George Ticknor, Life, letters and journals of George Ticknor
George Hillard, Ed.

[467] officers of the guard and the officers of ceremony, and went through the crowd in different directions, speaking to as many as they could. . . . . When this was over the King took the Princess Marie¹ and walked a polonaise round the hall, followed by a part of the company, but he tottered about very sadly. The party now divided; a few went to the presence-chamber, and sat down at a dozen tables to cards; the rest remained in the ballroom, and dancing began in good earnest. . . .. . The Regent danced constantly, and repeatedly gave great pleasure by taking for partners the young Countess Baudissin and little Countess Bose, who were presented at Court for the first time, and thus had a double zest added to their first ball. The old King, too, who has been a great dancer in his day, determined to have it said that he had danced after he was eighty years old, and actually went through a quadrille with Mlle. Watzdorff. By the great skill of his partner he was prevented from falling, but it was painful to see him. . . .

The King disappeared soon after he had finished his dance, and at a little before ten o'clock the Regent led the way to supper, which was beautifully arranged in two large halls, on tables for ten persons each. Each of the princes and princesses had a table, to which, very early in the evening, such persons as they selected were invited. Immediately after our arrival, one of the officers came to us with a written list and invited us to the table of Prince John; and when we reached the table we found the list on it, and that our company consisted of the wife of the Minister of War, Countess Herzberg, Mrs. Pole [an English lady], Count Baudissin, and enough more to make up the ten.

It was a hot supper, consisting of many courses of very nice dishes, excellent wines, ices, etc.,. . . . and we remained at table about an hour and a half. The quantity of silver must have been immense, for the plates were all of silver for the whole four hundred and fifty persons, and were changed at least four times for each, and sometimes six or seven times. No distinction was made in the service and arrangements of the tables of the princes and those of the rest of the company, except that the royal family chose who should sup with them. The rest of the company chose their own places. . . . . At our table we had a very good time.

Prince John was very agreeable, and spoke pretty good English, as well as excellent French. Count Baudissin—who is about to publish some translations from Ben Jonson, Massinger, Fletcher, etc.—