fear it may not be till it is too late. Therefore, although the poor King's death, it is apprehended, will make a great commotion, yet that event is the only one likely to induce the Princess to dismiss her present household, and return to England: for I think with Sir W. Gell that she has still sufficient energy left to make her endeavour to maintain her position in this country. I was told to-day, on good authority, that the Regent dreads her coming back to England, and is devising all sorts of manoeuvres to prevent her doing so. People are becoming inquisitive about the Milan commission, and murmur very loudly against the continuation of these secret proceedings against her. I heard that Lord Y―h, the Prince's dear friend, let out all his master's intentions on this score, and declared that what the Regent wished was, to persuade the Princess to accept a large income, and to resign all pretension to queenly dignities, and to promise never to set her foot in any part of these dominions. This report tallies with what Sir W. Gell had heard ; but then I was informed furthermore, that if she is restive, and determined to maintain her rights to the throne, the Prince will do all in his power to bring her to a trial. His ministers are much averse to this measure, it is said, knowing that it will be a most dangerous one to themselves, the Prince, and the country. But upon

my asking if it were possible that he had the means to attempt such a scheme, my informant shook his head and replied, "The Princess has been most imprudent since she left England, and she has now for some time past shut her doors against all the English who waited upon her. Of course this circumstanee will be laid hold of, and people will augur ill from this strict seclusion, and imagine the Princess does not choose any person to see the footing on which she lives with these Italian people. What reply could I make to such a remark? what reply could any of her friends make, except that it is a pity—that they are sorry—and that, as all those do who have lived intimately with the Princess of Wales, they must know that she often gave occasion for animadversion on her conduct by the imprudence of her manners and conversation, when she did not deserve censure of a deeper dye, and that I imagined the reason of her denying herself to English visiters arose from the prejudice which she had imbibed against their country people, and that she wished to avoid hearing them recalled to her recollection, as she conceived herself to have been ill treated by many of their nation. When I observed that the Princess had mentioned to me having seen Mr. N lately, my informant replied, "Oh! his presence will not do her much good-he is reckoned a very

gay man." “ Mr. N

gay?" I repeated with astonishment. "It is even so," was the reply; "extraordinary as it may appear, he is a great heartslayer." He is certainly very agreeable in conversation, but most unprepossessing in his appearance; and so dirty in his toilette, that it is not to be believed any gentleman should be so careless in his dress. Only imagine what he is well known to have declared to several persons, that he "never travelled so comfortably as he did in going to Rome on one occasion, when he never stopped to change his habiliments during the whole journey." I could not help laughing at this anecdote; but my friend appeared to have a prejudice against Mr. N―, so I do not give credence to his information on the subject.

Lord Fife called on me. He is become much more agreeable than he used to be formerly; for he talks much more, and has not acquired any finery by having become a great man. He has a Spanish gentleman with him at present, who, he informed me, sings delightfully. Lord F. is supposed to be very extravagant, and it is said his great fortune will soon be exhausted.

Lady P is quite an anti-princess, and says she knows to a certainty of a daughter she had at Durham. She informed me that there is a book advertised, called "Perjury and something else refuted," by her Royal Highness the Princess

of Wales, at full length. I hope this also is an invention; for it is beneath her Majesty to publish a book about herself; and yet I am told nobody can dare to advertise a book in anybody's name without their permission. However, I intend to obtain this book, which I believe to be an imposition, and that I may contradict the blockheads who will believe any catchpenny, as if they supposed the Princess really wrote "The Spirit of the Book." The only reason I have for fearing this new production may be sanctioned by the Princess, or at least that she has permitted her name to appear as the author, is, that she has been tempted perhaps by the offer of money, which, as she is much annoyed on that score, may have led her to do this or many other foolish things.

I happened to open Madame De Staël's Allemagne, and passed the whole night in reading that delightful work over again. The great charm in all her writings is, that they are her own thoughts, set down with all the force of homefelt truth; and any person who has had the gratification of living in intimacy with this celebrated woman, must be aware that in reading her works they are holding conversation, as it were, with herself. I heard the other day that she is about to marry her pretty daughter to the Duc de Broglie. It is an alliance which pleases her, I hear, in

every way; which I am very glad to learn. Mdlle. De Staël appeared to me exceedingly amiable and fascinating, but far inferior to her mother in point of intellect. She may not be the less a happy woman-nay, perhaps that inferiority may conduce to her happiness; and being the daughter of so clever a person is fame sufficient, without desiring to gain celebrity in her own person. It appeared to me that Mdlle. De Staël had more tenderness of disposition than her mother, but less ardour in her feelings—less enthusiasm; and therefore she is more likely to be a happy woman than Madame De Staël. But it always surprised me to see how the latter, who is so romantic in her nature, was anxious to make her daughter form an alliance of interest, without reference to the choice of her heart. It is curious to observe, how often those who are themselves the most unworldly and disinterested, seek to render others who are under their influence the very reverse. I suppose this proceeds from self-experience, which has taught them the insufficiency of youthful preference, to procure happiness in marriage, when unattended by those prudential considerations without which there can be no lasting comfort.

END OF VOL. III.

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