desire that the religious tenets of her children should never prevent their connection in future life, with any distinguished Court of whatever religion. The propriety of her conduct may, indeed, be questionable, since it is generally maintained by the wise and good, that a child had better be educated in an attachment even to an erroneous faith, than to no faith at all; yet the motives of the Duchess were of the purest character, even though they partook of weakness and false reasoning. She was greatly beloved by her children, and respected by her dependants; and of her virtue, amiability, and good sense, those who were best acquainted with her character, invariably spoke ir terms the most ardent and sincere.

CHAPTER II.

PARTICULARS OF THE EARLY LIFE OF THE PRINCESS CAROLINE AMELIA ELIZABETH OF BRUNSWICK, INCLUDING AN ACCOUNT OF HER MARRIAGE TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF WALES: 1768-1795.

The Princess Caroline Amelia Elizabeth, was the second daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Brunswick. It will be recollected, however, that at the time of her birth, her father was hereditary Prince, and that it was not till 1780, that he succeeded to the government of the Duchy. The Princess Caroline was born at Brunswick, which was at that time the residence of the Wolfenbuttle line of the Royal family. She was the favorite child of her father, and for her health and happiness, he manifested especial concern. From infancy her constitution was strong and vigorous, and her health was seldom interrupted; the Duchess frequently said, "Caroline is born for adversity, nothing would destroy her." Her mother had received a good education, and the knowledge she had acquired, she retained. Her father was a scholar, at the same time that he was a warrior, and a politician. When his military duties allowed his residence at home, he devoted much time to the education of his children; and Caroline enjoyed

an unusual share of his attention. In future life, she always spoke of his kindness with enthusiasm, and related many incidents of his conduct to her, with delight. Some months previous to her decease, a poor woman attended on the subject of these Memoirs, then Queen of England, with a portrait of the Duke, which, on perceiving, her Majesty immediately purchased with delight, placed it in her bed room, and was frequently observed to gaze on it with the greatest interest, to the time of her death.

Whilst, however, her parents assisted in the education of their children, they did not wholly conduct it. She had in her youth, successively different ladies as Governesses and Companions. The first to whose care she was entrusted, was Lady de Bode, who was at that time rather advanced in years, but who was endowed with an intelligent and well disposed mind; and her tuition had a very beneficial effect upon the young Princess, by whom she was sincerely beloved. When age and infirmities compelled that lady to resign her office, she was almost every week honoured by visits from the Princess; who, on these occasions, in the midst of a small select circle, seemed to find her greatest pleasure. A customary amusement in company at that period, was to propose charades.-The Princess from her acute mind and wit, possessed an extraordinary facility, not only in unriddling, but also in framing them. In this circle also, she found opportunities for gratifying her predilection for domestic

pleasures, and relaxation from the Court mode of life, which to her, was so tedious and disagreeable.

After the resignation of Lady de Bode, Baroness von Munster, the mother of the present Count Munster, Royal Hanoverian Minister of State, and of the Cabinet, was appointed in her place. This lady possessed uncommon powers of mind, and extensive knowledge;-she contributed greatly to the formation of the character of the Princess.

Her last Companion was Lady von Ditfurth, a widow, a woman of a most excellent heart, with whom the Princess was on friendly terms, and who usually accompanied her in her visits to her first Governess, Lady de Bode, who was Lady Ditfurth's aunt.

Yet to the care of these Ladies, she was not wholly confided, she spent much of her time with her parents; she always dined at the table of her father, even when very young, and was introduced into all the society of the Court. The German, English, French, and Italian languages, she spoke with fluency, and even elegance. She was mistress of the harp, and harpsichord, with which she often delighted her father, who was enthusiastically fond of music. In the art of painting in water colours, she excelled, and modelled with elegance and taste; many of her paintings in water colours, are now in the possession of her distinguished friends; and whilst residing afterwards at Blackheath, she modelled a full length statue of her daughter. She was particularly partial to

geography and astronomy, and to the study of logic, but HISTORY claimed her pre-eminent attention, and she was consequently distinguished in future life, by her accurate knowledge of Grecian, Roman, French, English, and German history. Assisted by a good natural and well cultivated memory, her conversation on historical subjects, was distinguished by an accuracy of detail, and an appropriateness of application, which often astonished, and always pleased, her literary friends.

When young, her wit excited attention, and afforded amusement. Her brothers and sister in this respect, acknowledged their inferiority, and Caroline, habitually sprightly and ready, not unfrequently pleased the German Court. On one occasion, when she was about twelve years of age, her father requested the famous Mirabeau, to make some lines, upon time and space, Caroline was present, and instantly exclaimed, "L'espace "se trouve dans le bouche de Madame

et

"le temps dans sa visage ;" applying it to an old very ugly lady of the Court. Her father publicly reproved her, and desired her to make an apology; she refused to do so, and he sent her out of the room. On another occasion, when reproached by a phlegmatic Courtier, for the gaiety of her manners, and her heedlessness as to the future, she exclaimed, in German: "Gone is gone, Sir; "that which is gone, will never return, and that "which is to come, will come of itself." One day, in repeating to Lady de Bode the