1 We draw on the ODNB biography by James Falkner.

2 SJ’s page numbers indicate he used either ESTC T18862 or N16617. We have used the former in identifying passages. It was printed in London by James Bettenham, for George Hawkins, at Milton’s Head, between the two Gates.

3 Jacob Leed showed that these further excerpts are not by SJ (Notes and Queries, CCI [May 1957], 210–13).

4 See “An Introduction to the Political State of Great-Britain” (Yale, X.145).

1 With these opening six paragraphs on autobiography, cf. Idler 84 (Yale, II.261–64).

2 See SJ’s Life of Addison: “What is known can seldom be immediately told; and when it might be told is no longer known” (Yale, XXII.637). Cf. Life, II.17.

3 Suspense: “Uncertainty” (Dictionary, sense 1).

4 Cf. SJ’s remark, “We must consider how very little history there is; I mean real authentick history” (Life, II.365–66).

5 [A] [SJ’s note] Among other anecdotes the Dutchess gives us the following:—K. Wm. who had no more Honour and Justice than to depose his father-in-law and uncle, to maintain liberty and laws, acted the tyrant himself in many instances, p. 21. See more of King Wm., Note (B). < > is capable of doing nothing but injustice. Mrs. Morley’s (Princess of Denmark’s) Letter p. 83. Mrs. Masham a woman whom I raised from the dust, p. 206. was morose, ill bred, soon learnt the art of dissimulation, an ungrateful underminer, an intriguer, p. 182.— Honest Jack Hill as the bottlemen [servants in charge of bottles] call him, was a tall ragged boy whom I cloathed, whom the Duke, tho’ good for nothing, made a colonel, &c. got out of bed, tho’ sick, to vote against his Grace, p. 180.—The Countess of Clarendon looked like a madwoman and talk’d like a scholar, p. 10.—Lord Bradford visited Ld. Marlborough in the tower.—Mr. Maul, rude, ungrateful and weak, p. 87, 88.—Lady Fitzharding a very good courtier. Lord Caernarvon half-witted, p. 110.—Lord and Lady Jersey act an odious part in sending perpetually to the princess an account of the king’s breath growing shorter and shorter.—A zeal for the Church eclipsed all other merit in the eyes of Queen A. p. 125. but the word CHURCH had never any charm for me.— Sir Nathan Wright, a man despised by all parties, of no use to the crown, nor credit to the Court of Chancery p. 147.—Ld. Feversham, a great speech-maker and publisher of speeches.— Sir C. Hedges (Secretary of State) had no capacity, no quality, nor interest, p. 169.—Lord Clarendon earnest to have K. James sent to the tower, p. 18.

6 Paraphrase of a passage on p. 115. For SJ’s low opinion of William III, see his Life of Dorset (Yale, XXI.331 and n. 4).

7 [B] [SJ’s note] The Dutchess gives these instances—He would not let the Prince of Denmark go in the coach with him, nor during the campaign in Ireland took any notice of him. p. 38.—After his Royal Highness had prepared his equipage and sent every thing on board, he forbade him to go to sea. p. 40—Would not see the prince who was in mourning, unless he came in colours. p. 114.—A respectful letter which Princess Anne writ to K. Wm. on his taking Namur, served no other purpose but to give the king an opportunity of shewing his brutal disregard for the writer; for he never returned any answer to it, nor so much as a civil message, p. 114,—and p. 115. I could fill a volume with relating the brutalities done to the prince and princess, I shall give an instance of his worse than vulgar behaviour at his own table; he eat up a plate of pease without asking the Princess Anne then with child to eat one. He allowed for the D. of Gloucester’s establishment but 15,000 l. a year out of 50 granted on that head, and never paid Queen Mary in France one shilling of the 50,000 l. also granted for her, p. 116. He dissuaded the D. of Somerset from lending Sion-House to the Princess. He discharged the D. of Gloucester’s servants on the news of his death by the first post, p. 120. To save some pensions, he forced the princess to fail in some of her engagements for the duke’s houshold. This being represented to the king as a mortification that might do her prejudice as she was then with child, “in a great passion” he said, “she should not be queen before her time, he would make the list of what servants the duke should have”; tho’ before he had sent a message that he would leave it to her highness to chuse all except the preceptors and deputy governor, on the authority of which she had promised several, p. 118.

8 In The False Alarm (1770), SJ implies that Charles “appeared to desire” and “endeavoured to deserve” “the affections of the people” (Yale, X.342 and n. 2).

