plants from Africa, and other distant countries; and the collection was considerably increased by the communications of Sir Joseph Banks, President of the Royal Society, and such other zealous promoters of the science as had frequent opportunities of procuring new seeds and plants from remote parts of the world; so that this collection was so much increased in 1788, as to render it necessary to erect a new house, one hundred and ten feet in length, for the reception of African plants alone; a house since that for New Holland plants; another with a span-roof for New Holland and Cape plants; besides some smaller houses for plants of various descriptions, in ground purchased by His Majesty, and added to the botanic garden. By these means the royal gardens are enriched with collections of vegetables procured at great expense from the remotest parts of the globe; while those who study the nature and properties of animals have enjoyed repeated accessions to the means of furnishing their museums with rarities.

Whilst the King was pursuing his improvements at Richmond and Windsor, he displayed a degree of self-control, trifling in itself, but honourable to him, both as a monarch and a man. Having observed to Colonel Price that he had an intention of ordering a particular tree to be taken down, he in a rapid manner asked the colonel's opinion, as if he expected an entire acquiescence in his idea. The

colonel, however, respectfully ventured to say that he was of a different opinion.-" Aye!" rejoined His Majesty, somewhat hastily,-" that's your way: you continually contradict me."-"If your Majesty," replied Colonel Price, " will not condescend to listen to the honest sentiments of your faithful servants, you never can hear the truth." After a short pause, the King very kindly laid his hand upon the colonel's shoulder, adding, "You are right, Price; the tree shall stand."

Of His Majesty's walks and rides about Windsor whilst these improvements were going on, various anecdotes have been related.

On one occasion, a gentleman riding rather fast in that vicinity, his horse stumbled, and threw him. to the ground, where he lay for some time completely stunned; but on recovering found himself assisted by a good-looking, elderly, country-like gentleman, wearing a brown bob wig. This good Samaritan insisted that he should not remount his horse, and walked by his side until they reached the nearest inn, to which they no sooner came than all hats flew off, and the greatest respect was paid to the venerable stranger, whom the astonished gentleman now first knew to be his sovereign.

On another occasion, whilst riding out, attended only by two servants, the King rode up to a crowd of people, and perceived that one of the horses of a team had dropped down dead. The owner seemed

much affected, and, wringing his hands, declared that it was the greatest misfortune that had ever happened to him, as he could not afford to buy another, in consequence of repeated losses. The King instantly called one of his servants, who rode an excellent horse, and asked the inconscious waggoner if that would answer his purpose. "Ah! master," said the rustic, " my pocket will not reach such a beast as that;" when the King, with the warmest benignity, replied, "Come! come! my honest fellow, be of good heart. Take him! take him and when I demand a price for him, then you shall pay me!"

The Great Park at Windsor, as before noted, now fell into His Majesty's possession, to the extent of about four thousand acres, which he considered as a rough jewel to be polished up for general usefulness, as an experimental farm. In its wild state, the whole, as a natural object, was grand and beautiful, and quite a forest in appearance; but the parts

were crowded and indistinct. The soil too was various some parts clay and loam; and some sharp gravel or poor sand; the former of which was principally covered with rushes and mole-hills, and the latter with fern and moss.

To reduce this to agricultural purposes was now the King's great desire, and accordingly about one thousand acres of the lightest part were immediately separated from the rest, at one extremity, and

formed into what has been since called the Norfolk farm: whilst four hundred acres more, at the other extremity, of a good loamy soil, were likewise separated, and called the Flemish farm: each being so named from the style of husbandry intended to be used on it.

But these arrangements were so judiciously adopted, that though the remaining two thousand four hundred acres remained in plantations and parks, yet from the improvements also made upon them, they were soon capable of carrying more stock than even the whole four thousand acres had done before: and to effect this not a tree was unnecessarily sacrificed.

Various additional traits of the royal character now press themselves upon our notice.

It has already been hinted that the King was not only a competent judge of the science of architecture, but he was so far a practical man as to have amused his leisure hours with the composition of architectural designs; and the embellishments of various kinds executed under his patronage at Windsor will long remain monuments of his munificence.

In regard to his patronage of the painters, it has been well observed, that the influence of the arts is by no means confined to the superiority of our pictorial works (now admitted throughout Europe); it has pervaded also an infinite variety of ramifica

tions, exemplified in thousands of articles which bear the name of manufactures.

But it is time to close this section; we shall therefore merely add two anecdotes of his benevolence, which are well authenticated. On one occasion, when a sheriff of London some years since announced a fund for the relief of the wives and children of prisoners, His Majesty called him aside at the levee, and after stating that he felt himself obliged by the sheriff's attention to his duty, in instituting such a fund, presented him with a fifty pound bank-note, desiring that it might be appropriated to the purposes of the fund, but requesting that his name, as that of the donor, might not be allowed to transpire.

We have also seen it stated, that a respectable mechanic, who had the honour and happiness to be personally known to His Majesty, was, through affliction in his family, brought into great pecuniary straits. He was advised to present a petition to the King, stating his circumstances. He did so, and His Majesty was pleased to appoint a certain hour on the next morning, when he was ordered to be in waiting. He went accordingly to the gate of the Queen's Lodge, but through diffidence did not ring for admittance. He lingered until the appointed time was past by a few minutes, when the King came out, with some attendants. He instantly observed the petitioner, and said rather sharply, "I