A.D. 1760. The latter years of King George's life were passed as regularly as clockwork. At night he played cards in the apartments of his daughters, Amelia and Caroline, with some favored officers of his own household, and two or three of the late queen's ladies. Every Saturday he made a pleasure trip to Richmond, where, with a party of courtiers, he dined. They went in coaches, drawn by six horses, in the middle of the day, with the horse-guards kicking up the dust before them, dined, walked an hour in the garden, and returned in the same dusty procession. This was considered enjoyment.
When the young and beautiful Duchess of Hamilton was presented to King George, just after her marriage, he conversed with her for a long time, and was much pleased with her naturalness and vivacity. He asked her what striking public sights she had witnessed, whereupon she thoughtlessly replied: "Oh! I have seen so much, there is only one sight in the world which I wish to behold, and that is a coronation." The old king gently took her hand in his, and with a sigh, exclaimed, "I apprehend you have not long to wait; you will soon have your desire."
On the twenty-fifth of October, he arose about his usual hour, and seemed well; he called for his chocolate, and inquired the direction of the wind, as if anxious for the arrival of his foreign mails. He then opened the window, and said he would walk into the garden; but he stopped, and with a deep sigh, fell to the ground, saying, faintly, "Call Amelia," and then expired. He was raised and laid upon the bed. It was found, on examination, that he had died of rupture of the heart.
The funeral took place the following month, at night. The king's chamber was hung with purple velvet, and lit up with silver lamps; the coffin was placed on a dais under a canopy of purple velvet, surrounded by silver candelabra, on high stands.
The procession passed through a double line of foot-guards, every seventh man bearing a torch. The horse-guards formed an outside line, and all their officers Wore crape sashes and carried drawn sabres. As the coffin was borne along, minute-guns were fired, bells tolled, and a funeral march was played on fifes, with muffled drums for accompaniment. The procession was met at the entrance to the Abbey by the dean and chapter in rich robes, all the choir and almsmen bearing torches. Arriving at the chapel of Henry VIL, the bishop read the prayers for the dead, which were succeeded by an anthem. The Duke of Cumberland, as chief mourner, stood at the entrance of the vault, in which his father's remains were placed beside those of his mother.
He looked very tall in his black cloak, with a train live yards long, which must have felt very heavy during the two hours he was kept standing. But he bore the ordeal firmly, in spite of his lame leg, and the thought that he must soon follow his father. He had had a paralytic stroke, from which he had not entirely recovered. He lived five years longer.
CHAPTER IV. CHARLOTTE SOPHIA, WIFE OF GEORGE III.
(A.D. 1744-1818.)
Long before his death, George II. began to look about for a wife for his grandson, George William Frederick, whose father, Frederick, Prince of Wales, died when the young prince was only thirteen years of age. This event made young George heir to the throne of England; consequently, it was by no means an unimportant matter to decide upon a lady worthy of the honor of marrying him. Before telling how it was settled, let us take a look at the early life and education of the prince.