"THE BOOK!”—APPENDIX (B).

No. 1.

STATEMENT OF LADY DOUGLAS.

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales having judged proper to order me to detail to bim, as Heir Apparent, the whole circumstance of my acquaintance with her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, from the day I first spoke with her to the present time, I felt it my duty, as a subject, to comply, without hesitation, with his Royal Highness's commands; and I did so, because I conceived, even putting aside the rights of an Heir Ap. parent, his Royal Highness was justified in informing himself as to the actions of his wife, who, from all the information he had collected, seemed so likely to disturb the tranquillity of the country; and it appeared to me that, in so doing, his Royal Highness evinced his earnest regard for the real interest of the country, in endeavouring to prevent such a person from, perhaps, one day placing a spurious heir upon the English throne, and which his Royal Highness has indeed a right to fear, and communicate to the Sovereign, as the Princess of Wales told me, "If she were discovered in bringing her son into the world she would give the Prince of Wales the credit of it, for that she had slept two nights in the year she was pregnant in Carlton-house."

and quietly; but in the month of November,
when the ground was covered with snow, as I
was sitting in my parlour, which commanded
a view of the Heath, I saw, to my surprise,
the Princess of Wales, elegantly dressed in a
lilac satin pelisse, primrose-coloured half-
boots, and a small lilac salin travelling cap,
faced with sable, and a Lady, pacing up and
down before the house, and sometimes stop-
ping, as if desirous of opening the gate in the
iron railing to come in. At first I had no con-
ception her Royal Highness really wished to
come in, but must have mistaken the house for
another person's, for I had never been made
known to her, and I did not know that she
knew where I lived. I stood at the window
looking at her, and, as she looked very much,
from respect courtesied (as I understood was
customary); to my astonishment she returned
my courtesy by a familiar nod, and stopped.
Old Lady Stuart, a West Indian lady, who
lived in my immediate neighbourhood, and
who was in the habit of coming in to see me,
was in the room, and said, "You should go
out, her Royal Highness wants to come in
out of the snow." Upon this I went out, and
she came immediately to me and said, “I be-
lieve you are Lady Douglas, and you have
a very beautiful child: I should like to see it."
I answered that I was Lady Douglas. Her
Royal Highness then said, "I should like of
all things to see your little child. ` I answered,
that I was very sorry I could not have the
honour of presenting my little girl to her, as
I and my family were spending the cold
weather in town, and I was only come to pass
an hour or two upon the Heath. I held open
the gate, and the Princess of Wales and her
Lady, Miss Heyman (I believe) walked in
and sat down, and stayed above an hour,
laughing very much at Lady Stuart, who
being a singular character, talked all kinds of
nonsense. After her Royal Highness had
amused herself as long as she pleased, she
inquired where Sir John Douglas and Sir
Sidney Smith were, and went away, having
shook hands with me, and expressed her plea-
sure at having found me out and made herself
known. I concluded that Sir Sidney Smith
had acquainted her Royal Highness that we
resided upon the Heath, as he was just arrived
in England, and having been in long habits of
friendship with Sir John, was often with us,
and told us how kind he should think if we
would let him come to and fro without cere-

As an Englishwoman, educated in the highest respectful attachment to the Royal Family; as the daughter of an English Officer, who has all his life received the most gracious marks of approbation and protection from his Majesty, and from his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales; and as the wife of an Officer whom our beloved King has honoured with a public mark of his approbation, and who is bound to the Royal Family by ties of respectful regard and attachment, which nothing can ever break, I feel it my duty to make known the Princess of Wales's sentiments and conduct now, and whensoever I may be called upon.

