X.
MRS. NEWVILLE'S DINNER-PARTY.
His majesty's commissioner of imposts, Theodore Newville, being anofficer of the crown, dispensed generous hospitality. Gentlemen ofposition or culture arriving in town were cordially entertained. Histable was abundantly supplied with meats and with wines mellowed byage. He was loyal to his sovereign; gloried in being an Englishman,gave reverence to King George, and was respected and honored by hisfellow-citizens. On Sunday, in King's Chapel, he repeated with unctionthe prayer for their majesties the king and queen, and for his royalhighness the Prince of Wales. Not only as a servant of the crown butas a citizen it was his duty to be loyal to the king. He was kind,courteous, and tolerant towards those who did not agree with him inpolitical affairs. He thought Sam Adams, James Otis, and Doctor Warrenwere rather hot-headed, but they were nevertheless frequent guests athis table.
Mrs. Newville took pride in making her home attractive. Whether ashostess at the dinner-table or in the parlor, she displayed tact andgrace in conversation. She was ever solicitous for the welfare andhappiness of Ruth, her only child, and fondly hoped a kind Providencewould bring about an alliance with some worthy son of an ancient andhonorable family. Her day-dreams pictured a possible marriage of herbeloved daughter to some lord, earl, or baronet from the mothercountry, owner of a great estate, a castle, or baronial hall.
It was an agreeable announcement which Mr. Newville made to Mrs.Newville, that the ship Robin Hood, sent out by the Admiralty toobtain masts, had arrived, bringing as passengers young Lord Uppertonand his traveling companion, Mr. Dapper. His lordship had recentlytaken his seat with the peers, and was traveling for recreation andadventure in the Colonies. Not only was he a peer, but prospectiveDuke of Northfield. He was intimate with the nobility of the realm,and had kissed the hands of the king and queen in the drawing-room ofBuckingham Palace.
Mr. Dapper was several years the senior of Lord Upperton, sointelligent, agreeable, polite, courteous, and of such humor, thathe was ever welcomed in the drawing-room of my lady the Countessof Epsom, the Marquise of Biddeford, and at the tables of my LadyStamford, and of her grace the Duchess of Alwington. The doors of theLondon clubs were always wide open to one who could keep the table ina roar by his wit. Lord Upperton had chosen him as his companionduring his visit to his majesty's Colonies.
"It will indeed be an honor to entertain Lord Upperton and hisfriends," said Mrs. Newville, with sparkling eyes. It was not only theanticipated pleasure of their company at dinner that set her pulsesthrobbing, but the thought that it might in the end make herday-dreams a reality.
Mr. Newville thought it would be eminently fitting to invite thecommander of his majesty's fleet, Admiral Montague, and also therector of King's Chapel, Reverend Mr. Coner; together they wouldrepresent the crown and the church.
Mrs. Newville did not intend that any bevy of beautiful girls shouldassemble around her table and be a cluster of diamonds to dazzle hislordship by their brilliancy. She would have but one brilliant, herown daughter. The other ladies should be of mature years. She wouldinvite Miss Milford, who made it a point to read every new book; MissArtley, who could paint in oils, and Miss Chanson, who would sing asong after dinner, and accompany herself upon the harpsichord; Mr.John Adams, the able lawyer, and his accomplished wife.
From her chamber window, Ruth saw a lumbering coach drive up thestreet. The footman in blue livery opened the coach door, and a youngman, tall, handsome, wearing a blue velvet coat, the sleeves slashedwith gold, an embroidered waistcoat, buff breeches, lace ruffles, andpowdered wig, walked up the path accompanied by a gentleman severalyears his senior, faultlessly dressed, with crimson velvet coat andcostly ruffles. The other guests had previously arrived. Ruth, inaccordance with her mother's wishes, wore a rich brocaded silk of purewhite. She needed no adornment of silver, gold, or precious stones toset forth her loveliness as she entered the parlor.
"My lord, shall I have the pleasure of presenting my daughter?" saidher mother.
Lord Upperton bowed. Mrs. Newville saw a look of surprise upon hisface, as if he had not expected to find so sweet a flower in thewilderness of the Western world. He bowed again, very politely, andexpressed his pleasure at making her acquaintance.
