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25 Ibid., July 10, 1764.
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26 BL Althorp F122: LS to Thea Cow-per, July 1764.
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27 BL Althorp F122: LS to Thea Cow-per, Dec. 7, 1765.
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28 BL Althorp F40: GD to LS, Feb. 29 [1766]. Note the juxtaposition in the following sentence: “Betty’s child is dead But she is very well my grand-mamma went to Wimbleton [sic] this morning and found my sisters Hariot and Charlote very well.” It is very common for children surprised by a new arrival to fantasize about its removal. The fact that Georgiana linked the death of Betty’s child with Harriet and Charlotte being well suggests the turn of her thoughts.
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29 Chatsworth C.2014: diary of Lady Spencer.
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30 BL Althorp F122: LS to Thea Cow-per, Nov. 21, 1766.
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31 SNRA Douglas-Home MSS TD95/54: diary of Lady Mary Coke, August 8, 1787.
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32 Aspinall and Lord Bessborough, Lady Bessborough, p. 23.
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33 Ibid., p. 20.
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34 Althorp F37: LS to GD, July 30, 1769.
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35 Ibid.
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36 BL Althorp F42: LS to Mrs. Howe, Nov. 29 [1769].
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37 BL Althorp F122: LS to Thea Cow-per, Nov. 29, 1771.
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38 Chatsworth 9: E. Carter to Hon. Mrs. Howe, Oct. 14, 1773.
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39 Evelyn Farr, Before the Deluge, Parisian Society in the Reign of Louis XVI (London 1994), p. 73.
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40 Henry Wheatley, The Historical and Posthumous Memoirs of Sir Nathaniel Wraxall (London 1884), II, p. 344.
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41 Sir George Leveson Gower and Iris Palmer, eds., Harry-O: The Letters of Lady Harriet Cavendish (London 1940), p. 249.
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42 Wheatley, Historical and Posthumous Memoirs, I, pp. 113–14.
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43 Lady Llanover, Mary Granville, Mrs Delany, III, p. 584.
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44 Morning Herald and Daily Advertiser, Saturday March 30, 1782.
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45 Chatsworth 36: first Earl Spencer to GD, Oct. 26, 1774.
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46 Chatsworth 13: Miss Georgiana Ship-ley to GD, Feb. 22, 1773.
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47 Chatsworth 12: LS to Mrs. Henry, Jan. 31, 1774.
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48 Randolph E. Trumbach, The Rise of the Egalitarian Family (New York 1978), p. 97.
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49 Chatsworth 12: LS to Mrs. Henry, May 15, 1774.
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50 Chatsworth 11: LS to GD, Nov. 26, 1773.
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51 Chatsworth 10: LS to GD, Nov. 21, 1773.
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52 Elizabeth and Florence Anson, eds., Mary Hamilton at Court and at Home (London 1925), p. 27.
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53 Lady Llanover, Mary Granville, Mrs Delany, IV, p. 587.
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54 BL Althorp F183: bills and accounts for 1774.
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55 Lady Llanover, Mary Granville, Mrs Delany, IV, pp. 593–4.
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56 Charlotte Spencer’s papers have not survived and there is only scant information about her.
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2: FASHION’S FAVOURITE
1 Georgiana’s jewellery was a present from the Duke. The earrings alone, consisting of a large single-drop diamond each, cost £3,994 and newspapers speculated that the entire ensemble was worth over £10,000.
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2 SNRA Douglas-Home MSS TD95/54: diary of Lady Mary Coke, June 23, 1774.
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3 André Parreaux, trans. Carola Con-greve, Daily Life in England in the Reign of George III (London 1969), p. 45.
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4 Andrew C. Bruyn, The Torrington Diaries (London 1935), I, p. 37.
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5 Mark Girouard, Life in the English Country House (London 1978), p. 194.
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6 Althorp House MSS: diary of Mrs. Poyntz, July 26, 1764.
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7 Chatsworth 20: LS to GD, Sept. 22, 1774.
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8 Chatsworth 21: GD to LS, Sept. 23, 1774.
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9 Chatsworth 23: LS to GD, Sept. 25, 1774.
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10 Chatsworth 28: GD to LS, Oct. 9–15, 1774.
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11 Chatsworth 43: GD to LS, Nov. 6–11, 1774.
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12 Chatsworth 648: GD to LS, Sept. 22, 1784.
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13 F. O’Gorman, The Rise of Party in England. The Rockingham Whigs 1760–1782 (London 1975), p. 429.
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14 Chatsworth 28: GD to LS, Oct. 9, 1774.
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15 Chatsworth 32: GD to LS, Oct. 16, 1774.
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16 Chatsworth, Curr’s Lists, 86/Compartment I: Ben Granger to Unknown, Nov. 3, 1774. Also, F. O’Gorman, Voters, Patrons and Parties: The Unreformed Electorate of Hanoverian England, 1734–1832 (Oxford 1989), p. 61.
