he Protestants regretted
him as well as the Catholics.

He then talked to me about Knighton, whom the King abhors with a
detestation that could hardly be described. He is afraid of him,
and that is the reason he hates him so bitterly. When alone with
him he is more civil, but when others are present (the family,
for instance) he delights in saying the most mortifying and
disagreeable things to him. He would give the world to get rid of
him, and to have either Taylor or Mount Charles instead, to whom
he has offered the place over and over again, but Mount Charles
not only would not hear of it, but often took Knighton's part
with the King. He says that his language about Knighton is
sometimes of the most unmeasured violence--wishes he was dead,
and one day when the door was open, so that the pages could hear,
he said, 'I wish to God somebody would assassinate Knighton.' In
this way he always speaks of him and uses him. Knighton is
greatly annoyed at it, and is very seldom there. Still it appears
there is some secret chain which binds them together, and which
compels the King to submit to the presence of a man whom he
detests, and induces Knighton to remain in spite of so much
hatred and ill-usage. The King's indolence is so great that it is
next to impossible to get him to do even the most ordinary
business, and Knighton is still the only man who can prevail on
him to sign papers, &c. His greatest delight is to make those who
have business to transact with him, or to lay papers before him,
wait in his anteroom while he is lounging with Mount Charles or
anybody, talking of horses or any trivial matter; and when he is
told, 'Sir, there is Watson waiting,' &c., he replies, 'Damn
Watson; let him wait.' He does it on purpose, and likes it.

[Page Head: CHARACTER OF GEORGE IV.]

This account corresponds with all I have before heard, and
confirms the opinion I have long had that a more contemptible,
cowardly, selfish, unfeeling dog does not exist than this King,
on whom such flattery is constantly lavished. He has a sort of
capricious good-nature, arising however out of no good principle
or good feeling, but which is of use to him, as it cancels in a
moment and at small cost a long score of misconduct. Princes have
only to behave with common decency and prudence, and they are
sure to be popular, for there is a great and general disposition
to pay court to them. I do not know anybody who is proof against
their seductions wh