FARMER GEORGE
Reading edition
From a print (circa 1812) in the British Museum
GEORGE THE THIRD
FARMER GEORGE
BY
LEWIS MELVILLE
Author of "The First Gentleman of Europe," "The Life of William Makepeace Thackeray," &c., &c.
WITH FIFTY-THREE PORTRAITS AND ILLUSTRATIONS
In Two Volumes
Vol. I
LONDON: SIR ISAAC PITMAN AND SONS, LTD. NO. 1 AMEN CORNER, E. C. 1907
Printed by Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons, Ltd. Bath.
(2002)
To
Thomas Seccombe
To whom the Author is indebted for many valuable suggestions
CONTENTS
Vol. I
CHAP. PAGE
Introduction ix
I. Frederick, Prince of Wales 1
II. Boyhood of George III 33
III. The Prince Comes of Age 62
IV. The New King 71
V. "The Fair Quaker" 86
VI. Lady Sarah Lennox and George III 105
VII. The Royal Marriage 120
VIII. The Rise and Fall of "The Favourite" 136
IX. The Court of George III 167
X. The Private Life of the King and Queen 202
XI. "No. XLV" 235
XII. The King under Grenville 269
ILLUSTRATIONS
VOL. I
PAGE
George III frontispiece
Frederick, Prince of Wales facing 5
The Prince and Princess of Wales, Miss Vane and her Son " 11
Caroline, Consort of George II " 15
George II " 15
Prince George of Wales, Prince Edward of Wales, and Dr. Ayscough " 35
Augusta, Princess Dowager of Wales " 41
Leicester House " 45
George, Prince of Wales " 55
George III " 62
George III in his Coronation Robes " 71
"The Button Maker" " 75
Miss Axford (Hannah Lightfoot) " 86
Lady Sarah Lennox Sacrificing to the Muses " 105
Queen Charlotte " 120
John, Earl of Bute " 136
Windsor Castle " 167
"The Kitchen Metamorphoz'd" " 178
"Learning to make Apple Dumplings" " 190
The King Relieving Prisoners in Dorchester Gaol " 196
"Summer Amusements at Farmer George's" " 198
Buckingham House " 202
"The Constant Couple" " 220
Kew Palace " 223
John Wilkes " 235
"The Bruiser" (Charles Churchill) " 243
The King's Life Attempted " 258
"The Reconciliation" " 268
The Right Hon. George Grenville " 270
FARMER GEORGE
Vol. I