Report to the Right honourable the master of the rolls upon the documents in the archives and public libraries of Venice / by Thomas Duffus Hardy.
- Thomas Duffus Hardy
- Date:
- 1866
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Report to the Right honourable the master of the rolls upon the documents in the archives and public libraries of Venice / by Thomas Duffus Hardy. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.
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![I was already on the road, when my zeal was stimulated by your honored despatch of the 30th April, the only one that reached me in Germany, I, therefore, continued the march with such speed that in four days I got to the Hague, where I found the Princess Caroline still waiting for a fair wind. I did not join her retinue, because in the course of that night she departed, and I did the like on Saturday, the 1st of the month [N.S.], as soon as I knew that the passage boat Prince George was about to set sail. Immediately on arriving at Eotterdam, I went on board and pro- ceeded to the Brill, remaining there at anchor three whole days. At length on Tuesday morning the captain set sail with a slant of wind in our favour, which lulled an hour afterwards, and gave way to the N.W. or Garbin, which blowing a gale, and in gusts, raised a heavy sea during 40 consecutive hours, and took us upwards of 40 French leagues out of our course, with manifest risk of shipwreck, and of my making a useless sacrifice of my life for my country. At length the Almighty, who com- mands both sea and winds, granted a calm, guided us into harbour, and, a week ago to-day, I landed in this capital, where the Court Commissary took me to the lodging appointed me by the King three weeks before my arrival, near St. James's Palace. My small amount of baggage was all at the Custom House to be examined ; and whilst waiting for it I had to remain at home, where his excellency the Ambassador Trono, putting me to the blush and confusion, came to see me, and thus gained some repute for me with those unacquainted with a person so very insignificant as I am, through the honour of his visit. Saturday was a day of gala, being the anniversary of the King's birth, and I was impatient to go to Court, but had to wait for my trunks, and for a whole suit from the tailor. I was ready to go abroad at 6 p.m., and went immediately to the feet of his Majesty, who had asked for me several times ; the entire crowd of competitors on such a day did not pre- vent me from having an audience of half an hour, tete & tete, in his private apartments; and I can say with truth, that he treated me, not as if he were the King of Great Britain, but as that same Elector of Brunswick, who during so long a period has graciously distinguished me as publicly known. He continues to show me the same kindness, of which he gave additional proof by immediately desiring the chamberlains on duty to let me pass as a private attendant [ intimo familiare], without need of asking permission, a favour conceded neither to the ambassadors nor to the nobility [ ai Milordi ], but only to a few Germans and to the lords in waiting. Such a grace, envied by many, and which I receive solely through the Sovereign's goodness, will enable me to approach him fre- quently. At this first visit, after paying such compliments as due on his accession to the throne, and on the celebration of his birthday, I lost no time in expatiating on the esteem and respect borne him by the Re- public, expressions which he received graciously and reciprocated them. Having then made the conversation turn on a ship now building in one of these dock-yards (seen by me on my way), to be named King George, and which will carry 120 guns, I explained sufficiently the earnest desires of the State, and her regret at having been unable to obtain any naval succour from England for defence against the common enemy of Chris- tendom. I explained to his Majesty that he would confer a signal favour on the Republic should he deign to give an official passport to Colombo : and throughout he listened to me graciously and attentively. The con- versation was brought to a close by the necessity for the King to appear in public, and I remained fully convinced that I had made an impression on the mind of his Majesty. I then went to pay my respects to the Prince of Wales and to the Princess his consort, both of whom received me with great kindness, the Princess indeed choosing to see me on the morrow in her own apartments quite alone, and she spoke to me at great length about the disagreements between father and son, remarking that this sort of misunderstanding was very detrimental to the royal family. On that same evening, after the ball, I had the honour to accompany](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21021284_0099.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
