He displays, therefore,
even on this supposed happy occasion, one of the worst outbreaks of his
insufferable temper, of which the queen is the first victim. All the
company in the palace, both ladies and gentlemen, are ordered to enter:
he talks to them all, but to the queen he says not a word.
She is attended by Mrs. Clayton, afterwards Lady Sundon, whose lively
manners and great good temper and good will--lent out like leasehold to
all, till she saw what their friendship might bring,--are always useful
at these _tristes rencontres_. Mrs. Clayton is the amalgamating
substance between chemical agents which have, of themselves, no
cohesion; she covers with address what is awkward; she smooths down with
something pleasant what is rude; she turns off--and her office in that
respect is no sinecure at that court--what is indecent, so as to keep
the small majority of the company who have respectable notions in good
humour. To the right of Queen Caroline stands another of her majesty's
household, to whom the most deferential attention is paid by all
present; nevertheless, she is queen of the court, but not the queen of
the royal master of that court. It is Lady Suffolk, the mistress of
King George II.
Pages:
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336