| Citation |
NP.780.040
26 Dec 1780:23 (8/377)
London, August 31. When the King was informed of the
capture of the Eastland West India fleet, by Don Louis de
Cordova, he was immediately seized with horrid paroxysms,
indicating the most violent symptoms of that species of
madness, which attends persons in the east, when bit by a
tarantula. Lord North, the chief physician in politics,
sent directly for the band of state fidlers, who having, as
on such occasions is usual, played over several delectable
tunes to honour his majesty's disorder; they at last fiddled
him into his senses, but he unfortunately relapsed again.
Lord North caught the disorder, and in a moment, with
epidemic swiftness, the whole court, by its baneful
influence, were in a state of lunacy---Her Majesty the Queen
leaped out of bed naked as Venus; and the Prince of Wales
appeared as bare as Apollo of Delphi---The maids of honour
forgot their modesty; the lords in waiting forgot their
breeches. A general tumult ensued. The guards--the menial
domestick.---and the lords of the council, with their
secretaries, mingled together in the great anti-chamber, tag
rag and bobtail, where they danced and capered to and fro,
belly to belly, back to back, right and left, hands across,
&c. . .
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