The Duchess
10: OPPOSITION
1 Chatsworth 620: GD to LS, June 16, 1784.
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2 Ibid.
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3 Chatsworth 614: GD to Bess, June 27, 1784.
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4 BL Althorp F123: Lady Clermont to LS, August 4, 1784.
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5 PRO 30/8/21, f. 189: Mrs. Boscawen to Lady Chatham, May 29, 1784.
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6 “His Highness is making fierce love to ye Widow Fitzherbert, & I think will succeed,” wrote Lady Milbanke to Wentworth Noel, March 10, 1784. Malcolm Elwin, The Noels and the Milbanks (London 1967), p. 233.
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7 Lord Bessborough, Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire (London 1955), p. 87.
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8 BL Althorp F123: Lady Clermont to LS, August 4, 1784.
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9 Chatsworth 641: LS to GD, August 26, 1784.
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10 BL Althorp F38: LS to Lady Duncan-non, Sept. 27, 1784.
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11 Chatsworth 645: GD to LS, Sept. 4–10, 1784.
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12 Chatsworth 643: GD to LS, August 28–Sept. 4, 1784.
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13 BL Althorp F12: second Earl Spencer to LS, Sept. 27, 1784.
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14 BL Althorp F125: Miss Lloyd to LS, Sept. 29, 1784.
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15 Chatsworth 651: GD to LS, Sept. 26, 1784.
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16 Chatsworth 653: GD to LS, Oct. 12, 1784.
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17 BL Althorp G276: LS to second Earl Spencer, Nov. 22, 1784. Even Lady Spencer noticed her thinness: “If she is grown leaner since, she must be a shadow.”
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18 BL Althorp G289: Lavinia, Lady Spencer to second Earl Spencer, Dec. 2, 1784.
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19 Chatsworth 584: Bess to GD, Jan. 17, 1784.
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20 Ibid.
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21 Chatsworth 667.1: Bess to GD, Feb. 1785.
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22 Chatsworth 679: GD to Bess, June 1785.
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23 Ibid.
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24 SNRA Douglas-Home MSS TD95/54: diary of Lady Mary Coke, May 21, 1785.
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25 Bath Public Library ALB. 2289: Elizabeth Sheridan to Mehitabel Patrick Canning, July 11, 1785.
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26 Chatsworth 673: LS to GD, May 6, 1785.
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27 Chatsworth 677: GD to LS, June 7, 1785.
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28 SNRA Douglas-Home MSS TD95/54: diary of Lady Mary Coke, Sept. 8, 1785.
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29 Ibid., Nov. 18, 1785.
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30 Dorothy Stuart, Dearest Bess (London 1955), p. 28: July 10, 1785.
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31 Chatsworth 678: Bess to GD, June 21, 1785.
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32 Chatsworth 681: fifth Duke of Devonshire to Bess, August 11, 1785.
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33 Chatsworth 682: fifth Duke of Devonshire to Bess, August 29, 1785.
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34 Stuart, Dearest Bess, p. 33.
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35 Ibid., p. 35.
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36 Chatsworth 744: fifth Duke of Devonshire to Bess, May 16, 1786.
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37 Lord Bessborough, Georgiana, p. 103.
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38 BL Add. MSS 37843, f. 5: Edmund Burke to William Windham, Oct. 14, 1784.
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39 Morning Herald and Daily Advertiser, Dec. 1, 1784.
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40 Thomas Campbell, The Life of Mrs Siddons (London 1832), I, p. 89.
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41 Almost all Georgiana’s patronage had a social, and hence political, dimension. On June 14, 1784, the Morning Herald and Daily Advertiser announced that the Prince of Wales and Geor-giana “are at the head of a subscription for building the new theatre near Grosvernor Place. . . . It will be called the ‘The Prince of Wales’ Theatre,’ built by Mr Harris for fashionable people, and will have a suite of ballrooms and apartments like that at Ranelagh and Vauxhall.”
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42 SNRA Douglas-Home MSS D95/54: diary of Lady Mary Coke, Sept. 12, 1787.
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43 Ibid., Oct. 28, 1785.
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44 A. Ribeiro, The Dress Worn at Masquerades in England, 1730–1790, and its Relation to Fancy Dress in Portraiture (London 1984), p. 131.
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45 Chatsworth 639: GD to LS, August 14–18, 1784.
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46 A. Ribeiro, Dress in Eighteenth-Century Europe, 1715–1789 (London 1984), p. 155.
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47 Morning Herald and Daily Advertiser, Jan. 19, 1785.
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48 Ibid., April 22, 1785.
