The Duchess of Ancaster and Lady Harcourt, as soon as the first serving attendance was over, were dismissed from the royal chairs, and most happy to join our group, and partake of our repast.  The duchess, extremely fatigued with standing, drew a small body of troops before her, that she might take a few minutes’ rest on a form by one of the doors ; and Lady Charlotte Bertie did the same, to relieve an ankle which she had unfortunately sprained.

“Poor Miss Burney,” cried the good-natured duchess, “I wish she could sit down, for she is unused to this work.  She does not know yet what it is to stand for five hours following, as we do.”

The beautiful window of Sir Joshua Reynolds and Mr. Jervis, in New college, would alone have recovered me, had my fatigue been infinitely more serious.

In one of the colleges I stayed so long in an old chapel, lingering over antique monuments, that all the party were vanished before I missed them, except doctors and professors ; for we had a train of those everywhere ; and I was then a little surprised by the approach of one of them, saying, “You seem inclined to abide with us, Miss Burney?”—­and then another, in an accent of facetious gallantry, cried, “No, no, don’t let us shut up Miss Burney among old tombs!—­No, no!”

After this, many of the good doctors occasionally spoke to me, when there happened to be opportunity.  How often did I wish my dear father amongst them!  They considered me as a doctor’s daughter, and were all most excessively courteous, handing, and pointing, and showing me about as much as possible.

In another college, while Miss Planta and myself were hanging a little back, at the entrance into a small cedar chapel, that would not much more than hold the royal family and their immediate suite, the Duchess of Ancaster, 392

who took every opportunity to show me civilities, and distinguish me, came down the steps, and made me ascend them, to turn with her, when she called to her daughter, and in the most obliging terms introduced me to her, with many kind speeches of her wish that we should cultivate much acquaintance.  Lady Charlotte is very handsome, and has a very good figure:  she unfortunately lisps very much, which, at first, never prejudices in favour of the understanding; but I have conversed with her too little to know anything more of her than that she is well bred, and seems to have a large portion internally, of the good-natured and obliging disposition of her mother.

At the Town-hall, an address was presented by the mayor and corporation of the city of Oxford to the king, which the miayor read, while the same ceremony of the sitting and standing was practised that I have described at the theatre.  The king took off his hat, and bowed, and received the address, after hearing it, but returned no answer.  Nor has his majesty made any except to the Oxford University, though they have, since, poured in upon him from every part of the kingdom.  The mayor was then knighted.