He looked very tall in his black cloak, with a train live yards long, which must have felt very heavy during the two hours he was kept standing. But he bore the ordeal firmly, in spite of his lame leg, and the thought that he must soon follow his father. He had had a paralytic stroke, from which he had not entirely recovered. He lived five years longer. {136} CHAPTER IV. CHARLOTTE SOPHIA, WIFE OF GEORGE III. (A.D. 1744-1818.) |Long before his death, George II. began to look about for a wife for his grandson, George William Frederick, whose father, Frederick, Prince of Wales, died when the young prince was only thirteen years of age. This event made young George heir to the throne of England; consequently, it was by no means an unimportant matter to decide upon a lady worthy of the honor of marrying him. Before telling how it was settled, let us take a look at the early life and education of the prince. He was such a feeble infant at the time of his birth that he was baptized privately on the following day; but a month later he had improved so much that this ceremony was repeated in public, when the King-of Prussia and the Duke of Saxe-Gotha were god-fathers by proxy, and the Queen of Prussia god-mother, also by proxy. No doubt the old king would have stood sponsor for his first grandson if he had been friendly with the Prince of Wales; but we know of the enmity that existed between that father and son. It fortunately did not extend to the grandson, who became good friends with George II,. and was admitted on familiar terms to his presence. [[A.D. 1748.]] George was not a bright boy at his studies; for when he was eleven years old he could not read English, though he knew something of Latin. Baron Stein- {137} [Illustration: 0143] berg {139}was directed by the king to find out what progress the royal children were making in their studies. He examined them, and said to Prince George, "I will report your proficiency in Latin; but I wish you were a little more perfect in your German grammar." "German grammar!" exclaimed the boy, "oh, any stupid child can learn that."