Chapter I: Before the Accession

Birth of Princess Caroline--Her early married life--
Eulogised by the poets--Gaiety of the Court of the Prince
and Princess at Leicester House--Beauty of Miss Bellenden
--Mrs. Howard, the Prince’s favourite--Intolerable
grossness of the Court of George I.--Lord Chesterfield and
the Princess--The mad Duchess--Buckingham House--Rural
retreat of the Prince at Richmond; the resort of wit and
beauty--Swift’s pungent verses--The fortunes of the
young adventurers, Mr. and Mrs. Howard--The Queen at her
toilette--Mrs. Clayton, her influence with Queen Caroline
--The Prince ruled by his wife--Dr. Arbuthnot and Dean
Swift--The Princess’s regard for Newton and Halley--Lord
Macclesfield’s fall--His superstition, and that of the
Princess--Prince Frederick’s vices--Not permitted to
come to England--Severe rebuff to Lord Hardwicke--Dr.
Mead--Courage of the Prince and Princess--The Princess’s
friendship for Dr. Friend--Swift at Leicester House--
Royal visit to ‘Bartlemy Fair’ 153