Greville Memoirs A Journal of the Reigns of King George IV and King William IV, Vol. I

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• Publisher: pubOne.info
• Year: 2010
• eBook ISBN: 9782819939436

pubOne.info present you this wonderfully illustrated edition. [v] The Author of these Journals requested me, in January 1865, a few days before his death, to take charge of them with a view to publication at some future time. He left that time to my discretion, merely remarking that Memoirs of this kind ought not, in his opinion, to be locked up until they had lost their principal interest by the death of all those who had taken any part in the events they describe. He placed several of the earlier volumes at once in my hands, and he intimated to his surviving brother and executor, Mr. Henry Greville, his desire that the remainder should be given me for this purpose. The injunction was at once complied with after Mr. Charles Greville's death, and this interesting deposit has now remained for nearly ten years in my possession. In my opinion this period of time is long enough to remove every reasonable objection to the publication of a contemporary record of events already separated from us by a much longer interval, for the transactions related in these volumes commence in 1818 and end in 1837

CHAPTER I.

Queen Charlotte — Duchesses of Cumberland and Cambridge — Westminster Election — Contest between Sir Francis Burdett and Sir Murray Maxwell — London Election — Oatlands — The Duke of York — Duchess of York — Ampthill — Tixall — Mr. Luttrell — Lady Granville — Teddesley — Macao — Burleigh — Middleton — Lady Jersey — The New Parliament — Tierney and Pitt — Princess Lieven — Madame de Staël on the French Revolution — Westminster Election — Hobhouse Defeated — Scarlett’s Maiden Speech — Influence of Party — Play — The Persian Ambassador at Court — Prince Leopold — Woburn — Anecdote of the Allies — Death of George III. — Illness of George IV. — Queen Caroline — Fleury de Chabaulon — The Cato Street Conspiracy — George IV. at Ascot — Marchioness of Conyngham — Queen Caroline in London — Message to Parliament — Debates — Insubordination in the Guards — Wilberforce’s Motion — Proceedings against the Queen — ‘Les Liaisons dangereuses’ — The Queen’s Trial — The Duke of Wellington on the Battle of Waterloo and the Occupation of Paris.

1818.

  I began to keep a Journal some time ago, and, after continuing it irregularly, dropped it entirely. I have since felt tempted to resume it, because, having frequent opportunities of mixing in the society of celebrated men, some particulars about them might be interesting hereafter.

June 7th, 1818

  The dissolution of Parliament is deferred on account of the mistakes which have been made in passing the Alien Bill. On Friday night the exultation of the Opposition was very great at what they deemed a victory LAST YEARS OF THE REGENCY. over the Ministers. It is said that there will be 100 contests, and that Government will lose twenty or thirty members. The Queen was so ill on Friday evening that they expected she would die. She had a severe spasm.

   [Queen Charlotte, consort of George III. , died on the 17th of November of this year, 1818. ]

  The Duchess of Cambridge has been received in a most flattering manner here, and it is said that the Duchess of Cumberland is severely mortified at the contrast between her reception and that of her sister-in-law. On the Sunday after her arrival the Duke took her to walk in the Park, when she was so terrified by the pressure of the mob about her that she nearly fainted away.

   [Prince Adolphus Frederick, Duke of Cambridge, seventh son of George III. , married on the 7th of May, 1818, Augusta Wilhelmina Louisa, Princess of Hesse, youngest daughter of the Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel. Ernest, Duke of Cumberland, the King’s fourth son, married on the 29th of August, 1815, at Strelitz, the Princess Frederica, third daughter of the Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. This lady had been twice married before, first to Prince Frederic Louis Charles of Prussia, and secondly to the Prince of Salms-Braunfels. As the Duchess of Cumberland had been divorced from her last husband, the Queen received her with great coldness; and the position in which she was placed contrasted strongly with that of the Duchess of Cambridge on her marriage. ]

  The Regent drives in the Park every day in a tilbury, with his groom sitting by his side; grave men are shocked at this undignified practice.

