"In the inner rooms, according to their rank, and date, were placed the Earls, Marquisses, and Dukes of England. The premier Duke, and E. M., nearest to the Noble Hostess. The Lords on the cross bench were served with some difficulty by _Beefeaters_, who were obliged to move like the Knights at Chess, which had a very pretty effect. It added to the liveliness, and gaiety of the meeting, that every mask had for its neighbour, on both hands, the same individual it conversed with so frequently at Mr. Hasting's trial, which made the 'I know you,' and 'Who are you?' exceedingly facetious and happy. The Lords of the Bedchamber were in high glee, and spirits, but were discovered by their jokes, some of which were remembered upon former occasions. The Maids of Honour were in perfect character and detected in an instant."--(_Times, June 21, 1799._) Music was much in vogue both publicly and in private. Concerts were plentiful, the most aristocratic, perhaps, being held in Willis's Rooms, of which I will give one Advertisement, relating to a ball. Advt.--"Assembly Rooms, King Street, St. James's Square. "Willis humbly begs leave to acquaint the Nobility, and Gentry, Subscribers, that the first Ball, this season, commences This Day. "The Rooms will be lighted at Ten, and the Ball will be opened at Half-past Ten o'clock, precisely. "_N.B._--By order of the Ladies (Directresses), no person whatever will be admitted without producing their ticket, and no ticket but those of the night, can possibly be admitted. "The Nobility and Gentry are most earnestly requested to order their Coachmen to set down, and take up, with their horses' heads towards St. James's Street. "The side doors are for chairs only."--(_Morning Post, Feb. 14, 1788._) [Illustration: A Country Concert, or, An Evening's Entertainment in Sussex.] This refers only to the subscription Balls, which were so famous, and so select--but, as I said above, this was the chiefest Concert Hall. A greater libel against the English nation never was uttered, than when it was said they were not a musical nation--and it was, essentially, in Chamber music, glees, madrigals, ballads--small home concerts in which a few friends met together and spent a pleasant evening--in which the harpsichord, or pianoforte (for that instrument was then in vogue), joined with the cello, violin, and flute, in pretty, and harmonious, quartets. This Illustration shows Mrs. Billington and the Duke of Sussex, with two friends, thus engaged, and an exceedingly home-like group it is. It was an unusual thing for ladies, then, to play on any other instruments than the harpsichord, or piano, and the harp, or guitar; this latter coming specially into vogue, some twenty years later, after the Peninsular War, so Mrs. Billington created some surprise.