| Citation |
BNL.771.071
7 Nov 1771:11,12 (3552)
London, Sept. 5. . . At the late entertainment given by the
Lord Mayor at the Mansion-house, his Lordship was much
distressed for some person of consequence to open the ball,
there not being one nobleman or gentleman present; (a
circumstance which is supposed never happened before since
London has been a city.) In this situation Mr. Crosby
applied to a very worthy citizen, Mr. Kidney, nephew to Sir
Robert Kite, and begged that he would open the ball. "
Indeed, my Lord, replied Mr. Kidney, I understand nothing
about opening balls; but if your Lordship pleases I will
open a bottle with any man." What must I do then ? said Mr.
Crosby; I wish you would tell me, Mr. Kidney; for you must
be acquainted with all these things, from the management you
had of Sir Robert Kite's mayoralty: who shall I apply
to?--Apply to! let me see: why there's my friend Mr.
Howard, you can't apply to a better man, dare say he'll
open the ball for you. Howard ! said the Lord-Mayor, aye,
that's a very good name, that will do: of the Norfolk
family, I suppose. Oh,--n his family, replied Mr. Kidney, I
know nothing of that; he may be of a better, for ought I can
tell: he's a necklace maker on Fish-street-hill, and as
worthy a man as ever was born." This answer disconcerted
the Lord-Mayor not a little; but hearing Mr. Alderman
Shakespeare say that he drank chocolate often with the Duke
of Northumberland, and that himself and Mrs. Shakespeare
were prodigiously intimate with Sir Charles Frederick and
Sir William Beauchamp Proctor, and all the great men in the
Kingdom, his Lordship was free from his embarrassment, and
desired Mr. Shakespeare to open the ball. Mr. Shakespeare
accordingly danced the first minuet with Mrs. Trecothick,
and the second with Mrs. Kidney; and every thing was a
correct as possible the whole evening after; except another
little nominal mistake of the Lord-Mayor's, into which he
was led by a joke of Mr. Kidney; for asking that gentleman
the name of the lady who danced the second minuet, he
replied, " she is my mate and companion, and therefore, no
doubt, must be sweetbread." His Lordship addressing himself
very frequently to Mrs. Sweetbread afterwards, caused much
confusion to the poor lady, who, not imagining the cause of
his Lordship's error, mistook it for Mr. Crosby's with and
railery.
|