Each object I am doom'd to see CHAPTER III. MESSAGE FROM HIS MAJESTY TO PARLIAMENT ON HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS ATTAINING HIS MAJORITY PROCEEDINGS OF THE TWO HOUSES ON THE OCCASION-REFLECTIONS ON THE TENDENCY OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS'S EDUCATION -INTRODUCTION INTO THE HOUSE OF PEERSCHARACTER OF THE PRINCE'S FRIENDS-OF MR. FOX-OF MR. BURKE-MR. SHERIDAN CHARACTER OF OTHER FRIENDS OF THE PRINCE -GENERAL REFLECTIONS ON THE CHARACTER OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS'S LEADING ASSOCIATES. On the 12th of August, 1783, his royal highness attained his majority, and that auspicious event was celebrated with suitable demonstrations of joy at court, in the city, and among the numerous tradesmen and retainers. of the royal family. In the preceding month of June, Lord John Cavendish, who then filled the office of chancellor of the exchequer, presented the following message from his majesty to the House of Commons. "GEORGE R. "His majesty, reflecting on the propriety of a separate establishment to his dearly beloved son the Prince of Wales, recommends the consideration thereof to this house; relying on the experienced zeal and affection of his faithful Commons for such aid towards making that establishment as shall appear consistent with a due attention to the circumstances of his people, every addition to whose burthens his majesty feels with the most sensible concern. "G. R." On this message being taken into consideration it was determined that his royal highness should be allowed the sum of 50,0001. a year, and that the sum of 60,000l. should be granted to him for the purpose of forming an establishment. The income of 50,0001. a year was so inferior to the sums granted to former princes of Wales, that its disproportion could not fail to strike very forcibly. George II. when Prince of Wales, had enjoyed an income of 100,000l. per annum, and the same allowance had been granted to Frederick, Prince of Wales, and to his present majesty during the short period that elapsed from his coming of age to his accession to the throne. It was argued, therefore, by those who wished to see a more liberal provision made for his royal highness, both on account of his illustrious rank, and of his various and shining virtues, that as his royal predecessors had enjoyed larger revenues at periods when the necessaries of life were much cheaper, it was treating the prince with ill-judged and unmerited parsimony to place him in a worse situation than former princes of Wales had been placed in; and there were not wanting some who at this time actually prognosticated the inconvenience and embarrassments which at a future period would arise to his royal highness from the scantiness of his income. Among this number was Mr. Fox, who then filled the post of secretary of state for the foreign department. The vigorous and prophetic mind of that great statesman foresaw that habits of strict economy could not well be expected of so young a man as the Prince, and that the narrowness of his income, instead of ultimately being of any advantage to the nation, might throw him into a situation of embarrassment. Had it remained with him, Mr. Fox said, to have advised an establishment, he |