Free. God blefs me! Sir William Beauchamp Proctor Well, I am fure I am very glad to fee you. Why you look extremely well. Upon my word I thought you had been dead. Yes, Sir, I remember very well voting for you twenty years ago; but as I had never feen you, nor heard of you fince, I really thought you had been dead. Sir W. Well, I hope you will now give me your yote again.

Free. No, Sir William, that I cannot do; for I am already engaged to vote for a gentleman whom I hope I fhall both fee and hear of too.

A PLAIN, COMMON FREEHOLDER.

For the POLITICAL REGISTER.

A concife journal of the king of Denmark's vifit.

!

ON Thursday, the 11th of Auguft, 1768, he arrived at St. James's from Dover. The apartments in St. James's palace, formerly belonging to the late duke of Cumberland, were prepared for his reception. For altho' it is certain to have been his majefty's wish to have refided in a house hired by himself, yet this compliment was preffed upon him. When he arrived, tho' his coming was univerfally known, and had been expected during the greateft part of the day, yet there was not fo much as a page in waiting to receive him. Lord Hertford, foon after, complimented him on his arrival. Not any notice was taken of him for a confiderable time: and it was generally believed, that certain perfons regarded his vifit in a very ungracious manner. At length, the gloom of this fcandalous fordidnefs was difpelled by her royal highness the princefs Amelia. On the 19th of Auguft, that princefs gave a very grand entertainment to his Danish majefty, and above 300 of the English nobility, foreign minifters, &c. at Gunnersbury-Houfe. The fupper confifted of 120 difhes. A grand firework was played; and there was a splendid ball, which lafted during the night.

The king of Denmark having visited their majefties, and the princefs dowager of Wales, determined to attend York races; but being indifpofed by a cold the day before, that journey was poftponed. In the mean time, he was occafionally entertained in town by the feveral foreign minifters, &c. And two princes of the houfe of Saxe-Gotha happening to be in England at this time, they paid a vifit to Portimouth, attended by her royal highnefs the princefs dowager of Wales. When his Danish majelty was recovered, he refumed his intention of vifiting York; and on the 30th he fet out, but without any other attendants than those he brought with him. On this occafion, it was thus remarked in feveral of the publie papers: "You will be furprized that a great "monarch, who has honoured this country with his royal prefence, "and diftinguished it by thinking it worth his obfervation and infpec"tion, has only just been offered a late commiffioner of the pavement "to attend his Danish majefty through this kingdom, but he was not "accepted of. Was it forgot, that his late royal highnefs the duke of "York, when he travelled abroad, though as a private perfon, had al"ways four, five, or fix of the principal nobility of the country he

68 went

"went to, deputed to attend him wherever he went, and do him ho nour? Shame! fhame on fuch commiffions and omiffions."

