It is not perhaps generally known, that the present King
is given to oratory (especially in the afternoons); and that he is very critical in the right use of words. An instance of his critical exactness occurred the other day, when the Speech on the prorogation of Parliament was under preliminary discussion. His Majesty remarked, that in the paragraph (in the first draft of the Speech) which referred to the improvements effected in the Law during the session, the term "transference of property " was steed : "Now," said the King, "it may be all very well for Lord Iftsouanast, who was educated at a Scotch University, to use such nerds as transference; but as I happen to have been born and Bred in England, I think it incumbent upon me to speak pure English ; and therefore wish some other word to be substituted for transference." It was suggested that perhaps his Majesty would not object to the substitution of " conveyance," as being a word of Saxon origin—while "transference" certainly was derived from the Latin. This alteration satisfied the King ; and accordingly "conveyance" was inserted in the Speech His Majesty tells this little secret of the Cabinet with great glee.
It is something to have a Sovereign thus qualified to correct his Ministers. It is gratifying to observe the scrupulous care with which the King " preserves our nobler parts of speech." He will mot allow these Scotch-bred Chancellors " to confound the lan- guage of the nation" with their pedantic Latinisms!
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