Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Memoirs Of His Late Royal Highness Henry Frederic,
of this declaration may be found in his acquisition of the modern languages , in which he was competently informed , though his knowledge was acquired rather in conversation than from any regular endeavours at an attaimentof them . His skill also in musical performance , and judgment in musical compositions , as well as taste in selection , must be admitted as evidences of a capacity that ifin early lifeit had been ' directedand
, , , in the middle order of men constrained to higher objects , might have been proportionabty successful . To those who were not upon an intimate footing with him , his conversation seemed , according to the expression of Hotspur , to be bald , unjo'inted chat ; but those who enjo 3 'ed his confidence have often heard remarks that indicated shrewd observationancl knowledge of
, the world . This declaration is so little consonant with the general idea of the public respecting the character of his Ro 3 'al Flighness , that it nuty * be treated with ridicule , as well as received with incredulity ; let it be considered , however , that the opinions of mankind were adverse to his intellectual repute , and that , whatever he spoke , his auditors were rather prepared to expect something frivolousthan
, to examine whether what he uttered was realty so . The truth is , that he possessed a strong flow of spirits , which betra 3 * ed him into conversation before he had sufficiently reflected upon what he was inclined to say , though his most precipitate observations were always less exceptionable , in point of judgment , than the malignant and the
satirical have been disposed to represent . Another consideration , which has b 3 no means been attended to so much as candour required , was the indistinct manner in which , perhaps by some defect in . his organs , he usually expressed himself . This inaccurate mode of delivery was often the occasion of many injurious misconceptions ; for what he said was not alwa 3 * s
understood ; and his hearers , rather than give him the trouble of repetition , have pretended to comprehend his meaning , sometimes conceiving that what he said would not have deserved attention if it had been intelli gibly conveyed ; but oftener , more probably , these inarticulate remarks have been inconsiderately admitted , and invidiously related , as certain evidences of frivolity . His animal spirits were indeed
uncommonly active ; and upon most occasions , if his life is recollected apart from the habitual prejudices against him , it will be found that what seemed weakness was generall y the effect of an extraordinary vivacity . As to the MORAL characteiyof the Duke , the public have also been disposed to a harsh judgment , without a sufficient reason . In the
younger part of his life he was inclined to those pursuits of gallantry which are always to be expected at the period of juvenile indiscretion , particularly when the means of gratification are possessed in the most tempting abundance ; but the wild and debasing sensuality that mark our present tribe of fashionable 3 'oung men was never discoverable in his conduct . He . was , upon some well-known occasions , led astray by youth and beauty ; btit when mankind consider the attrac-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Memoirs Of His Late Royal Highness Henry Frederic,
of this declaration may be found in his acquisition of the modern languages , in which he was competently informed , though his knowledge was acquired rather in conversation than from any regular endeavours at an attaimentof them . His skill also in musical performance , and judgment in musical compositions , as well as taste in selection , must be admitted as evidences of a capacity that ifin early lifeit had been ' directedand
, , , in the middle order of men constrained to higher objects , might have been proportionabty successful . To those who were not upon an intimate footing with him , his conversation seemed , according to the expression of Hotspur , to be bald , unjo'inted chat ; but those who enjo 3 'ed his confidence have often heard remarks that indicated shrewd observationancl knowledge of
, the world . This declaration is so little consonant with the general idea of the public respecting the character of his Ro 3 'al Flighness , that it nuty * be treated with ridicule , as well as received with incredulity ; let it be considered , however , that the opinions of mankind were adverse to his intellectual repute , and that , whatever he spoke , his auditors were rather prepared to expect something frivolousthan
, to examine whether what he uttered was realty so . The truth is , that he possessed a strong flow of spirits , which betra 3 * ed him into conversation before he had sufficiently reflected upon what he was inclined to say , though his most precipitate observations were always less exceptionable , in point of judgment , than the malignant and the
satirical have been disposed to represent . Another consideration , which has b 3 no means been attended to so much as candour required , was the indistinct manner in which , perhaps by some defect in . his organs , he usually expressed himself . This inaccurate mode of delivery was often the occasion of many injurious misconceptions ; for what he said was not alwa 3 * s
understood ; and his hearers , rather than give him the trouble of repetition , have pretended to comprehend his meaning , sometimes conceiving that what he said would not have deserved attention if it had been intelli gibly conveyed ; but oftener , more probably , these inarticulate remarks have been inconsiderately admitted , and invidiously related , as certain evidences of frivolity . His animal spirits were indeed
uncommonly active ; and upon most occasions , if his life is recollected apart from the habitual prejudices against him , it will be found that what seemed weakness was generall y the effect of an extraordinary vivacity . As to the MORAL characteiyof the Duke , the public have also been disposed to a harsh judgment , without a sufficient reason . In the
younger part of his life he was inclined to those pursuits of gallantry which are always to be expected at the period of juvenile indiscretion , particularly when the means of gratification are possessed in the most tempting abundance ; but the wild and debasing sensuality that mark our present tribe of fashionable 3 'oung men was never discoverable in his conduct . He . was , upon some well-known occasions , led astray by youth and beauty ; btit when mankind consider the attrac-