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49 If it were only her cleverness with designs, Georgiana might have been important in the fashion world without being a popular figure, like Lady Jersey or Lady Melbourne. But what endeared her to the public was her diligence in carrying out public commitments. Her name appeared on every subscription list, whether for orphans, new theatres, or public assembly rooms. However, people often took advantage of her generosity. That year Miss George received a similar boost to her career, despite the Morning Post’s dismissive re-mark: “The Duchess of Devonshire, with that liberality of sentiment, for which she is distinguished, was particularly conspicuous in her plaudits to modest merit.” Morning Post, August 5, 1786. Its criticism was less an attack on Miss George than on the commercialization of Georgiana’s reputation. Her inability to rebuff requests for patronage made a farce of the system of dedication. On April 10, 1788, the Morning Herald complained: “We are sorry to observe the name of the Duchess of Devonshire is frequently prefixed to execrable writing, boasting her Grace’s ‘permission’ for the dedication. Mrs Hill’s despicable effusions may be adverted to in proof.” The newspaper was unaware that Georgiana had fought a tiresome battle with the printer, Mr. Thompson, to prevent him from livening up Mrs. Hill’s book with an engraved portrait and a long letter of dedication.
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50 Lord Bessborough, Georgiana, p. 88: GD to Prince of Wales, circa Dec. 1785.
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51 Lord John Russell, Memorials and Correspondence of Charles James Fox (London 1853–7), II, pp. 283–4: Prince of Wales to Fox, Dec. 11, 1785.
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52 Chatsworth 717: GD to LS, Feb. 7, 1786.
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53 Christopher Hibbert, George IV, Prince of Wales (London 1972), p. 59.
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54 SNRA Douglas-Home MSS TD95/54: diary of Lady Mary Coke, Jan. 19, 1785.
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55 Chatsworth 753: Lady Melbourne to GD, July 24, 1786.
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56 Borthwick Institute Hickleton MSS A1.2.7, f. 9: Duchess of Portland to Lady Louisa Ponsonby, Feb. 1782.
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57 Lewis Melville, ed., The Berry Papers (London 1914), p. 39: Hon. Mrs. Damer to Mary Berry, June 20, 1791.
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58 BL Althorp G287: GD to second Earl Spencer, circa July 1786.
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59 BL Althorp F14: second Earl Spencer to LS, July 6, 1786.
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60 BL Althorp G290: Lavinia, Lady Spencer to second Earl Spencer, August 11, 1786.
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61 BL Althorp F13: second Earl Spencer to LS, Dec. 14, 1785.
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62 Cha
tsworth 692: Bess to GD, Dec. 10, 1785.
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63 Stuart, Dearest Bess, p. 24.
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64 Chatsworth 744: Bess to GD, June 7, 1786.
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65 Stuart, Dearest Bess, p. 37.
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66 Morning Post, August 4, 1786.
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67 Borthwick Institute Hickleton MSS A1.2.6, f. 9: Lord John Cavendish to Louisa Ponsonby, circa Dec. 12, 1784.
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68 Morning Post, Sept. 1, 1786.
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69 BL Althorp G278: LS to second Earl Spencer, Sept. 23, 1786.
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70 BL Althorp G278: LS to second Earl Spencer, Oct. 12, 1786.
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71 Chatsworth 759: GD to LS, Oct. 15, 1786.
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72 Stuart, Dearest Bess, p. 38.
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73 Ibid.
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74 Chichester RO Bessborough MSS 268: LS to Lady Duncannon, Oct. 31, 1786.
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75 BL Althorp F14: second Earl Spencer to LS, Oct. 29, 1786.
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76 BL Althorp G278: LS to second Earl Spencer, Nov. 2, 1786.
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77 BL Althorp G278: LS to second Earl Spencer, Oct. 31, 1786.
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78 Ibid.
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79 Chatsworth 762: GD to LS, Oct. 19–25, 1786.
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80 BL Althorp G278: LS to second Earl Spencer, Dec. 29, 1786.
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81 BL Althorp F14: second Earl Spencer to LS, Dec. 31, 1786.
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11: QUEEN BESS
1 Chatsworth 766: GD to LS, Nov. 5, 1786.
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2 Chatsworth 772: GD to LS, Nov. 15, 1786.
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3 Chatsworth 792: GD to LS, Jan. 11, 1787.
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4 Chatsworth 791: GD to LS, Jan. 7, 1787.
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5 Chatsworth 796: GD to LS, Jan. 25, 1787.
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6 Chatsworth 853: Sir Richard Ark-wright to GD, Jan. 21, 1788.
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7 Chatsworth 802.1: GD to Thomas Coutts, March 12, 1787.
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8 Chatsworth 782.1: GD to Thomas Coutts, circa 1787.
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9 Chatsworth 819: GD to LS, July 3, 1787.
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10 Chatsworth 814: Thomas Coutts to GD, May 23, 1787.
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11 Chatsworth 816: GD to Thomas Coutts, May 24, 1787.
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12 Chatsworth 814: Thomas Coutts to GD, May 23, 1787.
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13 Chatsworth 800: LS to fifth Duke of Devonshire, Feb. 28, 1787.
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14 Chatsworth 816: GD to Thomas Coutts, May 24, 1787.
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15 BL Althorp F15: second Earl Spencer to LS, Feb. 5, 1787.
