(A.D. 1768-1821.)
|Those who have read the preceding pages will remember the birth of the
"Lady Augusta," because of the quarrel that event occasioned between her
father, Frederick, Prince of Wales, and her grandfather, George II. She
grew up a beautiful, accomplished woman,--the favorite sister of George
III., whose protection she was forced to seek after she had reached
middle age. We have nothing to do with that part of her life, however,
nor with her childhood, which was passed quietly with scarcely any
remarkable incidents. When she was twenty-seven years of age she
married Charles William Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Brunswick, a man
distinguished for his fine appearance, courtly manners, and heroism on
the field of battle.
He soon won the heart of "Lady Augusta," and she promised to marry him,
though the king and queen were by no means pleased with the match. When
the prince arrived on English soil the people of Harwich pressed forward
in crowds to have a look at him, and a simple-hearted Quaker forced
his way into the bridegroom's apartments, and taking off his hat, said:
"Noble friend, give me thy hand!" It was given to him, and after kissing
it, he added, "Although I do not fight myself, I love a
{205}
[Illustration: 0211]
{207}brave man that will fight; thou art a valiant prince and art to be
married to a lovely princess; love her, make her a good husband, and the
Lord will bless thee both!"
This was the warmest greeting the bridegroom received in England, for
the royal couple treated him with marked coldness, and Queen Charlotte
did all she could to prevent too great an outlay of money. To be
sure, she gave the bride a gold watch set with jewels of exquisite
workmanship, and George III. presented her a diamond necklace worth
thirty thousand pounds; but everything pertaining to the wedding was
conducted on a very simple scale, considering the rank of the principal
parties concerned, and not a gun was fired by way of congratulatory
salute. The servants of the royal household were not even permitted
to put on their new attire, either for the wedding ceremony or the
drawing-room, which was held next day; but were ordered to reserve them
for the queen's birthday.
As soon as the marriage ceremony was performed the bridal pair drove
to the Leicester House, where a splendid supper awaited them. It was a
season when political party spirit ran high, and George III. took great
pains to conceal the unpromising condition of affairs from the prince.
But it would have been a very unobservant person who had failed to
notice the difference between the enthusiasm accorded to the young
couple on their arrival at the theatre a few nights later, and the lack
of it that signalized the entrance of their majesties. Queen Charlotte
was young then, and it is certain that she did not love the bride and
groom any better because of their seeming popularity.
Horace Walpole describes their visit on the next night at the Opera
House thus: "The crowd is not to be described. Many noble ladies sat on
chairs between the scenes; the doors of the boxes were thrown open, and
the {208}boxes were all filled to the back of the stoves; nay, women of
fashion stood on the very stairs till eight at night. In the middle of
the second act the Hereditary Prince of Brunswick turned his back to the
king and queen, pretending to offer his place to Lady Tankerville. You
know enough of Germans and their stiffness to etiquette to be sure that
this could not be done inadvertently, especially as he repeated this
only without standing up with one of his own gentlemen in the third
act."
Now it is very probable that the prince was far from pleased at the
treatment he had received at the hands of his bride's brother and
sister-in-law; but it is scarcely likely that he would be guilty of
a desire to insult the king, whose guest he was. Several grand balls
succeeded the wedding, and then the bride and groom went in separate
carriages, each with three uninteresting attendants, on their way to
Harwich. Arriving at the sea-coast, they embarked on separate yachts
for Holland, and had such a tempestuous voyage that they were in
great danger most of the way. This seems a rather unsociable way of
travelling; but perhaps court etiquette required the prince and princess
each to have a different ship.
A grand ovation awaited them all along the route to their home-in
Brunswick, where they were greeted with a hearty welcome by all the
ducal family. This union proved a happy one; but we shall have nothing
more to say about it, merely having introduced the Prince and Princess
of Brunswick, because they became the parents of Caroline Amelia
Elizabeth, the subject of this sketch.
