We have already said that the king superintended the education of the heir apparent in person; we shall now proceed to mention an anecdote which will serve to give some idea of the restrictions that were imposed on the Prince to prevent him from mingling with society. About a twelvemonth before his royal highness attained his legal majority, he received the invitations of some of the most distinguished nobility to make a tour through the country during the summer months, when their respective residences should be prepared for the reception of their illustrious guest. This proposal, as may be conceived, was eagerly accepted by the young prince, and preparations were actually made for his journey; but when the consent of his father was asked, the king refused to permit the design to be carried into execution. A system of restraint, car ried thus far, could not fail to have a material influence on the conduct of his royal highness, on his first introduction to public life. At the opening of parliament on the 11th of November, 1783, his royal highness was introduced into the House of Peers, on which occasion the following ceremonial was observed. "His royal highness having been, by letters-patent, dated the 19th day of August, in the second year of his majesty's reign, created Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester, was, in his robes, which with the collar and order of the garter he had put on in the earl marshal's room, introduced into the House of Peers in the following order. Gentleman usher of the black rod, with his staff of office. Earl of Surry, Deputy Earl Marshal of England. Garter Principal King of Arms, in his Robe, with the Sceptre, bearing his Royal Highness's Patent.. Sir Peter Burrel, Deputy Great Chamberlain of England. Viscount Stormont, Lord President of the Council. On a crimson velvet cushion, borne by Viscount His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, Carrying his Writ of Summons, supported by his Uncle, the Duke of Cumberland, and the Dukes of Richmond and Portland. "And proceeding up the house with the usual reverences, the writ and patent were delivered to the Earl of Mansfield, speaker, on the woolsack, and read by the clerk of the parliament at the table, his royal highness and the rest of the procession standing near after which his royal highness was conducted to his chair on the right hand of the throne, the coronet and cushion having been laid on a stool before the chair, and his royal highness being covered as usual, the ceremony ended. "Some time after his majesty entered the House of Peers, and was seated on the throne with the usual solemnities, and having delivered his most gracious speech, retired out of the house. Then his royal highness at the table took the oaths of allegiance and supremacy, and made and subscribed the declaration; and also took and subscribed the oath of abjuration." The session in which the Prince of Wales now took his seat in the great council of the nation, was one of the most important that had occurred since his majesty's accession to the throne, though at this period its importance is lost in the magnitude of succeeding events. The coalition ministry, with the Duke of Portland at its head, but Mr. Fox the efficient minister, was then at the zenith of its power, and menaced the royal authority with some restrictions of prerogatives, which are supposed to have given high offence of the interior cabinet of Buckingham-house. We allude to the celebrated India bill of Mr. Fox, which was introduced in this session, and caused the dismission of the coalition administration. In the discussions which took place in the upper house of parliament relative to the India bill, the Prince of Wales observed a dignified neutrality; but it was generally understood that the whig party, with Mr. Fox at their head, possessed his good wishes. Being now launched into public life, some |