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13 Vere Foster, The Two Duchesses (Bath 1974), pp. 199–200: Bess to Augustus Foster, circa 1804.
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14 Chatsworth 397: GD to LS, June 8, 1782.
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15 Chatsworth 1565: James Hare to GD, Jan. 27, 1801.
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16 Chatsworth 396: LS to GD, June 7, 1782.
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17 Chatsworth 398: GD to LS, June 10, 1782.
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18 Chatsworth 413: GD to LS, June 15–19, 1782.
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19 Chatsworth 435: GD to LS, Sept. 30, 1782.
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20 Ibid.
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21 Chatsworth 440: GD to LS, Oct. 11–18, 1782.
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22 Chatsworth 446: GD to LS, Oct. 22, 1782.
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23 Chatsworth 443: LS to GD, Oct. 19, 1782.
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24 Chatsworth 440: GD to LS, Oct. 11–18, 1782.
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25 Chatsworth 454: GD to LS, Oct. 29, 1782.
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26 Chatsworth 457: GD to LS, Nov. 5, 1782.
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27 Chatsworth 1332: LS to Selina Trimmer, Nov. 9, 1796.
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28 Chatsworth 403: LS to GD, June 28, 1782.
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29 Chatsworth 459: LS to GD, Nov. 9, 1782.
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30 Chatsworth 460: GD to LS, Nov. 12, 1782.
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31 BL Althorp F37: LS to Lady Harriet Duncannon, Nov. 16, 1782.
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32 Chatsworth 426: GD to LS, Dec. 1, 1782.
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33 Chatsworth 472: LS to GD, Dec. 8, 1782.
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34 BL Althorp F37: LS to Lady Harriet Duncannon, Jan. 9, 1783.
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35 Chatsworth 472: LS to GD, Dec. 8, 1782.
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36 Chatsworth 466: LS to GD, Dec. 3, 1782.
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37 BL Althorp F37: LS to Lady Harriet Duncannon, Jan. 16, 1783.
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38 Chatsworth 476: GD to LS, Dec. 24, 1782.
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39 Chatsworth 482: GD to Bess, Jan. 25, 1783.
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40 Foster, The Two Duchesses, pp. 94–8: Lady Bristol to Bess, March 13, 1783.
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7: AN UNSTABLE COALITION
1 Chatsworth 475: GD to LS, Dec. 23, 1782.
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2 J. Ehrman, The Younger Pitt (London 1969–96), I, p. 100.
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3 Chatsworth 492: GD to Bess, circa Feb. 1783.
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4 Ibid.
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5 Chatsworth 492.1: GD to Bess, circa Feb. 1783.
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6 Chatsworth 490: GD to Bess, April 5, 1783.
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7 Ibid.
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8 BL Althorp G287: GD to Lord Al-thorp, April 1783.
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9 Ibid.
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5 SNRA Douglas-Home MSS TD95/54: diary of Lady Mary Coke, May 28, 1783.
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11 Ian Dunlop, Marie-Antoinette (London 1993), p. 155.
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12 Chatsworth 495: GD to LS, May 8, 1783.
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13 London Chronicle, May 27, 1783.
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14 SNRA Douglas-Home MSS TD95/54: diary of Lady Mary Coke, May 28, 1783.
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15 Chatsworth 507.1: Bess to GD, circa June 1783.
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16 Chatsworth 508: GD to Bess, June 20, 1783.
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17 Leslie Mitchell, Charles James Fox (Oxford 1992), p. 62.
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18 A. Aspinall, The Correspondence of George, Prince of Wales, 1770–1812 (London 1964), I, no. 91: GD to Prince of Wales, circa June 17, 1783.
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8: A BIRTH AND A DEATH
1 Brian Masters, Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire (London 1981), p. 103.
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2 Dr. Amanda Vickery’s study of Elizabeth Shackleton, a member of the provincial gentry living in a small Lancashire valley, reveals that, among other things, she was fascinated (and sometimes appalled) by Georgiana’s fashions. But while she had no intention of wearing a “wax kitchen garden in her hair,” something not quite so conspicuous, like the “picture hat” was a more attainable style. “Women and the World of Goods: a Lancashire consumer and her possessions, 1751–1781” in John Brewer and Roy Porter, eds., Consumption and the World of Goods (London 1993), pp. 274–304.
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3 SNRA Douglas-Home MSS TD95/54: diary of Lady Mary Coke, July 12, 1783.
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4 Chatsworth 508.1: GD to Bess, July 1783.
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5 Chatsworth 512: GD to Bess, July 1783.
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6 Morning Post, July 16, 1783.
