Page:Life of William Shelburne (vol 1).djvu/38

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
12
WILLIAM, EARL OF SHELBURNE
CH. I

By this means it fell to Dr. Cheyne's lot to converse much with the Marquis of Wharton, who asked him if he could recommend him a tutor for his son, afterwards Duke of Wharton. This gave Dr. Cheyne an opportunity of recommending Mr. Hort, who in consequence found his way among the best circles in London, being a very handsome man and remarkably decent in his manners. The scandalous chronicle says that he made himself acceptable to some of the first ladies in London, among others to Lady Allen, a rich Jewess, a very amiable woman, who had even in my time a conversation of the first people in London at her house, and proved one of Mr. Hort's best friends through life. He went to Ireland with the Earl of Wharton, and becoming a bishop there married my mother's sister, by whom he had three daughters and two sons. The present representative of the family is Sir John Hort, whom I made a baronet and consul-general to Lisbon.


. . . . . .

"It is more than a year since I wrote the above.[1] I am determined not to read it over. If I did I am sure I should be disgusted, and not have resolution to continue anything of the sort. I have dwelt on the manner in which I passed my early years, because it cost me more to unlearn the habits, manners, and principles which I then imbibed, than would have served to qualify me for any rôle whatever through life. I am conscious of the force of several of them to this hour, which I have not been able to root properly out. The only apology I can make is that it was the fault of my parents, not my own; the only atonement is that I have educated my children in a quite different manner, and I am afraid have gone into an opposite extreme; and I have ever unceasingly endeavoured to promote the liberty of my native country, not by vain words, but by solid acts; not neglecting inferior considerations such as regarded education, morals, industry, and agriculture. Arrived at

  1. In the margin of the MS. is December 18th, 1801. The earlier part is dated December 13th, 1800.