drew near. He was hardly ever seen by anybody but his servants, and
declined any communication even with his nearest neighbors. When an
occasion arose which actually compelled him to communicate with any one
from the outer world, he would only consent to speak with a door, or at
least a screen, between him and the other party to the conversation. All
the time he does not seem to have been engaged in any manner of study or
work, and he appears to have simply devoted himself to the full
indulgence of his {289} passion for solitude. His figure, or some sketch
suggested by it, has been made use of more than once by writers of
fiction, but the man himself was a living figure in the reign of William
the Fourth, and died not long before its close.

Under the date of March 31, 1837, Charles Greville writes: "Among the
many old people who have been cut off by this severe weather, one of the
most remarkable is Mrs. Fitzherbert, who died at Brighton at above eighty
years of age. She was not a clever woman, but of a very noble spirit,
disinterested, generous, honest, and affectionate, greatly beloved by her
friends and relations, popular in the world, and treated with uniform
distinction and respect by the Royal Family." The death of this
celebrated woman recalls to memory one of the saddest and most shameful
chapters in the whole sad and shameful story of the utterly worthless
Prince who became George the Fourth.

[Sidenote: 1756-1837--Illness of William the Fourth]

Meanwhile the reign of William the Fourth was hastening to its close.
The King had had several attacks of illness, and more than once, before
the end was yet quite near, his physical condition went down so low that
those around him believed it impossible for him to rise again. He
rallied, however, more than once, and regained his good spirits and gave
hope to those who had any real wish for his recovery that the reign had
not yet quite come to an end. In some of his better moods he showed
glimpses of that higher nature which was wont to assert itself fitfully
now and then at many periods of his career. More than once he prayed
fervently in these later days that his life might be spared until the
Princess Victoria should come of age. Almost to the end the usual
festivities were kept up at Windsor Castle, and the Queen, by his wish,
visited the race-course at Ascot a few days before the end came; but it
is recorded that she only remained an hour on the groun