d now, Papa and Husband being so blessedly united in their
World Politics, why not sign the Marriage-Treaty? Honored Majesty-Papa,
why not!--"Tush, child, you do not understand. In these tremendous
circumstances, the celestial Sign of the BALANCE just about canting, and
the Obliquity of the Ecliptic like to alter, how can one think of little
marriages? Wait till the Obliquity of the Ecliptic come steadily to its
old pitch!"--

Truth is, George was in general of a slow, solemn, Spanish turn of
manners; "intolerably proud, too, since he got that English dignity,"
says Wilhelmina: he seemed always tacitly to look down on Friedrich
Wilhelm, as if the Prussian Majesty were a kind of inferior clownish
King in comparison. It is certain he showed no eagerness to get the
Treaty perfected. Again and again, when specially applied to by Queen
Sophie, on Friedrich Wilhelm's order, he intimated only: "It was a fixed
thing, but not to be hurried,--English Parliaments were concerned in it,
the parties were still young," and so on;--after which brief answer
he would take you to the window, and ask, "If you did not think the
Herrenhausen Gardens and their Leibnitz waterworks, and clipped-beech
walls were rather fine?" [Pollnitz, _ Memoiren,_ ii. 226, 228, &c.]

In fact, the English Parliaments, from whom money was so often demanded
for our fat Improper Darlingtons, lean Improper Kendals and other royal
occasions, would naturally have to make a marriage-revenue for this fine
Grandson of ours;--Grandson Fred, who is now a young lout of, eighteen;
leading an extremely dissolute life, they say, at Hanover; and by no
means the most beautiful of mortals, either he or the foolish little
Father of him, to our old sad heart. They can wait, they can wait! said
George always.

But undoubtedly he did intend that both Marriages should take effect:
only he was slow; and the more you hurried him, perhaps the slower. He
would have perfected the Treaty "next year," say the Authorities; meant
to do so, if well let alone: but Townshend whispered withal, "Better
not urge him." Surly George was always a man of his word; no treachery
intended by him, towards Friedrich Wilhelm or any man. It is very clear,
moreover, that Friedrich Wilhelm, in this Autumn 1725, was, and was like
to be, of high importance to King George; a man not to be angered by
dishonorable treatment, had such otherwise been likely on George's part.
Nevertheless George did not sign the Trea