Produced by David McClamrock MEMOIR OF QUEEN ADELAIDE, CONSORT OF KING WILLIAM IV. BY DR. DORAN, AUTHOR OF "LIVES OF THE QUEENS OF ENGLAND OF THE HOUSE OF HANOVER," ETC. LONDON: RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET. 1861. [The right of Translation is reserved.] LONDON: PRINTED BY G. PHIPPS, 13 & 14, TOTHILL STREET, WESTMINSTER. ADELAIDE OF SAXE-MEINENGEN. Und ich an meinem Abend, wollte, Ich haette, diesem Weibe gleich, Erfuellt was ich erfuellen sollte In meinen Graenzen und Bereich. A. VON CHAMISSO. The pocket Duchy--Old customs--Early training--The Father of the Princess Adelaide--Social life at the ducal court--Training of the Princess Adelaide--Marriage preliminaries--English parliament--The Duke of Clarence--Arrival in London of the Princess--Quaint royal weddings--At home and abroad--Duke and Duchess of Clarence at Bushey--"State and Dirt" at St. James's--William IV. and Queen Adelaide--Course of life of the new Queen Consort--King's gallantry to an old love--Royal simplicity--The Sovereigns and the Sovereign people--Court anecdotes--Drawing rooms--Princess Victoria--The coronation--Incidents of the day--Coronation finery of George IV.--Princess Victoria not present--Revolutionary period--Reform question--Unpopularity of the Queen--Attacks against her on the part of the press--Violence of party-spirit--Friends and foes--Bearing of the King and Queen--Duchess of Augouleme--King a republican--His indiscretion--Want of temper--Continental press adverse to the Queen--King's declining health--Conduct of Queen Adelaide--King William's death--Declining health of the Queen--Her travels in search of health--Her last illness--Her will--Death--And funeral. THE little Duchy of Saxe-Meinengen was once a portion of the inheritance of the princely Franconian house of Henneberg. The failure of the male line transferred it, in 1583, to the family of reigning Saxon princes. In 1680, it fell to the third son of the Saxon Duke, Ernest the Pious. The name of this son was Bernard. This Duke is looked upon as the founder of the House of Meinengen. He was much devoted to the study of Alchemy, and was of a pious turn, like his father, as far, as may be judged by the volumes of manuscript notes he left behind him--which he had made on the sermons of his various court-preachers.