witty familiarity during this visit. One day, whilst riding out to some races, he saw a most respected nobleman approach, when he instantly exclaimed, "There comes a man who is neither gambler nor rat." ."-"Your Majesty is mistaken," said the nobleman: "I am the greatest gambler on earth! My all is on that horse,"-pointing to that which the monarch rode.

The remainder of their visit was fully occupied in reviews, country excursions, naval trips, &c. &c.

On the fifth of October His Majesty gave audience to the sheriffs and remembrancer respecting the address of the livery, on the high price of provisions; and on the eighth of October the whole party returned to Windsor.

On the third of October a common-hall was held, when it was resolved to petition the King to call parliament together, to consider the high price of provisions; which was presented by the lord mayor and corporation on the sixteenth, His Majesty being on the throne.

His answer was, that he was always desirous of the advice of parliament on any public emergency: and that, previous to the petition, he had given directions for convening the legislature.

SECTION VII.

1801-1810.

Act of Union.-Royal Recovery and Birth-day.-Visit to Weymouth.-Peace of Amiens.-Anecdotes, Military and Literary.—Chivalric Installations.—Characteristic Anecdotes, &c. &c. &c.

THOUGH the act of union had passed in 1800, yet the precise forms were not gone through until the third of January, 1801, when all the members of the privy council took the oaths for the united kingdom; on which occasion His Majesty received the great seal from the lord chancellor; and, causing it to be defaced, presented to him a new great seal for the empire.

After this ceremony, a proclamation was prepared for the change of the royal style, titles, &c. &c.; and shortly afterwards some steps were taken towards the fulfilment of hopes held out to the Catholics of Ireland, during the progress of the Unionsteps, which the political history of that time declares to have led to the resignation of Mr. Pitt on the fourteenth of March.

On this subject, however, the King was resolute. He felt, as a Protestant monarch, called to the

throne of these kingdoms, through his ancestors, to protect Britain from Popish thraldom, and religious slavery. Indeed, the attempt made upon the proposed question of Catholic emancipation, to induce the King to depart from the spirit of his coronation oath, manifested how strongly he felt that obligation. In fact, it was always strong upon his mind; and, on this occasion, he resisted the united arguments even of Mr. Pitt, as it is said, and four other cabinet ministers.

The public interest was much excited at this moment, by an alarming illness of His Majesty, in consequence of his catching a severe cold whilst attending divine service at the chapel royal on the fast-day. It was soon accompanied by the most affecting symptoms; and the circumstances connected with it occasioned a very extraordinary pause in the progress of the pending ministerial arrangements.

During the period of his illness another unhappy maniac produced considerable disturbance at the Queen's Palace, by forcibly attempting to enter that mansion on the twenty-second of January. On being asked his business, he replied that he had written a note to the princesses, promising to accompany them to the play that evening, and he came to know why he received no answer.

On examination, it appeared that the unfortunate man, by name Palmer Hurst, had formerly possessed considerable property at Walton-upon-Thames.

His Majesty's illness still continued through February, and baffled, for some weeks, all the skill of his medical attendants. His great complaint was a constant feverish restlessness, which precluded all sleep; and it is a remarkable fact, that he remained in that state, without hope, until Mr. Addington recommended a pillow of hops, which contributed instantly to the abatement of the fever, and induced sleep, when all other soporifics had failed.

Though the royal birth-day, in 1801, was not observed with the customary state, yet His Majesty was sufficiently recovered to attend at St. James's, where he received the congratulations of the foreign ministers, and of a great number of the nobility: after which he returned to the Queen's Palace, where he held a council, attended by all the members of the cabinet.

A few days afterwards the royal family retired to Kew, when preparations began to be made for another journey to Weymouth, where the King had purchased the former residence of the Duke of Gloucester, intending to make considerable improvements in it during the summer.

This Weymouth trip was considered necessary for the complete re-establishment of the royal health, in which His Majesty was daily improving, in consequence of the judicious arrangements now adopted. His hour of rising was seven o'clock, from which he seldom deviated many minutes. The time from seven to eight he walked in Richmond Gardens, to

observe the progress of the workmen, in building the new palace.

At eight, the whole royal family, accompanied by his lovely grand-daughter, sat down to a sociable breakfast; after which the King usually rode out on horseback, accompanied by Prince Adolphus, who then resided in a plain manner in a neat house on the green; whilst the Duke of Kent accompanied the Queen and princesses in short excursions in their landau.

Four o'clock was the established hour of dining, from which the King never deviated; when the fare was of the simplest kind, such as roast mutton, lamb, veal, beef, and fowl, generally cold, with salads; but made dishes, or French cookery, were never admitted.

His Majesty's beverage was wine, considerably diluted with water, which he never exceeded. In the evening His Majesty generally made excursions. of seven or eight miles in a phaeton, whilst the Queen and princesses resumed their rides in the vicinity.

On Sunday, the twenty-eighth of June, the whole royal family were assembled at Kew to divine worship; after which, the Prince of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of York, and the rest of the royal brothers, paid their parting compliments, previous to the journey to Weymouth; from which His Majesty was not intimidated by all the boastings of invasion from the minions of the First Consul.