The neglected captive of Ahlden--Unnoticed by her son-in-law, except to secure her property--Madame von der Schulenburg --The Queen of Prussia prohibited from corresponding with her imprisoned mother--The captive betrayed by Count de Bar--Death of Queen Anne--Anxiety felt for the arrival of King George--The Duke of Marlborough’s entry--Funeral of the Queen--Public entry of the King--Adulation of Dr. Young--Madame Kielmansegge, the new royal favourite-- Horace Walpole’s account of her--‘A Hanover garland’--Ned Ward, the Tory poet--Expression of the public opinion-- The Duchess of Kendal bribed by Lord Bolingbroke--Bribery and corruption general--Abhorrence of parade by the King 119 CHAPTER XII. CROWN AND GRAVE. Arrival of Caroline, Princess of Wales--The King dines at the Guildhall--Proclamation of the Pretender-- Counter-proclamations--Government prosecutions--A mutiny among the troops--Impeachment of the Duke of Ormond of high treason--Punishment of political offenders-- Failure of rebellion in Scotland--Punishment for wearing oak-boughs--Riot at the mug-house in Salisbury Court, and its fatal consequences--The Prince of Wales removed from the palace--Dissensions between the King and the Prince-- Attempt on the life of King George--Marriage of the King’s illegitimate daughter--The South-Sea Bubble--Birth of Prince William (Duke of Cumberland)--Death of the Duchess of Zell--Stricter imprisonment of the captive of Ahlden--Her calm death--A new royal favourite, Mrs. Brett--Death of the King--The alleged correspondence of Sophia Dorothea and Königsmark 130 _CAROLINE WILHELMINA DOROTHEA_, WIFE OF GEORGE II. CHAPTER I. BEFORE THE ACCESSION. Birth of Princess Caroline--Her early married life-- Eulogised by the poets--Gaiety of the Court of the Prince and Princess at Leicester House--Beauty of Miss Bellenden --Mrs. Howard, the Prince’s favourite--Intolerable grossness of the Court of George I.--Lord Chesterfield and the Princess--The mad Duchess--Buckingham House--Rural retreat of the Prince at Richmond; the resort of wit and beauty--Swift’s pungent verses--The fortunes of the young adventurers, Mr. and Mrs. Howard--The Queen at her toilette--Mrs. Clayton, her influence with Queen Caroline --The Prince ruled by his wife--Dr. Arbuthnot and Dean Swift--The Princess’s regard for Newton and Halley--Lord Macclesfield’s fall--His superstition, and that of the Princess--Prince Frederick’s vices--Not permitted to come to England--Severe rebuff to Lord Hardwicke--Dr. Mead--Courage of the Prince and Princess--The Princess’s friendship for Dr. Friend--Swift at Leicester House-- Royal visit to ‘Bartlemy Fair’ 153 CHAPTER II. THE FIRST YEARS OF A REIGN.