Читать книгу The Diary and Collected Letters of Madame D'Arblay, Frances Burney - Frances Burney - Страница 109

Table of Contents

(The pleasantest portion of the following section of the Diary is that which relates to the growing intimacy between Fanny and Mrs. Delany. It was a friendship, however, which proved dear to Fanny in every sense of the word. On the one hand the mutual affection which subsisted between her and a lady in every way so worthy of her regard, was a source of continual gratification to both; on the other hand it was the immediate cause of an event which may be, without exaggeration, described as the greatest misfortune of Fanny’s life—her ill-starred appointment at Court. We fully share Macaulay’s indignation at this absurd and singularly unsuitable appointment. Its consequences to Fanny were almost disastrous; yet the reader will reap the reward of her suffering in perusing the brilliant pages in which her humour and penetration have invested with an interest not its own the frivolous tattle of her commonplace companions. Her account of the royal family is on the whole favourable. The princesses appear to have been really amiable and, so far as etiquette would permit, sensible young women. Of the king and queen we know few things which are more to their credit than that they should have been able to inspire Fanny with a regard so obviously sincere. But even Fanny, with all her loyal partiality, could make no more of them than a well-meaning couple, whose conversation never rose above the commonplace. After all, we can hardly help feeling that the whole of this Court Diary, entertaining as it is, would be well exchanged for the description, in Fanny’s animated style, of a few more dinner-parties at Sir Joshua’s, a few more conversations with Edmund Burke.

The burst of exultation with which Fanny’s friends greeted the unhappy appointment says little for their common sense. Even Burke, who at least ought to have known better, fell in with the general infatuation, although he, if no one else felt that the honour was not all on Fanny’s side. He called in St. Martin’s-street, and finding Dr. Burney and his daughter from home, left a card on which he had written these words:—“Mr. Burke, to congratulate upon the honour done by the Queen to Miss Burney,—and to herself.”

The office which Fanny shared with that “old hag,” Mrs. Schwellenberg, was that of keeper of the robes, and she entered upon her new duties in the month Of July, 1786. Dress had always been one of the last subjects about which she troubled herself, and her want of experience in this all-important matter was graciously taken into consideration by the queen. The duties of the place were lightened, or, at least, altered in her favour. The difficulties with respect to jewellery, laces, and Court habiliments, and the other routine business belonging to the dress manufactory appertained to her colleague, Mrs. Schwellenberg; the manual labours and cares devolved upon the wardrobewomen; while from herself all that officially was required was assiduous attention, unremitting readiness for every summons to the dressing—room, not unfrequent long readings, and perpetual sojourn at the palace.¹⁵⁸