Mrs Spencer-Stanhope. August 8th, 1820.
The Review on Saturday went off most brilliantly—The Duke of
Wellington told the King to show himself, which he did, and was
received with the greatest applause.
The first day the Troops wanted to have cheered him, but were not allowed. He and the Queen did not meet, tho' she hovered about. She has now a smart coach and Royal liveries.
The public trial of Caroline, which lasted from August 19th to November 10th, entirely absorbed the public attention. The early partisanship of the Stanhopes for the unfortunate lady had waned since the conviction had become unavoidable that her manners were less "royal" than they had at first imagined. On October 13th Mrs Stanhope writes:—
Philip is much engaged with the House of Stanhope. He has been two evenings at Harrington House, last night with Lady Stanhope to the Playgoers, again to-night with the Carringtons with whom he dines. He has just been here and says it is possible the Queen's business may be over to-day, as Brougham called for one of the Government witnesses, and was told he was gone, which may give him an opportunity of concluding the affair—rather stopping it entirely. I do not think that her own witnesses have proved much in her favour, tho' they admitted facts which made against her with great reluctance.
[Illustration: QUEEN CAROLINE From a picture in the possession of Mr. Sterling.]
John Stanhope attended the trial assiduously and thus describes its close:—
October 26th.
Went to Macdonald's and accompanied him to the House of Lords, heard the Attorney General's reply; thought the first part but feeble, but latterly he became very good. His delivery and his voice are bad and he is not pleasant.
October 27th.