trouble to direct my attention to a very handsome table, and asked me what I conceived it to be. Without a moment's hesitation I declared it was inlaid, .or, as it is called, Mosaic work, and that it was an excellent specimen of the art. She smiled, and said that could not be, as she, who knew nothing of Mosaic work, had niade it herself, and in a few hours. It is nothing more, added her royal highness, than a square of ground glass on which i

, have. fastened with gum different kinds of natural flowers, which were first carefully dried and press+ ed, and then turned the glass with the smooth side uppermost to produce the delusion by which you were just now deceived. The whole art, or tather the trifling degree of trouble which this easy operation requires, consists merely in the choice of the situation wbich must be given to each flower, so that one may be properly connected with the other, and that as small a vacancy as possible may remain between them. As the glass, would not, however, be completely covered, I suppose (for unluckily I forgot to inquire) that the intervals are stained with colours so as to give them the appearance of stone.

By means of this pleasing artifice she had made a Chinese lamp for one of her other apartments, which, like those of coloured glass or thin alabaster, diffused a very mild light.

"A second table in her work-room, which ap

peared to be composed of every possible species of marble, was, wbat I should never have guessednothing more than a square of ground glass, which, on the other side, was painted in such a manner that the spectator could not help taking the whole for specimens of all the species of marble joined together and inlaid. In each corner a small copperplate of some antique figures was stuck; of course, on the reverse of the square, which completed the deception."

Her royal highness had, with the knowledge of the prince of Wales, various inasters for her amusement and improvement, particularly. Mr. Atwood for music, Mr. Giffadiere for English, Mr. Tourfionilli for painting, Mr. Tutoye for imitating marble, and Mrs. Elwes for the harp.

CHAPTER VII.

Her royal Highness surrounded by Enemies and Spies.-Still visited by the King:- Apprized by an anonymous Letter of the Character of Lady Douglas.-Prohibits her Visits.—Her Adoption of a Child of obscure Parents.—Consequent Reports. Interview between the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Kent.-Of Lady Douglas's Statement.

UNFORTUNATELY for the princess of Wales, her lately acquired friends became her most bitter enemies; and her innocent attachment to children, as explained in the preceding chapter, was audaciously rendered an act of infamous accusation. His late majesty would not listen to the voice of scandal, when first the vile inuendoes, whispered by a satanic spirit, reached his royal ears. He still continued his visits to Blackheath, and often spent the whole day with her royal highness, his daughter-in-law, and the young princess, his grand-child. We are told by Mr. Huish, in the early editions of his, "Memoirs of H. R. H. the princess Charlotte," (but which, together with other passages, on this subject, are unaccountably CANCELLED in late editions, and the vacuum filled up with extraneous matter,) that "some severe mis

understandings had occurred between his majesty and the prince, on account of these visits; but as no circumstance had taken place, to warrant bis majesty in withdrawing his countenance from the princess, the prince yielded in filial obedience to the wishes of his parent, and forbore to express his chagrin upon the occasion.” The separation of the

. royal pair, which originated from personal dislike, and not from any criminal act, became the foundation of the most virulent defamation, and every little courtesy was construed into guilt. In short, she was surrounded by domestic spies: yet her royal highness, though thus calumniated and abused, was not only visited by his late majesty, but by his majesty's late brother the duke of Gloucester, and others of the royal family. Unaccustomed to English formalities, her royal highness had frequently accompanied lord Hood in his one horse chaise, sometimes without any of her attendants.

An anonymous Jetter, however, apprized her of the character of lady Douglas, and of the liberties which she allowed herself to take with the name of her royal highness. The princess of Wales was accordingly denied to lady Douglas, but as she still repeated her visits her royal highness directed Mrs. Vernon to write to lady Douglas, and inform her that her visits to Montague-house were, no longer agreeable. Sir John and lady Douglas, highly incensed at this intended affront, persuaded

sir Sidney Smith that it was also extended to him; and in the joint names of sir Sidney Smith, sir John and lady Douglas, an application was made to her royal highness for an explanation, which the latter resolved not to grant. To avoid, however, any disagreeable discussion on the subject, the mediation of the duke of Kent was solicited; and his royal highness, though unacquainted with the just provocation which the princess of Wales had received, obtained a qualified consent from all parties, that, if unmolested, they would remain quiet.

In the latter end of the year 1802, when the princess Charlotte had nearly attained the age when she was no longer to be under the care of her mo ther, the princess of Wales adopted a child of very obscure parents, of the name of Austin, which was suckled and brought up under her own immediate eye. It has been proved that her royal highness was equally kind to, and fond of, other children: how ridiculous then the assertion of those fastidious cavillers who have insisted that her own daughter

her only child, should have engrossed all her maternal feelings, when she was not aware of the hour when that child-that only daughter might have been taken away entirely from her care, especially as her having the royal child for the first eight years of her age, was deemed a GREAT FAVOUR! The adoption of a child, under such cir