For the information, therefore, of his Majesty, and of the Heir Apparent, and by the desire of the Heir Apparent, I beg leave te state, that Sir John'took a house upon Blackheath in the year 1801, because the air was better for him, after his Egyptian services, than London, and it was somewhat nearer Chatham, where his military duties occasionally called him. I had a daughter born upon the 17th of February, and we took up our residence there in April, living very happily

Mrs. Harcourt and her ladies, the Duke of Kent came to take leave before his Royal Highness went to Gibraltar. When we were sitting at table the Princess introduced me, and said "Your Royal Highness must look at her eyes; but now she has disguised berself in a large hat, you cannot see how handsome she is." The Duke of Kent was very polite and obliging, for he continued to talk with Mrs. Harcourt, and took little notice, for which I felt much obliged; but she persisted, and said—“ Take off your hat." I did not do it, and she took it off; but his Royal Highness, I suppose, conceiving it could not be very pleasant to me, took little notice, and talked of something else.

mony, and let him have an airy room appropriated to himself, as he was always ill in town, and from being asthmatic, suffered extremely when the weather was foggy in town. Sir John gave him that hospitable reception he was in the habit of doing by all his old friends (for I understand they have been known to each other more than twenty years), and he introduced him to me as a person to whom he wished my friendly attention to be paid; as I had never seen Sir Sidney Smith in my life, until this period, when he became, as it were, a part of the family. When I returned to town, I told Sir John Douglas the circumstance of the Princess having visited me, and a few days after this we received a note from Mrs. Lisle (who was in waiting) Whenever the Princess visited us, either commanding us to dine at Montague House. Sir John or I returned home with her and her We went, and there were several persons at party quite to the door; and if he were out, the dinner. I remember Lord and Lady Dart-I went with her Royal Highness, and took my mouth, and I think, Mr. and Mrs. Arbuth-footman; for we soon saw that her Royal not, &c. &c. From this time the Princess made me frequent visits, always attended by her ladies, or Mrs. Sander (her maid). When Sander came, she was sent back, or was put in another room; but when any of her ladies were with her, we always sat together. Her Royal Highness was never attended by any livery servant, but she always walked about Blackheath and the neighbourhood only with her female attendants. In a short time the Princess became so extravagantly foud of me, that, however flattering it might be, it certainly was very troublesome. Leaving her attendants below, she would push past my servant, and run up stairs into my bed-chamber, kiss me, take me in her arms, and tell me I was beautiful, saying she had never loved any woman so much; that she would regulate my dress, for she delighted in setting off a pretty woman a; and such high-flown complimeuts❘ that women are never used to pay to each other. I used to beg her Royal Highness not to feed my self-love, as we had all enough of that, without encouraging one another. She would then stop me, and enumerate all my good points I had, saying she was determined to teach me to set them off. She would exclaim, "Oh! believe me, you are quite beautiful, different from almost any English woman; your arms are fine beyond imagination, | your bust is very good, and your eyes-Oh!

I never saw such eyes !—all other women who have dark eyes look fierce, but yours (my dear Lady Douglas) are nothing but softness and sweetness, and yet quite dark." In this manner she went on perpetually, even before strangers. I remember when I was one morning at her house, with her Royal Highness,

Highness was a very singular and a very indiscreet woman, and we resolved to be always very careful and guarded with her; and when she visited us, if any visitor whosoever came to our house, they were put into another room, and they could not see the Princess, or be in her society, unless she positively desired it. However, her Royal Highness forgot her high station (and she was always forgetting it ;) we trust, and hope, and feel satisfied, we never for a moment lost sight of her being the wife of the Heir Apparent.

We passed our time as her Royal Highness chose, when together, and the usual amusements were playing French Proverbs, in which the Princess always cast the parts, and played; Musical Magic, forfeits of all kinds; sometimes dancing; and in this manner, either the Princess and her ladies with me, or we at Montague House, we passed our time. Twice, after spending the morning with me, she remained without giving me any previous notice, and would dine with us, and thus ended the year 1801.

In the month of February, before Miss Garth was to come into waiting, in March, 1802, the Princess, in one of her morning visits, after she had sent Sander home, said, "My dear Lady Douglas, I am come to see you this morn ing, to ask a great favour of you, which I hope you will grant me." I told her, "I was sure she could not make any unworthy request, and that I could only say, I should have great pleasure in doing any thing to oblige her, but I was really at a loss to guess how I possibly could have it in my power to grant her a favour." Her Royal Highness replied, "What I have to ask is for you to come and spend a fortnight

with me; you shall not be separated from Sir John, for he may be with you whenever he pleases, and bring your little girl and maid. I mean you to come to the Round Tower, where there are a complete suit of rooms for a lady and her servant. When Mrs. Lisle was

