[Footnote 16:  Mrs. Manley, in her “Memoirs of Europe towards the Close of the Eighth Century,” has something very characteristic to say on this subject.  Speaking of Somers under the name Cicero, she says:  “Cicero, Madam, is by birth a plebeian” ...  “Cicero himself, an oracle of wisdom, was whirled about by his lusts, at the pleasure of a fantastic worn-out mistress.  He prostituted his inimitable sense, reason, and good nature, either to revenge, or reward, as her caprice directed; and what made this commerce more detestable, this mistress of his was a wife!” ... “that she was the wife of an injured friend! a friend who passionately loved her, and had tenderly obliged him, rather heightened his desires” (i., 200; ii., 54, 83).  The mistress is said to be Mrs. Blunt, daughter of Sir R. Fanshaw. [T.S.]]

[Footnote 17:  John Sheffield (1647-1721), third Earl of Mulgrave, was created Marquess of Normanby, 1694, and Duke of Buckingham and Normanby in 1702/3.  He succeeded the Duke of Devonshire as lord steward of the household on September 21st, 1710.  He was the author of a poetical “Essay on Poetry,” and an interesting prose “Account of the Revolution.”  As patron to Dryden he received the dedication of that poet’s “Aurengzebe.”  Pope edited his collected works in 1722-23. [T.S.]]

[Footnote 18:  William Cavendish (1673?-1729) succeeded his father as second Duke of Devonshire in 1707.  He was lord steward, 1707-10, and lord president, 1716-17.]

[Footnote 19:  Charles Talbot, Duke of Shrewsbury, is styled by Swift elsewhere (Letter to Archbishop King, October 20th, 1713; Scott’s edition, xvi. 71), “the finest gentleman we have” (see note on p. 377 of vol. v. of present edition).  He was lord chamberlain, 1710-14. [T.S.]]

[Footnote 20:  Henry de Grey (1664?-1740) succeeded his father as eleventh Earl of Kent in 1702.  He was created Marquess of Kent, 1706, and Duke of Kent, 1710.  He held the office of lord chamberlain of the household from 1704 to 1710. [T.S.]]

[Footnote 21:  Harley was first chosen Speaker, February 10th, 1700/1, for a Parliament that lasted nine months; then again, December 30th, 1701, for a Parliament that lasted only six months; and finally October 20th or 21st, 1702. [T.S.]]

[Footnote 22:  “The Queen dismissed the Earl of Godolphin from being lord treasurer, and put the treasury in commission:  Lord Powlet was the first in form, but Mr. Harley was the person with whom the secret was lodged” (Burnet, “Own Times,” ii. 552-3).  He was appointed August 10th, 1710. [T.S.]]

[Footnote 23:  Godolphin was very devoted to the turf.  See Swift’s poem entitled, “The Virtues of Sid Hamet’s Rod” (Aldine edition, iii. 10). [T.S.]]

[Footnote 24:  William Legge (1672-1750) succeeded his father as second Lord Dartmouth in 1691, and was created Earl of Dartmouth in 1711.  On June 14th, 1710, he was appointed secretary of state in place of the Earl of Sunderland.  See note on p. 229 of vol. v. of present edition. [T.S.]]