Friday, Sept. 29-This day the princess royal entered her twenty-first year.  I had the pleasure of being in the room with the queen when she sent for her, early in the morning.  Her majesty bid me stop, while she went into another apartment to fetch her birthday gifts.  The charming princess entered with so modest, so composed an air, that it seemed as if the day, with all its preparations for splendour, was rather solemn than elevating to her.  I had no difficulty, thus alone with her, in offering my best wishes to her.  She received them most gracefully, and told me, with the most sensible pleasure, that the King had just been with her, and presented to her a magnificent diamond necklace.

The queen then returned, holding in her hands two very pretty portfolios for her drawings, and a very fine gold etui.  The princess, in receiving them with the lowest curtsey, kissed her hand repeatedly, while the queen gave back her kisses upon her cheeks.

The king came in soon after, and the three youngest princesses.  They all flew to kiss the princess royal, who is affectionately fond of them all.  Princess Amelia shewed how fine she was, and made the queen admire her new coat and frock ; she then examined all the new dresses of her sisters, and then looking towards me with some surprise, exclaimed, " And won’t Miss Burney be fine, too?”

I shall not easily forget this little innocent lesson.  It seems all the household dress twice on these birthdays—­for their first appearance, and for dinner-and always in something distinguished.  I knew it not, and had simply prepared for my second attire only, wearing in the morning my usual white dimity great coat.  I was a little out of countenance ; and the queen, probably perceiving it, said—­

" Come hither, Amelia; who do you think is here-in Miss Burney’s room?”

“Lany,” answered the quick little creature ; for so she calls Mrs. Delany, who had already exerted herself to come to the Lodge with her congratulations.

The king, taking the hand of the little princess, said they 421

would go and see her ; and turning to the queen as they left the room, called out,

What shall we do with Mrs. Delany?”

“What the king pleases,” was her answer.

I followed them to my room, where his majesty stayed some time, giving that dear old lady a history of the concert of the preceding evening, and that he had ordered for this day for the princess royal.  It is rather unfortunate her royal highness should have her birth-day celebrated by an art which she even professes to have no taste for, and to hear almost with pain.

The king took Mrs. Delany to breakfast with himself and family.

I wore my memorable present-gown this day in honour of the princess royal.  It is a lilac tabby.  I saw the king for a minute at night, as he returned from the Castle, and he graciously admired it, calling out “Emily should see Miss Burney’s gown now, and she would think her fine enough.”