in waiting, and hurt her foot, she resided there. Miss Heyman always was there, and Lord and Lady Lavington have slept there. When I have any married people visiting me, it is better than their being in the house, and we are only separated by a small garden. I dislike Miss Garth, and she hates to be with me more than what her duty demands, and I don't wish to trouble any of my ladies out of their turn. I shall require you, as Lady in Waiting, to attend me in my walks; and when I drive out write my notes and letters for me, and be in the way to speak to any one who may come on business. I seldom appear until about three o'clock, and you may go home before I want you after breakfast every day." I replied, that being a married woman, I could not promise for myself, and as Sir John was much out of health, I should not like to leave him; but he was always so kind and good natured to me, that I dared venture to say he would allow me if he could; and when he came home I asked him if I should go. Sir John agreed to the Princess's desire, and I took the waiting. During my stay, I attended her Royal Highness to the Piay and the Opera, I think twice, and also to dine at Lord Dartmouth's and Mr. Windham's. At Mr. Windham's, in the evening, while one of the Ladies was at the harpsichord, the Princess complained of being very warm, and called out for ale, which, by a mistake in the language, she always calls oil. Mrs. Windham was perfectly at a loss to comprehend her wishes, and came to me for an explanation. I told her I believed she meant ale. Mrs. Windham said she had none in the house; was it any particular kind she required? I told her I believed not; that when the Princess thought proper to visit me, she always wanted it, and I gave her what I had, or could procure for her upon Blackheath. We could not always suddenly obtain what was wished. Mrs. Windham then proposed to have some sent for, and did so; it was brought, and the Princess drank it all. When at Lord Dartmouth's, his Lordship asked me if I was the only Lady in Wait ing, being, I suppose, surprised at my ap. pearing in that situation, when, to his knowledge, I had not known the Princess more than four months. I answered, I was at Montague-house acting as Lady in Waiting, until Miss Garth was well, as the Princess told me

she was ill. Lord Dartmouth looked surprised and sad he had not heard of Miss Garth being ill, and was surprised. I was struck with Lord Dartmouth's seeming doubt of Miss Garth's illness, and after thought upon it. From the dinner we went at an early hour to the Opera, and then returned to Blackheath. During this visit I was greatly surprised at the whole style of the Princess of Wales's conversation, which was constantly very loose, and such as I had not been accustomed to hear; such as,in many instances, I have not been able to repeat, even to Sir John, and such as made me hope I should cease to know her before my daughter might be old enough to be corrupted by her. I confess I went home hoping and believing she was at times a good deal disordered in her senses, or she never would have gone on as she did. When she came to sup with me in the Tower (which she often did), she would arrive in a long red cloak, a silk handkerchief tied over her head under her chin, and a pair of slippers down at the heels.

After supper I attended her to the house. I found her a person without education or talents, and without any desire of improving herself. Amongst other things which surprised me while there, was a plan she told me she had in hand: that Prince William of Gloucester liked me, and that she had written to him, to tell him a fair lady was in her Tower; that she left it to his own heart to find out who it was, but if he was the gallant Prince she thought him, he would fly and see. I was amazed at such a contrivance, and said, "Good God! how could your Royal Highness do so? I really like Sir John better than any body, and am quite satisfied and happy. I waited nine years for him, and never would marry any other person." The Princess ridiculed this, and said, "Nonsense, nonsense, my dear friend." In consequence of the Princess's note, Prince William actually rode the next morning to the Tower, but by good fortune Sir Sidney Smith had previously called and been admitted, and as we were walking by the house, her Royal Highness saw the Prince coming, went imme. diately out of sight, and ran and told a servant to say she and I were gone walking, and we immediately walked away to Charlton, having first, unperceived, seen Prince William ride back again (of course not very well pleased, and possibly believing I had a hand in his ridiculous adventure). It seems he was angry; for soon after his Royal Highness, the late Duke of Gloucester, came and desired to see the Princess, and told her, that his son William had represented to him how very free she permitted Sir Sidney Smith to be, and how

