The Regent and Admiral Nagle--A quiet time at the Pavilion--The
Regent's extravagance--His yacht--Sham fight and caricature
thereon--A cruise to the French coast--Royal visitors--The Regent's
statues--'High life below stairs,' etc.--Satirical prints--Closing
days--Last appearance at the Pavilion.
The Regent was always being satirized by the publication of some of
his own puerilities, or those of his suite, who, of course, took their
tone from him. The _Brighton Herald_ is responsible for the following
anecdote:
'A gallant Admiral (Nagle) residing at the Pavilion, was, a few days
since, presented by a certain Great Personage, with a beautiful milk
white mare, which, it was stated, had just arrived from Hanover.
Nothing was talked of but this fine creature; and every one seemed
anxious to have her merits put to the test. The Admiral mounted,
tried her in all her paces, and, though he could but approve, yet he
pronounced her to be greatly inferior to a favourite black mare of
his own. The present, however, coming from so high a quarter, was, of
course, received with every expression of duty and thankfulness. The
long switching tail of the animal not exactly suiting the Admiral's
taste, he sent her to a farrier to have it cropped--when, lo! he
speedily received intelligence that it was a _false_ tail, and that,
beneath it appeared a short black one. This curious fact led to a
minute inspection, when it was discovered that this _beautiful white
Hanoverian horse_ was no other than the good humoured Admiral's
own _black mare_, which had been painted in a manner to elude his
detection.'
This anecdote is probably true, as Captain Gronow ('Reminiscences,'
second series, p. 212) tells a similar story, only he changes the venue
from Brighton to Carlton House:
'Admiral Nagle was a great favourite of George the Fourth, and passed
much of his time with his Majesty. He was a bold, weather beaten tar,
but, nevertheless, a perfect gentleman, with exceedingly pleasing
manners, and possessed of much good nature and agreeability.
'The late Duke of Cambridge, on one occasion, sent his brother a cream
coloured horse from the Royal stud at Hanover, and the King gave the
animal to Colonel Peters, the riding master. Admiral Nagle ventured to
express a hope that, if his Majesty received a similar present from
Hanover, he would graciously make him a present of it; upon which the
King replied, "Certainly, Nagle, you shall have one."
'The Admiral was, shortly afterwards, sent to Portsmouth, to
superintend the building of the Royal Yacht, during which time
Strohling, the fashionable painter of the day, was summoned, and
ordered to paint the Admiral's favourite hack, to make it appear like
one of the Hanoverian breed. The horse was, accordingly, placed in the
riding school, and, in an incredibly short period, the metamorphosis
was successfully completed. In due time the Admiral returned from
Portsmouth, and, as usual, went to the Royal Stables, and was charmed
to see that his Majesty had fulfilled his promise. He lost no time in
going to Carlton House to return thanks, when the King said, "Well,
Nagle, how do you like the horse I sent you?" "Very much," was the
reply, "but I should like to try his paces before I can give your
Majesty a decided opinion about him." "Well, then, let him be saddled,
though it does rain, and gallop him round the park and return here,
and let me know what you think of him." It rained cats and dogs; the
paint was gradually washed off the horse, to the Admiral's great
astonishment, and he returned to Carlton House, where the King and
his friends had watched his departure and arrival with the greatest
delight. The Admiral was welcomed with roars of laughter, which he took
with very great good humour; and, about a month afterwards, the King
presented him with a real Hanoverian horse of great value.'
These Christmas festivities probably produced a fit of gout, which
brought the Queen and Princesses, together with the Princess Charlotte,
to the Pavilion, on a visit, from January 6, 1816, to January 20--a
visit which covered the birthdays of the Princess Charlotte and Her
Majesty, both of which were nobly celebrated.
This seems to have been a quiet time at the Pavilion, if we may credit
a letter from the Dowager Countess of Ilchester to Lady Harriet
Frampton, dated from Cranborne Lodge, February 2, 1816:[93]
'... I must tell you that the fortnight at Brighton has had a very
happy effect on Princess Charlotte's health and spirits.... You have
no idea how her manners are daily softened by witnessing the address
of the Queen and Princesses, with whom she went regularly round the
circle, paying individual attention to the company, and she looked,
really, very handsome, being always elegantly dressed, and every one
seemed delighted to have her under her father's roof.
