PRINCE OF DENMARK.

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Prince of Denmark, who three years afterwards succeeded to the Danish throne. Both in appearance and character she strongly resembled her mother, and a close coincidence existed between their lives, inasmuch that, though the King of Denmark proved an affectionate husband, he was not a faithful one, from the same reason which actuated George II. The young king would not have the world think that he was ruled by his wife, or was so unfashionable as to love her; and for the purpose of protesting his independence he publicly maintained a mistress. The Queen of Denmark, however, differed from her mother in not only withholding her approval from this arrangement, but in letting it become a source of unhappiness to her. She, however, never complained, as she had promised never to do so, no matter what her wrongs might be, when she was leaving England. She died when but twenty-seven years old; her last hours were painful, she having an operation for rupture performed, which proved ineffectual. When the news of her demise reached England, the king was greatly grieved, and lamented her bitterly. This has been a fatal year' (1751) 'to my

family,' he said. 'I lost my eldest son, but I am glad of it; then the Prince of Orange died, and left everything in confusion. Poor little Edward' (his grandson) has been cut open' (for an imposthume in his skull), ' and now the Queen of Denmark is gone. I know I did not love my children when they were young; I hated to have them running into my room; but now I love them as well as most fathers.'

And the king, grown affectionate in his old age, wept for his loss.

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CHAPTER VI.

Social Life at Court-The King's Love for Hanover-The Queen made Regent-The Court at Claremont-Mrs. Howard resigns her Appointment-The King visits Hanover again-Madame Walmoden-The Royal Letters-His Majesty returns-The Queen seeks Advice-Royal Birthdays-The Town becomes Dull— The King's Anxiety to leave England-Madame Walmoden and the Garden Ladder-A Hard Lesson' -The Archbishop of York congratulates Her Majesty on her Sense.

HE social life of George II. and his queen

THE

presents us with one of the most curious chapters in the history of the English court. The glimpses given us through the diaries, letters, and memoirs of the times afford a strange study, always interesting, and not seldom without a moral. Here is, to commence with, a very fair etching of a court scene, by a poor relation of my Lord Strafford. 'I stay very often to the

6

night drawing-rooms,' he writes, which are kept in the little room between the presence-chamber and the queen's gallery, where I have generally the honour to stand very conspicuous, alone, full in all their view, so that by this time they must know every button on my coat. Poor old Mercmon, indeed, is often puffing and blowing by the queen's ears. The quadrille-table is well known, and there is the large table surrounded by my master' (the Prince of Wales), the Princesses, the Duke of Cumberland, the Bedchamber ladies, Lord Lumley, Mr. Lumley, Mr. Campbell, Lord Carnavon, Lord Middlesex, and all the belle-assemblée at a most stupid game— in my mind lottery ticket. A hundred pounds. are sometimes lost at this pastime. The maids play below with the king, in Mrs. Howard's apartment, and the moment they come up, the queen starts up and goes into her apartment. The drawing-room is quite over generally at ten o'clock. On the coronation day they saw company in the king's gallery, which was pretty full. Count Skinsby was exceedingly fine in self, wife, and equipage. He had a bright scarlet velvet coat, embroidered richly with

BID ME NOT BEAT HIM.

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gold and fine point lace, which I think he generally has. At night the little room was crowded, but nothing extraordinary. T'other night Lord Grantham and the queen had a dispute about going to a room without passing by the back stairs; she bid him go and see, he did, and came back as positive as before. "Well," says she, "will you go along with me if I show you the way?" "Yes, madam," says he. Up she starts, and trots away with one candle, and came back triumphant over my Lord Grantham. The belle-assemblée was in an uproar, thinking the king was ill, when I told them it was a wager between the queen and Lord Grantham. Were I to tell you I had the honour to turn the dog called Chance out of the room, and that the queen bid me not beat him, and that I had the same honour in the drawingroom, and once was so happy as to take a thief out of the queen's candle by the Princess Royal's orders, you will immediately think I imagine my fortune to be made; but I take all this as it is-nothing.'

George II. had little love for his English courtiers, or the people over whom he reigned.