Part 24

[144] The picture is now at Holland House. It was painted in 1793, and was bought in Rome by Henry Edward Fox (afterwards fourth Lord Holland) for his father in 1828. It belonged at that time to Prince Gargarin, a Russian. See Frontispiece, vol. i.

[145] Giovanni Fabroni (1752–1822), Sub-Director of the Museum at Florence under Fontana, whom he succeeded as Director. He was appointed Overseer of the roads and bridges by Napoleon. The commencement of the Corniche road was chiefly due to his exertions.

[146] Don Neri Corsini (1771–1845), a leading politician in Tuscany under the Grand Dukes Ferdinand III. and Leopold II. His brother was Don Tommaso Corsini, Prince of Sismano.

[147] Vittorio Fossombroni (1754–1844). In addition to his scholastic acquirements he was an active politician, and was Minister for Foreign Affairs in Tuscany for many years.

[148] Lorenzo Pignotti (1739–1812), Professor of Physic at Florence and Pisa, and afterwards Rector of the latter university. He wrote poetry, though his fables are the best known of his works.

[149] Melchiore Deifico (1744–1835). Historian and statesman with liberal views which he openly avowed. He was President of the State Council at Naples in 1806, and President of the Provisional Junta in 1820.

[150] Carlo Greppi (1751–1811), dramatic author and poet.

[151] Pietro Benvenuto (1769–1844), Director of the Academy at Florence at the time of his death.

[152] The figure is evidently ‘Justice,’ one of the two allegorical figures on the tomb of Pope Paul III. by Guglielmo della Porta. After the sculptor’s death ‘his son Teodoro was employed to cover the body with a bronze tunic’ (Perkins’s _Italian Sculptors_).

[153] This eruption commenced in February 1793, and lasted almost continuously till the end of June 1794. It reached its worst on June 15, 1794. The cone lost height, and became flattened, as was the case in the recent eruption of 1906.

[154] Sir Morton Eden (1752–1830). Diplomatist, Ambassador at Vienna in 1793 and 1794–99. In the latter year he was created Baron Henley.

[155] Charles Joseph, Comte de Clerfait (1733–1798), a Belgian, who entered the Austrian service and rose to high command in the army. His successes and popularity, however, became too great for the court, and he was superseded in his command by Archduke Charles two years before his death.

[156] Lord Elgin had been sent to Berlin as Envoy Extraordinary in 1795.

[157] The Pitt diamond was bought by Mr. Pitt, Governor of Madras in 1702, for about 20,000_l._ He resold it in 1717 to the Duc d’Orleans, for Louis XV., for 130,000_l._ It was sent at this time to Berlin, but appeared a few years later in the hilt of Napoleon’s sword of state.

[158] Sir Gilbert Affleck was Lady Holland’s stepfather; he married her mother, Mrs. Vassall, in 1796. He succeeded his uncle as second Baronet in 1788, and died in 1808 at the age of sixty-seven.

[159] The Treaty of Campo Formio, concluded between France and Austria, embodying the preliminaries of Leoben, was signed on October 18, but at the same time the negotiations between England and France were broken off.

[160] At the battle of Camperdown.

[161] Mr. Fox married Mrs. Armstead in September 1795 at Wyton, near Huntingdon, but the fact was not announced till 1802. She died in 1842, at the age of ninety-two. Lord Minto, writing in 1805, says of her: ‘She has grown fat, and not younger, nor softer flavoured, but her manner is pleasing and gentlewomanlike. I perceive that Lady Holland does not admire her, and would willingly indulge herself now and then with a fling at her.’ And again: ‘Mr. Fox has been shopping with Mrs. Fox, an amusement they say he is very fond of; they had been buying china--cheap china, I mean, for they seem great economists.’ Miss Fox’s (Lord Holland’s sister) account of Mrs. Fox’s conduct in 1806, written to Lord Ossory, is also interesting, to show the bias of Lady Holland’s description. ‘Mrs. Fox’s patient fortitude, her gentle piety, endear her to me every minute, and loving her as I do for his sake, still I must do so for her own, for she deserves it.’

[162] La Fayette remained in Europe and took up his residence at Wittmold, in Holstein. After the _coup d’état_ of 1799 he returned to France, but lived in retirement on his property until 1814.