[[A.D. 1768.]] Caroline, their second daughter, was born in 1768. Her
home education was very imperfect, for there was a lack of discipline
in it that colored her after-life. It was her misfortune that she early
discovered how to be mistress of her weak-minded mother, for whom she
had, in {209}consequence, little respect. She was good-hearted, but
utterly wanting in tact and common sense.
As a punishment for certain indiscretions, she was not allowed to appear
at court for a few months; and when she returned an aged lady kindly
said that she hoped it would not be necessary for her to be dismissed
again, whereupon she pertly replied: "Gone is gone, and will never
return, and what is to come will come of itself." Caroline delighted
in making dashing, fearless remarks that too often excited a smile
and encouraged a repetition. After a lesson in natural history, her
governess once asked, "In what country is the lion to be found?" "Well,"
answered the princess deliberately, "I should say, you may find him in
the heart of a Brunswicker." When taking part in any boisterous game,
of which she was very fond, if her attendant warned her of danger, she
would reply: "A Brunswicker dares do anything!" or, "A Brunswicker does
not know that thing,--fear."
[[A.D. 1780.]] "How would you define time and space?" asked her father,
when she was not more than twelve years of age. "Space is in the mouth
of Madame von L----------," she answered, "and time is in her face."
When told that it was not becoming for so young a lady to have opinions
of her own, she rather cleverly returned, "People without opinions of
their own are like those barren tracts which will not bear grass."
This young princess's religious education was as sadly neglected as her
home-training. Like many other royal German ladies, she could not decide
what church she was to join, until she knew what prince she was
to marry; and then, having been taught morality, but no creed, the
princesses were ready to adapt their consciences to the Greek, Roman
Catholic, or Protestant faith, just as it happened. Two offers of
marriage had been refused by Princess Caroline, {210}when the Duke of
York, commander of the English force in Holland, made a visit to his
aunt at the court of Brunswick, and was so favorably impressed with his
young cousin that he went back home with quite a flattering report about
her. George III. had never seen his niece; but, when he heard so much
about her, he began to consider what sort of a match he could manage
between her and his eldest son, the Prince of Wales.
[[A.D. 1794.]] Of this prince so much has been said in the previous
reign that it will be necessary for us to take up his life only at the
time of his marriage. As his union with Mrs. Fitzherbert was illegal,
the prince provided for her a sumptuous house at Brighton, and finding
himself over head and ears in debt, agreed to take a wife who could
help him out of his dilemma. It must not be supposed that the Prince of
Brunswick would or could pay the seventy thousand pounds that the Prince
of Wales owed, but parliament had agreed to do so if he would consent to
marry. So for the sake of his creditors, and his own peace of mind with
regard to them, he wrote to Caroline of Brunswick, and offered her his
hand in marriage. She replied coolly but favorably; and, as the prince's
financial affairs were getting more and more desperate, what, with
horse-racing and all sorts of dissipation, he lost no time in setting on
foot the arrangements for his marriage.
Lord Malmesbury was selected for the prince's proxy, and he was
instructed to bring Princess Caroline to England without using
any discretion in the matter whatever. He reached Brunswick on the
twenty-eighth of November, and was received with a most enthusiastic
welcome. Then he saw the future Queen of England for the first time.
She was an accomplished, high-spirited girl of twenty-seven, who spoke
English fluently, and dressed tastefully. She had fair hair, expressive,
almond-shaped eyes, good teeth, {211}and a delicately formed mouth. Her
face was pretty, but her figure was rather undersized and not graceful.
This was a slight defect compared with one of which Lord Malmesbury
speaks in his diary. We refer to uncleanliness, which seems to have been
sadly apparent in this pretty creature, and was in great part due to her
bad training.
The duchess was indiscreet enough to talk disparagingly of Queen
Charlotte to the English ambassador; but she was so fond of gossip
that she could not lose this opportunity of telling how she had been an
object of envy and dislike to her sister-in-law, who had been ready to
quarrel with King George because he had given her a handsome diamond
ring on her marriage. "George is more kind-hearted than wise-headed,"
she added, "and loves me as well as he could love anybody."
