at Rome, with the view of obtaining the support of the Jacobites in England. It appears that in the summer of 1739, Thomas Carte the historian, being then about to undertake a journey to Rome, was entrusted with a message from Walpole to the Pretender, declaring his secret attachment, and promising his zealous services, but desiring to have some assurances of James's intentions as to the Church of England, and as to the Princes of the House of Hanover. In reply James wrote and put into the hands of Carte a very judicious letter, in which he expresses great doubts as to the sincerity of Walpole's good wishes, but promises that if they shall be real and effective they shall be duly rewarded at his restoration. "I have no difficulty," he adds, "in putting it in your "power to satisfy him authentically on the two articles about "which he is solicitous, since, independent of his desires, "I am fully resolved to protect and secure the Church of "England, according to my reiterated promises...... As "for the Princes of the House of Hanover, I thank God "I have no resentment against them, nor against any one "living. I shall never repine at their living happily in their แ own country after I am in possession of my kingdoms; and "should they fall into my power, upon any attempt for my "restoration, I shall certainly not touch a hair of their "heads." This letter was delivered to Walpole by Carte on his return, and it is still to be found amongst Sir Robert's papers, endorsed with his own hand. No one, I presume, will here do Walpole the injustice to suspect him of sincerity. His zeal for the House of Hanover had been proved by most eminent services; and there seems little doubt that his object was only, as Sunderland's had been eighteen years before, to catch the votes of the Jacobites at the next elections. Nay more, it is not improbable that like Sunderland he may have communicated the correspondence to the King. I am only astonished how this wily statesman could expect that, after

* James to Mr. T. Carte, July 10. 1739. See Appendix. Mr. Coxe had a copy of this letter, and of the endorsement, amongst his MSS., and ought not, I think, to have suppressed all mention of it in his Life of Walpole.

1740.

HIS OVERTURES TO JAMES.

25

his past career, the Pretender would be satisfied with words, or fail to insist upon deeds.

We find, also, that Walpole in like manner tried his skill with Colonel Cecil, who, since the death of Lord Orrery, in August 1737, had become one of the principal Jacobite agents; and that, by professing his devotion to the same principles, he often drew from Cecil several important secrets. Even in the beginning of 1741, we may observe Carte, in a letter to the Pretender, still expressing some hope of Sir Robert's good intentions.**

Of all the reasons to be alleged in justification of Sir Robert Walpole's pacific policy, there is none perhaps of greater weight than the new life and spirit which the Pretender and his party derived from the war. For several years had they been dwindling into insignificance; their hopes and projects, though sufficiently numerous, never followed by results nor claiming the notice of history. But as soon as foreign states became hostile to England, and had therefore an interest in overthrowing the government, or at least disturbing the tranquillity, of England, from that very moment the Jacobite conspiracy assumed a more regular and settled form, and presented a lowering and formidable aspect. I must now, then, again advert to the machinations of the exiled Prince, his adherents and allies; and trace the progress of that smouldering flame which ere long burst forth in another civil war.

James was still residing at Rome. In 1735 his consort, the titular Queen Clementina, had died of asthma ***, and this event, though they had lived far from happily together, seems to have greatly increased his usual dejection both of mind and manner. An interesting account of his appearance and habits in 1740, may be drawn from the lively letters of President des Brosses; letters which formerly appeared in a

Dr. King's Anecdotes, p. 37.

**Letter from Mr. Carte to James (received April 17. 1741). See Appendix. *** Boyer's Polit. State, vol. xlix. p. 258. A splendid monument was raised to her memory by Pope Benedict XIV., and a medal struck on the occasion. See Stuart Medals, No. 55., in Sir Henry Ellis's Catalogue.

mutilated shape, but of late have been published correctly:

"The King of England is treated here with as much "respect as though he were a real reigning Sovereign. He "lives in the Piazza di Sant' Apostoli, in a large palace not "remarkable for beauty. The Pope's soldiers mount guard "there as at Monte Cavallo, and accompany him whenever "he goes out, which does not happen often. It is easy to "know him for a Stuart; he has quite the air of that family; "tall and thin, and in his face very like the portraits we have "in France of his father James the Second. He is also very "like Marshal Berwick, his illegitimate brother, except "that the Marshal's countenance was sad and severe, while "that of the Pretender is sad and silly. His dignity of 'manners is remarkable. I never saw any Prince hold a "great assembly so gracefully and so nobly. Yet, his life, "in general, is very retired, and he only comes for an hour "to take part in the festivals which he gives from time to "time, through his sons, to the ladies of Rome. His devo"tion is excessive; he passes his whole morning in prayers "at the Church of the Holy Apostles, near the tomb of his "wife. Of his talents I cannot venture to speak positively, "for want of sufficient information; they seem but moderate, "yet all his conduct is reasonable and befitting his condition. "Although I have often the honour of seeing him, he appears "but for a moment on returning from church; he then goes "into his closet and remains there till dinner. He speaks "little at table, but with much courtesy and good nature, "and withdraws soon after the meal is concluded. He never 66 'sups at night. His table for dinner is always equally laid "with eleven covers for the ten persons of his family, who "in general dine with him; but whenever any foreign or "Roman gentlemen wait upon him in the morning, he most "commonly asks them to stay dinner, and in that case a cor"responding number of his attendants go and dine at another "table, so that at his own the number is always the same.

