Marlborough) in Arbuthnot's "History of John Bull. But we must remember that the said Lady Mary's teeth and claws were not yet already grown; besides, people who, like her, fairly love a grievance always support real evils better than those fabricated by their own imagination. As heroic sufferers they are in their proper element; it is exactly the character they aspire to exhibit, and so it inspires them with a sort of self-satisfaction calculated to produce apparent equanimity. During the first months of this ill starred marriage Lord and Lady Leicester sided with the bride, but after an ineffectual attempt to make Lady Mary forgive the past Lord Leicester, whose heart was set on having heirs to his title and estates, became her determined enemy. It used to be said of her that she never missed an opportunity of being an amazon, a martyr, or a tragedy queen, but from the turn which her affairs had taken she really was to be pitied. The brutality of father and son could not be exaggerated. She was hurried from one place to another, and a duel was fought about her with a Mr. Bellenden. Then skirmishes grew into pitched battles. The relations on both sides formed into factions, and when Lady Mary, pleading ill-usage, shut herself up for months, the Leicesters demanded her keys, opened her letters, and forbade the servants to admit the Duchess of Argyll or any member of her family. At last Lady Mary swore the peace against her husband, and instituted a suit for divorce, on the ground of his cruel usage. The notoriety which Lady Mary loved was now hers. Horace Walpole made very merry over a "lawsuit" which disclosed secrets in high life so well fitted to amuse him, but after " 'hearing the history of Lord Coke three thousand different ways he added that, in his opinion, the old ladies who went to the trial could not fail to have their grey hairs brought with shame to the grave. Her side loudly spoke of Campbell beauty and Campbell goodness. Yet, although reduced to living in a garret, the wife seems to have found it difficult to prove that her husband had overstepped his lawful authority, except in the single instance when he had denied her mother the permission of visiting her. The case broke down, because the plaintiff mistook assertions for arguments. Then Lord Hartington appeared as a mediator; terms were finally agreed on, and Lady Mary continued for three years to lead a life of great retirement at Sudbrook. Lord Coke's death alone brought this sad state of matters to an end. It had been one of humiliation and fear to Duke John's highspirited daughter, and Horace Walpole's comment upon the whole affair, with its regretable publicity, might not inaptly serve as Lord Coke's epitaph, "I think, if possible, we brutalize more and more.' Lady Mary wore mourning and abstained from amusements for a time, and this "decent behavior," as Lady Louisa terms it, was greatly to her credit, and seems to have done much to establish her in the good opinion of Princess Amelia. She was only six-and-twenty, and accordingly before many summers were over her head plans of marriage were formed for her between young Jack Campbell of Mamore, the heir to the dukedom of Argyll, and even with the notorious Lord March, so well known as Duke of Queensberry. The rise and fall of the latter plan have never been understood, as Lord March was the last man in England to be taken for a marrying man. Assuredly had Lady Mary Coke become his wife society would have again become convulsed about her, and again have had its grey hairs brought with sorrow to the grave. Lady Mary Coke's real object was to connect herself with the court, and this she first managed through her acquaintance with Lady Yarmouth. Public life in England, from the Restoration to the opening of the reign of George III., had sunk to a low level of morality, but the new dynasty had to be supported, and Lady Mary, having convinced herself of a private marriage between the king and Lady Yarmouth, struck up with the latter a violent and, it must be added, a lasting friendship, and one which was useful to herself by giving her a thorough knowledge of the royal family in all its branches. It was not perfectly easy for the daughter of the Duke of Argyll and Greenwich to enter at once into favor at court. When her father left office it had been under the suspicion of fomenting the differences between the king and the Prince of Wales. The heir apparent disliked his parents, especially the queen, and the party of his friends does seem to have obtained numerous recruits in the Argyll family. Of the sisters of the Prince of Wales one was married to the Prince of Orange, Mary had become landgravine of Hesse-Cassell, while Louisa was to become queen of Denmark. There remained Caroline (always suspected of being in love with Lord Hervey) and Amelia, the politician of the group. The queen had died in 1737, so that the influence to be gained by this princess was considerable. She sided with History repeats itself, and if the Prince of Wales was coldly looked upon by his royal father he in his turn snubbed his eldest son, and seemed blind to those qualities of real good sense, innate rectitude, and genuine manliness to be found in the prince whom Britain afterwards learnt to revere as George III. her