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17 Chatsworth 29: LS to GD, Oct. 11–14, 1774.
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18 Chatsworth 27: LS to GD, Oct. 9, 1774.
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19 Chatsworth 49: GD to LS, Nov. 24, 1774.
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20 Chatsworth 37: LS to GD, Oct. 27, 1774.
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21 Ibid.
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22 Chatsworth 58: GD to LS, Dec. 11, 1774.
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23 7 Johann von Archenholtz, A View of the British Constitution and of the Manners and Customs of the People of England (London 1794), I, p. 119.
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24 Parreaux, Daily Life, p. 83.
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25 James Ralph, A Critical Review of the Public Buildings, Statues, and Ornaments in and about London and Westminster (rep. London 1971), p. 184.
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26 Hugh Stokes, The Devonshire House Circle (London 1917), p. 22.
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27 Covent Garden Magazine, 4, 14, 1752.
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28 J. Timbs, Clubs and Club Life in London (London 1872), p. 88.
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29 Lady Llanover, ed., The Autobiography and Correspondence of Mary Granville, Mrs Delany (London 1861–2), II, p. 98.
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30 W. S. Lewis, Horace Walpole’s Correspondence (New Haven, Conn. 1937–80), XXXII, p. 232: Horace Walpole to Lady Ossory, Feb. 1, 1775.
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31 William LeFanu, ed., Betsy Sheridan’s Journal (Oxford 1986), p. 143, n. 49: Jan. 3–6, 1789.
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32 SNRA Douglas-Home MSS TD95/54: diary of Lady Mary Coke, July 15, 1774.
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33 BL Add. MSS 48218, ff. 40–40d: Anne Robinson to Frederick Robinson, April 4, 1775.
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34 SNRA Douglas-Home MSS TD95/54: diary of Lady Mary Coke, June 9, 1776.
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35 Chatsworth 65: LS to GD, April 22, 1775.
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36 Lady Llanover, Mary Granville, Mrs Delany II, p. 114.
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37 Chatsworth 65: LS to GD, April 22, 1775.
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38 Chatsworth 66: LS to GD, May 8, 1775.
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&
nbsp; 39 BL Althorp F123: Lady Clermont to LS, March 12, 1775.
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40 Chatsworth 63: LS to GD, April 14, 1775.
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41 Morning Post, Friday April 7, 1775.
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42 Ibid.
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43 Lord Malmesbury, The Diaries and Correspondence of Lord Malmesbury (London 1844), I, p. 299. Mrs. Harris wrote to her son in Berlin that one of her friends tried to buy her plumes from the local undertaker, who “sent word back his horses were all out but they were expected home in a few days and then he hoped to accommodate her Ladyship.”
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44 A. Ribeiro, Dress and Morality (London 1986), p. 106.
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45 London Chronicle, 41, April 29–May 1, 1777.
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46 Morning Post, Wednesday May 24, 1775.
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47 Morning Post, Tuesday April 25, 1775.
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48 Olivier Bernier, Imperial Mother, Royal Daughter: The Correspondence of Marie Antoinette and Maria Theresa (London 1986), p. 171.
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49 Chatsworth 80: LS to GD, August 9–15, 1775.
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50 Ian Dunlop, Marie Antoinette (London 1993), p. 149.
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51 Chatsworth 93: GD to LS, Sept. 10, 1775.
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52 BL Althorp F125: Miss Lloyd to LS, Oct. 30, 1775.
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53 Iris Palmer, The Face Without a Frown (London 1944), p. 28.
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54 Morning Post, Monday March 11, 1776.
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55 Morning Post, Friday April 12, 1776.
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56 John Ashton, The History of Gambling in England (London 1871), p. 54.
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57 BL Althorp F123: Lady Clermont to LS, July 1776.
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58 Chatsworth 163: LS to GD, Nov. 1, 1776.
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3: THE VORTEX OF DISSIPATION
1 Chatsworth 156: GD to LS, Oct. 11, 1776. The letter is written in French.
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2 Chatsworth 219: LS to GD, August 5, 1778.
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3 Leslie Mitchell, Charles James Fox (Oxford 1992), p. 96.
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4 Chatsworth 582: GD to LS, Jan. 12, 1784.
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4 Brian Masters, Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire (London 1981), p. 65.
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5 BL Add. MSS 51705, f. 54, Lord Pel-ham to Lady Webster, Dec. 4, 1791.
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6 W. Sichel, Sheridan (London 1909), I, p. 167.
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7 Nat. Lib. Scot. Lynedoch MSS 3624, f. 276: GD to Mary Graham, circa 1778.
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8 Chatsworth 184: GD to LS, August 27–Sept. 2, 1777.
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9 Christopher Hibbert, George IV, Prince of Wales (London 1972), I, p. 131.
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10 Francis Bickley, ed., The Diaries of Sylvester Douglas, Lord Glenbervie (London 1928), II, p. 23.