*This was the Palazzo Muti. James died there in 1766. See Melchiorri, Guida di Roma, part ii. p. 566,

1740.

THE TWO YOUNG PRINCES.

27

"When he sits down to dinner, his two sons, before they "take their places, go to kneel before him and ask his "blessing. To them he usually speaks in English, to others "in Italian or in French.

"Of these two sons, the elder is called the Prince of "Wales, the younger the Duke of York. Both have a family "look; but the face of the latter is still that of a handsome "child. They are amiable and graceful in their manners; "both showing but a moderate understanding, and less "cultivated than Princes should have at their age. They "are both passionately fond of music, and understand it "well: the eldest plays the violoncello with much skill; the "youngest sings Italian airs in very good taste: once a week "they give an excellent concert, which is the best music at "Rome. The English, who always swarm in this city, are "most eager to have an opportunity of seeing these Princes. "The youngest, especially, is much liked in the town, on ac"count of his handsome face and pretty manners. Yet I "hear from those who know them both thoroughly, that the "eldest has far higher worth, and is much more beloved by "his friends; that he has a kind heart and a high courage; "that he feels warmly for his family misfortunes; and that if 66 some day he does not retrieve them, it will not be for want "of intrepidity. They tell me, that having been taken, when "quite a stripling, to the siege of Gaeta by the Spaniards, one day during the voyage his hat blew off into the sea. "The people round him wished to recover it. 'No,' cried "he, 'do not take that trouble; I will some day go the same ""way my hat has gone, if things remain as they are.'"*

The chief Minister of James, and by far the ablest man at his little Court, was James Murray, the titular Earl of Dunbar; his unworthy brother-in-law, Lord Inverness, had died this very year at Avignon. Soon afterwards one Mr. Edgar, who is mentioned in 1728 in some letters from Italy **,

The title of this work is l'Italie il y a Cent Ans, and the passage I have translated is taken from vol. ii. p. 93-100., ed. 1836. I have found this work, in other parts, both acute and impartial.

** See Atterbury's Correspondence, vol. i. p. 206.

having become James's private Secretary, also obtained considerable influence over him. As to hopes of foreign succour, the Duke of Ormond and the Earl Marischal had hastened to Madrid upon the rupture with England, but did not find or make any very favourable opening in that quarter. "Nothing," writes the Earl, "has been intended here against "the English Government, which they know was forced into “the war, and which they count on as ready to forward peace "as soon as they dare." But in France, the Jacobite prospects were of brighter hue. When Cardinal Fleury perceived that France must probably follow Spain in a breach with England, he began to lend a ready ear to the malcontents and exiles, and entered into their designs, with secrecy indeed and caution, but still considerable warmth. In the first place, however, he paused to ascertain what the Jacobites could effect for themselves at home, declaring that if they would fulfil their assurances, he would be no niggard of his aid.

The Jacobite party in Britain, so long as peace continued, was well described by Bolingbroke as "an unorganized lump "of inert matter, without a principle of life or action in it; "capable of mobility, perhaps, but more capable of divisi"bility, and utterly void of all power of spontaneous mo"tion." ** But war was the Promethean spark that kindled the sluggish mass. In Scotland an association in favour of the exiled family, undertaking to risk life and fortune, whenever a body of foreign troops should land as auxiliaries, was signed in 1740 by seven principal persons, namely, the Earl of Traquair, a Roman Catholic nobleman; his brother Mr. John Stuart; the titular Duke of Perth; his uncle Lord John

* Earl Marischal to James, June 21. 1740. Stuart Papers, Appendix. Among other points in this letter it is interesting to observe the Lord Marischal's love of Plutarch, which afterwards became one of the ties of his intimate friendship with Rousseau. Rousseau himself says of Plutarch, not long before his death, "Dans le petit nombre de livres que je lis "quelquefois encore, Plutarque est celui qui m'attache et me profite le "plus. Ce fut la première lecture de mon enfance, ce sera la dernière de "ma vieillesse." (Quatrième Rêverie, ŒŒuvres, vol. iii. p. 272. ed. 1822.) ** To Sir William Wyndham, January 25. 1740.