LADY MARY WORTLEY MONTAGU'S ACCOUNT OF THE COURT OF GEORGE I
Lady Mary, then, had been in Yorkshire when the Queen died, and was
still in the country, much against her will, when the King arrived on
September 18. Soon after, however, she came to town, and, so to speak,
looked around the Court. Her "Account of the Court of George I" is not
always accurate, and is certainly often prejudiced. It is not the less
interesting because the writer did not mince her words, even when
discussing the character of her friend, "Dolly" Walpole. Notwithstanding,
this bird-eye view of the royal and political circles at the accession
of the first of the Hanoverian monarchs is so valuable as to deserve
inclusion in this work.
"The new Court with all their train was arrived before I left the
country. The Duke of Marlborough was returned in a sort of triumph, with
the apparent merit of having suffered for his fidelity in the
succession, and was reinstated in his office of general, &c. In short,
all people who had suffered any hardship or disgrace during the late
ministry would have it believed that it was occasioned by their
attachment to the House of Hanover. Even Mr. Walpole, who had been sent
to the Tower for a piece of bribery proved upon him, was called a
confessor to the cause. But he had another piece of good luck that yet
more contributed to his advancement, he had a very handsome sister,
whose folly had lost her reputation in London; but the yet greater folly
of Lord Townshend, who happened to be a neighbour in Norfolk to Mr.
Walpole, had occasioned his being drawn in to marry her some months
before the Queen died.
"Lord Townshend had that sort of understanding which commonly makes men
honest in the first part of their lives; they follow the instruction of
their tutor, and, till somebody thinks it worth while to show them a new
path, go regularly on in the road where they are set. Lord Townshend had
then been many years an excellent husband to a sober wife, a kind master
to all his servants and dependants, a serviceable relation whenever it
was in his power, and followed the instinct of nature in being fond of
his children. Such a sort of behaviour without any glaring absurdity,
either in prodigality or avarice, always gains a man the reputation of
reasonable and honest; and this was his character when the Earl of
Godolphin sent him envoy to the States, not doubting but he would be
faithful to his orders, without giving himself the trouble of
criticising on them, which is what all ministers wish in an envoy.
Robethon, a French refugee (secretary to Bernstorff, one of the Elector
of Hanover's ministers), happened to be at The Hague, and was civilly
received by Lord Townshend, who treated him at his table with the
English hospitality; and he was charmed with a reception which his birth
and education did not entitle him to. Lord Townshend was recalled when
the Queen changed her ministry, his wife died, and he retired into the
country, where (as I have said before) Walpole had art enough to make
him marry his sister Dolly. At that time, I believe, he did not propose
much more advantage by the match than to get rid of a girl that lay
heavy on his hands.
"When King George ascended the throne, he was surrounded by all his
German ministers and playfellows, male and female. Baron Goertz was the
most considerable among them both for birth and fortune. He had managed
the King's treasury, for thirty years, with the utmost fidelity and
economy; and had the true German honesty, being a plain, sincere and
unambitious man. Bernstorff, the Secretary, was of a different turn. He
was avaricious, artful, and designing, and had got his share in the
King's councils by bribing his women. Robethon was employed in these
matters, and had the sanguine ambition of a Frenchman. He resolved there
should be an English ministry of his choosing; and, knowing none of them
personally but Townshend, he had not failed to recommend him to his
master, and his master to the King, as the only proper person for the
important post of Secretary of State; and he entered upon that office
with universal applause, having at that time a very popular character,
which he might probably have retained for ever if he had not been
entirely governed by his wife and her brother Robert Walpole, whom he
immediately advanced to be Paymaster, esteemed a post of exceeding
profit, and very necessary for his indebted estate.
"But he had yet higher views, or rather he found it necessary to move
higher, lest he should not be able to keep that. The Earl of Wharton,
now Marquis, both hated and despised him. His large estate, the whole
income of which was spent in the service of the party and his own parts,
made him considerable, though his profligate life lessened that weight
that a more regular conduct would have given him.
"Lord Halifax, who was now advanced to the dignity of Earl, and graced
with the Garter, and First Commissioner of the Treasury, treated him
with contempt. The Earl of Nottingham, who had the real merit of having
renounced the ministry in Queen Anne's reign, when he thought they were
going to alter the succession, was not to be reconciled to Walpole, whom
he looked upon as stigmatised for corruption.
"The Duke of Marlborough, who in his old age was making the same figure
at Court that he did when he first came into it--I mean, bowing and
smiling in the antechamber while Townshend was in the closet,--was not,
however, pleased with the Walpole, who began to behave to him with the
insolence of new favour, and his Duchess, who never restrained her
tongue in her life, used to make public jokes of the beggary she first
knew him in, when her caprice gave him a considerable place, against the
opinion of Lord Godolphin and the Duke of Marlborough.
