[116] The author desires to acknowledge his indebtedness to "The Life and Letters of Lady Sarah Lennox. Edited by the Countess of Ilchester and Lord Stavordale (Murray, 1901)," and to express his thanks to Lord Ilchester, the owner of the copyright, for permission to insert several extracts from that work. Lady Sarah had attracted the attention of George II one day when walking in Kensington Gardens by breaking away from her nurse or governess--she was but five years old--and addressing him without ceremony: "_Comment vous portez vous, Monsieur le roi? Vous avez une grande et belle maison ici, n'est pas?_" Her audacity pleased the sovereign, and he saw her frequently until 1751, when she was sent to Ireland to her aunt, Lady Kildare, with whom she remained until she was thirteen. Then she was placed in the care of Lady Caroline Fox[117] and not long afterwards the King, in spite of her youth, invited his favourite to court, where, however, he played and joked with her as if she was still a little child. The unexpected treatment embarrassed her; she could find nothing to say, and shyly kept her eyes on the ground, whereupon the King turned from her, saying, "Pooh! she's quite stupid." The young Prince of Wales was "struck with admiration and pity" at this sight of beauty in distress, and then and there, we are told, fell in love--thus showing an appreciation of good looks that was not common with the Georges. [117] Afterwards the wife of Henry Fox, first Baron Holland.