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On the 19th of December, the country suddenly lost the services of a distinguished naval officer, whose share in this correspondence has added, we trust, to the interest of these volumes. Sir Thomas Fremantle died at Naples, after two days illness, while Vice-Admiral of the Blue, and Commander-in-chief of the Mediterranean. His remains were carried to the grave on the 23rd, with every demonstration of honour and respect it was possible for the Neapolitan Government to show-the entire garrison having been drawn out to line the streets, and the hearse preceded by a body of cavalry. The Neapolitan Minister, General Count Nugent, the Ambassadors of Great Britain, Austria, and the Netherlands, the Duke of Leeds, Earls Spencer and Wentworth, and all the English residents attended the funeral forming a train of upwards of fifty carriages. Six midshipmen carried the decorations and honours of the deceased, viz: G.C.B., G.C.H., G.C. of St. Ferdinand and of Merit, G.C. of St. Michael and St. George, Cross of Maria Therese, and the riband and badge of Trafalgar. The officers and seamen of the 'Rochfort,' eighty guns, that had borne the Admiral's flag, assisted in the ceremony, and Lieutenant Fremantle was chief mourner. Thus honourably terminated the career of the friend and favourite of Nelson, and his associate in the victories of Copenhagen and Trafalgar. But proud as he was of the favour of that great commander, he never ceased to acknowledge his greater obligations to the beneficial influence of his active and sincere friend at Stowe.

An incident occurred at Weymouth near the close of

VOL. II.

C C

the year, that might have been attended with very serious consequences. The Duke and Duchess of Kent, with their infant daughter were at this fashionable watering place for the benefit of their health, when an apprentice boy, who had obtained a loaded gun, fired at some small birds, so near their residence that the charge broke the nursery windows, and some of the shot passed close to the head of the Princess, then in the arms of her The delinquent was seized, but his Royal Highness with characteristic kindness of heart, permitted him to go at large, upon a promise of not again indulging in such pursuits so recklessly.

nurse.

CHAPTER XIX.

[1820.]

DISTURBED STATE OF

SOCIETY AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE

OF HIS

YEAR TACTICS OF THE OPPOSITION EMBARRASSMENTS
ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF KENT-HIS UNEXPECTED DEATH-
DEMISE OF GEORGE THE THIRD-MISREPRESENTATIONS AND MISTAKES
RESPECTING HIS CHARACTER AND REIGN — HIS PRE-EMINENCE AS A
SOVEREIGN, AND NATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS

-- ASPECT OF AFFAIRS

ᎪᎢ HIS DEATH THE GOVERNMENT FUNERAL OF GEORGE THE

THIRD TERMINATION OF THE REGENCY.

CHAPTER XIX.

NOTHING could be more gloomy than the state of the public mind, at the commencement of the year-a year pregnant with terrible evils. An organized conspiracy against property, existed in various parts of the kingdom. Notwithstanding the measures taken by Government to bring the chief criminals to punishment; their trial was deferred till March, and in the interval, they were indefatigable in their endeavours to evade justice, and to stir up disaffection and violence wherever their influence could be made to extend. So deep was the terror, they and their emissaries excited in the neighbourhood of the late outbreak in Lancashire, that the witnesses for the prosecution dared not come forward, or acknowledge their adverse evidence, and in various parts of the country, an unruly mob made open demonstration of their lawless notions, by dancing round trees of liberty, and combining to defy the Government

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