seal and all to the minister, to do what he liked with them; and
discontinued altogether the short Durbar, or levees, which his
father, grandfather, and all former sovereigns had held--before they
entered on the business of the day--with the heads of departments and
secretaries, and at which all the members of the royal family and
aristocracy of the city attended, to pay their respects to their
sovereign; and soon ceased altogether to see the heads of departments
and secretaries, to hear orders read, and to ask questions about
state affairs.

The minister has become by degrees almost as inaccessible as his
sovereign, to all but his deputies, heads of departments,
secretaries, and Court favourites, whom it is his interest to
conciliate. Though the minister has his own confidential deputies and
secretaries, the same heads of departments are in office as under the
present King's father and grandfather; and, though no longer
permitted to attend upon or see the King, they are still supposed to
submit to the minister, for orders, all reports from local
authorities, intelligence-writers, &c., and all petitions from
sufferers; but, in reality, he sees and hears read very few, and
passes orders upon still less. Any head of a department, deputy,
secretary, or favourite, may receive petitions, to be submitted to
the minister for orders; but it is the special duty of no one to
receive them, nor is any one held responsible for submitting them for
orders. Those only who are in the special confidence of the minister,
or of those about Court, from whom he has something to hope or
something to fear, venture to receive and submit petitions; and they
drive a profitable trade in doing so. A large portion of those
submitted are thrown aside, without any orders at all; a portion have
orders so written as to show that they are never intended to be