58 KEW GARDENS 



and when the reverend doctor excused himself 

 on the precedent of Christ healing demoniacs, 

 "Yes," said the King, "but He did not get 

 seven hundred a year for it ! " 



The Willises, by the way, afterwards com- 

 plained of their remuneration, whatever it was ; 

 but their treatment of George III. made an 

 excellent advertisement for the family, one of 

 whom was sent for to Lisbon in the case of a 

 mad Queen of Portugal. They seem to have 

 given some offence in the household by the 

 position they had to assume. Great was 

 flunkey indignation when four of Dr. Willis's 

 keepers were raised to brevet -rank as pages, 

 that after his recovery they might remain beside 

 the King in case of a relapse. About that 

 time several of the regular pages seem to have 

 been dismissed or disgraced, it is said for carry- 

 ing tales to the Prince of Wales. These 

 "pages," of course, had now grown into adult 

 servants above mere menial rank, such beardless 

 boys as figure in history and romance being 

 distinguished as " pages of honour." 



Poor Miss Burney was so worn out that 

 one of the doctors, noticing her wan looks, 

 insisted on her taking daily exercise, such as 



