o
retire altogether to the happy fire-side, where I trusted to dream away
the evening of my days in the society of my own family.

"In this position of our affairs, it chanced that we were both in
attendance on the Queen at Kew; where one evening a chosen few,
distinguished by her Majesty's favour, formed a select circle. The
conversation turned upon music, and the Queen who had been describing
with national partiality the beauty of the hymns sung by the Portuguese
mariners, suddenly addressing me, observed that since she left her
native country she had heard no vocal music which had given her pleasure
except from the lips of Miss Marchmont: 'I cannot' said she kindly
smiling, 'as you may perceive, forget the name of one whose society I
prized so highly; but if 'Lady Greville' will pardon my inadvertence,
and oblige me by singing one of those airs with which she was wont
formerly to charm me to sleep when I suffered either mental or bodily
affliction, I will in turn forgive _you_, my lord, for robbing me of the
attendance of my friend.'

"Theresa instantly obeyed, and while she hung over her instrument her
attitude was so graceful, that the Queen again observed to me, 'we must
have our Theresa seen by Lely in that costume, and thus occupied she
would make a charming study for his pencil; and I promise myself the
pleasure of possessing it as a lasting memorial of my young friend.'
The portrait to which this observation gave rise, you must have seen
yourself, my Helen, in the gallery at Silsea castle.

"While I was thus engaged by her Majesty, I observed the Duke of
Buckingham approach my wife with an air of deference bordering on irony;
he appeared to make some unpleasant request which he affected to urge
with an earnestness beyond the rules of gallantry or good breeding, and
which she refused with an appearance of haughtiness I had never before
seen her excise. He than respectfully addressed the Queen, and entreated
her intercession with Lady Greville for a favourite Italian air, one,
he said, which her Majesty had probably never enjoyed the happiness of
hearing--but before the Queen could reply, before I had time to inquire
into the cause of the agony and shame which were mingled in Lady
Greville's looks, she covered her brow with her hands, and exclaimed
with hysteric violence, 'No, never more--never again. Alas! it is too
late.'

"The queen, herself too deeply skilled in the sorrows of a wounded
heart, appeared