9 Bourbons ruled both France and Spain throughout SJ’s lifetime.

1 [C] [SJ’s note] Of this she seemed to give an incontestible proof. The first day she came to Whitehall, she ran about it, looking into every closet, turning up the quilts upon the beds, as people do when they come into an inn; and with no other sort of concern,— tho’ her father had been so lately driven from that chamber p. 25, 26.

2 Bowels: “Tenderness; compassion” (Dictionary, sense 4).

3 [D] [SJ’s note] Q. M. declares “she was a Queen and would be obeyed.” p. 101. Guilty “of insolence and ill breeding,” in sending a bedchamber woman into the princess’s room to enquire of the D. of Gloucester’s health, yet toke no notice of her R. H. [Royal Highness] p. 104.

4 “Her reputation was fiercely disputed between Jacobites and Williamites,” says W. A. Speck in ODNB.

5 [E] [SJ’s note] The princess having left the king, she sent for me, told me her distress, and declared, “That rather than see her father she would jump out of the window.” p. 16.

6 [F] [SJ’s note] The following extracts of letters from Mrs. Morley, the name assumed by Queen Anne, to Mrs Freeman, the name she gave the Dutchess, are instances of this character. viz, “I beg it again for Christ Jesus sake, that you would not do so cruel a thing as to leave me. Should you do it without asking my consent (which if I ever give you, may I never see the face of heaven) I will shut myself up and never see the world more, but live where I may be forgotten by human kind [pp. 75–76]. In another p. 81, “Dear Mrs Freeman, farewell. I hope in Christ you will never think more of leaving me. I would be sacrificed to do you the least service, and nothing but death can ever make me part with you,” [cf.] p. 166.—“If my dear Mrs. Freeman should ever be so cruel as to leave her faithful Morley, she would rob her of all the joy and quiet of her life,” p. 82.— “Let me beg once more for God’s sake that you would never mention parting more; nor so much as think of it. Be assured, if you should ever leave me, it would break your faithful Mrs. Morley’s heart,” p. 83. Princess’s letter to Lady Marlborough.—Again, “your poor unfortunate faithful Morley,” [p. 157] (always stiling herself so after the death of the D. of Gloucester.) Again, “Your notion of a true Whig and the character which you give of them does not in the least belong to them but to the Church. But I will say no more, only beg for my poor sake, that you will not shew more countenance to those you seem to have so much inclination for, than to the Church party.” p[p]. [128–]129

7 [G] [SJ’s note] “A friend was what she most coveted, and for the sake of friendship (a relation which she did not disdain with me) she was fond of that equality which she thought belonged to it. She grew uneasy, if treated by me with form and ceremony.” &c. p. 13, 14.

8 [H] [SJ’s note] See what her Grace says p. 229

9 [I] [SJ’s note] “He was a cunning and a dark man; of too small abilities to do much good, but of all the qualities requisite to do mischief, and to bring on the ruin and destruction of a nation. This mischiveous darkness of his soul was written in his countenance, and plainly legible in a very odd look, disagreeable to every body at first sight, which being joined with a constant, aukward motion or rather agitation of his head and body, betrayed a turbulent dishonesty within, even in the midst of all those familiar airs, jocular bowing and smiling, which he always affected, to cover what could not be covered. He had long accustomed himself so much to dissemble his real intentions, and to use the ambiguous and obscure way of speaking, that he could hardly ever be understood when he designed it, or be believed, when he never so much desired it. His natural temper led him to so expensive and profuse a way of living, that he had brought himself into great necessities, though he had long enjoyed the advantages of very great and profitable posts. One principal and very expensive piece of his art, in which he seems to have excelled all that went before him, was, to have in pay a great number of spies of all sorts, to let him into what was passing in all considerable families. It was remarkable, that when he came most into favour with the Queen, he was perhaps the only man, in whose ruin the two contending parties would have united, as one in whom there was no foundation to repose any confidence. And that when he came to have the greatest power with the queen, he had lost all credit every where else” p. 261. 262. This just character, says the Dutchess, a friend of mine drew many years ago [p. 261, paraphrase]. Her Grace inserts also some of Mr. Harley’s letters, wherein he professes the utmost abhorrence of any designs levell’d at the Duke of Marlborough, “to whom we all owe so much” [p. 198], that he will himself endeavour a discovery of the villainy, as he served him by “inclination and principle” [p. 199], which a little time will make manifest. Upon which her Grace adds “Is it not amazing, that a person, who could thus extol the Duke of Marlborough’s services to his country, speak of his glory as beyond the power of envy or malice to hurt it, and profess to feel such ‘a peculiar joy’ in the contemplation of it; is it not amazing, I say, that this very person should be, at the same time, contriving how to ruin that glorious man, in order to raise himself?” [p. 199].