The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-05-04 00:00:00

DUCHESS OF GLOUCESTEr..

cwde:aaTi
ahlhdec
oi.relfrreeetaohtthfee of
apfe thethaieimhs
tieloasrbsqilteeaoolfpf
ni,leecoreuensesste't
Gloucester,
who
:o,ochildrenn ofw
tGeorg,b the
111, carries back all minds over a large
ihsfpatesheejerueogft
sai-imteen dinghemane much less
birth,less tahnaan
htehrertietlies
boyf ‘mieraszaglei,nrteeeraelslt
haddt iemp time,
beenrtaendd.
associa-
tions which it may be usrful to revive, under the altered
circumstances of a new century and generation. The dis.
contents which existed for a time between the father
and the father-in-law of the deceased Princess
produced consequences on her life—and that of most
of her family—and on public morals and welfare, which
ought not to be forgotten in a review of her character and
position, and whica are not yet over, in regard to the exist-
ing generation. Georg. 111. married, in 1761, the Princess
Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. He was not satis-
fied with pleasing himself in his own marriage, but
fully expected that his brothers would please, not them-
selves, but him, in their marriages. They did not do so;
and when he was a sober married man, with half-a-dozen
children, he was excessively scandalised at the discovery
that the Dike of Cumberland had married Mrs. Horton,
end tins Duke of Gloucester the Countess Dowager of
Waldegrave. There ware immediate political conse-
quences arising from the family quarrel—the Oppesiticn
finding their spirits and forces at once revived ; but a more
permanent, and far more serious, consequence was, that
the Royal Marriage Act was devised by the King,
aed carried through parliament with a high hand,
in the midst of protests and remonstrances from
Burke, Lords Camden and Rockingham, and others,
and many forebodingsof the mischief it would cause. Under
this act no descendant of George 11. could marry under the
Rae of twenty-five without the King's consent; nor after
'hat age otherwise than after applying to the Privy
Council (in case of the Sovereign's disapprobation),
and waiting a year to see whether either House cf Parlia-
ment wrula address the King against the marriage__
which, in that case, could not take place. It was too late
now, happily, to overthrow the Duke of Gloucester's
marriage, which had taken place five years before. It was
declared at court in the autumn of 1772, the same year that
the Royal Marriage Act passed. The fanaticism of the Ger-
man Queen for Royal quarmerings, waich even exceeded
the passion of the King for prerogative, was necessa-ili:
mortified this time ; but bo h were resolved that it should
be the last. Their children should marry royalty, or not
marry at all. They never doubted whether they could
enforce their decision when once they had the law on
their side. Certain other, prior, and greater laws
of human nature they made no account of.
After the birth of two daughters, the discounte-
nanced pair had a son, who remained the only one.
He was born at Rome, on the 15th of January, 1776; and
all the English in Rome were present at his baptism, the
next month. On the 25th of the following April was born
the 11th child of George lll.—the Princess Mary, who was
to be the wife of the little a usin at Rome. Toe event was
sionalised by a rather remarkable address presented (on
the day of baptism) by the Lord Mayor and Corporation
of London—an address which contained a sermon on la es,
liberties, and the glorious Revolution, which di 1 not seem
to have much to do with the infant Princess. and which
got a very short answer from the King That was the
time when the Americans were preparing their Declaration
of Independence, which was promulgated on the 4th of the
neat July ; and when M. Necker was put at the head of
French finance—a time at which King G orge did not
want to hear anything .bent liberties an revolutions, and
when accordingly all manner of people were seizing every
opportunity of preaching to him about them. During the
long course of years in hich many of the other members
of the family were involved in the penalties and perplexi-
ties of their rank, with regard to love and marriage, it was
believed that the Princess Mary and her cousin, the Duke
of Gloucester were attached. She was interested in his
Cambridge life (his education being finished there) ; and
she gloried in his receiving the General's thanks in the
field, when he was fighting in Flanders, so early as 1794.
lie proved himself both a gallant and able soldier, and
really won his rank—which rose to thet of Field-Marshal
in 1816. When the young people were one-and-twenty
the Princess Charlotte was born ; and as it soon became
understooo that there would be no heir apparent if the
Princess of Wales lived, the necessity was admitted rf
keeping the Duke of Gloucester single, to marry the pre-
sumptive heiress of the throne, in case of no eligible
foreign prince appearing for that function. For twenty of
their best years the Duke and the Princess were kept wait-
ing. during which interval (in the year 1805) he succeeded
to his title on his father's death. Everybody liked and
loved the Princess Mary, who was a pattern of duty and
sweetness through all the family trials she had to witness
and share in ; and the Duke, though not a mau of much
political ability, was in that part of his life a Whig, and on,
the g-neroue and liberal side of almost every question. We