'It certainly was a great satisfaction to the Prince to find it gave so
much pleasure to the Princess, for he had been led to suspect she did
not like to come--a complete mistake, of which he is now convinced....
The Chinese room is gay beyond description, and I am sure you would
admire it, as well as the rest of the Pavilion, though the extreme
warmth does not suit every one.
'In the morning, all the guests were free from Court restraint, and
met only at six o'clock, punctually, for dinner, to the number of
between thirty and forty daily; in the evening, about as many more
were invited. A delightful band played till half past eleven, when the
Royal family retired, and the rest of the company dispersed, after
partaking of sandwiches: the evenings were not in the least formal. As
soon as the Queen sat down to cards, every one moved about as they
pleased, and made their own backgammon, chess, or card party, but
lounging up and down the gallery was most favoured. All the rooms open
into the beautiful gallery, which is terminated at both extremities
by the lightest and prettiest Chinese staircases you can imagine, and
illuminated by the gayest lanterns. There are mandarins and pagodas in
abundance, and plenty of Japanese and Chinese sofas. In the centre of
the gallery is a skylight. Each staircase opens into a large room, one
of these communicating with the Queen's suite of rooms, and the other
with that of the Princess and mine. The effect of the central room
is very good. There was a bright fire, and it is supplied with books
and newspapers, and from one set of rooms to the other is a private
communication.'
Prince Leopold also stopped at the Pavilion for some time previous to
his marriage with the Princess Charlotte, which took place May 2, 1816.
In spite of the enormous taxation, the dearness of bread, etc., the
extravagances of Florizel knew no bounds. What cared he, so long as
every whim and wish of his was gratified, who found the money for it?
In three years he had spent £160,000 on furniture for Carlton House;
the previous year china cost £12,000, ormolu nearly £3,000, and during
three years he owed his silversmith £130,000. He had £100,000 allotted
him for an outfit when he came to the Regency; that had to go to pay
some of his debts, and Lord Castlereagh was obliged to admit that the
Prince's debts amounted to £339,000!
Yet, forsooth, the great baby must have another toy at the expense
of the nation--a yacht, all over gilding. William Hone published a
single-sheet broadside (August 26, 1816) with a picture and description
of this rococo vessel. Here is his 'DESCRIPTION OF THE REGENT'S NEW
GILT YACHT:
'This superb yacht, the _Royal Sovereign_, was launched from Deptford
Yard on Thursday, the 8th of August, 1816, having been newly copper
bottomed, and entirely new _gilt_, and fitted up throughout.--She
is between three and four hundred tons burthen, has three masts, is
ship rigged, and is the most splendid vessel, beyond all comparison,
ever launched in England.--The bust of his Majesty forms the head,
_richly gilt_; surmounted by a canopy, painted crimson, with fringe
and tassels in _gold_.--The head rails have carved figures of Peace
and _Plenty_(!) which _support_ the bust, with a frieze of devices to
the bows, carved and _gilt_.--Above the channels is a frieze--boys
supporting the Cardinal Virtues, united by festoons of laurel, _all
gilt_. The quarter badge, representing the Star and Garter, supported
by the Lion and Unicorn, is a complete blaze of _gilding_. The stern is
most superbly _gilt_--in the centre of the taffrel is a King's Coat of
Arms, supported by Prudence and Fame, carved and _gilt_. Fortitude and
Truth are carved at the sides of the stern, richly _gilt_. The lower
counter is an emblematical painting, _gilt_. On the right of the rudder
is Neptune, drawn by four Sea Horses, a painting, _gilt_. On the left
of the rudder is Britannia, pointing to the Arts, a painting, _gilt_.
Above the rudder is a Star, presumed to be the Star of Brunswick, as if
presiding,--_gilt_. The upper counter is Cupids with laurel, painted
and _gilt_. Over the poop are three magnificent lanterns, in blue and
_gold_, with stars on the top, _gilt_. The quarter deck is separated
from the main deck by a rich carved breast rail, _gilt_. The sides of
the quarter deck are devices painted in compartments, _gilt_.
'The gallery is fitted up for a kitchen, with steam boilers and other
cooking apparatus. Adjoining it is the Lord's room, in white, with
panel mouldings _gilt_--the roof supported by fluted pilasters, with
Ionic caps, all _gilt_. The passages are white and _gold_. The roof
of the King's room is panelled mahogany and _gold_; the sides crimson
damask panels, the framings _gold_; twenty carved emblematical figures,
the four Elements, etc., are on pedestals with Ionic caps of mahogany
and _gold_. Round the rudder case are three beautiful plates of looking
glass, entirely concealing the wood, in frames to correspond, _gilt_.
The Queen's room is fitted up, in every respect, with the same grandeur
as to materials and _gilding_. The descent to the State rooms is by
a superb mahogany winding staircase, the balustrades richly carved
and _gilt_; the sides panelled with mahogany and _gold_. The ceilings
and doors to the State rooms are of the finest mahogany, in panels,
with carved borders, richly _gilt_. The doors in the centre cabin are
covered with mirrors. The chairs and sofas are of crimson damask, in
mahogany frames, _gilt_. The windows are of plate glass, and draw up
and down, like those of a coach, the sides painted a deep vermilion,
the edges _gilt_. To suspend the tables, that they may swing with the
vessel, chains descend from the ceilings, as if for lamps, elegantly
_gilt_. The side windows, one on each side the stern, are two immense
concaves of plate glass, like mirrors; from each of which, on the
outside the vessel, rays diverge, to form a splendid star, superbly
_gilt_. The predominant feature of the decorations is _costly gilding_;
even the blocks carrying the ladders and the rigging, are fully _gilt_.
The vessel has been put in its present state, for the Prince Regent, at
an estimated expence of SIXTY THOUSAND POUNDS; the _gilding_, alone,
is supposed to have cost nearly _Thirteen Thousand, Five Hundred
Pounds_! She now lies off the Dockyard at Deptford, with the workmen
on board; and, when completed, will, with the Divine permission, sail
to Brighton, for his Royal Highness's use. Her apparatus for roasting,
baking, boiling, frying, stewing, broiling, etc., is complete. And it
is remarkable that the Cardinal Virtues are amongst the most prominent
decorations _outside_.'
This new plaything was at Brighton in the summer of 1817, and we read
in a newspaper cutting that:
'On the 10th September, for the Regent's especial delectation, a sham
fight took place at sea, immediately off the town, the vessels taking
part in it being the _Inconstant_ and _Tigris_ frigates, the _Grecian_
armed schooner, and the _Rosario_ brig. The Channel was thickly dotted
with packets and pleasure boats, and every species of floating craft,
each and all crowded with spectators, anxious to witness the coming
conflict; the cliffs from one end of the town to the other were also
thronged. The Prince Regent embarked at 10 a.m., and, as soon as the
Royal barge was afloat, simultaneous salutes were fired from the ships
of war, and were repeated as soon as his Royal Highness was on board
his yacht was announced, by the Royal standard being hoisted at the
main.
'The order of battle was, that the _Inconstant_ and the _Grecian_ were
to defend the yacht against the designs of the supposed enemy, in
the _Tigris_ and the _Rosario_. The vessels, respectively, were most
skilfully manœuvred, and broadside after broadside sent their rattling
reports to land. At length, the escape of the yacht was effected; but
the enemy still stood to their guns. In fact, the conflict between
the frigates became still more severe, during which, within pistol
shot of each other, many discharges of musketry marked the apparently
determined progress of the action. The spectacle was grand, and wrought
the feelings of the spectators to the highest pitch. The battle over,
which ended in the retreat of the enemy, the _Royal George_ stood in,
and the whole returned to the roadstead about 2 p.m. In the evening a
boat was sent ashore, to announce the Regent's intention of remaining
on board all night.'
