At twenty minutes to one o’clock we left for Dublin, I and all the ladies in evening dresses, all the gentlemen in uniform. We drove straight to the Castle. Everything here as at St. James’s Levée. The staircase and throne-room quite like a palace. I received (on the throne) the addresses of the Lord Mayor and Corporation, the University, the Archbishop and Bishops, both Roman Catholic and Anglican, the Presbyterians, the non-subscribing Presbyterians, and the Quakers. They also presented Albert with addresses.[59] Then followed a very long Levée, which lasted without intermission till twenty minutes to six o’clock! Two thousand people were presented!
[59] Lord Breadalbane (Lord Chamberlain) was in attendance, having joined us on our arrival in Dublin.
Thursday, August 9.
There was a great and brilliant review in the Phœnix Park—six thousand one hundred and sixty men, including the constabulary. In the evening we two dined alone, and at half-past eight o’clock drove into Dublin for the Drawing-room. It is always held here of an evening. I should think between two and three thousand people passed before us, and one thousand six hundred ladies were presented. After it was over we walked through St. Patrick’s Hall and the other rooms, and the crowd was very great. We came back to the Phœnix Park at half-past twelve—the streets still densely crowded. The city was illuminated.
Friday, August 10.
At a quarter to twelve o’clock we set out, with all our suite, for Carton, the Duke of Leinster’s; Lord and Lady Clarendon in the carriage with us. We went through Woodlands, a place belonging to Mr. White, in which there are beautiful lime-trees; and we passed by the “Preparatory College” for Maynooth; and not far from Carton we saw a number of the Maynooth students. The park of Carton is very fine. We arrived there at a little past one, and were received by the Duke and Duchess of Leinster, the Kildares, Mr. and Lady C. Repton, and their two sons. We walked out into the garden, where all the company were assembled, and the two bands playing; it is very pretty: a sort of formal French garden with rows of Irish yews. We walked round the garden twice, the Duke leading me, and Albert the Duchess. The Duke is one of the kindest and best of men.
After luncheon we walked out and saw some of the country people dance jigs, which was very amusing. The Irish is quite different from the Scotch reel; not so animated, and the steps different, but very droll. The people were very poorly dressed in thick coats, and the women in shawls. There was one man who was a regular specimen of an Irishman, with his hat on one ear. Others in blue coats, with short breeches and blue stockings. There were three old and tattered pipers playing. The Irish pipe is very different from the Scotch; it is very weak, and they don’t blow into it, but merely have small bellows which they move with the arm. We walked round the pleasure-grounds, and after this got into a carriage with the Duke and Duchess—our ladies and gentlemen following in a large jaunting-car, and the people riding, running, and driving with us, but extremely well-behaved; and the Duke is so kind to them, that a word from him will make them do anything. It was very hot, and yet the people kept running the whole way, and in the thick woollen coats, which it seems they always wear here. We drove along the park to a spot which commands an extensive view of the Wicklow Hills. We then went down an entirely new road, cut out of the solid rock, through a beautiful valley, full of the finest trees, growing among rocks close to a piece of water. We got out and walked across a little wooden bridge to a very pretty little cottage, entirely ornamented with shells, &c. by the Duchess. We drove back in the jaunting-car, which is a double one, with four wheels, and held a number of us—I sitting on one side between Albert and the Duke; the Duchess, Lady Jocelyn, Lord Clarendon, and Lady Waterford on the opposite side; George at the back, and the equerries on either side of the coachman.
As soon as we returned to the house we took leave of our hosts, and went back to the Phœnix Park a different way from the one we came, along the banks of the Liffey, through Mr. Colson’s park, in which there were the most splendid beeches I have ever seen—feathering down quite to the ground; and farther along the road and river were some lovely sycamore-trees. We drove through the village of Lucan, where there were fine decorations and arches of bays and laurel. We passed below The Strawberry-beds, which are really curious to see—quite high banks of them—and numbers of people come from Dublin to eat these strawberries; and there are rooms at the bottom of these banks on purpose. We were home a little after five.
On Board the Victoria and Albert,
in Loch Ryan, Sunday, August 12.