brother rather than with the king, and | but there is not a scrap of paper tending to this circumstance is owing the really to prove a promise or a tie between them, important part which the princess played however obscure. It was not until after in the circle where Lady Mary Coke ob- the death of the Duke of York, which tained a footing. happened at Monaco in 1767, that Lady Mary signed "Mary," and gave herself some of the airs of a royal widow. George Selwyn and her cousins naturally made sport of all this, but to the poor lady herself it was far from being a matter for laughter. She missed the Duke of York out of her life-perhaps out of her calculations, because the marriage of a prince If the eldest ever faltered out an opinion, it of the blood with a subject was not then was passed by unnoticed, sometimes knocked the thorny matter which it became after down at once with, "Do hold your tongue, the passing of the Royal Marriage Act. George; don't talk like a fool." Some To no less a personage than to the Prince distinguished foreigner praised this young of Wales himself had Lady Diana Spenprince. "Ay," replied the Prince of Wales cer and her dowry of 100,000l. been procoldly, "yes, George is a good boy, but Ed-posed. Princess Amelia had had a flirtaward has something in him, I assure you. Edward will be somebody; you will hear of it one of these days.' The Princess Amelia did not share this opinion, and was wont to describe her younger nephews as the besthumored asses that ever were born, and as far as the Duke of York was concerned he proved void alike of steadiness and principle. He got the better [adds Lady Louisa] of that respect which daily familiarity with royalty here, there, and everywhere, had not worn away. He was the first of his race who began the good work of demolishing it, by running about giddily with all sorts of people (of course principally the worst) until his frolics won the public attention. tion with the Duke of Newcastle, and there were over-well-informed persons who held that she was privately married to the Duke of Grafton, from all of which materials, as well as from the marriages of the Dukes of Cumberland and Gloucester, Ian Roy's daughter might easily have built herself a city in the clouds. Dead men at all events can neither tell tales nor contradict them; so she hugged her sorrows and went softly. No one pitied her, and even Horace Walpole, "the poet of her praise," as Lady Louisa Stuart calls him, described her thus: Poor, foolish young fellow! he was only Though she is so greatly born she has a twenty, but he attracted Lady Mary frenzy for royalty, and will fall in love, and at Coke's attention, though she was thirty- the feet, of the grand duke and duchess, espeHowever, bating two years of age, a disparity that must, cially of the former... says Lady Louisa, "spoil a romance, but this madness-and every English person which in real life spoils nothing; on the thousand virtues and good qualities. I have must have their madness-Lady Mary has a contrary, gives a zest and a spirit to flirta- often tried to laugh her out of her weakness tion by gratifying the vanity of both par- but as she is very serious she was so in that, ties." The flirtation once begun, Lady and if all the Sovereigns in Europe combined Mary took care to keep it within the to slight her she would still put her trust in bounds of strict propriety. She was just the next generation of princes. Her heart is in the noon of life, "those golden days excellent, and she deserves and would become when the mind ripens ere the form de-a crown, and that is the best of all excuses for cays," and it must have required a sin- desiring one. cere passion for royalty to make her attach herself to this very insignificant young man. Her relations watched the play and by-play of their unequal friendship with mixed feelings of amusement and jealousy, till the prince himself began to quiz her, and the Duchess of Brunswick began to make jokes about "her sister Mary." Yet it is difficult to imagine how the supposition arose that the Duke of York and Lady Mary Coke were secretly married. Her eldest sister, Caroline, either believed or pretended to believe in this alliance, As Lady Mary's diaries were kept for the amusement of her sisters, they are naturally full of domestic details as well as of the births, deaths, weddings, foibles, and card parties of her neighbors. Our space does not permit us even to point out, far less quote, the many passages which are interesting because they show the making of social history in England. Though she wrote so freely to her sisters, Lady Mary often complained of their indiscretion in repeating the pieces of information which she supplied. Horace Walpole termed Lady Greenwich "that ried Thursday or Friday, and that he was then shrill Morning Post;" and, indeed, the whole family loved gossip, while Lady Mary alone of the party, gave any time to reading or took any interest in politics. When I came home a servant of Mr. Walpole's brought me the book he has just published, "Historical doubts on the Life and Reign of King Richard III." I am quite happy to have it to carry into the country with I made Lady Frances a present of the late Bishop of Winchester's (Hoadly) book on the Sacrament, finding, to my great