Descendants of the Stuarts

174 THE DESCENDANTS
Charlotte, had she been called upon to occupy a
position of regal dignity.
While under her aunt Sophia's tuition, Elizabeth
generally resided at Hanover, varying the monotony
of her residence there by an interchange of visits
with her grandmother, the Queen of Bohemia, at the
Hague. It will be remembered, that the Princess
Royal of England, daughter of Charles L, had
married the Prince of Orange, and been early left a
widow. She then held her court at the Hague
with all the pomp of a dowager princess ; and the
difference between her circumstances and those of
her portionless cousins caused some little jealousy
to the latter. This being premised, Elizabeth's ac-
count of a visit she paid her cousin in the company
of her grandmother, will be found both piquant
and interesting. She thus, in her unsophisticated
language, narrates it : — " My aunt, our dear Electress
of Hanover, being at the Hague, did not visit the
princess royal, but the Queen of Bohemia did, and
took me with her. Before I set out, my aunt said
to me, ' Lizette, now take care not to behave as you
generally do (an admonition we fear much needed),
and do not wander away so that you cannot be
found ; — follow the queen step by step, so that she
may not have to wait for you.' 'Oh aunt,' I
replied, 'you shall hear how well I will behave
myself!' When we arrived at the princess royal's,
whom I did not know, I saw her son, whom