all ranks of persons that came in their way | Leeds' office; after which the royal tourists set during the progress of the ramble. On the arrival of the royal travellers at Southampton on the twenty-sixth, the king and duke of Gloucester being on horseback, they proceeded through the town to the audit-house, amidst the huzzas of the people, the firing of cannon, the ringing of bells, and other demonstrations of joy. The procession through the town moved very slowly, and many carriages and gentlemen on horseback attended. The royal visitants continued in the audit-house about an hour, and went from thence on foot, accompanied by the corporation in their robes, to the quay and platform, at which place they took their leave, and rode round the beach. They then went up East-street, and stopped about half an hour at colonel Heywood's, before they set off on their return to Lyndhurst. In the evening, the whole party walked to an eminence in the forest, called the duke of Bolton's seat, in order to enjoy the very extensive prospect that may be seen from it. In this route they were attended by a very numerous but respectful body of the trades people, who were saved from a complete wetting, by his majesty's skill in the weather, for, on asking the name of a distant object, and being told it was Portsdown-hill, the king instantly turning round, and looking at a black cloud, said facetiously, “And pray, colonel, what prospect is that? I fancy if we don't get home, we shall soon know." In a moment all was hurry to return, and they were just in time to escape from a summer deluge. The evening was spent in domestic amusements, and in witnessing the slight-of-hand tricks of the then celebrated Jones, whom his majesty instantly recollected, after an interval of twenty years. On the twenty-seventh the king was occupied in the morning in reading despatches from the duke of off on an extensive excursion through the forest, proceeding to Cuffnells, the seat of the late Mr. Rose; thence to Rufus's stone, an obelisk raised to mark the spot where the second William was slain by the arrow of Sir Walter Tyrrell, glancing from a tree, as it was said, but supposed to have been an intentional stroke to get rid of a tyrant. Their course thence was to Boldrewood, the seat of lord Delawar, returning to Lyndhurst, where they dined; and in the evening visited Lymington, alighting at the town-hall to receive the congratulations of the corporation, but were prevented from a walk through the town by the boisterousness of the weather; so that after showing themselves for some time at the windows, they proceeded to enjoy the extensive prospect from Hurl Cliff, about five miles distant, and thence returned to Lyndhurst. Sunday, the twenty-eighth, was spent in exercises of devotion: the royal family walking to the church without ostentation, and freely mixing in the assembled crowd. The text chosen by the clergyman, the reverend Willis Compton, on this occasion, was from Colossians, iii. 25: “Set your affections on things above, and not on things on earth:" after which there was the very novel scene of the whole congregration singing "God save the King," accompanied by instrumental music. In the evening, the royal party walked through the town, amidst the blessings and salutations of the people, who were now assembled from all parts of the country in the most astonishing multitudes. On Monday, the journey was continued through Blandford, where his majesty received an address; through Salisbury, where, as at many other places, triumphal arches were raised, with a hogshead of strong beer at each: and in the evening they arrived at Weymouth, the feelings of the honest seamen; his majesty the corporation, and numbers of the inhabit ants, going to the turnpike; from whence they preceded the royal carriages to Gloucester house, whilst royal salutes were fired from a sloop of war, a custom-house cutter, and the fort. The royal arrival was celebrated in the evening by a general illumination. Exactly at four o'clock on the 30th, their majesties, with the royal suite, arrived at Gloucester-house. At the turnpike they were met by the corporation, and on their entrance into the town the cannon at Portland-castle were fired, and immediately answered by the king's ships in the road, after which the royal fort fired twenty-one guns-a chain of boats was moored along the bay to welcome their majesties, which they did by giving them three cheers. The time of his majesty was chiefly occupied at Weymouth, in receiving the formål addresses of the corporation, or the visits of the nobility and gentry of the vicinity, and partly on horseback, rambling over the hills and downs, or walking on the esplanade amidst respectfully joyous groupes of his loyal subjects. The sabbath-day was always passed in the offices of religion, the royal family walking to church without parade or ceremony, the service of the day always ending with "God save the King." The Magnificent, of 74, commanded by captain Onslow, afterwards sir Richard Onslow, and the Southampton frigate, being appointed to attend upon his majesty during his stay at Weymouth, the latter vessel was chosen by his majesty for his marine excursions, they being considered to be highly beneficial to the complete restoration of his health. During the attendance of the men of war, the condescending behaviour of the royal party often conversed with the humblest sailor in the ship, and he seemed particularly to enjoy their coarse and eccentric manners. All unnecessary pomp was laid aside, and even that regard to personal safety was dispensed with, which is generally the first consideration in marine excursions. So little did their majesties pay in general any attention to present comfort, that on one occasion the whole party returned from their marine trip with a complete ducking, for, although it blew at the time a strong gale with a heavy sea, and the rain was descending in torrents, their majesties would not allow the awning to be spread, but seemed actually to enjoy the scene, and landed in the highest spirits, and laughing at each others' wet jackets. 