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
being the embellishment of his country-seat in Surrey, of which his
gardens were the admiration of the neighbourhood. He died in 1770, aged
92; and was succeeded in his title by his nephew, an estimable and
popular nobleman, who had been Aide-de-camp to Prince Ferdinand at the
battle of Minden, and on whose death, without issue, the title became
extinct.--E.
[262] Welbore Ellis. See his character in the preceding
reign.--Memoirs, vol. i. p. 484.
[263] Charles second Duke of Richmond, and Sarah Cadogan his Duchess.
Fox had stolen their eldest daughter, Lady Caroline Lenox.
[264] For the borough of Lynn, in Norfolk.
[265] On the contested election for the borough of St. Michael, in
Cornwall, Lord Orford, my nephew, had quarrelled with me for taking
part with Fox. I offered to resign my seat, but would not give up the
liberty of voting as I pleased.
[266] As Usher of the Exchequer, I advanced a very large sum of money
every year to furnish the Treasury with paper, stationery wares, &c.,
and to pay the workmen; so that, if the payments are kept back, I am a
considerable sufferer.
[267] The Rangership of St. James’s and Hyde Parks. This post was not
worth two thousand two hundred pounds a year by itself, but with the
Bedchamber; as Lord Ashburnham had held it. Lord Orford was already
Lord of the Bedchamber; so, though I did not know it at that time, the
offer was grossly fallacious. Fox, however, might be ignorant too of
this circumstance.
[268] George Walpole, third Earl of Orford, grandson of Sir Robert
Walpole. Not only his grandfather and father had left great debts, but
his own dissipation had involved him in many more.
[269] He scarce ever had any thoughts about politics, but lived almost
always in the country and at Newmarket, wasting his time and fortune
by carelessness, rather than in pleasures and expenses. With a most
engaging figure and address, he profited of no one advantage to which
he was born; and, without any view of advantage to himself, disgusted
every friend he had by insensibility, and every friend he might have
had by insincerity.
[270] Charles Boone, brought into Parliament by Lord Orford for
Castlerising. Fox _had already_ sounded Lord Orford through Mr. Boone,
but without receiving any answer.
[271] This alludes to my having projected a match for Lord Orford
with Miss Nicholl, an heiress worth one hundred and fifty thousand
pounds, whom Lord Orford would not marry; and in the course of which
negotiation I had a great quarrel with my uncle, old Horace Walpole,
who endeavoured, though trusted with her by me, to marry her to one
of his own younger sons. This quarrel had made very great noise, and
many persons were engaged in it. The young lady afterwards married the
Marquis of Caernarvon.
[272] Mr. Fox had supported Mr. Sullivan at a borough in the West
against Mr. T. Walpole; I forget whether it was Callington or
Ashburton. Lord Orford was heir to estates in both by his mother.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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