Pompey, bowing low, informed Mr. Newville that dinner was ready to beserved.
"My lord, may I presume to assign my daughter to you?" said Mrs.Newville, giving her own arm to Admiral Montague.
Mr. Dapper solicited the favor of Mrs. Adams's company. As MissChanson sang in the choir at King's Chapel, Reverend Mr. Coner thoughtit becoming to offer her his arm, leaving Miss Artley to Mr. Newville,and Miss Milford to Mr. Adams.
"I presume, my lord, you find things quite different here from whatyou do in England," Ruth remarked, feeling it was incumbent upon herto open the conversation.
"Yes, Miss Newville, very different; for instance, in London, and inalmost all our towns, the houses are mostly brick, with tiles orthatch; but here, they are built of wood, covered with shingles. Yourchurches are meetinghouses. Queer name." Lord Upperton laughed.
"Ha, ha! I had a funny experience the other day. I told the landlordof the Admiral Vernon I would like a chair for myself, and another forMr. Dapper,--that we wanted to see the town. Well, what do you thinkhappened? A little later, in came two niggers, each bringing a bigrocking-chair. 'Dese be de cheers you axed for, Massa,' they said."
Miss Newville laughed heartily.
"The landlord evidently did not know you meant sedan-chairs; we do nothave them here," she said.
"More than that, I told him I should want some links for the evening,as I was to be out late. He said I could get 'em in Faneuil HallMarket, if it was sausages I wanted."
Again Miss Newville gave way to laughter.
"I do not suppose," she said, "that the landlord ever had heard thata link-boy is a torch-bearer."
"I had the pleasure of attending services at your church last Sunday,"said Lord Upperton to the rector, when they were seated at the table."I noticed that you have a substantial stone edifice."
"Yes, my lord, and we regard it with what, I trust, is reverentialpride. The Church of God is enduring, and the church's edifice shouldbe firm and solid, and of material that the tooth of time will notgnaw," the rector answered.
"Ought it not to be beautiful as well?" Miss Newville inquired.
"Most certainly."
"I cannot say I think King's Chapel is beautiful in the architecture,with its stump of a tower, and no steeple or spire," Miss Newvillereplied.
"Perhaps by and by we shall have money enough to carry out the plan ofthe architect. I admit it is not as attractive as it might be," saidthe rector.
"I never look at the lower tier of windows without laughing over thewit of Reverend Mr. Byles[44] in regard to them," said Mr. Adams.
[Footnote 44: Rev. Matthew Byles, the first pastor of Hollis StreetChurch, was born in Boston, 1706, descended from Reverend John Cotton,the first minister, and Richard Mather. He was minister of the parishmore than forty years. He was a celebrated wit and punster. Hemaintained his allegiance to the king, and remained in Boston afterthe departure of the British. He died in 1788. His clock is preservedin the old State House, by the Bostonian Society.]
"What might it be?" the rector asked.
"He said he had heard of the canons of the church, but never beforehad he seen the portholes."
The company laughed.
"Excellent! Excellent!" exclaimed Mr. Dapper.
"The reverend gentleman, Mr. Byles, though dissenting from ourApostolic Church, I am happy to say is loyal to our most gracious KingGeorge," said the rector.
"Reverend Mr. Byles is very witty," Miss Newville remarked. "He askedthe selectmen several times to give their attention to a quagmire inthe road near his house. After long delay, they stepped into a chaiseand rode to the spot. Suddenly they found themselves stuck in the mud.Mr. Byles opened his window and remarked that he was glad they werestirring in the matter at last."
Again the company laughed.
"Capital; he must be a genius," said Mr. Dapper.
Pompey served the oysters, large, fat, and juicy.
"Pardon me, madam, but may I inquire what these may be?" Mr. Dapperinquired.
"They are oysters. I think you will find them quite palatable," Mrs.Newville replied.
Mr. Dapper put his glasses to his eyes, tilted an oyster on his fork,and examined it.
"Do you mean to say that you swallow these monsters?"
"We think them fine eating," Mrs. Adams replied.
