(208) Fanny’s bitter experience of Mrs. Schwellenberg is now commencing.-Ed.

(209) The wife and daughter of Dr. William Heberden, an eminent physician, and author of “Medical Commentaries on the History and Cure of Disease.”  Fanny had met these ladies recently at Mrs. Delany’s-ed.

(210) “Colonel Fairly” is the name given in the “Diary” to the Hon. Stephen Digby.  His first wife, Lady Lucy Strangwayes Fox, youngest daughter of Lord Ilchester, died in 1787.  He married, in 1790, Miss Gunning, “Miss Fuzilier,” of the “Diary.”—­Ed.

373

Section8
(1786.)

Royal visit to Nuneham, Oxford and
Blenheim.

A job’s comforter.

Aug. 12, Saturday.The Prince of Wales’s birthday.  How I grieve at whatever may be the cause which absents him from his family!—­a family of so much love, harmony, and excellence, that to mix with them, even rarely, must have been the first of lessons to his heart; and here, I am assured, his heart is good, though, elsewhere, his conduct renders it so suspicious.

I come now to the Oxford expedition.

The plan was to spend one day at Lord Harcourt’s, at Nuneham, one at Oxford, and one at Blenheim; dining and sleeping always at Nuneham.

I now a little regretted that I had declined meeting Lady Harcourt, when invited to see her at Mrs. Vesey’s about three years ago.  I was not, just then, very happy—­and I was surfeited of new acquaintances; when the invitation, therefore, came, I sent an excuse.  But now when I was going to her house, I wished I had had any previous knowledge of her, to lessen the difficulties of my first appearance in my new character, upon attending the queen on a visit.  I said something of this sort to Mrs. Schwellenberg, in our conversation the day before the journey ; and she answered that it did not signify for, as I went with the queen, I might be sure I should be civilly treated. 374

Yes, I said, I generally had been; and congratulated myself that at least I knew a little of Lord Harcourt, to whom I had been introduced, some years ago, at Sir Joshua Reynolds’, and whom I had since met two or three times.  “O,” she said, “it is the same,—­that is nothing,—­when you go With the queen, it is enough; they might be civil to you for that sake.  You might go quite without no, what you call, fuss; you might take no gown but what you go in:—­that is enough,—­you might have no servant,—­for what?—­You might keep on your riding-dress.  There is no need you might be seen.  I shall do everything that I can to assist you to appear for nobody.”

I leave you to imagine my thanks.  But the news about the servant was not very pleasant, as I thought it most likely I could never more want one than in a strange house added to a strange situation.  However, I determined upon assuming no competition in command, and therefore I left the matter to her own direction.