characteristic ideas; but the choice of them may as often paint the genius of the writer, as of the person represented. Mrs. Abigail Hill is not the only person transmitted to posterity with marks of the duchess's resentment. Lord Oxford, "honest Jack Hill, the ragged Boy, the Quebec General," and others, make the same figure in her history that they did in her mind :-sallies of passion not to be wondered at in one who has sacrificed even the private letters of her mistress and benefactress 7 ! We have nothing of her grace's writing but "An Account of the Conduct of the Dowager Duchess of Marlborough, from her first [Her grace's picture, say the Monthly Reviewers, is here drawn from the life. We see pride, peevishness, discontent, petulance, in every feature. Indeed, it must be confessed, that our author paints with a bold and masterly pencil; though he is not always happy in the just distribution of light and shade. Monthly Rev. vol. xix. p. 569.] * [Though the duchess's account of her conduct has ranked her among the noble authors, it may be questioned, says Dr. Warton, how far she is justly entitled to a place in so honourable a catalogue. She furnished indeed the materials for the work, and it was drawn up under her own eye and di. rection; but the real writer of it was Mr. Hooke, author of the Roman History, &c. to whom she gave £5000 for his trouble. She was animated on this occasion by a far more generous spirit than that which actuated her last will, when she bequeathed only £500 apiece to Mallet and Glover, as a coming to Court, to the Year 1710, in a Letter from herself to my Lord ****." Lond. 17429. [In the latter part of her life the duchess became bedridden. Paper, pen, and ink were placed by her side, and she used occasionally to write down either what she remembered, or what came into her head. A selection from these loose papers was made in the way of diary, by sir David Dalrymple (lord Hailes), under the title of "The Opinions of Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough", published from original MSS." 1788, 12mo. From that scarce little volume the following characteristic memoranda are taken : "1736. One of my chief pleasures is, that after such an hour in this place (Windsor Lodge) I am sure I can see nobody: at Marlborough House it is very different; for there are many visitors, though premium to be bestowed upon them, when they should write a history of the duke of Marlborough. Essay on Pope, vol. ii. p. 200.] 9. [In the same year was published, The other Side of the Question: or an Attempt to rescue the Characters of the two royal Sisters, Queen Mary and Queen Anne, out of the Hands of the D-s D― of &c. in a Letter to her Grace: by a Woman of Quality. A Life of the Duchess, with Remarks on her Will, appeared in 1745.] Had lord Hailes been disposed to adopt a hint given by Mr. Walpole, he says he might have called this selection, "The Effusions of Caprice and Arrogance." Pref. p. xvi. VOL. IV. few that have any sense, or that are capable of any friendship or truth. I would desire no more pleasure than to walk about my gardens and parks; but, alas! that is not permitted; for I am generally wrapt up in flannel, and wheeled up and down my rooms in a chair. I cannot be very solicitous for life upon such terms, when I can only live to have more fits of the gout. I never design to see Blenheim again. 1737. It is impossible that one of my age and infirmities can live long; and one great happiness there is in death, that one shall never hear any more of any thing they do in this world. "1737-8. I think one can't leave the world in a better time than now, when there is no such thing as real friendship, truth, justice, honour, or indeed any thing that is agreeable in life. "1738-9. I am so weary of life that I don't care how soon the stroke is given to me, which I only wish may be with as little pain as is possible. "1739. As to my own particular, I have nothing to reproach myself with; and I think it very improbable that I should live to suffer what others will do who have contributed to the ruin of their country: and when I am dead I shall hear nothing of it, nor have the uneasiness when I die of parting with any thing that gives me much pleasure. I have always thought that the greatest happiness of life was to love and value some body extremely that returned it, and to see them often; and if one has an easy fortune, that is what makes one's life pass away agreeably. But, alas! there is such a change in the world since I knew it first, that though one's natural pleasure is to love people, the generality of the world are in something or other so disagreeable, that 't is impossible to do it. And, added to this, I am a cripple, lifted about like a child, and very seldom free from pain. 66 1740. As I have seen so much of a very bad world, I must own I have no taste left, but to have what is just necessary to support myself and those that I am obliged to take care of, which are a great many. "1740. Some of those people who call themselves patriots are certainly very good men: but I am very sure the whole party don't mean the same thing. They don't all go in a straight line to pursue steadily the right points; but they act coolly, sometimes one way, and sometimes another, as they think it will turn most to what they secretly have in view-some to keep places they are in possession of, and others to get into them.” Before the Account of the Duchess's Conduct 3, an engraving of queen Anne, from a statue erected at Blenheim, has an inscriptive character of that queen, written by her grace of Marlborough. An original letter from the duchess to lord Melcombe was printed in Seward's Anecdotes, vol. ii.] 'Or at least before the copy in the British Museum. SIR ROBERT WALPOLE, FIRST EARL OF ORFORD, Is only mentioned in this place in his quality of author. It is not proper nor necessary for me to touch his character here-sixteen unfortunate and inglorious years since his removal, have already written his eulogium 2! About the end of queen Anne's reign, and the beginning of George the first 3, he wrote the following pamphlets: 2 [A strange reflection this! say the Monthly Reviewers. However we may pardon the partiality which shows itself in favour of so near a relation, and perhaps applaud the principle; yet we cannot excuse the writer who offers such an affront to the reader's understanding. Is it matter of eulogium to sir Robert's memory, that his successors acted as ill as himself, and that we have been unfortunate and inglorious since his removal? Were we not in the same lamentable condition during his administration? and was he not the patron of an open and avowed prostitution of all honour and principle? Mon. Rev. vol. xix. p. 566.] 3 [George the first did not understand English: George the second spoke the language pretty well. My father (said the late lord Orford) brushed up his old Latin in order to converse with the first Hanoverian sovereign; and ruled both kings in spite of even their mistresses. Walpoliana, vol. i. p. 58.— Thinking to amuse my father (said his lordship at another time), after his retirement from the ministry, I offered to read |