ON CHURCH MATTERS

sometimes prayed a quarter, or even half-an-hour at a time, he asked whether that did not lead them into repetitions? I said it often did. That,' said he, 'I don't like in prayers; and excellent as our Liturgy is, I think it somewhat faulty in that respect.' 'Your Majesty knows,' said I, 'that three services are joined in one in the ordinary Church Service, which is one cause of these repetitions.' 'True,' he replied; and that circumstance also makes the service too long.' From this he took occasion to speak of the composition of the Church Liturgy, on which he very justly bestowed the highest commendation. 'Observe,' his Majesty said, 'how flat these occasional prayers are, that are now composed, in comparison with the old ones.' When I mentioned the smallness of the Church livings in Scotland, he said, He wondered how men of liberal education would choose to become clergymen there'; and asked, Whether, in the remote parts of the country, the clergy in general were not very ignorant?' I answered, 'No; for that education was cheap in Scotland, and that the clergy in general were men of good sense and competent learning.' He asked whether we had any good preachers in Aberdeen? I said, 'Yes,' and named Campbell and Gerard; with whose names, however, I did not find that he was acquainted. Dr. Majendie mentioned Dr. Oswald's Appeal with commendation; I praised it too; and the Queen took down the name with a view to send for it. I was asked whether I knew Dr. Oswald? I answered, I did not; and said that my book was published before I read his; that Dr. Oswald was

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well known to Lord Kinnoul, who had often proposed to make us acquainted. We discussed a great many other topics, for the conversation lasted upwards of an hour. The Queen bore a large share in it. Both the King and her Majesty showed a great deal of good sense, acuteness, and knowledge, as well as of good-nature and affability. At last the King took out his watch (for it was now almost three o'clock, his hour of dinner), which Dr. Majendie and I took as a signal to withdraw. We accordingly bowed to their Majesties, and I addressed the King in these words: I hope, sir, your Majesty will pardon me if I take this opportunity to return you my humble and most grateful acknowledgments for the honour you have been pleased to confer upon me.' He immediately answered, 'I think I could do no less for a man who has done so much service for the cause of Christianity: I shall always be glad of an opportunity to show the good opinion I have of you.'

"The Queen sat all the while, and the King stood, sometimes walking about a little. Her Majesty speaks the English language with surprising elegance, and little or nothing of a foreign manner; so that if she were only of the rank of a private gentlewoman, one could not help taking notice of her as one of the most agreeable women in the world. Her face is much more pleasing than any of her pictures; and in the expression of her eyes, and in her smile, there is something peculiarly engaging."

That the King treated all his subjects, even upon 1 Sir W. Forbes' Life of Beattie, i. 347–51.

"WE LIKE POWER"

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Court occasions, with familiarity is further shown by an anecdote of Mr. Boulton, an engineer of Soho, near Birmingham. He was a man of the world, and went sometimes to Court, where he was always noticed by the King. At one of the levées the King said, "Well, Mr. Boulton, I am glad to see you. What new project have you got now? I "I am," know you are always at something new." said Mr. Boulton, "manufacturing a new article that kings are very fond of." "Ay, ay, Mr. Boulton, what's that?" "It is power, may it please your Majesty." "Power! Mr. Boulton; we like power, that's true but what do you mean?" Why, sir, I mean the power of steam to move machines." George did not disdain to laugh at the small jest, saying, "Very good, very good; go on, go on!"

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CHAPTER X

DOMESTIC TRIALS

GEORGE not only read omnivorously, but with great taste and judgment. The plays of Shakespeare were perhaps his favourite reading, and he frequently referred to the bard as the greatest ornament of British literature. True, as he hinted to one of his courtiers, in anticipation of one of our most advanced present-day critics, Shakespeare contains "much sorry stuff! Only," he added humorously, “one must not say so."

The

He was intent on amassing a large library. One of the early incidents of his reign which gave him no little pain was the discovery that his mother had, as the only mark of gratitude to Lord Bute within her power, presented him with the Prince of Wales's collection of books, for which she had no use. Princess Dowager did not possess any testamentary right to make the gift. When the Earl was informed of the displeasure which George had expressed on the loss of the library, he requested immediate permission to restore it. "No, no," exclaimed the King, " that would be committing my mother. The act is done, and I will not be the first to proclaim to the world that she has done anything wrong."

INTERVIEW WITH DR. JOHNSON

When he granted a pension to Samuel Johnson, George had read only "Rasselas." "We must now, my dear," he said to his wife, "read all the doctor's works." His granting a pension to Rousseau, who had taken shelter in England from his enemies at home, was a tribute to the author of the excellent Émile." Some anxiety lest the award of this pension should appear like giving countenance to the tenets of an infidel possessed him, for he insisted that the circumstance should not be made public.

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As to Dr. Johnson, when George was informed that the author of "Rasselas" occasionally visited the royal library for the purpose of research, he instructed the librarian to tell him when the doctor came again, as he should like to have the pleasure of some talk with him. The doctor duly came, and the King being informed, royalty at once repaired to pay its respects to genius. Johnson, we are told by Boswell, on being told that the King was in the room, started up and stood still. Boswell relates faithfully the interview. George, after the usual compliments, asked some questions about the libraries of Oxford, where the doctor had lately been, and inquired if he was then engaged in any literary undertaking. Johnson replied in the negative; adding, that he had pretty well told the world what he knew, and must now read to acquire more knowledge. "I do not think," remarked the King, "you borrow much from anybody." Johnson said he thought he had already done his part as a writer. "I should have thought so too," said his