he Queen was going out
driving, and should 'drop him' at his own house. The Queen, they
say, is by no means delighted at her elevation. She likes quiet
and retirement and Bushy (of which the King has made her Ranger),
and does not want to be a Queen. However, 'L'appetit viendra en
mangeant.' He says he does not want luxury and magnificence, has
slept in a cot, and he has dismissed the King's cooks, 'renverse
la marmite.' He keeps the stud (which is to be diminished) because
he thinks he ought to support the turf. He has made Mount Charles
a Lord of the Bedchamber, and given the Robes to Sir C. Pole, an
admiral. Altogether he seems a kind-hearted, well-meaning, not
stupid, burlesque, bustling old fellow, and if he doesn't go mad
may make a very decent King, but he exhibits oddities. He would
not have his servants in mourning--that is, not those of his own
family and household--but he sent the Duke of Sussex to Mrs.
Fitzherbert to desire she would put hers in mourning, and
consequently so they are. The King and she have always been
friends, as she has, in fact, been with all the Royal Family, but
it was very strange. Yesterday morning he sent for the officer on
guard, and ordered him to take all the muffles off the drums, the
scarfs off the regimentals, and so to appear on parade, where he
went himself. The colonel would have put the officer under arrest
for doing this without his orders, but the King said he was
commanding officer of his own guard, and forbade him. All odd, and
people are frightened, but his wits will at least last till the
new Parliament meets. I sent him a very respectful request through
Taylor that he would pay L300, all that remained due of the Duke
of York's debts at Newmarket, which he assented to directly, as
soon as the Privy Purse should be settled--very good-natured. In
the meantime it is said that the bastards are dissatisfied that
more is not done for them, but he cannot do much for them at once,
and he must have time. He has done all he can; he has made Errol
Master of the Horse, Sidney a Guelph and Equerry, George
Fitzclarence the same and Adjutant-General, and doubtless they
will all have their turn. Of course the stories told about the
rapacity of the Conynghams have been innumerable. The King's will
excited much astonishment, but as yet nothing is for certain known
about the money, or what became of it, or what he gave away, and
to whom, in his lifetime.

July 20th, 1830 {p.007}