236 CHAPTER VIII. The King's Sorrow abates-Lady Deloraine--Madame Ladies of Quality-Opera Singers and their Amours— OWEVER, in a little time his grief became HOWEV less poignant, and the Prime Minister suggested to him that he should send for his mistress to Hanover, and that he must not injure his health, for his own and his family's sake, by indulging in vain regrets; the king listened to him placidly, and though he did not act at once on the advice, he was not the less grateful for it to Sir Robert. The minister's almost brutal coarseness went so far as to advise the Prin MOLL SKERRETT. 237 cesses to try to divert their father's melancholy by bringing Lady Deloraine to his notice in the meanwhile; 'for people must wear old gloves till they get new ones,' said he; a counsel they, as was to be expected, never forgave. An event about this time happened in Sir Robert's domestic life which much diverted the town. Lady Walpole had died a short time before the queen, and the Prime Minister, after remaining for about six months a widower, made Miss Skerrett, with whom he had openly lived for ten years, his wife. This lady was the daughter of a merchant, and one of des amis choisis of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, from which one may conclude her to have been a woman of some wit and accomplishments. Miss Skerrett had given birth to a daughter many years before her marriage to Sir Robert, and this young lady obtained the rank of an earl's daughter when her father was made a peer on his retirement in 1742. Horace Walpole pities his sister, who must be created an earl's daughter, as her birth would deprive her of the rank. She must kiss hands,' he adds, and bear the flirts of impertinent real quality.' She was not long allowed to remain without suitors after her creation. Amongst those who declared themselves enamoured of her were Prince Caron, Lord Hartington (the Duke of Devonshire's son), Lord Fitzwilliam, Mr. Churchill, the natural son of General Churchill and Mrs. Oldfield the actress, whom she eventually married. The Prime Minister's liaison was the common talk of the town during his wife's lifetime, but not the common wonder; and in this scandal the Muses more than once, through the medium of the Grub Street rhymers, found a theme on which to expend any superfluous scurrility with which they may have been overburdened. Her Gracious Majesty, when once speaking of Sir Robert's amour, said, with the exquisite freedom of those days, she was glad if he had any amusement for his leisure hours, but wondered how a man could be very fond of a woman who was only attached to him-as she believed-for his money; nor could she imagine how any woman would suffer him as a lover for any consideration or inducement but his money. She must be a clever woman,' continued Queen 'WHAT IS HUMAN NATURE?' 239 Caroline, to have made him believe she cares for him on any other score; and to show you what fools we all are in some point or other, she has certainly told him some fine story or other of her love and her passion, and that poor man "avec ce gros corps, ces jambes enfleés, et ce vilain ventre," believes her. Ah! what is human nature!' With which philosophic reflection she dismissed the subject. 6 In February, 1738, the Church pronounced its benison on Sir Robert and his mistress, whom the old Duchess of Marlborough calls 'Moll Skerrett. 6 Monday next is fixed for presenting her at court,' writes her Grace, and there has been great solicitation from the court ladies who should do it, in which the Duchess of Newcastle has succeeded, and all the apartment is made ready for Sir Robert's lady, and at his house at the Cockpit. I never saw her in my life but at auctions, but I remember I liked her as to behaviour very well; and I believe she has a great deal of sense. I am not one of the number that wonder at such a match; for the King of France married Madame de Maintenon, and many men have done the same thing.' The Duchess, who was terribly fond of gossiping, and hated Walpole, writes of his wedding a month after the former letter. It was 6 celebrated,' she says, as if he had been the King of France, and the apartments were furnished in the richest manner, crowds of people of the first quality being presented to the bride, who is the daughter of a clerk that sung psalms in a church where Dr. Sacheverell was. After the struggle among the court ladies who should have the honour of presenting her, which the Duchess of Newcastle obtained, it was thought more proper to have her presented by one of her own family, otherwise it would look as if she had no alliances; and therefore that ceremony was performed by Horace Walpole's (the elder) wife, who was daughter to my tailor Lumbar. The Duke of Dorset waited on my Lady Walpole to congratulate her on her marriage with the same ceremony as if it had been one of the royal family, with his white staff, which has not been used these many years, but when they attend the crown. But such a wretch as he is I hardly know.' (The letter, which is worth quoting |