Although the King’s alleged oppression towards his son was publicly canvassed by the latter, the prince and his followers invariably named the Queen as the true author of it. The latter, in commenting on this filial course, constantly sacrificed her dignity. ‘My dear lord,’ said Caroline, once, to Lord Hervey, ‘I will give it you under my hand, if you have any fear of my relapsing, that my dear first-born is the greatest ass, and the greatest liar, and the greatest _canaille_, and the greatest beast, in the whole world, and that I most heartily wish he was out of it!’ The King continued to treat him in much the same strain, adding, courteously, that he had often asked the Queen if the beast were his son. ‘The Queen was a great while,’ said he, ‘before her maternal affection would give him up for a fool, and yet I told her so before he had been acting as if he had no common sense.’ While so hard upon the conduct of their son, an entry from Lord Hervey’s diary will show us what was their own: the King’s with regard to decency, the Queen’s with respect to truth. Whilst the Queen was talking one morning touching George I.’s will and other family matters, with Lord Hervey, ‘the King opened her door at the further end of the gallery; upon which the Queen chid Lord Hervey for coming so late, saying, that she had several things to say to him, and that he was always so long in coming, after he was sent for, that she never had any time to talk with him. To which Lord Hervey replied, that it was not his fault, for that he always came the moment he was called; that he wished, with all his heart, the King had more love, or Lady Deloraine more wit, that he might have more time with her Majesty; but that he thought it very hard that he should be snubbed and reproved because the King was old and Lady Deloraine a fool. This made the Queen laugh; and the King asking, when he came up to her, what it was at, she said it was at a conversation Lord Hervey was reporting between the prince and Mr. Lyttelton, on his being made secretary. The King desired him to repeat it. Lord Hervey got out of the difficulty as he best could. When the Queen and my lord next met, she said: “I think I was one with you for your impertinence.” To which Lord Hervey replied, “The next time you serve me so, madam, perhaps I may be even with you, and desire your Majesty to repeat as well as report.”’[38]