、 During one of these marine trips, his majesty was conversing with captain Douglas of the Southampton, when the lieutenant of the watch, agreeable to nautical custom, informed the captain, whilst conversing with his majesty, that it was twelve o'clock. "Make it so, sir," replied the captain, meaning thereby to order the bell to be rung for the close of the nautical day, and the commencement of a new one. His majesty appeared much struck with this, and in a very pointed manner said to the captain, "You, sir, possess more power than I do, I cannot make it what time I please." When on a subsequent day, the Southampton sailed with the royal party on a short cruize, his majesty gave an express order that no salutes should be fired, nor even the royal standard hoisted either by the men-of-war or the barges. In short, it seemed his anxious wish to disencumber himself of all state; deed the whole royal party, by their affability and condescension, endeared themselves more in and to the officers and seamen afloat. Throughout the whole of their excursions there was on the part of the royal pair no assumption or painful pre-eminence, or imposing superiority. The awe of state was removed by the ease of the gentleman, and the princesses were the theme of praise from every tongue. His majesty, on the 28th of July, took an airing towards Abbotsbury-castle otherwise Pin-money-castle; he was very particular in examining every part of this romantic piece of antiquity, with the utmost minuteness, and appeared not a little pleased with its whimsical title; he made several facetious comments on the occasion. One morning his majesty was both amused and delighted with a demonstration of simplehearted loyalty, by the appearance before Gloucester-lodge of two waggons loaded with the peasantry principally females, who stopped before the house bare-headed, though exposed to a heavy rain, singing "God save the King," the close of which was accompanied by three loud huzzas, which were listened to by the royal visitants, who, in the most condescending manner exhibited themselves to the honest party. Time now passed on in aquatic trips, public amusements, country rides, sea-bathing, &c., from which a visible alteration took place in his majesty's health, and it was so decidedly in an improving state, that the attendance of his regular physicians was not required. Addresses on this happy event were presented from every quarter of the western part of the kingdom. On the 18th, the royal party, with the exception of the queen, went on board the Magnificent for the first time. On this occasion his majesty behaved with the most marked condescension, remaining uncovered on the quarter deck for some time, bowing to the officers as he passed them into the cabin. The behaviour of the princesses was equally conciliatory, and they gaily declared that if they had been boys, the sea should have been their element. Every part of the ship was visited, and the king was so forcibly struck by the whiteness of the decks. below, that he observed to the princess Elizabeth his doubts whether the palace of Windsor could boast of such cleanliness: indeed his majesty was so delighted with the scene, that he promised captain Onslow to bring the queen to drink tea on board. The theatre was now become such a favourite In one of the king's excursions, during the hay-harvest, in the neighbourhood of Wey-resort of royalty, that the manager found himmouth, he passed a field where only one woman was at work. His majesty asked her where the rest of her companions were. The woman answered, they were gone to see the king. "And why did you not go with them ?" rejoined his majesty. "The fools," replied the woman," that are gone to town, will lose a day's work by it, and that is more than I can afford to do. I have five children to work for." Well then," said his majesty, putting some money into her hands, "you may tell your companions who are gone to see the king, that the king came to see you." self enabled, by crowded houses, to engage the first Thespian performers; accordingly Mrs. Siddons and Quick were both on his list, and added to the attraction of the scene. On the 3d of August, the whole of the royal party went on board the Southampton, and proceeded to Lulworth-cove, from whence they visited Lulworth-castle, the seat of Mr. Weld, brother to Mrs. Fitzherbert, and a Roman catholic, where they were received by that gentleman at the vestibule of the venerable castle, eight of his children dressed in uniform being placed on the steps leading up to it. An elegant collation, path. The king was now understood to have recovered his health in a surprising degree; and addresses upon this happy event poured in from every part of the kingdom: but in the midst of this blaze of loyalty from his own subjects, a most palpable insult was offered to him by those who had once been under his sway. On the 6th of August, being on board the Southampton, on a cruise in the offing, the royal standard flying, and accompanied by the Magnificent, a large American ship, proudly displaying her thirteen stripes, thought proper to pass close to the Southampton under a press of sail, not deigning to pay even the customary salute to a man of war, of lowering her topgallant sails. Of this insult, it was judged improper for the Southampton to take any immediate notice; but the Magnificent instantly made sail after the rude Columbian, and having fired a shot a-head of her, she thought proper to make more than the necessary reparation, by lowering both topgallant-sails and top-sails, as a mark of deference. served up on gold plate prepared for the oc- | charming innocents strewed flowers in their casion, richly