The Project Gutenberg eBook of Memoirs of Sarah Duchess of Marlborough, by Mrs. A. T. Thomson

406. His infamous example was renewed in that singular, gifted, and most profligate nobleman, his son, Philip Duke of Wharton. Modern times scarcely furnish a parallel to the character of this peer.

“Like Buckingham and Rochester,” says one who understood him well, “he comforted all the grave and dull, by throwing away the brightest profusion of parts on witty fooleries, which may mix graces with a great character, but can never compose one. If Julius Cæsar had only rioted with citizens, he had never been the emperor of the world.” The courage of this bad, wild, singular man was not equal to his assurance. Abuse sometimes displays cowardice; it is the cool and temperate who are usually courageous. Lord Wharton, with the levity of a man who really loved nothing but pleasure, and really prized nothing but self-interest, could jest at his own want of heroism. When seized by the guard in St. James’s Park for singing the Jacobite air, “The King shall have his Own again,” as he has himself recorded in his ballad,

“The duke he drew out half his sword,

The guard drew out the rest.”

The worst attribute of Philip Duke of Wharton, as a citizen of the world, was his indifference to reputation. Men of pleasure are not generally indifferent to a character for honour and consistency; but Lord Wharton cared merely for ephemeral applause. Attached, in reality, to no party, and having no actual motives but those of expediency, there was not the slightest dependence to be placed upon those visionary things, his opinions, beyond the moment when he was haranguing a popular assembly, or debating in the House of Lords. It is well known that at a later period, in 1723, upon the third reading of a Bill of Pains and Penalties against Atterbury Bishop of Rochester, Lord Wharton accomplished a brilliant display by a most dishonourable artifice. He went to Chelsea, where the minister resided, and professing his resolution to effect a reconciliation with the court by speaking against the Bishop, requested some suggestions upon the case. Thus enticed, the minister went over the whole argument with his lordship. Wharton returned to town, passed the night in drinking, (his libraries being, as Horace Walpole observes, made taverns,) went to the House of Lords, without going to bed, and made a most eloquent speech in favour of the Bishop, showing all the weak points of the arguments which he had thus surmounted, in the most able and masterly manner.

407. Horace Walpole’s Reminiscences.

409. Conduct, p. 130.

410. Conduct, p. 131.

412. Boyer, Appendix.

413. Lord Rochester married Henrietta, daughter of Lord Burlington, by whom he had five daughters and one son, who succeeded him in his titles. “He was,” says Mackay, “easily wound up to a passion.”—Pref. to Clarendon Papers, vol. i. p. 18.

414. Conduct, p. 132.

417. Essay from the Quarterly Review.

419. Other Side of the Question, p. 157.

420. Remarks upon the Conduct, &c., p. 43.

421. Cunningham, b. iv. p. 125.

422. Cunningham, b. iv. p. 125.

424. Burnet, vol. v. p. 88.

425. Narrative on Mrs. Morley’s coming to town. St. Albans, 1709. Coxe, vol. i. p. 142.

427. Coxe, Papers, B. M., vol. xli. p. 22.

428. Coxe, p. 158. From Marlborough Papers.

429. Coxe, Papers, p. 43.

430. Coxe, vol. i. p. 159–172.

431. Coxe, MSS. British Museum, vol. xli. folio, p. 11.

432. Coxe, 192. Note.

433. Cunningham, b. v. p. 296.

435. Coxe, MSS., B. M.

437. State of Europe, 1702.

439. Marlborough Papers.

440. Conduct, p. 303.

441. Conduct, p. 305.

443. See Lord Marlborough’s Letter, fragment. Coxe, p. 206.

445. Cunningham, b. vi. p. 314.

446. The Duke of Ormond had recently, in a very gallant manner, taken Vigo, in conjunction with Sir George Rook. A great booty was taken, but whilst the Spaniards sustained a heavy loss, the English were not comparatively benefited. “A great deal of the treasure taken at Vigo,” says Burnet, “was embezzled, and fell into private hands; one of the galleons foundered at sea.”—Burnet, vol. v. p. 115.

