REET.

This letter has been begun a week; it is now Saturday, May 28th, 1842.

MY DEAREST HARRIET,

Pray give my love to Mrs. Kemble, and tell her that the Queen Dowager
sent for me to go and pay her a visit yesterday. For goodness' sake,
Harriet, don't misunderstand me, I am only in joke! I live among such
very matter-of-fact persons that I really tremble for an hour after
every piece of nonsense I utter. You must observe by this that I am in a
painfully frequent state of trepidation; but what I meant by this
message to Mrs. Kemble is that I have been extremely amused at her
taking the trouble to write to Mrs. George Siddons to find out "all
about" my going to the Drawing-room, and the rumor which had reached her
of the Queen having desired to see me. George Siddons told me this
himself, and it struck me as such a funny interest in my concerns on the
part of Mrs. Kemble, who takes none whatever in _me_, that I thought I
would send her word of the piece of preferment which has occurred to me
since, viz. being sent for by the Queen Dowager, who desired my friend
Mademoiselle d'Este to bring me to call upon her. But what wonderful
gossip it does seem to be writing gravely round and round from
Leamington to London, and from London to Leamington, about!

You ask me how it fares with me. Why, busily and wearily enough. We have
had a perfect deluge of invitations lately, two or three thick of a
night....

We are going to-night to the Duchess of Sutherland's fancy ball at
Stafford House, which is to be a less formal, but not less magnificent,
show than the Queen's masque.

I have not begun to rehearse "The Hunchback" yet, for _I_ shall not
require many rehearsals; but one of our party attended the first this
morning, and said all the young amateurs promised very fairly, and that
Henry Greville did his part extremely well, which I am very glad to
hear. I have had but one visit from him since his return to town, when,
of course, he discussed Adelaide's plans with great zeal. He certainly
wishes very much that she should sing at the Opera, but his view of the
whole matter is so different from mine ... that we are not likely to
agree very well, even upon so general a point of discussion as her best
professional interests.

I am much concerned at your observations about her exhaustion and
hoarseness. I am so anxious that her present life should not be
prolonged, so anxious that she should realize her very moderate wishes