be spent to procure the return of members favourable to the government; "for," said he, "I am resolved to be tried by my country!" The ministry was now partially changed: Lord Bute became secretary of state, in the room of Lord Holdernesse, and Viscount Barrington succeeded Mr. Legge as chancellor of the exchequer.

The next important circumstance of this year, (1761,) was the selection of a consort for the king. According to one account, he followed the dictates of his own judgment and inclination in fixing upon a wife; and, as it would appear, fell in love with his future queen, on perusing a copy of a letter which she had written to Frederick, King of Prussia. No sooner had he read the epistle, than, as it is said, he exclaimed to Lord Hertford, "This is the lady whom I shall select for my consort: here are lasting beauties, on which the man who has any mind may feast and not be satiated. If the disposition of the princess but equals her intellect, I shall be the happiest man, as I hope, with my people's concurrence, to be the greatest monarch, in Europe.'

Among other different versions of the affair, is the following:-The king's known attachment to Lady Sarah Lenox, fomented as it was by Fox, afterwards the first Lord Holland, induced the princess dowager and Lord Bute to engage the young monarch in a matrimonial connexion, without the

least delay. The princess dowager wished to select a consort for her son from the family of Saxe Gotha; but as the members of it were supposed to possess an hereditary disease, her desire was over-ruled. A Scotch colonel, named Græme, was then sent, by Lord Bute, to the various courts in Germany in quest of a princess perfect in her form, of pure blood, and healthy constitution; possessed of elegant accomplishments, particularly music, to which the king was much attached; and of a mild, obliging disposition. Such were the colonel's instructions; and his choice fell on Sophia-Charlotte, the second daughter of Charles-Lewis-Frederick, Duke of Mecklenburgh Strelitz, by his consort Albertina-Elizabeth, daughter of the Duke of Saxe Hildburghausen.

This princess was born at the palace of Mirow, on the 16th of May, 1744.

The preliminary part of her education was conducted by her mother, with the assistance of Mademoiselle Seltzer, a highly accomplished lady of noble birth; and in 1751, Madame de Grabow, a woman of great erudition, and possessed of such poetical talent as to be termed "The German Sappho," was appointed her governess. Under this able teacher, she not only became a good German scholar, but obtained a thorough knowledge of French, Italian, history, geography, &c. To the zealous instructions of M. Gentzmer she

was indebted for considerable information in the science of mineralogy. She drew well, danced with much grace, and displayed considerable skill in vocal as well as instrumental music. In addition, her mind was imbued with the most reverential sentiments for religion and morality, which the example of her family taught her to estimate above all mere worldly advantages.

During the continental war, which desolated the fairest provinces of Germany, from 1756 to 1763, the duchy of Mecklenburgh suffered severely; its towns and villages were occupied by the troops of Prussia, who levied heavy contributions on the inhabitants, and compelled the young men to enlist. Many families, in order to preserve a wreck of their property, made their escape to Hamburgh and Lubec; and at length the country was almost depopulated. Under the impulse of stronglyexcited feelings, which the miseries of her native land more than justified, the princess sent the following letter to the King of Prussia; a copy of which, afterwards falling into the hands of George the Third, excited in the bosom of that monarch, as we have already stated, an attachment towards its feeling and eloquent writer:

know you may think it more properly my province to study the arts of pleasing, or to inspect subjects of a more domestic nature; but, however unbecoming it may be in me, I cannot resist the desire of interceding for this unhappy people.

"It was but a very few years ago, that this territory wore the most pleasing appearance: the country was cultivated, the peasant looked cheerful, and the towns abounded with riches and festivity. What an alteration, at present, from such a charming scene! am not expert at description, nor can my fancy add any horrors to the picture; but, surely even conquerors themselves would weep at the hideous prospects now before me. The whole country, my dear country,-lies one frightful waste; presenting only objects to excite terror, pity, and despair. The employments of the husbandman and the shepherd are quite suspended; for the husbandman and the shepherd are become soldiers themselves, and help to ravage the soil which they formerly cultivated. The towns are inhabited only by old men, women, and children; while, perhaps, here and there a warrior, by wounds or loss of limbs rendered unfit for service, is left at his door, where his little children hang round him, ask the history of every wound, and grow themselves soldiers before they find strength for the field. But this were nothing, did we not feel the alternate insolence of either army, as it happens to advance or retreat, in pursuing the operations of the campaign. It is impossible, indeed, to express the confusion which they, who call themselves our friends, create; for even those from whom we might expect relief only oppress us with new calamities. From your justice, therefore, it is, sire, that we hope redress; to you, even children and women may complain, whose humanity stoops to the meanest petitions, and whose power is capable of repressing the greatest wrong!"

