In the spring of 1738, Sir Robert Walpole thought proper to enter into a second marriage. With the lady, Maria Skerrett, he had already carried on an intimacy by no means creditable to either party, the result of which had been a daughter christened Mary; nevertheless the Minister chose to have the wedding so publicly celebrated as to excite the animadversions of the public-among others of one who gladly availed herself of such an opportunity for the display of ill feeling. Writing to the Earl of Stair on the 19th of March, the Duchess of Marlborough says: "His wedding was celebrated as if he had been King of France, and the apartments furnished in the richest manner; crowds of people of the first quality being presented to the bride, who is the daughter of a clerk that sung the psalms in a church where Dr. Sacheverell was. After the struggle among the Court ladies who should have the honour of presenting her, which the Duchess of Newcastle obtained, it was thought more proper to have her presented by one of her own family; otherwise it would look as if she had no alliances, and therefore that ceremony was performed by Horace Walpole's wife, who was daughter to my tailor, Lumbar.” Her Grace goes on to state that the Duke of Dorset, with his white staff, waited on the bride to pay his congratulations with as much state as if she had been one of the royal family, and in her usual way, she makes the most spiteful allusions to the Duke, his wife, and every one else who showed attention to Lady Walpole. Towards the conclusion of the year 1738, Walpole's studies at Cambridge terminated, and the result cannot, as before remarked, be considered unsatisfac tory, though neither his mathematical nor classical attainments were of the highest order. His mind, if not stored with the minute details of erudition, had obtained a fair acquaintance with all the great classical writers, and a proper appreciation of their value. But his bias lay more in the direction of modern literature and languages, and he seems, particularly during his last terms at college, to have been desirous of acquiring a knowledge of the most popular authors of France and Italy: this department of learning imparting to conversation an air of elegance and refinement, which Walpole regarded as an important acquisition. He had already made a respectable progress in French literature; having attempted several translations, one of which has been preserved in his early correspondence,* but still, he could only speak the language imperfectly. Much to his credit, Walpole never forgot the obligations he lay under to the institutions at which he received his education. As late as the year 1780, November 30th, we find him writing to his schoolfellow and collegian the Rev. William Cole, "Though I forget Alma Mater, I have not forgotten my Almæ Nutrices, wet or dry; I mean Eton and King's. I have laid aside for them, and left them in my will, as complete a set as I could of all I have printed."+ "Walpole Letters." Vol 1, p. 8. CHAPTER VI. PRINCE FREDERICK. PRINCE FREDERICK, the eldest son of George II. and Queen Caroline, was born in 1707, at Hanover, where he remained till nearly the close of the year 1728: on his then coming to England, he was made a member of the Privy Council and created Prince of Wales. His being kept so long at a distance from his parents, may probably have alienated his affections; and on his arrival in England he does not appear to have met with a very affectionate reception. In a short time it was but too apparent that father, mother, brother, and sisters felt a dislike towards him, which was only exceeded by his detestation of them. The King had been induced by the representations of his ministers to send for him from Hanover; otherwise, they stated, Parliament would compel him to the measure. Having been thus forced to submit to the presence of his heir, George II. was not likely on that account to be the more kindly disposed towards him, and the Prince daily increased this ill-feeling by making flippant remarks on the measures of the Government, and VOL. I. Q venturing to express disapproval of his father's conduct. His behaviour towards his mother was not more respectful, and her repugnance to him became more and more conspicuous. He took as his chief counsellor George Bubb Doddington, once an obsequious creature of Walpole's ; but in consequence of the unpopularity of the excise scheme, he joined with Colonel William Townshend,† the Prince's Groom of the Bedchamber, Lord Cobham, Lord Stair, and Lord Chesterfield, in organizing a sort of Court for the heir apparent, in opposition to that of the sovereign. It was suggested that the marriage of his sister, the Princess Royal, in 1733, was an "He was extremely solicitous for a peerage to correspond with the state in which he lived at his magnificent mansions, Eastberry and Brandenburg House. At Eastberry, in the great bedchamber, hung with the richest red velvet, was pasted, on every panel of the velvet, his crest (a hunting horn supported by an eagle), cut out of gilt leather. The foot-cloth round the bed was a mosaic of the pocket flaps and cuffs of all his embroidered clothes. At Hammersmith (Brandenburg House) his crest in pebbles was stuck into the centre of the turf before the door. The chimney piece was hung with spar representing icicles round the fire, and a bed of purple lined with orange, was crowned by a dome of peacocks' feathers. The great gallery, to which was a beautiful door of white marble, supported by two columns of lapis lazuli, was not only filled with busts and statues, but had, I think, an inlaid floor of marble; and all this weight was above stairs. One day showing it to Edward, Duke of York, Doddington said, "Sir, some persons tell me that this room ought to be on the ground." "Be easy, Mr. Doddington,” replied the Prince, "it soon will be.”—“ Walpole's George II., vol. i., p. 440." Third son of Charles, Viscount Townshend. He preceded the younger Horace Walpole as usher of the Exchequer. excellent opportunity for bringing before Parliament the claims of his Royal Highness for a settlement worthy of his position; but the more prudent of his party knew that they were not yet possessed of suffiient power to brave the King's anger by publicly agitating such a provision. They, however, did not fail to excite the animosity of the Prince by representations of his dependent state, and the humiliating neglects he experienced, and recommended him to publish this unworthy treatment in some conspicuous manner, that he might obtain the sympathy of the public. It was therefore arranged that on New Year's Day, 1734, the Prince should present himself at the King's levée. It was anticipated that his Majesty would take no notice of him, which open affront would afford him the desired ground of complaint. It so happened that the Prince's intention was known at Court the previous night, and when his Royal Highness went up to the King, instead of the expected affront, he was received with a courteous civility that entirely put an end to the rumours which had been so industriously circulated of the King's ill-usage of his son. Prince Frederick was at this time a young man of easy manners and still easier principles. He was already considerably involved in debt: his tradespeople would hardly give him credit-he had borrowed largely of Bubb Doddington, who, though the son of an Irish apothecary, had inherited a handsome estate from his uncle-he had levied similar contributions on |