The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-12-21

AAly 0ynlt00 R0TvOuo8oo oDOut WHOM W0 near
4 great deal In Croksr's Nom oirs and Corre-
qualified than Mr.. Thackeray. who never ex-
changed word with the object OF his satire. to
dscido whether George Nv. did not. on some ac-
counts deserve to be described as the first gen.
tienau 10 Europe: and he was often brought
in close relations with that Kings brothers. the
Duke Of York. tho Duke OF Cumberland latter
ward King Of Hanov"rl, and the Duke OF Clar.
ance tasterward William w.. With George Nv.
Mr.. Croker seems to have beoE a decided IA
vorite. being q frequent guest during the Re-
eency at tho brighton Pavilion" and accom-.
ponying the King. at his personal wish. to
ireland. on the visit made In 1891. soon after
tho coronation. On moro than ono occasion
Georvr Nv. made TO Mr.. Croker confidential
and hichIy Interesting disclosures about cor.
tain incidents Of his earlier life which had OK
posed him to harsh censure. or which. In his
opinion were imperfertly understood. lilo was
particularly annoyed it6seoms. by an insinua-
ton in Moore's Life OF Sheridan published
I'm 1926 that Sheridan had been allowed to die
of want. although his dcstitutlon was we'll
known TO the King. men Regent. who had ut
ono time been VIGOROUSLY fond OF his society.
Mr. Croker Wi, stut FOR to dine at Windsor.
and ia tile LONG coloquy that followed tho
King not only mo, tho charge Of unhandsome
DellWNIDT tOWhTu Ill Olu lEieuu. tOuCutu
upon many topics oi moro political Importance.
although OF less biographical interest The
record Of this interview. carefully set down at
tho tin,o In Mr.. Crok"r's note book. Is one OF
the most striking features OF o valuable book.
Invited OH Nov %. to dino and sleep at the
Royal Lodge, MI, Croker was admitted. on the
following morning. 20 his Majesty's dressing
room. and the conversation that ensued was
prconsed for several hours. By way OF show
linz how Trustworthy his account of the dis
course is. Mr.. Croker begins by relating how
the King, "scein. that listened with great
Interest TO what he recounted. guessed the de-
sire which certainly. ! should not have VEN
turnd 70 express. aud handed me n sheet OF
papcr aud successfully others. permitting me
to make notes Of what ho said. and even mod
eruinl the flow Of lis narration when no saw
thai ] had any difficulty IN following him.
These notes tina. evening and the next morn
lux transcribed into the following statement
In Which have preserved everything that fell
from lis Majesty In his own words and order
OF sta 'ment, occasionally undertaking expros-
sions to which he gave peculiar emphasis"
W. are assured. however. that these mem-
oranda give bnt a very Inadequate idea Of the
clearnrss. grace, and vivacity with which they
were dictated. The quotations. for instance
OF the sentiments of the several person. mon
tibu'u Ncit hiiy oAlOIC0u liustEdIbu
by slight degree OF mimicry OF their voices
and manner. while his Majssty's own MARIA
tons we're at once fiuont and precise in recol-
lection aud accurate in expression to degree
which | never had before witnessed In any
similar statement. and for which. notwith-
standing my long acquaintance with his readl.
ness in conversation. I was not entirely pre-
parod."
The King began by telling Croker some aneo-
dotes Of the disputes among his friends over
tho first proposition TO make him Regent dur
Ing his fathers disability from cerebral dis
order. The quarrel" no said. between Mr..
Burke and Sheridan was not what Mr.. Moore
represents 1t to be: II arose out OF the cele-
brnted letter to Pitt. which Mr.. Burke wrote
for me. and which think one OF the most beau
tiful and noble compositions that ever was
penned. but in the original draft there we're
some passages Of great violence. Ishowed the
draft to Sheridan who made few alterations
IN penci. some OF which I adopted. and others
did not; those that adopted l wrote
In with my own hand. the others
ernsed 1 know not how Burke know
that sheridan had thus revised this work. OF
which he was proud. and very justly: but he
never forgave him. l beli0ve that Burke
guessed it from the warmth with which. at a
meeting at the Duke OF Portland's. Sheridan
draft and even believe that they had some
warm discussion on that point. which was rem
derod more offensive to Burke by Fox's agree
Ing with Sheridan" It seems that not long
efterward. when the recovery of George III.
put an end to this affair. Burke drew up q sec-
ond manifesto to be addressed to the King. in
order that the latter might be able to contrast
the real conduct OF the Queen and the Ministers
during his arrangement with that OF the
Prince OF Wales's friends whom no SO much
disrusted. At that tme the Princes friends
and confidential advisers formed kind OF
mock Cabinet. to which Burkes paper was
read. but the members were almost unanimous
against accepting 1t. tho Prince himself being
especially reluctant to assume the role Of op-
position to his mother. When the meeting
was over Fox told Sheridan what had passed.
and described tho paper as having II remem-
Der the words as Sheridan repeated them to
mel all Burke's bitterness Fox also told
Sheridan that he quito approved the part l
had taken and the manner in which had
conducted the discussion. and that the Duke
OF Dovonshirs perfectly agreed In the suppress
Sion Of Burkes passionate invective. Sheri-
dan came TO me with this statement OF
Fox's opinion. and his tFox's) desire that
Sheridan might read tho paper He did SO In
my presence-every now and then oxclaiming,
30 on; and when he had done he gave 1t to me.
saying that il 1t were to get to the public peo-
pie In future. instead OF saying Of anything
violent that it out.Heroded Herod. would say
that it out Burkcd Burke" This paper was
given into the custody Of the gentleman who
at that time kept the Princes papers. What
followed is narrated by the Prince: After
somo time Sheridan came to me one day and
begged to read the paper again; he was writ
Ing. he said. something that would be ex-
trenely useful to US. and that he thought
he could pick something valuable out
OF tho paper. I told him carelessly
enough. and not believing that he ras
writing, that he might 60 to the custodian and
read the paper. He. however. with an inaccu.
racy not unusual to him. poor fellow. told the
custodian that he had my authority to take
away tho paper. which he did. OF course. be
never wrote anything. and when heard acct
dentally that no had taken tho paper. desired
him to return it. This he postponed and dc.
layed year after year on a thousand pretsnces