[CHAPTER XVIII.]
The Regent and Admiral Nagle—A quiet time at the Pavilion—The Regent's extravagance—His yacht—Sham fight and caricature thereon—A cruise to the French coast—Royal visitors—The Regent's statues—'High life below stairs,' etc.—Satirical prints—Closing days—Last appearance at the Pavilion.
THE Regent was always being satirized by the publication of some of his own puerilities, or those of his suite, who, of course, took their tone from him. The Brighton Herald is responsible for the following anecdote:
'A gallant Admiral (Nagle) residing at the Pavilion, was, a few days since, presented by a certain Great Personage, with a beautiful milk white mare, which, it was stated, had just arrived from Hanover. Nothing was talked of but this fine creature; and every one seemed anxious to have her merits put to the test. The Admiral mounted, tried her in all her paces, and, though he could but approve, yet he pronounced her to be greatly inferior to a favourite black mare of his own. The present, however, coming from so high a quarter, was, of course, received with every expression of duty and thankfulness. The long switching tail of the animal not exactly suiting the Admiral's taste, he sent her to a farrier to have it cropped—when, lo! he speedily received intelligence that it was a false tail, and that, beneath it appeared a short black one. This curious fact led to a minute inspection, when it was discovered that this beautiful white Hanoverian horse was no other than the good humoured Admiral's own black mare, which had been painted in a manner to elude his detection.'
This anecdote is probably true, as Captain Gronow ('Reminiscences,' second series, p. 212) tells a similar story, only he changes the venue from Brighton to Carlton House:
'Admiral Nagle was a great favourite of George the Fourth, and passed much of his time with his Majesty. He was a bold, weather beaten tar, but, nevertheless, a perfect gentleman, with exceedingly pleasing manners, and possessed of much good nature and agreeability.