Bognor, where she had gone for the recovery of her health, an officer of
long standing in the army was arrested for a small sum, and being at a
distance from his friends, and unable to procure bail, he was on the point
of being torn from his family to be conveyed to Arundel gaol. The
circumstance came to the knowledge of the princess, who, in the momentary
impulse of generous feeling, exclaimed, "I will be his bail!" Then,
suddenly recollecting herself, she inquired the amount of the debt; which
being told her, "There," said she, handing a purse with more than the sum,
"take this to him; it is hard that he who has exposed his life in the
field of battle should ever experience the rigours of a prison."--During
the last illness of an old female attendant, formerly nurse to the Princess
Charlotte, she visited her every day, sat by her bedside, and with her own
hand administered the medicine prescribed. When death had closed the eyes
of this poor woman, instead of fleeing in haste from an object so appalling
to the young and gay in general, the princess remained and gave utterance
to the compassion she felt on viewing the remains in that state from which
majesty itself cannot be exempt. A friend of the deceased, seeing Her Royal
Highness was much affected, said, "If your Royal Highness would condescend
to touch her, perhaps you would not dream of her." "Touch her," replied the
amiable princess, "yes, poor thing! and kiss her, too; almost the only one
I ever kissed, except my poor mother!" Then bending her head over the
coffin of her humble friend, she pressed her lips to the cold cheeks, while
tears flowed from her eyes.


M. de Montesquieu being at Marseilles, hired a boat with the intention of
sailing for pleasure; the boat was rowed by two young men, with whom he
entered into conversation, and learnt that they were not watermen by trade,
but silversmiths, and that when they could be spared from their usual
business, they employed themselves in that way to increase their earnings.