ANECDOTE OF GEORGE III.

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shall ever remember what he said to me: "You are not uneasy, I am sure, about Amelia. You are not to be deceived, but you know that she is in no danger." At the same time he squeezed my hand with such force that I could scarcely help crying out.* The queen, however, dragged him away. When tea was served, I perceived how much alarmed I had been, for my hand shook so that I could hardly take the cup.

When the king was seated he called to him each of his sons separately, and said things to them equally sublime and instructive, but very unlike what he would have said before so many people had he been conscious of the circumstance. I never did and never will repeat what I then heard, and I sincerely believe that all present felt as I did on that occasion. His Majesty had a long conversation with Count Munster on the affairs of Hanover, so that it could only be understood by those who were acquainted with the German language. I was then convinced of the very deep impression made on him by the fate of that country. On the following evening I was not at the Castle, and it was the last on which he appeared in society.

This would have been a gross breach of etiquette. In Madame d'Arblay's Memoirs there are some goodnaturedly satirical directions given as to the conduct to be observed in the presence of royalty. "You must not upon any account stir either hand or foot. If, by chance, a black pin runs into your head, you must not take it

out. If the pain is very great, you must be sure to bear it without wincing; if it brings the tears into your eyes, you must not wipe them off; if they give you a tingling by running down your cheeks, you must look as if nothing was the matter," &c. &c.-Vol. ii. p. 407.

Princess Amelia expired on the birthday of the Duke of Kent, who had had some dispute with the Duke of York, then commander-in-chief. I was told, however, by Lady Aylesbury, who was in waiting, and had dined quietly with the melancholy party of the royal family, that the Duke of York said to her, in a whisper: "Though this is a sad day, I must drink the health of poor Edward."

Two days afterwards Princess Augusta sent for me, and as I was sitting with her, one of her dressers entered the room with a birdcage in her hand, and her fingers in her eyes. "Princess Amelia," she said, "gave orders before her death that this bird should be returned to your royal highness; but not on the day she died, nor the day after, that it might not afflict you too much in the first hours of your grief. But she wished you to know how much she was obliged to you for giving it to her, and what a comfort its sweet voice had been."

Two ladies sat up with the until the time of the funeral.

corpse every night

I was directed to

perform this duty one night with Lady George Murray. We were in a room adjoining that in

Lady George Murray was widow of Lord George Murray, Bishop of St. David's. George the Third, proposing to appoint her preceptress to Princess Charlotte in 1805, commanded Mr. Rose to state distinctly what he knew about that lady. Mr. Rose then said, "that as a girl she was remarkably amiable, and very innocent; that she

had been married when little more than a child to a young man under age; that she had conducted herself most unexceptionably, to say the least, both as a wife and mother; that he had never heard a syllable to her disadvantage, but much in her commendation."Diaries and Correspondence of the Right Hon. George Rose, vol. ii.

DEATH OF PRINCESS AMELIA.

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which was the coffin, with the doors open. On the table was a book, which had been a favourite with Princess Amelia. It was Tillikeper's "Thoughts on Religious Subjects," and many of them had a pencil mark. The passages thus distinguished testified to the feelings and judgment of the Princess, and I asked leave to transcribe them into the copy of that work which she herself had given to me.

The King recovered sufficiently to be told of her death, and he arranged everything relating to the ceremony of the funeral. It appeared, indeed, that before his late serious attack he had made some preparations for this event, although, in the wanderings of his imagination, he could not think her in danger. However this might be, the matter was settled very properly. One of the Queen's ladies was to go as chief mourner,* followed, of course, by others belonging to the Princesses; but, although I had no engagement of that kind, the King chose that I should have a place in the procession, knowing how sincerely I was attached to

* The pall was supported by the Viscountess Cranley, Lady E. Thynne, the Countess of Ely, and Lady G. Murray. The chief mourner was the Countess of Chesterfield, whose train was borne by Lady Halford, the wife of the eminent physician, supported by the Countesses of Macclesfield and Ilchester. The ladies attendant on the Queen and Princesses who were present on this occasion were Lady

N

Albinia Cumberland, Miss Goldsworthy, Mrs. Williams, Hon. Mrs. Fielding, Hon. Mrs. Egerton, Hon. Miss Townshend, Madame and Mademoiselle Beckersdorff, Miss Knight, Mrs. Adams, Miss Montmollin, Miss Planta, Miss Gaskin, Miss Byerley, Mrs. Davenport, and Mrs. Robinson. The funeral took place in the evening of the 14th of November.

the Princess. I also heard that when lying on her death-bed, that the two persons whom the Princess most warmly recommended to her father, were Mrs. Williams-who had been her nurse, and was then attending her-and myself. I was also named amongst the few persons to whom she desired that remembrances should be given.

For the anthem the King had selected a passage from the sixteenth Psalm, which used to be often sung by the Princess and her father. The conclusion, "In thy presence is gladness, and fulness of joy," raised my spirits from the depression into which they had fallen; and, when I returned home, gave me a better night's rest than I had enjoyed for some time.

*The words of the concluding verse of the sixteenth Psalm: "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy pre

sence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."

THE KING'S HEALTH.

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CHAPTER XI.

STATE OF THE COURT-THE REGENCY-PRINCESS OF WALES-PRINCESS CHARLOTTE-ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE EDUCATION OF THE PRINCESSMISS KNIGHT BECOMES LADY COMPANION.

THE amendment in the state of the King's mind was only temporary. From this time he was lost to his family and to his subjects; but his name was still held sacred-he was still beloved and respected. Among the aberrations of his mind there was one which must greatly have contributed to his comfort. He fancied that Princess Amelia was not dead, but living at Hanover, where she would never grow older, and always be well. He endeavoured to impart the same consolation to one of his physicians, who was lamenting the loss of his wife, by telling him that she was not dead, but living at Hanover with Amelia.

I did not quit Windsor even for a day during the remainder of the winter. The drawing-rooms were