and said,

children in the world, and indeed it might well be so, when the mother was so handsome and good-natured looking." By this time I was 80 used to these fine speeches, either from the princess, or from her through others, that I was ready to laugh, and I only said, “We did not talk much about beauty, but my little girl was in good health, and her royal highness was very obliging.” As soon as his royal bighness was gone, the princess sent again for me, told me every word he had said,

“He is a good man, and therefore I took it as it was meant; but if prince William had ventured to talk to me himself, I would certainly have boxed his ears; however, as he is so inquisitive, and watches me, I will cheat him, and throw the dust in his eyes, and make him believe sir Sidney comes here to see you, and that you and he are the greatest possible friends. I delight of all things in cheating those clever people.” Her speech and intentions made me serious, and my mind was forcibly struck with the great danger there would follow to myself, if she was this kind

I begged her not to think of doing such a thing, saying, your royal highness knows it is not so, and although I would do much to oblige you, yet, when my own character is at stake, I must stop. Good God, ma'am, his royal highness would naturally repeat it, and what should I do? Reputation will not bear being sported with. The

N

of person.

princess, took me by the hand, and said; Certainly my dear lady Douglas, I know very well it is not so, and therefore it does not signify. I am sure it is not so, that I am sure of. I have much too good an opinion of you, and too good an opinion of sir Sidney Smith. It would be very bad in bim, after sir John's hospitality to him. I know him incapable of such a thing, for I have known him a long time; but still I wonder too in the same house it does not happen. By this time I was rather vexed, and said, Your royal highness and I think quite differently-Sir Sidney Smith comes and goes as he pleases to his room in our house. I really see little of him.

He seems a very good-humoured, pleasant man, and I always think one may be upon very friendly terms with men who are friends of one's husbands, without being their humble servants. The princess argued upon this for an hour, şaid, this is Miss Garth's argument, but she was mistaken, and it was ridiculous. If ever a woman was upon friendly terms with any man, they were sure to become lovers. I said, I shall continue to think as Miss Garth did, and that it depended very much upon the lady. Upon the 29th of March, I left Montague-house, and the princess commanded me to be sent up to her bed-chamber. I went and found her in bed, and I took Mrs. Vansittart's note in my hand, announcing the news of peace. She desired me

to sit down close to the bed, and then taking my hand, she said, “ You see, my dear friend, I have the most complaisant husband in the world - I have no one to controul me- see whom I like, I

go where I like, I spend what I please, and his royal highness pays for all-Other English huss bands plague their wives, but he never plagues me at all, which is certainly being very polite and complaisant, and I am better off than my sister, who was beartily heat every day. How much happier am I than the duchess of York! She and the Duke hate each other, and yet they will be two hypocrites, and live together--that I would never do.--Now I'll shew you a letter wherein the prince of Wales gives me full leave to follow my own plans.” She then put the letter into my hands, the particulars of which I have mentioned. When I had finished, I appeared affected, and she said,' “You seem to think that a fine thing; now I see nothing in it; but I dare to say that when my beloved had finished it, he fancied it one of the finest pieces of penmanship in the world. I should have been the man, and he the woman, I am a real Brunswick, and do not know what the sensation fear is; but as to him, he lives in eternal warm water, and delights in 'it, if he can but have his slippers under any old dowager's table, and sit there scribbling notes; that's his whole delight. She then told me every circum

stance relative to her marriage, and that she would be separated, and that she had invited the chancellor very often lately, to try and accomplish it, but they were stupid, and told her it could not be done. It appeared to me that at this time her royal highness's mind was bent upon the accomplishment of this purpose ; and it would be found, I think, from Lord Eldon and the others, that she pressed this subject close upon them, whenever they were at Montague-house ; for she told me more than once she had: Her royal highness, before she put the letter by, said, “I always keep this, for it is ever necessary. i I will go into the house of lords with it myself. The prince of Wales desires me, in that letter,' to choose my own plan of life, and amuse myself as I like; and also, when I lived in Carlton house, he often asked me why I did not select some particular gentleman for my friend, and was surprised I did not”-She then added, I am not treated at all as a princess of Wales ought to be. As to the friendship of the duke of Gloucester's family, I understand that prince William would like to marry either my daughter or me, if he could. I now therefore am desirous of forming a society of my own choosing, and I beg you always to remember, all your life, that I shall always be happy to see you. I think you very discreet, and the best woman in the world, and I beg you to consider the tower always as your own ;

there are offices, and you might almost live there; and if sir John is ever called away, do not go home to your family; it is not pleasant after people have children, therefore always come to my tower. I hope to see you there very soon again. The prince has offered me sixty thousand if I'll go and live at Hanover, but I never will; this is the only country in the world to live in." She then kissed me, and I took

my

leave. While I had been in the round tower in Montague house, which only consists of two rooms and a closet on a floor, I had always my maid and child slept within my room, and sir John was generally with me, he and all my friends having free permission to visit. Mrs. Cole (the page) slept over my room, and a watchman went round the tower all night. Upon my return home, the same apparent friendship continued, and in one of her royal highness's evening visits she told me, she was come to have a long conversation with me, that she had been in a great agitation, and I must guess what had happened to her. I guessed a great many things, but she said no to them all, and then I said I gave it up, for I had no idea what she could mean, and therefore might guess my whole life without success. « Well then, I must tell you,” said her royal highness, “but I ain sure you know all the while. I thought you had completely found me out, and therefore I came to you,