MARQUIS OF BLANDFORD, EARL OF SUNDERLAND AND MARLBOROUGH; BARON OF WORMLEIGHTON, AND CHURCHILL OF SANDRIDGE; KNIGHT OF THE MOST NOBLE ORDER OF THE GARTER; LORD LIEUTENANT, AND CUSTOS ROTULORUM OF THE COUNTY OF OXFORD; RANGER OF WHICHWOOD FOREST; HIGH STEWARD OF OXFORD AND WOODSTOCK; GOVERNOR OF THE CHARTER HOUSE; AND A SENIOR BROTHER OF THE TRINITY HOUSE.

IN point of descent, this family is ancient, and in respect to military merit, eminently illustrious. Nor is it deficient as to talents of another kind: for that accomplished poet of the sixteenth century, who was the friend of Sir Philip Sidney, as well as the favourite of Elizabeth, lays claim to be reckoned among its kindred. Gibbon the historian expresses

himself with his usual force and elegance, while treating on this subject: the nobility of the Spencers has been illustrated and enriched by the trophies of Marlborough; but I exhort them to consider the Fairy Queen, as the most noble jewel of their coronet.

This house, according to the genealogical tables of Anderson, may be traced to Gitto de Leon, who flourished at the commencement of the eleventh century; and from the testimony of Edmondson, we are taught to believe that Robert Le Despencer, was the progenitor of Sir Robert Spencer, who received the honour of knighthood, from the sword of the maiden Queen. On the accession of her successor, James I. he was ennobled and admitted into favour.

Sir Winstone Churchill, the historian, who for a time lost his estate, on account of his loyalty and adherence to Charles I. was the father of the celebrated John Duke of Marlborough, whose talents are attested by nineteen campaigns; who never fought a battle in which he was defeated, and who never sat down before a town which he did not take. The fame of the British army under his auspices, resounded for the first time on the banks of the Danube, and the Rhine. Notwithstandstanding he was the ornament both of the court, and the reign of Queen Anne, yet his Grace was taught to feel the caprice of fortune; and indeed he would have withdrawn in 1710, but for a letter signed by Lord Chancellor Cowper, and all the whig lords of that day, soliciting his stay, and deprecating his resignation, which, however, finally took place at a less auspicious period.

By his consort, a daughter and coheir of Richard Jennings, of Sundridge in the county of Herts, this distinguished warrior had one son and four daughters, the former of whom died in his thirteenth year. All the females were matched into noble families. One married Francis Earl of Godolphin, and became afterwards Duchess of Marlborough; another was the wife of the Earl of Sunderland; a third united her fate to Scroop, first Duke of Bridgewater, while the youngest became Duchess of Montague.

Sarah, the mother of these, and sister to the Duchess of Tyrconnel, was one of the most extraordinary women of that or any age. Her Grace, under the veil of a beautiful and feminine countenance, concealed a masculine spirit and understanding. The feeble mind of her sovereign was overawed by the majesty of her demeanor, and the superiority of her genius. Anne was accustomed to correspond with this lady, under the signature of "her poor, unfortunate, faithful Morley," and their intimacy followed by what courtiers are accustomed to term the disgrace" of both her and the Duke," was terminated by the vile arts of a 66 woman of the bedchamber," who at once betrayed, and endeavoured to ruin her generous benefactress. The princely present of 5000l. to the historian Hooke, the bequests to Mallet and Glover, the patronage of Cragges, and the munificent legacy of 10,000l. to William Pitt, the first Earl of Chatham, with a view to enable him to preserve his independence; fully attest the generosity of this great and singular woman.

George, the third Duke of Marlborough, by Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Lord Trevor, was born on January 26, O.S. 1738, now corresponding with February 7. As Marquis of Blandford, and the heir of a rich and powerful family, great pains were taken with his education; and his father, Duke Charles, having a taste for mathematical pursuits, he applied for the selection of a private tutor to Mr. Bliss, at that time Savilian professor of geometry, and astronomer royal, who was frequently a guest at Blenheim. That gentleman immediately recommended Mr. Moore, a young man of his own college. His father is said to have followed the same profession as that of Cardinal Wolsey, and, being a man of merit, after a variety of promotions in the church, he at length died Archbishop of Canterbury.

