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with the windows all flung open, was the substitute. In fact his Royal Highness in this respect was the reverse of his two elder brothers, and exceedingly active. In travelling he would alight from his carriage whenever an opportunity offered, and walk about, even if only for a few minutes From an asthmatic complaint to which he had been long subject, he avoided going out in damp or wet weather. His repast was of plain animal food, with very little vegetables at any time, and his lunch at two o'clock in the day was in reality his dinner, for he scarcely ate any thing at the hour allotted for the meal distinguished by that name, though he would sit and take his sherry with his company for an hour or two. During the latter years of his life he was accustomed to doze a little after dinner, and the company, of which he was fond of seeing a goodly number, would speak in whispers not to disturb him; he generally started up in ten minutes, with a good-natured "Come, gentlemen, push the bottle."

His asthmatic complaint generally recurred in May or June: it was attended with spasms and a severe cough. It endured frequently for ten, twelve, fourteen days or more. Sometimes the paroxysms were severe; under them his Royal Highness was remarkably patient. An opinion having been given him that his fit would be over on one of these occasions in a given time, he said, "Well, doctor, you thought this fit would be over by nine o'clock, now, you see, it is near ten; well, well, can't be helped!" Up to sixty years of age he was as vigorous and active as if he had been but forty. He continued on foot every day for some hours, and bore it without fatigue.

The following anecdote is recorded of the Duke :-On entering a shop at Brighton, where there were three quaker ladies, in a joking way he said to the youngest, as they were looking over some gay articles, "So, I see, thou art not above the vanities of this world." The quakeress made no reply, but the matron who was with her, gave his Royal Highness a look, speaking louder than words. The Duke felt he was wrong, and making the purchase of a handsome work basket asked leave of the oldest lady to present it to her daughter. "She will receive

it, Friend, and thank thee," was the reply; and thus terininated, in mutual courtesy, the effect of the Duke's thoughtless observation.

1811, the Duke of Cla

The period when the

On the death of Sir Peter Parker in rence was made admiral of the fleet. restrictions placed upon the Regency were to expire had arrived, and the Prince of Wales, feeling himself more at liberty, made overtures, through the Duke of York, to Earl Grey and Lord Grenville, for the purpose of forming a liberal administration on an extended basis. The two noble lords declined the invitation. The Marquis of Wellesly at this time resigned the situation of Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, which was given to Lord Castlereagh. In May, 1812, Mr. Perceval was assassinated, and then the Marquis Wellesly was empowered to form a new cabinet, but the Duke of Clarence was not included in the arrangements.

The high rank which the Duke of Clarence now held in the navy, precluded him in some degree from being appointed to the command of a squadron; but as it was his desire to witness the operations which was then carrying on on the Dutch coast, he hoisted his flag on board the Jason, and it was on this occasion that the following sarcastic effusion from the pen of one of our pensioned poets was given to the public.

Dear brother, I own I am delighted,

To find myself kindly invited,

To take the command

Of a squadron well mann'd,

At a time when I thought myself slighted.
You know I am gallant and clever,

And ready to do my endeavour,

For eating and fighting,

Since both I delight in,

And would fain be meddling for ever.

Too long have my amorous capers,

Been a dish for the saucy newspapers,
Those vile scandal breeders,

To serve to their readers,

To chase hypochondriac vapours.

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That a prince should be tied down by rules,
Is a lesson taught only by fools;

And though a dull stoic,
May call it heroic,

It is scouted in civilized schools.

I know to our mutual thinking.

Its pleasant with beauty to link in;
But surpassing all others,

To us and our brothers,

Is the pleasure of eating and drinking.

I own it, since my promotion,

I have not ventured much on the ocean;
For great men in our creed,

To themselves should take heed,
Nor rashly run into commotion.

Neither navy nor army 'tis known,

Have been graced by the sprigs of the throne; Brother Fredrick to danger,

Indeed is no stranger,

But he's welcome to all he has won.

