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reward for his many and long services. sage was sent by the ministers to say it would forward the King's service if he would resign; and that he should be no loser by his accommodating the government, as they proposed recommending it to the King to give him a pension in Ireland of £'3000. per annum, and a peerage to descend to his daughter. To this Admiral Forbes sent an immediate answer: he told the ministers, the generalship of the marines was a military employment given him by His Majesty, as a reward for his services-that he thanked God he had never been a burthen to his country, which he had served during a long life to the best of his ability-and that he would not condescend to accept of a pension, or bargain for a peerage. He concluded, by laying his generalship of the marines, together with his rank in the navy, at the King's feet, entreating him to take both away, if they could forward his service and, at the same time, assuring His Majesty he would never prove himself unworthy of the former honours he had received, by ending the remnant of a long life on a pension, or accepting of a peerage, obtained by political arrangement. His gracious master applauded his spirit, ever after continued him in his high military honours, and to the day of his death condescended to shew him strong marks of his regard.

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In the latter end of September a most diabolical

attempt was in progress for the assassination of His Majesty, by means of a poisoned arrow, which was to be aimed at his breast from the pit of the theatre, by means of an air machine of a particular construction, and which was intended to be put in force on the first public appearance of the royal family at either of the winter theatres; to facilitate which a riot was to be produced by preconcerted

measures.

The plot was the work of one Higgins, apprentice to a chymist, and Le Maitre, apprentice to a watchmaker; and its discovery was owing to a gentleman accidentally looking into the shop of the artist who was to make the arrow; and having observed an inflammatory kind of hand-bill in the window, he remonstrated with the master of the shop on the impropriety of exhibiting it, but without effect, and departed. But having occasion, soon after, to return the same way, he was accosted by the man, who expressed a desire to have some further conversation with him, when the whole general outlines of a plot were developed.

An investigation immediately took place before the privy council; when the parties were committed, not indeed upon the charge of the plot, but on treasonable practices, as members of the Corresponding Society.

1795.

The reception which the Prince of Orange, and his family, met with from the King, in 1795, was affectionate, hospitable, and cordial; and Hampton Court was soon after assigned him for a residence, when the various branches of the royal family, and indeed the nation at large, vied with each other in demonstrations of respect, compassion, and attention, towards these expatriated unfortunates.

It was in this year that the military rank of fieldmarshal was first introduced; and it was on the eighth of April that the marriage of the HeirApparent took place.

How much the King was interested in this match was manifested by several minute circumstances connected with the ceremonial of the day. The whole of the royal family having dined together at the Queen's Palace, it was necessary afterwards for them to proceed to St. James's to their respective apartments to dress; and on leaving Buckingham House, the good old King not only saluted the Princess in the hall, but gave the Prince of Wales such a hearty shake of the hand as brought tears into his eyes.

When the service was performing, and the Archbishop of Canterbury came to that part where it is asked "who gives the bride in marriage?" His

Majesty instantly and eagerly advanced to the Princess, and taking her with both his hands, presented her with the greatest marks of satisfaction.

His Majesty was also carefully watchful of the conduct of all; and the Prince, after repeating his part of the service with great clearness and precision, having risen too soon from his kneeling posture, the archbishop paused, when the King instantly observing the accidental error, rose from his seat, and whispered the Prince, who kneeled again, and the service was concluded.

After the ceremonial, their majesties held a drawing-room, which was numerously and brilliantly attended and on its close the whole of the royal family returned to the Queen's Palace to supper, quite in a domestic style, the new married pair retiring to Carlton House at midnight.

The next morning, the King and Queen, previous to setting off for Windsor, paid them a nuptual visit, after which the bride and bridegroom set off for Windsor also, where the honey-moon was commenced under auspices which unhappily failed to be as permanent as a loyal nation were anxious that they should prove.

On the eleventh of May, the first division of the troops from the continent arrived at Greenwich, to which place His Majesty went to meet them; when a very great concourse of people were assembled, who congratulated their return with a warmth

of acclamation which did honour to their feelings, and not only sensibly affected the objects of it, but also made a great impression upon the King.

In the summer of this year, previous to the trip to Weymouth, His Majesty, with a munificence worthy of his station, erected a mill in Windsor Park, where he caused corn to be ground, and retailed to the poor at a cheap rate. In order to render this more practically useful, he first instituted a careful inquiry throughout the towns of Windsor, Staines, Egham, and their vicinities, for such as were objects deserving of this bounty: to these tickets were given, which entitled them to flour gratis, intending to have continued it upon that plan generally; but excess and fraud having soon ensued, he found it necessary to depart in some degree from his benevolent plan, and to fix a certain price, selling that for five shillings and fourpence in flour per bushel, which in corn cost fifteen shillings and sixpence in Egham market.

When the French princes first began to collect an emigrant corps in Germany, those troops, together with other free corps, were stationed with the British army in the field, and afterwards provisorily quartered in the Electorate of Hanover, till such time as they could be removed elsewhere; but it was soon found that their residence there not only produced considerable disorder, but also became

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