she bowed most courteously to those who greeted her approach. The whole of her behaviour indicated a most agreeable temper; and every one who had an opportunity of observing her manner was quite charmed with the gracefulness of her deportment and the strong tokens of sensibility and goodness which appeared in her

countenance.

Parties of the Leicestershire militia were posted in all the towns through which she had to pass; and at Mile End she was met by the Life Guards, who accompanied her the remainder of the way.

She used to recall the agitating drive through London: and when passing up along Constitution Hill that one of her ladies-no doubt the downright Duchess of Hamilton-said, looking at her watch, "We shall hardly have time to dress for the wedding." "The wedding!" exclaimed the queen. "Yes, madam; it is to be at twelve (midnight)." Upon this she fainted. Lady Effingham had a bottle of lavender-water in her hand, and threw it in her face, and almost immediately her carriage stopped at the gate.

In all proceedings of this time it is impossible to do without the help of the vivacious and observing Horace Walpole, whose letters, full of lively detail, do duty over and over again in the memoirs. He thus wrote to Lord Strafford :

"Nothing," says Mr. Walpole, "was ever equal to the bustle and uncertainty of the town for these three days. The queen was seen off the coast on Saturday last, and

is not arrived yet; nay, last night, at ten o'clock, it was neither certain where she landed nor when she would be in town. I forgive history for knowing nothing, when so public an event as the arrival of a new queen is a mystery even at this very moment in St. James's Street. The messenger that brought the letter yesterday morning said she arrived at half an hour after four at Harwich. This was immediately translated into landing, and notified in those words to the ministers. Six hours afterwards it proved no such thing, and that she was only in Harwich Road: and they recollected that half an hour after four happen twice in twenty-four hours, and the letter did not specify which of the twices it was. Well! the bridemaids whipped on their virginity; the New Road and the parks were thronged; the guns were choaking with impatience to go off, and Sir James Lowther, who was to pledge his Majesty, was actually married to Lady Mary Stuart. Five, six, seven, eight o'clock came, and no queen. She lay at Witham, at Lord Abercorn's, who was most tranquilly in town; and it is not certain even whether she will be composed enough to be in town to-night."

on September 8th.

This was

When the cavalcade drew up before the small private garden-gate of the Palace, she was welcomed by the Duke of York. The next moment she was before a large group-the king, his great officers, and ladies. It was an agitating scene for all. It was said indeed that the young creature, seeing a cushion before the old Duke

of Grafton, was on the point of kneeling to him. She then attempted to kneel to the king, but he checked her and kissed her hand. No wonder that she was observed to tremble as she met all the grand personages. Yet when the free-and-easy Duchess of Hamilton smiled at her"You may laugh," the young princess said smartly; "you have been married twice, but it is no joke for me."

After this meeting she was taken at once to see that great lady, the princess dowager, who received her attended by her daughters. They brought her to the rooms in the palace where the magnificent trousseau was laid out. In the "great wardrobe " room, as it was called, a staff of dressmakers were waiting to 66 fit on 19 and alter, etc., in hot haste, as might be necessary. Indeed, there was but little time; for the wedding was to take place that night, and much more was to be got over between.

Then came a state dinner. It was noticed that she had been a little confused and agitated during all these incidents, and how natural! but now she had quite resumed her cheerfulness "and recruited her peculiar sweetness of manner, which, combined with an interesting and expressive countenance, now seemed to touch the heart of the king. He had, indeed, though prepared by Græme's account, been a little disappointed at the first sight of the bride, but when she had gone to dress for the ceremony, he in a very natural way told his family. that he already felt a great affection for her."

At nine o'clock (September 8th) the ceremony took place in the Chapel Royal, and was performed by the

Archbishop of Canterbury. The pleasant good-humour of the bride never deserted her for a moment. When she was told to kiss the peeresses she seemed pleased, but when she saw the long trains of bridesmaids, she seemed taken aback. "Mon Dieu," she cried, "such a number of kisses!" There was a train of ten bridesmaids, at the head of which was Lady Sarah Lennox, with whom were the Ladies Caroline Russell, Caroline Montague, Harriet Bentinck, Anne Hamilton, E. Kerr, Elizabeth Keppel, Louisa Greville, Elizabeth Harcourt, and Susan Fox Strangways. They were sumptuously arrayed in satin, and bore the bride's train. The latter was bending under the weight of her magnificence and the weight of her jewels. She wore 66 endless mantle" of rich violet and purple velvet, lined with ermine, over a white satin and silver dress. It was noticed that this ponderous mantle, which "was attempted to be fastened on her shoulders by a bunch of pearls, dragged itself and almost the rest of her clothes half way down her waist." But the jewels - a tiara of diamonds, a necklet, and a stomacher said to be worth. £90,000, must have made a dazzling show indeed.

an

After the ceremony the party returned to the drawing-room, and supper being quite ready, the new queen gaily sat down to the harpsichord, no doubt to the surprise of the guests, and sang and played. At the banquet they sat on and on till three or four in the morning, until the Duke of Cumberland plainly hinted that he was dying with sleep. There used to be in those

D

days some too familiar proceedings on the part of the guests, which the sensible and prudent young queen had stipulated should not be attempted on this occasion. Levées and Drawing Rooms began on the very next day; the new queen standing by the throne, the Duchess of Hamilton presenting the ladies. As her Majesty literally knew nobody, she could address nobody. An amusing incident was talked of. Lord Westmoreland, who was old and near-sighted, mistook Lady Sarah Lennox for the queen, and knelt to her-he would have kissed her hand only she prevented it. The celebrated Kitty Dashwood, so tunefully sung by the poet Hammond, was installed at the palace as a sort of duenna to her Majesty.