Her children, however, knelt by her bedside. Still the
whisperers who censured were unsatisfied--the concession was thrown
away. Why did not the queen receive the communion? Was it, as the world
believed, either 'that she had reasoned herself into a very low and cold
assent to Christianity?' or 'that she was heterodox?' or 'that the
archbishop refused to administer the sacrament until she should be
reconciled to her son?' Even Lord Hervey, who rarely left the
antechamber, has only by his silence proved that she did _not_ take the
communion. That antechamber was crowded with persons who, as the prelate
left the chamber of death, crowded around, eagerly asking, 'Has the
queen received?' 'Her majesty,' was the evasive reply, 'is in a heavenly
disposition:' the public were thus deceived. Among those who were near
the queen at this solemn hour was Dr. Butler, author of the 'Analogy.'
He had been made clerk of the closet, and became, after the queen's
death, Bishop of Bristol. He was in a remote living in Durham, when the
queen, remembering that it was long since she had heard of him, asked
the Archbishop of York 'whether Dr. Butler was dead?'--'No, madam,'
replied that prelate (Dr.
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