[16] It seems by this passage, that in George the Second’s reign, the Lord Lieutenants of Ireland absented themselves, as a matter of course, the second year of their Viceroyalty.—E.
[17] When they returned from Ireland, the Duke of Newcastle, who was leaning from Pitt, was impatient to see Rigby. The latter went to dine at Claremont. The Duke showed him the gardens and improvements; and in the expansion of the folly of his heart, forgetting that it was himself and not Rigby that was in transports of satisfaction, he said, “Well! is not this better than going about and abusing me?” In the following summer, Newcastle carried this disposition to the Bedfords still further: at the Commencement at Cambridge he affected to take extreme notice of Lord Tavistock, a modest, but plain lad, cried up his beauty and the goodness of his coffee, and recommended him to the University for successor to himself.
[18] See the [First Volume of these Memoirs].
[19] The power of that Scotch favourite was so great at Leicester House, that the Prince of Wales went three times to Agis, a new tragedy written by John Home, and so indifferent a one, that nobody else could bear to go to it twice. Sir Henry Erskine wrote a patriot prologue to it. The Prince, from an affectation of popularity, generally went to the play on Saturdays, the opera-night.
[20] Why the Author has chosen, in this just and spirited passage, to introduce the word “sullen,” I am at a loss to discover; and believe those who had the happiness to know the late Lord Camden will be as much so.—E.
[CHAPTER V.]
Death of Archbishop Hutton—Affair of Lord Tyrawley—New Treaty with Prussia—Sequel of the Habeas Corpus Extension Question—The Bill debated in the Lords—Lord Mansfield’s Speech—The Bill dropped—Affairs at Leicester House—Operations of the King of Prussia—Expedition to St. Maloes under the Duke of Marlborough—Its failure—Passage of the Rhine by Prince Ferdinand, and his Victory at Crevelt—Defeats of Prince Ysenberg and M. Chevert.
March 20th died Dr. Hutton, Archbishop of Canterbury, after short possession of his see. The Duke of Newcastle had great inclination to give it to Dr. Hay Drummond, Bishop of St. Asaph, a gentleman, a man of parts, and of the world; but Lord Hardwicke’s influence carried it for Secker, who certainly did not want parts or worldliness.