449. Conduct, p. 295.

450. Cunningham, vol. vi. p. 314.

451. Lord Cowper’s Diary, MS., p. 16.

452. Private Correspondence, vol. ii. p. 126.

453. Cunningham, b. vi. p. 315.

454. Harley first saw the light in Bow-street, Covent Garden.

455. Coxe, vol. i. p. 210.

456. Burnet, vol. v. p. 125.

459. Royal and Noble Authors, p. 436.

460. Burnet, vol. i. p. 683.

461. Royal and Noble Authors, p. 436.

462. See MSS. Letters from Lord Sunderland, in which he extols the Duchess’s political exertions. Coxe, Papers B. M. Vol. xli. p. 13.

463. Burnet, vol. v. p. 123.

464. Cunningham, book v. p. 317.

465. Somerville, chap. xi. p. 27.

466. Burnet, vol. v. p. 120, 121.

467. Conduct, p. 136.

468. Conduct, p. 138.

469. Cunningham, b. v. p. 138.

471. Cunningham, p. 318.

472. Conduct, p. 142.

474. Burnet, vol. v. p. 138.

475. Granger, vol. ii. p. 41.

476. Congreve’s Works.

477. Coxe, vol. i. p. 217.

479. Ibid. vol. i. p. 219.

480. Collins’s Baronage, vol. i. p. 318.

482. MSS. Correspondence of the Duke of Marlborough. Coxe, Papers, vol. lxiv. p. 2.

485. Coxe, vol. i. p. 228.

486. Noble, vol. i. p. 386.

487. See “Account of a Journey to England,” a scarce tract in the British Museum, written at the command of a nobleman in France. 1700.

488. These have since degenerated into the innocent race of dandies, that “domestic wonder of wonders,” as a modern writer terms the species—Sartor Resartus, p. 284.

489. See Letter to England. B. M.

490. Lord Chesterfield.

491. On the copy of this work, (1712,) in the British Museum, are written these words, “Splendidi Mendex.”

492. See Tract in British Museum.

493. Biographia Britannica, art Drake.

494. Biographia Britannica. He wrote the “Sham Lawyer, or Lucky Extravagant,” which he declares on the title-page to have been “damnably acted” at Drury Lane.

495. It is not likely that many people will now take the trouble to read the answers to the Duchess’s “Vindication.” The principal of these are, “Remarks on the Conduct of a certain Duchess, in a Letter from a Member of Parliament to a young Nobleman. 1742.” “The Other Side of the Question, in a Letter to her Grace, by a Woman of Quality. 1742.” The pamphlets for and against the Duke are numerous, and of various titles. “Oliver’s Pocket Looking Glass, 1711, new-framed and cleaned, to give a clear view of the Great Modern Colossus.” “No Queen, or no General. 1712.” “Rufinus, or the Favourite; a Poem.” “Our Ancestors as well as We, or Ancient Precedents for Modern Facts;” with others of less imposing titles. “The Story of the St. Alb—ns Ghost, or the Apparition of Mother Haggy. 1712;” a coarse, disgusting attempt to satirize the Duke and Duchess and their family.

496. See Swift’s Journal to Stella.

497. That is, stalks and all.—Quoted in Scott’s Life of Dean Swift.

501. Sheridan’s Life of Swift.

502. See Maddock’s Life of Somers; and also Cooksey’s, p. 21.

503. Swift, indeed, at the very moment that he was revising a new edition of the poem, wrote to his bookseller, hinting that he thought that his little parson cousin was at the bottom of the Tub.

504. Scott’s Life.

505. See notes by Hawkesworth. Swift’s Works.

508. This curious list proves the exact habits of the Duchess.

509. Coxe MSS., vol. xliii. p. 158. Also copied from the Duchess’s own writing.

“This is a very delightful work. We have closed the volumes with a confirmed impression that in many of the highest points of conduct, courage, and understanding, the Duchess of Marlborough was the most remarkable woman of her own or any other day.”—Examiner.

“In point of interest, and the developement of character, court and cabinet intrigues, state of parties, and public manners, this interesting and valuable publication rivals in merit the celebrated correspondence of Horace Walpole.”—Warder.