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11 BL Add. MSS 45911, f. 10: GD to Lady Melbourne, circa 1780–87.
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5 BL Add. MSS 45548, f. 1: GD to Lady Melbourne, [after 1785].
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13 Chatsworth 310: GD to LS, August 6, 1780.
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14 Morning Post, Monday Dec. 30, 1776.
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15 The gravest charge against her was the bad example her excessive frivolity set for the rest of society. It is unlikely the pamphlets could have escaped her notice, with titles such as A Letter to Her Grace the Duchess of Devonshire and The Duchess of Devonshire’s Cow; A Poem. In the latter, the author praised her generosity, citing the occasion when she spotted a lean and hungry cow in a field. Guessing its owner must be suffering hardship, she had the man located and made him a present of some money. A mocking reply soon came, entitled, An heroic epistle to the Noble Author of the Duchess of Devonshire’s Cow, which begged for information on further examples of Georgiana’s goodness other than a soft spot for cows. A new title appeared almost every month. But in fact the entire controversy was a fabrication, a commercial venture by William Combe, a debt-ridden profligate, who hoped to capitalize on Georgiana’s fame. The thirty-five-year-old author, nicknamed “Count Combe” because of his extravagance, had been reduced to translating travels and histories for booksellers before he hit upon the idea of creating paper wars about celebrities. He had enjoyed a considerable success with his satire on Lord Irnham, “The Diaboliad,” the year before. Georgiana was only one of his many victims in a series of fake Letters he composed to leading figures in society. Eventually the public grew tired of his contrived polemics and Combe became a propaganda writer for the government.
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16 Hugh Stokes, The Devonshire House Circle (London 1917), p. 140.
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17 Chatsworth 178: GD to LS, August 6, 1777.
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18 Chatsworth 146: GD to LS, Sept. 21–30, 1776.
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19 Chatsworth 641: LS to GD, August 26, 1784.
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20 Lady Ilchester and Lord Stavordale, The Life and Letters of Lady Sarah Lennox (London 1901), II, p. 261.
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21 BL Althorp F125: Lady Clermont to LS, Oct. 16, 1777.
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22 Chatsworth 199: GD to LS, Oct. 21, 1777.
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23 Nat. Lib. Scot. Lynedoch MSS 3624, f. 277: GD to Mary Graham, circa Dec. 1777. Partly written in French.
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24 Chatsworth 202: LS to GD, April 12, 1778.
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25 Nat. Lib. Scot. Lynedoch MSS 3590, f. 227R: GD to Mary Graham, circa 1778. Partly written in French.
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26 BL Add. MSS 45548, f. 14: GD to Lady Melbourne, nd.
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27 Nat. Lib. Scot. Lynedoch MSS 3624, f. 275: GD to Mary Graham, circa 1778. Partly written in French.
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28 Ibid.
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29 Nat. Lib. Scot. Lynedoch MSS 3590, f. 227R, GD to Mary Graham, circa 1778. Partly written in French.
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30 Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The School for Scandal, in Eric S. Rump, ed., The School for Scandal and Other Plays (London 1988), p. 217, act II, scene ii.
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31 Lord Bessborough, ed., Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire (London 1955), p. 35.
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32 Lord Herbert, Henry, Elizabeth and George (The Pembroke Papers) (London 1939), p. 298: Lady Pembroke to Lord Herbert, Oct. 20, 1779.
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33 Claude Manceron, trans. Nancy Am-phoux, The Age of the French Revolution: Toward the Brink (New York 1983), IV, p. 94.
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34 Masters, Georgiana, p. 68. Lady Louisa Stuart wrote to Lady Caroline Daw-son: “We both read the same book, and it furnished us with a great deal of conversation; it was La Nouvelle Héloïse, with which I am charmed, perhaps more than I should be, yet, I do not think I feel the worse for it. . . . indeed I believe it might be very dangerous to people whose passions resembled those he describes. But I have nothing to do with love, so it is safe with me, and I do think it, notwithstanding several absurdities, the most interesting book I ever read in my life.”
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35 Chatsworth 126: Lady Jersey to GD, August 1, 1776.
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36 Almost £8.5 million in today’s money. Lord Holland was deeply wounded by his
son’s behaviour but couldn’t bear to remonstrate with him: “never let Charles know how excessively he afflicts me,” he begged.
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37 John Ashton, The History of Gambling in England (London 1871), p. 75.
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38 Oxford Magazine, June 1770.
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39 Chatsworth 180: GD to LS, August 12–19, 1777.
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40 Chatsworth 179: GD to LS, August 9, 1777.
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41 J. W. Derry, Charles James Fox (New York 1972), pp. 46–7.
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42 Leslie Mitchell, Charles James Fox (Oxford 1992), p. 32
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43 BL Add. MSS 40763, f. 250: GD to Sir Philip Francis, Nov. 29, 1798.