The Virginia Gazette

The Entertainment given on Thursday by Lord Stanley, at his Seat in Surry, under the Title of Fete Champetre, was one of the most novel, elegant, and splendid Festivals, ever produced in this Country. The Occasion is said to be the Marriage of that young Nobleman with Lady Betty Hamilton, a Lady as distinguishable for her Beauty and graceful Manner as his Lordship is for his Taste and Munificence. Considering the Entertainment of the Day and Evening, it was beyond Description grand and agreeable; its Name was truly characteristical, as every fanciful rustick Sport and Game was introduced. There were Groups of Shepherds and Shepherdesses variously attired, who skipped about, kicking at the Tambourines which were pendent from the Trees, and an infinite Number of Persons, habited as Peasants, who attended Swings and other Amusements, and occasionally formed Partie Quarrées to dance Quadrilles. The Day closed with Dancing; the Night opened with a Display of a Suite of grand Rooms erected on the Occasion; an elegant circular Vestibule formed the Entrance to a noble State Room 120 Feet long, which communicated to a spacious Supper Room. These Apartments were decorated in a Style peculiarly ornamental and rich; they were illuminated with an infinite Number of Lamps of different Colours; the Seats were all covered, and the Drapery of the Room as well as the Curtains was trimmed with Gold Fringe. In the Centre of the Room an ancient Druid appeared, with his Bough of Mistletoe, and in a characteristical Dress. A Scene was also introduced exhibiting a large Group of Fauns and Dryads, about thirty in Number, in picturesque Habits of Tiger Skins, ornamented with Oak Leaves, over a fine Rose-coloured Silk; these entertained the Company with a serious Dance, under the Direction of Seignior Lepy, the Opera House Ballet Master. There was a Pantomime Story told by the Dance, in which Cupid and Hymen were introduced as principal Characters; the little blind God was robbed of his Wings by Hymen, by Way of expressing his Wish that such a Fate should ever attend his Victims. The Profusion displayed on the Tables and Sideboards was equal to the other Elegance of the Entertainment. There were present near 300 Persons of Distinction; amongst whom were the Duke and Dutchess of Marlborough, Dutchess of Northumberland and Grafton. Duke of Dorset, Lord North, the foreign Ministers, Lord and Lady Melbourne, Lord Charles Spencer, Lord Robert Bertie, Lady Almeria Carpenter, Lady Frances Conway, Lady Harriet Stanhope, &c.

Though the Company at the Fete Champetre, given by Lord Stanley, was in general dressed with much Propriety, the Ladies and Gentlemen who were singularly happy in the Fancy of their Habits were the Duke and Dutchess of Grafton, the Duke and Dutchess of Marlborough, Lord and Lady Sefton, Lady Betty Hamilton (the avowed Queen of the Entertainment) Lady Harriet Stanhope, Lady Warren, the two Miss Jeffreys, Mrs. Fitzroy, and Mrs. Damer. The Beauty of the Ladies acquired, if possible, new Force from the pastoral Simplicity of their Appearance; and had Theocritus himself been a Spectator of the Scene, he would have confessed that the most delightful Picture his Imagination ever painted in the Fields of Sicily was by no Means to be compared with the real Festivity at the Oaks on Thursday Evening.

Lady Betty Hamilton appeared most charming at the Fête Champêtre.

The first Part of the Evening she was dressed in the Habit of Vandyke’s Wife, in Compliment to his Lordship, who was dressed as Vandyke.

At Supper she was still more beautiful, having changed her Dress for that of Iphigenia preparing for Sacrifice. After Supper, Mr. Pigott, as an ancient Druid, announced the intended Marriage in an elegant Copy of Verses.