228 NIMROD'S HUNTING TOUR 



moment, and talking rather loosely the next, he observed, in the 

 language of the stud, that " she was got hy the Whole Duty of Man 

 out of the Woman of Pleasure." 



The following anecdote is too interesting to be omitted. When 

 his present Majesty (George IV.) was Prince of Wales, he paid a 

 visit to the late Sir Eobert Leighton, of Loton near Shrewsbury ; as 

 also to Loi"d Forester (then Mr. Forester), who in those days resided 

 at Eoss Hall, near the same place ; and Sir Eichard (then Mr.) 

 Puleston was commanded to meet them. 



A wish was expressed by his Majesty to enter the Principality of 

 Wales ; but, aware that this could not be done by him as Prince of 

 Wales, unaccompanied by the pomp and pageantry of circumstances, 

 unless in the most private manner, he commanded Sir Eichard to 

 conduct him to the nearest part of it, which from his knowledge of 

 the country he was enabled to do. When they approached the spot 

 where a small rivulet divided the marshes of Wales, Sir Eichard 

 cantered forward, and, plucking from an oak tree a sprig with some 

 acorns suspended to it, presented it on his knee to his Prince the 

 moment he entered his Principality. The device was extremely 

 appropriate, and his Majesty placed the bough in his hat expressive 

 of the sense he entertained of it ; and shortly after, when he was 

 pleased — in the fulfilment, I believe, of an old promise — to present 

 Sir Eichard with his Baronetcy, he commanded him to bear, as an 

 additional crest, an oak tree, with golden acorns suspended from one 

 of its boughs. 



The Duke of Clarence (his present Majesty) accompanied his 

 Eoyal Brother on this rural excursion, and was highly gratified with 

 the beauty of the scenery, as well as the novelty of the circumstance. 

 This temporary suspension, indeed, of a life of state could not be 

 without its charms ; and I have heard it said the Eoyal Brothers 

 were in high spirits the rest of the day. On Sir Eichard shewing 

 them the situation in which the city of Chester lay, the Duke of 

 Clarence observed, that his old tutor, Dr. Majendie (then Bishop of 

 Chester), lived there, and related some amusing anecdotes of the 

 days in which he was under his care. 



I never heard Sir Eichard Puleston say anything of this affair, but 

 his conduct on the occasion was quite classical. The British oak is 



