DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.51519#0296
250 THE COUNTESS OF SUNDERLAND.
Spencer was at this time in his thirtieth year; he had a fine person
and an admirable understanding, improved by early and assiduous
study. “ He was remarkable/’ says the historian of Marlborough,
c' for a sedateness above his years; but in him a bold and impetuous
spirit was concealed under a cold and reserved exterior.” Fresh
from the study of Greek and Roman lore, he was almost a repub-
lican in politics, and had distinguished himself in the House of
Commons as an animated speaker in behalf of liberty in its best
and largest sense. His deportment in private life was not winning,
his father’s errors had thrown him into an opposite extreme, in
manners as in principles; instead of the bland elegance of address
which distinguished the earl, Lord Spencer, wishing' to avoid even
the shadow of adulation, was either haughty and unbending, or
blunt and frank to a decree almost offensive. He had been married
young to Lady Arabella Cavendish, daughter of the Duke of
Newcastle, and had lost her in childbirth after a short but happy
union j her death had thrown a gloom over his mind, adding to
the habitual coldness and harshness of his manners. In spite of
all these drawbacks, he interested Lady Anne Churchill• but his
violent politics displeased her father, and Lady Marlborough, who,
termagant as she was, doated on her children even while she
tormented them, feared lest her daughter’s happiness should be
sacrificed to a man of Lord Spencer’s cold, unaccommodating
temper. All these difficulties, in time, g’ave way before the
zealous, indefatigable exertions of Lady Sunderland, who knew
what were the feelings of her son, and sympathized in them with a
mother’s heart. She first won over Lady Marlborough, who pre-
vailed on her husband to listen to the promise of the Earl of
Sunderland, that his son should be guided in his public conduct by
Lord Marlborough. The earl overrated his son’s docility, as it
afterwards appeared; but for the present he prevailed, and the
marriage was solemnized in January 1701, when Lady Anne was
not quite sixteen.
Thus Lady Sunderland had the satisfaction of ensuring the
domestic happiness of her son in his union with a most amiable
Spencer was at this time in his thirtieth year; he had a fine person
and an admirable understanding, improved by early and assiduous
study. “ He was remarkable/’ says the historian of Marlborough,
c' for a sedateness above his years; but in him a bold and impetuous
spirit was concealed under a cold and reserved exterior.” Fresh
from the study of Greek and Roman lore, he was almost a repub-
lican in politics, and had distinguished himself in the House of
Commons as an animated speaker in behalf of liberty in its best
and largest sense. His deportment in private life was not winning,
his father’s errors had thrown him into an opposite extreme, in
manners as in principles; instead of the bland elegance of address
which distinguished the earl, Lord Spencer, wishing' to avoid even
the shadow of adulation, was either haughty and unbending, or
blunt and frank to a decree almost offensive. He had been married
young to Lady Arabella Cavendish, daughter of the Duke of
Newcastle, and had lost her in childbirth after a short but happy
union j her death had thrown a gloom over his mind, adding to
the habitual coldness and harshness of his manners. In spite of
all these drawbacks, he interested Lady Anne Churchill• but his
violent politics displeased her father, and Lady Marlborough, who,
termagant as she was, doated on her children even while she
tormented them, feared lest her daughter’s happiness should be
sacrificed to a man of Lord Spencer’s cold, unaccommodating
temper. All these difficulties, in time, g’ave way before the
zealous, indefatigable exertions of Lady Sunderland, who knew
what were the feelings of her son, and sympathized in them with a
mother’s heart. She first won over Lady Marlborough, who pre-
vailed on her husband to listen to the promise of the Earl of
Sunderland, that his son should be guided in his public conduct by
Lord Marlborough. The earl overrated his son’s docility, as it
afterwards appeared; but for the present he prevailed, and the
marriage was solemnized in January 1701, when Lady Anne was
not quite sixteen.
Thus Lady Sunderland had the satisfaction of ensuring the
domestic happiness of her son in his union with a most amiable