[163] François Claude Amour, Marquis de Bouillé (1739–1800). He distinguished himself against the English in the Antilles during the War of Independence, and after Louis XVI.’s arrest at Varennes left France and went to England, where he died.

[164] See _ante_, p. 92.

[165] Lord Malmesbury had been sent to Lille in July to negotiate for peace. His efforts were fruitless owing to the ascendancy of the Jacobin party in France, and he left for home on September 18.

[166] Catherine, first wife of Thomas, second Viscount Hampden, and only daughter of General David Graeme. She died in 1804. Colonel Graeme was appointed Secretary to the Queen in 1761, and Controller of her household in 1765. These posts he held until 1774, when he left the Court and retired to Scotland. Jesse, on the authority of the Rev. A. Carlyle, states that he became too presumptuous and arrogant, and thereby forfeited the favour of the Queen. He became Major-General in 1763, General 1783, and died in 1797.

[167] Charles Martel’s defeat of the Saracens near Tours in 732 A.D.

[168] Jean Gresset (1709–1777), French poet and writer of plays. Educated by the Jesuits, he became well known for his satires against the priesthood. Later in life he gave up his literary work under the influence of the Bishop of Amiens, and retired to a monastery.

[169] Juan Andrès (1740–1817).

[170] Admiral Duncan had completely destroyed the Dutch fleet under Admiral de Winter on October 11, 1797, off the village of Camperdown. With sixteen ships of the line he captured eight Dutch ships of the line out of a total of fifteen. His task was rendered more difficult by the mutinous spirit which had affected many of his crews for some months previously.

Sir John Jervis’s victory had been gained on February 11 off Cape St. Vincent on the coast of Portugal. In his case the odds were greater with respect to the number of ships engaged, _i.e._ fifteen English to twenty-seven Spanish, but the ships of the latter were poorly manned, and in many cases the crews were incomplete. Indeed, it is probable that, had the English Admiral realised his superiority in this respect, he would have been able to destroy the whole Spanish fleet. As it was, four ships of the line were captured, and others destroyed.

[171] Antoine Joseph Santerre (1752–1809). Though a violent revolutionist, his influence seems to have been employed to obtain kindly usage for the Royal Family. The well-known story of his order to the drums to drown Louis XVI.’s speech to the populace when on the scaffold is open to doubt. Even if he gave the order, which is uncertain, he was only a subordinate, and the command would in all probability have emanated from General Burruyer, the commander of the troops. His campaign in 1793 against the insurgents of La Vendée was a complete failure, and he was arrested and imprisoned on the charge of disaffection towards the Republic. On his release he retired into private life.

[172] Robert Percy Smith (1770–1845), better known as ‘Bobus’ Smith. He was the eldest son of Robert Smith, and Maria Ollier, the daughter of a French refugee. He was at Eton with Lord Holland, and continued from that time in the closest friendship and intimacy with him. He was appointed Advocate-General of Bengal, by Lord Lansdown’s influence, in 1803, and remained seven years in India. He entered Parliament in 1812, but never took much part in the debates. The sprightliness and originality of his wit and conversation obtained for him a fame to which he could never have attained by his performances in public life.

[173] Miss Caroline Vernon was second daughter of Evelyn, first Countess of Upper Ossory, and Richard Vernon, whom she married after the death of her first husband. Her eldest sister, Henrietta, married George, Earl of Warwick, in 1776, and the youngest, Elizabeth, died unmarried in 1830. Robert Vernon Smith, the son of this marriage, married Emma Mary, a natural daughter of the second Earl of Upper Ossory, and was created Lord Lyveden in 1859.

[174] Lord Thurlow (1731–1806) was Lord Chancellor from 1778 till 1783. After the fall of the Coalition he resumed that office, and retained it until 1792, when he was compelled to resign on account of his opposition to Pitt.

[175] This was Pitt’s proposal to treble for a year the Assessed Taxes payable on houses, windows, carriages, horses, &c. By this means he proposed to provide the necessary funds for the year without increasing the national debt; and by a system of graduation he considered that the tax would only fall on those who could reasonably afford to contribute towards the revenues of the country. The tax, in effect, did not nearly approach the figure Pitt estimated it would produce.

[176] On the Assessed Taxes Bill.