are obliged to say "almost," because he supported with
his whole force the ex, lesion of Dissenters from the Uni-
versities, when he was Chancellor of the Unive sity of
Cambridge, after the death of the Duke of Grafton. On
the anti-slavery question he was as earnest in his own way
as Wilberforce in his, and kind and helpful in all matters
of charity that came before him. Romilly tells us a curious
thing of him— that he volunteered, in a teal-a-We with
Sir S. Romilly his declaration that the Queen Caroline was
innocent, and that her accusers were perjured. He latterly
became a Tory; but, for the greater part of his life, the
same genial spirit of liberality and personal unassuming-
ness distinguished him and the Princess Mary. As for
her, she pleased old and young like. Lord Eldon used to
tell with delight a joke of Queen Charlotte's—about the
last person in the world whom any one would suspect of
jesting. Her Majesty used to charge the Lord Chancellor
with flirting with her daughter Mary ; and the Chancellor
uteri to reply that he was not Emoetor, King, or Prince,
and that, morever, he was married already - a reply which
reminds us of that reported by Charles Lamb of six Scotch-
men, who, on somebody wishing that Burns was present,
all started forward on their seats to declare that that was
impossible, because Barns was dead. But we must suppose
that Lord Eldon, who really had humour in his way, con-
sidered the above as near an apprcach to jocularity as
could be permitted in the presence of royalty. In 1814,
when the Prince of Orange was in England. and his father
announced his approaching marriage with the Princess
Charlotte,
Princess Mary looked bright and happy. Lord
Malmesbury recorded in his diary what her manners were
like when the charm of youth w s past, and the character
womanhood was marked. He said she "was all grod humour
and pleasantness ;" adding, " her manners are perfect ;
and I never saw or conversed with any princess so exactly
what she ought to be. And no one living, perhaps, knew
more princesses, or more of what they really were, than the
old diplomatist. The Prince of Orange went away, and
Princess Mary drooped. Everybody was saying that the
Dake of Gloucester must be the Princess Charlotte's bride-
groom after all. But a few months more put an end to the
long suspense. When the Princess Charlotte descended
the great staircase at Carlton House, after the ceremony of
her marriage, 'he was met at the foot with open arms by
the Prince's Mary, whose face was bathed in tears. The
Dnl-e and Duchess of Gloucester were married in a few
wee rs —on the 23rd of July, 1816. The bride's demeanour
was so interesting and affecting that it opened the sluices
of Lord Eldon's ready tears, which he declared ran down
his cheeks; bat the chief Justice, Lord Ellenborough, also
present, must have been in anoher mood. Some persons
were talking in a corner of the crowded room ; and the
Chief Justice called to them, in the midst of the ceremony,
"Do not make such a noise in that corner—if you do, you
shall be married yourselves." It is rather pathetic now
to think of the details of that marriage—the crowded
saloon—the roe al mother and sisters on one side the altar,
and the royal broth-rs on the other—the bride, though
nAgll that salutations
long
v yes series of
of
no longer yonng, " leoklng very lovely," in a remarkably
simple dress ; to remember how the scene was related at
every fireside in England; and then to think that none of
the family, and probably no one who was present, survives.
No application was made to Parliament for an increase of
income in this case, The benevolent habits of the Duke
and Duchess had taught them in a practical way the value of
money, and they arranged their plan of life so as to mmlce their
means suffice, and leave enough for much support of
schools, and aid to many a good cause. They lived
together eighteen years—the Duke dying in November,
18:34. It surprised no one that his wife proved herself
the most assiduous and admirable of nurses during her
Intel-tan:l's decline. After his death she lived in as much
retirement as her rank admitted, doing good where she
could, and universally beloved. She saw the last of her
relatives drop from her side, and herself left the survivor
gpruabcleiefu onl wthheenretu terrace rninagt thea
Windsor.dm admiring
that long family train that used to look so royal and s
the
°
heart-histories was closed. The wretched avowed
mar-
riages, and the wretched, or happy, or chequered secret
marriages, and the mere forms! etate marriages,
took place in consequence of the Princess Charlotte's
which
decease, were alike dissolved by death. What
a world of
misery could this survivor have told of, arising from the
law-made incompatibility between
royaltya
provision for domestic affections Thenatural elaborate a
public preparation required by
own case, by which her a-
mart.l' ae was made an act
of the state, was painful ,
enough • but her lot, with
its one steady affection, long in suspense, and late
gratified, was a happy one in •
in comparison, perhaps,
with that of any other member of the family ; and many
a painful meditation had
must she have on that piece of
enforced legislation of her father's early and
years. Those various love stories are hidden now in the
grave ; and she who was the depositary of so many of them
has followed them thither. There then, let them rest. I

