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7 PRO 30/29/6/2, f. 17: Lady Elizabeth Monck to LGLG, Dec. 10, 1796.
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8 Carlisle MSS J18/20/96: GD to Lady Georgiana Cavendish, circa early 1797.
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9 Chatsworth 1387: LS to Selina Trimmer, Jan. 8, 1797.
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10 PRO 30/29/5/5, f. 65: Lady Sutherland to Lady Stafford, circa Nov. 1796.
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11 Vere Foster, The Two Duchesses (Bath 1974), p. 130: GD to Frederick Foster, Nov. 18, 1796.
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12 Chatsworth 1379: GD to LS, Dec. 17, 1796.
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13 Foster, Two Duchesses, p. 131: “To Lady Elizabeth Foster, from Geor-giana, Duchess of Devonshire, when she was apprehensive of losing her eyesight—1796.”
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14 BL Add. MSS 51960: Lady Crewe to Caroline Fox, April 1797.
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19: ISOLATION
1 Lady Granville, ed., The Private Correspondence of Lord Granville Leveson Gower (London 1916), I, pp. 141–2: Lady Bessborough to LGLG [Dec. 1796].
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2 Carlisle MSS J18/20: GD to Lady Georgiana Cavendish, Dec. [20], 1796.
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3 Chatsworth 1391: GD to LS, Feb. 3, 1797.
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4 Chatsworth 1396: Bess to GD, March 2, 1797.
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5 5 Carlisle MSS J18/20: GD to Lady Georgiana Cavendish, Dec. 1796.
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6 Chatsworth 1392: GD to Lady Jones, Feb. 11, 1797.
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7 Chatsworth 1375: GD to Coutts, Oct. 19, 1796.
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8 Ibid.
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9 Chatsworth 1383: GD to LS, Dec. 22, 1796.
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10 Chatsworth 1401: GD to LS, May 12, 1797. Georgiana’s habit of ignoring certain debts was incorrigible. For example, she still owed £1,160 to Calonne, who was languishing in Italy, almost bankrupt, forced to sell his jewellery and watches while he waited with diminishing hope for repayment.
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11 Carlisle MSS J18/20: GD to Lady Georgiana Cavendish, Dec. 1796.
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12 BL Althorp G287: GD to second Earl Spencer, May 17, 1797. George was not free of doubts about his abilities until Nelson’s famous victory over Napoleon in the Battle of the Nile in August 1798.
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13 J. Parkes and H. Merivale, eds., The Memoirs of Sir Philip Francis (London 1867), II, p. 309: GD to Sir Philip Francis, Nov. 29, 1798.
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14 BL Althorp G287: GD to second Earl Spencer, March 24, 1797. She wrote: “As to the subject of Ireland, I wish to God, as I always do when we differ yt you may be right—and my whole soul goes with you in good wishes. But the times give an awful lesson and for God’s sake Dr. Brother do not take very violent measures without much reflection. I am far from disapproving of Energy and strong measures, I think them necessary but why may not they be enforc’d with kindness at the same time to the Catholicks? Who certainly deserve it and would greatly strengthen the hands of Government.”
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15 BL Althorp G287: GD to second Earl Spencer, May 13, 1797.
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16 Chatsworth 1421: LS to Selina Trimmer, Dec. 30, 1797.
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17 Chatsworth 1400: GD to Selina Trimmer, April 2, 1797.
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18 Borthwick Institute Hickleton MSS, A1, 4, 11, 9, f. 2: GD to Mary Grey, circa 1798.
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19 Ibid.
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20 Chatsworth 1439: GD to LS, June 16, 1798.
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21 Chatsworth 1438.1: GD to LS, June 12, 1798.
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22 Ibid.
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23 Chatsworth 1439: GD to LS, June 16, 1798.