surprise, that nobody had mentioned the subject to her. me. Sometimes Lady Mary expresses weariness of the "fine world," but she was much disgusted when the breath of the coming democracy met her. going to Lady Carlisle to enquire which of the days had been fixed on. After going to some shops I waited on the Duchess of and made me wait some little time, for which Northumberland. She was not quite dressed, she begged a thousand pardons, but said she had some excuse, being very much surprised in the morning with a note to inform her that a whole family of the name of Percy were just arrived from France to pay her a visit. The story is this: You must have heard, I believe, that when her Grace was at Paris, being told of a page of the Prince of Monaco's, whose name was Percy, she sent him 500l., and at the same time enquired whether there was any more of his family in France, and was told there were several branches of the Percy ess said, "One day or other I will certainly family in Normandy. Upon which the Duchvisit my cousins in Normandy.' All this I I found Princess Amelia much surprised at had from her, to which she added, "But, beits being said that Mr. Wilkes was likely to hold, my good cousins would not wait, but be chose (March, 1768). At the usual hour I are come to visit me, and at a most inconwent to the Opera, when I was told that Mr. venient time, as I am going abroad. I think Wilkes had been arrested for a thousand the best thing I can do is to carry them back pounds, but that the debt had been immedi- with me, but in the mean time I found myself ately paid. He seems to have some very good obliged to send and take them a lodging, and friends, and people don't scruple to say that invited them to dinner."* Friday. I did not Lord Temple is one. . . I dined at home stay long at St. James', and found at Lord and went to Mrs. Campbell, where I heard Hertford's Mr. Walpole, looking perfectly that Mr. Wilkes and Mr. Cook had been re- well, notwithstanding his fit of the gout. turned, and Sir William Proctor thrown out. What do you say to the rebellion at Eton? Mr. Wilkes carried it by a majority of five Lady Betty called on me, but I don't hundred votes. Lady Betty gave us the recollect she told me any news, excepting that account of Lord and Lady Bute being kept up the House of Commons had sat the night beall night by the outrageous behavior of the fore till nine o'clock at night. Mr. Seymour mob. As I returned home the town was had made a motion to address the King to a fine sight. Every house was lighted, and I have all the papers relating to Corsica (during never remenber to have seen on the greatest Paoli's resistance to the French) laid before occasions so fine an illumination. I mett the House, which the Ministers not consentwith a woman in Piccadilly that was rather ing to the Opposition divided. . The Duke uncivil. As I came by she was crying out, of Newcastle died yesterday. Thursday even"Wilkes and liberty!" and my servants ing, December, 1768. I went down to the House making no answer she gave such a blow to my between three and four o'clock. The Amerchair that she had very near overset it, and ican papers were still reading, to which the then said, "Why did you not say who you very few members that were then in the House was for?", Lord Ligonier told me he did not attend. We had all our usual ladies, heard the mob had been very outrageous at and the addition of the Duchess of Ancaster. the Duchess of Hamilton's the night before: Lady Rockingham came in soon after, and broke down the gates of the court, and demol- placed herself by the Duchess of Portland. ished all the windows, probably because she Behind her sat Betty, the fruit woman, by way would not light her house. At the usual of support, and next her the first counsel of time I went to the Princess Amelia. Her Mr. Fletcher, that she whispered with the Royal Highness talked a good deal of the whole time. It seemed Betty is a violent violence of the mob, and said she wished it politician and always in the Opposition. The might end where it was. The Princess had debate began by Lord Mountsteuart making a gone to Lady Holdernesse on Monday even- motion. Lord Percy seconded, and was aning, and finding she was going to Mrs. Har-swered by Lord John Cavendish, who, though ris', said she would go with her, and accordingly they set out, but meeting with the mob the coach was stopped, and they were desired to declare for Wilkes before they were suffered to proceed; but as none of the Princess's servants were behind the coach she was not known. April 11. I went to an auction, where I met Lord Byron, who told me his niece Lady Frances Howard was to be mar he supported the interest of his friends in opposing the motion and desiring the House to go upon the return only, did it with modera The original family of Percy held the lands of Montchamp, near Vire, in Normandy, after Algernon, the founder of the English branch, followed William the Conqueror. The last descendant married not very long ago that accomplished man of letters the Vicomte Hector de la Ferrière, but has left no children. E ment. tion, candor, and politeness, as is seldom | chambermaid belonging to this country is to practised in that House. Sir Gilbert Elliot go with her into Denmark. then stood