The Prince of Wales had an unbounded propensity for gallantry, and his companions of broken fortunes about him ingratiated themselves in his favour by pandering to his evil propensities. The Pavilion of Brighton, therefore, being secluded, was chosen as his favourite resort, whereto were brought the mistresses of his passions; and such a notoriety did the building attain that it was commonly spoken of as “the residence having at one end a harem, and at the other a chapel.” An incident of one of his early visits to Brighton will exhibit his irresistance of temptation. His Royal Highness, while walking on the beach, was struck with the beauty of a nymph who was reclining by one of the groynes. Her name was Charlotte Fortescue, an illiterate female, who counteracted her defective educational qualifications by artifice and intrigue, and by her art she threw such an air of simplicity and innocence over her actions as to hide the real nature of her character from the Prince, whose exalted position she soon discovered. Again and again he met her; and believed that he had gained her confidence. Tears suffused her cheeks as she spoke of a marriage to which she was about to be forced, that would take her from her native country. The Prince eventually proposed an elopement, and in order to give a romantic air to the affair, it was arranged that the dress of a footman was to be procured for his frail fugitive, and that His Royal Highness that evening should have his phæton in waiting a few miles on the London Road, to bear away his prize. However, while the Prince was dressing for dinner, Colonel Hanger, who had just commenced his life of profligacy, was announced. At dinner the Prince excused himself upon having to leave them early, as he had most important business to transact that night in the metropolis. Hanger spoke of having left there that morning in search of a girl for whom he had provided private apartments in London, and remarked, “The hussy takes it into her head every now and then to absent herself for a few days; and I have now been given to understand that she is carrying on some intrigue with a fellow at this place. Let me but catch him, and I will souse him over head and ears in the sea.” A little explanation sufficed to convince them both that the runaway was none other than the female with whom the Prince was so smitten, and it was arranged, in order to outwit her, that Hanger should put on one of the coats in which she had been occasioned to see her Royal lover, and take his seat on the coach-box, instead of the Prince. That night Hanger bore off his mistress to London, much to her chagrin that the romantic elopement should have such an unexpected termination, as the manner in which His Royal Highness travelled, one horse before the others, the first ridden by a postilion, and himself managing the other two, prevented a recognition till the female footman descended from the “dicky,” in London. The imposition