Deign you, bright maid, to hear my artless lays,
You'll awe the snarling critics into praise,

If goodness can this bold address forgive,

Nurs'd by your smiles, my humble rhymes shall live.*

It was not, however, only the writer of these “artless lays" and "humble rhymes" who addressed the Princess in words of sickening flattery, for on a later visit in 1752,† on the King's birthday the Corporation presented her with a flowery address, in which servility is, perhaps, the least objectionable quality :

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. .

To convince us, Madam, that every human joy is incomplete, ours, in the celebration of this happy festival, receives no small diminution from the departure of your Royal Highness; Our concern upon this occasion is attributed, we own, to your obliging behaviour and unaffected condescension to us.

"These, and your other personal accomplishments, command our reverence and engage our attention, and afford a copious and pleasing subject for our praise and admiration; but your royal presence forbids our enjoyment of it, and we are justly conscious, we should give too great offence to some of your virtues, by attempting to do justice to others.

"Thus far, however, we will presume to declare our desires, that your felicity may be in some measure adequate to your deserts; and to assure your Royal Highness, if our united wishes can prevail, you are

* Mary Chandler: "A Description of Bath." A Poem humbly inscribed to Princess Amelia. 1734.

† On this occasion Princess Amelia was accompanied by her brother, the Duke of York, and Princess Buildings and York Buildings were called after them.

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already secure of a safe return to the arms of his Majesty, whom God long preserve to be a blessing to his people."

Six years after Princess Amelia's first visit another royal personage, the Prince of Orange, came to Bath for the benefit of his health; and Nash, who was not the man to let slip a chance to advertise his principality, rechristened the Grove the Orange Grove, and in the centre set up an obelisk!:

In Memoriam

Sanitates

PRINCIPI AURIACO

Aquarum Thermalium Potu.

Faventi DEO,

Ovante Britannia,

Felicitur Restitutæ,

M.DCC.XXXIV.†

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A greater honour, however, was in store for Bath, and this was duly chronicled as the historic event of Tuesday, October 17, 1738. The Prince and Princess of Wales (having set out for their seat at Cleifden, near Maidenhead, Bucks, the 16th) arrived at Bath: They were received at the City Gates by the Mayor and Corporation in their Formalities, when Mr. Serjeant Eyre, their Recorder, made an elegant speech, to which the Prince returned a most gracious

* Bath! the divine Hygeia's favour'd child,
Where pigs were once and Princes now are boiled.
Ellis: "Bath, its Beauties and Amusements."

+ "In Memory of the happy restoration to Health of the Prince of Orange, by drinking the Bath Waters, through the favour of God, and to the joy of Britain, 1734.”

and obliging answer; from whence their Royal Highnesses were conducted to their lodgings in the great Square, all the Corporation walking before them bareheaded through the principal streets of the City, and at their Lodgings had all the Honour to kiss their Hands. In the Evening their Royal Highnesses were at the Ball. The Magistrates of Bath have regulated the Price of Provisions on account of their Arrival."* And here, to show that the Address to his sister was not singular, nor especially inspired by her personal merits, may be given the city's address, also delivered on the King's birthday, to his Royal Highness: "The Corporation of the loyal City of Bath, truly sensible how auspicious the Birth of his Majesty was to this nation, presume to wait on your Royal Highness to give you joy on that occasion. A Birth, to which we owe a continuance of those invaluable blessings, which your successful struggles for liberty procured us in that glorious Act of Succession: a birth, to which we are indebted, Sir, for your Royal Highness, in whose presence we enjoy all possible happiness. More we could say, but words have not power to express the joy we feel; but we hope the actions and behaviour of every member of this Corporation and City will convince his Majesty and your Royal Highness that we commemorate this day with exceeding great joy." This delight at the birth of Frederick is amusing to those who are acquainted with the mean, vicious character of that Prince, of whom the kindest criticism is contained in the concluding lines of a rhymed epitaph :

* Gentleman's Magazine, October 1738.