up, and spoke a long time. He Friday. The weather is delightful. Went was answered by Mr. Burke, who is certainly out again and stayed until it was time to dress, a fine speaker, very eloquent, but on this oc- having to dine with Lady Charlotte Finch at casion I did not think made much use of argu- Kew. Before I went out Lady Betty and Mr. Lord Clare rose after him, and said Mackenzie arrived; both perfectly well. A he should not attempt to follow that rainbow, little after two I set out. The Princess much less endeavor to catch it; that it had Amelia and the Princess of Brunswick had brilliant colors and nothing else. When been to visit their nephews, but were gone the House divided it was thought that the before I came. Lady Tweeddale and her majority of the Opposition would be consid- children dined there. The three little Princes erable, but it proved much greater than they went at five o'clock to the King and Queen. themselves expected. The numbers were Lady Tweeddale told me that the Dowager for altering the return, 247; against it, 95. Waldgrave's complaint had brought her into Sir James Lowther bore it with temper and a terrible condition, and that she was so moderation beyond what could have been ex-greatly altered she had hardly the remains of pected. The new Opera is, I am told, beauty. Yet, she added, the Duke of Gloucesextremely disliked. Mr. Walpole says he will ter's attachment continued, but she thought in go to it no more. I shall send you this her condition she was very unfit for either journal, though it is no more than three sides a wife or a mistress; then turned to me and of paper. I hope this journal will amuse you. asked if her mother was not a washerwoman. I said I really would not determine her profession. Sunday, August 31, 1766. At eleven my mother, Mr. Mackenzie, Mrs. Yonge, and Jane, went in her coach to church, and Lady Betty and I followed in my equipage. The sermon was not bad, but so imAfter it was over Lady Betty and I went to moderately long I own I was almost asleep. Lady Blandford, whom we found feeding her birds in the garden. While we were there Mr. Walpole came to make her a visit. I don't think he looks well, and complains of having had the gout in his stomach. The end of next month he goes to Bath; we are to breakfast with him on Thursday at Strawberry Hill. Four o'clock: dined upon a tough We are convinced that it will amuse our readers, but it is time for us to return to the family of John, Duke of Argyll and Greenwich. His widow had two ladies, Mistress Jane Cockburn and Mistress Yonge, constantly with her; Lady Dalkeith and Lady Strafford lived far from ber, but Lady Betty and Mr. Mackenzie often shared with Lady Mary the care of an old lady whose eccentricities were certainly not lessened by old age. Describing life at Richmond one day to her sisters, Lady Mary wrote: self. ... Thursday. Went at eleven o'clock to Strawberry Hill. When we came to Richmond Ferry the ladies would go in a little boat; I accompanied them out of complaisance, as you well know I have no fears. Strawberry Hill looked in great beauty, but Mr. Walpole was not well, complained of pains all over him, and was to go to town in the evening. Lady Mary Coke's life was spent in and among the beautiful riverside spots where, like Pope, the poet of the Thames, she could I rose pretty early, in order to ride in Rich-shoulder of venison that I bespoke for mymond Park. As it was not for parade I chose my little mare. She went very prettily, but the day is so hot I was obliged to come home by ten o'clock. I had a letter yesterday from Lady Dalkeith to beg I would let her know all I hear, but I have a great inclination to punish her and be as long in answering her letter as she was in answering my last. I am too good-humored, so I have wrote three sides of paper to Lady Dal, and sent her abundance of news, but at the same time scolded her tightly. Four o'clock; called down to dinner before I was quite finished. Ate a great deal, and went out as soon as I had dined; put up four roots of trees in the park by way of seats. Before I bid you good-night, I will tell you a little news. The Princess Caroline is to be married when her Majesty has lain in about a fortnight, that the ceremony may be performed in her bedchamber and nobody present but the Royal Family. After she is Queen of Denmark she is to be seen by nobody, but set out immediately, and is to be accompanied in her journey by a countess, as well as by Lady Mary Boldby, but the lady is not yet named. Her Majesty is to go by Hanover, and will be met by the King upon the frontier of his dominions, where she is to quit all the English. Not a Behold the ascending villas on its side Project long shadows o'er the crystal tide. She enjoyed their beauty as well as their company. Moreover she was a good gar. dener, and reports her myrtles as in the highest bloom you can imagine. Lady Betty being to carry Mrs. Yonge, after church, to see the Prince of Wales, I gathered a large nosegay of the myrtle to send him. Monday. The rain has terribly hurt my new-painted benches. Lady Blandford arrived. When that was over she accidentally men suppose you play at quadrille with the Duchess. Duchess: "Why, I have no engagement this evening; she may Princess of Brunswick: "I am