Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 59.djvu/24

  Walpole Correspondence, ed. Cunningham; Stanhope's Hist. of England, 1851, ii. 189, 279; Quarterly Review, xxv. 392; Notes and Queries, 2nd ser. ix. 182, vii. 165, 6th ser. x. 344.]  WALDEGRAVE, JAMES, second (1715–1763), born on 14 March 1715 (N. S.), was the eldest son of James Waldegrave, first earl [q. v.], by his wife Mary, second daughter of Sir John Webbe of Hatherop, Gloucestershire. He was educated at Eton. He succeeded to the peerage on the death of his father in 1741. Two years later, on 17 Dec. 1743, he was named a lord of the bedchamber to George II. Henceforth till the king's death he became his most intimate friend and adviser. But he took no open part in public business, and Henry Pelham described him to Newcastle in 1751 as ‘totally surrendered to his pleasures’ (Bedford Correspondence, ii. 84). In December 1752 he was induced by the king, much against his own will, to accept the office of governor and keeper of the privy purse to George, prince of Wales, and was made a privy councillor. He tried to give his royal pupil notions of common things, instructing him by conversation rather than books, and always stood his friend with the king. But in 1755 Leicester House resumed its former attitude of hostility to the court, and the princess and her friends made it their aim to get rid of Waldegrave and replace him by Bute. When, early next year, the matter was discussed in a cabinet council, Waldegrave rather favoured the concession of the demand. In October 1756 the king consented to the change, and Waldegrave was relieved from what he terms ‘the most painful servitude.’ He refused a pension on the Irish establishment in reward for his services, but accepted a tellership of the exchequer. He at the same time resigned the place of lord warden of the stannaries, which had been granted him in 1751. During the last five years of the reign of George II he played an important though not a conspicuous part. In 1755 he was employed to disunite Pitt and Fox, who were harassing the government, of which they were nominally subordinate members. As the result of his negotiations, Fox was admitted to the cabinet. Waldegrave smoothed the way by terrifying Newcastle with ‘a melancholy representation’ of the dire consequences of an avowed combination between Pitt and Fox. Early in 1757, after the resignation of Newcastle, the king, who could not endure the new ministers, Devonshire and Pitt, called in Waldegrave's aid to bring him back. Several conferences took place, and both Waldegrave and Newcastle advised delay. But the king was determined, and instructed his favourite to confer with Cumberland and Fox should Newcastle fail him. After some weeks' negotiations Fox was authorised to form a plan of administration in concert with Cumberland. Waldegrave approved it, and talked over the king's objections, though he anticipated its failure. He thought that George II should have negotiated in person with each candidate for office. The plan failed; but in March 1757 the Devonshire–Pitt ministry was dismissed. Thereupon Waldegrave was employed to notify to Sir Thomas Robinson and Lord Dupplin the king's intention of appointing them secretary of state and chancellor of the exchequer. As both refused office, Newcastle was again applied to. The latter showed Waldegrave a letter from Chesterfield, advising him to effect a junction with Pitt. Waldegrave admitted the soundness of the reasons given, adding that he himself, even when nominally acting against them, had always advised George II to reconcile himself with Pitt and Leicester House. But the king, as he had anticipated, refused to take Pitt as minister, and the interministerium continued. At length George II insisted on Waldegrave himself accepting the treasury. Waldegrave in vain pleaded that, though he might be useful as an independent man known to possess the royal confidence, as a minister he would be helpless owing to his entire want of parliamentary connections. He was premier for only five days, 8–12 June 1757. Fox's diffidence and Newcastle's intrigues shattered the embryo administration; and the crisis ended in Mansfield receiving powers to treat with the former and Pitt. On giving in his resignation, he openly admitted to George II that he considered the place of a minister as the greatest misfortune which could hereafter befall him; and in his ‘Memoirs’ he recorded his conviction that as a minister he must soon have lost the king's confidence and favour on account of their disagreement on German questions.

On 30 June 1757 Waldegrave was invested alone with the Garter, this single investiture being a very rare honour. He had been created LL.D of Cambridge and elected F.R.S. in 1749.

Once again, in the next reign, Waldegrave became involved in political affairs. When in 1763 Henry Fox meditated joining Bute, he went to Waldegrave and ‘endeavoured to enclose the earl in his treaty with the court,’ sounding him as to his willingness to accept cabinet office. Waldegrave desired time, and went to Windsor to 