h was the result of motives little creditable to other members of the
royal family of England, and was not expected by them to secure the
ultimate happiness of either party. This, at least, was the opinion of
Lord Malmesbury, a shrewd observer, and well versed in the domestic
politics of St James's. He says--"She (the princess) talks about the Duke
of Clarence, whom she prefers to the Duke of York, and it struck me
to-day, for the first time, that he originally put her into the prince's
head; and that with a view to plague the Duke and Duchess of York, whom
he hates, and whom the prince no longer likes, well knowing that the
Princess Caroline and Duchess of York dislike each other; and that this
match would be particularly unpleasant to her and the duke." Again,
"Princess Caroline asks about the Duke of Clarence--says she believes he
was the person who first mentioned her to the prince.--N.B. My own private
ideas and feelings on this remark."

Endowed by nature with a good heart and some quickness of apprehension,
this princess was as uneligible a personage as could possibly have been
selected for so high a dignity as that of consort to the future king of
Great Britain. Her education had been wretchedly neglected. She was vain,
giddy, and imprudent; addicted to the society of persons infinitely
beneath her rank, whom she treated with unbecoming familiarity; totally
ignorant of the world and its usages, and withal something of a _bavarde_.
She stood in awe of her father, who was an austere person, and, it is
said, treated his children habitually with much severity. For her mother
she had no respect, and did not scruple, when she could find an
opportunity--which occurred but too often--to turn her into ridicule. Her
conversation was that of a thorough gossip--her manners those of a flirt.
She was disposed to be liberal, not from generosity, but from absolute
carelessness--a fault which she extended to her person. Lord Malmesbury's
first impressions of her are by far the most favourable; and yet it will
be seen from these, that mediocrity was the utmost limit of her charms.
"The Princess Caroline much embarrassed on my first being presented to
her--pretty face--not expressive of softness--her figure not
graceful--fine eyes--good hand--tolerable teeth, but going--fair hair and
light eyebrows--good bust--short, with what the French call _des epaules
impertinentes_." Her personal habits may be gathered from the following
passa