Florizel's Folly. Ashton John

us of a remark of Henry the Great, "that fate does not depend upon a sunbeam!" – The example of the British prince was followed by his insular friends and Parisian visitors. The road from Brighthelmstone to Lewes, was crowded by gentlemen jockies and jockey sharpers; carriages of various denominations, and a company of all descriptions. The Steine was depopulated of all save a few living caricatures, consisting of antique Females, and balloonified squires from the City, too awkward and unwieldy to wear boots, or venture on horseback: to this class of beings, the ball room was relinquished.

      'The Course ground continued, during the races, frequented by fashionable guests. Besides the English and French princes, were present the Duc de Lauzun, Marquis de Conflans, Count Seguir, the Russian minister, and several others from the Continent. The Duke of Queensberry, Lord Cholmondeley, Lord Foley, and many more of the Jockey Club were on the ground.

      'The Bets were high, though the sport was indifferent; the Duke de Chartres, Duke of Queensberry and Sir Charles Bunbury, were principally engaged in the success of the day. The Gallic Duke was in such spirits, that it was said his Highness would have mounted an Air balloon had one been present.

      'A Pedestrian Race was, also, proposed between a fat gentleman, and a lean one: but the former complaining that the atmosphere was low, gave up the contest as he was fearful he should be hard blowed!'33

      The Prince being at Brighton made all the difference in the gaiety of the place, and his occasional absence in London is thus commented upon: 'Brighthelmstone, comparatively speaking, within these few days, has become almost a desert; scarce a person of fashion remains; the whole company now consists of antiquated virgins, emaciated beaux, and wealthy citizens, with their wives and daughters; the latter of whom have some weight in continuing a few needy adventurers, who are as watchful as lynxes, for an opportunity of carrying off the golden prizes.'34

      Note how this all changes when he returns. 'Extract from a Letter from Brighthelmstone, dated Sep. 5. We are all alive and merry here. Besides the honour of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales's company, we are favoured with those of the Duchess of Ancaster, Lady Charlotte Bertie, Lady Mary Brudenell, the Bishop of Winchester, Lord and Lady Beauchamp, the Right Hon. Mr. Fox, with many others; and, last night, the Right Hon. Mr. Pitt, accompanied by Mr. Steele, of the Treasury, arrived here.

      'The Prince of Wales was, last night, at the Theatre, accompanied by the Hon. Mr. Erskine, and the Hon. Mr. Onslow, to see the Beggar's Opera, the principal parts of which were represented by gentlemen, and well represented they were. Captain Ash's Macheath much exceeded many of the professional men on either of your London theatres. It was succeeded by a well-timed address, written and spoken by Mr. Bonner, craving the friendly attendance of the company to the future benefits of the several performers.'35

      We also learn by a newspaper paragraph36 that 'the house that the Prince of Wales has at Brighthelmstone, is that which formerly belonged to Lord Egremont's brother, Mr. Wyndham. The Duke of Cumberland had it last year. The house is, or ought to be, the best in the place.'

      This is the house which we have seen was negotiated for the Prince by Weltje, his clerk of the kitchen; at least, this was his nominal title, but in reality he was the Prince's purveyor of his household, and was much mixed up in his financial matters. Louis Weltje was a German of obscure origin, and it is said, at one time, sold cakes in the streets. However, he must have had something in him, and must also have been thrifty, for in the newspapers of 1782 and 1783 we find several mentions of Weltje's Club, and he had a famous pastry-cook's shop and restaurant in St. James Street, and afterwards in Pall Mall. In the satirical prints in the British Museum for 1783, drawn by Captain Hays, is 'Mr. Weltjee's Fruit Shop, Pall Mall.' Madame Weltje, a large woman, is seated at a horseshoe counter, on which is a variety of fruit. In the window are displayed pines, grapes, bottles, and jars. A manuscript note says her shop was 'next door neighbour to Mr. Neville.' He served the Prince for some years, but was at last superseded. On his retirement he bought a large house at Hammersmith, formerly in the occupation of Lord Allington, the supporters of whose arms, two talbots, decorated the gate-posts. In this house, which he bequeathed to his brother Christopher, he died, probably of apoplexy, in 1810, and was buried in Hammersmith Churchyard. His name still exists in the neighbourhood in Weltje Road, which runs from the Upper Mall to King Street West, and consists of sixty-eight houses.

      We have seen that Fox was at Brighton in 1784. Fox, who was the 'guide, philosopher, and friend' of Prince Florizel, was at this time a man of about thirty-five or thirty-six, having been born in 1749. By his birth, education, and talents he should have been a fitting companion for the Prince, but he was lax in his morals, an inveterate gambler, and a hard drinker, and a worse comrade for a young man could scarcely be found. Indeed, at the end of the Westminster election of 1784 Gillray caricatured him in a satirical print entitled 'Preceptor and Pupil' as a loathsome toad with a fox's brush, who is whispering into the ear of the sleeping (or drunken) Prince: 'Abjure thy country and thy parents, and I will give thee dominion over many powers. Better to rule in Hell than serve in Heaven!'

      Apropos of this election, which lasted forty days, and brought Fox in second at the poll, it is perhaps as famous as any in our electoral history. Much to the disgust of his parents, the Prince threw himself heart and soul into the fray, wearing a 'Fox cockade' at Ranelagh, and allowing members of his household to canvas for his boon companion. During the election, Gillray produced a satirical print (April 18, 1784) called 'Returning from Brooks's,' where the Prince, exceedingly drunk, and wearing the 'Fox cockade,' is being helped along by Fox and Sam House, a publican who kept a house, called The Intrepid Fox, at the corner of Peter Street and Wardour Street. 'Honest Sam House,' as he was called, was a violent politician and Whig, and during this election kept open house at his own expense. House figures in many caricatures of the time, and his fame was even enshrined in verse:

      'See the brave Sammy House, he's as still as a mouse,

      And does canvas with prudence so clever;

      See what shoals with him flocks, to poll for brave Fox:

      Give thanks to Sam House, boys, for ever, for ever, for ever!

      Give thanks to Sam House, boys, for ever!

      'Brave bald-headed Sam, all must own, is the man,

      Who does canvas for brave Fox so clever:

      His aversion, I say, is to small beer and Wray:37

      May his bald head be honour'd for ever, for ever, for ever!

      May his bald head be honour'd for ever!'

      There is another satirical print, which is dated January, 1785, by an unknown artist, called 'Fox singing a Song to the P – e of W – l – s.' Fox and the Prince are playing cards and drinking. Fox sings:

1

      'Tho' matters at present go cross in the realm,

      You will one day be K – g, Sir, and I at the helm;

      So let us be jovial, drink, gamble and sing,

      Nor regard it a straw, tho' we're not yet the thing.

      Tol de rol, tol, tol, tol de rol.

2

      'The proverb informs us, each dog has his day,

      So those that oppose us, this fate must obey;

      But time's on our side, Sir, and now on the wing,

      To make me a statesman, and you, Sir, the K – g.

      Tol de rol, etc.

3

      'In vain are harangues, I as well may be dumb,

      And let motions alone, till our day, Sir, is come;

      Then Thurlow and Pitt from their state we will fling,

      They may go below stairs, Sir, so we are the thing.

      Tol

33

Morning Herald, August 10.

34

Ibid., August 21.

35

Morning Herald, September 9.

36

Ibid., August 27.

37

Sir Cecil Wray, one of the candidates.