with the Princess Royal. Then followed the Princess Mary with Miss Goldsworthy,[73] and the Princess Sophia with Mademoiselle Montmoulin and Miss Planta;[74] then General Budé and the Duke of Montague;[75] and, lastly, Major Price, who, as equerry, always brings up the rear, walks at a distance from the group, and keeps off all crowd from the Royal Family.” ‘One sees it,’ adds Thackeray: ‘the band playing its old music; the sun shining on the happy loyal crowd, and lighting the ancient battlements, the rich elms, and purple landscape, and bright green sward: the royal standard drooping from the great tower yonder; as old George passes, followed by his race, preceded by the charming infant, who caresses the crowd with her innocent smiles.’ The Diary proceeds: ‘On sight of Mrs. Delany, the King instantly stopped to speak to her. The Queen, of course, and the little Princess, and all the rest, stood still, in their ranks. They talked a good while with the sweet old lady; during which time the King once or twice addressed himself to me. I caught the Queen’s eye, and saw in it a little surprise, but by no means any displeasure, to see me of the party. “The little Princess went up to Mrs. Delany, of whom she is very fond, and behaved like a little angel to her: she then, with a look of inquiry and recollection, slowly, of her own accord, came behind Mrs. Delany to look at me. ‘I am afraid,’ said I, in a whisper, and stooping down, ‘your Royal Highness does not remember me?’ “What think you was her answer? An arch little smile, and a nearer approach, with her lips pouted out to kiss me. I could not resist so innocent an invitation; but the moment I had accepted it, I was half afraid it might seem, in so public a place, an improper liberty: however, there was no help for it. She then took my fan, and having looked at it on both sides, gravely returned it me, saying, ‘O! a brown fan!’” ----- Footnote 61: ‘It is pronounced like Rembrandt, but, as I told her, it does not look older than she is, but older than she does.’—Walpole to Mason, February 14, 1782. Footnote 62: The editor of Mrs. Delany’s ‘Correspondence,’ having a grudge against Madame d’Arblay, labours to prove that the Duchess of Portland cannot have been present at this interview. The supposed proof consists in showing from some old letters that the Duchess did not read ‘Evelina’ for nearly twelve months after the date spoken of. But this is nothing to the purpose. ‘Evelina’ does not appear to have been mentioned when its author was introduced to Miss Delany. The conversation recorded to have passed related wholly to ‘Cecilia.’ Footnote 63: Memoirs, vol. ii., p. 313. Footnote 64: The courtier-bishop Hurd described Mrs. Delany as a lady ‘of great politeness and ingenuity, and of an unaffected piety.’ Footnote 65: