| Citation |
BG.755.011
21 Apr 1755:31,32 (3)
London. . . Feb.6. . . Last night the Russian Ambassador
gave a most magnificent ball at Somerset-House, at which his
Majesty and the Royal Family were present, who had a number
of tickets presented to them to be disposed of at their
pleasure. The Royal Family, and the principal nobility,
first paid a visit to the Dutchess of Norfolk, who saw masks
the beginning of the evening at her Grace's house in St.
James's Square, where a kind of portico covered with canvas,
was erected from the door, to the footway, for the
accommodation of chairs setting down the ladies, over cover,
so as not to be exposed to the populace. From thence to
Somerset-House the succession of the chairs continued for a
considerable time without intermission. It would fill this
paper to display the grandeur of the entertainment, or the
brilliancy of the illustrious assembly, who vied with each
other in richness of attire. The Princess of Wales appeared
in a rich blue habit; Lady Augusta in a white Italian dress,
with a black cap splendidly ornamented with diamonds; the
Prince of Wales in rich pink, dressed after the manner of
Tancred, with a large plume of feathers on his head; a
celebrated countess appeared in the character of Eve; the
fruit pendant to her fig-leaf was composed of diamonds of
the largest size; a noble lady shone in the habit of a
nymph, which was embroidered over with stars studded with
brillants to the amount of 100,000 l. value. In a word, few
exhibitions of this kind have equalled, none excelled it.
The number of persons were above a thousand. [This whole
item is printed entirely in italics]
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