F. A. K.

_Monday, 19th._--Went to Fozzard's, and had a pleasant, gossiping
ride with Lady Grey and Miss Cavendish. While I was still riding,
the Duchess of Kent and our little queen that is to be came down
into the school; I was presented to them at their desire, and
thought Princess Victoria a very unaffected, bright-looking girl.
Fozzard made me gallop round; I think he is rather proud of showing
me off.... My father is not so well again to-day. How dreadful
these alternations are! I read Daru all the afternoon, and then
sang in my own room to amuse Henry, till dinner-time. Colonel
Bailey sent me the mare's saddle and bridle, and after dinner the
boys put them on a chair for me, and gave me an absurd make-believe
ride.

_Wednesday, 21st_--Dear Mr. Harness called, and I received him. He
tells me that at the theater they want to do his tragedy ("The Wife
of Antwerp," was, I think, the name of the piece) without my
father; but this seems to me really sheer madness. The play is a
pretty, interesting, well-written piece, and, well propped and
sustained, may perhaps succeed for a few nights, but as to throwing
the whole weight, or rather weakness of it, upon my shoulders, or
any one pair of shoulders, it is folly to think of it. It is not a
powerful sort of monologue like "Fazio," where the interest centres
in one person and one passion, and therefore if that character is
well sustained the rest can shift for itself. It is no such matter;
it is a play of incident and not of character, and must be played
by people and not one person. What terrible bad management! But,
poor people! what can they do, with my father lying disabled there?
If it was not for their complete disregard for their own interest,
I should be inclined to quarrel with them for the way in which they
are ruining mine; and I sincerely hope, for the sake of everybody
concerned, that Mr. Harness will resist this senseless proposition.

I went with John in the afternoon to Angerstein's Gallery (M.
Angerstein's fine collection of pictures was not then incorporated
in the National Gallery, of which it subsequently became so
important a portion); there are some new pictures there. Unluckily,
we had only an hour to stay, but I brought away a great deal with
me for so short a time.