afraid I don't know the least of the game.' : When they took their leave the coach was come up to the door, upon which the Duchess said: "Marm, pray come back; I will have you come back!” tioned Lord Chatham (his elevation to the peerage had taken place this month), and though I knew it would not please her I said I looked upon him as one of the greatest geniuses that any age had produced, and that his disinterestedness, of which I knew many examples, placed him very high in my The Duchess then told the Princess several opinion. She said all she knew of him stories, which she listened to with great comwas that it had been his measures that had plaisance. The Princess of Brunswick said involved the nation in debt. I told her I was she saw my spirits were very much hurried. I persuaded she would see that his measures owned to her Royal Highness they were, and would extricate the nation from that debt. I begged she would believe that a few years ago told her I was persuaded she could not tell my mother would not have omitted any of the how that could be, since he had always de- forms that were due to their dignity, but that clared himself above thinking accounts or she had for some time lived so retired that studying economy. I rejoiced he was above she quite forgot all ceremony. such trifles, hoped his schemes were great and extensive-not bounded by the dirty econ-not omy of a shilling. With this up she got, and told me, since I was so in love with Lord Chatham, she could stay with me no longer, but couldn't help laughing at the same time, and asked me to come to her on Wednesday. When I came to Gunnersbury one of the pages told me the Princess was gone to dress, and had ordered her coach at one o'clock, he believed to go to Sudbrook with the Princess of Brunswick. This, you know, was the very thing I dreaded, but there was no help for it. You may be sure I made what haste I could to get back, to put things in the best order I could, and to remind the Duchess of some forms that was necessary to be observed. She seemed very much pleased with the honor of their visit; but when they came I could not persuade her to go down-stairs to meet them, so I made an excuse; but the scene which followed, though it will divert you, hurried my spirits beyond description. She quite forgot that they were princesses, or that there were any forms due to them. She went before them into every room. (You must now suppose her talking.) Pray, marm, observe my pretty deer, my turkeys, and my sheep; did you ever see anything like them?" . The Princess Amelia asked whose picture it was over the chimney in the drawing-room. "That is my grandson, the Duke of Buccleugh and Earl of Monmouth (1); but, marm, I must show you my bedchamber". - and in she walked before them. "Here is Pug's bed, and this is my little dressing-room. Pray look at that chair" - which God knows was no curiosity, excepting its being the only one in the room, as it has only a poor check cover. We then went again into the drawing-room, and the Duchess offered the Princess a pinch of snuff, which she declined, but showed her a box with a very fine picture of the late Duke of Brunswick, which the Duchess never looked at, but immediately put her fingers into the box and took the snuff, which is contrary to all forms. The Princess smiled, but behaved with all the good humor imaginable. You must now suppose them speaking. Princess Amelia: "Princess of Brunswick, Happy was I when they had got into the coach. In truth, poor Jane Warburton was fast breaking up, and the following year she was so ill as to leave little hope of her recovery. The day before her death the doctor reported her pulse as good, and Lady Mary says: When I heard him say so I was easy, and determined to go and lie at Sudbrook. Thursday. I was waked in the morning by my maid coming into my room and telling me Mrs. Richardson was there and desired to speak to me. Thinking she must come with some bad news, it shocked me terribly. I begged not to see her, but my maid returned and told me she had brought a message from London that she must deliver. I desired she would come in; but, to my great surprise, she gave me a note to acquaint me with my mother's death. It shocked me so much, and I thought the manner of my being told it so cruel, though no doubt it was not intended as such. I begged her to leave me; and I believe I said that there could not be such haste to tell me news that could never have come too late. I lay in bed till twelve, in hopes of composing my spirits; but not finding myself better I got up, and passed a melancholy day. Went to bed at twelve o'clock, but changed my bedchamber, not being able to bear the room where I had received the news of my mother's death. . . . Sunday, April 19. Got up before nine, that my maid might have time to go to Lord Montague's, where the service of the Roman Catholic Church was said; for I like that people should be serious in their religion, whatever persuasion they are of. Read in the Bible and the service of the day. The clergyman came to give me the Sacrament. I wished to see Lady Strafford, but feel a dislike to the going out even to her before my poor mother is buried. She is forever in my thoughts. At twelve o'clock I went to bed, but could not sleep for any time |