and important concerns; in discharging the care of which, the government of her own temper was one of the most difficult and most material points.

CHAPTER XV.

State of the Duchess of Marlborough with respect to her family-Henrietta Duchess of Marlborough-Lord Godolphin-Pelham Holles Duke of Newcastle-The Spencer family-Charles Duke of Marlborough-His extravagance-John Spencer's anecdotes of the Miss Trevors-Letter to Mr. Scrope-Lawsuit.

It was not the happy lot of the Duchess of Marlborough to assemble around her, in the decline of life, children and grandchildren, affectionately attached to her, who would seek to soothe her mortifications, and to repair the losses which she had sustained in the early death of their brother and sisters, and in the still severer calamity with which she had since been visited. A woman who is not beloved by her own children can have very little claim to the affection of others. fault must originate in herself, however odious the consequences appear in those, who, if they could not bestow upon her the filial love which

The

her temper had blighted, ought never to have omitted that filial duty which no differences ought to destroy.

Henrietta Countess of Godolphin, who now, by an act of parliament passed in 1706, succeeded to the title as Duchess of Marlborough, was long at variance with her mother, and, according to some accounts, was never reconciled.* She was beautiful, it is said, but in her disposition her parents appear to have found but little comfort. The Duchess survived this daughter, who died in 1733. Her son, Francis Earl of Godolphin, appears, from the letters lately published, to have been an especial favourite of his grandmother. She complains, indeed, of "his not being so warm in some things as he should be," (possibly in her quarrels,) but commends his truth and goodness, and declares she never forgot anything that his lordship said to her. By Dr. Hare, also, Lord Godolphin is described as one of the most reasonable and dispassionate creatures in the world. But this amiable character, unhappily for the mother and grandmother, whose asperities he might have softened, was, like most of the promising members of this ill-fated family, removed at an early age: he died in 1731, two years be

*Horace Walpole, Reminiscences.

fore his mother, Henrietta Duchess of Marlborough.

One daughter of the Godolphin branch of the Marlborough family remained. This was Harriott, married, as we have seen, in 1717, to the extolled and favourite minister, Pelham Holles, Duke of Newcastle, one of the most liberal statesmen of those venal days. To his grace the Duchess had, as we have already seen, addressed her complaints of the Duke of St. Albans, and his siege in Windsor Park; and she could not have bespoken the interest of any one more able to promote her wishes. The Duke had been a steady promoter of the Hanoverian interests. Consistency in those days was uncommon, and he was rewarded with honours and places innumerable; yet, far from enriching himself by his public services, or by no services at all, according to the mode then in fashion, the Duke retired from his posts, according to Lord Chesterfield, at least four hundred thousand pounds poorer than when he began life; at any rate, with an income greatly reduced.*

The character of this amiable, and, in some respects, high-minded nobleman, which gained, it may be presumed, upon her grace's affections, after

* Chesterfield. Annual Register. Collins' Baronage.

W

20

The affairs of Windsor her time. As ranger, she as well as remonstrate again, if such a word can be appl shameful neglect of that s country which was permit ministration. She wrote, per purpose of annoying Sir Rol pairs done to the park; and, as she said, "to tumble out came out of her head," her m opinion was not the most grad adopted.

Another object of the Du aversion was Charles, second 1 who had been constituted, in Windsor Castle, and warden c This nobleman was not the gr the Duchess, from his being the bedchamber at that time' fortune to come into very fre her grace, in the discharge Windsor Park. No one is vain show as the ostentatiou row up all the pride in th Duchess was outrageous whe

Private Correspondence, p

+ Burke's Peerage.