Fantoccini Theatre in Saville Row, prompted, no doubt, by old
associations with Esterhaz. On the 24th he went to Oatlands to
visit the Duke of York, who had just married the Princess of
Prussia. "I remained two days," he says, "and enjoyed many marks
of graciousness and honour... On the third day the Duke had me
taken twelve miles towards town with his own horses. The Prince
of Wales asked for my portrait. For two days we made music for
four hours each evening, i.e., from ten o'clock till two hours
after midnight. Then we had supper, and at three o'clock went to
bed." After this he proceeded to Cambridge to see the university,
thence to Sir. Patrick Blake's at Langham. Of the Cambridge visit
he writes: "Each university has behind it a very roomy and
beautiful garden, besides stone bridges, in order to afford
passage over the stream which winds past. The King's Chapel is
famous for its carving. It is all of stone, but so delicate that
nothing more beautiful could have been made of wood. It has
already stood for 400 years, and everybody judges its age at
about ten years, because of the firmness and peculiar whiteness
of the stone. The students bear themselves like those at Oxford,
but it is said they have better instructors. There are in all 800
students."

From Langham he went to the house of a Mr Shaw, to find in his
hostess the "most beautiful woman I ever saw." Haydn, it may be
remarked in passing, was always meeting the "most beautiful
woman." At one time she was a Mrs Hodges, another of his London
admirers. When quite an old man he still preserved a ribbon which
Mrs Shaw had worn during his visit, and on which his name was
embroidered in gold.