CHAPTER XV. XV. 1727. GEORGE the Second was born in 1683, and had CHAP. married in 1705 Princess Caroline of Anspach, by whom he had four daughters and two sons; Frederick Prince of Wales, born in 1707, and William Duke of Cumberland in 1721. His parts, I think, were not so good as his father's, but on the other hand he had much less reserve and shyness, and he possessed another inestimable advantage over him, he could speak English fluently, though not without a foreign accent. His diminutive person, pinched features, and frequent starts of passion, were not favourable to the Royal dignity, and his mind still less. He had scarcely one kingly quality, except personal courage and justice. The former he had highly signalised at the battle of Oudenarde as a volunteer, and was destined to display again as sovereign at Dettingen; and even in peace he was so fond of the army, and of military details, that his nickname among the Jacobites was "the Captain." A love of justice was apparent in all the natural movements of his mind. But avarice, that most unprincely of all passions, sat enshrined in the inmost recesses of his bosom. Its twitches were shown on all occasions. His purse was often XV. 1727. CHAP. in his hands, not to give from it, but to feel, and count over. * An extreme minuteness and precision in keeping his private accounts saved him a little money, and lost him a great deal of time. "He has often told me himself," says Lord Chesterfield, “that little things affected him more than great ones; and this was so true, that I have "often seen him put so much out of humour at his 66 private levee, by a mistake or blunder of a "valet de chambre, that the gaping crowd ad"mitted to his public levee have from his looks "and silence concluded that he had just received "some dreadful news.".... On the same principle, "he troubled himself little about religion, but jog 66 ged on quietly in that in which he had been bred, "without scruples, doubts, zeal, or inquiry." Of acquired knowledge he had little, professing great contempt for literature; but he sometimes read history, and had an excellent memory for dates. His habits were very temperate, and so regular, that he scarce ever deviated from his beaten daily track : in the words of one of his courtiers, "he seems to "think his having done a thing to-day an unan"swerable reason for his doing it to-morrow." + *"Soon after his first arrival in England, Mrs. one of "the bed-chamber women, with whom he was in love, seeing "him count his money over very often, said to him, 'Sir, I 66 6 can bear it no longer; if you count your money once more "I will leave the room!"" Horace Walpole's Memoirs, vol. i. p. 153. Lord Hervey to Horace Walpole, October 31. 1735. XV. 1727. Business he understood well, and transacted with CHAP. pleasure. Like his father, he was far too Hanoverian in his politics, nor wholly free from the influence of mistresses. But his reign of thirty-three years deserves this praise, that it never once invaded the rights of the nation, nor harshly enforced the prerogatives of the Crown; — that its last period was illumined by the glories of Wolfe and of Chatham; and that it left the dynasty secure, the constitution unimpaired, and the people prosperous. Queen Caroline had been handsome in her youth, and to the last retained great expression in her countenance, and sweetness in her smile. Her character was without a blemish, and her conduct always marked by judgment and good sense. During the violent quarrels between her husband and his father, she had behaved so prudently that she equally retained the affection of the first and the esteem of the latter. With the nation also she was more popular than any other member of her family, till George the Third. Her manner most happily combined the Royal dignity with female grace, and her conversation was agreeable in all its varieties, from mimicry and repartee up to metaphysics. In fact, her only faults were those of a Philaminte or a Belise. * She was fond of talking on all learned subjects, and understood something of a few. Her *See Molière Les Femmes Savantes. XV. CHAP. toilet was a strange medley: prayers, and sometimes a sermon, were read; tattle and gossip succeeded; 1727. metaphysics found a place; the head-dress was not forgotten; divines stood grouped with courtiers, and philosophers with ladies! On the table, perhaps, lay heaped together, the newest ode by Stephen Duck upon her beauty, her last letter from Leibnitz upon Free Will, and the most high-wrought panegyric of Dr. Clarke, on her "inimitable sweetness of temper," "impartial love of truth," and "very "particular and uncommon degree of knowledge, " even on matters of the most abstract speculation.”* Her great delight was to make theologians dispute in her presence, and argue controverted points, on which it has been said, perhaps untruly, that her own faith was wavering. But no doubt can exist as to her discerning and most praiseworthy patronage of worth and learning in the Church: the most able and pious men were every where sought out and preferred, and the Episcopal Bench was graced by such men as Hare, Sherlock, and Butler. † Even *See his Dedication to his own and Leibnitz's Letters, pp. iii.-xiii. ed. 1717. + Butler, author of the celebrated " Analogy," was then living obscurely in the country as rector of Stanhope. The Queen thought that he was dead, and asked the question of Archbishop Blackburne. "No, Madam," said His Grace, "but he is "buried!" The Queen took the hint, and put down Butler in her list for a vacant bishopric, which he obtained after her death. See the Life of Secker, and Coxe's Walpole, pp. 551. and 554. XV. to her enemies she could show favour, if they CHAP. could show merit: through her intercession were Carte the historian and Lord Lansdowne the poet recalled from exile, and the former enabled to show his gratitude by renewing his intrigues for the Pretender. In fact, so great was the influence of Queen Caroline over her husband, that neither in the Church nor in the State were any appointments made without her having at least some share in them, and during ten years she may be said to have governed England. But she was one of those "who, if she rules him, never shows she rules." Her power was felt, not displayed. She had the art of instilling ideas into the King's mind, which after a time he found there, and believed to be his own. It was her plan always to affect to retire when the Minister came to the King, declaring that she did not understand business, and only remaining as it seemed to obey His Majesty's commands. By her management he never became jealous, nor she boastful, of authority. Nay, so ready was she to consult and comply with all his inclinations, that she lived on a friendly footing with his mistress, one of her bed-chamber women. This was Henrietta, daughter of Sir Henry Hobart, and married to Mr. Howard, who afterwards succeeded to the Earldom of Suffolk. The Queen used to call her in banter her sister Howard, and was pleased to employ her at her toilet, or in menial offices about her per 1727. |