them without
intoxication. The Prince was delighted, and, as usual upon such
occasions, told some of his best stories, quoted Shakspeare, and was
particularly happy upon the bouquet of the wine as suited "to the holy
Palmer's kiss."

Lord Yarmouth alone sat in moody silence, and, on being questioned as
to the cause, replied that whenever he dined at his Royal Highness's
table, he drank a claret which he much preferred--that which was
furnished by Carbonell. The Prince immediately ordered a bottle of this
wine; and to give them an opportunity of testing the difference, he
desired that some anchovy sandwiches should be served up. Carbonell's
wine was placed upon the table: it was a claret made expressly for the
London market, well-dashed with Hermitage, and infinitely more to the
taste of the Englishman than the delicately-flavoured wine they had
been drinking. The banquet terminated in the Prince declaring his own
wine superior to that of Palmer's, and suggesting that he should try
some experiments on his estate to obtain a better wine. Palmer come
from Carlton House much mortified. On Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt attempting
to console him, and saying that it was the anchovies that had spoiled
the taste of the connoisseurs, the general said loudly enough to be
heard by Lord Yarmouth, "No; it was the confounded red herrings." A
duel was very nearly the consequence.

General Palmer, feeling it his duty to follow the advice of the Prince,
rooted out his old vines, planted new ones, tried all sorts of
experiments at an immense cost, but with little or no result. He and
his agent, in consequence, got themselves into all sorts of
difficulties, mortgaged the property, borrowed largely, and were at
last obliged to have recourse to usurers, to life assurances, and every
sort of expedient to raise money. The theatre at Bath was sold, the
Reform in Parliament robbed him of his seat, and at last he and his
agent became ruined men. A subscription would have been raised to
relieve him, but he preferred ending his days in poverty to living upon
the bounty of his friends. He sold his commission, and was plunged in
the deepest distress; while the accumulation of debt to the usurers
became so heavy, that he was compelled to pass through the Insolvent
Court. Thus ended the career of a man who had been courted in society,
idolized in the army, and figured as a legislator for many years. His
friends, of course, fell off, and he was to be se