When his Danish majefty arrived at Cambridge, he was waited on by the vice-chancellor of the univerfity, heads of colleges, and doctors in their scarlet robes, who attended his majefty to the Senate-house, where the whole univerfity, and a brilliant company of ladies in the galleries, were affembled, who, upon the entrance of his majesty, teftified their joy by every poffible mark of refpec. He was conducted to a chair of ftate, where he received the compliments of the heads of the respective colleges; and after a fhort tay, was conducted in proceffion to the library, and to all the principal buildings in the university, where, having feen every thing that was rare and curious, his majefty was graciously pleafed to exprefs the highest fatisfaction, and to invite the vice chancellor to fupper. Early next morning he proceeded on his journey to York; and on the 31st of Auguft he arrived at that city, having vifited in his journey thither, the earl of Exeter at Burleigh, the duke of An cafter at Grimsthorpe, and the marquis of Rockingham at Wentworth. On the ift of September he left York, having viewed all that was material there, and returned thro' Leeds, Halifax, and Manchester. In the neighbourhood of the last-mentioned place, he viewed the ftupendous works of the duke of Bridgwater, at which he expreffed both aftonifhment and pleasure. He proceeded to Chatfworth, where he dined with the lords George Frederick and John Cavendish, and flept at Derby that night early next morning he fet off for London; but near Harbo rongh his carriage broke down, and a fervant, with one of the poftil lions, upon horfes unloofed from the carriage, fet out with all poffible expedition for Harborough, to procure a chaife, whilft his majefty continued his journey on foot. As foon as the meffengers arrived, it gave a general alarm, the Dane riding with great fury down the ftreet, his fword drawn, and lamenting aloud, in an unknown tongue, the dißreffes of his royal mafter; the poftillion, almost out of breath, ferving as an interpreter to the former, and calling aloud, "A chaife a chaife! a chaife! the king on foot, &c." All Harborough, men, women, and children, are faid to have turned out upon the occafion, and inftantly began their march to give his majefty the meeting. Several of the foremoft on horfeback, in their hafte, rode paft the king, who having on a plain furtout coat, and not being fo tall as their ideas had formed him, or they having the fagacity of Shakespeare's Falstaff, who knew Hal by inftinet, overlooked the king on foot, and galloped on for the broken chaife, but finding nothing in it, they returned greatly difappointed. By this time they had overtaken his majesty, the foot having clofed in upon his front, and the horfe in his rear, he became greatly incommoded in his fituation, till the happy arrival of a chaife. On the 4th of September he arrived in good health at his apartments in St. James's. On the 8th, he went to Drury-lane play-house, and was highly pleafed with Mr. Garrick, in the character of Sir John Brute, and with the whole theatre. Next day he vifited Chelsea hofpital, which he greatly admired. On the roth (Saturday) he went to the opera, and from thence to Mrs. Cornefy's great room in Soho fquare. Next day (Sunday) he visited the royal palace at Hampton-Court, and dined that day at lord Weymouth's, in Buthy park; he alfo vifited Mr. Garrick's villa near Hampton. On the 9th, he entertained the duke of Gloucester, the duke of Ancafter, &c. &c. at St. James's. On the 12th, he visited Windfor-caftle and Eton college, and dined that day at Cranbournelodge, with the duke of Gloucefter, &c. On the 14th, he arrived at Oxford; and having condefcended to accept the honours of the univer

Lity

3

ty, the vice chancellor, with the heads of houses and doctors, attended by the officers of the university, went in proceffion to meet his majesty, who received them with the greatest affability and politeness. They then conducted his majesty to Queen's and All Soul's colleges; to the Rad cliffe and Bodleian libraries; to the Arundel and Pomfret collection of marbles; the picture gallery, and, in brief, to all the public buildings in that quarter of the univerfity; and returning to the houfe of convocation, the king and his nobility, in the academical habit of doctors of law, proceeded to the theatre, where his majefty being feated under a canopy on the right hand of the vice chancellor, the caufe of the convocation was declared, and the Regius Profeffor of Laws, Dr. Vanfittart, prefented his majefty, in an elegant fpeech fuitable to the occafion: the feveral great officers and nobles of his majefty's retinue, were next prefented; and lastly, Dr. Kelly, his majefty's houfhold phyfician. His majefty expreffed the highest fatisfaction, and the vice chancellor and the profeffor of law had the honour to dine with his majesty.

On the 15th he visited the duke of Marlborough at Blenheim, and next day the earl of Temple at Stowe, where he was very elegantly entertained; and expreffed particul ar pleafure in viewing the gardens.

Having been treated at all the places he vifited with the higheft magnificence, fireworks, illuminations, compliments, grand dinners, &c. he was foon after his return to London invited to a ball given by their majesties on the 1: th at the queen's palace, the princefs Amelia was alfo there, together with the duke of Gloucester and a felect number of the nobility, confifting of fuch as are agreeable at court. There was an

elegant fupper, and the dancing lafted till three in the morning.

On the 23d. his Danish majefty was sumptuously entertained by the city of London, a copious account of which is given in our last, p. 203. The lord mayor (it is faid) being difgufted, feigned illness, in order to excufe his appearance, on that day.

