questionably rendered
him personally popular, and postponed to a subsequent reign the
precipitation of his family from the throne, that he banished from his
Court many of the formal restrictions with which it was in other reigns
surrounded. He was conscious of the good-natured grace of his manners,
and trusted to it, often not in vain, to remove evil impressions arising
from actions, which he was sensible could not be justified on the
grounds of liberal or national policy.

In the daytime the King was commonly seen in the public walks alone, or
only attended by one or two persons; and his answer to the remonstrance
of his brother, on the risk of thus exposing his person, is well
known:--"Believe me, James," he said, "no one will murder _me_, to make
_you_ King."

In the same manner, Charles's evenings, unless such as were destined
to more secret pleasures, were frequently spent amongst all who had any
pretence to approach a courtly circle; and thus it was upon the night
which we are treating of. Queen Catherine, reconciled or humbled to her
fate, had long ceased to express any feelings of jealousy, nay,
seemed so absolutely dead to such a passion, that she received at
her drawing-room, without scruple, and even with encouragement, the
Duchesses of Portsmouth and Cleveland, and others, who enjoyed, though
in a less avowed character, the credit of having been royal favourites.
Constraint of every kind was banished from a circle so composed, and
which was frequented at the same time, if not by the wisest, at least by
the wittiest courtiers, who ever assembled round a monarch, and who, as
many of them had shared the wants, and shifts, and frolics of his exile,
had then acquired a sort of prescriptive licence, which the good-natured
prince, when he attained his period of prosperity, could hardly have
restrained had it suited his temper to do so. This, however, was the
least of Charles's thoughts. His manners were such as secured him
from indelicate obtrusion; and he sought no other protection from
over-familiarity, than what these and his ready wit afforded him.

On the present occasion, he was peculiarly disposed to enjoy the scene
of pleasure which had been prepared. The singular death of Major Coleby,
which, taking place in his own presence, had proclaimed, with the voice
of a passing bell, the ungrateful neglect of the Prince for whom he
had sacrificed everything, had given Charles much pain. But, in his own
opinion a