Both were fortunate in themselves, unhappy in their brothers. With unbounded thirst for politics, the Duke of Newcastle and Horace Walpole were wretched politicians: each inferior to their brothers in everything laudable; each assuming and jealous of their own credit, though [neither] the Duke nor Horace could ever have been considerable, but by the fortune of their brothers. The one childish and extravagant, the other a buffoon and avaricious; Horace sunk into contempt when his brother fell with honour; the Duke was often on the point of dragging his brother down, and was the object of all contempt, even where his brother had still power and honour. Mr. Pelham maintained his inferiority to Sir Robert Walpole even in the worthlessness of his brother. “J’aye dict le mot, pour ne frustrer la postérité.” _H. Etienne, Apologie d’Herodote._ FOOTNOTES: [166] Lady Maria Walpole, since married to Charles Churchill. [167] He and Mr. Benjamin Keene had the reversion of a place in the Revenue between them, after the death of the then Earl of Scarborough. [168] Surveyor of the King’s Woods and Forests. [169] They are contained in two letters still preserved by the Duke of Bedford. [170] October 11, 1764.--Tuesday noon, an express arrived from the Duke of Devonshire (Lord Hartington in the text), at the Spa in Germany, which brought advice that his Grace was much better, and that there were great hopes of his recovery; but these agreeable hopes were soon damped by the arrival of Lord John Cavendish, the Duke’s youngest brother, at seven o’clock the same night, at Devonshire House, who brought the melancholy news, that his Grace had relapsed, and departed this life the 3rd instant, at half an hour past nine o’clock at night, at the above place. His Grace was eldest son of William, late Duke of Devonshire, by his Duchess Catherine, daughter and sole heir of John Hoskins, Esq. In March, 1748, he married the Lady Charlotte Boyle, youngest daughter and heiress of Richard, late Earl of Burlington, which lady died in December, 1754, by whom he had issue,--1, William, Marquis of Hartington, born in December, 1748, who is now the fifth Duke of Devonshire, a minor, at Harrow school; 2, Lord Richard, born June 19, 1752; 3, Lord George Henry, born in March, 1754; and 4, Lady Dorothy, born August 27, 1750. His Grace, at the time of his decease, was Lord High Treasurer, and a Privy Counsellor of Ireland, Governor of the county of Cork in that kingdom; a Governor of the Charter-house, Fellow of the Royal Society, and Knight of the Garter; but some time since had resigned all his places on the British establishment. The many amiable and truly excellent public and private virtues, and the very shining accomplishments which his Grace possessed, added a lustre to his high rank, and render his death a public loss.--(Public Journals.)