[177] James, eighth Earl of Lauderdale (1759–1839), second son of James, seventh Earl of Lauderdale, whom he succeeded in the titles in 1789. He first entered the House of Commons in 1780, and was elected a Scotch representative peer in 1790, but was not re-elected during the next two Parliaments on account of his advanced views on social questions. His ideas, however, underwent a marked change later in life, and he even opposed the Reform Bills. He married, in 1782, Eleanor, only daughter of Anthony Todd, Esq.

[178] Matthew Gregory Lewis (1775–1818), eldest son of Matthew Lewis, Esq., and Frances Maria, daughter of Sir Thomas Sewell. He was educated at Westminster, and passed some time in Germany, near Weimar, where he learnt the language and imbibed that taste for German literature which clung to him for the remainder of his life. When only twenty he wrote the novel which gave him the nickname by which he is best known. In addition to novels, he wrote numerous poems and verses, and also plays, several of which were produced in London. He sat in the House of Commons as a Whig from 1796 to 1802. His father, who was a large landed proprietor in the West Indies, died in 1812, and after his death Lewis took up very enthusiastically the question of the welfare of the slaves working on the property. He twice visited Jamaica, and died on the return journey in 1818 from yellow fever.

[179] Frederick William III. (1770–1840) succeeded to the throne of Prussia on his father’s death in November 1797. The late King, Frederick William II. (1744–1797), was nephew and successor of Frederick the Great. The boundaries of Prussia were largely extended during his reign, but his methods of ruling the country, influenced by unworthy favourites, did not commend themselves to his people. He divorced his first wife, Princess Elizabeth of Brunswick, in 1769, and married Princess Louise of Hesse-Darmstadt, by whom he had six children.

[180] Better known under the name of Wilhelmine, Comtesse de Lichtenau (1752–1820), the title bestowed on her by Frederick William II. The daughter of a musician, she became his mistress at the age of sixteen, probably under the promise of morganatic marriage, and for the sake of appearances was married to one of his body servants, Rietz. On the King’s death she suffered eighteen months’ imprisonment, besides the loss of all her belongings. Some of her property was restored to her by Napoleon in 1807.

Her daughter was called Comtesse de la Marche. Lord Bristol, in several letters to Lady E. Foster, published in _The Two Duchesses_, implores her assistance in persuading his second son, Frederick (who succeeded him), to marry the lady, and enumerates the benefits which would accrue to the whole family by the alliance. The young man in question, however, thought otherwise, and married, in February 1798, Elizabeth Charlotte, daughter of Clotworthy, first Lord Templetown.

[181] Charles James Fox, writing to Lord Holland on January 16, 1798, says: ‘I do assure you, my dear young one, that I do not flatter you at all, if by flattering is meant saying more than one thinks, but if praise is to be called flattery, then I beg that you will tell Lady H. that I know enough of the family constitution to know that it is remarkably good and wholesome for us all, and that, too, in good doses. I think your speech, whether well or ill given, reads very well indeed; but it was not the goodness of the speech only that I alluded to, it was the stoutness of fighting so well, all alone against them all, and I really was delighted full as much as I said, or more.’

[182] In the form of a National Defence Fund. Forty-six thousand pounds were subscribed at an open-air meeting of bankers and merchants held in the Royal Exchange. The Bank of England subscribed 200,000_l._

[183] He married, in 1794, Mary Elizabeth, only daughter of William, first Lord Ponsonby, of Imokilly.

[184] George Tierney (1761–1831) was son of Thomas Tierney, a native of Limerick, and originally a merchant in London. He married, in 1789, Miss Miller, of Stapleton, in Gloucestershire.

[185] Mungo Park (1771–1806). He lost his life in a second attempt to solve the mystery of the sources of the Niger. An account of his travels was published in 1815 by Whishaw.

[186] See _ante_, p. 33.

[187] Claude Etienne Savary (1750–1788), who spent some years in Egypt and wrote, among other works, _Letters on Egypt_ and _Letters on Greece_.

