 | Letters of Mrs. Adams, |  |
TO MRS. CRANCH.
I have been here a month without writing a single
line to my American friends. About the 28th of
May we reached London, and expected to have
gone into our old quiet lodgings at the Adelphi; but
we found every hotel full. The sitting of Parliament,
the birth-day of the King, and the famous
celebration of the music of Handel at Westminster
Abbey had drawn together such a concourse of people,
that we were glad to get into lodgings at the
moderate price of a guinea per day, for two rooms
and two chambers at the Bath Hotel, Westminster,
Piccadilly, where we yet are. This being the Court
end of the city, it is the resort of a vast concourse of
carriages. It is too public and noisy for pleasure;
but necessity is without law. The ceremony of
presentation, upon one week to the King, and the
next to the Queen, was to take place, after which I
was to prepare for mine. It is customary, upon
presentation, to receive visits from all the foreign
ministers; so that we could not exchange our lodgings
for more private ones, as we might and should,
had we been only in a private character. The foreign
ministers, and several English lords and earls, have
paid their compliments here, and all hitherto is civil
and polite. I was a fortnight, all the time I could
any one fit to inhabit under £200, besides the
taxes, which mount up to £50 or £60. At last, my
good genius carried me to one in Grosvenor Square,
which was not let, because the person who had the
care of it could let it only for the remaining lease,
which was one year and three quarters. The price,
which is not quite £200, the situation, and all together,
induced us to close the bargain, and I have
prevailed upon the person who lets it to paint two
rooms, which will put it into decent order; so that,
as soon as our furniture comes, I shall again commence
housekeeping. Living at a hotel is, I think,
more expensive than housekeeping, in proportion to
what one has for his money. We have never had
more than two dishes at a time upon our table, and
have not pretended to ask any company, and yet
we live at a greater expense than twenty-five
guineas per week. The wages of servants, horse-hire,
house-rent, and provisions are much dearer
here than in France. Servants of various sorts, and
for different departments, are to be procured; their
characters are to be inquired into, and this I take upon
me, even to the coachman. You can hardly form
an idea how much I miss my son on this, as well as
on many other accounts; but I cannot bear to
trouble Mr. Adams with any thing of a domestic
kind, who, from morning until evening, has sufficient
to occupy all his time. You can have no idea of
the petitions, letters, and private applications for
assistance, which crowd our doors. Every person
objects of compassion, and some we assist; but one
must have an inexhaustible purse to supply them
all. Besides, there are so many gross impositions
practised, as we have found in more instances than
one, that it would take the whole of a person's time
to trace all their stories. Many pretend to have
been American soldiers, some to have served as
officers. A most glaring instance of falsehood,
however, Colonel Smith[1] detected in a man of these
pretensions, who sent to Mr. Adams from the King's
Bench prison, and modestly desired five guineas;
a qualified cheat, but evidently a man of letters and
abilities; but, if it is to continue in this way, a galley
slave would have an easier task.
The Tory venom has begun to spit itself forth in
the public papers, as I expected, bursting with envy
that an American minister should be received here
with the same marks of attention, politeness, and
civility, which are shown to the ministers of any
other power. When a minister delivers his credentials
to the King, it is always in his private closet,
attended only by the Minister for Foreign Affairs,
which is called a private audience, and the minister
presented makes some little address to his Majesty,
and the same ceremony to the Queen, whose reply
was in these words; "Sir, I thank you for your
civility to me and my family, and I am glad to see
whether he had got a house yet. The answer of
his Majesty was much longer; but I am not at liberty
to say more respecting it, than that it was civil
and polite, and that his Majesty said he was glad
the choice of his country had fallen upon him. The
news-Tiars know nothing of the matter; they represent
it just to answer their purpose. Last Thursday,
Colonel Smith was presented at Court, and to-morrow,
at the Queen's circle, my ladyship and your
niece make our compliments. There is no other
presentation in Europe, in which I should feel so
much as in this. Your own reflections will easily
suggest the reasons.
