Sir Lucas Pepys talked to me a great deal of Mrs. Thrale, and read me a letter from her, which seems to shew her gay and happy. I hope it shews not false colours. No one else named her—-but poor Dr. Johnson was discussed repeatedly. How melancholy will all these circumstances render these once so pleasant meetings.
SECT. 6 (1785-6.)
MISS BURNEY IS FAVOURABLY NOTICED BY THE KING AND QUEEN.
[The pleasantest portion of the following section of the
Diary is that which relates to the growing intimacy between
Fanny and Mrs. Delany. It was a friendship, however, which
proved dear to Fanny in every sense of the word. On the one
hand the mutual affection which subsisted between her and a
lady in every way so worthy of her regard, was a source of
continual gratification to both; on the other hand it was
the immediate cause of an event which may be, without
exaggeration, described as the greatest misfortune of
Fanny's life—her ill-starred appointment at Court. We
fully share Macaulay's indignation at this absurd and
singularly unsuitable appointment. Its consequences to
Fanny were almost disastrous; yet the reader will reap the
reward of her suffering in perusing the brilliant pages in
which her humour and penetration have invested with an
interest not its own the frivolous tattle of her commonplace
companions. Her account of the royal family is on the whole
favourable. The princesses appear to have been really
amiable and, so far as etiquette would permit, sensible
young women. Of the king and queen we know few things which
are more to their credit than that they should have been
able to inspire Fanny with a regard so obviously sincere.
But even Fanny, with all her loyal partiality, could make no
more of them than a well-meaning couple, whose conversation
never rose above the commonplace. After all, we can hardly
help feeling that the whole of this Court Diary,
entertaining as it is, would be well exchanged for the
description, in Fanny's animated style, of a few more
dinner-parties at Sir Joshua's, a few more conversations
with Edmund Burke.
The burst of exultation with which Fanny's friends greeted
the unhappy appointment says little for their common sense.
Even Burke, who at least ought to have known better, fell in
with the general infatuation, although he, if no one else
felt that the honour was not all on Fanny's side. He called
in St. Martin's Street, and finding Dr. Burney and his
daughter from home, left a card on which he had written
these words:—“Mr. Burke, to congratulate upon the honour
done by the Queen to Miss Burney,—and to herself.”
The office which Fanny shared with that “old hag,” Mrs.
Schwellenberg, was that of keeper of the robes, and she
entered upon her new duties in the month Of July, 1786.
Dress had always been one of the last subjects about which
she troubled herself, and her want of experience in this
all-important matter was graciously taken into consideration
by the queen. The duties of the place were lightened, or,
at least, altered in her favour. The difficulties with
respect to jewellery, laces, and Court habiliments, and the
other routine business belonging to the dress manufactory
appertained to her colleague, Mrs. Schwellenberg; the manual
labours and cares devolved upon the wardrobewomen; while
from herself all that officially was required was assiduous
attention, unremitting readiness for every summons to the
dressing—room, not unfrequent long readings, and perpetual
sojourn at the palace.[189]—ED.]