Memoirs of the Reign of King George the Second, Volume 1 (of 3)Walpole, Horace
History
Memoirs of the Reign of King George the Second, Volume 1 (of 3)
Walpole, Horace
Great Britain -- History -- George II, 1727-1760
[97] Henry Fox, only brother to Lord Ilchester, had been bred a
Tory, and was voted, upon a petition, out of one of Sir Robert
Walpole’s Parliaments; but being reconciled to the principles of
the Court, by the friendship of his brother with Lord Hervey, to
whom Mr. Fox was second in his duel with Mr. Pulteney, he was made
Surveyor of the Works, and on Mr. Pelham succeeding to the head of
the Treasury, Mr. Fox was made a Commissioner of that board, and
was at this time Secretary at War.
[98] He had been Aide-de-camp to the Duke of Marlborough, and a
Colonel of Foot, but was obliged to sell his regiment when his
Patron was disgraced. On the accession of the Hanover family, he
was made Comptroller of the Customs, then Groom of the Bedchamber
to the present King, Treasurer to the Queen, and on the resignation
of Sir Charles Hanbury Williams, Paymaster of the Marines. He died
at the end of the year 1751.
[99] Henry, a younger son of Allen, Lord Bathurst.
[100] January 6, 1769.--Yesterday died at his house in St. James’s
Street, his Grace Charles Sackville, Duke of Dorset, in the 58th
year of his age. His Grace received the first rudiments of his
education at Westminster School, in which he was introduced by the
late celebrated Prior, and there gave strong indication of genius.
The Duke afterwards visited France and Italy, with the latter of
which countries he was particularly delighted, being accompanied
by the late learned and very benevolent Mr. Spence, who cherished
the love which his Grace naturally bore to the Polite Arts. At
his return from his travels, he encouraged learning and learned
men. The Duke was honoured with the esteem and affection of the
late much-lamented Prince Frederick, and it was thought that his
Grace would have made a very considerable figure in the State. He
was skilled not only in the learned languages, but also in the
modern. He had not the talent of speaking in public, so was not
distinguished in the House of Commons; but he was a fine prose
writer, of which (among other pieces) his Treatise concerning
the Militia is a proof. Some few printed specimens of his poetry
show his happy talent for that engaging art; and especially the
manuscript pieces left behind him, which, it is hoped, will not be
lost to the world. The Duke had laboured, during many years, under
a complication of distempers, and was carried off in a fit. The
excruciating pains with which he had been long afflicted made life
uncomfortable; however, those who were acquainted with his former
days, image to themselves the learned, the polite, and entertaining
companion, whose affability was very attractive, as it threw off
(in his presence) all distinction, that of superior merit excepted.
But, alas! sickness, disgust, and disappointment, are apt to sour
the sweetest dispositions.--(Public Journals.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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