taining a promise of the sum of twenty thousand pounds, to be paid at the period of his royal highness's coming

of age.

"This paper was signed by the prince, and sealed with the royal arms.

It

was expressed in terms so liberal, so voluntary, so marked by true affection, that I had scarcely power to read it. My tears, excited by the most agonizing conflicts, obscured the letters, and nearly blotted out those sentiments, which will be impressed upon my mind till the latest period of my existence. Still, I felt shocked and mortified at the indelicate idea of entering into any pecuniary engagements with a prince, on whose establishment I relied for the enjoyment of all that would render life desirable. I was surprised at receiving it; the idea of interest had never entered my mind: secure of the possession of his heart, I

had in that delightful certainty counted all my future treasure. I had refused many splendid gifts which his royal highness had proposed ordering for me at Grey's and other jewellers. The prince presented to me a few trifling ornaments, in the whole their value not exceeding one hundred guineas. Even these, on our separation, I returned to his royal highness through the hands of General Lake.

"The period now approached that was to destroy all the fairy visions which had filled my mind with dreams of happiness. At the moment when every thing was preparing for his royal highness's establishment, when I looked impatiently for the arrival of that day, in which I might behold my adored friend gracefully receiving the acclamations of his future subjects; when I might enjoy the public protection of that being for whom I gave up

all, I received a letter from his royal highness, a cold and unkind letterbriefly informing me, that- we must

meet no more.'

"And now, my friend, suffer me to call God to witness, that I was unconscious why this decision had taken place in his royal highness's mind. Only two days previous to this letter being written I had seen the prince at Kew, and his affection appeared to be boundless as it was undiminished.

"Amazed, afflicted, beyond the power of utterance, I wrote immediately to his royal highness, requiring an explanation. He remained silent. Again I wrote, but received no elucidation of this most cruel and extraordinary mystery. The prince was then at Windsor. I set out, in a small poney phæton, wretched, and unaccompanied by any one except my pos

tillion (a child of nine years of age). It was dark when we quitted HydePark Corner. On my arrival at Hounslow, the inn-keeper informed me, that every carriage which had passed the heath for the last ten nights had been attacked and rifled. I confess, the idea of personal danger had no terrors for my mind in the state it then was, and the probability of annihilation, divested of the crime of suicide, encouraged rather than diminished my determination of proceeding. We had scarcely reached the middle of the heath, when my horses were startled by the sudden appearance of a man rushing from the side of the road. The boy on perceiving him instantly spurred his poney, and, by a sudden bond of our light vehicle, the ruffian missed his grasp at the front rein. We now proceeded at full speed, while the footpad ran endeavouring to overtake us. At

length, my horses fortunately out-running the perseverance of the assailant, we reached the first Magpie, a small inn on the heath, in safety. The alarm which, in spite of my resolution, this adventure had created, was augmented on my recollecting, for the first time, that I had then in my black stock a brilliant stud, of very considerable value, which could only have been possessed by the robber by strangling the wearer.

"If my heart palpitated with joy at my escape from assassination, a ci.cumstance soon after occurred that did not tend to quiet my emotions. This was the appearance of Mr. H. Meynel and Mrs. A******. My foreboding soul instantly beheld a rival, and, with jealous eagerness, interpreted the hitherto inexplicable conduct of the prince, from his having frequently