But though honour and I, my dear brother,

Have has yet been unknown to each other;
A chaplet of fame,

I'll bind round my name

Which shan't disgrace father and mother.

I'll make war on the coasters I meet,
And compel all the boats to retreat ;
To the wave and the gale,

Not a smack shall set sail,

Through the terror of me and my fleet.

I'll frighten the sharks and the seals,
At the sight of my multiplied keels;
The dolphins and soles,

Shall fly us in shoals,

And the grampusus take to their heels.

I'll despatch all the mackarel to quod;
Destroy millions of herrings, by G▬▬d ;
And intrepidly sweep,

All the depths of the deep,

Of their tenants from cockles to cod.

Then, sir, will I offer before you,
Rich trophies, unequalled in story;
Muscle shells and fish scales,

And the swimmers of whales,
To increase, sir, your maritime glory.

From this plan of my haval campaign,
You will judge of my exquisite vein ;
For judging a battle,

With salt water cattle,

And conquering fame by a mere coup de main.

I trust this immense operation,

Will meet with your high approbation;

And that you will signify,

In your gracious reply,

When you wish me to be at my station.

P'S. May I hope the grand duchess will deign,

To approve of the exploits of her swain ;

And sweetly to bless

Him with nuptial caress,

When he comes back from scouring the main.

The Duke had the pleasure of finding, about this time, that two of his sons had distinguished themselves in the Peninsular war, under the Duke of Wellington. At the bombardment of Antwerp, and the siege of Bergen-op-Zoom, the Duke of Clarence was present, having hoisted his flag in the Jason. In one instance he received a slight injury from the explosion of His Royal Highness was opposed to the enemy occasionally on shore during these sieges, of which he did not witness the conclusion, as the resistance of the place was prolonged until the capture of Paris and the exile of Napoleon.

a shell.

Being about to return to England in the Jason, his Royal Highness received on board that ship and brought over with him to Sheerness the Duchess of Oldenburgh, the sister of Alexander of Russia. On landing, his Royal Highness conducted the Duchess to the Pulteney Hotel, which had been prepared for her reception. Soon afterwards his Royal Highness sailed in the Jason to accompany the yacht carrying Louis XVIII. to the French coast, having been restored to his throne

by the allied forces. The French witnessed the Monarch's return to his native land in the vessel of the enemies of his country with the feelings of mortification perfectly natural in such a case.

The Duke of Clarence then shifted his flag to the Impregnable, in order to receive on board and convey to England the Emperor Alexander of Russia and the King of Prussia. His Royal Highness went on board the Impregnable as Admiral of the Fleet, on which Sir William Young had just struck his flag, and it became his right to appoint his own officers to her, and numerous were the applications made to him for such appointments. The Duke was too generous to displace one of those who had served with Admiral Young, and he commanded that they should serve under him according to the dates of their commissions. Nothing could be more kind and considerate than such conduct-nothing could better bespeak a noble heart. The Duke on this occasion received a secretary whom the Foreign Office had nominated. It may exemplify a little, the system of espionage of the days of Lord Castlereagh, that the heads of the Foreign Office expected such a secretary, as part of his business, to send to it copies of the letters and correspondence of the Royal Duke, together with any information of note that the exempt of the office might deem worthy of notice. This the employe, clearly too honourable a man for his post, would not do without communicating the order to the Duke. The princely Admiral of the fleet returned a stern denial to any such liberty, not choosing, except of his official correspondence with the Admiralty, to permit any one, except the King, his brother, to have copies of the communications he might address to the allied Sovereigns on the occasion, particularly to the Emperor Alexander, during the time his Royal Highness was engaged in that service.

The conquerors of France embarked at Boulogne on the 6th of June, and were received with due honours on board the Impregnable. They were received with the like honours at Dover, where a grand entertainment had been prepared for them by the Dake's order. The next day the two Monarchs

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