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24 Bess’s jealousy over Georgiana’s success with the Duke is reflected in the way she described the event in her diary. In her account it was she who used her influence with him; Geor-giana has a mere walk-on part as an anxious observer during the tense deliberations. The truth of Bess’s description must be judged against the context of her relationship with the Duke of Richmond and the fact that it was assumed they were about to be married.
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25 Lady Granville, Lord Granville Leveson Gower, I, p. 218: Harriet to LGLG, [August] 1798. Harriet finally answered in response to Leveson Gower that politics was in their blood: “for notwithstanding all my violence in politicks & talking so much on that subject, I perfectly agree with you that no woman has any business to meddle with that or any other serious business, farther than giving her opinion. . . . You will tell me I do not practise the doctrine I preach, and I allow it as far as talking goes, because from my childhood I have accustom’d to hear politicks the constant and eager subject of conversation.” George had to accept the same argument from Georgiana.
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26 Chatsworth 1445: General Frederick St. John to GD, Sept. 3, 1798.
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27 Lord Bessborough, Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire (London 1955), p. 229: GD to LS, Oct. 8, 1798.
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28 Chatsworth 1435: GD to LS, June 5, 1798.
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29 Chatsworth 1453.1: Mrs. Louisa Pon-sonby to Louisa O’Calaghan, Nov. 23, 1798.
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30 Chatsworth 1448: Sir Philip Francis to Lady Francis, Sept. 18, 1798.
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31 Parkes and Merivale, Sir Philip Francis, II, p. 311: Sir Philip Francis to GD, Dec. 3, 1798.
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32 Ibid.
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33 Ibid., II, p. 310: GD to Sir Philip Francis, Nov. 29, 1798. Partly written in French.
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34 Ibid., II, p. 312: Sir Philip Francis to GD, Dec. 3, 1798.
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35 Chatsworth 1466: GD to LS, April 13, 1799.
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36 Borthwick Institute Hickleton MSS, A1, 4, 11, 9, f. 2: GD to Mary Grey, circa 1798.
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37 Carlisle MSS J18/20/95: GD to Lady Georgiana Cavendish, circa 1798–9.
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38 Ibid.
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39 Sir George Leveson Gower and Iris Palmer, eds., Harry-O: The Letters of Lady Harriet Cavendish (London 1940), pp. 329–30: Lady Harriet Cavendish to Marquess of Harting-ton, Oct. 14, 1809.
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40 Leveson Gower and Palmer, Harry-O, p. 4: Lady Caroline Ponsonby to Lady Georgiana Cavendish, Oct. 31, 1796.
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41 Carlisle MSS J18/20/95: GD to Lady Georgiana Cavendish, circa 1799.
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42 Lady Granville, Lord Granville Leveson Gower, I, pp. 194–5: Lady Bessbor-ough to LGLG, [Feb. 16–18, 1798].
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43 BL Add. MSS 51928, f. 74: diary of Lady Holland, March 26, 1799.
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44 Carlisle MSS J18/20/95: GD to Lady Georgiana Cavendish, circa 1799.
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45 BL Althorp F21: second Earl Spencer to LS, April 4, 1799.
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46 BL Althorp G287: LS to second Earl Spencer, March 30, 1799.
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47 BL Althorp G287: LS to second Earl Spencer, April 4, 1799.
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48 Chatsworth 1460: GD to LS, Feb. 21, 1799.
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49 Chatsworth Misc.: Blue Notebook, diary fragment.
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50 Lady Granville, Lord Granville Leveson Gower, I, p. 245: L
ady Bessborough to LGLG, Saturday [1799].
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51 Linda Kelly, Richard Brinsley Sheridan: A Life (London 1997), p. 229.
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52 W. Sichel, Sheridan (London 1909), II, pp. 276–7.
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53 Chatsworth Misc. Memorandums of the Face of the Country in Switzerland, attributed to Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, 1799, printed by Cooper and Graham. There is a copy of the book in the John Ry-lands Library in Manchester. The core of the library is owed to the acquisition of the book collection belonging to Georgiana’s brother, which by the time of his death was one of the greatest private collections in Europe.
