[966] “His majesty (says one of the journals of that time) is constantly at the Spa a little before six in the morning, where he drinks a glass of water, then walks half an hour with the queen and princesses, who likewise drink the water. The king takes a second glass, and about half after seven the royal party return to Fauconberg house: his majesty hands the queen and princesses to their carriages, and then sets out himself on foot. About eleven o’clock he is constancy on horseback, paying no regard to the state of the weather. The queen and princesses follow him in their carriages. They generally take the road to the hills, on the east of Cheltenham, return about two, and at seven appear again in the walks.—The great object (says the same journal) of the kings journey to Cheltenham is to keep off the gout. His complaint for some time past has been the flying gout, which his physicians could readily fix by the use of proper regimen; but his majesty dreads such a lodgment, as it would of course prevent him from using that exercise which has been so much his habit as well as inclination. Cheltenham waters are reckoned the best in the kingdom for this purpose.”—see N. A. Register vol. 9. p. (26) and (28.)
[967] This is said not to have been the first time when such symptoms had made their appearance.
[968a] See New Annual Register, vol. 10. page 92.
[968b] Pitt declared that the prince had no more right to assume the regency than he had; which was deemed by many a very extraordinary and extravagant assertion.
[972] See New Annual Register for 1791, page (7.)
[974] When some had written violent pamphlets against the elder Pitt, and he was urged to have them prosecuted, he smilingly answered, “No: the press, like the air, is a chartered-libertine.” The son, with all his reputed and boasted greatness, had not a mind capable of imitating such an example. (See Belsham, vol. v.) No real magnanimity, or true dignity of character was to be expected from one who could seek the ruin of his own original friends and coadjutors, the active supporters of his early politics and youthful fame, and that, forsooth, because they would not support his apostacy, but chose still to adhere to those principles which he himself used to tell them were inseparably connected with the welfare and salvation of the country.
[976] Should the work ever commence and go on, the commissioners will have to borrow money to a vast amount, which they will probably, not find a very easy matter, as other fen projects, such as those of the river Nene and Feltwell District especially, have turned out so miserably unpropitious to the respective creditors; that the interest of their money is now many years in arrears, with but little prospect of its being ever again liquidated. The Nene commissioners are so much above their business, and so regardless of the rights of their creditors, that they sometimes will not deign to meet, so much as once a year, to examine the state of their finances and see if any thing can be spared towards the payment of their debts.—As to the gentlemen, or commissioners of the “Feltwell new fen district,” they, some years ago, thought proper to represent themselves in a state of insolvency, and proposed that their creditors should advance at the rate of ten per centum of the money in their hands towards obtaining a new act of parliament to increase the drainage taxes, and so enable them thenceforth to pay interest regularly. The money was advanced, and the new act obtained, but not a shilling of interest has been yet advanced, under pretence that all the money is wanted for repairs and drainage improvements, &c. How far all this is honest or honourable we need not say; but that it will not fail to make some people in future more cautious in adventuring their money on such occasions, may be reasonably supposed and expected.
[977] That paragraph reads thus—
“Lynn, May 11. 1802. Thursday last being the day appointed for the public reading of his majesty’s proclamation of peace in this town, the morning was ushered in by the ringing of bells and other demonstrations of joy. At noon the Lynn Loyal Volunteers, commanded by major Everard, paraded in the Tuesday market place. Soon after, the mayor, accompanied by the recorder, aldermen, common-council-men, and most of the inhabitants, proceeded in front of the line to the market cross, when the town-crier read the proclamation of peace. The Volunteers then fired a feu de joie, which was succeeded by reiterated shouts of applause from every person present, the band striking up ‘Rule Britannia.’ Major Everard then addressed the corps, and after thanking them for their zeal in defence of their country, read to them the thanks of both houses of parliament for their meritorious past services, and informed them they were now to be disbanded, conformably to the regulation of government, with a reward the most gratifying, their sovereign’s approbation of their conduct. The noncommissioned officers and privates were then severally presented with a pecuniary donation, in lieu of a public entertainment.”
Thus it appears that the conduct of these volunteers gained the approbation and applause not only of their fellow citizens or townsmen, but even of the higher orders of the nation, up to the very throne.