In March 1742, according to an article in the _Gentleman's Magazine_, attributed to Samuel Johnson, "the most popular Topic of Conversation" was the _Account of the Conduct of the Dowager Dutchess of Marlborough, from her first coming to Court, to the Year 1710_, which, with the help of Hooke of the _Roman History_, the "terrible old Sarah" had just put forth. Among the little cloud of _Sarah-Ads_ and _Old Wives' Tales_ evoked by this production, was a _Vindication_ of her Grace by Fielding, specially prompted, as appears from the title-page, by the "late _scurrilous_ Pamphlet" of a "noble Author." If this were not acknowledged to be from Fielding's pen in the Preface to the _Miscellanies_ (in which collection, however, it is not reprinted), its authorship would be sufficiently proved by its being included with _Miss Lucy in Town_ in the assignment to Andrew Millar referred to at the close of the preceding chapter. The price Millar paid for it was L5 5s, or exactly half that of the farce. But it is only reasonable to assume that the Duchess herself (who is said to have given Hooke L5000 for his help) also rewarded her champion. Whether Fielding's admiration for the "glorious Woman" in whose cause he had drawn his pen was genuine, or whether--to use Johnson's convenient euphemism concerning Hooke--"he was acting only ministerially," are matters for speculation. His father, however, had served under the Duke, and there may have been a traditional attachment to the Churchills on the part of his family. It has even been ingeniously suggested that Sarah Fielding was her Grace's god-child; [Footnote: _Memoirs of Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough_, etc., by Mrs. A. T. Thomson, 1839.] but as her mother's name was also Sarah, no importance can be attached to the suggestion.