Official notice was now sent to the foreign ambassadors, and other distinguished personages, that the marriage between the Princess Charlotte of Wales and his Serene Highness Prince Leopold of SaxeCoburg Saalfeld would be solemnized on the 2d of May. From that moment expectation was upon tiptoe, and the great political questions of the day lost their interest in the anticipated splendor of the approaching nuptials.*

During the residence of Prince Leopold at Brighton, his general conduct had so gained upon the esteem and confidence of the inhabitants, that he may

* The English have gained, and certainly in many instances they truly deserve, the character of a phlegmatic people. They are long before they are roused to action, but when they once take an interest in an event, they follow it through all its ramifications with a warmth and zeal not to be surpassed by any of the more sanguine natives of a happier climate. Eccentricity of conduct, the concomitant of an exuberant imagination, and of a false association of objects, may, in the abstract, display itself daily before the eyes of the penetrating observer; but in the aggregate, it is only exhibited on those occasions which are rendered conspicuous by their novelty and their rarity. Thus the marriage of the Princess Charlotte was no sooner positively fixed for the 2d of May, than many couples who before were anxious to be bound by the ties of Hymen, postponed the happy day till the 2d; and many who had fixed on a later period, broke their resolutions, and were determined to bę married on the same day as the Princess Charlotte. It has been computed, that the couples married on the 2d of May, amounted to 774; 550 of which had issue before the February following, 156 in March and April, and 20 in May and June. Of the remainder no information has been received.

be literally said to have attained the highest possible degree of popularity. The indifferent state of his health prevented him from entering largely into the amusements of the place, but he collected a group of distinguished individuals around him, with whom he passed his evenings in the rational enjoyment of music, or in a free discussion on the laws and literature of the country, on both of which topics he always exhibited an uncommon desire for information. One evening the conversation turned upon the German translation of Shakespeare by Schlegel; and it was contended by one of the company present, that the translator had infused into his work the genuine spirit of the author, and that, with the exception of the translation of Hudibras, considered for a long time as positively untranslateable,-Schlegel's translation of Shakespeare must be considered as one of the chef-d'œuvres of the present day. His Serene Highness admitted that Schlegel had performed his task with uncommon ability; but still that his translation was marked by some gross and unpardonable errors. This position was not admitted by the contending party; on which his Serene Highness placed a volume of the German translation, in which was the tragedy of Macbeth, into the hands of his opponent, and desired him to read the invocation of the witches to Macbeth. He accordingly began; Alle Hagel* ;--but he could not

* To render this intelligible, it must be stated, that Hagel, in the German language is synonymous with our Hail, the produce of the elements; and, consequently, the translation of All Hail!Alle Hagel! perverted the meaning, and threw an air of ridicule over the whole sentence.

proceed, and yielded the point to the critical acumen of his Highness.

In conformity to the advice of Dr. Tierney, his Highness took the benefit of the warm bath on every alternate day, which tended in a great degree to strengthen and restore the stamina of his constitution, that had suffered severely in the last memorable campaign, and which never could have been repaired had the inclination of his Highness led him to pursue a gay and dissipated life. He, however, experienced no delight in being continually whirled about in the vortex of pleasure, nor in becoming a votary of fashion, which, in other words, is to lead a life of inanity and listless insignificance. But let it not be thought that his dispositions were cynical, or that he was so churlish, as to despise the rational pleasures of human life. In the same manner as the bow loses its elasticity by being constantly strung, so the human mind loses it zest for pleasure when continually exposed to the enjoyment of it. The happiness of man is confirmed and established by contrast; he who never experienced fatigue never enjoyed the sweets of repose; and he who never dwelt with adversity, knows not how to estimate the presence of prosperity.

But Prince Leopold had been bred in the school of adversity; and he so deported himself in prosperity that should the former again overtake him, he could meet it with fortitude and resignation.

Early in the morning of the 22d his Serene Highness left Brighton and arrived at Windsor Castle in the afternoon. The Princess Charlotte of Wales, attended by the Countess of Ilchester and Colonel Ad

denbroke, arrived in her carriage at the Castle about nine o'clock to meet his Highness to dinner with the Queen and Princesses.

From this meeting may be dated an almost uninterrupted intercourse between the illustrious couple. Prince Leopold took up his residence at the upper lodge during his stay at Windsor, and the Princess Charlotte generally drove from Cranbourne-Lodge to dine with the royal party at the Castle, in which Prince Leopold was always included.

The 25th being the Princess Mary's birth-day, the Prince Regent arrived at Windsor, to be present at the celebration of it. His Royal Highness was received by his royal Daughter, the Prince of Saxe-Coburg. Saalfeld, the Queen, Princesses Augusta, Elizabeth, and Mary; and also by the Duke and Duchess of York, and the Dukes of Clarence and Kent.

The whole of this numerous assemblage of the Royal Family dined at Frogmore, where a grand en-tertainment was given by her Majesty upon the occasion, to which a select party of distinguished characters were invited.

The Prince of Saxe-Coburg Saalfeld was in con-stant attendance upon the Princess Charlotte of Wales, and the Prince Regent often mixed in their society.

On the 29th Lord James Murray, the lord in waiting, attached to the Prince of Saxe-Coburg Saalfeld, and Robert Chester, Esq., the attendant master · of the ceremonies, left London for the country resi

dence of Sir Joseph Banks, on Smallberry-Green, near Hounslow, for the purpose of receiving the Prince of Saxe-Coburg Saalfeld there, and conducting his Serene Highness in state to London.

Her Majesty, Princesses Elizabeth and Mary, arrived at the Queen's Palace from Windsor, at noon on the same day. Her Royal Highness the Princess Charlotte of Wales, attended by the Countess of Ilchester and Colonel Addenbroke, arrived in an open carriage, drawn by four. beautiful bays, at Carlton'House, at half-past one o'clock.

The Prince of Saxe-Coburg Saalfeld and suite left Windsor on the same day, before eleven o'clock, in two of the Prince Regent's travelling carriages, and arrived at the house of Sir Joseph Banks on Smallberry-Green, about twelve, where his Serene Highness was received with every mark of respect, and a most sumptuous repast provided for his refreshment. A little after two o'clock, his Serene Highness entered a dress carriage of the Prince Regent, drawn by a set of six beautiful bays, to proceed to London in state, the coachmen, postilion, footmen, and outriders, in their state liveries, preceded by the Prince Regent's state coachman on horseback. His Serene Highness's suite travelled in another carriage. They arrived at Clarence-House, St. James's Palace, at half-past three o'clock.

Lord James Murray proceeded to Carlton-House soon after to inform the Prince Regent of the arrival of his Serene Highness. The Prince Regent in: