PRINCE WILLIAM HENRY.
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John's, to defray the expenses of cleaning and repairing the streets of the capital. This must have been very requisite, if they were really in the state described in the following passage, (extracted from a letter written from Antigua August 1, 1786.) The streets are spacious, but unpaved, nor is there the least care taken to keep them clean. The prickly pear bush, and other shrubs, are suffered to grow therein, to the annoyance of the passengers, the secreting of every species of nastiness, and to the great increase of vermin, insects, and reptiles, with which this place abounds." Public billiard and other gaming-tables were prohibited, under pain of forfeiture ; much to the good order and welfare of the island. In 1787, our late beloved and lamented sovereign William IV. (then Prince William Henry) honoured Antigua with a visit. During the period of his stay there, he endeared himself to every heart, by that kind condescension and sympathy of manner which marked his every stage through life. As no doubt it will be interesting to my readers to have some account of the' manner in which his highness passed his time, I will insert the following letter, written by John Luffman, the author of the map of Antigua, and published, among other of his epistolary productions, in 1789. "St. John's, Antigua, Jan. 16, 1787. " DEAR SIR,—Prince William Henry arrived here the latter end- of last month in the Pegasus frigate. His appear-
ance has put this little community into a ferment. Addresses were immediately presented to him from the legislative body, and likewise from the merchants, expressive of loyalty to his royal father, and of the happiness and honour his highness had conferred on them by his gracious visit. The address of the legislature was read and presented by a Mr. John Burke, solicitor-general of the Leeward Islands, and speaker of the assembly of this island ; but, notwithstanding this gentleman has been for years hackneyed at the bar, and is a bold orator ; yet, on this occasion, to the astonish-