1 68 THE PRINCESS OF WALES [1812. 



and I acted as her advisers merely, and in no respect 

 professionally ; but I conceive that King's observa- 

 tion was quite as applicable then as in 1820. Romilly, 

 too, states in his diary that the proceedings of 1813 

 and 1814, under my guidance, had been attended 

 with perfect success (which his experience of the de- 

 licate investigation in 180G gave him a full right to 

 judge of, as well as of my difficulties), and he ascribed 

 that success to the extreme caution and circumspec- 

 tion used throughout. When a person is acting for 

 or advising another, he has no right whatever to show 

 vicarious courage, to recommend the running any risk 

 not necessary to avoid greater risks, or to counsel any 

 boldness which is not more safe (as occasionally hap- 

 pens) than more prudent courses. 



But though every precaution w r as taken to avoid 

 risk or prevent precipitate courses, and the most anx- 

 ious inquiry, as far as it was possible, made into any 

 risk to be incurred by the Princess in adopting the 

 measure which I had proposed and Whitbread adopted, 

 it must be added that all anxiety and alarm, as far 

 as we felt any, was on her account, and not in the 

 least on account of ourselves. I had from the first 

 regarded the step in contemplation as one of extreme 

 hazard to its advisers ; and not being in Parliament 

 to defend myself from the attacks which were quite 

 inevitable, I should have paused before finally deciding. 

 Had not Whitbread become a party, I should have 

 looked to Folkestone''" in all likelihood, or to Brand,t 

 for support ; at least so far as to state my case, or give 

 any required explanation. The danger which I en- 

 countered personally or professionally, of course, I en- 



* Afterwards Lord Radnor. f Afterwards Lord Daere. 



