Clarences--those wild "olive branches about the table" of His Majesty;
and they were doubtless aware of that little unfortunate habit of
profanity, acquired on the high-seas, and scarcely becoming to the Head
of the Church; but they, perhaps, considered that His Majesty swore as
the sailor, not as the sovereign. He certainly made a good end, hearing
many prayers, and joining in them as long as he was able, and devoutly
receiving the communion; and what is better, manifesting some tender
anxiety lest his faithful wife and patient nurse should do too much and
grieve too much for him. When he saw her like to break down, he would
say: "Bear up; bear up, Adelaide!" just like any other good husband.
William was not a bad King, as Kings went in those days; he was,
doubtless, an orthodox churchman, and we may believe he was a good
Christian, from his charge to the new Bishop of Ely when he came to "kiss
hands" on his preferment: "My lord, I do not wish to interfere in any way
with your vote in Parliament, except on one subject--the Jews. I trust I
may depend on your always voting against them!"

When the solemn word went through the old Castle of Windsor, "The King is
dead!" his most loyal ministers, civil and religious, added under their
breath: "Long live the Queen!" and almost immediately the Archbishop of
Canterbury and the Lord Chamberlain left Windsor and travelled as fast as
post-horses could carry them, to Kensington Palace, which they reached in
the gray of the early dawn. Everybody was asleep, and they knocked and
rang a long time before they could rouse the porter at the gate, who at
last grumblingly admitted them. Then they had another siege in the court-
yard; but at length the palace door yielded, and they were let into one
of the lower rooms, "where," says Miss Wynn's account, "they seemed
forgotten by everybody." They rang the bell, called a sleepy servant, and
requested that the special attendant of the Princess Victoria should
inform her Royal Highness that they desired an audience on "very