AT LIVERPOOL. HE SUCCEEDS THE MARQUIS OF
LONDONDERRY AS SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

CHAPTER IX.

Sir William Knighton was appointed Keeper of the King's Privy Purse,
and was employed in the most arduous labour of endeavouring to arrange
the private accounts of his Majesty. While putting these affairs into
a satisfactory state, he was sometimes obliged to oppose the King's
inclinations--on one occasion so as to excite his displeasure. But
George the Fourth was not the less partial to his servant for
maintaining what was right and proper under such circumstances, despite
his master's disapproval; and after one unpleasant scene of this
nature, his Majesty wrote him the following note:

THE KING TO SIR WILLIAM KNIGHTON.

Carlton House, July 11, 1822,
Wednesday morning, Eight o'clock.

You may easily imagine, warm and sincere as my affections are
towards you, I have had but little rest since we separated last
night. The feeling that I may possibly and unfortunately, in a
hurried moment, when my mind and my heart were torn in fifty
different ways from fifty different causes, have let an unjust or
hasty expression escape me to any one, but most especially to you,
whom I so truly love, and who are so invaluable to me as my friend,
is to me a sensation much too painful to be endured--therefore let
me implore you to come to me, be it but for a moment, the very
first thing you do this morning, for I shall hate myself until I
have the opportunity of expressing personally to you those pure and
genuine feelings of affection which will never cease to live in my
heart so long as that heart itself continues to beat. I am much too
unhappy to say more, but that I am

Ever your affectionate friend,

G. R.[85]

[85] Knighton's "Memoirs," p. 118.

This communication proves that the writer was not so thoroughly selfish
and heartless as he has often been represented. His correspondence with
Sir William Knighton and other persons in his confidence is
characterized by the same tenderness and good feeling. His Majesty
sanctioned all the proceedings of his Privy Purse to put an end to
abuses in his private expenditure, that had long been a source of
embarrassment and vexation, and later in the year issued the following
document:--

Royal Lodge, Oct. 26, 1822.

I hereby authorize and direct Sir William Knighton, Bart.,