Life and Times of Her Majesty Caroline Matilda, Vol. 3 (of 3): Queen of Denmark and Norway, and Sister of H. M. George III. of EnglandWraxall, Lascelles, Sir
History
Life and Times of Her Majesty Caroline Matilda, Vol. 3 (of 3): Queen of Denmark and Norway, and Sister of H. M. George III. of England
Wraxall, Lascelles, Sir
Caroline Mathilde, Queen, consort of Christian VII, King of Denmark, 1751-1775; Denmark -- History -- Christian VII, 1766-1808
Baron von Seckendorf enjoined Mr. Wraxall from the queen to return as
soon as possible to Celle, where she hoped to be able to admit him to an
audience. She likewise desired that he would then give, on being stopped
at the gates, a French name, which she suggested, as by that means,
on seeing the report of all strangers who arrived at Celle, which was
brought to her every morning, she should be apprised of his return. It
was settled that on Mr. Wraxall's next visit to Celle he should take care
to arrive in the night, go round the city, and lodge at a little obscure
inn, called the "Sandkrug," in one of the suburbs.
Having received this satisfactory answer from her Majesty, Mr. Wraxall
left Celle immediately and proceeded to Hanover, where he remained two
days. He then crossed a large portion of the Electorate to Harburg,
and reached Hamburg on the evening of October 15, 1774. On the morning
of the 17th he repaired to the place when Baron von Bülow had arranged
to meet him. The latter affected not to notice him, and turning, Mr.
Wraxall followed him through a number of streets, till they arrived on
the ramparts of the city. There, upon a retired bastion, Mr. Wraxall
delivered the baron the letter, whose seal and address he immediately
recognised as those of the queen, saying, "Oui, bon, je reconnais bien
cette écriture." Mr. Wraxall then related to him all the circumstances
of his journey, the mode he employed to deliver his letter to the queen,
and the subsequent interview with Baron von Seckendorf. The baron
approved highly of all that had been done; promised to communicate the
particulars, and the queen's reply to his associates; and requested Mr.
Wraxall to hold himself in readiness to return to Celle.
During the next six days the couple contrived to meet several times,
though in the meanwhile the baron made excursions into Holstein, in order
to lay before his friends the state of the business, and to concert the
most judicious means for carrying it on to the desired completion. On
October 23, Mr. Wraxall received from him his instructions for his second
journey to Celle. They were, as before, only verbal, and the agent was
empowered to commit them to paper when he should arrive there, observing
the same precautions in receiving them back. They were to the following
effect:--
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