Lord Malmesbury had not been in Brunswick more than a week when Major
Hyslop arrived with a portrait of the Prince of Wales, and a private
letter to his envoy, urging him to set out with the Princess Caroline
immediately. Whether it was impatience to possess his bride, curiosity
to behold her, or the increasing demands of creditors that prompted
the message, we can only guess; but the marriage was celebrated on the
eighth of December, just five days after Major Hyslop's arrival.
Lord Malmesbury was the person to name the day of departure for England,
and after a consultation with the Duke of Brunswick, he wrote the
bridegroom that providing he received intelligence of the sailing of
the fleet from England, which was to serve for a wedding escort, by the
eleventh, he should set out on that day with the princess.
The Duke of Brunswick spent his mornings in consultations with Lord
Malmesbury, and these were succeeded by public dinners and operas, the
Princess Caroline appearing {212}on each occasion as the heroine. The
father begged of the ambassador always to recommend to the princess
discretion, adding: "She is not a fool, but she has no judgment; she
is too curious, and too free in expressing her opinions aloud about
people." Thus Lord Malmesbury became a sort of mentor to the young
bride, and constantly gave her instructions how to act, well knowing
that she would have to be very discreet if she was to succeed in her new
position.
Lord Malmesbury escorted the princess to a masquerade ball at the court
opera house, and acted as a check on her whenever she seemed disposed to
enter into the spirit of the fun, as she had done before her marriage.
A strange conversation took place between these two during one of these
dances. They had retired to one of the private boxes, and the bride
repeated the questions regarding her future state that naturally
occupied her mind all the time. Among other things, Lord Malmesbury told
her that she should never miss going to church on Sundays, as the king
and queen were always punctual in their attendance. This did not please
the princess, and she inquired if the prince was like his parents in
that respect. Lord Malmesbury replied, that if he were not, she would
bring him to it; and if he would not go with her she would do well
to set a good example and go with him. "You must tell him that the
fulfilling regularly and exactly this duty can alone enable you to
perform exactly and regularly those you owe him. This cannot but please
him, and will in the end induce him to go to church."
The envoy well knew that no amount of advice or training could fit a
young, innocent woman to conform to the habits of the prince whom he
represented. The princess thought his conversation very serious for a
masquerade, and told him so, whereupon he gayly defended himself; but
he {213}took another opportunity to say that, "in the order of society
those of a very high rank have a price to pay for it. The life of
a Princess of Wales is not to be one of pleasure, dissipation,
and enjoyment. The advantages belonging to it must be purchased by
sacrifices, which must be constantly repeated."
Princess Caroline took all that Lord Malmesbury told her in good part,
and even expressed a desire that he should be her lord-chamberlain when
she established her household, but though he felt flattered at this mark
of her esteem, he said that he desired no favors. So the guardian got
on very well with his ward, though she said, wearily one day that she
"never should be able to learn all those things."
At length the time approached for the departure of the bride. It was her
desire to take one Mademoiselle Rosenzweit with her to England as "a
sort of reader," but as soon as the prince heard of it he peremptorily
objected, and said that he would not have her in that or any other
capacity. The Duke and Duchess of Brunswick were very angry at this
exercise of authority on the part of the bridegroom, but they were
forced to submit. However, the duke took occasion to say to the envoy
that the reason why he was anxious to have Mademoiselle Rosenzweit
with his daughter was that she could write and spell, in which
accomplishments the princess failed, therefore her services would be
needed.
At last, on the twenty-ninth of December, the bride left Brunswick, but
it was three months before she reached England. This delay was caused
by the war which was raging between the French on one side and the Dutch
and English on the other. Major Hyslop went forward to give notice
in case of danger, and to see that all necessary arrangements were
completed for the comfort of the party. {214}The citizens of Brunswick
gathered in crowds to bid farewell to their princess, and a volley was
fired from the ramparts as she passed out of her native town.