"To balance these, he had introduced some friends of his own, by his
recommendation to Lord Townshend (who did nothing but by his
instigation). Colonel Stanhope was made the Secretary of State. He had
been unfortunate in Spain, and there did not want those who attributed
it to ill conduct; but he was called generous, brave, true to his
friends, and had an air of probity which prejudiced the world in his
favour.
"The King's character may be comprised in very few words. In private
life he would have been called an honest blockhead; and Fortune that
made him a king, added nothing to his happiness, only prejudiced his
honesty, and shortened his days. No man was ever more free from
ambition; he loved money, but loved to keep his own, without being
rapacious of other men's. He would have grown rich by saving, but was
incapable of laying schemes for getting; he was more properly dull than
lazy, and would have been so well contented to have remained in his
little town of Hanover, that if the ambition of those about him had not
been greater than his own, we should never have seen him in England; and
the natural honesty of his temper, joined with the narrow notions of a
low education, made him look upon his acceptance of the crown as an act
of usurpation, which was always uneasy to him. But he was carried by the
stream of the people about him, in that, as in every action of his life.
He could speak no English, and was past the age of learning it. Our
customs and laws were all mysteries to him, which he neither tried to
understand, nor was capable of understanding if he had endeavoured it.
He was passively good-natured, and wished all mankind enjoyed quiet, if
they would let him do so.
"The mistress that followed him hither was so much of his own temper,
that I do not wonder at the engagement between them. She was duller than
himself, and consequently did not find out that he was so; and had lived
in that figure at Hanover almost forty years (for she came hither at
three score) without meddling in any affairs of the Electorate, content
with the small pension he allowed her, and the honour of his visits when
he had nothing else to do, which happened very often. She even refused
coming hither at first, fearing that the people of England, who, she
thought, were accustomed to use their kings barbarously, might chop off
his head in the first fortnight; and had not love or gratitude enough to
venture being involved in his ruin. And the poor man was in peril of
coming hither without knowing where to pass his evenings; which he was
accustomed to do in the apartments of women free from business. But
Madame Keilmansegg saved him from this misfortune. She was told that
Mademoiselle Schulenburg scrupled this terrible journey, and took the
opportunity of offering her service to his Majesty, who willingly
accepted it, though he did not facilitate it to her by the payment of
debts, which made it very difficult for her to leave Hanover without
permission of her creditors. But she was a woman of wit and spirit, and
knew very well of what importance this step was to her fortune. She got
out of the town in disguise, and made the best of her way in a
post-chaise to Holland, from whence she embarked with the King, and
arrived at the same time with him in England; which was enough to make
her called his mistress, or at least so great a favourite that the whole
Court began to pay her uncommon respect.
"This lady deserves that I should be a little particular in her
character, there being something in it worth speaking of. She was past
forty; she had never been a beauty, but certainly very agreeable in her
person when adorned with youth; and had once appeared so charming to the
King, that it was said the divorce and ruin of his beautiful Princess,
the Duke of Celle's daughter, was owing to the hopes her mother (who was
declared mistress to the King's father, and all-powerful in his Court,)
had of setting her daughter in her place; and that project did not
succeed, by the passion which Madame Kielmansegg took for M. Kielmansegg,
who was a son of a merchant of Hamburg, and after having a child by him,
there was nothing left for her but to marry him. Her ambitions ran mad
with the disappointment, and died in that deplorable manner, leaving
£40,000 which she had heaped by the favour of the Elector, to this
daughter, which was very easily squandered by one of her temper. She was
both luxurious and generous, devoted to her pleasures, and seemed to have
taken Lord Rochester's resolution of avoiding all sorts of self-denial.
She had a greater vivacity in conversation than ever I knew in a German
of either sex. She loved reading, and had a taste of all polite learning.
Her humour was easy and sociable. Her constitution inclined her to
gallantry. She was well-bred and amusing in company. She knew both how
to please and be pleased, and had experience enough to know it was hard
to do either without money. Her unlimited expenses had left her with
very little remaining, and she made what haste she could to make
advantage of the opinion the English had of her power with the King, by
receiving the presents that were made her from all quarters, and which
she knew very well must cease when it was known that the King's idleness
carried him to her lodgings without either regard for her advice, or
affection for her person, which time and very bad paint had left without
any of the charms which had once attracted him. His best-beloved mistress
remained still at Hanover, which was the beautiful Countess of Platen.
