Page:The lives of the poets of Great Britain and Ireland to the time of Dean Swift - Volume 4.djvu/282

272 annuity, and had now an opportunity of mending his fortune by marriage.

Soon after this, the duke fell violently in love with Mademoiſelle Obern, a beautiful young lady at the Spaniſh court, who was then one of the maids of honour to the Queen of Spain. She was daughter of an Iriſh colonel in that ſervice, who being dead, her mother lived upon a penſion the King allowed her, ſo that this lady’s fortune conſiſted chiefly in her perſonal accompliſhments. Many arguments were uſed by their friends on both ſides to diſſuade them from the marriage. The Queen of Spain, when the duke aſked her conſent, repreſented to him in the moſt lively terms that the conſequence of the match would be miſery to both, and abſolutely refuſed her conſent.

Having now no hopes of obtaining her, he fell into a violent melancholy, which introduced a lingering fever, of which he languiſhed ’till he was almoſt ready to drop into the ground. This circumſtance reaching her Majeſty’s ear, ſhe was moved with his diſtreſs, and ſent him word to endeavour the recovery of his health, and as ſoon as he was able to appear abroad, ſhe would ſpeak to him in a more favourable manner, than at their laſt interview. The duke upon receiving this news, imagined it the beſt way to take the advantage of the kind diſpoſition her Majeſty was in; and ſummoning to his aſſiſtance his little remaining ſtrength, he threw himſelf at her Majeſty’s feet, and begged of her either to give him Mademoiſelle Obern, or not to order him to live, aſſuring her, in the language of tragedy, that ſhe was to pronounce the ſentence of his life, or death. The Queen conſented, but told him he would ſoon repent it, and the young lady being dazzled with the luſtre of a ducal title, and