The ladies were amused--excepting Mrs. Newville, who laid down her knife and fork, folded her hands, and looked earnestly at Mr. Dapper.

"Do you mean to say there is scheming among the reverend prelates of our most holy church?" she asked.

"Why, madam, human nature is pretty much the same in the church as out of it, and there is quite as much intrigue among the prelates of the church as among the politicians at court. His majesty, talking about his early years not long since, said there was nothing but disagreement and intrigue among those who had charge of him during his early years. Mr. Scott, his tutor, did what he could for the little fellow, but it wasn't much. His father, Fred, Prince of Wales, delighted in private theatricals. He had several plays performed at Leicester House by children, employing Jimmy Quin[47] to teach them their parts. Now, my dear madam, you will see that with three bishops disputing as to how the boy should be instructed in theology; whether politically he should be a Jacobite or Whig; when each was trying to get the biggest piece of pie and the most plums,--the boy, the while, muddling his brains in trying to make Latin verses and learning tragedies, there wasn't much chance for Master Scott to get him on in other things, especially when my lord the Bishop of Norwich was intriguing to get the master kicked downstairs, that he might put one of his favorites in the position of tutor to the prince."

[Footnote 47: The celebrated actor, James Quin, was employed by the Prince of Wales to direct the plays performed in Leicester House by the children of the n.o.bility.]

"Why, Mr. Dapper!" exclaimed Mrs. Newville.

"Then the prince had a change of governors about as often as the moon fulled," said Mr. Dapper. "Each, of course, had some directions to give in regard to his education. When Lord Harcourt was governor his chief concern was to have the prince turn out his toes when walking."

The ladies laughed at Mr. Dapper's droll way of narrating the manner of the king's education.

[Ill.u.s.tration: George III.]

"I do not wonder you smile, ladies; it is enough to make a horse laugh," he said. "Perhaps you would like to know how the prince was put through his paces from the time he opened his eyes in the morning till he was tucked in bed at night. Lord North at one time was governor to the prince; he gave me the programme of the daily routine.

The boy was to be out of bed at seven o'clock, eat breakfast and be ready for Mr. Scott from eight o'clock to nine, or till the Reverend Doctor John Thomas came, who had him in charge till eleven, when he was to be turned over to Mr. Fung, for what purpose Lord North did not know. At noon, Mr. Ruperti had him for half an hour. From half past twelve till three the prince could play; that is, he could walk through the grounds around Leicester House, trussed up in fine clothes like a turkey for the spit, but he couldn't kick up his heels or turn somersaults on the gra.s.s; he must be a nice little gentleman in lace and ruffles. At three o'clock he had dinner. At half past four the dancing-master, Mr. Deneyer, taught him the minuet. At five o'clock he had another half hour with Mr. Fung. From half past six to eight Mr.

Scott put him through his curriculum. At eight o'clock he had supper, but must be in bed at ten. On Sunday from half past nine till eleven Reverend Doctor Ayscough lectured him on religion. To state it plainly, our royal sovereign's real instructors were the servants and chambermaids of Leicester House. They told him nursery tales about hobgoblins, giant-killers, and witches. Doctor Ayscough and the bishop gave him lectures on theology. The Jacobite bishop exalted the prerogatives of princes and kings. Lord Waldegrave told me that, when he was appointed governor to Prince George, he found him to be a good, narrow-minded little bigot, with his head full of nursery tales and not much else."

"Why, Mr. Dapper!" exclaimed Mrs. Newville, laying down her knife and fork again, and holding up her hands.

"I see that you are astonished, madam. Now I would not for the world say anything disrespectful of our gracious sovereign; he is not to be blamed for the errors of those who had charge of him during his minority,--he is to be commiserated rather; but you will observe that it was not a course of education calculated to enlighten a dull intellect. That he is good at heart every one knows, but his ministers also know that he is narrow-minded and obstinate."

"We must not forget that our most gracious majesty, King George, is one of the Lord's chosen instruments to carry out the plan of the divine mind," said the rector.

"Oh, certainly, my dear sir; just as much of an instrument as ever Samson was, flourishing the jawbone of an a.s.s, smiting the Philistines hip and thigh," Mr. Dapper replied.

The ladies smiled, but the rector did not altogether relish the reply.

"I never have quite understood how Earl Bute obtained his ascendency with the king," said Mr. Adams.

"It was through his influence with the mother of the king," Mr. Dapper replied. "He had a great deal to say about the king's education. It was Bute who induced George II. to appoint Andrew Stone to have charge of the young prince. Then the fat was in the fire. The Bishop of Norwich accused Stone of being a Jacobite, and the quarrel became hot--so sharp that the bishop entered the schoolroom to have it out with Master Stone. Now I suppose, my dear rector, you would have staked your money on the bishop, on the theory that the church militant should also be the church triumphant."

"Possibly, if I were in the habit of laying wagers," the rector replied.

"I certainly should have done so, reverend sir, but I should have lost my money," continued Mr. Dapper; "for Mr. Stone was plucky, used his fists beautifully, and gave it to my lord the bishop right between the eyes. The bishop was quite gamey, though, and aimed a blow at Stone's nose, but finally got shoved out of the room, greatly to his mortification. He couldn't let the matter drop, and so accused Stone of being drunk. The matter finally got into Parliament where there was quite a row about it. Such were the auspices under which our good sovereign was educated to administer the affairs of the realm. His mother wanted to make him pious. She would not allow him to a.s.sociate with other boys because they would corrupt his morals. Lord Bute advised the princess dowager to keep the prince tied to her ap.r.o.n strings, and succeeded."

