took up her abode at Chaillot, in order to avoid the trouble and expense of keeping up a shadow of a Court. Sometimes she went to St. Germains to transact business; at others her ministers waited on her in the convent. This accounts for the date of the following letter. The hopes of the Jacobites being high at this time, on account of the intrigues of the English Tories against the Whigs, Middleton tries to persuade Louis to undertake another invasion. To the Marquis de Torcy. Sends him a memorial; the reason why; the subject and its importance. [Translation.] 66 SIR, "Chaillot, August 29th, 1710. "You would have received the enclosed memorial sooner, if it had not been necessary to send it first to the king, my master, in order to have his approbation, and receive his orders concerning it. Although we were unwilling to repeat over again former memorials, it was, however, judged necessary to put you in mind of some principal points. You will find in it again the word Capital, for if you begin with this project, you will find everything that is necessary to make it so. But if in preference you mean to execute every other design, and to put off 1 Records of Chaillot. this as superfluous, I own beforehand you will find nothing in it. "All that is new in this memorial is the State of England, and the demand made of the Irish troops. As to what regards England, it is a matter of indifference to you whether the Parliament be dissolved or not, or whether the High or Low Church prevail. You will always find they are our enemies; and I am very sorry, sir, to tell you that even our friends will do nothing for you, while you do nothing for them. They don't believe you are disposed to do anything, and there is nothing but an actual landing which can cure them of their credulity. That will contribute to conceal the design in that country; but it will be more difficult to concert it here, because all conversations at the Thuilleries and in coffee-houses run upon this project; and the voice of the people desire it, as the only remedy to their calamities. "With regard to the demand of the Irish troops, I consider it as granted, because it cannot be conjectured from what motive it can be refused, since, besides the convincing reasons of the memorial, the Irish making but half the number of troops which was proposed, the armies will be less diminished by 1 The Whig Parliament was shortly afterwards dissolved. (Smollett.) 2 Those in the French service (?) it, and they will be transported with less difficulty and at less expense; and it is essential to the service to do everything which humanly may secure its success, since thereby we shall gain our cause. "If the bad news from Spain1 are confirmed, they should forward this project, because he will be more pressed on all sides, and you will have no favourable prospect from any other quarter. In short, it is necessary to determine upon something. Even should this project be difficult, a peace is impossible; therefore there is no choice. "I am, Sir," etc. 1 Charles defeated Philip at Saragossa, and obliged him to retreat to Madrid; but his triumph was of short duration. (Smollett.) CHAPTER VI. Another attempt to procure the liberation of the Middletons-Released on bail June, 1711-Queen, princess, and Lady Middleton visit the king's remains-Marlborough's intrigues-Death of the Princess Louisa-Her brocaded petticoat-Harley gives hopes that the Protestant succession may be changed-Chevalier leaves France— Middleton accompanies him as his principal adviser—Peace of Utrecht-Louis XIV. agrees to acknowledge Anne as Queen of Great Britain-Lady Middleton disapproves of the queen's residence at Chaillot-Chevalier listens to the insinuations of Middleton's enemies-He offers to resign his post-Queen entreats him to remain with her son-Letters to English correspondents. ANOTHER attempt to procure the liberation of the Middletons seems to have been made by the Mareschal de Villars at this time, to which Marlborough returned the following reply. By some mistake, he imagined that Lord Middleton himself was a prisoner. As his last letter is dated "Chaillot, August 29th," and other letters from him are mentioned, written in October, November, and December, 1710, it is probable that he was safe at St. Germains. SIR, From Marlborough to M. de Villars. [Translation.] "Au Camp de St. André, 10 September, 1710. "I have received the letter you did me the honour of writing to me on the 7th of this month, and return you very humble thanks for the obliging manner with which you have interested yourself to obtain permission for the Sieur Paget to retire from Luxemburg to Paris. I should be delighted if in return I could contribute to the liberty of my Lord Middleton, whom you recommended to me in your preceding letter. If it depended upon me, I assure you, sir, that you should soon be relieved from importunity on his account; but I own to you that the reply I received from the Court to your first letter for his exchange does not permit me to return to the subject. I will not be prevented, however, on my return to England, from doing my utmost to obtain the liberty of a person for whom you are so anxious. The good treatment which the Sieur Paget has received may be of some use in inducing his relations and friends to unite their endeavours to mine."1 There are several letters from Middleton to Lamb 1 Marlborough's Despatches. |