"These charms were continually acknowledged, and extolled, by the gross and illiterate monarch, who could admire the beauty of her form, and delight in her personal advantages, but who was wholly incapable of appreciating her love of letters, which he discouraged, or her generosity, which he opposed, while forcing her to bear the odium of his avarice. "The extreme devotion of the Queen to her consort has been by some ascribed to ambition,—to the love of ascendancy; others, more amiable, have ventured to couple it with affection. If we may give entire credit to the religious sentiments of Caroline, we may set it down as the effect of a strong sense of duty; and, indeed, it is scarcely possible that any less cogent motive could have actuated a woman, during the course of an union of thirty years, to an incessant sacrifice of self-will, to the most differential respect, the most entire acquiescence, than a conviction that such sacrifices were required by her nuptial bonds. Her children,' she declared, were not as a grain of sand to her, compared with him ;' and she marked these extreme notions of duty on her death-bed." The opera in those days, as at the present time, seems to have engaged the attention of royalty. Then, as now, the cabals of the musical world were apt to move the whole orb of fashion. "The following letter," says Mrs. Thompson," contains a curious illustration of the times, in its reference to the commotion which occurred at the Italian Opera, when the Princess Amelia happened to be present. The object of public disapprobation was Signora Cuzzoni; but that favourite singer having a powerful body of friends in the house, a struggle took place between the two parties, which caused the greater part of the performance to be in 'inexplicable dumb show.' This letter affords a curious instance of the participation of the most illustrious personages of the realm in the cabals of the Italian Opera, which had not then been introduced more than half a century into England. COUNTESS OF PEMBROKE TO MRS. CLAYTON. "DEAR MADAM, "I hope you will forgive the trouble I am going to give you, having always found you on every occasion most obliging. What I have to desire is, that if you find a convenient opportunity, I wish you would be so good as to tell her Royal Highness, that every one who wishes well to Cuzzoni is in the utmost concern for what happened last Tuesday at the Opera, in the Princess Amelia's presence; but to show their innocence of the disrespect which was shown to her Highness, I beg you will do them the justice to say, that the Cuzzoni had been publicly told, to complete her disgrace, she was to be hissed off the stage on Tuesday; she was in such concern at this, that she had a great mind not to sing, but I, without knowing anything that the Princess Amelia would honour the Opera with her presence, positively ordered her not to quit the stage, but let them do what they would: though not heard, to sing on, and not to go off till it was proper; and she owns now that if she had not had that order she would have quitted the stage when they cat-called her to such a degree in one song, that she was not heard one note, which provoked the people that like her so much, that they were not able to get the better of their resentment, but would not suffer the Faustina to speak afterwards. I hope her Royal Highness would not disapprove of any one preventing the Cuzzoni's being hissed off the stage; but I am in great concern they did not suffer anything to have happened to her, rather than to have failed in the high respect every one ought to pay to a Princess of her Royal Highness's family; but as they were not the aggressors, I hope that may in some measure excuse them. "Another thing I beg you would say is, that I, having happened to say that the Directors would have a message from the King, and that her Royal Highness had told me that his Majesty had said to her, that if they dismissed Cuzzoni they should not have the honour of his presence, or what he was pleased to allow them some of the Directors have thought fit to say that they neither should have a message from the King, and that he did not say what her Royal Highness did me the honour to tell me he did. I most humbly ask her Royal