The young Marquis of Blandford was at first destined for a military life, and commenced his career as an aide-de-camp to his own father, during the campaign of 1758. His lordship afterwards obtained a company in a marching regiment (the 20th foot,) soon after which, he declined the profession.

At the demise of the second Duke at Munster in Westphalia, while commander of the British army, he was in his twentieth year. Being desirous of seeing still more of foreign countries, this young nobleman soon after revisited the continent in company with one of his brothers. In Italy he displayed both his taste and magnificence. At Genoa, then famous for its manufactures, his Grace expended 6000l. in velvet, which was afterwards converted into splendid hangings for his town house. Being determined to collect a noble cabinet of antiques, Mr. Jennings the celebrated connoisseur, who was then also on his travels, informed the writer of this memoir, that he was consulted on this subject. According to him, the sum of 12007. was actually paid for two rare gems at Rome, and two more were bought at Venice, for 300%.

The Duke appears to have returned to his native country, in 1759, or 1760, for in the spring of the latter year, the lieutenancy of his county (Oxford) was conferred upon him. On the 25th of August 1762, he married Lady Caroline Russel, daughter of John Duke of Bedford, by whom he has had a numerous issue. At the coronation of George III. this nobleman occupied a distinguished station, having been appointed to carry the sceptre and the cross in the procession. The offices of lord chamberlain, and lord privy seal, were conferred in rotation, and soon after voluntarily resigned: for he was always held in great favour and esteem, by his present Majesty. In 1768, he was decorated with the garter.

His employments and inclinations were of a far different kind from those who revel in the luxury of public exhibition. His Grace loved the shade, and avoided the glare and glitter of courts. To these his good taste taught him to prefer the "bowers of Woodstock."

Having at one time a passion for the rural pastime of fishing, he conceived the idea of converting a little ayte, or ozierbed, situate in the centre of the Thames, between Windsor and Maidenhead-bridge, into a stately island. This transformation was accordingly achieved by means of chalk, which was brought down in lighters from "Chefden's proud retreat;"

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and having a range of river, near two miles in extent, immediately after this he built a beautiful little cottage, the hall of which has its ceiling ornamented, at this day, with monkeys in the various characters of fishermen, boatmen, &c. These animals, whence the place was ever after denominated Monkey · Island, were painted with considerable skill and taste by an Italian artist, who according to tradition, on this occasion found means to caricature all the principal servants appertaining to the household. A banquetting-room was added; but the latter was afterwards disfigured by a Sheriff of London, of the name of Fludyer, who being perhaps a member of the Fishmongers' Company, disgraced the purity and simplicity of the original style by his bad taste; for, with his golden dolphins, and a variety of gaudy ornaments, he contrived to give a ludicrous air to the whole. In fine, he daubed over a charming apartment with so much leaf gold as to produce an exact imitation of English gingerbread, covered with Dutch copper, at a country fair. Let those who doubt, examine: for the edifice still remains.

The Duke at length began to arrange and augment the collection of gems and intaglios, which he himself had in part selected during his travels. To these he now added the cameos and intaglios of the Arundelian collection. The tasteful and judicious Horace Walpole, afterwards Earl of Orford, pronounces the marriage of Cupid and Psyche, to be "the finest remain of antique sculpture of that kind." His Grace also moved by a noble and munificent taste, determined on this oc. casion to invoke the assistance of one branch of the fine arts, to embellish and enrich another. When Bartolozzi was employed on this occasion, all agreed on the fitness of the choice; nor was expence spared to render the letter-press, as well as the engravings of these two volumes truly unique. Dr. William Cole, chaplain to his Grace, and tutor to two of his children, composed the Latin expositions, in an elegant and appropriate manner. This work was never published; a limited number of copies only was printed; and presented with great liberality to the royal library, a few of the great institutions through