31 U HISTOEY OF THE ROYAL BUCKHOUNDS AND ASCOT RACES. 



opposition to bis father and mother's Court. Although in 

 political alliance with many honourable patriotic members of 

 the opposition, there was a back-stairs influence of unprincipled 

 persons, by whom he was unwittingly led away from the right 

 path. His marriage in April 1736, to Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, 

 a princess of beauty and excellent judgment, did not, as was 

 hoped, restore union to the Royal Family. His establishment 

 was not one fitting to support his dignity, and the Ministry 

 enforced this parsimony, not from economical motives, but to 

 suit their own book. 



Saturday, July 24, Richmond. — Her Majesty, the Prince 

 and Princess of Wales, the Duke of Cumberland, and the rest 

 of the Royal Family, "hunted (for the first Time this Season) 

 a Stag in Richmond New Park, and in the Evening their Royal 

 Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales, attended by 

 several Persons of Quality, went to the Theatre at Richmond 

 to see the Comedy of the Tender Husband and the Honest 

 Torksiiireman (which was perform'd to a splendid Audience 

 with universal Applause), and they afterwards returned to 

 Kensington." 



Wednesday, July 28, Windsor. — The Prince of Wales, Duke 

 of Cumberland, and the two eldest Princesses, accompanied by 

 a large field, hunted a stag for " above four hours," and killed 

 him on Ascot Heath. 



Saturday, July 31, Richmond. — The Queen and the rest of 

 the Royal Family roused a stag in the New Park, which was 

 run into and killed after " a chase of about three hours." In 

 the evening the Prince and Princess attended the Theatre at 

 Richmond, and afterwards returned to their residence at Kew. 

 Wednesday, August 4, Richmond. — Meet announced, but 

 was not attended by the Queen or the Royal Family, as on 

 this day, "the Queen, the Duke, and the Princesses came in 

 Coaches from Kensington, and drove round Grosvenor, Han- 

 over, and Soho Squares ; and came afterwards to Lincoln's- 

 Inn Fields to see the Works carrying on there." The following 

 day the Prince and Princess of Wales went to breakfast at 

 Windsor Castle, dined with Lord Archibald Hamilton at 