Apropos of this naval engagement, a humorous print was published in
October, 1817, entitled, 'Fun at Sea--the sham fight off Brighton,
and the capture of the Knight of the Larder, Privateer, or, the
Alderman in Chains.' Alderman Sir William Curtis is brought on board
the Regent's yacht a prisoner, bound in chains of sausages,[94]
accompanied by sailors bearing turtles, fowls, soup, etc., whilst an
officer exhibits a scroll of Ammunition Stores taken in the Larder
Sloop. Ammunition--500 Forced meat _balls_, 5 Barrels Curry _Powder_,
2 casks whole Pepper, 200 Bottles Sauce piquant.--Stores--1 whole
Calf, 25 Sheep, 12 dozen Capons, 50 Haunches of Venison,--Westphalia
Hams, 2 cwt. of Sausages, 100 Rounds of Beef, 100 Sir Loins, 150 doz.
of Pigeons, 50 Sucking pigs.' Sir William Curtis is kneeling, and,
offering the Regent a carving knife and ladle, he says:
'Great conqueror, see your captive kneel;
Your clemency now let him feel!
Here's all my arms, upon my life,
My Ladle and my Carving Knife.
My Vessel Fame "the Larder" calls,
My Ammunition Forced meat balls,
My Powder, Curry, whole Pepper, Shot,
All, by my Capture, going to Pot:
Then, let me hope you'll grant this Boon,
_Release me speedily, and soon_!
I'm bit of a poet, you see, this is rare fun.'
The Regent, looking at him, says, 'What! we have caught you, have we?
and in arms against your Sovereign! We'll just drench you with grog,
and keelhaul you--and then release you, my old buck. You love fun!'
Sir William was fond of the sea, and the Whig and Radical wits were
never tired of laughing at the sumptuous fittings of his yacht, in
which the Regent often accompanied him in his cruises. He was very
badly educated, and is said to have been the author of the famous
'Three R's: Reading, Riting and Rithmetic.'
According to the _Gentleman's Magazine_ for 1817, the Regent had quite
a cruise in his new toy:
'_Monday, Sept. 15._--The Prince Regent arrived last night at Carlton
House from Brighton, having, during the week, been four days, and
three nights at sea! The Prince commenced his aquatic excursions on
Monday, when His R.H. remained at sea ten hours; and, on Wednesday,
accompanied by Admirals Sir George Campbell, and Sir Edmund Nagle,
Lord William Gordon, Sir William Keppel, the Hon. Capt. Paget, and
Capt. Horace Seymour, His R.H. embarked in the _Royal George_ yacht
on a second voyage, under salutes from the _Tigris_, _Inconstant_,
_Rosario_, _Grecian_, _Viper_ and _Hound_: and, at half past one, the
ships of war went through all the manœuvres of an engagement. At night,
the vessels proceeded to sea; and, the next day, they stood over to the
coast of France, and were off Dieppe, close in with the land, early on
Friday morning; where, communication being had, the yacht and squadron
cruised across the Channel again, and reached Brighton at one o'clock
on Saturday, when the Prince landed, regretting that his presence being
required in town, he was obliged to disembark.
'His Royal Highness was gratified beyond description, and enjoyed
the highest state of health and spirits during the excursion. On
disembarking, the Prince presented the Hon. Capt. Paget with a most
elegant snuff box, in testimony of his high gratification and esteem;
and so ardent and perfect was the pleasure that His R.H. felt, that,
among other gracious intimations of his attachment to the Naval
service, he said that, if he should land at any other place besides
Brighton, it was his intention to wear the full dress uniform of
an Admiral, and which he should continue to wear, at his _levées_,
alternately with the dress of the army.'
On January 15, 1817, the Grand-Duke Nicholas (afterwards Emperor) of
Russia visited the Prince at the Pavilion, and stayed four days.
Directly after the funeral of the Princess Charlotte, who died on
November 5, the Prince went to Brighton, and stayed there eleven weeks.