"My lord," said Mr. Dapper, turning to Upperton, "I'm going to tryone. I've made my last will and testament. Tell 'em at Almack's, whenyou get home, that Dapper committed suicide by attempting to swallowan oyster."
"I will send Pompey for the coroner," exclaimed Mr. Newville,laughing.
"'Pon my soul, madam, they are delicious. Bless me! It is worthcrossing the Atlantic to eat one. Try one, my lord, and then you cantorment the Macaronies[45] by telling them they don't know anythingabout fine eating," said Dapper, after gulping it down.
[Footnote 45: The derisive term "Macaronies" was applied to ladies andgentlemen who had visited Italy, and who upon returning to Englandaped foreign customs in the matter of dress.]
Lord Upperton ate one, smacked his lips, and testified his enjoymentby clearing his plate.
"I dare say, my lord, that you find many amusing things here in theColonies," remarked Mrs. Adams.
"Indeed I do. Yesterday, as I was smoking my pipe in the tap-room ofthe Admiral Vernon, a countryman stepped up to me, and said, 'Mister,may I ax for a little pig-tail?' I told him I didn't keep little pigsand hadn't any tails. I presumed he would find plenty of 'em in themarket."
Lord Upperton was at a loss to know the meaning of the shout oflaughter given by the company.
"The bumpkin replied if I hadn't any pig-tail, a bit of plug would dojust as well for a chaw."
Again the laughter.
"I expect I must have made a big bull, but, 'pon my soul, I can't makeout where the fun comes in."
"He was asking you first for pig-tail tobacco for his pipe, and thenfor a bit of plug tobacco for chewing," Mrs. Adams explained.
"Oh ho! then that is it! What a stupid donkey I was," responded LordUpperton, laughing heartily. "He wasn't at all bashful," he continued,"but was well behaved; asked me where I was from. I told him I wasfrom London. 'Sho! is that so? Haow's King George and his wife?' heasked. I told him they were well. 'When you go hum,' said he, 'jesgive 'em the 'spec's of Peter Bushwick, and tell George that YankeeDoodle ain't goin' to pay no tax on tea.'" Lord Upperton laughedheartily. "I rather like Peter Bushwick," he said. "I'd give atwo-pound note to have him at Almack's for an evening. He'd set thetable in a roar."
"My lord, shall I give you some cranberries?" Miss Newville asked, asshe dished the sauce.
"Cranberries! What are they? I am ashamed to let you know how ignorantI am, but really I never heard of 'em before. Do they grow on trees?"
She explained that they were an uncultivated fruit, growing on vinesin swamps and lowlands.
"'Pon my soul, they are delicious. And what a rich color. Indeed, youdo have things good to eat," he added, smacking his lips.
"I trust you will relish a bit of wild turkey," said Mr. Newville, ashe carved the fowl.
"Wild turkey, did you say?"
"Yes, my lord. They are plentiful in the forests."
Again Lord Upperton smacked his lips.
"By Jove, Dapper, it is superb!" he exclaimed.
"Will you try some succotash, my lord?" Ruth inquired.
"There you have me again. What a name!"
"It is an Indian name, my lord," said Mrs. Adams.
"Oh ho! Indian. They told me I should find the people lived like thesavages. Succotash! what is it?"
"Succotash, my lord, is a mixture of beans and Indian corn."
"Beans! beans! Do you eat beans over here?" his lordship asked.
"We do, my lord," Mrs. Adams replied, "and we think them verynutritious and palatable, notwithstanding the maxim, '_Abstincto afabis_.' Possibly you may be a disciple of Pythagoras, and believethat the souls of the dead are encased in beans, and so think italmost sacrilegious for us to use them as food."
Lord Upperton looked up in astonishment. Was it possible that ladiesin the Colonies were acquainted with the classics?
"In England we feed our sheep on beans," his lordship replied; "andmay I ask what is Indian corn?"
"Possibly you may call it maize in England. When our fathers came tothis country they found the Indians used it for food, and so eversince it has been known as Indian corn."
"Beans for sheep; corn for savages. Pardon me, madam, but I am not asheep, nor yet quite a savage with a tomahawk. Thank you, but I don'tcare for any succotash."
"Better take some, Upperton. It is positively delicious," said Mr.Dapper, after swallowing a spoonful.
Lord Upperton poked the mixture with his spoon and then tasted it.
"It isn't so very nasty," he said, and took a second spoonful. "ByJove, it isn't bad at all. Bless me, the more I eat the better I likeit."
His plate was quickly cleaned.
"Pardon me, Miss Newville, but the succotash is so superb that I dareviolate good manners, which I am sure you will overlook, and pass myplate for more."
"You see, my lord, what you have gained by trying it. If you had nottasted it, you would have gone back to England and told the nabobsthat the people in the Colonies eat just such nasty things as thesheep-men feed to their flocks; but now you can torment them bydescribing the dainty delicacies of the Colonies."
"By Jove! That's a capital idea, Dapper. It will make the Macaroniesmad as March hares."
"Please fill your glasses, ladies and gentlemen, and we will drink thehealth of our most gracious sovereign,"[46] said Mr. Newville.
[Footnote 46: George III. was grandson of George II., and son ofFrederick, Prince of Wales, whose death made his son heir to thethrone. The mother of George III. had plans of her own, and was aidedby the Earl of Bute. There were political parties in church and state;scheming bishops and intriguing politicians, each striving for his ownadvancement, or the advancement of his party. George III. during hisearly years had frequent changes of governors and tutors, several ofwhom were intense Jacobites, holding reactionary opinions. Being dullof intellect, his education tended to make him a bigot.]
The glasses were filled, and the health of the king drunk.
"Our king is a right royal sovereign," said Mr. Newville.
"Yes, royal, but stupid now and then," Mr. Dapper responded, to theamazement of the company, and especially Mrs. Newville. "The fact is,my dear madam, our king, unfortunately, has the reputation of beingthe dullest sovereign in Europe. Perhaps you know there was not muchof him to begin with, as he was only a little pinch of a baby when hewas born, so puny and weak the nurses said he wouldn't stay here long.He sat in their laps, and was coddled till six years old, when he wasput under that scheming, narrow-minded bigot, Reverend DoctorAyscough. And what do you suppose the reverend donkey set him todoing? Why, learning hymns, written by another reverend gentleman,Doctor Philip Doddridge. Very good religious hymns, no doubt, but notquite so attractive as Mother Goose would have been to the littlefellow. After learning a few hymns and a few words in Latin, he wasset to making verses in that language, when he could not read a storybook without spelling half the words."
"How preposterous!" exclaimed Miss Milford.
"Somewhat absurd, I will admit," said Mr. Dapper, bowing. "Onereverend doctor was not sufficient," he continued, "to look after theeducation of the prince, and so my Lord Bishop Hayter of Norwich wasassociated with Doctor Ayscough. Then the Old Harry was let loose. MyLord Bishop of Norwich was scheming to be made Archbishop ofCanterbury, and Ayscough wanted to become Bishop of Bristol. Both werestriving to rival little Jack Horner in putting their thumbs into thepie."
The ladies were amused--excepting Mrs. Newville
, who laid down herknife and fork, folded her hands, and looked earnestly at Mr. Dapper.
"Do you mean to say there is scheming among the reverend prelates ofour most holy church?" she asked.
"Why, madam, human nature is pretty much the same in the church as outof it, and there is quite as much intrigue among the prelates of thechurch as among the politicians at court. His majesty, talking abouthis early years not long since, said there was nothing butdisagreement and intrigue among those who had charge of him during hisearly years. Mr. Scott, his tutor, did what he could for the littlefellow, but it wasn't much. His father, Fred, Prince of Wales,delighted in private theatricals. He had several plays performed atLeicester House by children, employing Jimmy Quin[47] to teach themtheir parts. Now, my dear madam, you will see that with three bishopsdisputing as to how the boy should be instructed in theology; whetherpolitically he should be a Jacobite or Whig; when each was trying toget the biggest piece of pie and the most plums,--the boy, the while,muddling his brains in trying to make Latin verses and learningtragedies, there wasn't much chance for Master Scott to get him on inother things, especially when my lord the Bishop of Norwich wasintriguing to get the master kicked downstairs, that he might put oneof his favorites in the position of tutor to the prince."
