England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century; Great Britain -- History -- William IV, 1830-1837
"A female servant of Mr. Brown, of Northampton, being in town
with her mistress, was permitted to go to the review on Monday
last, and, having obtained liberty from one of the soldiers to
pass in front of the ranks, she approached the Royal carriage
without knowing it, and asked one of the Ladies of Honour, 'Which
is the Queen?' The Queen, hearing the inquiry, immediately
answered, 'I am the Queen!' 'Oh, do show me the King, then!' The
King, hearing the request, instantly turned round, and said with
a smile, 'I am the King!' evidently enjoying her amazement and
delight. The Queen permitted the woman to hold her hand, which
she had seized in the hurry of the moment, for several minutes."
Greville gives us a sketch of his _bourgeoisie_ and its consequences--
"All this was very well; no great harm in it; more affable, less
dignified than the late King; but, when this (a Privy Council)
was over, and he might very well have sat himself quietly down
and rested, he must needs put on his plainer clothes, and start
on a ramble about the streets, alone, too. In Pall Mall he met
Watson Taylor, and took his arm, and went up St. James's Street.
There he was followed by a mob, making an uproar, and when he got
near White's, a woman came up and kissed him. Belfast (who had
been sworn in Privy Councillor in the morning), who saw this from
White's, and Clinton, thought it time to interfere, and came out
to attend him. The mob increased, and, always holding Mr.
Taylor's arm, and flanked by Clinton and Belfast, who got shoved
and kicked about, to their inexpressible wrath, he got back to
the Palace, amid shouting and bawling and applause. When he got
home, he asked them to go in and take a quiet walk in the garden,
and said, 'Oh, never mind all this; when I have walked about a
few times they will get used to it, and take no notice.'
"They even sang songs about him in the streets, of which the
following is one:--
"THE KING AND THE SAILOR.
"In Portsmouth town, at the sign of the Ship,
A jolly Jack Tar sat drinking flip;
A messmate was there, who spun him a yarn
That we'd a new King, he'd soon give him to larn.
"Says sailor Ben to sailor Jim,
'He's a King and a sailor trim,
And 'bout him there's no palaver or fuss,
A cause, don't you know, he is one of us.'
"Says sailor Ben to his messmate Jim,
'He knows that I've sailed under him;
And when our ship's paid off at Chatham,
I'll go and have a good stare at 'em.'
"Now Ben Block he arriv'd at the park,
And soon the King and Queen did mark;
Says Ben, says he, 'I'll bet you a tanner,
He hails you in a King-like manner.'
[Illustration: Bourgeoisie.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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