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16 BL Althorp G278: LS to second Earl Spencer, Feb. 7, 1787.
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17 HMC Rutland MSS, p. 388: Daniel Pultney to Duke of Rutland, May 7, 1787.
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18 Ibid., p. 395: Daniel Pultney to Duke of Rutland, July 3, 1787.
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19 Chatsworth, Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire Misc.: GD to Bess, circa Feb. 1787.
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20 Dorothy Stuart, Dearest Bess (London 1955), p. 40.
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21 Chatsworth 811: GD to LS, May 10, 1787.
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22 Rowlandson drew a caricature in November of the Whigs attending church with Fox standing in the corner, wearing a sinner’s cape for playing cards on a Sunday and Georgiana vainly trying to wake the sleeping politicians in the gallery. M. D. George, Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires (London 1935–54), IX, C.7182: “Reformation—Or the Wonderful Effects of a Proclamation,” Nov. 5, 1787.
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23 HMC Rutland MSS, p. 386: Daniel Pultney to Duke of Rutland, Feb. 6, 1787.
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24 Ibid.
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25 W. S. Lewis, Horace Walpole’s Correspondence (New Haven, Conn. 1944), XXV, p. 486.
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26 Chatsworth 796: GD to LS, Jan. 25, 1787.
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27 BL Add. MSS 45911, f. 10: GD to Lady Melbourne, circa 1787–8.
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12: MÉNAGE À TROIS
1 BL Althorp G278: LS to second Earl Spencer, Oct. 3, 1787.
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2 PRO 30/29/4/7, f. 65: Lady Augusta Murray to Lady Stafford, circa Sept. 6, 1787. Written partly in French.
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3 Dorothy Stuart, Dearest Bess (London 1955), p. 25.
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4 Ibid., p. 40.
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5 BL Althorp G279: LS to second Earl Spencer, May 27, 1788.
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6 Chatsworth 854: GD to LS, Feb. 2, 1788.
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7 BL Althorp G278: LS to second Earl Spencer, August 9, 1787.
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8 Chatsworth 828: GD to LS, August 20, 1787.
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9 Stuart, Dearest Bess, p. 41: circa Feb. 1788.
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10 Ibid., p. 44.
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11 Ibid.
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12 Chatsworth 856: fifth Duke of Devonshire to LS, Feb. 7, 1788.
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13 BL Althorp G279: LS to second Earl Spencer, May 27, 1788.
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14 Chatsworth 861A: GD to Bess, Feb. 25, 1788.
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15 Lewis Melville, ed., The Berry Papers (London 1914), p. 63: Mrs. Damer to Mary Berry, August 15, 1791.
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16 Chatsworth 871: Duke of Dorset to GD, June 12, 1788.
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17 BL Add. MSS 45548, f. 2: GD to Lady Melbourne, fragment, circa summer 1788. Dorset left Paris in 1789 so the letter could not have been written earlier and the comment “I send the Children to C. tomorrow” makes the suggestion of 1788 credible.
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18 Lady Minto, Life and Letters of Sir Gilbert Elliot, First Earl of Minto, 1751–1806 (London 1874), I, p. 180: Sir Gilbert Elliot to Lady Elliot, Feb. 22, 1787.
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19 E. A. Smith, Lord Grey, 1764–1845 (Oxford 1990), p. 135.
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20 Chatsworth 861A: GD to Bess, Feb. 25, 1788.
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21 Chatsworth 920.1: Bess to GD, circa Feb. 1788.
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22 Chatsworth 890: GD to LS, July 29, 1788.
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23 BL Althorp G290: Lavinia, Lady Spencer to second Earl Spencer, July 28, 1788.
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24 PRO 30/29/4/7, f. 94: Miss Lloyd to Lady Stafford, August 3, 1788.
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25 Stuart, Dearest Bess, p. 43.
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26 BL Althorp G278: LS to second Earl Spencer, Feb. 12, 1787.
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27 Chatsworth 891, LS to GD, August 8, 1788.
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28 Chatsworth 953, GD to LS, May 12, 1789.
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29 Duke of Argyll, Intimate Society Letters of the Eighteenth Century (London 1910), pp. 314–17.
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30 Chatsworth 902: GD to LS, Sept. 15, 1788.
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13: THE REGENCY CRISIS
1 T. More, Memoirs of R. B. Sheridan (London 1817), II, p. 26. The King’s illness is generally accepted by historians to have been a form of a rare hereditary disorder known as por-phyria, which afflicted the Stuarts and was transmitted to the Hanoverians by George III’s great-great-grandmother, the Electress Sophia. Porphyria sufferers experience discoloured urine, stomach pains, hallucinations, hysteria, paranoia, and rambling speech. To doctors in the eighteenth century all these medical indicators would have pointed to simple madness.
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2 Morning Post, Oct. 31, 1788.
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3 Leslie Mitchell, Charles James Fox (London 1992), p. 80.
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