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54 Morning Herald, May 27, 1799.
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55 Ibid., Sept. 17, 1799.
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56 Chatsworth 1492: GD to LS, Oct. 13, 1799.
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57 She once revealed in a letter to George the stratagems she sometimes had to employ to help him: “I shall send you a letter from our agent in Ireland, if I can steal it, for the Duke thinks it absurd in me to trouble you.” BL Althorp G287: GD to second Earl Spencer, rec. Sept. 27, 1797.
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58 BL Add. MSS 40763, f. 250: GD to Sir Philip Francis, Nov. 29, 1798.
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20: GEORGIANA REDUX
1 Chatsworth 1501: fifth Duke of Bedford to GD, Jan. 8, 1800.
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2 Chatsworth 1601: LS to GD, August 21, 1801.
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3 BL Althorp G282: LS to second Earl Spencer, Feb. 11, 1800.
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4 Chatsworth 1505: GD to LS, Jan. 22, 1800.
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5 Chatsworth 1421: LS to Selina Trimmer, Dec. 30, 1797.
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6 Chatsworth 1600: LS to Selina Trimmer, Aug. 20, 1801.
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7 BL Althorp G287: GD to second Earl Spencer, rec. April 28, 1800.
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8 Lady Granville, ed., The Private Correspondence of Lord Granville Leveson Gower (London 1916), I, p. 332: Lady Bessborough to LGLG, [February 1802]. The “Canterbury Tales” is not Chaucer’s but Harriet Lee’s, novelist and dramatist (1757–1851). Count Siegendorf was a character in “Kruitzner,” one of the “Tales.” The play is now lost and there is no way of clearing up the mystery which surrounds it. It was still extant in 1822 when Little G, now Lady Morpeth, sent a copy to a friend, but by 1899 all the MSS had been lost or destroyed. Thus there was no way to prove or deny the extraordinary assertion by Georgiana’s grandson Frederick Leve-son Gower that Byron had plagiarized Werner, from Georgiana’s Siegendorf. He claimed, “My Sister, Lady Georgiana Fullerton, told me many years ago that this was the case. Her statement was that the Duchess wrote the poem and gave the manuscript of it to her niece, Lady Caroline Ponsonby, and that she, some years later, handed it over to Lord Byron, who subsequently published it in his own name.” Quoted in Hugh Stokes, The Devonshire House Circle (London 1917), p. 277. If there is any truth to the story, the likelihood is that Byron saw Georgiana’s play and was inspired to write Werner.
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9 BL Althorp F124: Lady Clermont to LS, May 22, 1800.
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10 Egerton Castle, The Jerningham Letters, 1780–1843 (London 1896), I, pp. 178–9: Lady Jerningham to Charlotte Bedingfeld, May 24, 1800.
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11 Ibid., I, p. 187: Lady Jerningham to Charlotte Bedingfeld, June 12, 1800.
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12 Chatsworth 1533: GD to LS, Nov. 6, 1800.
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13 Chatsworth 1519: GD to LS, June 2, 1800.
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14 Chatsworth 1521: GD to LS, June 14, 1800.
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15 Castle, Jerningham Letters, I, pp. 192–3: Lady Jerningham to Charlotte Bed-ingfeld, July 1800.
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16 BL Add. MSS 45548, f. 33: GD to Lady Melbourne, circa 1800–1801.
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17 Ibid.
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18 Lady Granville, Lord Granville Leveson Gower, I, p. 318: Lady Bessborough to LGLG, Jan. 6, 1802.
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19 Chatsworth 1525: James Hare to GD, Sept. 11, 1800.
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20 Chatsworth 1539: GD to LS, Dec. 19, 1800.
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21 BL Althorp G282: LS to second Earl Spencer, Dec. 23, 1800.
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22 Chatsworth: Sixth Duke’s Series, 2512.
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23 Chatsworth 1550: Prince of Wales to GD, Dec. 25, 1800.