"Lord Bute," Mr. Adams responded, "is very much disliked in the Colonies. When he was at the head of the ministry, he was hung in effigy on the Liberty Tree."

"So he was in London," Mr. Dapper replied. "Your detestation of him cannot be greater than it is in England. No one can quite understand how John Stuart made his way up to power. He was a poor Scotsman from the Frith of Clyde. He went to school at Eton and also at Cambridge, then came to London, hired a piece of land out a little way from the city, and raised peppermint, camomile, and other simples for medicine.

He had a love for private theatricals, had shapely legs and liked to show them. One evening the Prince of Wales saw his legs, and, taking a fancy to the owner, told him to make himself at home in Leicester House. That was enough for John Stuart. Having got a foothold, he made himself useful to Fred, and especially to the princess dowager. George II. was getting on in years and irritable. The old king took it upon himself to pick out a wife for the prince, selecting the daughter of Charles, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenb.u.t.tel; but the prince said he wasn't going to be Wolfenb.u.t.tled by his grandsire. Just what he meant by it no one knows, as the word is not to be found in Doctor Johnson's big dictionary."

"Shall I help you to a bit of canvasback, my lord?" Mrs. Newville asked, interrupting the narrative.

"Canvasback! What may it be? Really, you have most astonishing things to eat over here," Lord Upperton replied.

Mrs. Newville explained that it was a duck, and that it was regarded as a delicacy.

"I never ate anything so delicious," said Upperton.

Mr. Dapper also praised it.

"Was the marriage of our king and queen a love-match?" Miss Chanson inquired.

"Well, hardly, at the beginning," said Mr. Dapper. "When the prince was eighteen, he fell in love with Lady Sarah Lennox, daughter of the Duke of Richmond. She was seventeen, beautiful, and attractive. She knew how to display her charms to the best advantage, by going out with the haymakers on fine summer mornings to wander in the meadows among the daisies, wearing a fancy costume. No wonder the prince, looking from the windows of Holland House, thought it a delightful exhibition of Arcadian simplicity and made haste to chat with her. But love-making between the future king and a subject was not in accordance with the princess dowager's ideas, and so Earl Bute found it convenient to appear upon the scene,--a gentle hint that there was to be no more love-making. Their flirtations would make a long story though, for Lord Newbottle was in love with Lady Sarah and jealous of the prince, which made it all the more interesting. Bute and the princess dowager put their heads together, and sent Colonel Graham on a prospecting tour among the German princ.i.p.alities. He sent back word that the daughter of the Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz would make a good wife for his royal highness, and he judged well, for I am sure you all love our Sophia Charlotte."

"Most certainly, and we would emulate her virtues," said Mrs. Adams.

Mr. Newville proposed the health of the queen.

Their gla.s.ses drained, Mr. Dapper went on:--

"Lord Harcourt was sent as amba.s.sador to negotiate a marriage, not with Sophia Charlotte, but with her brother, the duke."

"Was not our queen consulted in regard to the matter?" Ruth asked.

[Ill.u.s.tration: QUEEN SOPHIA CHARLOTTE]

"Not at all. She knew very little about the world; never had been a dozen miles from home, never even had sat at the duke's table. She was a simple-minded little girl who gave the chickens their dough and gathered nosegays from her flower-garden. You can imagine, ladies, that she hardly knew what to make of it when told that an amba.s.sador from England had arrived and wanted to see her. The duke told her to put on her best gown, mind what Harcourt said, and not be a baby.

Suddenly the folding-doors leading to the ducal chamber opened, and there stood the amba.s.sador. 'You are to be married to him by proxy, and be queen of England,' said the duke, which so surprised the poor girl that she nearly fainted. The ceremony over, Harcourt presented her with a necklace of diamonds. You see, ladies, it is almost the story of Cinderella over again!"

"It is really romantic," responded Miss Milford.

"I would not be married to one whom I never had seen," exclaimed Ruth.

"A princess, Miss Newville, cannot always do as she would. She may be compelled to marry against her will," said Lord Upperton.

"I would not," Ruth replied.

"Not if the country required it?" Lord Upperton asked.

"No, my lord; and I am glad I am not a princess."

"Bravely spoken. Ladies and gentlemen, let us drink to the maiden who, though not of the blood royal, is yet a princess," said Mr. Dapper.

"Hear! hear!" exclaimed the admiral, thumping the table.

The company gazed admiringly at Ruth, peerless in her beauty, the warm blood suffusing her cheeks.

"I understand that our queen a.s.sumed the position of royalty with much grace," Mrs. Adams remarked.

"With charming simplicity, madam," responded Mr. Dapper. "She landed at Harwich, and had an ovation all the way to London. People hurrahed, bells rang, and cannon thundered. The poor girl was terribly frightened. The thought of meeting a husband whom she had never seen unstrung her nerves. The d.u.c.h.ess of Hamilton laughed at her, but it was a hot shot the queen let fly; she said: 'You have been married twice to husbands of your own choosing, but poor me must marry a man whom I never have seen.'"

"Bravo! that raked the quarter-deck," exclaimed the admiral.

"How did the king receive her?" Ruth inquired.

"When she stepped from the coach she knelt at his feet; he gave her a kiss, and led her into the palace."