Memoirs of the Reign of King George the Third, Volume 1 (of 4)Walpole, Horace
History
Memoirs of the Reign of King George the Third, Volume 1 (of 4)
Walpole, Horace
Great Britain -- History -- 1760-1789; Great Britain -- History -- George III, 1760-1820
abroad as a volunteer, and he served in that capacity at the battle of
Dettingen. He was afterwards reduced to seek employment in the Dutch
service, but, fortunately, was disappointed, as about this time he
attracted the notice of the Duke of Cumberland, through whose interest
he rose rapidly to the rank of Colonel. He attended the Duke during
the remainder of the war, and distinguished himself at Fontenoy and
Culloden. Subsequently, his marriage with Lady de Ferrars, the heiress
of the Northamptons, placed him at once in opulent circumstances, and
he was elected a representative for Norfolk without opposition, except
from his father. The figure he made in the House, where he acquired
considerable influence, especially over members in the agricultural
interest, has caused him to be often noticed (generally with censure)
in these Memoirs; but though Walpole paints him in no pleasing colours,
on the other hand, another contemporary writer says that he was manly
in person, demeanour, and sentiment, and exemplary as a husband and
father, and, from his wit, agreeable to his friends and formidable to
those he disliked. It cannot be denied, however, that he was too prone
to mischief, and more worldly than seemed consistent with his love of
pleasure and ease. His life was singularly prosperous, and prolonged
to extreme old age. He became Viscount Townshend by the death of his
father in 1764. In 1767 he was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland;
in 1787 he was created a Marquis, and in 1807, he died, aged 84, being
then a Field Marshal, Governor of Jersey, and Colonel of a regiment of
Dragoons. Memoirs of George the Second, vol. i. p. 33; vol. ii. p. 337.
Memoirs of a distinguished Political and Literary Character, p. 71--E.
[25] Charles Lenox, third Duke of Richmond.
[26] William Keppel, third son of William Anne, second Earl of
Albemarle, by Lady Anne Lenox, daughter of the first Duke of Richmond.
He commanded a regiment at the conquest of the Havannah, and died a
General officer, unmarried, in 1786.--E.
[27] There is a slight inaccuracy in this statement. The Duke’s
resentment was not so generous. The object of his interview with the
King was to promote his own interest, not that of Colonel Keppel.--See
the Duke of Richmond’s letter of 21st June, 1783, in the Appendix to
Dodington’s Diary.--E.
[28] William Petty, Lord Fitzmaurice, eldest son of the Earl of
Shelburne, whom he succeeded in that title May 17, 1761; and by which
title he will be frequently mentioned in the following Memoirs.
[29] Lord George Lenox was only brother of Charles third Duke of
Richmond. He had behaved with distinguished gallantry in the German
wars. The late Duke of Richmond was his son.--E.
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