On the 24th. of September he went to fee fome fireworks in Richmond gardens, prepared by order of his Britannic majefty; they are faid to have been fine, being performed by Meff. Capriani and Richards, but only few were permitted to fee them.

On the 24th, his Danish majefty went again into the city, and vifited the bank. He had before viewed the tower accompanied by the marquis of Granby, and this day faw the monument, &c. He alfo vifited the British mufeum; was several times at Ranelagh, and at both playhouses, and at going away he prefented Mr. Gariick with a gold fnuffbox ftudded with diamonds.

Next morning (the 27th) he breakfafted with Sir Thomas Robinson, bart. at Chelfea, and viewed Chelsea gardens, the college, &c. and iu the evening went to the opera. On the 28th he went to Woolwich, where he faw a man of war of 74 guns launched, and named in compliment to him the Denmark. He next viewed the warren, &c.

On the 29th. he went to the artift's exhibition of pictures at Springgardens. And in the Evening was at a grand fupper given by the princefs, dowager of Wales at Carlton houfe, at which were alfo prefent their Britannic Majefties, their children, the duke of Gloucester, and feveral of the nobility, confifting of fuch as were invited, to the number of about fifty.

Next day his majefty went to Greenwich, and viewed the hofpital, park, &c. and was entertained there by admiral Rodney, and came back by water (in the navy and admiralty Barges) to Whitehall. Sunday (October 1.) he went to New-market to be prefent at the races which began there the next day. He viewed the race on that day, and

next

next morning (Tuesday) he accompanied on horfeback the fox hunt, and was prefent at the death. Same day Dr. Marriot vice-chancellor of Cambridge, and the revd. Mr. Beadon public orator had an audience of his majefty to confer, in the name of the univerfity, the degree of doctor of civil law upon his majefty and the nobility of his train, and doctor of phyfic upon his majefty's physician, which were very graciously and politely accepted.

On the 3d of October, his majefty returned to London, and next day went to Drury-lane play-house, to fee Mr. Garrick perform Ranger. He went another time to Covent-Garden theatre. On Friday the 4th, his majefty was elegantly entertained by the duke of Northumberland at Sion Houfe. The princefs Amelia, the dukes of Gloucester and Cumberland (just returned from the Mediterranean), with a great number of quality, were there. This entertainment was faid to be unequalled for magnificence and fplendor. He dined there, ftaid fupper, and attended the ball till near two in the morning.

The next day, Saturday, he was prefent with his Britannic majefty, at a review of the horse-grenadiers on foot, on Wimbledon common. On Sunday and Monday he dined in public at St. James's, and invited feveral of the nobility.

In return for the various elegart entertainments he had met with (of which the above is only a sketch), he refolved, before his departure, to give a grand mafquerade at the Opera-houfe, on Monday, the 8th of October: accordingly, the doors of the Opera-houfe, pursuant to advertifement, were opened for the admiffion of fpectators in the gallery, at feven, and for the masks at nine; early in the evening, alfo, a party the guards was ordered upon duty at the theatre, to prevent disturbances, which very much facilitated the accefs to the house, and produced a greater degree of order, than could be well expected among the popuIace.

of

The number of tickets delivered out for the ball, was fo great, that many perfons, fearful of finding admittance, thronged to the house the moment of admiffion; fo that before eleven, the concourfe was prodigious, and the magnificence of the dreffes, with the brilliancy of the illumination, afforded a view inconceivably pleafing. The general fatisfaction, however, fuftained fome diminution from the continual increafe of company, and the heat of the room, fo that the dancers were very few; and feveral perfons unable to endure the heat, were reduced to the neceffity of unmasking before fupper, when it became univerfal to unmask, and confequently put it out of their power to preferve the neceffary propriety of their characters,