[Footnote 47: The celebrated actor, James Quin, was employed by thePrince of Wales to direct the plays performed in Leicester House bythe children of the nobility.]
"Why, Mr. Dapper!" exclaimed Mrs. Newville.
"Then the prince had a change of governors about as often as the moonfulled," said Mr. Dapper. "Each, of course, had some directions togive in regard to his education. When Lord Harcourt was governor hischief concern was to have the prince turn out his toes when walking."
The ladies laughed at Mr. Dapper's droll way of narrating the mannerof the king's education.
George III.]
"I do not wonder you smile, ladies; it is enough to make a horselaugh," he said. "Perhaps you would like to know how the prince wasput through his paces from the time he opened his eyes in the morningtill he was tucked in bed at night. Lord North at one time wasgovernor to the prince; he gave me the programme of the daily routine.The boy was to be out of bed at seven o'clock, eat breakfast and beready for Mr. Scott from eight o'clock to nine, or till the ReverendDoctor John Thomas came, who had him in charge till eleven, when hewas to be turned over to Mr. Fung, for what purpose Lord North did notknow. At noon, Mr. Ruperti had him for half an hour. From half pasttwelve till three the prince could play; that is, he could walkthrough the grounds around Leicester House, trussed up in fine clotheslike a turkey for the spit, but he couldn't kick up his heels or turnsomersaults on the grass; he must be a nice little gentleman in laceand ruffles. At three o'clock he had dinner. At half past four thedancing-master, Mr. Deneyer, taught him the minuet. At five o'clock hehad another half hour with Mr. Fung. From half past six to eight Mr.Scott put him through his curriculum. At eight o'clock he had supper,but must be in bed at ten. On Sunday from half past nine till elevenReverend Doctor Ayscough lectured him on religion. To state itplainly, our royal sovereign's real instructors were the servants andchambermaids of Leicester House. They told him nursery tales abouthobgoblins, giant-killers, and witches. Doctor Ayscough and the bishopgave him lectures on theology. The Jacobite bishop exalted theprerogatives of princes and kings. Lord Waldegrave told me that, whenhe was appointed governor to Prince George, he found him to be a good,narrow-minded little bigot, with his head full of nursery tales andnot much else."
"Why, Mr. Dapper!" exclaimed Mrs. Newville, laying down her knife andfork again, and holding up her hands.
"I see that you are astonished, madam. Now I would not for the worldsay anything disrespectful of our gracious sovereign; he is not to beblamed for the errors of those who had charge of him during hisminority,--he is to be commiserated rather; but you will observe thatit was not a course of education calculated to enlighten a dullintellect. That he is good at heart every one knows, but his ministersalso know that he is narrow-minded and obstinate."
"We must not forget that our most gracious majesty, King George, isone of the Lord's chosen instruments to carry out the plan of thedivine mind," said the rector.
"Oh, certainly, my dear sir; just as much of an instrument as everSamson was, flourishing the jawbone of an ass, smiting the Philistineship and thigh," Mr. Dapper replied.
The ladies smiled, but the rector did not altogether relish the reply.
"I never have quite understood how Earl Bute obtained his ascendencywith the king," said Mr. Adams.
"It was through his influence with the mother of the king," Mr. Dapperreplied. "He had a great deal to say about the king's education. Itwas Bute who induced George II. to appoint Andrew Stone to have chargeof the young prince. Then the fat was in the fire. The Bishop ofNorwich accused Stone of being a Jacobite, and the quarrel becamehot--so sharp that the bishop entered the schoolroom to have it outwith Master Stone. Now I suppose, my dear rector, you would havestaked your money on the bishop, on the theory that the churchmilitant should also be the church triumphant."
"Possibly, if I were in the habit of laying wagers," the rectorreplied.
"I certainly should have done so, reverend sir, but I should have lostmy money," continued Mr. Dapper; "for Mr. Stone was plucky, used hisfists beautifully, and gave it to my lord the bishop right between theeyes. The bishop was quite gamey, though, and aimed a blow at Stone'snose, but finally got shoved out of the room, greatly to hismortification. He couldn't let the matter drop, and so accused Stoneof being drunk. The matter finally got into Parliament where there wasquite a row about it. Such were the auspices under which our goodsovereign was educated to administer the affairs of the realm. Hismother wanted to make him pious. She would not allow him to associatewith other boys because they would corrupt his morals. Lord Buteadvised the princess dowager to keep the prince tied to her apronstrings, and succeeded."
