^) but commended it 
 very much. Soon after the clock struck four, 
 Her Majesty said she would resign her place ; 
 for she came to see me on purpose .to prevent 
 my venturing out in the evening, lest I should 
 catch cold before my journey. I am now in 
 the midst of unpacking, and receiving the visits 
 and kind enquiries of my London friends, so 
 that I hardly know what I write ; but I could 
 not let the new year run on farther, without 
 wishing you, my dear Mrs. F. Hamilton, many 
 happy returns of it. Though I have not in 
 form thanked you for your very kind letter re- 
 ceived so long ago, you cannot doubt my 
 gratitude ; and of my being unalterably, most 
 affectionately yours, 
 
 M. DKLANV.
 
 REMEMBRANCE OF ABSENT FRIENDS. 10.3 
 
 Miss Port begs I will add her compliments. 
 I was much gratified in having Mrs. Preston's 
 company for a few days at Windsor, and in 
 talking about dear Irish friends ; to whom I am 
 sure you will always do me justice. All my 
 family are well. I have just heard that Lord 
 Aylesbury * has made proposals to Lady Anne 
 Rawdoii a match approved of by every 
 body. 
 
 * Thomas Bruce Brudcnell, K. T. Treasurer to the 
 Queen ; married, February 14th, 1788, Anne llawdon, eldest 
 daughter of John, first Earl of Moira.
 
 106 
 
 LETTER XXII. 
 
 To Mm. Frances Hamilton. 
 
 St. James'b Placu, Thursday, 17th April, 1788. 
 
 ON what a grievous occasion am I compelled 
 to address my beloved Aunt Delany's dear 
 Mrs. F. Hamilton ! Oh ! Madam, she is 
 no more ! On Tuesday, the 1 5th, she expired, 
 at eleven o'clock k at night, but without the 
 smallest struggle or suffering. God be praised ! 
 On Sunday, the 6th of April, she was first 
 seized with a violent fever. I have, with the 
 greatest difficulty, composed myself sufficiently 
 to send this sad, this heart-rending intelli- 
 gence, and can say no more, than that, were 
 it not for the assurance I have of her felicity, I 
 think it would not be possible for me to exist. 
 
 GEORGINA MARIANNE POKT. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 Printed by A. and 11. Spotticwoode, 
 Printers- Street, London.
 
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