After this, the vice-chancellor and professors begged for the honour of
kissing the king's hand. Lord Harcourt was again the backward messenger;
and here followed a great mark of goodness in the king: he saw that
nothing less than a thoroughbred old courtier, such as Lord Harcourt,
could walk backwards down these steps, before himself, and in sight of
so full a hall of spectators---and he therefore dispensed with being
approached to his seat, and walked down himself into the area, where the
vice-chancellor kissed his hand, and was imitated by every professor and
doctor in the room.
Notwithstanding this considerate good-nature in his majesty, the sight,
at times, was very ridiculous. Some of the worthy collegiates, unused
to such ceremonies, and unaccustomed to such a presence, the moment they
had kissed the king's hand, turned their backs to him, and walked away
as in any common room; others, attempting to do better, did still worse,
by tottering and stumbling, and falling foul of those behind them some,
ashamed to kneel, took the king's hand straight up to their mouths;
others, equally off their guard, plumped down on both knees, and could
hardly get up again; and many, in their confusion, fairly arose by
pulling his majesty's hand to raise them.
As the king spoke to every one, upon Lord Harcourt's presenting them,
this ceremonial took up a good deal of time but it was too new and
diverting to appear long.
It was vacation time; there were therefore none of the students present.
When the whole was over, we left the theatre in the same form we had
entered it. The Duke and Duchess of Marlborough, the Marquis and the
Ladies Spencer, attended the king and queen to their carriages, and then
went back to the theatre, to wait for their own.
I cannot now go on with our progress regularly, for I do not remember
it. I will only, therefore, in general, say, that I was quite delighted
with the city, and so entertained and so pleased with such noble
buildings as it presented to me, that I felt, as I have told you, a
consciousness to pleasure revived in me, which had long lain nearly
dormant.