The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-12-31
The Death Of King Charlie. the second.
BY THOMAS DARLINGTON MAcAULAY.

appear 10 have suffered from excess lie had Away
been mindful OF his health even in his pleasures; an
his habits were such promise long HE and robus
old age. indolen he on all occasions which re
quired tension of the mind he active and persever
ing in bodily exercise He had, when young, been re
nowned as tennis player and was. even in the decline
of life an interchangeable walker His ordinary pace wa
such thai those who admitted 10 the honor of hi
society found it difficult TO keep up with him He ross
early and generally passed three four hours day il
the open air He might be seen, before the dew OF
the grass in ST. Jamess Park striding among the
playing with his spanies, and hngng to his ducks
and these exhibitions endeaed him 10 the people
who always love to see the great unbend.
AT length, towards the close Of the year 1884. he wat
prevented, by slight attack of what supposed to b,
govt, from rambling usual. He spent his morn
ings in his laboratory, where he amused himself with
experiments on the properties of mercury. His temper
apparent cause for disquet His kingdom tranquil
he was not IN pressing want of money his power was
greater than If had ever been; the party which had long
ihwared him had been beaten down; but the cheerful
ness which had supported him against adverse fortune
had vanished in this season Of prosperity
,niie now sutced to depress those elastic spirits
which had borne up against defeat exile and penury
His irritation frequently showed itself by looks and
words such as could hardly have been expected from a
man eniDeDtly distinguished by good humor and good
breeding II was not supposed however, that his con-
stiuiion was seriously impaired.
His palace had seldom presented gayer more
scandaous appearance than on the evening OF Sunday,
the lat of February 1885 Some grave persons who had
gone thher. after the fashion of that age to pay their
duty to their sovereign, and who had expected that
such day, his court would wear decent aspect,
struck with establishment and horror The great gallery
of Whitehall an admirable relic of the magnicenee Of
the Tudors, crowded with jewellers and gamblers
The King sat there chatting and toying with three wo-
men. whose charms were the boast, and whose vices
were the disgrace, of three nations. Barbara Palmer
Duchess o Cleveland, there, no longer young, but
still retaining traces OF that superb and vouptuous
ioveness which twenty years before overcame the
hearts of all men, There, too, was the Duchess OF
lighted up with the vivacity of France Horensia Man
en Duchess of Mazarin, and niece of the great Cardi
h cGeifs e & one nas Seeh b early
supreme His power and her own attractions had drawn
crowd Of illustnous suors round her. Charles him
self, during his exile, had sought her hand in vain No
gift OF nature fortune seemed to be wanting her
Her face beautiful with the rich beauty of the south,
her understanding quick her graceful her rank
exalted her possessions immense; but her ungovenabe
passions had turned all these blessings into She
had found the misery of an ill assorted marriage ntoera
bic, had fled from her husband had abandoned her vast
wealth. and, after having astonshed Rome and Piedmont
by her adventures had fixed her abode England Her
house the iayore resort of men of wit and pleasure
who for the sake of her smiles and her table, endured
her frequent fits OF nsoence and i'll humor. Rochester
and Godolphn sometimes forgot the cares of State in her
company. Barion and Saint Evremond found in her
drawing room consolation for their long Punishment from
Paris The learning of Vossus the wit OF Waller. were
daily employed To- ilaer and amuse her. But her dis
eased mind required stronger smuants, and sought them
in gaanry basset, and usquebaugh While Charles
frled with his three saanas Iortensas French page
handsome boy, whose vocal performances the de-
light of Whitehall, and were rewarded by numerous
some anorous verses party OF twenty courers was
seated at cards round large table which gold was
heaped in mountains. Even then the King had COM
lite for his supper his rest that night broken but
on the following morning he rose, usual, early
To that morning the contendng factions in his coun-
try had during some days. hooked forward with anxiety
The struggle between Halifax and Rochester seemed to
be approaching decisive crisis. Halifax, not content
with having already driven his rival from the board Of
treasury had undertaken to prove him guilty of such dis
honesty neglect III the conduct of the finances as
ought TO be punished by dsmssion from the public ser
vice 1t was whispered that lord president would
probably be sent to the tower before night The King
had promised 10 inquire into the matter The second OF
February had been liked for the investigation and
with their books on that day. But great turn of for
tune was at hand.
Scarcely had Charles risen from his bed when his at
tendants perceived that his uerance was ndslnct, and
that his thoughts seemed to be wandering Several men
of rank had usual, assembled to their sovereign
shaved and dressed He made effort to converse with
them in his usual gay style; but his CHASTITY look sur
Psed and alarmed them. Soon his face grew black his
eyes turned in his head he uttered cry, staggered and
fell into the of Thomas Lord Bruce eldest son of
the Earl OF Ailesbury. physician who had charge of
the royal reorts and crucbes happened to be present
He had 70 lancet but he opened vein with penknife
The blood flowed freely; but The King still insen
sihe.
He was laid on bis bed, where, during short time,
the Duchess OF Portsmouth hung over him with the
The Queen and the Duchess OF York Fastening to
the room The favorite concubne forced to retire
10 her own apartments Those apartments had been
thrice pulled down and thrice rebuilt by her lover to
crafty her capnce The very furniture of the chimney
massy silver Several fine paintings which properly
belonged TO- the Queen had been transferred to the
dwelling OF the mistress. The sideboards were piled
with richly wrough: plate In the inches stood cabinets
the of Japanese On the hangngs, fresh
from the looms of Paris depicted in tnts which no
English tapestry could rival, birds OF gorgeous pumage
landscapes, hunting matches the lordy terrace of St
GeTmains the statues and fountains of Versailles In
the midst of this spendor, purchased by guilt and shame
the unhappy herself "A n grief
which, to do her justice, was not wholly selfish
And now the gates OF WHITEHALL which ordinarily
stood open to all comers closed but persons whose
faces known, were still permitted to enter The an
techalnbers and galleries filled to oyerAowr~
and even the sick crowded with peer
councillors and foreign ministers. All the -, priyy
Vi note III Loiuon were suh'noaed. medical men
animosues run nu' the piese' - high did political
Cans was iesaLueu as re of wing physi-
ol'e i,oia Az Srtho extraordinary circumstance,
of the pr"- on,as Short was in a,tsndanco Seyar,l
81 scorpions have been preserved. One of them Is
,aed by foureend doctors. The patient was bed largely.
Hot iron applied TO his head A loathsome volatile
SALT extracted from human skulls, forced into his
mouth. He recovered his Senses but he was evidently
in a situation Of extreme danger
The queen was Tor time asslduous in her attendance
The Duke OF York scarcely left his brothers bedside
The prImate and four other bishops were then in Lon
don They remained at Whitehall all day. and took it
by sit up all night in the Kings room The news
OF his illness filled the capital with sorrow and dismay
For his easy temper and afable manners had won the
affection of large part OF the nation; and those who
dsked him preferred his unprncpled levty to the
stern and earnest 5igotry of his brother
On the morning OF Thursday, the nth OF February. the
pndo rnd his M syciptr