izabeth Georgiana. I hope the bairn will live. It came a little too
early, and is a very small one at present, but the doctors seem to
think it will thrive; and to the ears of your humble servant it appears
to be noisy enough to show it has great strength."[7] Her loss affected
the King, between whom and the Duke the most lively affection existed;
and he wrote to his confidential attendant in the following terms:--

[7] Twiss's "Life of Lord Eldon," vol. ii. p. 37.

THE KING TO SIR WILLIAM KNIGHTON.

Brighton, March 4, 1821.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

For God's sake come down to me to-morrow morning. The melancholy
tidings of the almost sudden death of my poor little niece have
just reached me, and have overset me beyond all I can express to
you. Poor William's[8] letter, which is all affection, and
especially towards you, refers me to you for all the particulars;
therefore pray come to me with as little delay as possible. I have
not time to add a word more about myself. You will be a great
consolation to me.

Ever your most affectionate friend,

G. R.[9]

[8] The Duke of Clarence.

[9] Knighton's "Memoirs," p. 88.

The first report of the intention of Queen Caroline, as the Princess of
Wales was now styled, to return to England, appears to have taken both
the King and the Government by surprise; but the latter, in the
conviction that they had an overwhelming case against her, would not
believe that she was serious, and took no steps towards putting the
result of the Milan investigations into shape.[10]

[10] "Every one," the Duke of Wellington acknowledged, "had his
secret persuasion and his wish, that with such a case against her
she would never come here."--R. Plumer Ward's "Diary," vol. ii.
p. 65.

That everything did not run smoothly between his Majesty and his
Ministers, may be inferred from a memorandum made (April 26, 1820) by
one of the most influential of them:--

"Our Royal master seems to have got into temper again, as far as I
could judge from his conversation with me this morning. He has been
pretty well disposed to part with us all, because we would not make
additions to his revenue. This we thought conscientiously we could not
do in the present state of the country, and of the distresses of the
middle and lower orders of the people,--to which we might add, too,
that of the higher orders. My own indiv