Highness's pardon for desiring the Duke of Rutland (who is one of the chief amongst them for Cuzzoni) to do himself the honour to speak of it to her Royal Highness, and hear what she would be so gracious to tell him. They have had also a message from the King, in a letter from Mr. Fabrice, which they have the insolence to dispute, except the Duke of Rutland, Lord Albemarle, and Sir Thomas Pendergrass. Lady Walsingham having desired me to let her know how this affair went, I have written to her this morning, and, at the Duke of Rutland's desire, have sent an account of what was done at the Board, for her to give his Majesty. As I have interested myself for this poor woman, so I will not leave anything undone that may justify her; and if you will have the goodness to state this affair to her Royal Highness, whom I hope will still continue her most gracious protection to her, I shall be most extremely obliged to you, that am, Dear Madam, With the most sincere friendship, humble servant, M. PEMBROKE. These memoirs of Lady Sundon contain indeed a perfect fund of historical amusement. Calland, Mrs. John Forbes, of a dau. at Paris, 28th Charteris, Lady Anne, of a son, 2nd June. Clarke, Mrs. W. Gray, of a dau. at Tours, 10th Cosser, Mrs.wife of the Rev. W. M. Cosser, of a son, De la Motte, Mrs. wife of Edward De la Motte, of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, of a dau. 31st May. Du Buisson, Mrs. James, of Wandsworth, of a dau. 1st June. Douglas, Mrs. wife of the Rev. Alexander Douglas, Ellis, Mrs. wife of the Rev. Robt. Stephenson Ellis, M. A. of a dau. at Copenhagan, 30th May. Fennell, Mrs. Edwin, of a dau. at Wimbledon, 25th Frost, Mrs. wife of Andrew Hollingworth Frost, Giberne, Mrs. George, of a dau. at Epsom, 7th June. 4th June. Goddard. Mrs. George H. of a dau. at John-street, Godley, Mrs. John Robert, of a son, at Portman Graham, Mrs. Wm. of a dau. at Castle Milk, co. Granet, Mrs. Captain, of a son, 26th May. Heathcote, Mrs. Francis, of a dau. 29th May. of a son. 5th June. Inchbald, Mrs. Robert, of a day. at West Wickham, Jackson, Mrs. J. D. of a son, at Saffron Waldron, Jackson, Mrs. wife of the Rev. John Jackson, Rec- Kinlock, Mrs. wife of J, J. Kinlock, of Kair, of a dau. 3rd June. Laurie, Mrs. John, of a son. at Hyde Park-plece, 31st May. Crosthwaite, Mrs. wife of the Rev. J. C. Crosth-Oliver, Mrs. wife of J. R. Oliver, Esq. M.D. of a Peake, Mrs. Robert William, of Lleweny House, Masterman, Mrs. Henry, of a son, 26th May. Phillips, Mrs. Robert, of a dau. at Gloucester Villa, Rawlinson, Mrs. wife of the Rev. George Rawlin- Taylor. Mrs. James, of Mechlenburgh Square, of a Rind, Mrs. wife of Malcolm M'Neill Rind. Esq. Taylor, Mrs. Wilbraham, of a son, 27th May. Rowland, Mrs. wife of Capt. J. H. Rowland, J. N, of a dau. 2nd June. Royle, Mrs. wife of Dr. Royle, Professor King's College, of a son, 8th June. Salmond, Mrs. James, of a son, at Waterfoot, Cumberland, 16th June. Saunders, Mrs. John, of a son, at Southend, 2nd une. Sharpe, Mrs. John, of a dau. at Waltham Cross, Sheppard, Mrs. wife of the Rev. Wm. Sheppard, of June. Spicer, Mrs. John W. Gooch, of a dau. at Coth 6th June. Sutherland, Mrs. Alexander John, of a son, 5th June. Swindell, Mrs. J. G. of a dau, at Kilburn Priory, 4th June. Tuffnell, Mrs. E. Carleton, of a son, 13th June. dau. 1st June. Bloxam, Robert William, Esq., of Ryde, to Henri- Turner, Mrs. Marshall, of a son, at Torrington Sq. Marriages. Tyndall, Mrs. T. O. of a dau. at the Fort, Bristol, bighshire, to Ellen, daughter of the late John Carrow, John Monson, Esq., eldest son of the late Caulfeild, W. Montgomerie S., Esq., Lieut. of the Chambers, Joseph, Esq., of the Bengal Army, to June. Collette, Henry, Esq., Capt. 67th Regiment, eldest son of the Major General J. H. Collette, to Katherine, youngest daughter of the late Thos. Sharp, Esq., Manchester, 25th May. Colman, George A. Esq., youngest son of the late W. Colman, Esq., of Shirley, to Frederica Eleanor Lang, second surviving daughter of Dr. Lang, of Bedford-square, and Newman-street, 9th June. Cooke, the Rev. Wm., B.A., fourth son of Thos. Dundas, Frederick, Esq., M.P., son of the late Eaton, the Rev. Walter, M.A., of Merton College, Frere, A. E., Esq., Lieut. in her Majesty's 24th Regiment, to