"Lord Bute," Mr. Adams responded, "is very much disliked in theColonies. When he was at the head of the ministry, he was hung ineffigy on the Liberty Tree."
"So he was in London," Mr. Dapper replied. "Your detestation of himcannot be greater than it is in England. No one can quite understandhow John Stuart made his way up to power. He was a poor Scotsman fromthe Frith of Clyde. He went to school at Eton and also at Cambridge,then came to London, hired a piece of land out a little way from thecity, and raised peppermint, camomile, and other simples for medicine.He had a love for private theatricals, had shapely legs and liked toshow them. One evening the Prince of Wales saw his legs, and, taking afancy to the owner, told him to make himself at home in LeicesterHouse. That was enough for John Stuart. Having got a foothold, he madehimself useful to Fred, and especially to the princess dowager. GeorgeII. was getting on in years and irritable. The old king took it uponhimself to pick out a wife for the prince, selecting the daughter ofCharles, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbuettel; but the prince said he wasn'tgoing to be Wolfenbuttled by his grandsire. Just what he meant by itno one knows, as the word is not to be found in Doctor Johnson's bigdictionary."
"Shall I help you to a bit of canvasback, my lord?" Mrs. Newvilleasked, interrupting the narrative.
"Canvasback! What may it be? Really, you have most astonishing thingsto eat over here," Lord Upperton replied.
Mrs. Newville explained that it was a duck, and that it was regardedas a delicacy.
"I never ate anything so delicious," said Upperton.
Mr. Dapper also praised it.
"Was the marriage of our king and queen a love-match?" Miss Chansoninquired.
"Well, hardly, at the beginning," said Mr. Dapper. "When the princewas eighteen, he fell in love with Lady Sarah Lennox, daughter of theDuke of Richmond. She was seventeen, beautiful, and attractive. Sheknew how to display her charms to the best advantage, by going outwith the haymakers on fine summer mornings to wander in the meadowsamong the daisies, wearing a fancy costume. No wonder the prince,looking from the windows of Holland H
ouse, thought it a delightfulexhibition of Arcadian simplicity and made haste to chat with her. Butlove-making between the future king and a subject was not inaccordance with the princess dowager's ideas, and so Earl Bute foundit convenient to appear upon the scene,--a gentle hint that there wasto be no more love-making. Their flirtations would make a long storythough, for Lord Newbottle was in love with Lady Sarah and jealous ofthe prince, which made it all the more interesting. Bute and theprincess dowager put their heads together, and sent Colonel Graham ona prospecting tour among the German principalities. He sent back wordthat the daughter of the Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz would make agood wife for his royal highness, and he judged well, for I am sureyou all love our Sophia Charlotte."
"Most certainly, and we would emulate her virtues," said Mrs. Adams.
Mr. Newville proposed the health of the queen.
Their glasses drained, Mr. Dapper went on:--
"Lord Harcourt was sent as ambassador to negotiate a marriage, notwith Sophia Charlotte, but with her brother, the duke."
"Was not our queen consulted in regard to the matter?" Ruth asked.
QUEEN SOPHIA CHARLOTTE]
"Not at all. She knew very little about the world; never had been adozen miles from home, never even had sat at the duke's table. She wasa simple-minded little girl who gave the chickens their dough andgathered nosegays from her flower-garden. You can imagine, ladies,that she hardly knew what to make of it when told that an ambassadorfrom England had arrived and wanted to see her. The duke told her toput on her best gown, mind what Harcourt said, and not be a baby.Suddenly the folding-doors leading to the ducal chamber opened, andthere stood the ambassador. 'You are to be married to him by proxy,and be queen of England,' said the duke, which so surprised the poorgirl that she nearly fainted. The ceremony over, Harcourt presentedher with a necklace of diamonds. You see, ladies, it is almost thestory of Cinderella over again!"
"It is really romantic," responded Miss Milford.
"I would not be married to one whom I never had seen," exclaimed Ruth.