embossed, and each piece with the motto of "God save the king," was then partaken of; after which their majesties, &c., proceeded to the chapel, and were highly delighted with an anthem, which was excellently performed, both vocal and instrumental. The pleasure of the visit was so great, that the king prolonged it beyond his original intention; having commanded a play for the evening at Weymouth so attentive was he, however, to shew a polite remembrance of those left behind, that finding his return at the proper time somewhat doubtful, he with the most marked condescension despatched a servant express, to desire that the farce should be performed at the usual time of opening the house, in order that the audience might not be totally deprived of amusement until his return. This was strongly felt by the audience; and when the royal party made their appearence, the enthusiastic joy with which they were received was highly descriptive of the public sentiment. An equally magnificent and interesting reception, as at Lulworth, awaited the royal visitants at Sherborne-castle, the seat of lord Digby, on the 4th, where they were met on their entrance into the park by two societies belonging to Sherborne, consisting of upwards of three hundred persons, displaying colours, and accompanied by a band of music. The concourse of people assembled of both sexes, well dressed and happy, from a circle of forty miles, was almost incredible; and the delight of their majesties was extreme, when on approaching the castle they were received by a ladies' boarding school, consisting of nearly forty lovely blooming girls, habited in white uniform, with royal blue ribands, inscribed, "God save the king;" between whom a passage was formed for their entrance into the house, whilst the This circumstance of the American vessel gave rise to the following jeu d'esprit : These are the triumphs, George, thy annals boast On the 8th of August, his majesty held a court at Weymouth, in consequence of a partial change in the ministry, and for the purpose of proroguing parliament from the 11th of August to the 29th of October. He also conferred an additional dignity on several noblemen of both the English and Irish peerage. On the 13th, their majesties and the princesses set out from Weymouth on their tour to [the westward, and arrived, on the evening of the same day, at the deanry of Exeter. On their arrival, two triumphant arches were prepared, superbly decorated, for their majesties to pass under. They were received by the magistrates of the town with every mark of respect, at the entrance of the town, attended with the union societies, consisting of upwards of three hundred, walking in procession, with colours flying, and bands of music playing "God save the king." An astonishing number of people were gathered together from all parts of the country, and expressed their loyalty in terms of enthusiastic joy. On the following day, the mayor and corporation attended with an address, and were graciously received. This was followed by an address from the clergy of the diocese, which met the same reception. In the memory of man, not even at a general election, was there ever such a crowd of people, and every person vieing with each other to testify their loyalty. Their majesties left Exeter on the 15th, and arrived at Saltram, the seat of Lord Barringdon, the same evening. As soon as their majesties and the royal family arrived at Saltram, a signal was made, by hoisting a flag at the round tower in the wood. The royal party remained at Saltram during the 16th, and on the following day they arrived at Plymouth, where they were received with all the honours of a garrisoned town, and immediately afterwards proceeded in barges, in grand naval procession, on board the impregnable of 90 guns, commanded by Admiral Sir Richard Bickerton. The scene was much heightened by the novel exhibition of a very handsome man-of-war's cutter, rowed by six young women, and steered by a seventh, all habited in loose white gowns, with nankeen safeguards and black bonnets, each wearing a sash across her shoulder, of royal purple, with "Long live their majesties," in gold characters. The cutter kept close to the royal barge during the whole of the excursion, and attracted the notice, not only of the king, but of the whole party. The 18th was distinguished by a grand naval review of a squadron under the command of Corimodore Goodall, consisting of seven sail of the line and a frigate, which was inspected by his majesty from the Southampton, accompanied by the queen and the princesses, and attended by the Lords of the Admiralty. When aboard his majesty examined all parts of the vessel, and, while on deck, was constantly engaged either with his glass to catch distant objects, or making himself, by quick inquiries, conversant with the whole system of the sails and rigging. The scene at a distance of some leagues in the offing, was beautiful beyond description; as upwards of one hundred vessels, of all sizes, were assembled on the occasion, either on service, or by curiosity, and the whole of the royal party expressed the highest delight with the naval exhibition. On a visit to the dock-yard, on the ensuing day, nothing passed unnoticed by his majesty. He minutely examined every thing in the yard, particularly the mode of coppering the ships; whilst every process was executed in the various departments for his inspection. On his visit to the victualling-office, on the 20th, he was very particular in his inquiries respecting the quality of the provisions; tasting the biscuit, and ordering some of the beef to be sent to Saltram for the same purpose. He also took a minute survey of the citadel, of all the military works, and of the gun-wharf; and examined all parts of the Hamoaze, proceeding afterwards to the Maker Tower; assiduously accompanied whilst afloat, by the party of mermaids already |