June 21st, 1818

  I dined at Holland House last Thursday. The party consisted of Lord Lansdowne, Mr. Frere, and Mrs. Tierney and her son. After dinner Mr. Frere repeated to us a great deal of that part of ‘Whistlecraft’ which is not yet published. I laughed whenever I could, but as I have never read the first part, and did not understand the second, I was not so much amused as the rest of the company.

   [The whole poem of ‘Whistlecraft’ has since been republished in the collected works of the Right Hon. Hookham Frere. ]

  On Friday I went to the Stud-house, where a great party was assembled to see the stock and buy them. After visiting the paddocks, Bloomfield gave a magnificent dinner to A GENERAL ELECTION. the company in a tent near the house; it was the finest feast I ever saw, but the badness of the weather spoilt the entertainment.

   [Sir Benjamin Bloomfield filled the offices of Marshal and Chief Equerry to the Regent, and in 1817 he became Receiver-General of the Duchy of Cornwall and Keeper of the Privy Purse to the Prince. The Stud-house of Hampton Court had been given him as a residence. He was raised to the peerage in 1825. ]

  The Queen’s illness was occasioned by information which she received of the Duchesses of Cumberland and Cambridge having met and embraced. This meeting took place as if by accident, but really by appointment, in Kew Gardens; and the Duke of Cambridge himself informed the Queen of it. She was in such a rage that the spasm was brought on, and she was very near dying.

June 24th, 1818

  The elections are carried on with great violence, and every day we hear of fresh contests being in agitation. The disgraceful scenes which have taken place in Westminster excite universal shame and indignation. The mob seem to have shaken off the feelings and the usual character of Englishmen, and in the brutal attacks which they have made on Captain Maxwell have displayed the savage ferocity which marked the mobs of Paris in the worst times. He has been so much hurt that his life is now in danger. Sir F. Burdett told me this morning that as soon as he was at the head of the poll he thought he should appear upon the hustings and thank the people for having raised him thus high. It is supposed that Burdett has laid out 10, 000ℓ. on this election, though his friends do not acknowledge that he has spent anything. It is clear that the open houses, cockades, and bands of music we have seen these three days were not procured for nothing.

  Lord Castlereagh went to the hustings, and voted for Sir Murray Maxwell; he was hooted, pelted, and got off with some difficulty. His Lordship’s judgment was not very conspicuous on this occasion; both Sir Murray’s friends and enemies are of opinion that Lord Castlereagh’s vote did him a great deal of harm and turned many men against him. The severest contests will be in Wiltshire, Herefordshire, Devonshire, and Lincolnshire. The elections are going against Government generally; in London particularly, as the Ministers lose one seat in the Borough and two in the City. This last election is the most unexpected of all. Curtis has been member for twenty-eight years, and has been used to come in very high on the poll. On this occasion the contest between him and Alderman Thorpe was severe, but Curtis would have carried it had not Wood and Waithman coalesced with Thorpe the last day, and thrown their spare votes over to him; this determined the election in his favour.

   [Sir William Curtis was the Ministerial candidate in the City of London; he was thrown out, and Messrs. Wood, Waithman, Wilson, and Thorpe were returned. ]

June 30th, 1818

  There was an affray yesterday afternoon in Covent Garden. Sir Murray Maxwell’s people paraded about a large boat drawn by six horses. Burdett’s mob attacked and demolished the boat, and this action having raised their spirits, the contest continued. The consequence was that a large party of Horse Guards were marched into Covent Garden, and paraded there during the rest of the night. The people expressed their discontent by cries of ‘This is what they call freedom of election! ’ ‘Burdett for ever! ’ and c.

   [The Westminster election terminated as follows:— Sir Samuel Romilly, 5, 339; Sir Francis Burdett, 5, 238; Sir Murray Maxwell, 4, 808; Henry Hunt, 84. ]

August 4th, 1818

  I went to Oatlands on Saturday. There was a very large party— Mr. and Mrs. Burrell, Lord Alvanley, Berkeley Craven, Cooke, Arthur Upton, Armstrong, Foley, Lord Lauderdale, Lake, Page, Lord Yarmouth. We played at whist till four in the morning. On Sunday we amused ourselves with eating fruit in the garden, and shooting at a mark with pistols, and playing with the monkeys. I bathed in the cold bath in the grotto, which is as clear as crystal and as cold as ice. Oatlands is the worst managed establishment in England; there are a great many servants, and nobody waits on you; a vast number of horses, and none to ride or drive.

