of his ambition from his soliciting to be general for life:[19] I am persuaded his chief motive was the pay and perquisites, by continuing the war; and that he had then no intentions of settling the crown in his family, his only son having been dead some years before.[20] He is noted to be master of great temper, able to govern or very well to disguise his passions, which are all melted down, or extinguished, in his love of wealth.  That liberality which nature has denied him, with respect of money, he makes up by a great profusion of promises:  but this perfection, so necessary in courts, is not very successful in camps among soldiers, who are not refined enough to understand or to relish it.[21]

[Footnote 15:  For further remarks on Marlborough, see Swift’s “Conduct of the Allies,” “The Learned Comment on Dr. Hare’s Sermon,” and “The Examiner.” [T.S.]]

[Footnote 16:  P. Fitzgerald adds “altogether.” [W.S.J.]]

[Footnote 17:  P. Fitzgerald says “usually.” [W.S.J.]]

[Footnote 18:  This reflection on Marlborough’s personal courage was one of the points noted by Erasmus Lewis in his letter to Swift of April 8th, 1738.  The friends who had met to read and pass opinion on this “History” decided that in any printed form of this work it would be advisable not to call in question the courage of Marlborough.  See Sir W. Scott’s edition, vol. xix., pp. 133-136. [T.S.]]

[Footnote 19:  See “Memoirs Relating to that Change,” etc., in vol. v., pp. 372-373 of present edition. [T.S.]]

[Footnote 20:  See “The Conduct of the Allies,” vol. v., p. 103, and also “A Learned Comment,” etc., p. 179 of same volume of present edition. [T.S.]]

[Footnote 21:  See the Letter to Marcus Crassus in “The Examiner,” No. 28 in vol. ix. of present edition. [T.S.]]

His wife, the Duchess, may justly challenge her place in this list.  It is to her the Duke is chiefly indebted for his greatness and his fall; for above twenty years she possessed, without a rival, the favours of the most indulgent mistress in the world, nor ever missed one single opportunity that fell in her way of improving it to her own advantage.[22] She hath preserved a tolerable court reputation, with respect to love and gallantry;[23] but three Furies reigned in her breast, the most mortal enemies of all softer passions, which were sordid Avarice, disdainful Pride, and ungovernable Rage; by the last of these often breaking out in sallies of the most unpardonable sort, she had long alienated her sovereign’s mind, before it appeared to the world.[24] This lady is not without some degree of wit, and hath in her time affected the character of it, by the usual method of arguing against religion, and proving the doctrines of Christianity to be impossible and absurd.  Imagine what such a spirit, irritated by the loss of power, favour, and employment, is capable of acting or attempting; and then I have said enough.