For three days the travellers continued on their way, but made very slow
progress, for they were often detained by the movements of the troops,
and suffered considerably from cold. The princess found her lady
companions so dull and stupid that she invited Lord Malmesbury to ride
in her coach with her, but he declared that it would be a breach of
etiquette, at which the princess laughed very heartily; but he was far
too proper a person to consent to anything of which all the world would
not approve, so the bride was forced to submit.
[[A.D. 1795.]] There was a delay of several days at Osnaburg, and Lord
Malmesbury relates an anecdote as an illustration of the princess's
lack of judgment. There were a great many poor French emigrants at this
place, some of them actually dying of hunger and exposure. When Caroline
saw them she was filled with compassion, but did not know how to set
about assisting them. "I tell her liberality and generosity are an
enjoyment, not a severe virtue," says the lord mentor in his notes. "She
gives a louis for some lottery tickets; I give ten, and say the princess
ordered me to do it. She looked surprised, and I told her that I was
sure she did not mean to give only the value of the ticket, and that
I merely forestalled her intention. Next day an emigrant with a pretty
child draws near the table; the Princess Caroline immediately, of her
own accord, puts ten louis in a paper and gives it to the child. The
duchess, who goes with us as far as the sea, observes it, and inquires
of me what it was. I tell her a demand on her purse; she looks
embarrassed, and says, in French, 'I have only my pretty double
Brunswick louis, which would look prettier in the hands of that child
than in your {215}pocket,' I answered. She felt ashamed, and gave three
of them. In the evening, Princess Caroline, to whom this sort of virtue
was never preached, on my praising the coin of the Brunswick money,
offers me very seriously eight or ten double louis, saying (in French,
which we translate): 'Oh, I beg of you to take them; they are a mere
trifle--of no consequence whatever.' This shows how little she could
distinguish between benevolence and the mere act of throwing away money
like a child. I took an opportunity at supper of defining to her what
real charity was, and I recommended it to her as a quality that
would, if rightly employed, make her more admirers and give her more
satisfaction, than any that human nature could possess. The idea was
perfectly new to her, but she felt the truth of it; and she certainly is
not fond of money, as both her parents are."
On the 18th of January the escort wrote: "Princess Caroline was very
miss-ish at supper. I much fear these habits are irrevocably rooted in
her. She is naturally curious and a gossip; she is quick and observing,
and she has a silly pride of finding out everything.. She thinks herself
particularly acute in discovering likings, and this leads her at times
to the most improper remarks and conversation. I am determined to take
an opportunity of correcting her, cost what it may."
Princess Caroline flattered herself that she would reform her husband;
for although Lord Malmesbury had dropped numerous hints as to his vices,
he had so whitewashed the general character of the prince as to make
him appear far less of a scapegrace than he really was. She knew of his
disagreement with his parents, but thought she would be able to act the
part of the good angel, and reconcile them; that she would domesticate
him and give him a taste for virtue, and thus gain for herself and
him the blessings of a grateful {216}nation. Thus, filled with good
intentions, did this young bride declare herself ready, and with
confidence in her own capacity, to undertake the reformation of a man
she had never seen. She was not long, poor girl! in finding out how
utterly useless such a task would be, and how impossible even to make
the attempt.
The travellers did not reach Hanover until the twenty-fourth of January,
and they had suffered so intensely from the severe weather that the
duchess was as cross and ill-natured as possible, while her daughter
preserved her patience and good humor throughout the journey. There was
one matter that gave Lord Malmesbury great concern, and that was the
toilette of his charge. During their sojourn of three weeks at Hanover
he had several discussions with her upon this subject, and this is what
he wrote on the eighteenth of February, in his diary: "Argument with the
princess about her toilette. She piques herself on dressing quickly;
I disapprove this. She maintains her point; I, however, desire Madame
Busche to explain to her that the prince is very delicate, and that he
expects a long and very careful toilette, of which she has no idea. On
the contrary, she neglects it sadly, and is offensive from this neglect.
Madame Busche executes her commission well, and the princess comes out
the next day well washed all over."
