Stuarts

THE CHEVALIER ST. GEORGE 219
in the palace of Cardinal York. In 1845 '* was bought by the eighth Earl
of Northesk and brought to Scotland. On the obverse of a medal by Otto
Hamerani, we may see Clementina driving in a chariot into the Eternal City,
with the motto " fortvnam cavsam qve seqvor," and in the exergue the still
more appropriate words "deceptis cvstodibvs."
It is a melancholy reflection that after all these romantic escapades
James and Clementina were not a happy couple.
'Tis a delicate thing in such cases rightly to apportion blame. As is so
often the case, there were faults on both sides no doubt, and the circum-
stances of their lot must often have been trying in the extreme.
A King without a court ; a monarch without subjects ; exiles both ; she
young, lighthearted, perhaps frivolous ; he grave, laborious, and indifferent to
society, and to the pleasures dear to the heart of a young and pretty woman ;
these are some of the conditions of their lot, and who can wonder if some-
times the incompatibility of temperament made itself felt? Moreover, James
was poor, for he made great efforts to provide for his impoverished adherents,
and even a large pension from the Pope went to aid his exiled friends. On
the other hand, he had an Anglican chapel in Rome for his Protestant
adherents ; "it was always his attitude to be thoroughly tolerant ; to his
own creed he must cling, but never would he do other than protect the
religion of his subjects." He was immersed in business, absorbing if futile,
and mainly conducted his own immense correspondence. His fault was a
desire to be always in the right, and always to be acknowledged to be so —
d' avoir toujours raison !
He is commonly credited with fair abilities, but stigmatised as licentious,
faithless, and, indeed, thoroughly selfish. A contrast is drawn between him
and his son, and not in the father's favour. " No man," says Lord Stanhope,
" could express himself with more clearness and elegance than James, but on
the other hand his conduct was always deficient in energy and enterprise.
His son Charles was no penman, but his quick intelligence and his contempt
of danger are recorded on unquestionable testimony. Another quality of
Charles's mind was great firmness of resolution, which pride and sorrow after-
wards hardened into sullen obstinacy."
Physically, James was sufficiently presentable. As a boy he must have
been good looking. He was of good height, straight, and well made, and,
if the picture of him in a breastplate which is given in this work be any
criterion, he might, but for a certain vacuity of expression when he grew