Though the King enjoyed an enormous Civil List he was exceedingly mean to his children. To his daughters, though three of them had now grown up, he gave little or nothing. Anne and Amelia were often in need of pocket-money, and not above borrowing of the people about the court. Their dress allowance was exceedingly small, and if their mother had not helped them, they would scarcely have been able to make a presentable appearance at their father’s drawing-rooms. There is a curious old paper extant,[35] endorsed “Mrs. Powis,” who was probably dresser to the Princesses, which gives some idea of their wardrobe. The following extracts may be quoted:-- “_What was delivered yearly for each Princess (Anne, Amelia and Caroline)_: “Winter Clothes:-- Two coats embroider’d, one trim’d or rich stuff, and one velvet or rich silk without. Three coats brocaded or damask. A damask night-gown. Two silk under petecoats, trim’d with gold or silver. “Summer Clothes:-- Three flower’d coats, one of them with silver. Three plain or stripped lastrings. One night-gown and four silk hoops. Shoes: a pair every week. Gloves: sixteen dozen in the year; 18s. per dozen. Tans: no allowance, but they did not exceed eight guineas per annum. Mouslines and lawns were bought as wanted, no settled price. “Sundries:-- No certain allowance for ribbons or artificial flowers. Powder, patches, combs, pins, quilted caps, band boxes, wax, pens and paper, came to about £40 per annum for the three princesses, paste for hands and pomatum came from the apothecary, Mr. Tagar, and did not come into my bill. I paid the tire woman 129 guineas a year. I paid for tuning the harpsichord, food for their birds, and many other little things belonging to their Royal Highnesses, which were too trifling to mention, which whilst the Duke was with them came to £50 per annum. Their Royal Highnesses had each a page of honour and gentleman usher at £100 sallary. Each one had a dresser at £50, and one chambermaid, I do not know at what sallary. Also one page of the backstairs. The Princesses used the Queen’s coaches, footmen and grooms.” The Princesses led singularly idle, purposeless lives; Anne and Amelia chiefly occupied themselves with card-playing and the petty intrigues of the court, and the way their father treated them led them early to lie and practise the arts of dissimulation. Even Princess Caroline, when we have credited her with all the virtues, remains a colourless nonentity. The Princesses always appeared at court festivities and took part in whatever was going on, and the Queen would often relax some of the stiffness of etiquette for the benefit of the young people. For instance, sometimes after the evening drawing-rooms she would turn the function into a ball. We read:--