DUCHESS Catharine's eccentricities 69 



costume. On approaching the anteroom, the lord- 

 in- waiting informed the Duchess that he could 

 not possibly grant her admission with that garb. 

 The Duchess apparently knew to what portion of 

 her attire the lord-in-waiting's remarks more par- 

 ticularly referred, as she immediately pulled off the 

 offending apron, threw it into that official's face, 

 and marched into the presence-chamber in brown 

 stuff-gown and petticoats — a very 'daw' among 

 ' peacocks.' 



The foregoing are only specimens of many that 

 could be recited concerning the vagaries of a woman 

 who, it is said, was as brilliant in her conversation 

 as she was witty in her letters. Nor was it only 

 those of would-be rank who suffered from her satire ; 

 persons of her own station also came in both for 

 her plain speaking and dealing.^ A little passage - 

 of- arms between her grace and the Duchess of 

 Richmond will suffice as an instance. Duchess 

 Catharine sent an invitation for Lady Emily Lennox 

 to attend a ball she was about to give; but the 

 Duchess of Richmond could not, or did not, make up 

 her mind to let her daughter go — it is suggested 

 partly on account of the recent elopement of her 



1 Walpole makes many allusions to this singular woman in his 

 works. 