Soon after the receipt of this admirable epistle, (which, judging from the indisputable productions of her pen, was more likely to have been transcribed than composed by the princess,) Frederick issued strict injunctions "to revive a sense of order in the army;"

and his soldiers were drilled into feelings of humanity.

On the 8th of July, at an extraordinary council, which was very numerously attended, the king stated, that "ever since his accession to the throne, he had turned his thoughts towards the choice of a princess for his consort; and that, after mature deliberation, he had come to a resolution to demand in marriage the Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburgh-Strelitz,-a princess distinguished by every eminent virtue and amiable endowment." This announcement very much surprised the greater part of the council, the preliminary negotiations for the marriage having been conducted with extraordinary secresy. On the 15th of August the treaty was concluded; and preparations were immediately made to conduct the bride to this country. The Earl of Harcourt, and the Duchesses of Ancaster and Hamilton, the two finest women at the British court, were selected to accompany her; and the royal yacht, in which she and her suite were to embark, was ordered to be convoyed by a fleet under the command of Lord Anson.

The separation of the princess and her family was exceedingly affecting. At Mirow, the place of her nativity, she finally parted from her elder sister, who, but for the marriage of Sophia Charlotte with George the Third, would, it is asserted, have formed a matrimonial connexion with one of his subjects. Her suitor, a Scotch duke, was resident at Strelitz, and treated as the favoured lover of the elder princess, when overtures for the hand of her sister, Sophia Charlotte, were made on behalf of the King of England: the courtship was consequently broken off, to the deep regret of the duke and his intended bride, both of whom died unmarried.

The princess received great honours during her journey. On Monday, the 24th of August, she left Stade, in the Admiralty barge, accompanied by her brother, Lord Anson, and Earl Harcourt, and in about an hour reached the yacht; the royal standard was immediately hoisted at the main-topmast-head, the admiralty flag at the fore-top, and the union at the mizen. All the ships then fired a salute of

twenty-one guns each; and the princess, overcome by her feelings, exclaimed, "Is it possible that I can be worthy of these honours!" On account of the unfavourable state of the weather, the squadron did not proceed to sea until the 28th; even then the wind was adverse, and ten days elapsed before the admiral could reach an English port. Flamborough Head was twice in view during the voyage, but the ships were driven to sea again, and all of them sustained some damage. The two duchesses were extremely ill; but the princess, who had never seen the sea before, bore the voyage with little inconvenience. At length, on Sunday, the 6th of September, the royal yacht entered Harwich roads; but no preparations having been made for the reception of the princess, she did not land until the next morning.

Walpole states, that nothing was ever equal to the bustle and uncertainty of the town at this time. He adds, "I forgive history for knowing nothing, when so public an event as the arrival of a new queen is a mystery, even at this very moment, in St. James's-street. The messenger that brought the letter yesterday morning, said she arrived at half an hour after four at Harwich. This was immediately translated into landing, and notified in those words to the ministers. Six hours afterwards it proved no such thing, and that she was only in Harwich road; and they recollected that half an hour after four happens twice in twenty-four hours, and the letter did not specify which of the twices it was. Well! the bridemaids whipped on their virginity; the New road and the parks were thronged; the guns were choaking with impatience to go off; and Sir James Lowther, who was to pledge his majesty, was actually married to Lady Mary Stuart. Five, six, seven, eight o'clock came, and no queen! She lay at Witham, at Lord Abercorn's, who was most tranquilly in town; and it is not certain, even, whether she will be in town to night. She has been sick but half an hour; sung and played on the harpsichord all the voyage, and been cheerful the whole time.'

About noon, on the eighth, she was met at Romford, by the king's servants; and soon after entered the royal