"Perhaps it will be thought a digression in this place to tell the story
of his amour with her; but, as I write only for myself, I shall always
think I am at liberty to make what digressions I think fit, proper or
improper; besides that in my opinion can set the King's character in a
clearer light. That lady was married to Madame Kielmansegg's brother,
the most considerable man in Hanover for birth and fortune; and her
beauty was as far beyond that of any of the other women that appeared.
However, the King saw her every day without taking notice of it, and
contented himself with his habitual commerce with Mademoiselle
Schulenburg.
"In those little Courts there is no distinction of much value but what
arises from the favour of the Prince, and Madame Platen saw with great
indignation that all her charms were passed over unregarded; and she
took a method to get over this misfortune which would never have entered
into the head of a woman of sense, and yet which met with wonderful
success. She asked an audience of his Highness, who granted it without
guessing what she meant by it; and she told him that as nobody could
refuse her the first rank in that place, it was very mortifying to see
his Highness not show her any mark of favour; and as no person could be
more attached to his person than herself, she begged with tears in her
fine eyes that he would alter his behaviour to her. The Elector, very
much astonished at this complaint, answered that he did not know any
reason he had given her to believe he was wanting in respect for her,
and that he thought her not only the greatest lady, but the greatest
beauty of the court. 'If that be true, sire,' replied she, sobbing, 'why
do you pass all your time with Mademoiselle Schulenburg, while I hardly
receive the honour of a visit from you?' His Highness promised to mend
his manners, and from that time was very assiduous in waiting upon her.
This ended in a fondness, which her husband disliked so much that he
parted with her, and she had the glory of possessing the heart and
person of her master, and to turn the whole stream of courtiers that
used to attend Mademoiselle Schulenburg to her side. However, he did not
break with his first love, and often went to her apartment to cut paper,
which was his chief employment there; which the Countess of Platen
easily permitted him, having often occasion for his absence. She was
naturally gallant; and, after having thus satisfied her ambition,
pursued her warmer inclinations.
"Young Craggs came about this time to Hanover, where his father sent him
to take a view of that court in his tour of travelling. He was in his
first bloom of youth and vigour, and had so strong an appearance of that
perfection, that it was called beauty by the generality of women: though
in my opinion there was a coarseness in his face and shape that had more
the air of a porter than a gentleman; and, if fortune had not interposed
her almighty power, he might by his birth have appeared in that figure;
his father being nothing more considerable at his first appearance in
the world than footman to Lady Mary Mordaunt, the gallant Duchess of
Norfolk, who had always half a dozen intrigues to manage. Some servant
must always be trusted in affairs of that kind and James Craggs had the
good fortune to be chose for that purpose. She found him both faithful
and discreet, and he was soon advanced to the dignity of _valet-de-chambre._
"King James II had an amour with her after he was upon the throne, and
respected the Queen enough to endeavour to keep it entirely from her
knowledge. James Craggs was the messenger between the King and the
Duchess, and did not fail to make the best use of so important a trust.
He scraped a great deal of money from the bounty of this royal lover,
and was too inconsiderable to be hurt by his ruin; and did not concern
much for that of his mistress, which by lower intrigues happened soon
after. This fellow, from the report of all parties, and even from that
of his professed enemies, had a very uncommon genius; a head well turned
for calculation, great industry, and was so just an observer of the
world, that the meanness of his education never appeared in his
conversation.
"The Duke of Marlborough, who was sensible how well he was qualified for
affairs that required secrecy, employed him as his procurer both for
women and money, and he acquitted himself so well of these trusts as to
please his master, and yet raise a considerable fortune, by turning his
money in the public funds, the secret of which came often to his
knowledge by the Duke's employing him. He had this only son, whom he
looked on with the partiality of a parent, and resolved to spare nothing
in his education that could add to his figure.
"Young Craggs had great vivacity, a happy memory, and flowing elocution,
he was brave and generous, and had an appearance of open-heartedness in
his manner that gained him a universal good-will, if not a universal
esteem. It is true there appeared a heat and want of judgment in all his
words and actions, which did not make him valuable in the eyes of cool
judges, but Madame Platen was not of that number. His youth and fire
made him appear very well worthy of his passionate addresses. Two people
so well disposed towards each other were very soon in the closest
engagement; and the first proof Madame Platen gave him of her affection
was introducing him to the favour of the Elector, who took it on her
word that he was a young man of extraordinary merit, and he named him
for Cofferer at his first accession to the Crown of England, and I
believe it was the only place that he then disposed of from any
inclination of his own. This proof of Madame Platen's favour hindered
her coming hither.