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7 Women had used wet-nurses for over 700 years, and it was only recently that social commentators had begun to challenge the practice. The fashion of décolletage played a large part in discouraging breast-feeding. It was as important to have an attractive cleavage as it was to have clear skin and good hair. As soon as a pregnancy was over, women resorted to elaborate procedures to drive back the milk and reduce the size of the breasts. One remedy was to apply lint around the nipple, another was the use of hare-skin treated with ointments. The various methods frequently caused infections and inflammations, and many women developed tumours as a result. Medical opinion held that a woman’s milk was converted blood, through which her characteristics, and her diseases, could be passed on to the child. In consequence, the criteria for a wet-nurse were extremely precise. A whole list of features barred women from wet-nursing: redheads or those with freckles or blemishes were automatically disqualified, for example. Height and intelligence were important factors too. The most highly sought-after wet-nurse was a woman in her early twenties, with clear skin, blue eyes, brown hair, and a good disposition.
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8 Chatsworth 516: GD to LS, August 6, 1783.
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9 Chatsworth 529: GD to LS, Sept. 1–16, 1783.
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10 Chatsworth 507.1: Bess to GD, circa June 1783.
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11 Chatsworth 511: Bess to GD, July 20, 1783.
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12 Ibid.
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13 Chatsworth 513: fifth Duke of Devonshire to Bess, July 29, 1783.
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14 Chatsworth 507.1: Bess to GD, circa June 1783.
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15 Chatsworth 532.2: GD to Bess, circa Sept. 1783.
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16 Vere Foster, The Two Duchesses (Bath 1974), p. 88: Lady Bristol to Bess, Feb. 7, 1783.
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17 Chatsworth 519: GD to Bess, August 19, 1783.
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18 Ibid.
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19 Chatsworth 530: Bess to GD, Sept. 8, 1783.
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20 An early promissory note of Geor-giana’s to a money lender appears in the published diary of Lady Charlotte Bury, edited by A. Francis Steuart, The Diary of a Lady-in-Waiting by Lady Charlotte Bury (London 1908): “December 18, 1779. Mr D——ll, having lent me two thousand six hundred and fifty pounds, I do hereby promise to pay him two hundred and fifty pounds every three months, at the usual quarter days . . . allowing five
per cent and five percent for insurance of my life per annum, until principal, interest, and insurance, shall be fully paid.” The lender in question added: “My agreement is that in case the Duchess does not pay me two hundred and fifty pounds quarterly that I shall acquaint the Duke of D with this transaction . . . as I have lent her the money to relieve her from play debts, under a solemn promise that she will not play in future.”
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21 SNRA Douglas-Home MSS TD95/54: diary of Lady Mary Coke, May 30, 1783.
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22 Morning Herald and Daily Advertiser, Sept. 30, 1783.
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23 Chatsworth 542: GD to LS, Oct. 7, 1783.
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24 W. S. Lewis, Horace Walpole’s Correspondence (New Haven, Conn. 1937–80), XXXIII, p. 408: Horace Walpole to Lady Ossory, July 23, 1783.
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25 Chatsworth 533: GD to LS, Sept. 15, 1783.
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26 M. D. George, Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires Preserved in the Department of Prints and Drawings in the British Museum (London 1947), VIII, C. 6263: “The Ladies Church Yard,” Sept. 23, 1783.
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27 Chatsworth 533: GD to LS, Sept. 15, 1783.
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28 Chatsworth 538: LS to GD, Sept. 28, 1783.
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29 Chatsworth 534: GD to LS, Sept. 17, 1783.
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30 Chatsworth 549: GD to LS, Oct. 21, 1783.
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31 Chatsworth 547: GD to Bess, Oct. 18, 1783.
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32 Chatsworth 508: GD to Bess, June 20, 1783.
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33 Henry Wheatley, The Historical and Posthumous Memoirs of Sir Nathaniel Wraxall (London 1884), I, p. 10.
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34 BL Althorp F40: diary of Lady Spencer, Nov. 1 and 2, 1783.
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35 BL Althorp G287: GD to Lord Spencer, Nov. 6, 1783.
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36 Chatsworth 573: GD to Bess, Jan. 3, 1784.
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37 Ibid.
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38 Chatsworth 576: GD to Bess, Jan. 6, 1784.
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39 Chatsworth 569.1: fifth Duke of Devonshire to Bess, circa Dec. 1783.
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40 Chatsworth 603: Bess to GD, Feb. 1784.
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41 Evelyn Farr, Marie Antoinette and Count Fersen (London 1995), p. 41.
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42 Chatsworth 604: Bess to GD, Feb. 1784.
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43 Chatsworth 749: GD to Bess, July 3, 1786.
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44 Chatsworth 603: Bess to GD, Feb. 1784.
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45 BL Althorp F123: Lady Clermont to LS, Feb. 26, 1784.
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46 Chatsworth 595: GD to LS, Feb. 5, 1784.
