“And to use a common expression,” concludes Mr. Pelham, “thus they parted.”
Sir Charles Hanbury Williams wrote some lines on this duel addressed to Pulteney.
“Lord Fanny once did play the dunce
And challenged you to fight
And he so stood to lose his blood
But had a dreadful fright.”
Which effusion stamps Sir C. Hanbury Williams as a poet at once!
But Lord Hervey soon had something more agreeable to do than even writing poetry or fighting duels.
There had been a series of letters from the Prince, already published above, craving his father’s pardon, and these had, in no way, abated the King’s wrath. Neither was the Queen touched. But the King’s message still remained to be agreed upon. It was at last settled and arranged—in fact a notice to quit—the Queen being the prime mover and prompter of Sir Robert Walpole, who, of course, acted for the King in the matter.
Concerning the final interview between the King and the Minister, the Queen had stipulated that she should have the last word with Sir Robert before he went in to the King, so it may be taken for granted that the terms of the message to be sent to the Prince were practically her terms.