Expected Marriages.

15

events, must elapse, especially in our hopes from the male line of Brunswick, including the two youths, sons of the late gallant Duke; but we must hope that other events may intervene more consonant with English feelings. In the present melancholy state of affairs, however, we shall not even hint at any arrangement between the Prince Regent and the illustrious Fugitive, which has been openly spoken of; but merely express a wish, that the projected alliance of His Royal Highness the DUKE OF KENT with a sister of PRINCE LEOPOLD may actually take place, in addition to probable issue in the Cumberland line, recommending at the same time, that the other royal bachelors of Clarence, Sussex, and Cambridge, may be induced by family and national considerations, and encouraged by public liberality, to secure our present royal line from any human chance of failure.

Of the match between the DUKE OF KENT and a sister of the HOUSE OF SAXE-COBURG, it has been justly asserted, that there is "no union which the nation would hail with more rapturous delight, and for the establishment of which they would more promptly and liberally contribute. We trust, that this melancholy and unlooked-for event will accelerate the auspicious alliance, which may yet secure the inheritance of the crown to the lineal descendants of his Majesty to the latest posterity."

*

The question has more than once been asked, "Where should

16

Heirs in Remainder.

In fact, the Public will not be satisfied without rational prospects of a continuance of the present line; a feeling most consonant both with common

we look for the Line of Succession, in case of failure of all James the First's issue?"—and it has been replied, That the claim to the English Crown would revert, in line of blood, to the present MARQUIS OF HASTINGS, in right of descent from the Earls of Huntingdon, (descended from the Duke of Clarence, son to Richard Duke of York) and in default of issue from him, would then be retraced to the present RUTLAND family, in virtue of their descent from the Lady Anne, neice of Edward the Fourth. But this refers only to the English Crown; though it must be acknowledged that the MANNERS family might bring forward also a species of claim to the Crown of Scotland, since it is a fact that their ancestor, the Lord Roos of Hamlake, was one of the competitors for that kingdom in the reign of Edward the First. But the truth is, that there are claimants of prior date, because of later descent than both these lines of blood, though the existing circumstances have rendered such claims so unlikely ever to be brought forward, that they have been almost forgotten. Now it is a curious fact, that if Mary Queen of Scots had died without issue, the union of the two crowns could not have taken place on the demise of Elizabeth; for Henry Lord Darnley's heirs would have been the claimants of the English throne, whilst Hamilton, Earl of Arran, would have been the Scottish monarch. These heirs of Henry Lord Darnley were his brother Charles, afterwards Duke of Lenox, and his four sisters; the claim arising from their mother the Countess of Lenox (Margaret) daughter of Margaret (Queen Dowager of Scotland, as widow of James IV. and sister of Henry VIII.) by her second husband Archibald Douglas Earl of Angus. Nay, this family did produce a female claimant, or one suspected of being such, in the reign of Charles II. in the person of the Lady Arabella, daughter of Charles Duke of Lenox, descended from the younger brother of Henry Lord Darnley, of whose four

Royal Genealogy.

17

sense and loyalty, for it may be truly averred, that there are few families whose records are more honourable, if any, than those of the illustrious House of Brunswick now united with our original Royal Lines, whose claim by descent to the British throne, in addition to the choice of the British people, is a female one, and who are really representatives of the ancient British Princes, by descent from Owen Tudor and Llewellyn the Great, of the Saxons by descent from Egbert, of the Normans by descent from our ancient line of Kings, of the ancient Kings of Scotland, also of the royal Houses of Bruce and Stuart, and of the ancient monarchs of Ireland by descent from Elizabeth De Burgo, heiress of Ulster, descended from the heiress of O'Connor, and wife of Lionel Duke of Clarence.

The additional strength given to this hereditary claim for our future Sovereigns, was hailed with enthusiasm by the Public on the marriage of His

sisters (daughters of the Earl and Countess of Lenox) one only was married, to Muir, of Rowallan, a potent Scottish Baron, and from whom was descended the late Sir Alexander Cairnes, Bart. These facts may be found stated at length in the early editions of Collins's Baronetage. Sir Alexander Cairnes left a daughter, the late Dowager Blayney, whose issue in the Clermont and Rosmore families may be traced in the Peerage. He also left a sister Margaret, who married Richard Henderson, Esq. of the County Donnegal, whose issue in female descent are in existence, and would be prior claimants to the Hastings and Rutland families.

し

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Birth of the Princess.

ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF WALES, with his Cousin, CAROLINE LOUISA ELIZABETH, second daughter of His Serene Highness the Duke of Brunswick, on the 8th of April, 1795; the only issue of which match was the illustrious subject of our biography, born on the 7th of January, 1796,* in the morning, to the great joy not only of her Royal Relatives, but also of the People; as the long period during which the Prince of Wales had remained unmarried, and the disastrous prospects of a broken succession, turned the general eye with peculiar anxiety to the birth of a Royal Heir. This general anxiety was met by the greatest possible precautions; the accouchement was conducted with the most solemn formalities; the great officers of state were in attendance; and the ladies of her Royal Highness's Court waited on her illness, which, at one period, seriously threatened her life and in which it has been said, that she was saved by the intelligent friendship of a distin

* Carlton House was the Palace in which Princess CHARLOTTE drew her first breath, between the hours of one and two in the morning of the 7th of January, 1796; when there were present, the Duke of GLOUCESTER, the Archbishop of CANTERBURY, the LORD HIGH CHANCELLOR, the LORD PRESIDENT of HIS MAJESTY'S COUNCIL, the Duke of LEEDS, the LORD CHAMBERLAIN, and MASTER of the HORSE (Earl JERSEY) to the PRINCE of WALES, Lord THURLOW, and the Ladies of her Royal Highness's (Princess of WALES'S) own Bedchamber.

Corporate Congratulations.

19

guished statesman. The anxiety of the Prince of Wales himself, who was present on the occasion, was inexpressible. His Royal Highness, on the preceding evening, had dined with the late Mr. Macnamara, at Streatham, to meet a convivial party, among whom were the late Duke of Bedford and Lord Thurlow, whose society, it is well known, had much attraction for him; yet he quitted the festive board at an earlier hour than he had ever been known to do, so feelingly alive was he to his promised hopes, and to the welfare of his Royal Partner.

But though the interesting infant was born to royalty, it cannot be absolutely said that her first days were spent amidst the splendour of a Court, as it appears that on the 29th of that month, when the City of London was anxious to present an Address of Congratulation on the happy event to his Royal Highness, the City Remembrancer was informed by Lord Cholmondeley, that being under the necessity of dismissing his establishment, he was unable to receive those congratulatory compliments in a manner suitable to his rank, and with the respect due to the capital of the empire; but at the same time he expressed his great regret in not having it in his power to show a proper regard for the good-wishes of the City of London towards himself and the Princess of Wales.