Fitzherbert, Maria Anne, 1756-1837; George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830
'THE CONVENTION, OR A HINT AT EMANCIPATION,' is another on the same
subject (February 18, 1805). Mrs. Fitzherbert, who has been reading
'The Reign of Queen Mary,' is seated at a table with a monk, who is
making a hearty meal of roast beef and port wine. She says: 'Oh,
Father, they want to rob me of my charge, I will not part with her;
entrusted to my care, I have the will and the power to make her as mine
own, and save one Heretic, at least. I know my power, and will exert it
for our cause.' Says the monk: 'Dear Child! the labours of the faithful
claim their due regard. That thou hast laboured to promote our cause,
full well I know, and have my brethren well informed. Emancipation is
at hand, and all _depends on thee_.'
But the best print is 'THE GUARDIAN ANGEL. The print taken from the
Rev. Mr. Peter's sublime Idea of an Angel conducting the Soul of
a Child to Heaven.' Mrs. Fitzherbert, with an apron full of 'play
things,' such as rosaries, monstrances, thuribles, service-books, etc.,
is the angel, who, ascending from the Pavilion at Brighton, with Miss
Seymour in her arms, points to an altar surrounded by lighted candles,
flowers, etc., and surmounted by a Virgin and Child. All round are
cherubs--Fox, Sheridan, Earl of Derby, etc., all friends of the Prince.
We learn the following from a newspaper cutting in 1805:
'On Friday and Saturday, the Prince, attended by Col. Leigh and Col.
Hanger, rode for several hours. Soon after six o'clock, on the former
evening, his Royal Highness, in his carriage, left the Pavilion to
dine with the Marchioness of Downshire, at Westfield Lodge. Among the
_elegantes_ present, on this occasion, were, Lord and Lady Harrington,
the beautiful and accomplished Lady Ann Maria Stanhope, Mrs.
Fitzherbert, Baron Eben, Col. Hanger, Col. Leigh, etc., forming, on the
whole, a select and sociable party of fourteen. About nine o'clock, the
Prince, the Marchioness, and the whole of her guests from Westfield
Lodge, removed to the Pavilion, where a most splendid entertainment,
consisting of a ball and supper, etc., was given by the Prince, and
of which the greater part of the most distinguished persons, here
at present, partook, in number somewhat exceeding one hundred and
sixty.... On the night following (Saturday) it being the natal day of
the interesting little _protégée_ of Mrs. Fitzherbert, Miss Seymour,
this young lady gave a ball and supper to a party of juvenile nobility,
at the Pavilion.'
The Prince's birthday in 1806 was celebrated at Brighton with great
festivity.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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