Page:Sketch of the life and character of His Royal Highness the late Duke of York (1).pdf/4

 4 being given, Colonel Lennox fired, and the bal grazed his Royal Highness's curl. The Duke having refused to fire, the affair terminated." This transaction excited a great deal of interest His Majesty was so affected by it, notwithstanding its fortunate termination, that he abstained in a great measure from his usual amusements. The Duke of York appeared the least concerned of the Royal party, and the following singular occur- rence will demonstrate the feelings by which dif- ferent members of the Royal member were influ- enced on the occasion :- In consequence of the recovery of George III from his lamentable indisposition, the King' birth-day, in 1789, was celebrated with unusua splendour. The King, however, was not present during any part of the day, owing to the shock's occasioned by the duel so recently fought between the Duke of York and Colonel Lennox. In the evening a most splendid ball was given, and not withstanding what had so recently happened, and the established etiquette, that no person shock stand up at country dances who had not dance a minuet, Colonel Lennox appeared in the circle with Lady Catherine Barnard. This the Prince of Wales did not perceive until he and his part- ner, the Princess Royal, came to the Colonel's I place in the dance, when, struck with the impro- priety, he took the hand of the Princess, just as she was about to be turned by the Colonel, and led her to the bottom of the dance. The Duke of York and the Princess Augusta came next, and they turned the Colonel without notice or excep- tion. The Duke of Clarence, with the Princess Elizabeth, came next, and His Royal Highness followed the example of the Prince of Wales.