But the lesson they yield should not be neglected. There
was a strong h pia th it when our young Queen Victoria,
who was at fall libete,y, as Sovereign, to please her-
self in marriage, had made her choice, this wretched
and demoralising Marriage Act, always reprobated by
the wisest and beat men of the time, would be repealed.
There were then none left of the lass generation who could
he po nted at, or in any way_ all- ctede by such a repeal ;
and it was thought that it would be wise to do the thp g
before there was a new generation to introduce difficulty
into the case. The opprtunity has almost been allowed
to slip from us. The royal children have ceased to he
children, at least the eldest ones. Meantime, there
is, as we all know, a strong and growing popular distrust,
in our own country and in others, of the close dynastic
connections which are multiplying by means of the
perpetual intermarriages of a very few families. The
political difficulties recently, and indeed conetan ly,
experienced from the complication of family interests,
involving almost every throne in Europe, are a matter of
universal feeling and conversation. There is no chance
for the physical and intellectual welfare of coming genera-
tions when marriages take place among blood releeions ;
and there is no chance for morality and happiness when,
through
under legal or state compulsion, young people love
in ore dire Ition and marry in another. No evils that
ours,
could possibly arise from marriages out of the royal
opfale a ca
inevitable
other generations than the unhappy one that is
gone. Royalty will have quite, difficulties enough to
contend with, all through Europe, in coming times.
rnoyfoarl a nia
etne
gl t
marriagelaw
withent the perils consequent on this law. Its operation
a comparelike u with , the
perpetuated
will expose all the intermarried royal families in Europe to
criticism and ultimate rejection by peoples who will net be
gove-ned by a coterie of persons diseased in body through
narrow intermarriage, enfeebled in mind—strong only in
their p-ejudices, and large only in their self-esteem and in
their requirements. Thieve is yet time to save the thrones
of Europe—or at least the royal palaces of England—from
the consequences of a collision between the great natural
laws ordained by Providence and the narrow and mis-
chievous artificial law ordained by a wilful King of
England. That Ring is in _ his grave, and the last
of his children is now gone to join him there. Let
the time be lied hold of to bury his evil
work in the tomb which is now to be sealed over him and
his for ever; and the act will be gratefully acknowledged
by a long line of future princes and princesses, who will be
spared the bitter sufferings of those who have gone before.
It can never be, as was said by wise men 80 years ago, that
royal personages who are declared of age a'. eigh een will
leave no will of their own, in such a matter as marriage, at
five-and twenty. Marriage is too solemn and sacred a
matter to be so treated as a piece of state politics ; and the
ordinance which is holy in the freedom of private life may
be trusted with the domestic welfare of prince and peasant
alike. , ---
There were thirteen children born from the marriage of
ohfwear
as
cdomuiassprizeimeedtdhetop
George 111. with Queen Charlotte : - George, Prince of
Wales, afterwards George IV.'; Frederick Duke of Yolk;
William Duke of Clarence, afterwards William 1V ;
Edward, Duke of Kent ; Ernest, Duke of Cumberland,
eiumuertand,
afterwards King of Hanover Angastus, Duke of Sussex ,
and Adolphus, Duke of Cenibridge. Of the tali daughter;
threedied le married, and three were re/triter,. The names
in the order of bih stand thns:—The Princess Ikea],
Wurtemburg ; ihe Princess Augusta, who died unmarried;
the Princes. Elizabeth, who was married to the Prince
of Hesse Homburg; the ,Peincess Mary, . the lady just
tdCi:heaarder,l owithea6s
wastgeilmarriedstart wgehtroo
cester ; and, finally, the Princess Sophia and Amelia, both of whom diei unmarried. With so copious a race
successionluhke e
of
King of
of a vacant throne. It is singular, however, how few in num-
ber are the representatives of this numerous family in the
present generation. Queen Victoria, the Ring of Hanover,
and the three children of the late Duke of Cambridge are,
we believe, now the only survivors.
. . .
__ _

THE WATER QUESTION.