I have received a very friendly and polite visit
from the Countess of Effingham. She called, and
not finding me at home, left a card. I returned
her visit; but was obliged to do it by leaving my
card too, as she was gone out of town; but, when
her Ladyship returned, she sent her compliments
and word, that if agreeable she would take a dish of
tea with me, and named her day. She accordingly
came, and appeared a very polite, sensible woman.
She is about forty, a good person, though a little
masculine, elegant in her appearance, very easy
and social. The Earl of Effingham is too well remembered[2]
by America to need any particular recital
of his character. His mother is first lady to
desired I would let her know the day I would favor
her with a visit, as she should be loth to be absent.
She resides, in summer, a little distance from town.
The Earl is a member of Parliament, which obliges
him now to be in town, and she usually comes with
him, and resides at a hotel a little distance from
this.
I find a good many ladies belonging to the Southern
States here, many of whom have visited me;
I have exchanged visits with several, yet neither of
us have met. The custom is, however, here much
more agreeable than in France, for it is as with us;
the stranger is first visited.
The ceremony of presentation here is considered
as indispensable. There are four minister-plenipotentiaries'
ladies here; but one ambassador, and
he has no lady. In France, the ladies of ambassadors
only are presented. One is obliged here
to attend the circles of the Queen, which are held
in summer once a fortnight, but once a week the
rest of the year; and what renders it exceedingly
expensive is, that you cannot go twice the same
season in the same dress, and a Court dress you
cannot make use of anywhere else. I directed my
mantua-maker to let my dress be elegant, but plain
as I could possibly appear, with decency; accordingly,
it is white lutestring, covered and full trimmed
with white crape, festooned with lilac ribbon
and mock point lace, over a hoop of enormous extent;
there is only a narrow train of about three
a ribbon upon the left side, the Queen only having
her train borne. Ruffle cuffs for married ladies,
treble lace ruffles, a very dress cap with long lace
lappets, two white plumes, and a blonde lace handkerchief.
This is my rigging. I should have mentioned
two pearl pins in my hair, ear-rings and
necklace of the same kind.
This gentleman was, by Congress appointed Secretary of
Legation to Mr. Adams upon this mission; and, not long
after, married his daughter.
On account of his resigning his commission in the British
army, rather than serve against America. See his letter, in
"The Remembrancer," for 1775, p. 263.
My head is dressed for St. James's, and, in my
opinion, looks very tasty. Whilst my daughter's is
undergoing the same operation I set myself down
composedly to write you a few lines. "Well," methinks
I hear Betsey and Lucy say, "what is cousin's
dress?" White, my dear girls, like your aunt's,
only differently trimmed and ornamented; her train
being wholly of white crape, and trimmed with
white ribbon; the petticoat, which is the most showy
part of the dress, covered and drawn up in what are
called festoons, with light wreaths of beautiful flowers;
the sleeves white crape, drawn over the silk,
with a row of lace round the sleeve, near the shoulder,
another half way down the arm, and a third
upon the top of the ruffle, a little flower stuck between;
a kind of hat cap, with three large feathers
and a bunch of flowers; a wreath of flowers upon
the hair. Thus equipped, we go in our own carriage,
and Mr. Adams and Colonel Smith in his.
But I must quit my pen to put myself in order for
return I will relate to you my reception; but do not
let it circulate, as there may be persons eager to
catch at every thing, and as much given to misrepresentation
as here. I would gladly be excused the
ceremony.
Congratulate me, my dear sister, it is over. I
was too much fatigued to write a line last evening.
At two o'clock we went to the circle, which is in the
drawing-room of the Queen. We passed through
several apartments, lined as usual with spectators
upon these occasions. Upon entering the antechamber,
the Baron de Lynden, the Dutch Minister,
who has been often here, came and spoke with me.
A Count Sarsfield, a French nobleman, with whom
I was acquainted, paid his compliments. As I
passed into the drawing-room, Lord Carmarthen and
Sir Clement Cotterel Dormer were presented to me.
