He did for the Crown what Wellington did for the House of Lords.

Just as the Duke saw that the Lords must give up setting themselves against the national will strongly expressed, so did the Prince see that the Crown could no longer exercise those _legal_ rights for which George III.

had fought so manfully.

Like the Lords, the Crown now became a checking and regulating, rather than a moving, force.

It remained as the pledge and symbol of the unity and continuity of the national life, and could do good work in tempering the evils of absolute party government.