TO THE EDITOR OF VIE NORTHERN TIMES.
Sir,—On the 14th February I had an interview
with the Water Committee, when, before handing
in the letter, of which I annex a eopy, Lexplained
to the committee a. fact well: known. to hydraulic
engineers, viz., that if a wellyield,say ten thousand
gallons of water:per hour -at a level of five feet
below the surface of the ground, the same well will
absorb ten thousand gallons of water pet hour
it' kept filled above that level ; or ifa well overflow
the surface, it may be made to absorb by building
a curb round it, and ke ping it filled above the
natural level of. the water. The same principle
holds- good in every ease. I then handed in the
letter, which was read. The matter was referred
to the sub-committee. I was thanked for my com-
munication, and told that their engineer would
he consulted, and that he might he directed
fo consult with me. Not having heard of the
matter since, I think it proper, from the importince
of the subject, to lay the matter before the public.
Yours respectfully.
Liverpool, May 1, 1857. JAMES CORY.

TO JOSEPH COOPER, ESQ CHAIRMAN OF THE IVATEM
have from (:::3reiol.Blt ill.
ime read of the various argumen the reportst§ for and against the
Rivington Pike water; and believing no matter
how clear the water may become, many will still
be dissatisfied, I take the liberty of suggesting
what I consider the only way of meeting the
muter, so as to have an ample supply, and at the
same time stop all clamour. In the neighbourhood
of each pumping station I would propose the sink-
ing of a number of wells (communicating with
each other a little below the top}, and these being
kept full with the Rivington water, would increase
the supply of the sandstone to the same extent as
the supply. Should this meet the approbation of
the committee, I will, if -desired, examine the
pumping stations, and furnish plans of the works
necessary.--Yours, very respectfully,

Liverpool, llth February, 1857.

JAMES CORY‘

TO JOHN B. BRA.NCKER, ESQ.,
CHAIRMAN OF THE WATCH COMMITTEE.

Liverpool, 30th January, 1857.
Sir,—l have often observed that, in cases of fire,
it is a considerable time before the pressure is put
on the water; in man}' instances so long as to make
it impossible to save the building and property on
and "in which the fire originated. To lessen the
time as much as possible I consider very important,
and no doubt the following will receive your earnest
consideration
That with each police station you have an electric
telegraph communicating with the reservoir sup-
plying that district, so that on the alarm of fire
being taken to the nearest. police station, the person
on duty at the reservoir would be communicated
with instantly, and the water turned on within one
minute. The description - of••telegraph for this
purpose coul be one to merely ring a bell, so that
the
person,
ey
si
g nalyhoweverours,
ry illiterate,
respectfully, ,1
JAMESouId s.
c understandony.

The steamship Peninsular arrived at Portsmouth on
arrti
rh.nzsercc:Te,
omhollenAt 8
icbsioicontha:rEdow.
_a, withtehrT htwwe
eown hto ifeht
downh ve ec r
eswe
wil
he a
ithi
Friday, with the capt.in and four of the crew of the
sch
toner
n:iNumnstpeocseNorial laDfitiseliPGro
introd.wion of
b 6 hadoftTae
rendnui
been.m
mechanic :1 power into the operations of the field has
~Iready done good service to the agriculturist, and there
is good reason to lupe that, ere Jong, we shall see the
tall chimney attached to the farm as well as to the factory.
Mr. Ilauson's potato-digging machine, as tried the other
day at the Albert Model Farm. was found
.to work most
successfully. It appears that with two horses the new
newly five statute acres a day. The savin—
g, of labour in
implement will clear out an ave-sge of three Irish, say
this case is only one of the more valuable properties of
Me
oldr. Hamethod of nson's patent. It is welt known that, whether by
th raising the potato crop with the spade
or the less ancient plan of turning it out by the plough, a
vast quantity of p qatoes—in many cases a full seeding —is left in the ground. The inclined sock of Mr. Hanson's
machine is so placed that it goes to the bottom of each
drill, tossing up the soil, and, by an admirable con rivanne,
several revolving forks rapidly separate the tubers fivtu
the loose earth, and throw them on the face of the field,
where the b iys and women engaged in gathering oft' the
crop can readily collect the whole for carting to the farm
stead, or other place of storage for the winter. Besides
performing in one day an amount of work which
m.nt cannot
would require at least twenty-five able men with the
spade, the operations of the Hanson imple
fail to do immense good in turning up the -ground, and
thus preparing it for the next crop.
Belfast Banner of Ulster.