ROYAL LIBRARY.
(Vol. iii., p. 427.; Vol. iv., pp. 69. 154.)
Your correspondent J. H. M. remarks (Vol. iv., p. 69.): "In justice to King George IV., the letter which he addressed to the late Earl of Liverpool, on presenting the books to his own subjects, should be printed in your columns." Heartily concurring in this opinion, I have much pleasure in supplying your readers with a transcript of the same. I copied it some years back from the original, then in the possession of a noble friend:
"Dear Lord Liverpool,—The king, my late revered and excellent father, having formed, during a long period of years, a most valuable and extensive library, consisting of about one hundred and twenty thousand volumes, I have resolved to present this collection to the British nation. Whilst I have the satisfaction by this means of advancing the literature of my country, I also feel that I am paying a just tribute to the memory of a parent, whose life was adorned with every public and private virtue. I desire to add, that I have great pleasure, my lord, in making this communication through you. Believe me, with great regard, your sincere friend,
"G. R.
"Pavilion, Brighton, 15th of January, 1823."
EDWARD F. RIMBAULT.
Your correspondent C. says, "the whole story of the projected sale to Russia is absolutely unfounded." He seems to consider that, because the Princess Lieven never heard a syllable about the matter, the whole story was unfounded—that is, that when a part of a story is untrue the whole must be untrue. What is really the truth I do not positively know; but I will give you the story, as I heard it at the time, from one who had good means of information. George IV. disliked the expense of keeping up the Royal Library; he was also occasionally out of temper at the claims made or insinuated by some members of the family, that as the library had not been bequeathed, they had all an equal property in it. To get rid of the expense and the claims he resolved to dispose of it, and said something about this wish at his own dinner-table. This was, perhaps, in the presence of the Russian ambassador, or some distinguished Russian, or at least came to his ears; and he spoke to Lord Liverpool upon the subject, expressing a desire to purchase. Lord L. immediately waited upon the king, and remonstrated in the strongest terms against allowing such a library collected by a king of England to be sent out of the country; and went so far as to say that he would resign his office if the measure was persisted in. The king then resolved to relieve himself from all annoyance about the matter by presenting it to the nation. Such I believe to be the outline of the truth: the minute details I did not "make a Note" of at the time, and will not trust my memory to relate them.
GRIFFIN.
DAMASKED LINEN.
(Vol. ii., p. 199.; Vol. iii., pp. 13. 229.)
In the subjoined account of some old patterns, I have, for the sake of brevity, enclosed in brackets the descriptions of the several objects represented, beginning with the highest and most distant. The words enclosed within inverted commas are the inscriptions.