sion among the people, his Majesty advanced to the front of the box, and laying his right hand upon his breast, bowed, with much grace, his acknowledgments for the interest expressed by his people. Hadfield, the maniac, being secured, and the house only noisy from its excessive joy and gratulation, the queen advanced in much alarm, and his Majesty, to compose her mind, said, "Only a squib; they have been firing squibs." But the queen knew more, it seemed, for, after making her curtsey, she asked his Majesty "whether they should stay?" "Certainly," replied the king, "the whole of the entertainments." The curtain now rose, and "God Save the King" was given by the whole house, and repeated with shouts of approbation.

The play began, but the stage was interrupted by the popular anxiety. Bannister was asked a number of questions. To be sure that the assassin was in custody, it was demanded that he should be brought upon the stage. Mrs. Jordan, now coming on, immediately addressed them, and assured the house, "that he was perfectly secured, and properly attended." They listened to the voice of the charmer, and ordered the play to proceed. The princesses, with the exception of

Elizabeth, fainted with apprehension, but were at length brought to tolerable composure; it was evident, however, that a deep impression had been made on their minds. The party, notwithstanding, "right royally" sat out the whole of the entertainments, and as far as enthusiasm of one kind can console people for that of another, the party were consoled; but, as if this day had been picked out of the calendar to give every description of annoyance to the feelings of majesty, a wretched rascal of a shoemaker planted himself at the corner of Southampton Street, expressly for the purpose of hissing and hooting the king, which he did in the most impudent and audacious manner, even following the carriage a considerable way, and raving every vulgar note of contempt and execration, which we had caught from the obscene harpies of Paris. He was at length taken into custody.

We have seldom an opportunity of following royal personages from a scene of public appearance into their private apartments. On the On the present occasion we have it on record how the King of England conducted himself on the arrival of the family at the queen's house. Supper, as usual, was immediately put upon the table, but none of

the royal family sat down. Her Majesty drank a little wine and water, and then retired. The Princess Amelia, who had been ill near two years, fainted on entering her chamber, and the fits continued so violent that her restoration to life seemed doubtful. His Majesty, on hearing her situation, went to her chamber, and attended his afflicted daughter until recollection returned, when she threw herself into his arms, and said "she would be comforted." On leaving Amelia's chamber, his Majesty visited also the Princesses Augusta, Elizabeth, and Mary, who had suppressed their feelings until they could retire; and now a flood of tears brought them relief, which adorns while it soothes; but the night passed away in comfortless dejection. The Princess Sophia, who had been for some time indisposed, upon hearing what sounded like confusion in the palace, called to her attendants to inquire the cause. She was

told that Princess Amelia had returned from the theatre unwell; but her considerate parent, knowing the comfort that his voice conveyed to his children, as he passed her door said, in a satisfied tone, "Sophia, good night," and then retired to rest himself, about one o'clock.

On the following morning, Friday, the 16th,

their Royal Highnesses, the Prince of Wales, Dukes of York, Clarence, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Prince William, breakfasted with their Majesties and the princesses, who were in tolerable health, though dreadfully depressed in spirits. Their Royal Highnesses had been present at the examination of Hadfield, by Sheridan, and there existed not the smallest doubt of the man's having served with distinguished bravery under the Duke of York's command, that he had received sabre cuts in the head sufficient to destroy any reason in the world, and had been left for dead some hours in a ditch, before he was captured by the French. Sir William Addington, then entering the music-room, examined the witnesses himself, and pointed out the difference that would be made in the case, if the pistol had not been levelled at his Majesty. Hadfield assured him that the act had no malice against the sovereign in it, but arose out of weariness of existence, and a determination to be rid of it by the hands of justice.

On the 26th of the following month, James Hadfield was very properly tried for high treason. It was a trial at bar, before Lord Kenyon, in the court of King's Bench, and Mr. Erskine was assigned him for counsel. If ever there was a time

when the lower orders were systematically corrupted, this was that time, and, therefore, every pains had been taken to ascertain whether the prisoner had been at all politically connected, because the insane, touched with political enthusiasm, not only can commit the treasonable act of murdering the sovereign, but may do it without suffering the extreme penalty of the law. The king, himself, I well know, at first inclined to the notion of conspiracy, because he used the following expressions when speaking of the attempt: "If, with my family, I cannot enjoy a play in the midst. of my people, let them take my life, for existence is not worth having upon such conditions."

But on Mr. Erskine's calling his witnesses, such a stream of clear, unquestionable evidence flowed direct to Hadfield's insanity, that Mr. AttorneyGeneral seemed surprised he had been so imperfectly instructed, and, by Lord Kenyon's direction and Mr. Attorney's concurrence, the jury, without withdrawing, recorded a verdict of not guilty. Hadfield was properly taken care of for life. But the "flattering unction" that was drawn by some slight observers of these times, and laid to their hearts, "that nothing short of lunacy could attack a monarch so beloved as George the Third," was