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THE REIGN

of the kingdom. On his arrival at Paris, he fixed his residence at the Louvre, but was disappointed in finding that very few of the first nobility of France waited on him: his court was crouded with Frenchmen, but not men of great importance: George could not condemn this mark of their affection for their former sovereign; but like a wise and benevolent Prince, resolved to conquer their disaffection by his clemency and the mildness of his government.

The Kings of France had been absolute Monarchs for many centuries: the parliament of Paris had formerly raised commotions in the kingdom, by their obstinacy in refusing to register the royal edicts; but this appearance of liberty was now entirely at an end: George, determined to make the French love him; and he knew that would be impossible, if he did not give them morehappiness