The major, who knows her very well, and who first had introduced her to me on my settling here, was much amused with her rattle; and General Bud`e is always pleased with anything bordering upon the ridiculous.  Our evening therefore turned out very well.

THE WRONG GUEST INVITED.

I have something to relate now that both my dearest friends will take great pleasure in hearing, because it appertains to my dignity and consequence.  The queen, in the most gracious manner, desired me this morning to send an invitation to M. 418

Mithoff, a German clergyman, to come to dinner; and she added, “I assure you he is a very worthy man, of very excellent character, or I would not ask you to invite him.”

Was not this a very sweet manner of making over to me the presidency of the table in Mrs. Schwellenberg’s absence?

It was for the next day, and I sent John to him immediately ;-rather awkward, though, to send my compliments to a man I had never seen, and invite him to dine with me.  But there was no other mode —­I could not name the queen.  I knew Miss Port would be happy to make us a trio, and I begged her not to fail me.

But alas!—­If awkwardness was removed, something worse was substituted in its place ; my presidency was abolished on the very day it was to be declared, by the sudden return of its rightful superseder.  I acquainted her with the invitation I had been desired to send, and I told her I bad also engaged Miss Port.  I told of both as humbly as possible, that I might raise no alarms of any intention of rivalry in power.

Mr. Mithoff was not yet come when dinner was announced, nor yet Miss Port; we sat down t`ete-`a-t`ete, myself in some pain for my invitations, my companion well content to shew she would wait for none of my making,

At length came Miss Port, and presently after a tall German clergyman entered the room.  I was a little confused by his immediately making up to me, and thanking me in the strongest terms for the honour of my invitation, and assuring me it was the most flattering one he had ever received.

I answered as short as I could, for I was quite confounded by the looks of Mrs. Schwellenberg.  Towards me they were directed with reproach, and towards the poor visitor with astonishment:  why I could not imagine, as I had frequently heard her speak of M. Mithoff with praise.

Finding nothing was said to him, I was obliged to ask him to take a place at the table myself, which he did; still, and with great glee of manner, addressing himself wholly to me, and never finishing his warm expressions of gratitude for my invitation.  I quite longed to tell him I had her majesty’s orders for what I had done, that he might cease his most unmerited acknowledgments; but I could not at that time.  The dinner went off very ill . nobody said a word but this gentleman, and he spoke only to do himself mischief.