[188] During the autumn of 1797 various intrigues were on foot in Rome, and all centred in the residence of the French Ambassador, Joseph Bonaparte (Napoleon’s eldest brother), who desired a means of breaking with the Papal Government. His opportunity came at last on December 28, when a revolutionary band sought refuge from the soldiery and populace in the courtyard of the French Embassy. In the tumult a member of the Embassy was shot by one of the Papal soldiers. Joseph instantly quitted the Pope’s dominions, and a French army under Berthier entered the city on February 10. It was received with acclamation by the multitude, and the Roman Republic was proclaimed an accomplished fact. The Pope was removed to Tuscany, and afterwards to Valence, where he died in 1799. In November 1798, Ferdinand issued a proclamation to the Neapolitans that he was about to restore the Pope to his throne, and immediately proceeded, with the help of an Austrian army, to try to carry out his boast. The whole force, under the command of General Mack, did indeed reach Rome, but were unable to maintain their position, owing to lack of discipline and bad generalship. The French closely pursued their disorderly retreat, and in their turn entered Naples in January 1799.

[189] Joseph Jekyll, the celebrated wit. He practised at the Bar, and was returned to Parliament for Calne in 1787 through the influence of Lord Lansdown. He was a favourite with the Prince of Wales, and it is probable that he owed his appointment as Master in Chancery (1815) to that fact, for he was barely qualified for the post. He died in 1837.

[190] Lord Henry Petty (1780–1863), Lord Lansdown’s only son by his second marriage. He became third Marquess on his half-brother’s death in 1809.

The first Lord Lansdown always signed his name without the terminal _e_, a practice not followed by his successors.

[191] At the Anchor and Crown.

[192] The estrangement between the Prince and Grey arose over the latter’s refusal to make a statement in the House of Commons concerning the Prince and Mrs. Fitzherbert. At her desire the Prince wished for a modification of Fox’s outspoken denial of the marriage. Grey would have nothing to do with it, and the business was handed over to Sheridan, who made a confused and undecided statement.

[193] Wraxall relates of O’Byrne that he was an Irish adventurer who amassed a considerable fortune at the gaming tables. He was intimate with the Prince, who often dined at his house.

[194] Gilbert Wakefield (1756–1801) was son of a Nottinghamshire clergyman. He took the highest possible classical honours at Cambridge, and was intended for the Church. He developed, however, leanings towards Arian doctrines, which precluded him from taking orders. He published a number of works on the classics, and his correspondence with Fox on those subjects appeared in Lord Russell’s work. His political opinions became very advanced as years went on, and brought trouble upon him on this occasion. He was convicted, with his printer and publisher, of seditious libel, and was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment in Dorchester gaol. He died soon after his release.

[195] Richard Watson, Bishop of Llandaff (1737–1816). His pamphlet, _Address to the People of Great Britain_, was published in January, and Wakefield’s _Reply_ was issued with such speed that it was finished for the press in the compass of a single day. Wakefield’s _Reply_ stated ‘that the poor and the labouring classes would lose nothing by a French invasion, and declared that if the French came they would find him at his post among the illustrious dead. It also contained charges of corruption against the civil and ecclesiastical system of the day, and detailed numerous accusations against the Bishop of Llandaff as an absentee and a pluralist’ (_Dictionary of National Biography_). The Bishop never obtained the See he coveted.

[196] Hugh, second Duke of Northumberland, of the third creation (1742–1817), who succeeded to the titles in 1786. He was originally a follower of Pitt, but complained of neglect and went over to the Opposition.

[197] Holland House.

[198] William Robert, second Duke of Leinster (1749–1804), married, in 1775, Emilia Olivia, only daughter of Lord St. George. She died on June 23. The Duke’s mother, the Dowager Duchess, was a daughter of Charles, second Duke of Richmond, and Lord Holland’s great-aunt.

[199] Lord Fitzwilliam accepted the Lord-Lieutenancy of the North Riding in succession to the Duke of Norfolk.

[200] His wife, whose origin is shrouded in mystery. The probability is that she was a daughter of Madame de Genlis and Philippe Egalité, Duke of Orleans. Madame de Genlis, however, always declared that when she adopted her in order to assist the Orleans children, whose governess she was at the time, to learn English, she was the five-year-old daughter of Nancy Sims, living at Christchurch; that she had been born in Newfoundland, and that her father was one Guillaume de Brixey. Lord Edward first met her in Paris in 1792, and married her within a month. After her husband’s death she went to Hamburg, where she married, in 1800, Mr. Pitcairn, the United States Consul. The marriage, however, was not a happy one, and they were soon separated. After leaving Hamburg, she went to Vienna, and finally settled near Montauban, in Chambord.

