University of Virginia Library

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

get, looking at different houses, but could not find
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
represents his case as dismal. Some may really be
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

you in this country;" then she very politely inquired
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

the Queen. When her Ladyship took leave, she
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

yards in length to the gown waist, which is put into
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.