it clear enough to you that I cannot have so vile a thought as to make you an instrument in my deceit. I beseech you to let me know whether your daughter, the Princess Henrietta, be so far engaged that you cannot receive a proposition from me concerning her; and if she be not, that you would think of a way, with all possible secrecy, I may convey my mind in that particular to you." The cause of failure in this instance does not appear; Charles, however, afterward complained to Lord Clarendon that he had been treated ill by the princess. There are traces of Charles having been engaged in other matrimonial speculations, of which the particulars are more obscure. It is certain, however, that he proposed to a daughter of the Duke of Lorraine (with whom he was to have received a considerable fortune), but, as in other cases, the difficulties proved insurmountable. With a curious passage in Lord Clarendon's History, we will conclude our notice of Charles's matrimonial speculations. The solemn chancellor appears himself to have been almost in love with the heroine of his tale. "There was at that time (1655) in the court of France, or rather in the jealousy of that court, a lady of great beauty, of a presence very graceful and alluring, and of a wit and behaviour that captivated those who were admitted into her presence. Her extraction was very noble, and her alliance the best under the crown; her fortune rather competent than abounding for her degree; being the daughter of a duke of an illustrious name, who had been killed fighting for the king in the late troubles, and left his wife childless, and in her full beauty. The king had often seen this lady with that esteem and inclination which few were without, both her beauty and her wit deserving the homage that was paid to her. The Earl of Bristol, who was then a lieutenant-general in the French army, and always amorously inclined, and the more inclined by the difficulty of the attempt, was grown powerfully in love with this lady; and, to have the more power with her, communicated to her those secrets of state which concerned her safety, and more the Prince of Condé's, whose cousin-german she was; the communication whereof was of benefit or convenience to both; yet, though he made many romantic attempts to ingratiate himself with her, and such as would neither have become or been safe to any other man than himself, who was accustomed to extraordinary flights in the air, he could not arrive at the high success he proposed. At the same time, the Lord Crofts was transported with the same ambition; and though his parts were very different from the other, yet he wanted not arts and address to encourage him in these attempts, and could bear repulses with more tranquillity of mind and acquiescence than the other could. When these two lords had lamented to each other their mutual infelicity, they agreed generously to merit their mistress's favours, by doing her a service that should deserve it; and boldly proposed to her the marriage of the king, who, they both knew, had no dislike to her person; and they pursued it with his Majesty with all their artifices. They added the reputation of her wisdom and virtue to that of her beauty, and that she might be instrumental to the procuring more friends toward his restoration than any other expedient then in view; and at last prevailed so far with the king, who no doubt had a perfect esteem of her, that he made the overture to her of marriage, which she received with her natural modesty and address, declaring herself to be much unworthy of that grace; and beseeching and advising him to preserve that affection and inclination for an object more equal to him, and more capable to contribute to his service; using all those arguments for refusal, which might prevail with and inflame him. to new importunities." But Bristol, in the meantime, had communicated the project to Lord Clarendon, who, with the more sensible of the king's friends, were strongly opposed to so impolitic a union. Their remonstrances for once had the desired effect with the volatile monarch, and Charles, after paying the lady a farewell visit at her own house, departed the following day for Flanders. Certainly, whether in an honest or in a dishonest manner, few men have made advances to a greater number of women. However, if he signally failed in his honourable proposals, he at least succeeded as entirely in his libertine attachBut we must return to the more stirring ments. CHAPTER XVI. CHARLES II. Restoration of Charles II.—The King Sails for England — Received on Landing by General Monk - His Splendid Progress toward London- His Gratitude to Heaven Singularly Exemplified - Coronation Familiarity of Charles with His Subjects His Habit of Fast Walking - His Saying to Prince George of Denmark - His Custom of Feeding the Fowls in St. James's Park - Anecdotes The King's Witty Retort to the Duke of York - The Royal Barber - Fondness of Charles for Dogs - Lampoons on the Subject - Social Qualities of Charles - His Love of Wit-Shaftesbury's Retort to Charles - Anecdote of Blood - The King's Quiet Reprimand of Penn, the Quaker - His Witty Sayings and Love of Fun. MONK, by his wily and skilful conduct, having prepared the way for the king's return, Charles accepted an invitation from the States of Holland to embark from their shores; and, accordingly, in the beginning of May, 1660, he proceeded to Breda, and from thence to The Hague, where he was received with all kindness and splendour by the Dutch nation. Admiral Montague, afterward Earl of Sandwich, with the English fleet under his command, was expecting his orders on the coast of Holland. Accordingly, after passing a few days at The Hague, in the society of his sister, the |