The present King is not tall, but very well shap’d, has a stately Port, a very grave Countenance, and speaks little, but with great Propriety. The French, English, and the Italian Languages are as familiar to him as the German. He reads a vast deal, and knows more than most do, who wear the Royal Diadem. Being not puffed up with Pageantry, and vain Grandeur, he does not give into superfluous Magnificence; but is an Œconomist, without Avarice; liberal, without being profuse; an Enemy to Vice, and a Friend to Virtue; sober and regular in his Ways and Manners; of a lively Temper, full of Spirit and Ambition, but submitting both the one and the other to Reason. He is active and laborious; understands Affairs, has a quick Apprehension, and a wonderful Memory. As Electoral Prince of Hanover, he gave Proofs of his Valour in the Netherlands at the Battles of Oudenarde and Malplaquet; as Prince of Wales, he shew’d that Adversity could not abate his Courage; and as King and Elector, he makes it evident, that he can both forgive an Injury, and forget it. His People are happy under his Reign. In England his only Study is to maintain the Peace and Balance of Europe, to make Commerce flourish, and to render the Nation one of the most powerful in the World. At Hanover he endeavours, by good Offices to his Subjects there, to alleviate their Sorrow for his Absence. He has not made any miserable since he begun his Reign; and if the Blessings of the People help to prolong the Days of their Kings, his Britannic Majesty may hope for one of the longest of Reigns.
The Queen is a Princess in whose Person every thing that challenges Respect does at the same time command Affection. Her Presence is majestic,
but accompany’d with Modesty and Good-nature; her Behaviour is the most courteous that can be; and her Wit, which is both solid and sparkling, is adorn’d with a thousand fine Accomplishments. She ever look’d upon all the trifling Amusements of her Sex with Disdain; and particularly never affected Ornament in Dress. The reading of choice Authors was always one of her greatest Pleasures; and her Majesty may be said to be one of the most learned Princesses in Europe. Having lost the Margrave of Brandenburg Anspach her Father, when she was very young, and her Mother the Princess of Saxe-Eysenach marrying again to John George IV. Elector of Saxony, she was left under the Guardianship of Frederic Elector of Brandenburg, afterwards King of Prussia; by which means she spent Part of her early Days at the Court of Berlin, where the Electoress, who was Sister to the late King George I. gave her a Tincture of her own Politeness, and inspired her with those sublime Sentiments, for which she was admired by all that approach’d her. The young Princess of Anspach had at that time all the Charms of Nature; and the Fame of her Beauty attracted the Addresses of Charles III. King of Spain, our august Emperor, who offered her his Hand and his Crown: But the Princess was so strongly attach’d to her Religion, that she refused both. God reserv’d her, no doubt, to make Great Britain happy, and she married the Electoral Prince of Brunswic-Lunenbourg. Not many Years after this, she saw (but without any visible Emotion of Joy) her Father-in-Law and her Husband call’d to the Possession of one of the chief Thrones in the World. I was then at Hanover, and will venture to assure you, that the whole Electoral Family heard of this new Addition to their Greatness with a Moderation which render’d them worthy of their Fortune; and the
Princess in particular demonstrated, that she was thoroughly satisfy’d in her Mind, that she could be happy without a Crown, and that both her Father-in-Law and her Husband were already Kings in her Eye, because they so highly deserved that Title. When she became Princess of Wales, she was so prudent as to keep fair with both the Parties which then divided the Royal Family. The late King had a sincere Esteem for her, and she in return paid him very great Respect. And[124]now that she is Queen, her Majesty contributes all that’s in her Power to make the Subjects happy. The King lets her into a Share of Affairs, and leaves the Regency of the Kingdom to her in his Absence.
Among the Joys of their Britannic Majesties we ought to reckon the numerous Family with which Heaven has bless’d ’em. It consists of two Princes and five Princesses. The eldest, who has the Style and Title of Prince of Wales, tho’ he is not very tall, has a majestic Air, and when among the Courtiers, is easily distinguish’d to be the chief Personage. He is extremely civil, affable, good-natured and polite. It may be truly said of him, that he has the Soul of a King; for few Princes are more generous. He loves Pleasures and Magnificence; he is gallant, has a penetrating Genius, talks very much, but always with Judgment, and to the Point. He is Master of several Languages, and understands History and Geography. He is perfect in all his Exercises, and really is not ignorant of any one Thing that a Prince of his Rank ought to know. The Hanoverians, among whom he was educated, ador’d him, and the English seem altogether as fond of him.
The young Duke of Cumberland, second Son to their Majesties, resembles what the Painters represent
to us by the Name of Cupid. He has Sense infinitely superior to his Age, is very dexterous, and an apt Scholar. He speaks English, High-Dutch, Latin, and French; and I think more than this cannot be expected of a Prince who is not yet full thirteen Years of Age[125].
Of the five Princesses I shall only mention the three eldest, the other two being as yet too young for a Character. The eldest, whom they call the Princess Royal[126], has an excellent Shape, and an Aspect of Modesty and Goodness, which wins the Hearts of all that see her. Her Temper is as engaging as her Physiognomy; and her Mind, which is disengaged from all Trifles, is more solid than might be expected from her Age. The reading of good Books, Conversation with Persons of Merit, and her Application to Music, are her chief Employments. She is extremely civil, and obligeing; and they say, she is generous and beneficent. ’Tis a Pleasure to see her on Horseback; she dances with a very good Grace, and really has all the Virtues becoming her high Birth.
The Princesses Amelia and Caroline, were they not the most shining Beauties, have personal Charms, and such Qualities of the Mind as cannot fail in time of making some Prince or other happy.
With these Characters of the Royal Family I shall conclude my Letter, which is already long enough: I shall give you the rest of my Remarks without Delay. In the mean time be assured, that I am always with an inviolable Attachment, &c.