to induce him
not to declare open war upon his father. The Queen would not do
anything of the kind. She declared that her speaking to her son would
only make him more obstinate than ever, and that he was such a liar
that it would not be safe for her to enter into any private conference
with him. Other intercessors were found, but the prince was
unyielding; and George himself, as obstinate as his son, could not be
induced at first by Walpole, or by any one else, to make any show of
concession or compromise. The Princess Caroline kept saying ever so
many times a day that she prayed her brother might drop down dead; that
he was a nauseous beast, and she grudged him every hour he continued to
exist. These sisterly expressions did not contribute much to any
manner of settlement, and the prince held on his course. {80} The
calculations of Frederick's friends gave him in advance a majority of
forty in the House of Commons; and even the most experienced
calculators of votes on the King's side allowed to the prince a
majority of ten. Walpole began to think the crisis one of profound
danger. He felt it only too likely that the fate of his administration
would depend on the division in the House of Commons.

[Sidenote: 1737--Frederick's "dutiful expressions"]

Something must be done; something at least must be attempted. Walpole
saw nothing for it but to endeavor to arrange a compromise. Parliament
had opened on February 1st, and the day appointed for the debate on
this important question of the prince's allowance was to be Tuesday,
the 22d of the month. On the Monday previous, Walpole made up his mind
that if the King did not offer some fair show of compromise his party
would be beaten when the question came to be put to the vote. His plan
of arrangement was that the King should spontaneously send to the
prince an intimation that he was willing to settle a jointure at once
on the princess, with the added remark that this had already been under
consideration--which indeed was true--not a very common occurrence in
Royal messages of that day; and that he was also prepared to settle
fifty thousand a year on the prince himself forever and without
condition. Walpole did not believe that the prince would accept this
offer of compromise. He knew very well that Frederick, full of
arrogant confidence and obstinacy, and backed up by the zeal and
passion of his friends, would be certain to refuse it. But Walpole was
not thi