left of the privy-chamber, on entering from the King's guard-room and
presence-chamber, the nearer one serving as an ante-chamber to the
other. They were all of them, formerly, meanly furnished, but at the
time of the marriage of our present King, they were elegantly fitted
up. The walls are now covered with tapestry, very beautiful, and of rich
colours--tapestry which, although it ~73~~was made for Charles II. had
never been used, having by some accident lain unnoticed in a chest, till
it was discovered a short time before the marriage of the Prince.

"The canopy of the throne was made for the late-Queen's birth-day, the
first which happened after the union of Great Britain and Ireland. It
is made of crimson velvet, with very broad gold lace, embroidered with
crowns set with fine and rich pearls. The shamrock, emblematical of the
Irish nation, forms a part of the decorations of the British crown, and
is executed with great taste and accuracy.

"The grand drawing-room contains a large, magnificent chandelier of
silver, gilt, but I believe it has not been lighted for some years; and
in the grand levee-room is a very noble bed, the furniture of which is
of Spitalfields manufacture, in crimson velvet. It was first put up with
the tapestry, on the marriage of the present King, then Prince of Wales.

"It is upon the whole an irregular building, chiefly consisting of
several courts and alleys, which lead into the Park. This, however, is
the age of improvement, and it is said that the Palace will shortly
be pulled down, and in the front of St. James's Street a magnificent
triumphal arch is to be erected, to commemorate the glorious victories
of the late war, and to form a grand entrance to the Park.

"The Duke of York, the Duke of Clarence, the King's servants, and many
other dignified persons, live in the Stable-yard."

"In the Stable-yard!" said Bob, "dignified persons reside in a
Stable-yard, you astonish me!"

"It is quite true," said Tom, "and remember it is the Stable-yard of a
King."

"I forgot that circumstance," said Bob, "and that circumstances alter
cases. But whose carriage is this driving with so much rapidity?"

"That is His Highness the Duke of York, most likely going to pay a visit
to his royal brother, the King, who resides in a Palace a little further
on: which will be in our way, for it is yet too early to see much in
the Park: so let us proceed, I am anxious to make some inquiry about
my antagonist,