Page:The Queens of England.djvu/568

 516 THE QUEENS OF ENGLAND. After Osnaburg she visited Hanover, where she passed some weeks at the Bishop's palace, which had been fitted up for her reception. In this interval she studied the English tongue, and made herself as familiarly acquainted as possible with the habits, manners, and customs of the people, amongst whom she was destined to reside. On March 28, 1795, the princess embarked in the Jupiter, at Cuxhaven attended by Commodore Payne, Mrs. Harcourt, and others, who had been sent by the Prince of Wales to meet her ; Lady Jersey was to have been one of the deputation of ladies, but had returned from Rochester under pretence of illness. Such an appointment, on such an oc- casion, has a parallel only in the introduction of Lady Castle- maine at court by Charles the Second, on his marriage to Queen Catherine of Portugal. After some few days' delay, owing to dense fogs, the princess passed up the Thames as far as Graves- end. That night was spent on board the vessel, but next day she landed at Greenwich Hospital, where she was received by the governor, Sir H. Palliser, and other officers ; and about an hour after, Lady Jersey arrived from town, with a dress for the princess which was adopted in exchange for that which she wore on her arrival. Shortly after the princess and all her party of whom, however, two German female servants alone had remained of those who quitted her own country with her, set off in three royal carriages, with a military escort, for St. James's Palace. Immediately on her arrival there, Caroline was introduced to her future husband who not only received her with affability and kindness, but paid her many compli- ments. The king, queen and other branches of the royal family dined with the prince and princess, when much attention was shown by his Majesty to his future daughter-in-law, but the queen seems to have evinced an opposite feeling toward her royal guest. It is said that the attention shown by the prince at this first interview with Caroline, had awakened the jealousy of Lady Jersey, who, the following day, informed the bridegroom-elect that the princess had confessed to her a former attachment to a German prince. Moreover she so artfully contrived to poison his mind against his intended wife, that on the very next meet- ing, his manner was cool and reserved, and his conduct ex- ceedingly altered. The day appointed for the solemnization of their nuptials was April 8, 1795, when the ceremony was performed with the