him. I know him incapable of such a thing,
for I have known him a long time; but still I
wonder too in the same house it does not
happen." By this time I was rather vexed,
and said, "Your Royal Highness and I think
quite differently.-Sir Sidney Smith comes and
goes as he pleases to his room in our house.
I really see little of him. He seems a very
good-humoured, pleasant man, and I always
think one may be upon very friendly terms
with men who are friends of one's husband,
without being their humble servants." The
Princess argued upon this for an hour-said,
"this is Miss Garth's argument, but she was
mistaken, and it was ridiculous. If ever a
woman was upon friendly terms with any
man, they were sure to become lovers." I
said, "I shall continue to think as Miss Garth
did, and that it depended very much upon the
lady." Upon the 29th of March I left Mon-
tague House, and the Princess commanded me
to be sent up to her bed-chamber. I went and
found her in bed, and I took Mrs. Vansit-
tart's note in my hand, announcing the
news of peace. She desired me to sit
down close to the bed, and then, taking my
hand, she said, “You see, my dear friend, I
have the most complaisant husband in the
world-I have no one to controul me-I see
whom I like, I go where I like, I spend what
I please, and his Royal Highness pays for all.
Other English husbands plague their wives,
but he never plagues me at all, which is cer-
tainly being very polite and complaisant, and
am better off than my sister, who was

constant he was visiting at Montague-house; | bad in him, after Sir John's hospitality to that it rested with herself to keep her acquaintance at a proper distance, and as Sir Sidney was a lively, thoughtless man, and had not been accustomed to the society of ladies of her rauk, be might forget himself, and she would then have herself to blame; that as a father, and an earnest friend, he came to her, very sorry indeed to trouble her, but he conjured and begged her to recollect how very peculiar her situation was, and how doubly requisite it was she should be more cautious than other people. To end this lecture (as she called it) she rang the bell, and desired Mr. Cole to fetch me. I went into the drawing-room, where the Duke and her Royal Highness were si ́ting, and she introduced me as an old friend of Prince William's. His Royal Highness got up and looked at me very much, and then said, "The Princess has been talking a great deal about you, and tells me you have made one of the most delightful children in the world, and indeed it might well be so, when the mother was so handsome and good-naturedlooking." By this time I was so used to these fine speeches, either from the Princess, or from her through others, that I was ready to laugh, and I only said, "We did not talk about much beauty, but my little girl was in good health, and her Royal Highness was very obliging." As soon as his Royal Highness was gene, the Princess sent again for me, told me every word he had said, and said, "He is a good man, and therefore I took it as it was meant; but if Prince William had ventured to talk to me himself, I would certainly have boxed his ears: however, as he is so inqui-heartily beat every day. How much happier

sitive, and watches me, I will cheat him, and throw the dust in his eyes, and make him be lieve Sir Sidney Smith comes here to see you, and that you and he are the greatest possible friends. I delight of all things in cheating those clever people." Her speech and intentions made me serious, and my mind was forcibly struck with the great danger there would follow to myself, if she were this kind of person. I begged her not to think of doing such a thing, saying, "Your Royal Highness knows it is not so, and although I would do much to oblige you, yet when my own character is at stake, I must stop-Good God, ma'am, his Royal Highness would naturally repeat it, and what should I do? Reputation will not bear being sported with." The Princess took me by the hand, and said, "Certainly, my dear Lady Douglas, I know very well it is not so, that I am sure of. I have much too good an opinion of you, and too good an opnion of Sir Sidney Smith. It would be very

am I than the Duchess of York. She and the Duke hate each other, and yet they will be two hypocrites, and live together-that I would never do. Now I'il shew you a letter wherein the Prince of Wales gives me full leave to follow my own plans." She then put the letter into my hands, the particulars of which I have mentioned. When I had finished, I appeared affected, and she said, "You seem to think that a fine thing; now I see nothing in it; but I dare say that when my beloved had finished it, he fancied it one of the finest pieces of penmanship in the world. I should have been the man, and he the woman. I am a real Brunswick, and do not know what the sensation Fear is; but as to him, he lives in eternal warm water, and delights in it, if he can but have his slippers under any old Dowager's table, and sit there scribbling notes; that's his whole delight."

She then told me every circumstance relative to her marriage, and that she would be