"Bernstorff was afraid she might meddle in the distribution of places
that he was willing to keep in his own hands; and he represented to the
King that the Roman Catholic religion that she professed was an
insuperable objection to her appearance at the Court of England, at
least so early; but he gave her private hopes that things might be so
arranged as to make her admittance easy when the King was settled in his
new dominions. And with this hope she consented without much concern to
let him go without her; not reflecting that weak minds lose all
impressions by even short absences. But as her own understanding did not
furnish her with very great refinements, she was troubled with none of
the fears that would have affected a stronger head, and had too good an
opinion of her own beauty to believe anything in England could efface
it, while Madame Kielmansegg attached herself to the one thing
necessary--getting what money she could by the sale of places, and the
credulity of those who thought themselves very polite in securing her
favour.
"Lord Halifax was one of this number; his ambition was unbounded, and he
aimed at no less than the Treasurer's staff, and thought himself in a
fine road for it by furnishing Madame Kielmansegg both with money and a
lover. Mr. Methuen was the man he picked out for that purpose. He was
one of the Lords of the Treasury; he was handsome and well-made; he had
wit enough to be able to affect any part he pleased and a romantic turn
in his conversation that could entertain a lady with as many adventures
as Othello,--and it is no ill way of gaining Desdemonas. Women are very
apt to take their lovers' characters from their own mouths; and if you
will believe Mr. Methuen's account of himself, neither Artamenes nor
Oroondates ever had more valour, honour, constancy, and discretion. Half
of these bright qualities were enough to charm Madame Kielmansegg, and
they were soon in the strictest familiarity, which continued for
different reasons, to the pleasure of both parties, till the arrival of
Mademoiselle Schulenburg, which was hastened by the German ministers,
who envied the money accumulated by Madame Kielmansegg, which they
longed to turn into another channel, which they thought would be more
easily drawn into their own hands. They took care to inform Mademoiselle
Schulenburg of the fond reception all the Germans met with in England,
and gave her a view of the immense fortune that waited her here. This
was enough to cure her fears, and she arrived accompanied by a young
niece who had already made some noise at Hanover. She had projected the
conquest of the Prince of Wales, and had so far succeeded as to obtain
his favours for some months, but the Princess, who dreaded a rival to
her power, soon put an end to the correspondence, and she was no longer
possessed of his good graces when she came hither.
"I have not yet given the character of the Prince. The fire of his
temper appeared in every look and gesture; which, being unhappily under
the direction of a small understanding, was every day throwing him upon
some indiscretion. He was naturally sincere, and his pride told him that
he was placed above constraint; not reflecting that a high rank carries
along with it a necessity if a more decent and regular behaviour than is
expected from those who are not set in so conspicuous a light. He was
far from being of that opinion, that he looked on all men and women he
saw as creatures he might kick or kiss for his diversion; and whenever
he met with any opposition in those designs, he thought his opposers
insolent rebels to the will of God, who created them for his use, and
judged of the merit of all people by their submission to his orders, or
the relation they had to his power. And in this view, he looked upon the
Princess, as the most meritorious of her sex; and she took care to keep
him in that sentiment by all the arts she was mistress of. He had
married her by inclination; his good-natured father had been so
complaisant as to let him choose a wife for himself. She was of the
house of Anspach, and brought him no great addition either of money or
alliance; but was at that time esteemed a German beauty, and had genius
which qualified her for the government of a fool; and made her
despicable in the eyes of men of sense; I mean a low cunning, which gave
her an inclination to cheat all the people she conversed with, and often
cheated herself in the first place, by showing her the wrong side of her
interest, not having understanding enough to observe that falsehood in
conversation, like red on the face, should be used very seldom, and very
sparingly, or they destroy that interest and beauty which they are
designed to heighten.
"Her first thought on her marriage was to secure to herself the sole and
whole direction of her spouse; and to that purpose she counterfeited the
most extravagant fondness for his person; yet, at the same time, so
devoted to his pleasures (which she often told him were the rule of all
her thoughts and actions), that whenever he thought proper to find them
with other women, she even loved whoever was instrumental to his
entertainment, and never resented anything but what appeared to her a
want of respect for him; and in this light she really could not help
taking notice that the presents made to her on her wedding were not
worthy of his bride, and at least she ought to have had all his mother's
jewels. This was enough to make him lose all respect for his indulgent
father. He downright abused his ministers, and talked impertinently to
his old grandmother the Princess Sophia, which ended in such a coldness
towards all his family as left him entirely under the government of his
wife.
"The indolent Elector contented himself with showing his resentment by
his silence towards him; and this was the situation the family first
appeared in when they came into England. This behaviour did not,
however, hinder schemes being laid by various persons of gratifying
their ambition, or making their fortunes, by particular attachments to
each of the Royal Family."