For me, I was also, unluckily, at the upper end of the room, looking at some portraits of founders, and one of Henry viii. in particular, from Holbein.  However, as soon as I perceived what was going forward,-backward, rather,-I glided near the wainscot, (Lady Charlotte, I should mention, made her retreat along the very middle of the room,) and having paced a few steps backwards, stopped short to recover, and, while I seemed examining some other portrait, disentangled my train from the heels of my shoes, and then proceeded a few steps only more .- and then, observing the king turn another way, I slipped a yard or two at a time forwards — and hastily looked back, and 394

then was able to go again according to rule, and in this manner, by slowand varying means, I at length made my escape.  Miss Planta stood upon less ceremony, and fairly ran off.

Since that time, however, I have come on prodigiously, by constant practice, in the power and skill of walking backwards, without tripping up my own heels, feeling my head giddy, or treading my train out of the plaits—­accidents very frequent among novices in that business; and I have no doubt but that, in the course of a few months, I shall arrive at all possible perfection in the true Court retrograde motion.

In another college, in an old chapter house, I had the opportunity to see another Court-scene.  It was nearly round in shape, and had various old images and ornaments.  We were all taken in by the doctors attendant, and the party, with doctors and all, nearly filled it ; but, finding it crowded, everybody stood upon the less ceremony, and we all made our examinations of the various contents of the room quite at our ease:  till suddenly the king and queen, perceiving two very heavy old-fashioned chairs were placed at the head of the room for their reception, graciously accepted them, and sat down.  Nothing could exceed the celerity with which all confusion instantly was over, and the most solemn order succeeded to it.  Chairs were presented to the three princesses by the side of the queen, and the Duchess of Ancaster anc Lady Harcourt planted themselves at their backs ; while Lady Charlotte instantly retreated close to the wall, and so did every creature else in the room, all according to their rank or station, and the royal family remained conspicuous and alone, all crowd dispersed, and the space of almost the whole room unoccupied before them, so close to the walls did every body respectfully stand.

Surprisedby the queen.

The last college we visited was Cardinal Wolsey’s—­an immense fabric.  While roving about a very spacious apartment, Mr. Fairly(212) came behind me, and whispered that I might easily slip out into a small parlour, to rest a little while ; almost everybody having taken some opportunity to contrive

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themselves a little sitting but myself.  I assured him, very truly, I was too little tired to make it worth while ; but poor Miss Planta was so woefully fatigued that I could not, upon her account, refuse to be of the party.  He conducted us into a very neat little parlour, belonging to the master of the college, and Miss Planta flung herself on a chair, half dead with weariness.