the reserve of the courtiers to a less commendable motive. On
occasion of a masqued festival given by Her Majesty on her birth-day
at Kew, the king, in distributing the characters, allotted to Miss
Marchmont that of Diana. 'Your Majesty' said the Duchess of Grafton,
'has judiciously assigned the part of the frigid goddess, to the
only statue of snow visible among us. _Mademoiselle se rencherit sur
son petit air de province, si glacial et si arrange_,' continued
she, turning to the Comt de Gramont. 'Madam,' said the king, bowing
respectfully to Theresa, with all that captivating grace of address
for which he was distinguished, 'if every frozen statue were as
lovely and attractive as this, I should forget to wish for their
animation; and become myself a votary of the

"'Queen and huntress, chaste and fair!'

"'Ay,' whispered the Duke of Buckingham, 'even at the perilous risk
of being termed Charles, king and Lunatic.'

"This sobriquet of Diana had passed into a proverb; and such was
Theresa's character for coldness and reserve, that I attributed to
her temper of mind, the evident indifference with which she received
my attentions. Meeting her as I did, either in public assemblies, or
in the antechamber of the Queen among the other ladies in waiting, I
had no opportunity of making myself more particularly acquainted
with her sentiments and character. When I addressed her in the
evening circle, although she readily entered into conversation on
general subjects, and displayed powers of mind of no common order,
yet, if I attempted to introduce any topic, which might lead to a
discussion of our mutual situation, she relapsed into silence. At
times her countenance became so pensive, so touchingly sorrowful,