upon. Nothing was given without proper inquiries and due deliberation. An officer's widow petitioned for aid, urging that she was left with twelve children to support. Her Majesty sent a confidential agent to inquire, and finding the statement true, actually took all the twelve children in order to be educated and maintained at her expense. Some time after she learned that the lady had married again, and to a person who was very well off; upon which the twelve children were sent back to enjoy their mother's care.

There is a pleasing scene, a photograph almost, of the easy, unaffected and affectionate relation of the royal pair to each other. The king once entered her room when she was dressing, with some letters in his hand, and sans façon began at once explaining the business to her, speaking very fast and in German. She was pleased and agitated with the news, and attempted to kiss his hand, he did the same to hers, then offered his cheek. All which passed in presence of her attendant, as though no one were by. Next moment they began speaking English, having done with the confidential

matter.

The queen conscientiously devoted all pains and attention to arraying herself for her drawing-rooms, but was ever delighted to get back into her ordinary dress. We can see from Gainsborough's fine portrait of her in the National Portrait Gallery, how sumptuously she could robe herself, and the dress is no less a marvel of the painter's technique than an evidence of the elaborate system of

decoration in vogue. She would expatiate on the ease and comfort of a garment then in fashion known as the Great Coat. "How I could compose a poem on a Great Coat," she would exclaim.'

Occasionally Mrs. Siddons was brought down to read for the queen and court, and Fanny was deputed to welcome and take care of the great tragic actress. She comported herself in a stately fashion. Fanny found her stiff; her conversation "formal, sententious and dry." She read the "Provoked Husband" in a deep, dragging voice. It is curious to find she was received in a rather cold and formal style-as a performer, in short. The palace rule on such occasions was always strict enough and a rigid etiquette enforced. She could hardly have been pleased.

Sometimes a paragraph got into the papers about Miss Burney's doings or intentions. She was writing a story— chronicle of court life—or she was going to resign and be promoted to a post about the princesses. This threw her into a delicate distress; while her companions maliciously whispered and gossiped. Like Mr. Crummles she "wondered who put these things into the papers."

1 The lively Fanny was adroit enough to attempt to gain her mistress's favour by some obsequious lines on this article of apparel of her mistress :

THE GREAT COAT.

Thrice honoured robe; cannot thou espy

The form that deigns to show thy worth,
Hear the mild voice, view the arch eye

That call thy panegyric forth.

These were graciously received.

did not quite Fanny went to

She fancied that all eyes were on her. She was the heroine of the court. The queen, who relish these histrionics, was suspicious. her, and made a sort of heroic speech. They little knew her who could suppose that leaving her Majesty would be promotion for her. The queen said kindly, "I do not take it ill, I assure you." Fanny went on, “Far from having any wish for it, your Majesty does not bestow a smile upon me that does not secure my attachment," compliments that were out of place and not in the best taste. The queen answered her with a smile and a condescending little bow, "You are very good"; there was here possibly a touch of irony.

It was in March, 1789, that the fair Fanny had a regular battle royal with Mrs. Schwellenberg on the score of having a window in the carriage up. The old German dame had by this time been much exasperated by Miss Burney's want of respect and open dislike to her, and, possibly to annoy her, insisted on the window being kept down, in a bitter wind. The other submitted, and contracted a feverish cold, which much "pulled her down," though she attended to her duties, which she performed "with a difficulty all but insurmountable." Her appearance, of course, drew some questions from the queen. Fanny saw that her Majesty thought "she had been guilty of some imprudence," but she simply told her the story of the window-glass without making any complaint. The prudent lady, who by this time had come thoroughly to know, even approfondir her Fanny, showed some

surprise, "You would hardly catch cold from so slight a cause." With Mrs. Delany she had often the window down? The young lady answered rather pertly, "No, ma'am, nor with Mrs. Locke-nor with Mrs. Thrale, but they left me the regulating of the glass on my own side." Most probably Mrs. Schwellenberg had given her version; anyhow, her Majesty was not sympathetic.

It is surprising that no one has taken Miss Burney in hand, by way of illustrating a display of character and weakness which exceeds even that of Bozzy himself. It is apparent that she was quite unconscious that she was causing genuine amusement to the whole entourage, to whom all her little exhibitions of self-complacent vanity were but too visible, yet a good-natured allowance was made in return for the entertainment she furnished. It is plain that almost every transaction she describes was mistaken by her, and that she magnified or distorted the share she took in them.

At last her Majesty gave her a good-natured hint which anyone less vain and frivolous would have taken. "This morning, while her hair was dressing, my royal mistress suddenly said, 'Did you see anybody yesterday?' I could not but be sure of her meaning, and though vexed to be anticipated in my avowal, I instantly answered, 'Yes, ma'am ; Mr. Smelt in the morning, and Mr. Fairly in the evening.' 'Oh! Mr. Fairly was here, then?' I was now doubly sorry she should know this only from me! A little while after, 'Did he go away from you early?' she said. 'No, ma'am,' I immedi̟_

ately answered, 'not early; he drank tea with me, as he generally does, I believe, when he is here for the night.' 'Perhaps,' cried she after a pause, 'the gentleman below do not drink tea.' 'I cannot tell, ma'am, I never heard him say; I only knew he asked me if I would give him some, and I told him yes, with great pleasure.' "

We can admire here the good-natured forbearance of the queen and her delicate fashion of conveying her wishes. A more plain-spoken sovereign would have simply directed that Miss Burney should change her methods.

The Colonel, however, continued his visits in his favourite mysterious way, Fanny receiving him, and paying no attention to the queen's wishes.

"While the Queen's hair was rolling up, by the wardrobe woman, at night, Mrs. Schwellenberg happened to leave the room, and almost instantly her Majesty, in a rather abrupt manner, said, 'Is Mr. Fairly here to-night?' 'Yes, ma'am.' 'When did he come back?' I could not recollect. 'I did not know he was here!' 'I knew, indeed,' she then added, 'he was here in the morning but I understood he went away afterwards.'

"The idea of connivance now struck me with a real disdain, that brought back my courage and recollection in full force, and I answered, 'I remember, ma'am, he told me he had rode over to Richmond Park at noon, and returned here to dinner with Colonel Welbred, and in the evening he drank tea with me, and said he should sup with General Harcourt.'