His Danii majefty came in, mafked, between ten and eleven o'clock; dreffed in a domino of gold and filver ftuff, a black hat and white feather; walked about with great good-nature and pleafantry till twelve, then withdrew, with a felect company, to fupper, and appeared no more. The princefs Amelia fat the whole time in one of the boxes, mafked. The king was in a private box, apparently fhut, but with peep-holes in the fhutters. The duke of Cumberland was in a crimson domino, trimmed with gold, black hat and white feather. Duke of Gloucefter in a purple domino, white hat and white feather. Her grace the duchefs of Northumberland appeared in the character of Rembrandt's wife, in a clofe black gown, trimmed with gold, a round-ear'd coif, fhort apron tucked up, with a painter's brush in her hand. The character of Mungo, in the Padlock, was very excellently affumed by Mr. Mendez, who was very fine in jewels, and exceedingly diverted the company. Dr. Dominiceti and his lady, excited much curiofity from the fingularity of their

drefs

drefs, which was greatly admired. Lady Bell Stanhope and her fifter, reprefented pilgrims; they wore brown gowns, with blue fafhes trimmed with filver, and small hats、laced round with diamonds. Among the other characters were,

Diana, Lady Stanhope. Pallas, Mifs Elliot.

Old Woman, Gen.

Conway. Witch, Mr. James. Night, Mrs. Rofs. Nabob, Lord Clive. Indian Raggi, Mr. Vanfittart. Ditto, Mr. Scrafton. Chimney Sweeper, Unknown. Sailor, Mr. Thompfon. No Sailor, Mr. Broderick. Sir Epic. Mammon, Mr. Kelly. Cleopatra, Mrs. Garnier. Goddess of Chafity, Mils Groves. Indian and Family, Mr. Cambridge and Family. Tancred, Mr. Muilman.

The duke of Northumberland appeared in a Perfian habit, with a tur ban richly ornamented with diamonds.

Lord Grofvenor was in a fplendid fuit of the Turkish fashion,

The duchefs of Ancafter was in the character of a fultana, in which the was univerfally admired, her robe being of purple fattin bordered with ermine, and flowing on the ground in all the pomp and state of Eastern magnificence. Many gentlemen alfo, whofe fortunes entirely arife from trade, feemed laudably defirous of fhewing the opulence of their country to the illuftrious ftranger, who honoured it with his prefence: fome of the most fuperb, as well as beft-fancied dreffes in the whole affembly, being thofe of citizens. On this occafion, the quantity of gold and filver tiffue, made into Indian, Perfian, and Chinese habits, with the quantity of diamonds, by which thefe habits were decorated, is paft belief, nothing but the actual view could convince the mind of its reality. As to the ladies, a more beautiful groupe never appeared: in the choice of their dreffes, the whole elegance of female tale was exerted; and at twelve, when the company unmasked to go to fupper, the descrip➡ tion of the Mahometan paradife immediately rufhed upon the memory. The fight, in fhort, was almoft too dazzling to bear.

Two of the city common-council appeared in their mazareen gowns: (the propriety of their drefs was greatly admired, it being confidered as fit an habit to play the fool in, as any.)

The ftage was lined with crimfon velvet, and illuminated round, which prodigiously heightened the grandeur of the fcene. Six rooms were fet apart for fupper, in which a profufion of plate appeared. The tables were covered with all imaginable elegance, both of wines and eatables,; and the magnificence of the defert, in which were feen ftately palaces, and beautiful landschapes, was beyond defcription. The number of waiters was computed at not less than four hundred, yet there was great want of accommodation at fupper; and perhaps it would have been bet ter imagined to have had fide-boards of cold provifions, to which people might have reforted occafionally, as they did for fweetmeats, wine, tea,

&c.

At twelve, the royal family, and the whole company, unmasked for the rest of the night: the ball was opened, with a few minuets, about two o'clock, and the dancing continued till fix. His royal highness the duke of Gloucefter danced with lady Bell Stanhope.

Wine and other provifions were handed up, by means of handkerchiefs, to the company in the galleries, by their friends below, which at first produced fome little difpute with one of the waiters; but this being always a customary, as well as an allowable practice, the difpute, by the prudent intervention of the officer on duty, foon fubfided.

The whole, in fhort, was conducted with the greatest propriety and decorum; and, whether we consider the magnificence of the entertainment, the brilliance of the company, the richnefs of the dreffes, or the

fplendor