CHAP. 1710. December, she said—“ I must request you will not suffer any vote of thanks to you to be moved in Parliament this year, as my ministers will certainly oppose it." Such was the return made by Government to the hero vi. 935-938. who had raised the power and glory of England to an unprecedented pitch, and who in that very campaign had 1 Parl. Deb. Coxe, v. 404-407. Hist. de Marlb. iii. cut deeper into the iron frontier of France than had ever 79. the Duchess rough. been done in any former one.1 The female coterie which aided at St James's the male Dismissal of opponents of Marlborough, was naturally extremely soliof Marlbo- citous to get the Duchess removed from her situations as head of the Queen's household and Keeper of the Privy Purse; and Ministers were only prevented from carrying their wishes into effect by their apprehension of the Duke's resigning his command of the army if these wishes were executed. In an audience, on 17th January 1711, Marlborough presented a letter to Her Majesty from the Duchess, couched in terms of extreme humility, in which she declared that his anxiety was such, at the requital his services had received, that she apprehended he would not live six months.* The Queen at first refused to read it; and when at length, at the Duke's earnest request, she agreed to do so, she coldly observed, "I cannot change my resolution." Marlborough, in the most moving terms, and with touching eloquence, entreated Her Majesty not to dismiss the Duchess till she had no more need of his services, by the war being finished, which, he hoped, would be in less than a year; * "Though I never thought of troubling your Majesty again in this manner, yet the circumstances I see my Lord Marlborough in, and the apprehension I have that he cannot live six months, if there is not some end put to his sufferings on my account, make it impossible for me to resist doing everything in my power to ease him."-Duchess of Marlborough to Queen Anne, 17th Jan. 1711; Coxe, v. 410. ་ VIII. but he received no other answer but a peremptory CHAP. demand for the surrender of the gold key, the symbol of her office, within three days. Unable to obtain any 1710. relaxation in his sovereign's resolution, Marlborough withdrew with the deepest emotions of indignation and sorrow. The Duchess, in a worthy spirit, immediately took her resolution: she sent in her resignation, with the gold key, that very night. So deeply was Marlborough hurt at this extraordinary ingratitude for all 1 Coxe, v. his services, that he at first resolved to resign the whole 415. Conof his commands, and retire altogether into private 263." life.1 410, 412, duct, 262, rough with tance with intended From this intention he was only diverted, and that 80. with great difficulty, by the efforts of Godolphin and Marlbothe Whigs at home, and Prince Eugene and the Pen- great reluc sionary Heinsius abroad, who earnestly besought him holds his not to abandon the command, as that would at once dis- resignation. solve the Grand Alliance, and ruin the common cause. We can sympathise with the feelings of a victorious warrior who felt reluctant to forego, by one hasty step, the fruit of nine years of victories: we cannot but respect the self-sacrifice of the patriot who preferred enduring mortifications himself, to endangering the great cause of religious freedom and European independence. Influenced by these considerations, Marlborough withheld his intended resignation. The Duchess of Somerset was made Mistress of the Robes, and Mrs Masham obtained the confidential situation of Keeper of the Privy Purse. Malignity, now sure of impunity, heaped up invectives on the falling hero. His integrity was calumniated, his courage even was questioned, and the most consummate general of that, or perhaps any other age, was represented as the lowest of mankind. It soon VIII. 1710. CHAP. appeared how unfounded the aspersions cast upon the Duchess, as well as the Duke, had been. Her accounts, after having undergone the most rigid scrutiny, were returned without any objection being stated against them; and the Queen put an end to all such calumnies, by saying, "Everybody knows cheating is not the Duchess of Marlborough's crime." In former days, in 261, 262. pressing a kindness upon her, she had said, "Make no more words about it; and either own or conceal it, as you like best, since I think the richest crown could never repay the services I have received from you." 1 1 Conduct, Coxe, v. 415, 416. Smollett, c. x. § 20. 81. Great achieve ments of Marlbo to this time. 1 The career of the Duke of Marlborough as a statesman terminated at this period. Thereafter he had no power in the Cabinet; he was never consulted in diplorough down macy; as a general, even, he was fettered and restrained in planning or carrying into execution military operations. This, therefore, is a convenient period for casting the eyes back on what he had done during the ten years that he had been the real head of the Alliance; and marvellous beyond all example is the retrospect! He began the war on the Waal and the Meuse, with the French standards waving in sight of the Dutch frontier, and the government of the Hague trembling for the fate of their frontier fortress, Nimeguen. He had now brought the allied ensigns to the Scarpe, conquered Flanders, subdued all its fortresses, and nearly worked through the iron frontier of France itself. Nothing was wanting but the subjugation of its last fortress, Arras, to enable the Allies to march to Paris, and dictate a glorious peace in the halls of Versailles. He had defeated the French in four pitched battles and as many combats; he had taken every town to which he had laid siege; he had held together, when often about to sepa rate, the discordant elements of the Grand Alliance. By his daring march to Bavaria, and victory of Blenheim, he had delivered Germany when in the utmost danger; by the succours he sent to Eugene, he had conquered Italy at Turin; by his prudent dispositions he had saved Spain, after the battle of Almanza. He had broken the power of Louis XIV. when at the zenith of his fame; he had been only prevented by faction at home from completing his overthrow by the capture of his capital. He had never suffered a reverse; he had never alienated a friend; he had conquered by his mildness many enemies. Such deeds require no comment; they are without a parallel in European history, and justly place Marlborough in the place assigned him by Napoleon-at the head of European captains. CHAP. 1710. CHAPTER IX. CAMPAIGN IN SPAIN IN THE YEAR 1710.-DEATH OF THE EMPEROR BOROUGH'S CONDEMNATION OF IT, AND DISMISSAL FROM THE COM- CHAP. IX. 1710. 1. Marlbo afforded of his great ness. So uniform had been the triumphs, so unbroken the success of Marlborough, that if he had continued in power, and not been interrupted in his undertakings, Proof which future ages would never have been able to form an rough's fall adequate idea, either of the greatness of his capacity, or the decisive influence which it had exercised on the fate of the war. His victories would have been ascribed to accident, the valour of the soldiers under his command, the weakness of his enemies, or the want of skill in the generals who directed their armies. It might even have been said, that it was to his illustrious partner in glory that he owed his successes, and that Eugene was the real hero of the war. But that which no achievements on his part, how great soever, could have done, was effectually accomplished by the malice of his enemies. He is indebted to them for the decisive demonstration of his greatness, the establishment of his glory on an imper |