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24 Chatsworth 1564: GD to LS, Jan. 14, 1801.
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25 Carlisle MSS J18/37: Bess to Lady Morpeth, March 21, 1801.
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26 Chatsworth 1554: GD to Duke of Richmond, circa Dec. 30, 1800.
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27 Chatsworth 1562: Bess to Duke of Richmond, Jan. 12, 1801.
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28 Chatsworth 1567: Bess to Duke of Richmond, Jan. 29, 1801.
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29 Chatsworth 1569: James Hare to GD, Jan. 27, 1801.
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30 BL Add. MSS 47569, f. 111: Charles Fox to William Smith, circa 1801.
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31 J. Ehrman, The Younger Pitt (London 1969–96), III, p. 503: John Ehrman’s last volume of his magisterial biography of Pitt offers, in my opinion, the most thorough and convincing explanation for his resignation.
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32 Ibid., I, p. 127.
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21: PEACE
1 Chatsworth V1611C: GD’s diary, Feb. 7, 1801.
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2 Chatsworth 1305: GD to LS, Sept. 2, 1795.
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3 Chatsworth 1581: GD to LS, Feb. 19, 1801. Georgiana’s first concern was to encourage all her friends not to stay in government because they would be regarded as traitors by those going out and, as members of the old guard, by those coming in. In this vein she wrote to Lord Hervey and Henry Pel-ham urging them not to accept any offers from Addington. “My private reason,” she told Pelham, “is that no one but myself would perhaps dare tell you the kind of contempt and scorn in which those who stay in are held not only by opposition but by all the friends of the Govt. You know how much I see of all sides. . . .” BL Add. MSS 33, 107, f. 12: GD to Thomas Pelham, circa Feb. 1801. Pel-ham did not accept her advice and Georgiana’s prediction proved true. He was never accepted by the new administration and was eventually dropped in ignominious circumstances.
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4 BL Add. MSS 33, 107, f. 12: GD to Thomas Pelham, circa Feb. 1801.
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5 For example, Georgiana canvassed the Whigs on the Prince’s behalf when he asked Parliament to grant him the arrears on his income from the Duchy of Cornwall. Lady Granville, ed., The Private Correspondence of Lord Granville Leveson Gower (London 1916), I, p. 332: Lady Bessborough to LGLG, Feb. [1802].
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6 It is, of course, impossible to be accurate when all the evidence has been destroyed. But a letter of Mrs. Sheridan’s to Granville Leveson Gower reveals that “to the last moment she thought herself belov’d,” and that Georgiana and Grey allegedly met at third places, although how often and when remains in dispute. PRO 30/29/6/2, f. 63: Mrs. Sheridan to LGLG, circa August 1807.
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7 The friendship between the two women had not changed with time: Lady Melbourne still behaved like a bossy older sister towards Georgiana, and Georgiana was always slightly afraid of her and anxious to retain her approval. The London Chronicle noted on October 5, 1802 that Lady Melbourne “is, of course, in all the Devonshire P
arties.” In contrast, Harriet now resented Lady Melbourne as a tiresome know-it-all and nicknamed her “The Thorn.”
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8 BL Add. MSS 45548, f. 24: GD to Lady Melbourne, circa 1801–2.
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9 PRO 30/29/6/2, f. 63: Mrs. Sheridan to LGLG, circa August 1807.
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10 Harriet visited Howick in 1808 and complained, “It is hardly possible to have a moment’s conversation with Ld Grey, for either [Mary] (from thinking, I suppose, that I am a friend of Hecca’s)—or Mr Bennet, who is here, and whose head always intervenes between any two people who are talking—makes all conversation so general one dares say nothing that may not be discuss’d by the whole room.” Lady Granville, Lord Granville Leveson Gower, II, p. 320: Lady Bess-borough to LGLG, August 22, [1808].
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11 Carlisle MSS J18/20/96: GD to Lady Georgiana Morpeth, circa 1801.