The Madame Busche, to whom the lord refers, was a court lady, who
attended the princess from Brunswick. It would quite be edifying could
we be informed what argument she brought to bear in order to induce the
bride to take a bath; but it is to be hoped that once having discovered
the necessity of daily ablutions, there was no need of further reminders
on that subject. But washing alone was not enough; the princess was so
untidy about her clothing that her escort was forced to make another
appeal to the {217}court ladies, since he scarcely dared to broach so
delicate a point to the princess herself.
[Illustration: 0223]
He says: "I had conversations with the Princess Caroline on the
toilette, on cleanliness and on delicacy of speaking. On these points
I endeavored, as far as it was possible for a man, to inculcate the
necessity of great and nice attention to every part of dress,--as well
to what was hid as what was seen. I knew she wore coarse petticoats,
coarse chemises, and thread stockings, and these never well washed or
changed often enough. I observed that a long toilet was necessary, and
gave her no credit for boasting that hers was a short one. What I could
not say myself on this point I got said through women: through Madame
Busche, and afterwards through Mrs. Harcourt. It is remarkable how
amazingly on this point her education has been neglected, and how much
her mother, although an Englishwoman, was inattentive to it. I had
another conversation with her on speaking slightingly to the duchess;
being peevish to her, and often laughing at her or about her. On that
point I talked very seriously indeed--said that nothing was so extremely
{218}improper, so radically wrong; that it was impossible, if she
reflected for a moment, that she should not be sorry for every
disrespectful word she uttered to her mother, who always showed the
most tender affection for her. The princess felt this, and it made a
temporary impression. But on this, as on all other subjects, I have had
too many opportunities to observe that her heart is very, very light,
incapable of strong or lasting feelings. In some respects this may make
her happier, but certainly not better."
At last news came that the fleet had arrived off Stade, and that was a
signal for the mother and daughter to part. The duchess was affected to
tears; but Caroline behaved with sense and propriety, and kept up her
spirits all the way. Three days later the bridal party reached the
coast, and embarked on board the "Jupiter," a fifty-gun ship, while the
rest of the fleet poured forth a thundering salute.
One of the ladies selected to attend the bride was Mrs. Harcourt, who
had met her at Hanover; the other was Lady Jersey, who awaited her in
England. The squadron arrived off Yarmouth in due season; but a thick
fog set in, and it was not until noon on Saturday, a week from the day
of sailing, that they dropped anchor off Gravesend. The princess won the
hearts of the officers and seamen by her cheerfulness and affability,
which called forth the praise even of Lord Malmesbury.
On Sunday morning the bridal party was transferred to one of the royal
yachts, and, after a pleasant sail, reached Greenwich at noon. Vast
crowds had assembled to greet the princess, but not the bridegroom or
any of his family. There was a delay of more than an hour, because the
lady-in-waiting was behindhand, and had kept the carriages until she was
ready. When she did at last arrive she turned up her nose at the costume
of the princess, and behaved so rudely that Lord Malmesbury had to take
her {219}to task for it. This costume consisted of a muslin gown over
a blue satin petticoat, with a black beaver hat, in which were blue and
black plumes. Lady Jersey had brought a rich white satin frock and an
elegant turban, which the bride was required to put on at the governor's
house before proceeding to London.
The procession, consisting of two coaches, each drawn by six white
horses, and escorted by a detachment of the prince's own regiment, then
started, and the bride must have been somewhat surprised at the small
greeting and applause she met by the way.
About half-past two she alighted at St. James's Palace, and was
conducted to the rooms of the Duke of Cumberland, which had been
prepared for her use. Then the windows were opened, and the princess
stepped out upon the balcony to show herself to the crowd. Lord
Malmesbury at once went for the prince, who, it must be admitted, had
not shown much eagerness to behold the bride. How the poor stranger's
heart must have fluttered at this moment, with none of her own
countryfolk near to advise and guide her! She had not long to wait; for
the prince soon appeared, and this is the report of the interview as
given by the lord, whose duties were not yet over: "I, according to the
established etiquette, introduced (no one else being in the room) the
Princess Caroline to him. She, very properly, in consequence of my
saying it was the right mode of proceeding, attempted to kneel to him.
