the Duke
saw him the King said he had heard the advice which he had given
to 'a person,' and that he might depend upon that person's
following it entirely.

[20] [Sir William Knighton, who was originally the King's
physician, had been appointed Keeper of the King's
Privy Seal and Receiver of the Duchies of Lancaster and
Cornwall; but in fact he acted as the King's Private
Secretary, and it was to the duties of that delicate
office that the Duke's advice applied.]

[Page Head: DUKE OF YORK'S ANECDOTES OF GEORGE IV.]

November 29th, 1823 {p.073}

In the various conversations which I have with the Duke of York
he continually tells me a variety of facts more or less curious,
sometimes relating to politics, but more frequently concerning
the affairs of the Royal Family, that I have neglected to note
down at the time, and I generally forget them afterwards. I must
acknowledge, however, that they do not interest me so much as
they would many other people. I have not much taste for Court
gossip. Another reason, too, is the difficulty of making a clear
narrative out of his confused communications. The principal
anecdotes he has told me have been, as well as I recollect,
relative to the Duchess of Gloucester's marriage, to the Duke of
Cumberland's marriage and all the dissensions to which that event
gave rise in the Royal Family, the differences between the King
and Prince Leopold, and other trifling matters which I have
forgotten. In all of these histories the King acted a part, in
which his bad temper, bad judgment, falseness, and duplicity were
equally conspicuous. I think it is not possible for any man to
have a worse opinion of another than the Duke has of the King.
From various instances of eccentricities I am persuaded that the
King is subject to occasional impressions which produce effects
like insanity; that if they continue to increase he will end by
being decidedly mad. The last thing which I have heard was at
Euston the other day. I went into the Duke's room, and found him
writing; he got up and told me that he was thrown into a great
dilemma by the conduct of the King, who had behaved extremely ill
to him. The matter which I could collect was this:--Upon the
disturbances breaking out in the West Indies it became necessary
to send off some troops as quickly as possible. In order to make
the necessary arrangements without delay, the Duke made various
dis