| Citation |
PC.771.078
21-28 Oct 1771:1571 (250)
A humorous description of the Installation, in a letter to a
friend--extracted from a late Magazine.
Windsor, Mermaid and Castle, seven o'clock Friday Morning,
July 26.
Dear Sam, Here I am sipping my coffee upon the balcony, and
thinking of my two days adventure in this inchanting place.
--The bottle conjuror in the Hay-market, Elizabeth Canning,
a ridotto al fresco, or even a bal pare, are nothing
compared to an installation. Why, Sir, I have been ravished
out of my money, out of my time, and out of my test.
On my arrival here on Wednesday I found Jonas and
Breslaw, the two conjurors, to be persons of no small
consequence as well as dexterity; and that even if they
amused the company (and themselves, by pocketing the cash)
in the Town Hall. . . [47 lines, describing preparing for
and going to ceremonies.]
At six the hall began to clear, and every one repaired to
dress for the ball. I got the leg and a wing of a tainted
chicken, and a glass of sour claret, whilst my friseur
performed his second operation upon this numbscull of mine,
for such I shall ever call it after this ridiculous
adventure.
Being at length prepared for the ball, I repaired to the
great guard and little ball room, some accidents intervening
before I reached the all-exciting Tabour. About nine, the
ball was opened by the D. of G. and the Dss. of G--n, in
honour of her Caro Sposo's installation, and a more
excellent minuet was walked than was ever perambulated by
the grown gentlemen and ladies in Cow lane. Justly sensible
of his skill and abilities in this walk, he conferred a
similar honour upon the Dss. of M---. The Dowager Countess
of W---e was not present; indeed, it would have been
impossible for her to have been a spectator of the
prostitution of such fine turned limbs--that always do their
office.
His brother the D. of C. however out-tript him in this, as
he does in most other of his demarches; but not finding a
Mrs. B---y, as he did at Southampton, to go down the
country-dances, he soon desisted, which occasioned the
breaking up the ball before twelve, just as I had procured a
partner, got my gloves on, and the Lad's a dunce was called.
Upon my return to my inn, thus chagrined and mortified, I
had the additional dissatisfaction to find that I had left
my repeating watch in the crowd; and I have now before me
another aggravating circumstance, in a bill of seven pounds,
three shillings, and four-pence, for board and lodging for
two nights, without having scarce broke my fast, though my
rest has been most insupportably broke ever since I left
London.
Adieu, I shall see you soon, I hope, being in great
distress through fatigue. [signed] T. D.
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