Florizel's Folly. Ashton John

name. In September they fish for Whiting with lines: and in November the Herring fishery takes place, which is the most considerable and growing fishery of the whole. Those employed in this pursuit show an activity and boldness almost incredible, often venturing out to Sea in their little boats in such weather as the largest ships can scarce live in. Part of their acquisition in this way is sent to London, but the greatest share of it is either pickled, or dried and made red. These are mostly sent to foreign markets, making this fishery a national concern…

      'From this account of the fishery of this town, the reader will be satisfied that it must supply a constant and good article in provision to the inhabitants. And although there are complaints made of the inconveniences experienced in the want of a regular and daily market; yet, as few who come here to take the waters can long want an appetite, and as fish of different sorts, excellent mutton, beef, and veal tolerably good, with all kinds of fowl, may be had in plenty twice or thrice a week, the rarities of a London market may be resigned unregretted for a few months.'

      It is probable that very few towns have so many variations on their names as Brighton, which modernized form began somewhere about 1775; at least, that is the earliest date I have met with. F. E. Sawyer, Esq., F.M.S., in an article on the 'Ecclesiastical History of Brighton' in the 'Sussex Archæological Collections,' vol. xxix., pp. 182, 183, gives forty-five different readings of the name, together with the authorities whence they are derived, and he repeated them in Notes and Queries, vi. S. ii. 376, with the dates of the authorities. They are as follow:

SPELLINGS OF BRIGHTHELMSTONE

      CHAPTER III

Brighton becomes fashionable – Duke of Cumberland there – His character – The Royal Marriage Act – His influence over the Prince of Wales – The Duke and the King – Bad conduct of the Prince of Wales

      BRIGHTON rapidly became fashionable, and we find the announcement on June 1, 1761, of Lord Abergavenny, Lord Bruce, Mr. and Lady Jane Evelyn, Lady Sophia Egerton, etc.; and on June 25, 1775, arrived here the Duke and Duchess of Richmond, Duke and Duchess of Marlborough, Ladies Caroline and Eliza Spencer, etc. In 1782 it was patronized by Royalty, for the somewhat eccentric Princess Amelia Sophia Eleonora, the second daughter of George II., paid the town a visit, and Henry Frederick, brother to George III. and Duke of Cumberland, took up his residence there at Grove House. An extract from a letter from Brighthelmstone published in the Morning Herald, September 28, 1782, describes the state of society there at that time:

      'Sep. 26. – This place is, at last, as full as an egg, but the company is a motley groupe, I assure you. The Duke of C – is at the head of the whole, and condescendingly associates with all, from the Baron down to the Blackleg! – Play runs high, particularly at Whist; his Royal Highness has touched a few hundreds by betting adverse to Major B – gs, who, apparently, is not like to make a very profitable campaign of it. We have every kind of amusement that fancy can desire for the train of folly and dissipation; and all are crowded beyond measure! Barthelemon has had two or three boreish concerts entirely of his own music, by which he has made much more than he merited. Lady Worsley, who is among us, is the life and soul of equestrian parties, riding sixteen miles within the hour every morning with all imaginable ease! Her Ladyship made a match the other day to ride over our revived course for fifty guineas, p. or p. against her aide du camp, Miss V – rs, and mounted her buckskins and half boots accordingly; but, to the mortification of a great number of spectators, who assembled to see this exhibition of female jockeyship, she declared off at the moment they were expected to start! Few people think of stirring from hence at present, so that it is probable we shall have a jolly season till the staghounds come down, about the middle of next month.'

      This Duke of Cumberland (born 1744, died 1790) was the reverse of estimable in character. He was a confirmed gambler, and never missed a great horse-race when he was in England. In 1770 Lord Grosvenor brought an action against him, and obtained £10,000 damages from him on account of Lady G.; and in 1771 he married Lady Anne Luttrell, the widow of Mr. Christopher Horton, of Derbyshire, a lady much older than himself. This so enraged George III. that he forbade them the Court, and he sent a message to Parliament, recommending a legislative provision for preventing any of the Royal Family marrying without the consent of the King. Hence arose The Royal Marriage Act (12 George III., c. xi.), which was passed in 1772. By this Act none of the descendants of George II., unless of foreign birth, can marry under the age of twenty-five without the consent of the King. At and after that age, after twelve months' notice given to the Privy Council, they may contract such marriage, which shall be good unless both Houses of Parliament disapprove. Walpole gives us a ballad on the Marriage Act, a few verses of which I reproduce:

'The Marriage Act not made by the Late King'a new ballad*****

      'The Duke was restored to his brother's high favour,

      And continued, as usual, his wanton behaviour;

      For adultery at Court was not thought an unfitness,

      As a twice married maiden of honour can witness.

      'But Hymen, indignant to see his laws broke,

      Determined to bend the loose youth to his yoke;

      So a votary true, a bright widow, he chose,

      And the pert little Prince was soon caught in the noose.

      'But, oh! all ye Gods, who inspire ballad-singers,

      Ye Muses, with nine-times-ten ivory fingers,

      I invoke ye to guide both my voice and my pen,

      While I sing of the fury that seized King and Queen.

      'King and Queen, when they heard how th'undutiful whelp

      Had disgraced the great houses of Mecky and Guelp,

      Swore and cried, curs'd and fainted, and calling for Bute,

      Of your Luttrell connexion, cried George, see the fruit.

      'This Irish alliance my projects all bilks,

      I'd as lief he had married the daughter of Wilkes;

      While to humour my mother and you I conspire,

      I am out of the frying-pan into the fire.

*****

      'From the Duke's breach of duty, my act shall receive

      The highest-flown doctrines of prerogative;

      Plantagenets, Tudors, nay, Stuarts I'll quote,

      And what law cannot prove, shall be proved by a vote.

      'To marry, unmarry, son, brother, or heir,

      Has been always his right, our good King shall declare;

      Though as far from the truth as the north from the south,

      It is not the first lie we have put in his mouth.

      'They may burn and be damn'd, but they never shall marry:

      George the Third as despotic, shall be, as Eighth Harry:

      He shall cut off the heads of his sons and his spouses,

      For we'll have no more war between red and white roses.'

*****

      The Duke was ultimately reconciled to the King, but, during the time of his displeasure, the former was a very bad Mentor to the young Prince of Wales, with whom he was most intimate to the day of his death. We learn a great deal about them from Walpole. The following occurred in 1780, when the Prince was eighteen years old:20 'Two days afterwards the Duke told me the Prince of Wales had said to him: "I cannot come to see you now without the King's leave, but in three years I shall be of age, and then I may act for myself. I will declare I will visit you."'

      Again21 (1781): 'But an event soon happened that changed that aspect, and made Cumberland House naturally the headquarters of at least part of the Opposition. The Duchess of Cumberland and

20

'Journal of the Reign of King George the Third, from the Year 1771 to 1783,' by Horace Walpole, London, 1859, vol. ii., p. 416.

21

Ibid., p. 449.