tired after the fashion of the year 1825. He must drive to
the banks of Styx ere long,--where the ferry-boat waits to carry him over
to the defunct revellers, who boxed and gambled and drank and drove with
King George.

The bravery of the Brunswicks, that all the family must have it, that
George possessed it, are points which all English writers have agreed to
admit; and yet I cannot see how George IV should have been endowed with
this quality. Swaddled in feather-beds all his life, lazy, obese,
perpetually eating and drinking, his education was quite unlike that of
his tough old progenitors. His grandsires had confronted hardship and war,
and ridden up and fired their pistols undaunted into the face of death.
His father had conquered luxury, and overcome indolence. Here was one who
never resisted any temptation; never had a desire but he coddled and
pampered it; if ever he had any nerve, frittered it away among cooks, and
tailors, and barbers, and furniture-mongers, and opera dancers. What
muscle would not grow flaccid in such a life--a life that was never strung
up to any action--an endless Capua without any campaign--all fiddling, and
flowers, and feasting, and flattery, and folly? When George III was
pressed by the Catholic question and the India Bill, he said he would
retire to Hanover rather than yield upon either point; and he would have
done what he said. But, before yielding, he was determined to fight his
ministers and Parliament; and he did, and he beat them. The time came when
George IV was pressed too upon the Catholic claims: the cautious Peel had
slipped over to that side; the grim old Wellington had joined it; and Peel
tells us, in his _Memoirs_, what was the conduct of the king. He at first
refused to submit; whereupon Peel and the duke offered their resignations,
which their gracious master accepted. He did these two gentlemen the
honour, Peel says, to kiss them both when they went away. (Fancy old
Arthur's grim countenance and eagle beak as the monarch kisses it!) When
they were gone he sent after them, surrendered, and wrote to them a letter
begging them to remain in office, and allowing them to have their way.
Then his Majesty had a meeting with Eldon, which is related at curious
length in the latter's _Memoirs_. He told Eldon what was not true about
his interview with the new Catholic converts; utterly misled the old
ex-chancellor; cried, whimpered, fell on his neck, and kissed him too. We
know old