irresolute; devoid of all genius and political courage; open to the grossest flattery from every designing sycophant; and easily led by persons who were more artful, but whose capacities were scarcely superior to her own. Slavish, however, as was her submission to the reigning favourite, she is said to have been peculiarly jealous of her prerogative, and singularly vindictive to those who infringed on it. In every other respect she seems to have been eminently forbearing: indeed, her conduct, on many trying occasions, was distinguished by that constitutional good-humourthe only quality, excepting indolence, which descended conspicuously to her from the Stuarts. Queen Anne, whether from the consolations which she derived from religion, or from a natural coldness of temperament, bore her numerous domestic sorrows with an extraordinary equanimity of mind. Few, indeed, have had afflictions heaped more thickly on their head. The misfortunes of her father could scarcely fail to have been felt by her; she was also deprived of her husband while yet in his prime; and of her numerous progeny not one was left to be the solace of her declining years. On the other hand, she was peculiarly favoured by Providence, not only in the exceeding splendour of her sovereignty, but in being able to retain the quiet possession of a throne, to which she had no legitimate right. During the few years VOL. I. Y that she wielded the British sceptre, her arms triumphed gloriously abroad, and literature blazed in its zenith at home. Her reign, indeed, was the Augustan age of England: unlike, however, the celebrated Roman era from which it takes its name, it flourished independent of sovereign favour. The galaxy of genius which has rendered so illustrious the reign of Anne, owed as little to her fostering munificence as a Queen, as to her individual taste. By her husband, Prince George of Denmark, Anne was the mother of nineteen children: A daughter born dead, 12th of May, 1684. Mary, born at Whitehall 2nd of June, 1685; died 8th of February, 1687. Anne-Sophia, born at Windsor 12th of May, 1686, died 2nd of February, 1687. William, Duke of Gloucester, born 24th of July, 1689, died 28th of July, 1700. Mary, born and died at St. James's in October, 1690. George, born and died at Sion House, Brentford, 17th April, 1692. Of the thirteen remaining children, some of whom were still born, the names, and trifling incidents of their brief history, have been left unrecorded. 323 PRINCE GEORGE OF DENMARK. Birth of Prince George in 1653.-He distinguishes himself at the celebrated battle of Landen.-Is married to the Princess Anne in 1683.-Extract from Evelyn's Journal. Character of the Prince, his tastes and feelings.- Sarcastic remark by James the Second on the Prince's defection. He is created, by William the Third, Duke of Cumberland, with precedency of all other peers.-Accompanies William to Ireland, and is present at the battle of the Boyne.-William's studied neglect of him.—He is appointed, on Anne's accession to the throne, Generalissimo of all her forces by sea and land. His death in 1708.-Burnet's character of the Prince. THROUGHOUT Our gallery of historical portraits there is, perhaps, no individual whose character presents so few features of interest as that of Prince George of Denmark. This was partly owing to his quiet habits and unpretending character, and partly to the exalted position of his consort, Queen Anne, by which her husband's merits were thrown into the shade. By uniting himself to a woman superior either in rank or talent to himself, a man invariably loses his position in the eyes of the world, and not unfrequently sinks into unmerited insignificance. Of the two predecessors of Queen Anne who were Queensregnant, both Mary I. and Mary II. were united to sovereign Princes. The one was hereditary King of Spain, the other elective King of England. Prince George was, however, placed in a different position, and this circumstance may probably have been the reason his contemporaries have troubled themselves so little about him. George, Prince of Denmark, youngest son of Frederick the Third, King of Denmark, was born at Copenhagen 21st of April, 1653, and had attained his thirtieth year when he arrived in England to claim the hand of the Princess Anne. He had previously had many opportunities of obtaining a knowledge of the world: his travels had extended into France, Germany, and Italy,* and, moreover, he had gained some laurels in fighting the battles of his country. At the celebrated battle of Landen, fought in 1677, he particularly distinguished himself by his personal courage. His brother, Christian the Fifth, having been taken prisoner by the Swedes, the Prince made a rush into the enemy's ranks, and rescued his brother at the imminent danger of his own life. Prince George arrived in England to solemnize * He had also paid a visit to the English Court. Bishop Kennet says, in 1669,—" At the beginning of July, Prince George of Denmark, after a short tour in France, came over to see the English Court; and on Wednesday, July the 21st, was, by the Lord Chamberlain, conducted to his Majesty, and in the afternoon was introduced to the Queen, and, after an honourable reception, returned again for Denmark."-Kennet's Complete History, vol. iii. p. 296. his marriage with the Princess Anne, on the 19th of July, 1683, and was united to the Princess * In a collection of songs written at the period, we discover the following doggrel ballad : A NEW SONG ON THE ARRIVal of Prince George, and HIS INTERMARRIAGE WITH THE LADY ANNE. Tune, "Old Jemmy." Prince George at last is come, By hopes of plotting knaves to rule, Preserve great Charles our King, The subject of their lays. Brave George he is a lad, With all perfections shining! With every virtue clad, And every grace refining: But, oh! of such a warlike race, So conquering are his charms, No Mars in field but must give place To his victorious arms. A Collection of Loyal Songs, written since 1678. London, 1694, p. 23. There are five other stanzas, but they have even less merit than the foregoing ones. |