Duke of Clarence
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
The Duke of Clarence - later his Majesty King William IV - was the third son of King George III . In late 1814 he, along with four of his royal brothers, condescended to pay a visit to the house of Mr. Strange and personally request that he attempt to alleviate the king's madness by magic. Mr Strange assented, tho' without any real hope of effecting a cure[32].
During the visit the duke engages Mrs Strange in conversation, and finding in her that ready sympathy with his father's sufferings which any amiable woman would feel, he responds a little too fulsomely by stroking and kissing her hand. Mrs Strange of course is too polite to notice, let alone resent, this familiarity. The Duke was a man of irregular life who for a period of years kept an Irish actress as his mistress, fathering some ten children by her. Such conduct must leave its mark upon one's manners.
During the visit the duke engages Mrs Strange in conversation, and finding in her that ready sympathy with his father's sufferings which any amiable woman would feel, he responds a little too fulsomely by stroking and kissing her hand. Mrs Strange of course is too polite to notice, let alone resent, this familiarity. The Duke was a man of irregular life who for a period of years kept an Irish actress as his mistress, fathering some ten children by her. Such conduct must leave its mark upon one's manners.