“After what has passed, I do solemnly protest, that if it were in my power I would not be a favourite, which few will believe; and since I shall never be able to give any demonstration of that truth, I had as good say no more of it. But as fond as people are of power, I fancy that anybody that had been shut up so many tedious hours as I have been with a person that had no conversation, and yet must be treated with respect, would feel something of what I did, and be very glad when their circumstances did not want it, to be freed from such a slavery, which must be uneasy at all times; though I do protest, that upon the account of her loving me, and trusting me so entirely as she did, I had a concern for her, which is more than you will easily believe, and I would have served her with the hazard of my life upon any occasion; but after she put me at liberty by using me ill, I was very easy, and liked better that anybody should have her favour than myself, at the price of flattery without which I believe nobody can be well with a King or Queen, unless the world should come to be less corrupt or they wiser than any I have seen since I was born.”
In another place she says: “Women signify nothing unless they are the mistresses of a Prince or a Prime Minister, which I would not be if I were young; and I think there are very few, if any, women that have understanding or impartiality enough to serve well those they really wish to serve.”
The wife of the great captain and hero of Queen Anne’s time—the most remarkable woman of her own, or perhaps of any epoch—lived to the age of eighty-four.
“So singular was the fate of this extraordinary woman in private life,” it has been truly observed, “that scarcely did she possess a tie which was not severed or embittered by worldly or political considerations.”
Those who hopelessly covet wealth, honour, and celebrity through the avenues of political strife may contemplate the career of Sarah Duchess of Marlborough with profit, and rise from the study reconciled to a calmer course of life and resigned to a humbler fate.
INDEX.
- Alberoni, Julio Abbé (afterwards cardinal), Prime Minister of Spain, deceives Madame des Ursins as to the character of Elizabeth Farnese, [270]-[289];
- Amelot, the President, nominated ambassador for Spain by Madame des Ursins, [191].
- Anne of Austria (mother of Louis XIV.), an example among all queens, and almost among all women, of constancy in adversity, [17];
- her reception of Mazarin after his exile, [18].
- Anne, Queen of England, her feeling towards the Whigs purely official, and not a genuine sympathy, [206];
- she secretly leans towards the Tories, as defender of the royal prerogative, [206];
- indolent and taciturn, she yields without resistance to the ascendency of Sarah Jennings, [215];
- her unhappy married life, [215];
- the Queen and Sarah treat each other as equals, writing under assumed names, [215];
- state of parties on her accession, [218];
- chooses a ministry combining both Whigs and Tories, [218];
- entertains the Archduke Charles with truly royal magnificence, [218];
- the Duchess of Marlborough surrounds the Queen with the chiefs of the Whigs against her will, [222];
- an endless succession of jars and piques between the Queen and the Duchess, [222];
- the insolence of the Mistress of the Robes towards the Queen, [226];
- gives her favour and confidence to Mrs. Masham, [227];
- Anne cautiously creeps out of her subjection to the Duchess, [230];
- has some pangs of conscience in ill-treating Marlborough, [232];
- gives up all regard for the Duchess or gratitude to the Duke, [233];
- emancipates herself from obligations regardless of the confusion into which she casts the country, [234];
- intrigues of the bed-chamber, [234];
- a weak woman domineered over by one attendant and wheedled and flattered by another, [234];
- gives herself up entirely to Mrs. Masham, [236];
- dreading the furious violence of the Duchess, Anne leaves London, [237];
- spares the Duke and Duchess not from compassion but fear, [242];
- terrified at the Duchess’s threat to publish her letters, [242];
- exonerates the Duchess from the charge of cheating, [243];
- demands the return of the gold key from the Duchess, [244];
- divides her Court places between Mrs. Masham and the Duchess of Somerset, [245];
- writes with her own hand the dismissal of the Duchess, and gives herself up to her enemies, [246];
- her apathetic remark on hearing that the Duke and Duchess had left England, [248];
- she never sees again her great general or the woman to whom she was once so strongly attached, [248];
- her conduct towards Madame des Ursins in the repudiation of Lexington’s convention, [281].
- Aubigny, Louis d’, equerry of Madame des Ursins, [178];
- his character and familiar relations with the Princess, [178];
- the intercepted letter intimating that they were married, [178];
- becomes a perfect caballero, [260];
- sent secretly to France by Madame des Ursins to negotiate with Torcy, [278];
- despatched to Utrecht to negotiate the principality, [280];
- obtains only vague hopes on the part of the Dutch, [281].
- Austria, Charles, Archduke of, the reservation, by will of Charles II., to renounce all claim to the empire of Germany, [129];
- competitor of Philip V. for the crown of Spain, [169];
- proclaimed Charles III. of Spain by the Emperor, [186];
- lands at Lisbon and opens the campaign, [187];
- lands in Catalonia, [191];
- enters Barcelona as King of Spain, [197];
- proclaimed in Saragossa and Valentia, [197];
- his chief reliance the support of England, [207];
- entertained with truly royal magnificence at Windsor, [208];
- highly praises the beauty of Englishwomen, [218];
- his gallantry to the Queen and Duchess of Marlborough, [219];
- proclaimed at Madrid amidst a chilling silence, [251];
- awaits in vain the homage and oaths of the grandees, [259];
- is elevated to the imperial throne by the death of Joseph I., [265].