Those were the most urgent in their
applications, as will be easily understood, whose claims to such
distinction were the most problematic. The practice was for the
minister to present to the grand duke whom he thought fit, and those
so presented went to the balls as a matter of course. The position of
the minister, it will be seen, was an invidious one. Under the
pressure of these circumstances, Sir George Hamilton declared that he
would in no case take upon himself to decide on the fitness or
unfitness of any person, but would act invariably upon the old
recognized rule of etiquette observed at other courts in such
matters--i.e., he would present anybody who had been presented at the
court of St. James, and none who had not been so presented. The result
was soon apparent in a singular thinning of the magnificent suites of
rooms of the Pitti on ball-nights. The general appearance of the rooms
might be something more like what the receiving-rooms of princes are
wont to look like, but all that was gained in _quality_ was attained
by a very marked sacrifice of _quantity_. In a week or two Sir George
received a hint to the effect that the grand duke would be pleased if
the minister would be less strict in the matter of presenting such
English as might desire to come to the Pitti. "Oh!" said Sir George,
"if _that_ is what is desired, there can be no difficulty about it.
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