Miss Elizabeth Palmer, daughter of Quartermaster James Price, of the Lame) regiment, 11th Jan. Frost, Chas. Maynard, Esq., of Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill, third son of the late Roht. Frost, Esq, of the Hon. E.I.C.S., to Emma. youngest daughter of the late James Adams, Esq., of Plaistow, Essex, 10th June. Gale, Robert Leake, Esq., eldest son of Thomas Augustus Gale, Esq., of Queen-square, Bloomsbury, London, to Mary Ellen, eldest daughter of Win. Radcliff, Esq., of Amherst Island, 19th May. Gayton, George, Esq., of Much Hadham, Herts, to Sarah Anne, eldest surviving daughter of Thos. Samuel Mott, Esq., of the same place. May 29th. Gilstrap, Wm., eldest son of Joseph Gilstrap, Esq., Newark-on-Trent, Notts, to Elizabeth, of youngest daughter of Thomas Haigh, Esq., of Colne Bridge-house, Huddersfield, 2nd June. Girsewald, Baron A., Aide-de-Camp to his Royal Highness the reigning Duke of Brunswick, to Annie Fector Munro, daughter of the late General Munro, Novar-lodge, Cheltenham, 1st June. Granville, the Rev. Court, to Lady Charlotte MurTray, sister of the Duke of Atholl, 10th June. Grover, Charles Ehret, Esq., of Hemel Hampstead, Herts, to Jane, youngest daughter of the late Wm. Stanley, Esq., of Maryland point, Essex, 1st June. Hallett, Henry Hughes, Esq., of Staple-Inn, to Bridget Ann, second daughter of Charles Wm. Hallett, Esq., of Surbiton-lodge, Kingston, 15th June. Harris, John Hull Walton, Esq., to Ann, relict of the late Thomas Martin Cocksedge, Esq., of the The Hills, Bury St. Edmund's, 12th June. Henry, Wm. G. P., Esq., second son of Thomas Henry, Esq., of Bush-hill, Middlesex, to Alice, second daughter of the late John Home Scott, Esq., 8th June. Hicks, Wm. John, Esq., son of the late Lieut.Col. Jon Hicks, Esq, to Katherine Forbes, eldest daughter of the late Major-General Hogg, Bombay Army, 10th June. Hilton, the Rev. Henry Dennie, B.A., curate of St. Margarett's, and son of the Rev. John Hilton, M.A., of Star Court, Kent, to Anne Jane, elder daughter of the Rev. Jemson Davies, M.A., vicar of St. Nicholas, and confrater of Wigston's Hospital, Leicester, 3rd June. Hutchings, Hubert, Esq., to Geraldine Laura, third daughter of Lady Elizabeth Baker, and sister of Sir Edward B. Baker, Bart., of Ranston, Dorset. 10th June. Innes, Captain G., Royal Artillery, to Frances Caroline, widow of the late Hamilton Gyll, Esq., and daughter of Sir John Murray, of Stanhope, Bart., 3rd June. Jarrett, Mr. Griffith, fourth son of J. Jarrett, Esq., Glasfryn-house, Trawsfynydd,; to Elizabeth, youngest daughter of the late T. Rowlands, Llwyngwern, Machynlleth, 26th May. Kelgour, Wm., Esq., of Liverpool, son of the late Geo. Kilgour, Esq., of Woburn-place, London, and Balcairn, Aberdeenshire, to Janet Lindsay, dau. of the late Patrick Smith, Esq., of Glasgow, 16th June. Kirk, Rupert, Esq., of the E.I.C.S., to Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Robert Womersley, Esq., of Stratford-green, Essex, 1st June. Landor, the Rev. Chas. W., vicar of Wichenford, Worcestershire, to Caroline, youngest daughter of Wm. Stanton, Esq., of Longbridge-house, Warwickshire, 8th June. Lane, Edward W., Esq., advocate, to Margaret Mary, youngest daughter of the late Sir Wm. Drysdale, of Pitteuchar. Layard, Rev. C. Clement, vicar of Mayfield, Stat fordshire, son of the Rev. B. V. Layard, of Uffington, Lincolnshire, to Sarah, eldest dau. of the late S. J. Somes, Esq., of Stratford-green, Essex, 3rd June. Lendon, Rev. William Penry, of Monmouth, to Eliza, eldest daughter of the Rev. E. Withers, of Bognor, Sussex, 9th June. Madden, Lewis P., Esq. M.D, son of the late Lewis P. Madden, Esq. of Clifton, to Ellen, relict of Captain Sir Edward Astley, R. N., of Hayselden, Kent, 14th June. Maxwell, Lieut.-Colonel Sir William A., Bart., of Calderwood Castle, Lanarkshire, to Catherine Cameron, relict of the late Captain H. P. Gill, of the 50th or Queen's Own, and fifth daughter of the lite Waiter Logan, Esq., Edinburgh, 15th June. Meeson, John, Esq., third son of Thomas Meeson, Esq. of Stratford. co. Essex, to Anne Maria, fourth daughter of William Sewell, Esq. of Plaistow, in the same county, 1st June. Monypenny, R.T.G. Gybbon, Esq., eldest son of T. Gybbon Moneypenny, Esq. of Hole-house, Kent, |