It was very unnatural, but such freaks do occur, though they do not reflect any honour upon those by whom they are affected, but even this answer would be no solution to the question of the reason for the deep-seated hatred for their eldest son which took possession of King George the Second and his Queen at a later period. It will ever remain a mystery. Lord Hervey, with a great deal of parade, affected to be in possession of the secret, and left certain directions to those who came after him about its disclosure in his papers, but it is very difficult to believe that this nobleman was cognizant of the reason which caused a father and mother--the latter certainly of an affectionate nature--to turn against a child of nine. The reason probably lies far deeper. But if Prince Frederick was forgotten by his father and mother, he was certainly not overlooked by the English people. “Clamours,” it was said soon after the accession of George the Second, “were justly raised in England that the Heir-Apparent had received a foreign education and was detained abroad as if to keep alive an attachment to Hanover in preference to Great Britain. “The Ministers at length ventured to remonstrate with the King on the subject, and the Privy Council formally represented the propriety of his residence in England.”[15] George the Second, however, and his Queen--who with Walpole really ruled the kingdom--stuck out as long as they possibly could against bringing Prince Frederick over, and in the King’s case there was an additional reason for obstinacy. He had been a most undutiful son himself, and realised what an exceedingly sharp thorn in his side Frederick might become if he took that same line also. But while the King and Queen were trying to make up their minds to send for their first-born, certain events occurred in Hanover which materially hastened their decision. [Illustration: _National Portrait Gallery._ _Spooner & Co._ GEORGE II.] FOOTNOTES: [12] Wilkins’ “Caroline the Illustrious.” [13] Suffolk Letters. Wilkins. [14] “Madge Bellenden, the tallest of the land, and smiling Mary soft and fair as down.” [15] Coxe’s “Walpole.” CHAPTER V. A DOUBLE EVENT WHICH DID NOT COME OFF. In the reign of George the First there had commenced an important negotiation between that King and Frederick William, King of Prussia, having for its object the union of the two royal houses by a double marriage, Prince Frederick Louis, King George’s grandson, was to wed with Wilhelmina, the Princess Royal of Prussia; the Prince Royal of Prussia was to marry the Princess Amelia, sister of Prince Frederick, afterwards Frederick the Great.