Wednesday, October 23, 1833

 

1833

October

Wednesday 23

8

12 50/..

Rainy morning, F 56° at 8 – Breakfast at 9 1/2 and reading the Hamburg Reporter of the 18th instante mense till 10 3/4. 

Dawdling over 1 thing or other till 12 – The man came between 11 and 12 to put up the double windows in my salon –

Dressed.  Black satin gown, nothing over my neck but black blonde pelerine, my thinnest black silk stockings and silk shoes.  Court mourning for the King of Spain –

At Mrs. Browne’s at 1 3/4 – Took up her (went upstairs and waited a few minutes) and then Mrs. Stuart Courtenay, and drove to the Queen’s palace.  A few minutes in the anteroom.  Introduced to the Maids of Honour and to Countess Schuling, was waiting for her audience –

Unluckily took the chief maid for the Queen (because of her broad red riband order and star.  Got over it well enough, and did not care so much as I might have done –

About 10 minutes audience of the Queen, ætatis about 65?, a nice neat little figure looking very well, but sadly too much rouged – Very gracious and agreeable –

Then to Princess Caroline, the King’s daughter that was burnt – Her throat and lower part of her face still bearing strong traces of the fire – About 5 minutes with her – Not au fait at audiences like the queen – Not much to say for herself, but very civil –

Set down Mrs. Browne, and then Mrs. Stuart Courtenay, and  then, before 3, drove to the Bluchers – Brought Miss Ferrall home with me and put her back in the carriage at 4 – To consult her about setting the blonde onto my white satin gown.  She improved much upon Lady Harriet’s plan –

Dinner at 4 3/4 – Had my front hair recurled and dressed and off at 5 55/.. to take up the two ladies again –

Then audience of Princess Christian (Caroline Amalia), very handsome, very dignified, but pleasing and agreeable, and conversed on general subjects, on notre dame here, and Thorvaldsen’s statues of the 12 apostles – Said the Church reminded her of St. John Lateran at Rome – Longed to be back from Italy – Homesick for want of the sight of her own beautiful beeches –

Then audience of Princess Charlotte (i.e. Princess William of Hesse) to whom Miss Oxholm is Maid of Honour.  Quite a levée of people in the anteroom – Miss Oxholm shook hands with me and was very civil.  Princess Charlotte, plenty to say for herself and agreeable –

Set down Mrs. Stuart C- , and went and sat 1/2 hour with Mrs. Browne (Mr. Browne not answering the note) –

Till 7 3/4, Princess Wilhelmina, the King’s daughter, by many thought pretty – Then we waited surely 1/4 hour in the anteroom – Several ladies, Countess Schulin and her 2 daughters to the 1st I had been introduced at the Queen’s – Princess Wilhelmina about 23 – very gracious, but only kept us about 5 minutes -- I thought her pretty –

Then to Princess Juliana, who is the least intellectual herself of the princesses, and has the most intellectual Maid of Honour – She looked less princesslike than any of them – Talked a long private talk with Mrs. Browne and to me about the hotel – Said the Hotel Royal was the best – Mentioned the rez de chaussée à droite en entrant – And said the duke of Cumberland had hopes of Prince George’s sight being recovered.  Would leave the Duchess at Berlin, and himself return to England when parliament met –

I went immediately to the Blucher’s, left the carriage to Mrs. Browne’s disposal, ordering it back for me (at the Bluchers’) at 10 – Tea and talked over my audiences – In love with Princess Xtn [Christian] – Gave Mrs. Browne’s kind regards.  She sent them, and said all about her that was good tempered.  She and Mr. Browne had talked of Miss Ferrall and her wanting a husband.  I gently disagreed, and excused her and made the best of her and of all.  I am determined to be Mrs. Harmony. 

One says madam to the Queen and Princesses –

Home at 10 40/.. – Rainy day till after 2 p.m. – afterwards fair and fine evening – F 57° at 12 tonight.

I wonder what they all thought of me.  It was a great gaucherie to mistake the Dame de Honeur this morning for the Queen, but perhaps I shall get over it tolerably.  I joked about it to the Bluchers this morning gently.  I shall learn in time. –

I am very well satisfied with my day and find all the people très aimable, and all the royal family very gracious –

Sat down chez toutes les princesses --

 

Began with carriage par mois from today inclusive. --

 

WYAS Finding Numbers SH:7/ML/E/16/0125 and SH:7/ML/E/16/0126

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