Page:The Wentworth Papers 1715-1739.djvu/37

 market, and he purchased it, one of the many attractions of the spot being that it was not far distant from the ancestral seat of Wentworth Woodhouse, now possessed by his obnoxious relative, Watson Wentworth. But his views on this and other personal matters are best shown in his own words, preserved in a copy of a letter to Cadogan, of inor- dinate length, from which the following extracts will be sufficient : —

"Berlin, i6 February, 1709.

" . . . . I need not remind you of my misfortune of

growing old in a foreign country, being in inaction when all

the world are in arms and seeking honour ; and that I have

served constantly from 16 years of age in the army, and

have lost 3 brothers I need not either tell you that

my coming hither was at the Duke of Marlborough's request, nor that his Grace did not only promise, but swore to me he would take care it should be to my advantage ; and if after I had been here 3 years I desired it, I might return

again to the army This he told me in the House of

Lords, and gave me a week's time to consider whether I would come hither or no, and pressed me again to it, before I took the resolution. He presented me to the queen, saying

more in my favour than I deserved I need not repeat

what passed when I was two years ago in the army, nor how my staying there with his Grace's approbation had like to turn to my greatest misfortune. You know all the intrigues that passed at that time concerning me, and tho' great pains had been taken here as well as in England, to show me that my Lord Duke was entirely for removing me from this court, yet I can protest to you I was so far from taking it ill, that considering the information he had from hence and from Holland, that I thought him extremely in the right had

things been as they were represented to him Since

I returned (from England) I have complained to him (the Duke) that I could not obtain one distinguishing mark of her majesty's approbation of my services, though she re- ceived me the kindliest imaginable, and gave me all the

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