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47 Chatsworth 607: GD to Bess, March 8, 1784.
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48 Chatsworth 591: GD to LS, Jan. 21, 1784.
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49 Chatsworth 610: GD to LS, circa April 1784.
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50 Chatsworth 598: GD to LS, Feb. 8, 1784.
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51 Chatsworth 582: GD to LS, Jan. 12, 1784.
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9: THE WESTMINSTER ELECTION
1 BL Althorp F121: Lord Frederick Cavendish to LS and GD, Dec. 1783.
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2 Chatsworth 575: GD to Bess, Jan. 3, 1784.
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10 Chatsworth 598: GD to LS, Feb. 7, 1784.
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5 Chatsworth 573: GD to Bess, Jan. 3, 1784.
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5 Chatsworth 608: GD to LS, March 17, 1784.
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6 Chatsworth 609: GD to LS, March 20, 1784.
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7 M. D. George, Catalogue of Personal and Political Satires (London 1935–54), VIII, C. 6484: “The Coalition Party Beating Up for Recruits,” circa March 1784.
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8 J. Ehrman, The Younger Pitt (London 1969–96), I, p. 141.
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9 PRO 30/8/103, f. 93: George III to William Pitt, April 13, 1784.
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10 F. O’Gorman, Voters, Patrons and Parties (Oxford, 1989), p. 129.
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11 Hugh Stokes, The Devonshire House Circle (London 1917), p. 205.
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12 London Chronicle, March 30–April 1, 1784.
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13 Henry Wheately, The Historical and Posthumous Memoirs of Sir Nathaniel Wraxall (London 1884), III, p. 346.
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14 Stokes, Devonshire House Circle, p. 203.
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15 PRO 30/8/21, ff. 183–4: Mrs. Boscawen to Lady Chatham, April 12, 1784.
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16 Chatsworth 610.3: GD to LS, circa early April 1784.
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17 HMC XIV Report, Part I, Rutland MSS, Appendix, pp. 87–88: Earl Temple Nugent to Duke of Rutland, April 12, 1784.
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18 Chatsworth 610.1: GD to LS, circa early April 1784.
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19 Brian Connell, Portrait of a Whig Peer (London 1957), p. 155.
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20 Chatsworth 36: first Earl Spencer to GD, Oct. 26, 1774.
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21 A. Aspinall, Politics and the Press, c. 1780–1850 (London 1949), p. 67.
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22 BL Althorp G276: LS to second Earl Spencer, April 11, 1784.
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23 BL Althorp F38: LS to Lady Duncan-non, April 13, 1784.
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24 Reginald Blunt, Mrs Montagu (Edinburgh 1923), II, p. 169: circa April 1784.
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25 Florence and Elizabeth Anson, Mary Hamilton, Afterwards Mrs John Dicken-son, at Court and at Home (London 1925), April 27, 1784.
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26 Chatsworth 611: Duchess of Portland to GD, April 13, 1784.
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27 Chatsworth 612: Duke of Portland to GD, April 14, 1784.
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28 BL Althorp F121: Lord John Cavendish to LS, April 14, 1784.
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29 BL Althorp G287: GD to second Earl Spencer, April 23, 1784.
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30 Chatsworth 638: LS to GD, August 14, 1784.
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31 Morning Herald and Daily Advertiser, April 15, 1784.
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32 George, Catalogue, VIII, C. 6597: “The Apotheosis of the Duchess,” May 25, 1784.
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33 Morning Post, April 19, 1784.
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34 Morning Herald and Daily Advertiser, April 21, 1784.
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35 J. Hartley, ed., History of the Westminster Election (London 1784), p. 494.
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36 Ibid., p. 254.
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37 Morning Herald and Daily Advertiser, April 28, 1784.
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38 Ibid., May 1, 1784.
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39 BL Althorp G289: Lavinia, Lady Spencer, to second Earl Spencer, April 24, 1784.
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40 Chatsworth 615: LS to GD, May 15, 1784.
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41 Leslie Mitchell, Charles James Fox and the Disintegration of the Whig Party (Oxford 1971), p. 95.
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42 HMC XIV Report, Part I, Rutland MSS, Appendix, p. 88: Daniel Pult-ne
y to Duke of Rutland, May 6, 1784.
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43 London Chronicle, May 15–18, 1784.
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44 Joyce Hemlow and Althea Douglas, eds., The Journals and Letters of Fanny Burney (Madame d’Arblay) (Oxford 1972–84), I, p. 61.
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45 See Linda Colley, Britons, Forging the Nation 1707–1837 (London 1992), p. 244.
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46 Lady Granville, ed., The Private Correspondence of Lord Granville Leveson Gower (London 1916), I, p. 243: Lady Bessborough to Lord Granville Leve-son Gower [henceforth LGLG], March 5, 1799.
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