large into the characters of either George II. or prince Frederick of Wales. If the former was severe, as seems to have been the case, the latter might be perverse. It is more pleasant to observe, that early in 1742, a reconciliation took place between those illustrious persons, which brought in a Whig administration, and among them Mr. Pitt, whose eloquence had rendered the minister of corruption, Sir Robert Walpole, so very unpopular, that he could go onno longer.

In the mean time the prince, who had always sided with that party, and had gained the good-will of the nation thereby, became still more popular; and, had the king died before him, would certainly have ascended the British throne with the character of a patriot king, to which he evidently aspired. Prince George, however, the subject of our memoir, was destined to that distinguished hoOf his royal father (Frederick) we shall only add, that, though his education had been much cramped by his residence abroad, yet he became the patron of literature and the arts, (for which George II. pretended to no kind of relish,) and appears to have been a friend both to civil and re

nour.

ligious liberty. By an anecdote, preserved on good authority, it appears also that he was no enemy to serious practical religion; for when the prince once asked a lady of fashion (lady Charlotte E) where lady Huntingdon was, who had then recently turned her back upon the world, and her ladyship tartly replied, with a sneer, "I suppose praying with her beggars," the prince shook his head, and thus seriously reproved her: "Lady Charlotte, when I am dying, I think I

It was upon this understanding that, in 1735, when the Tithing Bill was passing through the House of Commons, the Society of Friends applied to his royal highness to support a clause in their favour, to which the prince returned for answer, that, "as a friend to liberty in general, and to toleration in particular, he wished that they might meet with all proper favour; but, for himself, he never gave his vote in parliament, and it did not become his station to influence his friends, and direct his servants to leave them to their own conscience and understanding, was a rule he had hitherto prescribed to himself, and purposed through his whole life to observe." The reply of Andrew Pitt, who presented the address, is not less worthy of preservation than the answer of the prince" May it please the prince of Wales," said he, "I am greatly affected with thy excellent notions of civil liberty; and am more pleased with thy answer than if thou hadst granted our request."-George III., &c., p. 54.

shall be happy to seize the skirt of lady Huntingdon, to lift me up with her to heaven*."

The early education of the young prince (our late Sovereign) had been intrusted to Dr. F. Ascough, afterwards Dean of Bristol, who, in a letter to Dr. Doddridge, dated Feb. 10, 1744, when his royal highness was under six years of age, mentions his excellent disposition, both as to piety and learning.

"I thank God (says Dr. Ascough) I have one great encouragement to quicken me in my duty, which is the good disposition of the children intrusted to me : as an instance of it, I must tell you, that prince George (to his honour and my shame) had learnt several pages in your little book of verses, without any directions from me and I must say of all the children, (for they are all committed to my care,) that they are as conformable, and as capable of receiving instruction, as any I ever yet met with t."

It must have been about this time that one Goupy, an artist employed by the prince of Wales to execute some designs; and afterwards

* Haweis's Church History, vol. III. p. 245. The lady here referred to was probably lady Charlotte Edwin, one of the princess's household.

+ Doddridge's Works. Vol. I. p. 90. (Parsons's edition.)

as drawing-master to the young prince, on entering one day the royal apartment, found prince George in some disgrace, imprisoned behind a chair. The artist was desired to proceed with his work, but, observing the situation of the young prince, first interceded for his release. "Come out, George, (said his father,) Goupy has released you." Many years afterwards, when prince George had ascended the throne, and the artist had become aged and poor, and was in terror of a gaol, Goupy put himself in the king's way, as he was passing through Kensington, who instantly recollected him, and inquired what he had to live on." Little enough," replied the artist, "and as I once liberated your majesty from confinement, I hope you will not let me go to prison." Upon this the king allowed him a pension for the short remainder of his life.

In the prince's tenth year, just as his royal grandfather was about to visit his German dominions, he sent Baron Stainberg to examine the children of prince Frederick in their learning. The baron discharged his office very punctually, by taking them all in due course; and at the conclu* George III., &c., vol. 1, p. 106.

sion said to prince George, that he would tell the king what a great proficiency his royal highness had made in his Latin, but that he wished him to be a little more perfect in his German grammar, as it would be of signal use to him. "German

grammar!

German grammar!"

retorted the

prince, why any dull child can learn that* !" This smart reply, which would have pleased many other fathers, gave great offence to the grave old monarch, whose partialities toward his native country are still remembered.

With regard to classical studies, particularly the Greek classics, does not appear that the king entered into them with any peculiar zeal, not considering them, perhaps, of great importance to a king; the modern languages, however, he spoke with fluency and propriety. As to the moral effects of the classics, his majesty, (if we may judge from his subsequent conduct,) probably thought as we do, that more is to be learned from a page of the New Testament than from the dialogues of Socrates and Plato, or the morals of Seneca and Epictetus. It was the custom, however, in the higher circles, as it has since become at all our fashionable schools, to teach young persons to