In September, 1818, the Grand-Duke Michael of Russia paid a visit
to the Pavilion, which in that month was lit by gas. '_The Brighton
Ambulator_,' by C. Wright (_London and Brighton_, 1818) gives a very
good description of the Pavilion, and mentions that 'a statue of the
Prince of Wales, by Rossi, 7 feet high, on a pedestal 11 feet high,
was, in the year 1802, placed in front of the Royal Crescent. The
Prince is represented as dressed in his regimental uniform, with his
arm extended towards the sea. This statue cost upwards of £300. The
likeness is not considered very striking, and, since it has been
injured by the loss of one of the arms, it is not even deemed a
pleasing ornament.'
In 1821 it was proposed to erect, on some conspicuous spot in the
town, a large bronze statue of George IV., and £3,000 was very quickly
subscribed for it. For this sum Chantrey agreed to produce it, and pay
for the casting; but he made a bad bargain, as it cost nearly double
the sum. It was unveiled on October 11, 1828.
The alterations to the Pavilion were not altogether finished; yet the
Prince made shift somehow, as he was most certainly there in March,
1819, for we read in the _Times_ of March 15:
'ROYAL CONDESCENSION.--We are assured that, a few nights ago, the
PRINCE REGENT, in a merry mood, determined to sup in the kitchen of
the Pavilion. A scarlet cloth was thrown over the pavement, a splendid
repast was provided, and the good humoured PRINCE sat down, with a
select party of his friends, and spent a joyous hour. The whole of the
servants, particularly the female part, were, of course, delighted with
this mark of condescension (_Brighton Herald_).'
Then the pictorial satirists swooped down upon him, and curious were
their different conceptions of the event. I give the one I consider
best, as it is the least offensive, and the Regent is so 'royally
drunk.' It is by J. R. Cruikshank, and was published on March 25. It
is called 'HIGH LIFE BELOW STAIRS! a new Farce, as lately perform'd
at the Theatre Royal, Brighton, for the edification and amusement of
the Cooks, Scullions, Dishwashers, Lick trenchers, Shoe blacks, Cinder
sifters, Candle snuffers, etc., etc., of that Theatre, but which was
unfortunately Damn'd the first night by Common Sense!'
[Illustration: HIGH LIFE BELOW STAIRS.]
Others are (all in the same month), 'ROYAL KITCHEN STUFF! or a Great
Man _come down_ to visit his most Obed^t humble Servants!!! (vide the
amusements of Brighton).' The Prince has a fat cook round the neck,
kissing her, and saying, 'Don't be alarmed, my dear! I only want to
see how my private affairs get on below here, so show me your Kitchen
Stuff.' The cook, who beats him with a ladle, says, 'La, Sir! what will
the people say when they hear of your meddling so often with things
beneath you? Depend upon it, you'll be call'd over the Coals, and
finely roasted for this.' A maid-servant has hold of his coat-tails,
and calls out, 'Baste him well! Give him Goose without Gravy!' On
the floor lie two papers--one, 'Theatre Royal, Brighton, By Command of
the Prince Regent, High life below Stairs, with Animal Magnetism'; the
other is,
'When _Bottle the eighth_, I get through,
I make love in a style so bewitching,
That most female hearts I subdue,
From the Drawing-room down to the Kitchen.'
Another is, 'He stoops to Conquer, or the Royal George _Sunk_. This
is not the Royal George that was sunk at Spithead, this was sunk at
Brighton.' A third is entitled 'Beauties of Grease, or Luxuries of the
Kremlin'; and a fourth is, 'Royal George in the Kitchen, or High life
below Stairs.' The Prince, with a bumper in his hand, nurses a cook on
his knee, to whom he remarks:
'You may baste meat at leisure,
It's my will and pleasure
Distinctions between you and me,
Henceforward shall cease,
In love, and in peace,
The P--e and his Cook shall agree.'
It would seem, also, that he gave a servants' ball at Christmas, 1820,
at the Pavilion, for there is a satirical print, published January 24,
1821, called 'LOW LIFE ABOVE STAIRS, _or the Humours of the_ Great Baby
_at_ B...ht.n.' The King is dancing with a fat kitchenmaid, whilst
Lady Conyngham looks on in rage and wonder.
