The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-10-11

siaStic alteration expressed in every letter,
which interested and charmed me-" The
seclusions of the Prince within the court cir
Gle made it no easy matter for him to effect
an interview without danger that his Majesty
would gain knowledge of it, so that their
first meeting, arranged by Lord Maiden, was
very. secret, under the walls of old Kew
Palace in the moonlight. The Duke OF York
and the Duke of Osnaburg, brothers of the
Prince, were present. Mrs. Robinson wrote
to friend describing this scene:
Alasl my friend if my mind was before in
huenced by esteem. it was now awakened by
the most enthusiastic admiration. The rank Of
the Prince no longer chilled into awe that being
who now considered him as the lover and the
friend The graces of his person, the irresistible
sweetness of his smile, the tenderness OF his melo-
dtOus yet mabl 7 voice, Will be remembered by
me till every vision of this changing scene shall
be forgotten
Many and frequent interviews followed,
and the enamored Prince became completely
absorbed in the woman whose many charms
of person and graces of mind made deep
impression upon his youthful sensibilities
The meetings were the more cautiously con-
Quoted as the Prince was about to receive
his first establishment, and the apprehen-
sion that his attachment to a married
woman might lnjure his Royal Highness
in the opinion of the world, rendered the
caution invariably observed of the utmost
importance Presently the affair came into
with scandalous paragraphs. Mrs. Robinson
became the gazed at of the multitude. She
wrote:
I frequently obliged to quit Ranelagh
owing to the crowd which staring curiosity had
assembled round my box, and even III the streets
OF the metropolis scarcely ventured into shop
without experiencing the greatest lncOnveni-
ence. Many hours have I waited till the crowd
dispersed which surrounded my carriage in eX-
pectatlon of my quitting the shop l snuddered
at the gulf before me, and felt small gratifica-
ton In the knowledge of having taken a step
which many who condemned it would have been
no less willing to initiate had they been placed
approached that to destroy all the fairy wis.,
ions which had filled my mind with dreams of
happiness. AT the moment when everything
was prepared for his Royal Highness's establish
ment, when looked impatientiy for the arrival
of the day in which might behold my adored
friend gratefully receiving the acclamatIons of
his future subjects, when might enjoy the pub
lie protection of that being for whom gave up
all, received a letter from his Royal Highness
"a cold and unknd letter-briehy informing me
that we must meet no more. And now l call
heaven TO witness that 1 wholly unconsci-
Gus why this decision had taken place in his
Royal Hlgnness's mind. Only two days previ-
Ously to the letter being written, had seen the
Prince at Kew, and his affection seemed bound
less as it was undimnished.
There was no explanation given. The
beautiful flower was thrown aside with
the most callous Indifference The spoiler had
reveled in its sweets, he had satated him
self in its beautes-in the ardor of his love
he took it to his bosom, blooming fresh, full
of life and bounding spirit; he threw it from
him broken, despoiled faded, destroyed for
ever, The very difficulty that the
Prince experienced in obtaining the consum-
nation OF his wishes showed that the virr ne
of Mrs Robinson was of no ordinary strength
The fruit which he had hitherto enioyed had
fallen from the bough at the first shake; and
the unexpected obstacles therefore which
had presented themselves only tended to in
6 l..
art and stratagem which the most finished
seducer, assisted by the most experienced
agents. could suggest were adopted, and if
female seduction be attended with flagrancy
the conduct of his Royal Highness cannot in
this instance stand absolved from it,
We now find the Prince of Wales running
the range of the cpera-house, the idol of the
women, the envy of the men. To fix him,
however, long in his attachments appeared
to be In direct variance with his nature; and
there were many who had no sooner flattered
themselves that they held him fast in their
chains, than, to their great modification, he
snapped them suddenly asunder and ap-
peared as if he had never felt their pres
enCe y
Surrounded as his Royal Highness was at
this time by gamblers of every rank and de-
gree, his losses became immense his embar-
easements alarming and disgraceful His
nights which were not otherwise EMPLOYED
often taken IN a state of almost helpless in
Uoxication, to render him the greater dupe of
those who were then fattening on the unhal-
lowed spoil obtained from their deliberate
villainy. At this time there lived a Jew in
Criticized Friars, who had amassed splendid
fortune by his usurious advances to the extrav-
agant ibertines of the age. The exigencies
of the Prince became oppressive to him, and
every eXpedient was adopted to obtain the
necessary supplies for the extravagances of
the day, however great the sacrifice might
be. The channels from which the supplies
had hitherto been obtained were COM
pletely exhausted and not farthing could
be raised on the responsibility OF any of the
immediate associates of the Prince; the
whole party were actually in q state of the
deepest poverty; and Major Hanger, in the
history of his life, mentions circumstance
in which he, Sheridan. Fox an illustrious
individual and a Mr.. Berkeley repaired to a
celebrated tavern then known by the name
OF the Staffordshire Arms, where, after ca
rousing with some cyprians who were sent
for on the occasion, the combined resources
OF the whole party could not defray the ex-
penses of the evening. On this OCCASION
Sheridan got so intoxicated that he was put
to bed, and on awaking in the morning he
found himself in the character of hostage
for the expenses of the previous nights de-
bauch.
MRS FITzHERBERT.
From this lamentable period of the life of
his Royal Highness we turn to one of the
most important events of this connection
with Mrs. Ftzherbert. This lady was a
widow of great accomplishments and beauty,
and was some years older than the Prince.
She was unquestionably a most beautiful
woman, but perhaps too much inclined to
fullness of figure: and yet it may be said that
she was indebted to that prominence of habit
for great portion of her personal loneliness
and attraction. She was allied on her faith
ers side to Sir Edward Smythe, of Acton
Burnel, in the county of Salop, and distant
ly related to the noble family of Seton, in
the kingdom of Ireland.
The family OF Smythe was of ancient ori-