their phrenzy. The innocence of the Queen
did not appear so manifest, as the unwise and heartless treatment she
experienced. 'A widowed wife, a childless mother;' these were powerful
enough to excite the deepest sympathy; and certainly a much harder lot
could not have befallen the humblest of her sex. Theatres are very
commonly the touchstones by which one may discover the bearing of the
public mind; and Her Majesty, by way of proving it, visited all the minor
theatres, which were densely crowded upon each attendance. A play was then
commanded at the two Theatres Royal. The effect produced at Drury-Lane I
do not recollect; but it is certain that the announcement at Covent-Garden
reduced rather than increased the receipts. The pit was but moderately
attended, and the boxes nearly deserted. This was a touchstone from which
there was no escaping; and it was really a mortifying scene to witness the
utter neglect with which majesty was received. But alas! the bitter cup of
mortification was to be drained to the very dregs; and the Queen's own
rashness, or the bad advice of wrong-headed counsellors, hastened the
catastrophe.

A short period had elapsed, when the public attention was gradually
directed toward THE CORONATION. The court papers teemed with descriptions
of the expected magnificence. The length of time that had intervened
between the coronation of George III. and the intended pageant of George
IV., excited all the feeling of novelty. The known magnificence of the
King, his undisputed taste, and his gallant, princely bearing, all kept
attention on the _qui vive_. The unfortunate Queen, who obstinately
rejected all compromise, remained in the country; and like an ignis
fatuus, disturbed the serenity of men's minds, and kept alive a feeling of
anxiety. Mr. Harris, the manager and one of the proprietors of
Covent-Garden, was gifted with a tact always ready to take advantage of
scenes of passing interest. He lost no time in reviving the second part of
Henry IV., with all the splendor of the coronation. The champion on this
occasion excited much more interest than all the beauties of SHAKSPEARE,
and the theatre was nightly crowded to suffocation. The whole company of
performers paraded in the procession; and though a member of the peerage,
I cannot exactly call to mind the title I bore; which, however, with my
accustomed good fortune, I exchanged for a real character at the real
coronation. Having the honor of being known