   [Oatlands Park, Weybridge, at that time the residence of the Duke of York. ]

August 15th, 1818

  The parties at Oatlands take place every DUKE AND DUCHESS OF YORK. Saturday, and the guests go away on Monday morning. These parties begin as soon as the Duchess leaves London, and last till the October meetings. During the Egham races there is a large party which remains there from the Saturday before the races till the Monday se’nnight following; this is called the Duchess’s party, and she invites the guests. The Duke is only there himself from Saturday to Monday. There are almost always the same people, sometimes more, sometimes less. We dine at eight, and sit at table till eleven. In about a quarter of an hour after we leave the dining-room the Duke sits down to play at whist, and never stirs from the table as long as anybody will play with him. When anybody gives any hint of being tired he will leave off, but if he sees no signs of weariness in others he will never stop himself. He is equally well amused whether the play is high or low, but the stake he prefers is fives and ponies. The Duchess generally plays also at half-crown whist. The Duke always gets up very early, whatever time he may go to bed. On Sunday morning he goes to church, returns to a breakfast of tea and cold meat, and afterwards rides or walks till the evening. On Monday morning he always sets off to London at nine o’clock. He sleeps equally well in a bed or in a carriage. The Duchess seldom goes to bed, or, if she does, only for an hour or two; she sleeps dressed upon a couch, sometimes in one room, sometimes in another. She frequently walks out very late at night, or rather early in the morning, and she always sleeps with open windows. She dresses and breakfasts at three o’clock, afterwards walks out with all her dogs, and seldom appears before dinner-time. At night, when she cannot sleep, she has women to read to her. The Duchess of York is clever and well-informed; she likes society and dislikes all form and ceremony, but in the midst of the most familiar intercourse she always preserves a certain dignity of manner. Those who are in the habit of going to Oatlands are perfectly at their ease with her, and talk with as much freedom as they would to any other woman, but always with great respect. Her mind is not perhaps the most delicate; she shows no dislike to coarseness of sentiment or language, and I have seen her very much amused with jokes, stories, and allusions which would shock a very nice person. But her own conversation is never polluted with anything the least indelicate or unbecoming. She is very sensible to little attentions, and is annoyed if anybody appears to keep aloof from her or to shun conversing with her. Her dogs are her greatest interest and amusement, and she has at least forty of various kinds. She is delighted when anybody gives her a dog, or a monkey, or a parrot, of all of which she has a vast number; it is impossible to offend her or annoy her more than by ill-using any of her dogs, and if she were to see anybody beat or kick any one of them she would never forgive it. She has always lived on good terms with the Royal Family, but is intimate with none of them, and goes as little as possible to Court. The Regent dislikes her, and she him. With the Princess Charlotte she was latterly very intimate, spent a great deal of time at Claremont, and felt her death very severely. The Duchess has no taste for splendour or magnificence, and likes to live the life of a private individual as much as possible.

   [Five-pound points and twenty-five pounds on the rubber. ]

   [The Duchess of York was born Princess Royal of Prussia; she married the Duke of York in 1791, and died on the 6th of August, 1820. ]

