must, I trust, feel convinced, that if I had been guilty, there could not have been wanting evidence to have proved my guilt. And that these spies have been obliged to have resort to their own invention, for the support of the charge, is the strongest demonstration that the truth, undisguised, and correctly represented, could furnish them with no handle against me. And when I consider the nature and malignity of that conspiracy, which I feel confident I have completely detected and exposed, I cannot but think of that detection with the liveliest gratitude, as the special blessing of providence, who, by confounding the machinations of my enemies, has enabled me to find, in the very excess and extravagance of their malice, in the very weapons which they fabricated and sharpened for my destruction, the sufficient guard to my innocence, and the effectual means of my justification and defence. "I trust, therefore, sire, that I may now close this long letter, in confidence that many days will not elapse before I shall receive from your majesty that assurance that my just requests may be so completely granted, as may render it possible for me (which nothing else can) to avoid the painful disclosure to the world of all the circumstances of that injustice, and of those unmerited sufferings, which these proceedings, in the man "Your majesty's most dutiful, and submissive daughter-in-law, subject and servant, Montague House, February 16th, 1807. "C. P." "As these observations apply not only to the official communication, through the lord chancellor, of the 28th ult.; but also to the private letter of your majesty, of the 12th instant, I have though it most respectful to your majesty and your majesty's servants, to send this letter in duplicate, one part through colonel Taylor, and the other through the lord chancellor, to your majesty. "To the King." "C. P." Having waited in vain three weeks for an answer, ner royal highness wrote as follows: "SIRE, "When I last troubled your majesty upon my unfortunate business, I had raised my mind to hope, that I should have the happiness of hearing from your majesty, and receiving your gracious com mands to pay my duty in your royal presence before the expiration of the last week. And when that hope was disappointed, (eagerly clinging to any idea, which offered me a prospect of being saved from the necessity of having recourse, for the vindication of my character, to the publication of the proceedings upon the inquiry into my conduct,) I thought it just possible, that the reason for my not having received your majesty's commands to that effect, might have been occasioned by the circumstance of your majesty's staying at Windsor through the whole of the week. I therefore determined to wait a few days longer, before I took a step, which, when once taken, could not be recalled. Having, however, now assured myself, that your majesty was in town yesterday,-as I have received no command to wait upon your majesty, and no intimation of your pleasure-I am reduced to the necessity of abandoning all hope that your majesty will comply with my humble, my earnest, and anxious requests. "Your majesty, therefore, will not be surprised to find, that the publication of the proceedings alluded to, will not be withheld beyond Monday next. "As to any consequences which may arise from such publication, unpleasant or hurtful to my own feelings and interests, I may, perhaps, be properly responsible; and, in any event, have no one to com plain of but myself, and those with whose advice I have acted; and whatever those consequences may be, I am fully and unalterably convinced, that they must be incalculably less than those which I should be exposed to from my silence: but as to any other consequences, unpleasant or hurtful to the feelings and interests of others, or of the public, my conscience will certainly acquit me of them;-I am confident that I have not acted impatiently or precipitately. To avoid coming to this painful extremity, I have taken every step in my power, except that which would be abandoning my character to utter infamy, and my station and life to no uncertain danger, and possibly to no very distant de struction. "With every prayer, for the lengthened continuance of your majesty's health and happiness; for every possible blessing which a gracious God can bestow upon the beloved monarch of a loyal people; and for the continued prosperity of your under your majesty's propitious reign, "I remain, "Your majesty's dominions "Most dutiful, loyal, and affectionate, Montague-house, March 5, 1807. "C. P." "To the King." CHAPTER XIII. Suppression of the Publication called "The Book." -Restoration of the Princess of Wales to her situation al Court.-Conduct of Mr. Perceval. -Visited by his Majesty at Blackheath.-Arrival of the Duchess of Brunswick.—Anecdote of the Princess of Wales when 15 years of age.Mentalderangement of the King.—The Prince of Wales made Regent of the United Kingdom under restrictions.—Absence of the Princess of Wales from Court and Entertainments in honour of the Jubilee.-Generosity of the Princess of Wales in limiting the provision made for her.-Murder of Mr. Perceval-The Princess of Wales denied admittance to her Daughter at Augusta Lodge -Her consequent determination.-Her Letter to the Prince Regent.-Report of the honourable the Privy Council. THE publication, or, as it was afterwards called, "The Book," signified in her royal highness's threat of "An Appeal to the public," if not speedily received at court, and allowed some suitable establishment in one of the royal palaces, did not appear; for in fifteen days from that time, and a few months after the death of Mr. Pitt, Mr. Perceval was made chancellor of the exchequer. The publication being |