Mr. Nicolay, the page in waiting, then came to beg a little audience for the Duchess ofAncaster..  The queen went to her in 351

the ante-room — The moment I was left with the princesses, they both came up to me, and began conversing in the most easy, unaffected, cheerful, and obliging manner that can be conceived.

When the queen returned, the bell was rung for the bedchamber woman; the etiquette of court-days requiring that one of them should finish her dress.

It happened now to be my acquaintance, Mrs. Fielding.  She only tied on the necklace, and handed the fan and gloves.  The queen then leaves the dressing.room, her train being carried by the bedchamber woman.  The princesses follow.  She goes to the ante-room, where she sends for the lady of the bedchamber in waiting, who then becomes the first train-bearer, and they all proceed to the Drawing-room.

We returned to Kew to dinner, very late.

Absenceof state at Kew.

Friday, July 28.-The Kew life, you will perceive, is different from the Windsor.  As there are no early prayers, the queen rises later; and as there is no form or ceremony here of any sort, her dress is plain, and the ’hour for the second toilette extremely uncertain.  The royal family are here always in so very retired a way, that they live as the simplest country gentlefolks.  The king has not even an equerry with him, nor the queen any lady to attend her when she goes her airings.

Miss Planta belongs here to our table; so does anybody that comes, as there is no other kept.  There is no excuse for parting after dinner, and therefore I live unremittingly with Mrs. Schwellenberg after the morning.

It is a still greater difficulty to see company here than at Windsor, for as my apartments are upstairs, there is a greater danger of encountering some of the royal family ; and I find all the household are more delicate in inviting or admitting any friends here than elsewhere, on account of the very easy and unreserved way in which the family live, running about from one end of the house to the other, without precaution or care.

Miss Burney’s first evening out.

Windsor, July 28.-To-day I made my first evening visit, and for the first time failed Mrs. Schwellenberg’s tea-table entirely.  You will be surprised to hear for whom I took this effort —­Lady Effingham!  But I found from Mrs. Delany 352

she had been a little hurt by the passage-scene, and seemed to think I meant to avoid her future visits and civilities. -Mrs. Delany, therefore, advised me to go to Stoke, her country-seat, by way of apologizing, and to request the queen’s permission, Promising to carry me herself.

I never hesitate where she counsels.  I thought it, too, a good opportunity of trying my length of liberty, as Lady Effingham is one of the ladies of the bedchamber, and is frequently at the Lodge as a private visitor.