een Charlotte
did receive from her hands some few diamonds, and a splendid ivory
bedstead, which seemed to justify their explanation of her conduct. Yet,
after all, Hastings was no Sindbad: he did not roll in diamonds. On
his return to England he did not bring home with him more than L130,000
sterling; a sum much less than the fortunes which had been made by
other members of the council, and even by the patriotic Francis himself!
Moreover, it is said, that he would not have had what he did in reality
possess, had his wife not accepted presents which he refused, and saved
money unknown to him, which he would have spent in the public service,
or in support of his almost regal establishment.

ATTEMPT ON THE KING'S LIFE.

On the 2nd of August, an incident occurred which for a short time
engrossed the attention of the public. As the king was alighting from
his chariot at the garden-entrance of St. James's palace, a decently
dressed woman presented a paper to his majesty, and while he was in the
act of receiving it, she struck at his breast with a knife. The king
avoided the blow by drawing back, and as she was preparing to make a
second thrust one of the yeomen arrested her, and wrenched the weapon
from her hand. His majesty on recovering from his alarm, humanely
remarked:--"I am not injured; take care of the poor woman, and do not
hurt her." On examination before the privy-council, it immediately
appeared that she was insane. Being asked where she had lately resided,
she answered in a frantic manner that "she had been all abroad since the
matter of the crown broke out;" and when interrogated, What matter? she
replied, "that the crown was hers, and that if she had not her right,
England would be deluged in blood for a thousand generations." The
poor woman's name was Margaret Nicholson, and ten days before she had
presented a petition which was full of incoherent nonsense; and from
which, if it had been read, the person of the petitioner would probably
have been secured. The idea of prosecution was of course abandoned,
and she was consigned to Bethlehem Hospital for life. But though it was
evident that the woman was a maniac, her attempt led to a display of
the affection which the nation entertained towards his majesty. A public
thanksgiving was ordered, and addresses of congratulation flowed in
from all parts of the kingdom. His majesty felt this so deeply that
he distributed the honour of knighthood, on the presentat