NEW PARLIAMENT OPENED.

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ture in itself, to answer the purposes of party, by making a powerful impression upon the public mind throughout the empire.

On the 27th of April, the first parliament of George the Fourth assembled, when the King, in his speech from the throne, expressed the satisfaction he felt at the improved state of the country, by the prompt measures that had been pursued for the suppression of sedition and insurrection. The customary addresses were carried without opposition or remark, in both houses; and, as far as that went, there was every appearance of tranquillity. So confident, indeed, were the King and his ministers in the stability of order and peace, that preparations on a splendid scale for the coronation were made, and the court of claims was established.

Things, however, soon took another turn: the rumour of the Queen's approach put an end to the works; and the day of the spectacle, which had been fixed for the first of August, the anniversary of the accession of the Brunswick line to the British throne, was now left undetermined, to wait the issue of coming events. Meanwhile, a negociation was privately carried on with Mr. Brougham, the legal adviser of the Queen; and terms were offered, which, though that gentleman had not direct authority to accept, certainly met with his approbation. But Caroline had made up her mind to cross the Alps, never to return to Italy again. On Thursday, the first of June, she arrived at St. Omer, near which place she was met by Alderman Wood, who at this time possessed a greater share of her confidence than her elder and more tried friends. From St. Omer she wrote three letters; one to the Earl of Liverpool, demand

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FAILURE OF THE NEGOCIATION.

ing a palace to be instantly fitted up for her reception; another to Lord Melville, ordering him, as first lord of the admiralty, to send over to Calais a royal yacht, for her accommodation, and conveyance to Dover; and the third to the Duke of York, full of angry remonstrance and vindictive denunciation.

On the evening of Saturday, Mr. Brougham and Lord Hutchinson arrived at St. Omer; the former on behalf of the Queen, and the latter commissioned by the Government. Mr. Brougham, of course, had his audience first, and, after a few complimentary phrases, he announced to the Queen, that Lord Hutchinson, who had formerly been her warm friend, and was now in the confidence of the King, had come, in the spirit of sincere regard for both, to make some proposals in his Majesty's name; and such as it was hoped would prove satisfactory. When, however, the terms were stated, and the condition explained, that the Queen, in consideration of an annuity of fifty thousand pounds, should remain out of England, and relinquish the regal title; she indig nantly spurned the proposals, and at once resolved to brave all consequences.

In this, she unquestionably did not follow the counsel of Mr. Brougham, who, though he still adhered to her interests, wished to have continued the negociation at St. Omer, rather than in the English metropolis; where, he well knew, the difficulties would so increase, as to render a pacific arrangement impossible. At this time, the Queen was very far from being pleased with her legal friend, whose prudential counsels, she thought, savoured too much of an inclination to gratify the Government at her expense. The circumstance of his embarking in the same vessel with the King's agent, travelling in the

ARRIVAL OF THE QUEEN.

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same vehicle, sleeping at the same inns, and eating at the same table with a nobleman charged with a mission which the Queen considered rather in a hostile than a friendly light, excited some emotions of resentment and jealousy in her mind. Under the impression thus produced, and at the instigation of other persons, who were ill qualified to advise or to act in such a case, this extraordinary woman, immediately on the rupture of the negociation, left St. Omer for Calais, and so suddenly, that Mr. Brougham had no time to follow her to the coach; and, indeed, scarcely knew that she was gone, till, on looking out of the window, he saw the carriage drive away from the door. It was said, that this abrupt departure arose from an apprehension of personal danger to the Queen, while she remained in France; and where, in all her progress, she certainly had been treated with marked disrespect. But even admitting the existence of any ground for such fear on the part of the royal stranger, in a country then at peace with England, there could be no reason for her quitting Mr. Brougham in a manner that implied, as strongly as action could express, a feeling of displeasure.

Immediately on reaching Calais, the Queen went on board the packet, and there passed the night, being, as it would seem, afraid to trust herself in the hotel, lest the French authorities should interfere, and impede her embarkation. At seven the next morning, the packet got under weigh; and, in the afternoon, the Queen landed at Dover, from whence she proceeded without delay to Canterbury, where she slept that night, and on Tuesday evening made her joyous entry into the metropolis.

The history of the proceedings that ensued cannot