'Releas'd from all the toils of State,
From care and sorrow free,
The humorous Wag of pond'rous weight,
Gives way to mirth and glee.
'"To all the Servants of my house,"
Said G--e, "I'll give a ball;
Haste, mirth and revelry let loose,
Come forward, one and all.
'"I've supped within my Kitchen range,
But I'll descend no more;
The scene, this night, I'll wholly change,
Upstairs invite uproar.
'"No virtuous women visit me--
They dread to lose their name--
I'll condescend--with those make free
Who never blush'd with shame.
'"'Twas wrong when C----e[95] eat, perchance,
With Vassali and Bergami,
I'll eat with Cooks, with Scullions dance--
I can't do wrong, G--d d--n me."
'The Orchestra made noble sport,
Old Bags,[96] the bag-pipes squeez'd,
A ricketty Cabinet pianoforte
Old Sid[97] and L----l[98] teaz'd.
'The R-y-l Host, in livery clad,
(An honour long design'd her),
Waltz'd with his scullion, nearly mad,
To _Terry O, the grinder_.
'Ben Bloomy[99] and the fat old Cook,
Herself a perfect larder,
A simple jig together took,
The tune was _Shave the Barber_.
'And Cunning-one[100] mov'd not a limb
But stood amazed with wonder!
To see the K--'s disgraceful whim,
And vow'd she'd pull'm asunder.
'The fiddlers play'd, the dancers scream'd,
And all was in commotion;
Like waves they roll'd--the noise it seem'd
Just like a troubled ocean.
'Great G--e at supper next attends,
Amidst his new compeers;
When drunk "Low life above Stairs" ends
With thrice three times three cheers.'
In the beginning of January, 1820, the inhabitants of Brighton were
allowed, for a fortnight, to visit the Pavilion and view its wonders,
as far as it was then completed; on the 29th of the same month the
old King died, and Florizel, then in his fifty-ninth year, succeeded
him, as George IV. He came to the Pavilion at the end of February, and
stayed at Brighton nearly the whole of March.
A satirical print represents him as being at the Pavilion in November
of this year. It is called 'MOMENTS OF PAIN.' The scene is an apartment
in the Pavilion, and the surroundings are all Chinese. The King is
dressed in full Chinese costume, the great 'Fum' bird being embroidered
on his bosom; he is very ill, and a physician is feeling his pulse.
On the floor lies a huge roll of a 'List of Addresses presented to
Caroline, Queen of England,' and an attendant is trying to prevent
the entrance of a messenger, who brings the news of 'The Bill turned
out.' This was the Bill of pains and penalties brought into Parliament
against her by Lord Liverpool on July 5, 1820; the trial began on
August 19, and the Bill was abandoned on November 18.
The King spent his Christmas at Brighton, and as he was a full-fledged
monarch, his ideas expanded as to his country residence, and the
assembly-room of the Castle Tavern was absorbed into the building, and
converted into a chapel. Then also was arranged the alterations which
have made the Pavilion the extraordinary conglomeration of buildings it
now is. The chapel was consecrated on January 1, 1822.
He left Brighton in April, went to Scotland in August, and returned
to Brighton in October. In January, 1823, he had a terrible attack of
gout, and he did not leave the Pavilion till April. Naturally, now that
he was King, he had to spend much of his time in London; but he spent
the Christmas of 1824 at Brighton, and stayed there till the following
February. He never made but one more visit to Brighton--from January
23, 1827, to March 7--and Florizel's stupendous Folly knew him no more.
[Illustration: Decorative motif]
FOOTNOTES:
[93] 'The Journal of Mary Frampton from 1779 to 1846,' 8vo., pp. 264,
265; London, 1885.
[94] A turkey hung round with festoons of sausages is called 'an
Alderman in Chains.'
[95] Queen Caroline.
[96] Lord Eldon.
[97] Viscount Sidmouth.
[98] Earl of Liverpool.
[99] Sir Benjamin (afterwards Lord) Bloomfield.
[100] Lady Conyngham.
[Illustration: Decorative panel]