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The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III. / From the Accession of George III. to the Twenty-Third Year of the Reign of Queen Victoria cover

The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III. / From the Accession of George III. to the Twenty-Third Year of the Reign of Queen Victoria

Chapter 886: DEATH OF THE DUKE OF YORK.
By Edward Farr
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About This Book

The volume traces British political, parliamentary, and military developments from the accession of George III through the early nineteenth century, chronicling changes of ministry and cabinet, debates over colonial taxation and the American conflict, parliamentary controversies involving figures such as Wilkes and Warren Hastings, questions of Catholic relief and slave-trade abolition, and responses to the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars, including major naval and continental campaigns, the union with Ireland, and domestic legislation on finance, civil liberties, and parliamentary reform.

DEATH OF THE DUKE OF YORK.

A.D. 1827

The earliest public event of the year was the death of the Duke of York, the heir presumptive of the crown. His royal highness had been for some time seriously ill, and as far back as the month of July his disease had assumed the character of dropsy. The progress of the complaint had rendered an operation necessary in September; but though the result of the operation, aided by the effects of medicine, removed the constitutional complaint, its partial influence on the frame was followed by a mortification in the legs, which, assuming sometimes a more favourable, and sometimes a more alarming appearance, gradually weakened the whole system. His constitution sunk beneath the power of art which was intended to revive it: nature gave up the struggle on the 5th of January, his royal highness being in the sixty-fourth year of his age. His death was accompanied by sincere and universal regret; for though he had failings, they were hidden from the public gaze by his more prominent virtues. Seldom, indeed, have the public services of one so near the throne produced to the country so much solid and lasting good, as resulted from his long administration of the British army. His private character was also formed to conciliate personal attachments: he never made a personal enemy, nor lost a friend. Everyone who had intercourse with him was impressed with the kindness of his heart, kindness which appeared in all his actions. In a word, his public and private character excited one universal sentiment of respect and esteem. The soldier mourned over him as that of a benefactor to whom he was indebted for comfort, security, and respectability; and all other ranks of society joined in their lamentations over a prince whose personal qualities had been always popular, and to whom, in his public capacity, they felt that the empire owed a heavy debt of gratitude for all that he had effected for its safety and honour. His royal highness was succeeded as commander-in-chief by the only man in whom personal merit and the fullest confidence of the country were united—the Duke of Wellington.