"A princess, Miss Newville, cannot always do as she would. She may becompelled to marry against her will," said Lord Upperton.
"I would not," Ruth replied.
"Not if the country required it?" Lord Upperton asked.
"No, my lord; and I am glad I am not a princess."
"Bravely spoken. Ladies and gentlemen, let us drink to the maiden who,though not of the blood royal, is yet a princess," said Mr. Dapper.
"Hear! hear!" exclaimed the admiral, thumping the table.
The company gazed admiringly at Ruth, peerless in her beauty, the warmblood suffusing her cheeks.
"I understand that our queen assumed the position of royalty with muchgrace," Mrs. Adams remarked.
"With charming simplicity, madam," responded Mr. Dapper. "She landedat Harwich, and had an ovation all the way to London. People hurrahed,bells rang, and cannon thundered. The poor girl was terriblyfrightened. The thought of meeting a husband whom she had never seenunstrung her nerves. The Duchess of Hamilton laughed at her, but itwas a hot shot the queen let fly; she said: 'You have been marriedtwice to husbands of your own choosing, but poor me must marry a manwhom I never have seen.'"
"Bravo! that raked the quarter-deck," exclaimed the admiral.
"How did the king receive her?" Ruth inquired.
"When she stepped from the coach she knelt at his feet; he gave her akiss, and led her into the palace."
"Very gallant on the part of the king; fitting and humble the actionof the queen," said the rector.
"I would not have got down on my knees to him," said Ruth.
"May I ask why Miss Newville would not have knelt to her futurehusband and sovereign, had she been Princess Sophia?" the rectorasked.
"Because it was an acknowledgement at the outset that she was not hisequal. She abased herself by taking an inferior position. In the daysof chivalry, men knelt to women. The princess did not leave her happyhome to be a subject of King George; but to be his wife to stand byhis side, and not crouch at his feet."
"Hurrah! That's a whole broadside. She's sweeping your quarter-deck,"shouted the admiral.
The rector grew red in the face.
"It is recorded in the Holy Scriptures, Miss Newville, that wives mustbe obedient to their husbands," he replied.
"Does the Bible say a wife must kneel at her husband's feet?" sheasked.
"Perhaps not in so many words, but she is commanded to obey. Our holychurch teaches the doctrine. When the princess knelt at the feet ofhis majesty, it signified she would obey him. Perhaps it is my duty,Miss Newville, to say that your sentiments would be regarded asheretical by the authorities of the church."
"Hold on, rector," said Mr. Adams. "Don't set the canons of the churchto thundering."
"It is the gossip at court," said Mr. Dapper, "that the king wanted toretire soon after sundown, but the queen said she wasn't going to bedwith the hens. It is said he told her she must wear a particulardress, but she informed him he could dress as he pleased, and sheshould do the same."
"You will have to go to court, rector, and lecture the queen onheresy," said Mr. Adams.
The company laughed, and Ruth's eyes sparkled over the rector'sdiscomfiture.
The meats had been removed and Pompey was serving the pastry andcomfits.
"What delicious cheese you have. It is as toothsome as the finestCheshire," said Lord Upperton.
"We think it of excellent flavor, and I am sure you will relish it allthe more when I inform you, my lord, that it was made by a girl notolder than myself," replied Ruth.
"Indeed! is it possible? How very clever she must be."
"She is a New Hampshire lady."
"Are dairymaids ladies?"
"Indeed they are, my lord. The young lady who made the cheese you areeating, I dare say, would adorn the court of our queen," responded Mr.Adams.
"Bless me! oysters, cranberries, succotash, canvasback ducks, wildturkeys, pumpkin pie, dairymaids ladies, wives the equals of theirhusbands! Rector, will there be anything beyond these in the NewJerusalem?" exclaimed Lord Upperton.
Dinner over, the ladies passed into the parlor while the gentlemensmoked their pipes and finished their wine.
"I suppose, my lord," said Mr. Adams, "you have not been heresufficiently long to form an opinion in regard to the Colonies."
"Everything is so new and strange," Lord Upperton replied, "I hardlyknow what to make of it. I had an idea that I should find your peoplequite rude and uncultivated. I understand you haven't any theatre oranything of that sort; but, really, your ladies charm me by theirconversation. Mrs. Adams informs me she has studied Latin and Greek."
