National Republican., 1883-07-03

writing TO Lord Eldon Of tho imbecility into
which his father seemed to he sinking. His
talk was hopolessly rambling and frivolous.
In July the bulletin of the physicians de-
clared his health TO be much strengthened
without any corresponding improvement in
his mind. The physicians declared that they
did not yet despair of his ultimate recovery;
but before the expiration Of the term Of
regency they had nearly dropped tho subject
of their hopes. He understood that the Duke
of York had been reinstated in his Office of
commander-in- aud rGjoiced in IL, and
he was aware of the regal fete given by the
tegent in June in lieu of tho ordinary festival
of the kings birthday; but, while these
events excited his feelings, they brought out
evidence of improving reason. He must
henceforth bo considered as excluded from
court affairs and the court proceeded on that
understanding.
Thackeray, in his Four Georges" makes
this touching reference to the malady of
George ILL.,:
From Nov. 10, 1910, George III ceased to
reign. All the world knows the story of his
malady; all history presents no sadder figure
than that Of the old man, blind aud deprived
of reason, wandering through the rooms of
his palace, addressing imaginary parliaments,
reviewing fancicd troops,
HOLDING GHosrLY COURTS.
have seen his picture rs it was taken at
this time, hanging in the apartments of his
daughter, tho Landgraime of Hesse HON.
bourg-amid books and Windsor furniture
and hundred fond "reminiscences of her
English home. The poor old father is pre-
sented in purple gown, his snowy beard
falling over his breast-the star of his famous
order still idly shining on it. He was not only
sightless; he became utterly deaf. All light,
all reason, all sound of human voices, all the
pleasures of this world of God, were taken
from him. Some slight lucid moments he
had In ns,fx oh thn 1ag gt.fN 90.
see him, entered the room, and found him
singing hymn and accompanying himself at
the harpsichord. When he had finished he
knelt down and prayed aloud for her, and
then for his family, aud then for the nation,
concluding with prayer for himself, that IL
might please God to avert his heavy calamity
from him. but if not to give him resigna-
tion to submit. He then burst nto tears
and
HIS REASON FLED.
What preacher need moralize on this story
what words, save the simplest are requisite
| to tell itP 1t Is too terrible for tears. The
thought of such misery smites me down in
submission before the Ruler of kings and
men, the Monarch Supreme over empires and
republics tho inscrutable Dispenser of life,
| death, happiness, victory. "Oh, brothers,"
l said to those who heard me first in Amer
| lea, "Oh, brothers speaking tho same dear
mother tongue; oh, comrades enemies no
|
as we stand by this royal corpse ano; call n
truce to battle Low he lies to whom the
proudest used to kneel once, and who was
cast lower than the poorest-dead, whom
millions prayed for in vain. Driven Off his
| throne, buheted by rude hands with his
children in revolt; the darling of his old age
killed before him untimely; our Lear hangs
over her breathless lips and cries, 'Cordclia,
Cordelia, stay a little!
Vex not his ghost. Oh let him pass he hates
him
That would upon the rack of this tough world
Stretch him out longer
Hush! strife and quarrel, over the solemn
grave! Sound, tru mpets, a mournful march,
Fall, dark curtain, upon his pageant, his
pride, his grief, his awful tragedy
Queen Victoria, daughter of Edward, the
~, son of George III, succeeded to the
throne in 1887, on tho death of William ",
who was the third son of George III. There
was no trace of insanity in her father nor in
her uncles, though all were given somewhat
| to eccentricities. The seclusion of the queen,
her tenacity in holding to the memory of
Prince Albert, her attachment to certain SER
| wants, her want of sympathy with the pres
ent government the dependency that fol-
| lowed her recent accident have excited the
gossips TO references to the sad chapters in
her grandfathor's life. That there is not even
| slight basis for the gossip all Ameri cans will
as earnestly hope as Englishmen.