[201] A warrant had been issued on March 12 against Lord Edward on the information given to Government by Thomas Reynolds, a man intimately acquainted with the revolutionary counsels in Ireland. He gave notice that a meeting of the conspirators would be held at the house of a well-to-do merchant in Dublin, and important arrests were made in consequence. Several of the leaders were not present, but were taken soon after, and Lord Edward alone succeeded in eluding the close search. He remained the whole time hidden in Dublin or the neighbourhood, notwithstanding the rumours to the contrary, and most of his relations had no certain knowledge of his whereabouts. In the meantime preparations for a rising continued under his supervision, and the intelligence that May 23 was fixed for the outbreak increased the desire of Government to secure his person. A further act of treachery brought about his arrest, which took place on May 19.

[202] The Duke of Portland was at the Home Office from 1794 until 1801.

[203] _Consolation à Monsieur du Périer sur la mort de sa fille._

[204] Arthur O’Connor (1763–1852), born in co. Cork. He was called to the Irish Bar in 1788, and entered the Irish Parliament three years later. He became deeply imbued with the spirit of the French Revolution, and resigned his seat in 1795. The year after, he joined the United Irishmen and became chief editor of their organ, _The Press_. After his release from prison he went to France, and was appointed a general of division by Napoleon, but never saw active service. He married, in 1807, Élize de Condorcet, and became a naturalised Frenchman.

He was tried at Maidstone, before Mr. Justice Buller, on a charge of high treason, with O’Coigly and others, but was acquitted. Bow Street runners were, however, in attendance to rearrest him on a second charge, and in the confusion which arose in court after judgment had been delivered, certain of his friends and one of his counsel, Robert Fergusson, were said, rightly or wrongly, to be implicated in an attempt to contrive his escape. Lord Thanet, Fergusson, and Denis O’Brien were arraigned on this count some months later, and the two first named were sentenced to imprisonment and fine.

[205] James O’Coigly, son of a Roman Catholic farmer in Armagh. He was partly educated in Paris, and later took orders. He was found at Margate in 1797 with papers in his possession implicating him in correspondence with the French regarding a proposed invasion of England, and in other treasonable practices.

[206] Thomas Hardy, Horne Tooke, and others had been tried in October 1794, before a special commission, for nine specified acts of high treason. They were acquitted on each count.

[207] Lady Holland’s account of the arrest is not accurate. From the account of eye-witnesses Lord Edward was the first to use weapons. Lady Louisa Conolly, in a letter to Mr. Ogilvie, states that his wounds were attended to at once by Mr. Stewart, the surgeon-general at Dublin Castle, and that Lord Camden had ordered him a room, but owing to the acts of violence he was removed to Newgate. No mention is elsewhere made of the attempts at rescue, and Murphy, in whose house he was taken, was not hanged, but was imprisoned, without any trial, for over a year before he was released.

[208] The Lord-Lieutenant.

[209] For Lady Louisa Conolly’s account of this visit, see her letter to Mr. Ogilvie (Moore’s _Life of Lord Edward Fitzgerald_, ii. 135).

[210] Lord Henry Fitzgerald.

[211] The insurrection broke out on the appointed day, May 23.

[212] John, fifteenth Earl of Suffolk and eighth Earl of Berkshire (1739–1820). He succeeded to the titles in 1783 on the death of a distant cousin. He became a general in the army, and married, in 1774, Julia, daughter of John Gaskarth, of Penrith.

[213] Grattan was arrested by mistake for Mr. Henry, of Straffan. Lawless (afterwards Lord Cloncurry) wrote in a letter to Ireland, which fell into the hands of Government, the names of various subscribers to a fund raised for O’Coigly’s defence. Among other entries was, ‘Little Harry has put down 50_l._’ ‘Little Harry’ was taken by the Government to mean Grattan; hence the error.

[214] _Voyage to South America_, translated from the Spanish by John Adams.

[215] _Account of conduct of D. of M. from her first coming to Court to 1710, in letter from herself to my Lord_ ---- 1742 (N. Hooke).

[216] Another account states that the Duchess thus treated the picture of Lady Anne Egerton, her grand-daughter and daughter of Elizabeth, Duchess of Bridgewater.

[217] Hon. John Spencer, youngest son of Charles, third Earl of Sunderland, and Anne, daughter and co-heiress of the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough. His only son was created Earl Spencer. His elder brother Charles became Duke of Marlborough.