but that on its being discovered that the poem had its foundation in truth, all idea of prosecution was extinguished. Are you sure of the verdict?' said a lord high in the law (Chancellor Thurlow); if not so, we shall look like a parcel of fools!' For this statement there is, we believe, the same vague shadow of truth, that there was for all Peter's statements; but however authentic it may be, it is generally allowed to be quite as certain, that the idea of a prosecution did not originate with his majesty, but with some of his ministers, who consulted a natural and just indignation, more than the dictates of a sound prudence.

Of the "foundation in truth" which the doctor speaks of, he has left in another letter a proof, which deserves to be as memorable at least as the satire itself. It shows how the privacy of the palace was invaded; and to what low sources the man had recourse for his materials. "I had this (the story of the Lousiad) from the cooks themselves, with whom I dined several times at Buckingham House and Windsor, immediately after the shave took place."

The doctor, on being once reproved by a gentleman for the liberties he had taken with his sovereign, is said to have replied, with as much truth as wit, "I confess there exists this difference between the king and I-the king has been a good subject to me; but I have been a bad subject to his majesty."

CARICATURES.

A very bold caricature was one day shown to his majesty, in which Warren Hastings was represented wheeling the king and the lord chancellor in a wheelbarrow for sale, and crying, "What a man buys, he may sell." The inference intended was, that his majesty and Lord Thurlow had used improper influence in favour of Hastings. The king smiled at the caricature, and observed, Well, this is something new; I have been in all sorts of carriages, but was never put into a wheel-barrow before."

MARGARET NICHOLSON'S ATTEMPT TO ASSASSINATE HIS MAJESTY.

As his majesty was stepping out of his post chariot at the garden entrance of St. James's on the morning of August 2, 1786, a woman who was waiting there pushed forward, and presented a paper, which his majesty received with great condescension. At that instant she struck a concealed knife at the king's breast, which his majesty happily avoided by bowing as he received the paper. As she was making a second thrust, one of the yeomen caught her arm, and at the same instant one of the king's footmen wrenched the knife out of her hand. The king, with amazing temper and fortitude, exclaimed at the instant, "I have received no injury! Do not hurt the woman; the poor creature appears insane!"

His majesty was perfectly correct in his humane supposition. The woman underwent a long examination before the privy council; who finally declared,

"to

that they were "clearly and unanimously of opinion, that she was, and is, insane." She did not appear in the least embarrassed before the council; answered some questions consistently, but others with evident marks of aberration of mind. It appeared that she had frequently before presented petitions to his majesty; but having, on account of their incoherent and unintelligible nature, received no answer to them, it was her determination, as she expressed herself, bring matters to a point." She had no intention, she said, to hurt the king; her object was to obtain the prayer of her petition, by terrifying the king, which she fancied the sight of the knife would have affected. The instrument struck against his majesty's waistcoat, and made a little cut, the breadth of the point, through the cloth. Had not his majesty shrunk in his side, the blow must have been fatal!

PRINCESS AMELIA, DAUGHTER OF
GEORGE II.

This princess, the last surviving child of George II., died at an advanced age in 1787. She was of a mascuJine turn of mind, and evinced this strikingly enough in her dress and manners. She generally wore a riding habit in the German fashion, with a round hat, and delighted very much in attending her stables, particularly when any of the horses were out of order. Her practice was to rise very early; and she always drank her coffee or chocolate in a standing posture, walking all the while about the room. She took snuff immoderately, and was very fond of cards. Being at the public rooms one evening at Bath, a

general officer seeing her box stand upon the table, imprudently ventured to take a pinch from it; on her royal highness observing this, she called to her servant, and ordered him to throw the contents of the box into the fire.

VISIT TO CHELTENHAM, JULY, 1788. The king, in his walks, accompanied by the queen and the princesses, was constantly attended by crowds of people; his majesty pleasantly observed to the queen, "We must walk about for two or three days to please these good people, and then we may walk about to please ourselves." His manners were unaffected and condescending to every one. He walked about unattended by any pomp, and without a single guard; nor would he allow any soldiers to be quartered within ten miles of the Spa.

To those about his majesty he declared, more than once, at moments when the heart speaks its undisguised sentiments, "That the hours he had passed at Cheltenham, and in other parts of the country, unguarded, and in the midst of his people, had more than repaid him for all the hours of solicitude he had experienced during his reign."

SEEING THE KING.

In one of his majesty's excursions, during the hay harvest, in the neighbourhood of Weymouth, he passed a field where only one woman was at work. His majesty asked her where the rest of her companions were? The woman answered, they are gone

to see the king. And why did not you go with them?" rejoined his majesty. "I would not give a pin to see him!" replied the woman; "besides, the fools that are gone to town will lose a day's work by it, and that is more than I can afford to do. I have five children to work for," &c. his majesty, putting some money into her hands, "you may tell your companions who are gone to see the king, that the king came to see you."

"Well then," said

As his majesty rode through Tewkesbury, on his way to Cheltenham, the people stood upon the walls of the bridge to see him pass; on which the good monarch, observing the danger of the situation, humanely addressed them in these words: "My good people, I am afraid that some of you may fall. Don't run such hazard for the sake of seeing your king. I will ride as slowly as you please, that you may all see him."

One morning, when his majesty was taking his usual walk alone at Cheltenham, after drinking the water, he met a farmer in a great hurry. So, friend," said the king, "you seem to be very warm." 66 Yes, sir," said the man, "I came a long way, for I want to see the king." "Well, my friend," observed his majesty, "here is something to refresh you after your journey," giving him a guinea. "But where, worthy sir," said the man, with much eagerness, "" can I see the king?" "Friend," replied the sovereign, "you

see him before you."