Line 11. Pickpocket Peer.  This would be Henry Dundas, Viscount Melville (1742-1811), Pitt’s lieutenant, who was impeached for embezzling money as First Lord of the Admiralty.  He was acquitted, but that was a circumstance that would hardly concern Lamb when in this mood.

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Page 120. On a Projected Journey.

The Champion, July 15 and 16, 1820.  Reprinted in The Poetical Recreations of “The Champion," 1822.  George IV.’s visit to Hanover did not, however, occur till October, 1821.  This is entitled in Ayrton’s MS. book (see below) “Upon the King’s embarcation at Ramsgate for Hanover, 1821.”

Page 120. Song for the C——­n.

The Champion, July 15 and 16, 1820.  Reprinted in The Poetical Recreations of “The Champion," 1822.

A song for the Coronation, which was fixed for 1821.  Queen Caroline returned to England in June, 1820, staying with Alderman Wood (see page 361) in order to be on the spot against that event.  Meanwhile the divorce proceedings began, but were eventually withdrawn.  Caroline made a forcible effort to be present at the Coronation, on July 29, 1821, but was repulsed at the Abbey door.  She was taken ill the next day and died on August 7.  “Roy’s Wife of Aldivalloch” is the Scotch song by Anne Grant.

Page 120. The Unbeloved.

The Champion, September 23 and 24, 1820.  Reprinted in The Poetical Recreations of “The Champion," 1822.  In The Champion the last line was preceded by

      Place-and-heiress-hunting elf,

the reference to heiress-hunting touching upon Canning’s marriage to Miss Joan Scott, a sister of the Duchess of Portland, who brought him L100,000.

Line 4. C——­gh.  Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh and second Marquis of Londonderry (1769-1822), Foreign Secretary from 1812 until his death.  He committed suicide in a state of unsound mind.

Line 6. The Doctor.  This was the nickname commonly given to Henry Addington, Viscount Sidmouth.

Line 8. Their chatty, childish Chancellor.  John Scott, afterwards Earl of Eldon (1751-1838), the Lord Chancellor.

Line 9. In Liverpool some virtues strike.  Robert Banks Jenkinson, Earl of Liverpool (1770-1828), Prime Minister at the time, and therefore principal scapegoat for the Divorce Bill.

Line 10. And little Van’s beneath dislike.  Nicholas Vansittart, afterwards Baron Bexley (1766-1851), Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Line 12. H——­t.  Thomas Taylour, first Marquis of Headfort (1757-1829), the principal figure in a crim. con. case in 1804 when he was sued by a clergyman named Massey and had to pay L10,000 damages.

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Page 121. On the Arrival in England of Lord Byron’s Remains.

From a MS. book of William Ayrton’s.  In The New Times, October 24, 1825, the verses followed the “Ode to the Treadmill.”  The epigram, which was unsigned, then ran thus:—­