  The Duke of York is not clever, but he has a justness of understanding, which enables him to avoid the errors into which most of his brothers have fallen, and which have made them so contemptible and unpopular. Although his talents are not rated high, and in public life he has never been honourably distinguished, the Duke of York is loved and respected. He is the only one of the Princes who has the feelings of an English gentleman; his amiable disposition and excellent temper have conciliated for him the esteem and regard of men of all parties, and he has endeared himself to his friends by the warmth and steadiness of his attachments, and from the implicit confidence they all have in his truth, straightforwardness, and sincerity. He delights in the society of men of the world and in a life of gaiety and pleasure. He is very easily amused, and particularly with DUKE AND DUCHESS OF YORK. jokes full of coarseness and indelicacy; the men with whom he lives most are très-polissons, and la polissonnerie is the ton of his society. But his aides-de-camp and friends, while they do not scruple to say everything before and to him, always treat him with attention and respect. The Duke and the Duchess live upon the best terms; their manner to one another is cordial, and while full of mutual respect and attention, they follow separately their own occupations and amusements without interfering with one another. Their friends are common to both, and those who are most attached to the Duke are equally so to the Duchess. One of her few foibles is an extreme tenaciousness of her authority at Oatlands; one way in which this is shown is in the stable, where, although there are always eight or ten carriage-horses which seldom do any work, it is impossible ever to procure a horse to ride or drive, because the Duchess appropriates them all to herself. The other day one of the aides-de-camp (Cooke) wanted to drive Burrell (who was there) to Hampton Court; he spoke of this at breakfast, and the Duke hearing it, desired he would take the curricle and two Spanish horses which had been given to him. The Duchess, however, chose to call these horses hers and to consider them as her own. The curricle came to the door, and just as they were going to mount it a servant came from the Duchess (who had heard of it) and told the coachman that her Royal Highness knew nothing of it, had not ordered it, and that the curricle must go home, which it accordingly did.

September 3rd, 1818

  I went to Oatlands for the Egham races. The party lasted more than a week; there was a great number of people, and it was very agreeable. Erskine was extremely mad; he read me some of his verses, and we had a dispute upon religious subjects one morning, which he finished by declaring his entire disbelief in the Mosaic history. We played at whist every night that the Duke was there, and I always won. The Duchess was unwell most of the time. We showed her a galanterie which pleased her very much. She produced a picture of herself one evening, which she said she was going to send to the Duchess of Orleans; we all cried out, said it was bad, and asked her why she did not let Lawrence paint her picture, and send a miniature copied from that. She declared she could not afford it; we then said, if she would sit, we would pay for the picture, which she consented to do, when all the men present signed a paper, desiring that a picture should be painted and a print taken from it of her Royal Highness. Lawrence is to be invited to Oatlands at Christmas to paint the picture. The men who subscribe are Culling Smith, Alvanley, B. Craven, Worcester, Armstrong, A. Upton, Rogers, Luttrell, and myself, who were present. The Duchess desired that Greenwood and Taylor might be added. From Oatlands I went to Cirencester, where I stayed a week and then returned to Oatlands, expecting to find the Queen dead and the house empty, but I found the party still there.

Ampthill, September 9th, 1818

  I rode down here to-day, Alvanley and Montrond came in a chaise and four, and were only three hours and three-quarters coming from town. Luttrell and Rogers are here. The dinner very bad, because the cook is out of humour. The evening passed off heavily.

   [Ampthill Park, at that time the seat of Lord and Lady Holland, who had inherited it from the Earl of Upper Ossory. On the death of Lady Holland Ampthill was purchased by the Duke of Bedford, and has since been inhabited by Lord and Lady Wensleydale. ]

Ampthill, September 11th, 1818

  The Duke and Duchess of San Carlos came yesterday with their two daughters, one of whom is fourteen and the other twelve or thirteen years old. The eldest is betrothed to the Count Altimira, a boy of seventeen years old, son of one of the richest Spanish grandees. He has 70, 000ℓ. a year. The Duke of Medina-Cœli before the French invasion had 215, 000ℓ. a year.

  Lord Holland was talking to Mr. Fox the day after the debate on the war (after the Peace of Amiens) about public speakers, and mentioned Sheridan’s speech on the Begums. Fox said, ‘You may rest assured that that speech was the finest that ever was made in Parliament. ’ Lord Holland said, ‘It is very well of you to say so, but I think your speech last night was a pretty good one. ’ Fox said, ‘And that was a devilish fine speech too. ’

Teddesley, November 30th, 1818

CHARACTER OF MR. LUTTRELL. I went to Tixall on Tuesday, the 10th of November. There were Luttrell, Nugent, Montagu, Granville Somerset (who went away the next day), and afterwards Granville Vernon, Wilmot, and Mr. Donald. I never remember so agreeable a party— ‘le bon goût, les ris, l’aimable liberté. ’ Everybody was pleased because each did what he pleased, and the tone of the society...

