s rightful owner, who had returned to his house in town.
They alighted at Kensington Palace Gate, where the sentries on duty knew
and saluted the good General, and hence modestly made their way on foot
to the summer residence of the sovereign. Walking under the portico
of the Palace, they entered the gallery which leads to the great black
marble staircase (which hath been so richly decorated and painted by Mr.
Kent), and then passed through several rooms, richly hung with tapestry
and adorned with pictures and bustos, until they came to the King's
great drawing-room, where that famous "Venus" by Titian is, and, amongst
other masterpieces, the picture of "St. Francis adoring the infant
Saviour," performed by Sir Peter Paul Rubens; and here, with the rest of
the visitors to the court, the gentlemen waited until his Majesty issued
from his private apartments, where he was in conference with certain
personages who were called in the newspaper language of that day his
M-j-ty's M-n-st-rs.

George Warrington, who had never been in a palace before, had leisure to
admire the place, and regard the people round him. He saw fine pictures
for the first time too, and I dare say delighted in that charming piece
of Sir Athony Vandyck, representing King Charles the First, his Queen
and Family, and the noble picture of "Esther before Ahasuerus," painted
by Tintoret, and in which all the figures are dressed in the magnificent
Venetian habit. With the contemplation of these works he was so
enraptured, that he scarce heard all the remarks of his good friend the
General, who was whispering into his young companion's almost heedless
ear the names of some of the personages round about them.

"Yonder," says Mr. Lambert, "are two of my Lords of the Admiralty, Mr.
Gilbert Elliot and Admiral Boscawen: your Boscawen, whose fleet fired
the first gun in your waters two years ago. That stout gentleman all
belated with gold is Mr. Fox, that was Minister, and is now content to
be Paymaster with a great salary.

"He carries the auri fames on his person. Why, his waistcoat is a
perfect Potosi!" says George.

"Aliena appetens--how goes the text? He loves to get money and to spend
it," continues General Lambert. "Yon is my Lord Chief Justice Willes,
talking to my Lord of Salisbury, Doctor Headley, who, if he serve
his God as he serves his King, will be translated to some very high
promotion in Heaven. He belongs to your grandfather's time, and was
loved