"I am happy to say my wife can read Cicero and Homer in theoriginals," Mr. Adams replied.
"You astonish me," his lordship exclaimed.
"We are somewhat primitive, but the Colonies in time will make amendsfor whatever they maybe lacking now," Mr. Adams responded, sipping hiswine. "The people who came to this Western world did so mainly forconscience sake, and the time will come when this country will be theseat of empire. Society here is established on enduring foundations.One hundred years hence the chances are the people in the Colonieswill outnumber those of England. We are loyal to the king, but we area liberty-loving people and jealous of our rights. In time we shall beso strong that the united force of Europe will not be able to subdueus."[48]
[Footnote 48: The paragraph is in substance the prophecy of JohnAdams, written to Nathan Webb, a school-teacher in Worcester, in1755.]
"You have a great extent of country, but as a people you are widelyscattered. You have only a little fringe of settlements along theseacoast. It will be an easy matter to divide you. England is rich,and has a great navy; she controls the sea. Her armies have beenvictors on many fields; she has wrested Canada from France," said hislordship.
"With the aid of the Colonies," interrupted Mr. Adams.
"Perhaps we had better give politics the go-by and join
the ladies,"said his lordship, rising and moving towards the parlor.
Pompey brought in the tea-urn, cups and saucers, sugar and cream.
"Shall I pass you a cup, Miss Newville?" Lord Upperton asked.
"Thank you, my lord, but I do not drink tea."
"Ha, ha! Miss Newville, so you have joined the other conspirators tooutwit Lord North!"
"No, your lordship, I have not joined them, but I must say I admiretheir resolution in giving up a luxury to maintain a great principle."
"As for myself," said Mr. Dapper, "I rather like the spirit of thePuritan mothers and daughters here in the Colonies; they are worthydescendants of the men who had it out with Charles I. It is allnonsense, this plea of Lord North, that the people in the Coloniesought to pay a portion of the debt incurred by England in the late warwith France; it is the extravagance and corruption of Parliament andof those in power that grinds us,--the giving of grants, pensions, andgratuities to favorites, parasites, and hangers-on. During Bute's andGrenville's administrations the public money was sown broadcast. Ifvotes were wanted, they were purchased. It was not unusual for amember of the Commons to find four hundred pounds in his napkin atdinner, or in a billet-doux left by the postman. Of course heunderstood the meaning of it. The ministers helped themselves tosugar-plums worth five thousand pounds. When the Duke of Grafton wasat the head of the ministry, that parasite, Tom Bradshaw, who had donesome nasty work for the Premier, received an annuity of fifteenhundred pounds and a suite of thirty rooms in Hampton Palace. He isthere now, and has had the suite increased to seventy apartments. Notlong ago the ministry put out one hundred thousand pounds to carry ameasure through the Commons."
"You astonish me! Do you mean to intimate that our king has corruptmen around him?" Mrs. Newville inquired.
"My dear madam, the king is hardly responsible for this state ofthings. It is part of the political system. Politics is a game. Mencan cheat in government as well as in anything else, and there arequite as many cheats in and around St. James's as at Almack's or anyof the other gambling resorts. Other things are done in and aroundWestminster, by those whom you are accustomed to revere, which wouldastonish you could I but speak of them," said Mr. Dapper.
The evening being beautiful, the air genial, the company strolled inthe garden, and ate the ripening plums and pears. Lord Upperton,finding pleasure in the society of Miss Newville, asked whatrecreation the young people in the Colonies enjoyed. She told of thelaunching of the ship Berinthia Brandon, the pung-ride and dance atthe Greyhound Tavern, the quiltings, huskings, and tea-parties.
"I hope, Miss Newville, this will not be the last time I shall havethe pleasure of seeing you. I shall not soon forget the succotash andcranberries, and shall improve an early opportunity to pay my respectsto you," he said, as he bade her good-evening.
"By Jove, Dapper, she's as fine a piece of chintz as can be picked upat St. James's or anywhere else," he said, as they returned to theAdmiral Vernon.
Daughters of the Revolution and Their Times Page 13