held. The Duke was twice sworn as
Constable of the Tower and Lieutenant of Hants; then Jersey and
the new Privy Councillors; and then the host of Lieutenants six
or seven at a time, or as many as could hold a bit of the
Testament. I begged the King would, to expedite the business,
dispense with their kneeling, which he did, and so we got on
rapidly enough; and I whispered to Jersey, who stood by me behind
the King with his white wand, 'The farce is good, isn't it?' as
they each kissed his hand. I told him their name or county, or
both, and he had a civil word to say to everybody, inviting some
to dinner, promising to visit others, reminding them of former
visits, or something good-humoured; he asked Lord Egremont's
_permission_ to go and live in his county, at Brighton.

[Page Head: THE KING IN ST. JAMES'S STREET.]

All this was very well; no great harm in it; more affable, less
dignified than the late King; but when this was over, and he
might very well have sat himself quietly down and rested, he must
needs put on his plainer clothes and start on a ramble about the
streets, alone too. In Pall Mall he met Watson Taylor, and took
his arm and went up St. James's Street. There he was soon
followed by a mob making an uproar, and when he got near White's
a woman came up and kissed him. Belfast (who had been sworn in
Privy Councillor in the morning), who saw this from White's, and
Clinton thought it time to interfere, and came out to attend upon
him. The mob increased, and, always holding W. Taylor's arm, and
flanked by Clinton and Belfast, who got shoved and kicked about
to their inexpressible wrath, he got back to the Palace amid
shouting and bawling and applause. When he got home he asked them
to go in and take a quiet walk in the garden, and said, 'Oh,
never mind all this; when I have walked about a few times they
will get used to it, and will take no notice.' There are other
stories, but I will put down nothing I do not see or hear, or
hear from the witnesses. Belfast told me this in the Park, fresh
from the scene and smarting from the buffeting he had got. All
the Park was ringing with it, and I told Lady Bathurst, who
thought it so serious she said she would get Lord Bathurst to
write to the Duke directly about it. Lord Combermere wanted to be
made a Privy Councillor yesterday, but the Duke would not let it
be done; he is in a sort of half-disgrace, and is not to be made
yet, but will be by-and-by.

Grove Roa