charmingly, and played elegantly on
the violoncello. That he was beautiful was patent to all eyes. He had a
high spirit: and once, when he had had a difference with his father, burst
into the royal closet and called out, "Wilkes and liberty for ever!" He
was so clever, that he confounded his very governors in learning; and one
of them, Lord Bruce, having made a false quantity in quoting Greek, the
admirable young prince instantly corrected him. Lord Bruce could not
remain a governor after this humiliation; resigned his office, and, to
soothe his feelings, was actually promoted to be an earl! It is the most
wonderful reason for promoting a man that ever I heard. Lord Bruce was
made an earl for a blunder in prosody; and Nelson was made a baron for the
victory of the Nile.

Lovers of long sums have added up the millions and millions which in the
course of his brilliant existence this single prince consumed. Besides his
income of 50,000_l._, 70,000_l._, 100,000_l._, 120,000_l._ a year, we read
of three applications to Parliament: debts to the amount of 160,000_l._,
of 650,000_l._; besides mysterious foreign loans, whereof he pocketed the
proceeds. What did he do for all this money? Why was he to have it? If he
had been a manufacturing town, or a populous rural district, or an army of
five thousand men, he would not have cost more. He, one solitary stout
man, who did not toil, nor spin, nor fight,--what had any mortal done that
he should be pampered so?

In 1784, when he was twenty-one years of age, Carlton Palace was given to
him, and furnished by the nation with as much luxury as could be devised.
His pockets were filled with money: he said it was not enough; he flung it
out of window: he spent 10,000_l._ a year for the coats on his back. The
nation gave him more money, and more, and more. The sum is past counting.
He was a prince, most lovely to look on, and christened Prince Florizel on
his first appearance in the world. That he was the handsomest prince in
the whole world was agreed by men, and alas! by many women.

I suppose he must have been very graceful. There are so many testimonies
to the charm of his manner, that we must allow him great elegance and
powers of fascination. He, and the King of France's brother, the Count
d'Artois, a charming young prince who danced deliciously on the
tight-rope--a poor old tottering exiled king, who asked hospitality of King
George's successor, and lived awhile in the palace of Ma