But from the Queen she tasted yet more positive vexations.  Till she became Countess of Suffolk, she constantly dressed the Queen’s bead, who delighted in subjecting her to such servile offices, though always apologizing to her good Howard.  Often her Majesty had more complete triumph.  It happened more than once, that the King, coming into the room while the Queen was dressing, has snatched off the handkerchief, and, turning rudely to Mrs. Howard, has cried, “Because you have an ugly neck yourself, you hide the Queen’s.”

It is certain that the King always preferred the Queen’s person to that of any other woman; nor ever described his idea of beauty, but he drew the picture of his wife.

Queen Caroline is said to have been very handsome at her marriage, soon after which she had the small-pox; but was little marked by it, and retained a most pleasing countenance.  It was full of majesty or mildness as she pleased, and her penetrating eyes expressed whatever she had a mind they should.  Her voice too was captivating, and her hands beautifully small, plump, and graceful.  Her understanding was uncommonly strong; and so was her resolution.  From their earliest connexion she had determined to govern the King, and deserved to do so; for her submission to his will was unbounded, her sense much superior, and his honour and interest always took place of her own:  so that her love of power that was predominant, was dearly bought, and rarely ill employed.  She was ambitious too of fame; but, shackled by her devotion to the King, she seldom could pursue that object.  She wished to be a patroness of learned men but George had no respect for them or their works; and her Majesty’s own taste was not very exquisite, nor did he allow her time to cultivate any studies.  Her Generosity would have displayed itself, for she valued money but as the instrument of her good purposes:  but he stinted her alike in almost all her passions; and though she wished for nothing more than to be liberal, she bore the imputation of his avarice, as she did of others of his faults.  Often, when she had made prudent and proper promises of preferment, and could not persuade the King to comply, she suffered the breach of word to fall on her, rather than reflect on him.  Though his affection and confidence in her were implicit, he lived in dread of being supposed to be governed by her; and that silly parade was extended even to the most private moments of business with my father.  Whenever he entered, the Queen rose, courtesied, and retired or offered to retire.  Sometimes the King condescended to bid her stay-on both occasions she and Sir Robert. had previously settled the business to be discussed.  Sometimes the King would quash the proposal in question, and yield after retalking it over with her-but then he boasted to Sir Robert that he himself had better considered it.

One of the Queen’s delights was the improvement of the garden at Richmond; and the King believed she paid for all with her own money-nor would he ever look at her intended plans, saying he did not care how she flung away her own revenue.  He little suspected the aids Sir Robert furnished to her from the treasury.  When she died, she was indebted twenty thousand pounds to the King.