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Rh to his royal father, that in promoting the fortunes of Sir Aubrey, that zealous, meritorious, and faithful Minister, he might have been too indifferent to those of the son. The recollection of the father's having recently declined a peerage came afresh upon the mind of the King, who was far from guessing the cause, which, had he done so, might have seemed rather worse than ambition, and less than modesty in Sir Aubrey,—evincing a disposition to confine his honours to himself, and to preclude his posterity from sharing in them. However disproportioned the equivalent, yet in order to afford some immediate compensation to De Brooke for what he, the rightful heir to Sir Aubrey, had been, from some peculiar motives of his father, deprived of, it was ordered by His Majesty, who had ascertained that the name of Colonel De Brooke was on the list of those entitled to the rank of Major-General, that some highly lucrative as well as distinguished post of honour, in short the first falling vacant, should, upon the Gazette of promotions appearing, be conferred upon him.

Meanwhile nothing was hinted on the subject to Sir Aubrey, to whom the pleasure, he supposed, would be the greater, as it was to be unexpected. Thus graciously thought His Majesty, having in