226 THE PRINCESS OF WALES [1814. 



existence of those rights, or my own worthiness to 

 enjoy them. 



" Sir, the time you have selected for this proceed- 

 ing is calculated to make it peculiarly galling. Many 

 illustrious strangers are already arrived in England ; 

 amongst others, as I am informed, the illustrious heir 

 of the house of Orange, who has announced himself 

 to me as my future son-in-law. 



" From their society I am unjustly excluded. Others 

 are expected, of rank equal to your own, to rejoice 

 with your Eoyal Highness in the peace of Europe. 



" My daughter will for the first time appear in the 

 splendour and publicity becoming the approaching 

 nuptials of the presumptive heiress of this empire. 



" This season your Koyal Highness has chosen for 

 treating me with fresh and unprovoked indignity; 

 and of all his Majesty's subjects I alone am prevented 

 by your Eoyal Highness from appearing in my place 

 to partake of the general joy; and am deprived of 

 the indulgence in feelings of pride and affection per- 

 mitted to every mother but me. I am, Sir, your 

 Eoyal Highness's faithful wife, CAROLINE, P. 



"CONNAUGHT HOUSE, May 26, 1814." 



I was dining at Michael Angelo Taylor's, and in 

 the midst of dinner a message came to me that I was 

 wanted at Connaught Place, the residence of the Prin- 

 cess of Wales. I had been up almost all the night 

 before in a cause, and in consequence of this was ex- 

 ceedingly fatigued. I conceived that this was one of 

 the many occasions on which the Princess sent for me 

 unnecessarily, and that the message being verbal must 

 be owing to the accident of her lady-in-waiting being 



