February 17.—I left Hanover about noon, and took the road for Zell. I do not believe the whole distance is more than twenty-two or three English miles, though it is called five German ones. I arrived at Engsen, which is exactly half way, as night set in. The road was still the same; it was not worse, but one can hardly say it was better. I waited for the moon to rise, and then proceeded for Zell. I arrived there at ten o'clock, but that I ever did arrive is wonderful. One half of the road from Engsen, which is five miles, lay almost entirely through water, and in many places so deep, so wide, and so long, as might have inspired terror in the boldest heart; but my near approach to the place of my destination gave me courage, and supported me through everything. Once, though, we were just lost in the water. The carriage balanced, and the balance was in our favour. I thought of William Rufus crossing into Normandy, and the boatmen. "Rascals," said he, "did you ever know a king drowned?" "Was ever," I thought, "young man drowned in sight of his port?" I drove to the same inn where I had been concealed before, and gave the same name to the guard.
On the following morning, Mr. Wraxall acquainted Baron von Seckendorf with his arrival. The latter received the agent with the warmest marks of joy and gladness, informed him that her Majesty, who was apprised of his arrival by the name given at the gates, expected him with impatience, and that she had already taken measures to admit him to an audience that same afternoon. "When you hear the palace clock strike four," the baron said, "set out from the inn, on foot, for the castle. Mantel, the queen's valet, will wait to receive you, and conduct you to her."
Mr. Wraxall delivered to the baron the despatches for her Majesty, and went at the appointed hour to the palace. Mantel was waiting, and carried him round the great court through a number of apartments to a room, where he was left alone. At one end of it was a staircase communicating with the queen's chamber. In a minute afterwards, Caroline Matilda came in, and her reception of her agent was most gracious. The account of the interview shall be told from the "Journal:"—
"We conversed till about ten minutes past six, entirely alone, and in the most unreserved, undisguised manner. Her Majesty made me the recital of her reign, of the revolution, of her own conduct on that fatal night when she lost her crown. I listened in silence and astonishment. What an avowal, what a recapitulation did she not make me! Her words are for ever graven on my heart. I could repeat her story almost verbatim. I know what scarce any other man on earth can know. I must own, her unreserve, her goodness, her minute detail of circumstances the most concealed in their nature, my situation quite alone with her, superadded to some consciousness still more affecting, made me more than once forget I was talking to a queen. She was dressed in a brown silk Polonaise, trimmed with green silk. Her hair powdered. A locket on her bosom. Her under-lip is too large, but her teeth are fine, and that family violence in speaking becomes her. Her nose is finely shaped, and her eyes are eloquent. She is thinner in the face than she was last October. She showed me his Majesty's letters to her, and permitted me to carry an extract from one away with me. She was obliged to leave me soon after six, which, otherwise, she seemed in no way inclined to do. Her talents are very good, and in mimicry she excels. Her specimen of Prince Frederick of Denmark was excellent. She went, and I remained ten minutes alone. The valet came again and conducted me to a distant chamber of the palace, where the baron attended my coming. We conversed together till near eight, then I returned home. The baron himself conducted me to a private staircase, by which I descended into the great court, and thence, under cover of the night, got home undiscovered. This was one of the singular days of my life!"
Mr. Wraxall passed nearly the whole of the next day with Baron von Seckendorf, who returned him the articles from the queen, enclosed in a cover addressed by herself to Baron von Bülow, and sealed with her own cypher. She also transmitted to him assurances calculated to confirm the zeal of her adherents. Mr. Wraxall proceeded toward Hamburg on the same night, though the country between it and Celle was almost everywhere under water. Crossing the Elbe, he arrived at Hamburg on the evening of February 21, 1775, after a hazardous and fatiguing journey.
On the following day he wrote to Baron von Bülow, by means of Monsieur le Texier, informing him of his return. The baron came to Mr. Wraxall on February 23, about noon, and expressed great joy at his safe arrival. The agent then delivered the papers containing the articles to the baron, who perused them many times with the deepest attention. Of the two first articles he expressed the highest approbation. He regretted that the King of England would not advance any pecuniary assistance toward accomplishing his sister's restoration. But he lamented much more that the fourth article only stipulated or promised, on the part of his Britannic Majesty, to avow the revolution after it should be effected, instead of making that avowal during the time that it should be actually executing.
"We must, however," the baron exclaimed, "transmit the articles to our associates at Copenhagen, and receive their reply. That alone can enable us to form our determination respecting the line to be pursued."
The baron then asked Mr. Wraxall if he should be willing to undertake the commission of carrying the articles to Copenhagen, which he assured him he would do at an hour's warning. After thanking the agent for so unequivocal a proof of his attachment to the cause, and admonishing him to be on his guard, as they were surrounded by spies, the baron left, promising to return on the next day.
When they met on the 24th, the baron informed Mr. Wraxall that, having maturely reflected on the proposition he had made the latter of going to Copenhagen, and having consulted two of his friends upon it, they were unanimously of opinion not to hazard such an experiment. Mr. Wraxall being known in that capital, his return to it must, in the present state of affairs, excite inquiry, and might expose the enterprise itself to discovery or suspicion. They had, therefore, already selected for that commission a gentleman attached to the cause, who would set out immediately. He would return with all possible despatch, but, as the passage of the two Belts was always uncertain in winter, it might probably require two, or even three, weeks to receive an answer. During this time the baron requested Mr. Wraxall, in the name of the party, to remain quietly in Hamburg.