ce, holding
a pair of scales, in which "Private Friendship," typified by two ladies
of the household, weighs down "Public Service" full of Ministers. I have
here reproduced No. 597, "Child's Play," in which figure the Queen, the
Duchess of Sutherland, the Marchioness of Normanby, and other ladies of
the household. No. 599 is a "Curious instance of (Ministerial)
'Resuscitation,' effected by distinguished members of the _Royal_ Humane
Society." Lord Melbourne is lying on a couch, attended by the Queen and
ladies of the household. The Queen holds a smelling bottle to his nose,
and says: "Ah, there's a dear, now do revive."

Whether it was owing to this affair, or not, I know not, but at Ascot
races this year the Queen was absolutely hissed at by some one, or more
persons--and the _Times_ of 25 June quotes from the _Morning Post_ thus:

"At the last Ascot races, we have reason to believe that the Duchess
of Montrose and Lady Sarah Ingestre received an intimation that Her
Majesty was impressed with the idea that they were among the persons
who had hissed at a moment when no sounds but those of applause,
gratulation and loyalty ought to have been heard. It was, we
believe, further intimated to the noble ladies we have mentioned,
that the Royal ear had been abused, to the effect already stated, by
Lady Lichfield. The ladies, who had reason to think that they had
been thus unjustly and ridiculously accused, applied immediately to
their supposed accuser, who denied that she had made any such
communication. On being urged to give this denial in writing, she
declined to do so without first consulting her lord. But, on the
application being renewed at a subsequent period, her ladyship, as we
understand, explicitly, and in writing, denied that she had given
utterance to the calumny in question. Here the matter stood, until,
from some incidents connected with the late ball at Buckingham
Palace, the two ladies, thus impeached, saw reason to believe that
the erroneous impression communicated to Her Majesty at Ascot had not
been entirely removed. It was an impression, however, which they
could not permit to remain without employing every means of removing
it; and, accordingly, the Duchess of Montrose went to Buckingham
Palace, and requested an audience of Her Majesty. After waiting for
a considerable period (two hours, as we have been