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carriage, dressed entirely in the English fashion, having a fly cap, with rich laced lappets, a stomacher ornamented with diamonds, and a gold brocade suite with a white ground. From Mile End she was escorted, by the Life Guards, to St. James's. On her arrival at the palace, the Duke of York handed her out of the carriage; and the king raised her up and saluted her, just as she was about to drop on her knee to pay him obeisance. It was, however, afterwards rumoured that the king, on first seeing his bride, shrunk back from a feeling of disappointment, her personal graces being far from striking. But Walpole says, "In half an hour, one heard of nothing but proclamations of her beauty; every body was content, every body was pleased. At seven," he continues, one went to court; the night was sultry. About ten, the procession began to move towards the chapel; and at eleven they all came up into the drawing-room. She looks very sensible, cheerful, and is remarkably genteel. Her tiara of diamonds was very pretty, her stomacher sumptuous; her violet-velvet mantle and ermine so heavy, that the spectators knew as much of her upper half as the king himself. You will have no doubt of her sense by what I shall tell you:-on the road they wanted her to curl her toupet: she said she thought it looked as well as that of any of the ladies sent to fetch her; if the king bid her, she would wear a periwig, otherwise she would remain as she was. When she caught the first glimpse of the palace she grew frightened, and turned pale. The Duchess of Hamilton smiled,-the princess said,' My dear duchess, you may laugh-you have been married twice; but it is no joke to me.' Her lips trembled as the coach stopped, but she jumped out with spirit, and has done nothing but with good humour and cheerfulness. She talks a great deal, is easy, civil, and not disconcerted. At first, when the bridemaids and the court were introduced to her, she said, "Mon Dieu, il y en a tant, il y en a tant!" She was pleased when she was to kiss the peeresses; but Lady Augusta was forced to take her hand and give it to those that were to kiss it, which was prettily humble and good-natured. While they waited for

was celebrated for it in the Spectator, ever ascended the throne with so much grace and dignity."

The following anecdotes, relative to the ceremony, are principally gleaned from the lively Walpole:-"At the dinner, Earl Talbot, as lord steward, on the second course being served up, rode from the hall-gate to the platform steps. The earl piqued himself on backing his horse down the hall, and not turning its rump towards the king; but he had taken such pains to dress it to that duty, that it entered backwards; and, at his retreat, the spectators clapped, a terrible indecorum, but suitable to such Bartholomew-fair doings. He had twenty demelés, but came out of none creditably. He had taken away the table of the Knights of the Bath, and was forced to admit two in their old place, and dine the others in the court of requests. Sir William Stanhope said, We are illtreated, for some of us are gentlemen.' Beckford told the earl it was hard to refuse a table to the city of London, whom it would cost ten thousand pounds to banquet the king, and that his lordship would repent it, if they had not a table in the hall; upon which they had one. To the barons of the cinque ports, who made the same complaint, he said, ' If you come to me as lord steward, I tell you it is impossible; if as Lord Talbot, I am a match for any of you.'"

The champion acted his part admirably.

His horse was the identical charger which George the Second rode at the battle of Dettingen. Many persons of quality, in the galleries, let down handkerchiefs tied together, and strings with baskets suspended to them, earnestly requesting some of the good things from the tables, to satisfy their craving appetites. Some of the peeresses were dressed on the preceding night, slept in arm-chairs, and were waked if they tumbled their heads. Lady Townshend said, she should be very glad to see a coronation, as she had never seen one. "Why," said Walpole, "madam, you walked at the Yes, child," said she," but I ing of it: I looked to see who

ine."

ang having complained of the aucity of precedents as to the

ceremonies, Lord Effingham owned that the Earl Marshal's office had been strangely neglected; "but," added he, "I have taken such care, that the next coronation may be regulated in the most exact manner imaginable." Lady Cowper, for some time," refused to set a foot with my Lady M.; and when she was at last obliged to associate with her, set out on a round trot, as if she designed to prove the antiquity of her family, by marching as lustily as a maid of honour of Queen Gwinevir."

Probably no great public festival ever passed off with more éclat than the coronation of George the Third: the king and queen were both young, and exceedingly popular; it happened at a moment of great national prosperity; the political heads of the government were remarkably acceptable to the people, and not a single accident occurred during the day.

But amid all the bustle of pageantry, politics were not neglected. The king evinced an inclination for procuring a general peace in this, he differed from his great minister, Pitt, and the principal part of his subjects. Being told that if he were determined on pacific measures, the premier would, in all probability, resign, the king replied,

I am determined not to be the only slave in a country, where it is my wish to see all the people free."

On the 5th of October, Pitt retired from office, and Lord Bute became the head of the administration. Cardinal Stopponi, on being told, at Rome, of the change which had taken place in the English cabinet, could not believe his informant: "For what heir," said he, " on coming to a considerable estate, and finding it excellently well managed by a steward, would dismiss that steward merely because he had served his predecessor?"

At this period, principally through the lofty spirit and political sagacity of Pitt, the affairs of the nation were in a most prosperous state. The army and navy were highly efficient, and flushed with recent conquests; the revenue flourished, commerce was increasing, the people were loyal, and, perhaps, no prince had ascended the throne of his ancestors with more flattering prospects than George the Third. To those, therefore, who, like Cardinal