He raised her gracefully enough, and embraced her, said barely one word,
turned round, retired to a distant part of the apartment, and calling me
to him, said: 'Harris, I am not well; pray get me a glass of brandy.' I
said, 'Sir, had you not better have a glass of water?'--upon which he,
much out of humor, said, _with an oath_, 'No! I will go directly to
the queen. And away he went. The princess, {220}left during this short
moment alone, was in a state of astonishment, and on my joining her,
said: 'Mon Dieu, is he always like that? I find him very fat, and not
at all like the picture he sent me.'" No wonder she was shocked at such
treatment; it was a wretched beginning to her new life, and showed, even
more plainly than she suspected, what her future treatment was to be.
Lord Malmesbury tried to mend matters as best he could, and stammered
out a lame apology: "His royal highness was a good deal affected and
flurried at this first meeting; but would be better by dinner-time."
Of course the princess was not to be deceived by such an excuse, and
embarrassed her companion by indulging in no end of uncomplimentary
remarks. Relief came to him in the shape of a summons to wait upon the
king at once.
Strange as it may appear, his majesty immediately began to discuss the
war and foreign politics; and then, having satisfied himself on these
points, suddenly seemed to remember the purpose of Lord Malmesbury's
mission to the continent. He had only one question to ask about his
son's wife: "Is she good-humored?"
"I have never seen her otherwise, even when severely tried," was the
reply. "I glad of it," said the king, significantly; for he well knew
what need she would have of that quality.
Lady Jersey acted as a spy while waiting on the princess, and had
managed to worm a secret out of her during the short time they were
at Greenwich together, which she lost no time in communicating to the
prince. This was a love affair with a young German, and the knowledge
of it made the prince exceedingly angry. That evening at dinner, the
princess behaved absurdly. She was "flippant, rattling, affecting
raillery and wit," that proved her a very coarse, vulgar person. The
bridegroom was thoroughly disgusted and everybody else astonished; for
there was none of the {221}shyness or reserve that would seem natural
and becoming to a young woman in such a position.
When opportunity offered, the prince asked Harris what he thought of the
princess's manners, and took him to task for bringing her to England at
all. Lord Malmesbury then informed the prince of the injunctions he had
received from the Duke of Brunswick, at the same time assuring him that
he had observed only slight defects of character, that he hoped might
be amended, and adding, that no discretion had been left to him in
the matter, as he had merely been ordered to ask for the hand of the
Princess Caroline in marriage, and nothing more, and that he would
not have presumed to give any opinion of his own upon the lady, unless
requested to do so; and even in that case it would only have been in
strict confidence to the king himself. The prince sighed, but he was not
consoled, and his disgust for his bride was fast turning to hatred.
After the dinner was over the king and queen, with other members of the
family, arrived, and the princess was presented in due form. The king
was kind and affectionate towards his niece, but the queen was so cold
and unfriendly that everybody present noticed it. On the eighth of April
all the royal family dined together at the Queen's Palace, Buckingham
House, and after the meal they retired to their separate apartments
to dress for the wedding ceremony, which took place at night. It was
performed in the Chapel Royal at St. James's by the Archbishop of
Canterbury. The prince handed his hat with its rich diamond buckle to
Lord Harcourt to hold, and then made him a present of it. During the
procession it was noticed that the Prince and Princess of Wales scarcely
addressed a single remark to each other, although they walked side by
side. Some chroniclers say that the prince had partaken so freely of
wine during the dinner which
The Queens of England. {222}preceded the ceremony that he had to be held
up in the chapel between two dukes, and scarcely seemed aware of what
he was about. This may not be a fact, but he certainly behaved very
strangely during the ceremony; for he got up from his knees at the wrong
time and interrupted the archbishop, who stood silently wondering what
he intended to do. It was the king who stepped forward and whispered to
his son, who then resumed his position, and allowed the service to be
concluded. With the bridegroom behaving as he did, and taking no pains
to conceal his displeasure, the wedding must have been a melancholy
affair indeed. After all the legal formalities had been disposed of,
there was a grand supper at Buckingham House, and at midnight the
newly-wedded pair went to their own home at Carlton House. It is said
they had their first quarrel on the way, which is not surprising if it
be really true that the prince had been drinking too freely, and he was
probably not more abstemious at supper than he had been at dinner. The
city was illuminated, and there was great rejoicing in honor of the
royal marriage, though perhaps a peep into the hearts of the principal
parties concerned would have shown more cause to weep than to rejoice.