Though they had been several times here, I had never
seen them before. The Swedish and the Polish
ministers made their compliments, and several other
gentlemen; but not a single lady did I know until
the Countess of Effingham came, who was very
civil. There were three young ladies, daughters of
the Marquis of Lothian, who were to be presented
at the same time, and two brides. We were placed
in a circle round the drawing-room, which was very
full, I believe two hundred persons present. Only
round to every person, and find small talk enough to
speak to all of them, though they very prudently
speak in a whisper, so that only the person who
stands next you can hear what is said. The King
enters the room, and goes round to the right; the
Queen and Princesses to the left. The lord in waiting
presents you to the King; and the lady in waiting
does the same to her Majesty. The King is a personable
man, but, my dear sister, he has a certain countenance,
which you and I have often remarked; a
red face and white eyebrows. The Queen has a
similar countenance, and the numerous royal family
confirm the observation. Persons are not placed according
to their rank in the drawing-room, but promiscuously;
and when the King comes in he takes
persons as they stand. When he came to me, Lord
Onslow said, "Mrs. Adams"; upon which I drew
off my right-hand glove, and his Majesty saluted my
left cheek; then asked me if I had taken a walk today.
I could have told his Majesty that I had been
all the morning preparing to wait upon him; but I
replied, "No, Sire." "Why, don't you love walking?
"says he. I answered, that I was rather
indolent in that respect. He then bowed, and passed
on. It was more than two hours after this before
it came to my turn to be presented to the
Queen. The circle was so large that the company
were four hours standing. The Queen was evidently
embarrassed when I was presented to her.
I had disagreeable feelings too. She, however,
Pray, how do you like the situation of it?" Whilst
the Princess Royal looked compassionate, and asked
me if I was not much fatigued; and observed, that it
was a very full drawing-room. Her sister, who came
next, Princess Augusta, after having asked your niece
if she was ever in England before, and her answering
"Yes," inquired of me how long ago, and supposed
it was when she was very young. And all this
is said with much affability, and the ease and freedom
of old acquaintance. The manner, in which they
make their tour round the room, is, first, the Queen,
the lady in waiting behind her, holding up her
train; next to her, the Princess Royal; after her,
Princess Augusta, and their lady in waiting behind
them. They are pretty, rather than beautiful, well-shaped,
with fair complexions, and a tincture of the
King's countenance. The two sisters look much
alike; they were both dressed in black and silver
silk, with a silver netting upon the coat, and their
heads full of diamond pins. The Queen was in
purple and silver. She is not well shaped nor
handsome. As to the ladies of the Court, rank and
title may compensate for want of personal charms;
but they are, in general, very plain, ill-shaped, and
ugly; but don't you tell anybody that I say so. If
one wants to see beauty, one must go to Ranelagh;
there it is collected, in one bright constellation.
There were two ladies very elegant, at Court,—Lady
Salisbury and Lady Talbot; but the observation did
not in general hold good, that fine feathers make
dressed than your friends, but I will venture to say,
that I saw none neater or more elegant; which
praise I ascribe to the taste of Mrs. Temple and my
mantua-maker; for, after having declared that I
would not have any foil or tinsel about me, they
fixed upon the dress I have described. Mrs. Temple
is my near neighbour, and has been very friendly
to me. Mr. Temple, you know, is deaf, so that I
cannot hold much conversation with him.
The Tories are very free with their compliments.
Scarcely a paper escapes without some scurrility.
We bear it with silent contempt; having met a
polite reception from the Court, it bites them like a
serpent, and stings them like an adder. As to the
success the negotiations may meet with, time alone
can disclose the result; but, if this nation does not
suffer itself to be again duped by the artifice of
some and the malice of others, it will unite itself
with America on the most liberal principles and sentiments.
Captain Dashwood come? Why, I have not half
done. I have not told your aunt yet, that, whilst I
was writing, I received her thrice-welcome letters,
and from my dear cousins too, aunt Shaw and all;
nor how sometimes I laughed, and sometimes I
cried. Yet there was nothing sorrowful in the letters,
only they were too tender for me. What, not
time to say I will write to all of them as soon as
possible? Why, I know they will all think I ought
to write; but how is it possible? Let them think
as my furniture is come, and will be landed
to-morrow. Eat the sweetmeats. Divide them
amongst you, and the choicest sweetmeat of all I
shall have in thinking that you enjoy them.
I went, last evening, to Ranelagh; but I must reserve
that story for the young folk. You see I am
in haste.
| Letters of Mrs. Adams, | |