CONTENTS

OF

THE THIRD VOLUME.

CHAPTER I.

The Child Born to be King-A Dull, Good Boy-

'Uncommonly full of Princely Prejudices '-Death

of Frederick, Prince of Wales-What the Princess

said of the King-My Lord Bute and the Dowager —

The New Prince of Wales-None Suffered to Ap-

proach Him-Her Highness of Wolfenbüttel and the

King-The Story of Hannah Lightfoot-The King is

Dead-A New Order of Things

CHAPTER II.

1

Loyal Subjects-The King at the Playhouse-What His

Majesty said to Lady Susan—The Princess Dowager's

Alarm-In Search of a Queen--An Unknown Princess

-Her Journey to England-The Marriage Ceremony

-Loyal Addresses-The most Brilliant Drawing-

room ever Known-Some Distinguished Courtiers—

The Coronation Ceremony-What George Selwyn

said-Charles Edward Stuart at the Coronation

Banquet

33

1

CHAPTER III.

The Witch' and the Earl-How the new Reign was

Disturbed-Pitt and Peace--Popular Feeling--The

King ridiculed by the Mob-The Scotch Favourite-

Public Demonstrations-What the Pamphlets and

Ballads said-Caricatures of the Day-The Royal

Prorogation-Wholesale Bribery-Triumph and Ven-

geance-The Toast to Wit, Beauty, Virtue, and

Honour-Lord Bute Resigns

CHAPTER IV.

77

Dark Pictures in the King's Life-Buckingham House-

Birth of a Royal Heir-Seclusion of Their Majesties

-Edward, Duke of York--The Princess Augusta—

A Gay and Gallant Soldier-Brunswick's Prince and

his Popularity-The King's Insanity-Death of Billy

the Butcher'-His Highness of Gloucester-Private

Marriage-Romance of the Danish Court―The Queen

and her Lover-Death of the Princess Dowager-

Lord Bute's Wealth
111

CHAPTER V.

The King's Brother, Henry Frederick, Duke of Cumber-

land---Remarkable Intrigue-Lord Grosvenor's Court-

ship-The Royal Lover and his Amorous Letters-

The Countess's Reply-Royal Marriage Bill--The

King and Queen at Kew--The Prince and Perdita

Robinson-The Meeting at Old Kew by Moonlight

-The Duchess of Cumberland courts Popularity—

Midnight Revelry at Lord Chesterfield's-Charles

Fox-The Charming Duchess of Devonshire and the

Westminster Election-Mrs. Crouch and Mrs. Bel-

lington

169

Richard Brinsley Sheridan and Miss Betsy Linley—Sheri-

dan Introduced to the Prince-Interview with a Child

of Israel-The Royal Debts-Mrs. Fitzherbert-Flight

to the Continent-The Prince's Tears and Despair-

Letter from Charles Fox-Marriage of Mrs Fitzher-

bert-Cowardice and Deception of the Prince—The

King's Social Life-His Original Criticisms on Shake-

speare-Her Majesty's Opinion of the 'Sorrows of

Werter-Mrs Siddons at the Play and at Windsor—

Signs of the King's Madness
232

CHAPTER VII.

Old Wits in the New Reign-My Lord Chesterfield in his

Last Days-Rehearsing his Funeral-His Courtesy

Strong in Death-Remarkable Will-At Strawberry

Hill-Walpole's Amiable and Polished Manner—

Reads his Tragedy to a bevy of Fine Ladies-His

Contempt for Men of Letters-Chatterton Writes to

Him-Fight for Bread, and Death by Poison-At

the First Academy Dinner-Kitty Clive at Straw-

berry-The Misses Berry—Walpole's Last Days . 282

CHAPTER VIII.

George Selwyn Morbid and Tender-hearted—Dr. Dodd-

The Marchese Fagniani-Topham Beauclerk and Dr.

Johnson-A Morning's Adventure-Lady Diana and

her Spouse-Nancy Parsons and the Duke of Grafton

-Further Adventures of Nancy-Lord Maynard--

Mad Tom Hervey and his Letters-Elopement of

Lady Susan Strangways with an Actor-Marriage of

Lady Henrietta Wentworth and her Footman

310

CHAPTER IX.

Amusements of the Town-Some Masquerades-Strange
Costumes-Mr. Cornelly's Entertainments-Suppers
and Breakfasts-Madame de Boufflers at Strawberry
Hill-Her Visit to Dr. Johnson-Favourite Opera-
singers-Lord March and the Rena-The Archbishop
of Canterbury Scandalizes Lady Huntington--Rage
for Gambling and its Consequences-The Bucks and
the Maccaronies-Samuel Foot, the Celebrated Buf-
foon '--Fashionable Rogues-Some Strange Notices

354

COURT LIFE BELOW STAIRS.

CHAPTER I.

The Child Born to be King-A Dull, Good BoyUncommonly full of Princely Prejudices'-Death of Frederick, Prince of Wales -What the Princess said of the King-My Lord Bute and the Dowager — The New Prince of Wales-None Suffered to Approach Him-Her Highness of Wolfenbüttel and the King-The Story of Hannah Lightfoot-The King is Dead-A New Order of Things.

N the 4th of June, 1738, a male child was

ON

born to their Royal Highnesses Frederick and Augusta, Prince and Princess of Wales, who subsequently gained the reputation of being the dullest prince in Europe. It happened that this child born to be king first saw the light in Norfolk House, St. James's Square. Only a few months previously,

VOL. III.

B

T