Chapter V

Mrs. Delany—Her Childhood—Her First Marriage—Swift—Dr. 132-166
Delany—The Dowager Duchess of Portland—Mrs. Delany a
Favourite at Court—Her Flower-Work—Miss Burney’s First
Visit to Mrs. Delany—Meets the Duchess of Portland—Mrs.
Sleepe—Crisp—Growth of Friendship with Mrs. Delany—Society
at her House—Mrs. Delany’s Reminiscences—The Lockes of
Norbury Park—Mr. Smelt—Dr. Burney has an Audience of the
King and Queen—The King’s Bounty to Mrs. Delany—Miss
Burney Visits Windsor—Meets the King and Queen—‘Evelina’—
Invention Exhausted—The King’s Opinion of Voltaire,
Rousseau, and Shakespeare—The Queen and Bookstalls—
Expectation—Journey to Windsor—The Terrace—Dr. Burney’s
Disappointment—Proposal of the Queen to Miss Burney—Doubts
and Fears—An Interview—The Decision—Mistaken Criticism—
Burke’s Opinion—A Misconception—Horace Walpole’s Regret—
Miss Burney’s Journals of her Life at Court—Sketches of
Character—The King and Queen—Mrs. Schwellenberg—The
Queen’s Lodge—Miss Burney’s Apartments—A Day’s Duties—
Royal Snuff—Fictitious Names in the Diary—The Princesses—A
Royal Birthday—A Walk on the Terrace—The Infant Princess
Amelia

CHAPTER VI.

Royal Visit to Nuneham—A Present from the Queen—Official 167-188
Exhortations—Embarrassments at Nuneham—A Laborious Sunday—
Hairdressing—The Court visits Oxford—Journey thither—
Reception by the University—Address and Reply—Kissing
Hands—Christchurch—Fatigues of the Suite—Refreshment under
Difficulties—A Surprise—The Routine of Court Life—The
Equerries—Draughts in the Palace—Early Prayers—
Barley-water—The London Season—Mrs. Siddons—Mrs.
Schwellenberg’s Apartments—Her Tame Frogs—Her Behaviour to
Miss Burney—Cruel Treatment—A Change for the Better—
Newspaper Reports—Conversation with the Queen—Miss Burney
as Reader—Her Attainments, Tastes, and Power

CHAPTER VII.

The Trial of Warren Hastings—Westminster Hall—Description of 189-200
it on the Opening Day of the Trial—Edmund Burke—The other
Managers—Procession of the Peers—Entrance of the
Defendant—The Arraignment—Speech of Lord Chancellor
Thurlow—Reply of Warren Hastings—Opening of the Trial—Mr.
Windham—His Admiration of Dr. Johnson—His Reflections on
the Spectacle—Bearing of the Lord Chancellor—Windham on
Hastings—William Pitt—Major Scott—Conversation with
Windham—Partisanship—Close of the First Day’s Proceedings—
Conference on it with the Queen—Another Day at the Trial—
Burke’s Great Speech—Resemblance between Hastings and
Windham—Fox’s Eloquence—Death of Mrs. Delany

CHAPTER VIII.

The King’s Health—Royal Visit to Cheltenham—Excursions— 201-229
Robert Raikes—Colonel Digby—The Duke of York—The Court
attends the Musical Festival at Worcester—Return to
Windsor—M. de Lalande, the Astronomer—His Compliments—His
Volubility—Illness of the King—The King grows worse—‘The
Queen is my Physician’—Alarm and Agitation—Grief of the
Queen—The King Insane—Arrival of the Prince of Wales—
Paroxysm of the King at Dinner—The Queen Ill—The
Physicians—The Royal Pair separated—The Prince takes the
Government of the Palace—Prayers for the King’s Recovery—
The King and his Equerries—Sir Lucas Pepys—A Privy
Council—Preparations for leaving Windsor—Departure for
Kew—Mournful Spectacle—Mrs. Schwellenberg arrives

CHAPTER IX.

State of Kew Palace—Dr. Willis and his Son called in— 230-250
Progress under the New Doctors—Party Spirit—The Regency
Question—Attacks on the Queen—Fluctuations in the King’s
State—Violence of Burke—Extraordinary Scene between the
King and Miss Burney in Kew Gardens—Marked Improvement of
the King—The Regency Bill postponed—The King informs Miss
Burney of his Recovery—The Restoration—Demonstrations of
Joy—Return to Windsor—Old Routine resumed—Reaction

CHAPTER X.

Royal Visit to Weymouth—Lyndhurst—Village Loyalty—Arrival at 251-277
Weymouth—Bathing to Music—Mrs. Gwynn—Mrs. Siddons—The
Royal Party at the Rooms—First Sight of Mr. Pitt—The
Marquis of Salisbury—Royal Tour—Visit to Longleat—Mrs.
Delany—Bishop Ken—Tottenham Park—Return to Windsor—
Progress of the French Revolution—Colonel Digby’s
Marriage—Miss Burney’s Situation—A Senator—Tax on
Bachelors—Reading to the Queen—Miss Burney’s Melancholy—
Proposal for her Retirement—Her Tedious Solitude—Her
Literary Inactivity—Her Declining Health—A Friendly Cabal—
Windham and the Literary Club—James Boswell—Miss Burney’s
Memorial to the Queen—Leave of Absence proposed—The Queen
and Mrs. Schwellenberg—Serious Illness of Miss Burney—
Discussions on her Retirement—A Day at the Hastings Trial—
The Defence—A Lively Scene—The Duke of Clarence—Parting
with the Royal Family—Miss Burney receives a Pension—Her
Final Retirement

CHAPTER XI.

Chelsea Hospital—Tour to Devonshire—Visit to Bath— 278-292
Reminiscences—The Duchess of Devonshire—Return Home—
Literary Pursuits resumed—Attempts at Tragedy—Social
Engagements—Death of Sir Joshua Reynolds—A Public
Breakfast at Mrs. Montagu’s—Mrs. Hastings—Mr. Boswell—
Visit to Mrs. Crewe—The Burke Family—Meeting with Edmund
Burke—Burke and the French Revolution—Charles Fox—Lord
Loughborough—Mr. Erskine—His Egotism—The French Refugees
in England—Bury St. Edmunds—Madame de Genlis—The Duke de
Liancourt—The Settlement at Mickleham—Count de Narbonne—
The Chevalier d’Arblay—Visit of Miss Burney to Norfolk—
Death of Mr. Francis—Return to London