Table of contents

• PREFACE
• CHAPTER I.
• 1818.
• June 7th, 1818
• June 21st, 1818
• June 24th, 1818
• June 30th, 1818
• August 4th, 1818
• August 15th, 1818
• September 3rd, 1818
• Ampthill, September 9th, 1818
• Ampthill, September 11th, 1818
• Teddesley, November 30th, 1818
• 1819.
• January 28th, 1819
• January 31st, 1819
• February 3rd, 1819
• February 5th, 1819
• February 9th, 1819
• February 10th, 1819
• February 14th, 1819
• February 18th, 1819
• February 25th, 1819
• March 5th, 1819
• June 12th, 1819
• June 14th, 1819
• June 25th, 1819
• August 11th, 1819
• August 30th, 1819
• December 24th, 1819
• 1820.
• January 22nd, 1820
• February 4th, 1820
• February 14th, 1820
• February 20th, 1820
• February 24th, 1820
• March 1st, 1820
• June 4th, 1820
• June 7th, 1820
• June 9th, 1820
• June 16th, 1820
• June 23rd, 1820
• June 25th, 1820
• June 27th, 1820
• June 28th, 1820
• July 6th, 1820
• July 8th, 1820
• July 14th, 1820
• Newmarket, October 2nd, 1820
• London, October 8th, 1820
• October 15th, 1820
• Whersted, December 10th, 1820
• CHAPTER II.
• 1821.
• February 11th, 1821
• February 23rd, 1821
• March 5th, 1821
• March 22nd, 1821
• March 25th, 1821
• April 19th, 1821
• May 2nd, 1821
• May 12th, 1821
• June 24th, 1821
• December 18th, 1821
• December 19th, 1821
• 1822.
• July 30th, 1822
• August 13th, 1822
• August 19th, 1822
• August 20th, 1822
• September 22nd, 1822
• September 23rd, 1822
• November 5th, 1822
• Welbeck, November 16th, 1822
• London, November 24th, 1822
• December 24th, 1822
• 1823.
• January 25th, 1823
• November 29th, 1823
• 1824.
• CHAPTER III.
• 1826.
• February 20th, 1826
• February 24th, 1826
• February 25th, 1826
• March 2nd, 1826
• July 2nd, 1826
• London, December 14th, 1826
• 1827.
• February 12th, 1827
• February 21st, 1827
• March 13th, 1827
• March 16th, 1827
• March 25th, 1827
• April 13th, 1827
• April 30th, 1827
• May 12th, 1827
• June 3rd, 1827
• June 17th, 1827
• July 5th, 1827
• July 25th, 1827
• August 9th, 1827
• August 10th, 1827
• August 20th, 1827
• September 1st, 1827
• September 15th, 1827
• December 13th, 1827
• December 15th, 1827
• 1828.
• London, January 19th, 1828
• CHAPTER IV.
• January 28th, 1828
• February 25th, 1828
• June 12th, 1828
• June 18th, 1828
• June 29th, 1828
• August 6th, 1828
• August 14th, 1828
• August 16th, 1828
• August 22nd, 1828
• Stoke, August 25th, 1828
• August 29th, 1828
• London, November 25th, 1828
• December 16th, 1828
• December 20th, 1828
• December 21st, 1828
• December 30th, 1828
• 1829.
• January 4th, 1829
• January 5th, 1829
• January 7th, 1829
• January 11th, 1829
• January 12th, 1829
• January 16th, 1829
• January 21st, 1829
• January 25th, 1829
• February 4th, 1829
• February 5th, 1829
• CHAPTER V.
• February 6th, 1829
• February 8th, 1829
• February 9th, 1829
• February 11th, 1829
• February 13th, 1829
• February 22nd, 1829
• February 26th, 1829
• February 27th, 1829
• March 1st, 1829
• March 2nd, 1829
• March 3rd, 1829
• March 4th, 1829
• March 5th, 1829
• March 6th, 1829
• March 8th, 1829
• March 9th, 1829
• March 11th, 1829
• March 15th, 1829
• March 16th to 17th, 1829
