V.

CHAPTER V.

Applications of Bolingbroke for the reversal of his Attainder.— Their issue.-Lady Bolingbroke's Second Journey to England. -Bolingbroke joins her.-Bill for his Restoration in Blood— Passed.-Bolingbroke's Discontent.-Purchases Dawley.— State of Parties.—Bolingbroke's Political Writings.-The Occasional Writer.- Walpole's Answer-Bolingbroke's Interview with the King.

CHAP. DURING all this time Bolingbroke was not unmindful of the great object of his conduct-the restoration A. D. 1723 of his title and estates. He harassed the ministers to 1735. with frequent applications for the fulfilment of the

promise which the King had certainly made. The validity of his claim was not denied, but its performance was constantly evaded; and Bolingbroke, who had no means of hastening their decisions, was compelled to admit their excuses. His letters at this time teem with indignant complaints of the manner in which he had been deceived, and the bad faith of the King and his ministers in breaking their word. The emissaries of the government seem to have entertained very nearly the same opinion as to the justice of the case: they report that Bolingbroke had well performed his promises, that he had not only separated himself entirely from the Pretender's interest, but that he had lately rejected without

hesitation very flattering overtures which had been CHAP. made from that quarter.

But the dominant party were now no longer equally divided among themselves. The schism which had proved of such opportune assistance to Oxford, had terminated in the ultimate triumph of those who had been temporarily discomfited. The government was now firmly established in hands of all others the most hostile to Bolingbroke. The Walpole administration, which endured so long and degenerated so remarkably, was now formed; and the only hope of the attainted peer was fixed upon the idea of gaining the personal favour of the King. All his attempts were however fruitless; the interest of Walpole was all-powerful, and his hatred was inveterate. In reply to some mention made of him in the house of commons, he vented a most furious tirade against his fallen enemy, and exclaimed as he sat down, "May his attainder never be reversed, and may his crimes never be forgotten!"

Lady Bolingbroke had already approved her talents as a diplomatist. He resolved to try her assistance again. In May 1724 she arrived in England, while Bolingbroke returned to La Source. Lord Harcourt and the Duchess of Kendal were again her friends. The expostulations of his minister, and the entreaties of the duchess, again produced their effect upon the King, and he appeared to favour their petition. He knew Bolingbroke's * Walpole Papers.

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A.D. 1723

to 1735.

VOL. II.

F

V.

to 1735.

CHAP. power either for good or evil; and he had not, like his minister, any private revenge to gratify, or any A.D. 1723 recollection of old wrongs to keep alive his hatred. Walpole however still remembered his expulsion from the house which he now governed at his will. He also dreaded the return of his old enemy to the sphere of politics: if he joined the opposition, he must be a most dangerous opponent; if he found favour with the court, he would become a no less dangerous rival. His interest and his resentment therefore plainly coincided, and he acted from policy as well as passion when he opposed his restoration.

At length, when his friends found that the opposition of the minister was too powerful for them, they pressed Bolingbroke to return to England, hoping that his presence might assist their exertions. He followed their advice, and joined his lady in London in October.* Bolingbroke fully expected, that after the several autumnal promises and vernal excuses with which he had been already deluded, his case would at length be settled, and his attainder unconditionally repealed.

His applications to the ministry for this purpose were frequent and energetic. He implored them to relieve him from the suspense in which he then

*The French were very sorry to lose him. Voltaire writes to the Président de Bernières" Une chose qui m'intéresse davantage, c'est le rappel de Milord Bolingbroke

en Angleterre. Il sera aujourd'hui à Paris, et j'aurai la douleur de lui dire adieu, peut-être pour toujours."

These letters are preserved among the Walpole Papers.

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A.D. 1723

was, and to tell him at once what his majesty's in- CHAP. tentions towards him were; and he employed his friend the Abbé Alari, who as a literary man was equally esteemed by both parties, to intercede for him with Walpole.

to 1735.

The Abbé and the other friends of Bolingbroke urgently seconded these endeavours to obtain a complete restoration to his honours; but this it was very far from the intention of those who ruled the counsels of the King to allow. At length however something definite was resolved upon. On the 20th of April 1725, Lord Finch presented a petition to the A.D. 1725. house of commons from the attainted peer. This petition stated, that the petitioner was truly concerned for his offence in not having rendered himself pursuant to the directions of an act of the first year of his majesty's reign, whereby he was atainted of high treason, and was deprived of all his real and personal estate, and by reason thereof has suffered very great losses. That upon his marriage in 1700, Sir Walter St. John, baronet, and Lord Viscount St. John, his grandfather and father, together with himself, made a settlement of the family estates in the counties of Wilts, Surrey, and Middlesex; all which estates, except a small portion, were then in the possession of Lord Viscount St. John; and that the petitioner could not become entitled to them for life until after his father's decease. The petition. declared, that he had in most humble and dutiful manner made his submission to his majesty, and

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A.D.1725.

CHAP. given his majesty the strongest assurances of his inviolable fidelity, and of his zeal for his service, and for the support of the present happy establishment; which his majesty had been most graciously pleased to accept. It concluded by praying that leave might be given to bring in a bill for enabling the petitioner and the heirs male of his body, notwithstanding his attainder, to take the settled estate; and for enabling him to hold all the personal property which he then possessed or might acquire, and to invest it in the purchase of any real or personal estate within the kingdom.

It is not to be supposed that Walpole, who had opposed his pardon, was now inclined to restore him to his fortune. Upon that occasion he had declared in the council-chamber, that he was against loosening the hands of one who, he foresaw, from his former conduct and ambition, and the natural restlessness of his temper, would go any lengths to poison the minds of the subjects, in order to disturb the national tranquillity, that he himself might the easier arrive at power.* But now, as then, the interest of the Duchess of Kendal and Lord Harcourt prevailed. Walpole was obliged to give way, and to content himself with a direct assurance that his enemy should never be again admitted into the house of lords or the councils of the King.

The ministry having come to this decision, Walpole of course, as leader of the house of commons,

* Tindal.