Two days after the marriage the royal couple returned to Windsor, where
they spent a few days, then went to a country-seat belonging to the
prince at Kempshott. The bride had only one lady-in-waiting with her at
that time, and she was her sole female, companion; but the prince was
surrounded by a lot of his low friends, who constantly were to be found,
in one part of the house or another, in such a state of intoxication as
to be sleeping and snoring on the sofas. After two or three weeks the
"happy pair" established themselves at Carlton House, and then the
princess was for the first time presented to the public at the theatre.
{223}The princess had evidently formed good resolutions, which appeared
in her amiable and prudent behavior. The change that came over her later
must, therefore, be attributed, in great part, to the ill-treatment she
received at the hands of the ruffian she was so unfortunate as to have
married.
[Illustration: 0229]
The lady-in-waiting that was forced upon her was an objectionable
person, and most disagreeable to the princess, who saw her treated with
cordiality in the queen's house and even invited to play cards with
the princesses. This was not customary, and King George expressed his
disapproval of such proceedings, but he was overruled.
The first serious matter to which the prince turned his attention
after his marriage was the payment of his debts, which were perfectly
enormous. But he had accepted a wife solely on condition that his
creditors should be satisfied; and when it was proposed by one of the
members of parliament {224}that a yearly deduction should be made out of
his revenue for that purpose he was highly indignant. If he had been an
honest man he would never have contracted debts that were far in excess
of his income; but, having done so, he ought to have been eager to
retrench. He preferred to throw himself on the mercy of his country,
like a spendthrift and a pauper, and afterwards continue in his reckless
course.
Princess Caroline was soon made aware that her marriage was part of a
bargain, the price being the payment of her husband's debts; also that
he had been formerly married to Mrs. Fitzherbert, on whom he had settled
a superb mansion in Park Lane. No one can deny that the young wife had
much to complain of, though it may not justify her future conduct.
While parliament remained in a state of indecision regarding the
prince's debts, his brother, the Duke of Clarence, afterwards William
IV., made an extraordinary harangue, which created no little surprise.
He represented that it was taking advantage of the _poor innocent_
prince to make any opposition to the full payment of all his
obligations, when it was well known that his consent to his marriage
had been obtained with that understanding. This was certainly an honest
speech, and perhaps a proof of brotherly interest and partisanship; but
it can scarcely be pronounced discreet or delicate.
At last, after no end of propositions, debates, and disputes, Mr.
Pitt's suggestion was agreed upon. This was an income of one hundred and
twenty-five thousand pounds a year for the prince, besides his revenue
from the duchy of Cornwall, of thirteen thousand pounds more. In
addition, the princess was to have fifty thousand pounds, besides twenty
thousand pounds for jewels, and twenty-six thousand pounds for the
refurnishing of Carlton House. {225}The old standing debts of the Prince
of Wales were all settled, and this was no trifling affair; for to his
ferrier alone he was indebted forty thousand pounds, and to his jeweller
eighty-five thousand pounds. This included the four thousand pounds that
the jewelled frame had cost in which the prince's miniature had been
placed before it was sent to Brunswick. It is not surprising that the
bride was disappointed when she beheld the original, after having viewed
his flattered counterpart with such a surrounding.
{226}