• March 18th, 1829
• March 19th, 1829
• March 21st, 1829, at night
• March 26th, 1829
• March 26th, 1829, at night
• March 29th, 1829, at night
• April 4th, 1829
• April 5th, 1829
• April 8th, 1829
• April 9th, 1829
• April 13th, 1829
• May 14th, 1829
• May 16th, 1829
• May 29th, 1829
• June 11th, 1829
• June 24th, 1829
• June 26th, 1829
• July 10th, 1829
• CHAPTER VI.
• July 21st, 1829
• July 24th, 1829
• August 8th, 1829
• August 18th, 1829
• August 22nd, 1829
• August 25th, 1829
• August 28th, 1829
• August 31st, 1829
• September 5th, 1829
• September 16th, 1829
• September 23rd, 1829
• November 4th, 1829
• November 9th, 1829
• November 12th, 1829
• November 20th, 1829
• November 21st, 1829
• December 1st, 1829
• December 3rd, 1829
• December 5th, 1829
• CHAPTER VII.
• December 7th, 1829
• December 9th, 1829
• December 10th, 1829
• December 18th, 1829
• December 19th, 1829
• December 21st, 1829
• December 22nd, 1829
• December 23rd, 1829
• December 27th, 1829
• December 29th, 1829
• 1830.
• January 5th, 1830
• January 7th, 1830
• Roehampton, January 9th, 1830
• January 17th, 1830
• January 20th, 1830
• January 22nd, 1830
• January 26th, 1830
• January 30th, 1830
• February 1st, 1830
• February 3rd, 1830
• February 5th, 1830
• February 13th, 1830
• February 16th, 1830
• February 19th, 1830
• February 21st, 1830
• February 23rd, 1830
• February 25th, 1830
• February 26th, 1830
• February 27th, 1830
• February 28th, 1830
• March 2nd, 1830
• CHAPTER VIII.
• Paris, March 6th, 1830
• March 8th, 1830
• March 8th, 1830, at night
• March 9th, 1830
• Susa, March 15th, 1830, 9 o’clock.
• Turin, March 16th, 1830
• Genoa, March 18th, 1830
• Florence, March 21st, 1830
• March 23rd, 1830
• March 25th, 1830
• March 26th, 1830
• Rome, March 29th, 1830
• March 30th, 1830
• April 1st, 1830
• April 3rd, 1830
• April 4th, 1830
• April 9th, 1830
• April 10th, 1830
• Sunday.
• April 12th, 1830
• April 13th, 1830
• April 14th, 1830
• CHAPTER IX.
• Velletri, April 15th, 1830
• Naples, April 18th, 1830
• April 19th, 1830
• April 20th, 1830
• April 21st, 1830
• April 22nd, 1830
• Salerno, April 24th, 1830
• Naples, April 25th, 1830
• Naples, April 26th, 1830
• April 29th, 1830
• May 2nd, 1830
• Thursday.
• May 3rd, 1830
• May 4th, 1830
• May 5th, 1830
• May 7th, 1830
• May 8th, 1830
• CHAPTER X.
• Mola di Gaeta, May 9th, 1830
• Rome, May 10th, 1830
• Rome, May 13th.—11th, 1830
• May 12th, 1830
• May 15th, 1830
• May 18th, 1830
• May 20th, 1830
• May 22nd, 1830
• May 23rd, 1830
• May 24th, 1830
• May 25th, 1830
• May 27th, 1830
• May 29th, 1830
• May 31st, 1830
• June 1st, 1830
• June 2nd, 1830
• June 4th, 1830
• June 5th, 1830
• June 7th, 1830
• June 8th, 1830
• June 9th, 1830
• June 10th, 1830
• June 11th, 1830
• Florence, June 10th, 1830
• Bologna, June 14th, 1830
• June 15th, 1830
• Venice, June 16th, 1830
• June 17th, 1830
• June 18th, 1830
• Vicenza, June 19th, 1830
• Brescia, June 21st, 1830
• Milan, June 23rd, 1830
• Varese, June 26th, 1830
• Geneva, June 29th, 1830
• Paris, July 3rd, 1830
• Calais, July 6th, 1830
• NOTE.
• END OF THE FIRST VOLUME.
• Copyright