THE GREAT DUCHESS OF MARLBOROUGH.

Evening Star, Issue 11682, 14 February 1902, Page 8

THE GREAT DUCHESS OF MARLBOROUGH.

The great successes hi the Duchess's life were due to her influence over Queen Anne, and that was gained by no flattery or intrigue, but by the frank imposition of a strong will on a weak one. Anne became her creature and took her orders. When Anne had revolted and that source of power was gone, even then she did not intrigue. She made one straigntfurwsrd threat, to publish the letters of "Mrs Moriey" to "Mrs Freeman." It was ratlier like blackmailing, to be sure, and no doubt the Duchess thought it hard that Providence should drive her to such means to her just ends, but it was not intriguing. Nor, in the absence of direct evidence, do I believe that she coquetted between St. Germain and Hanover as her husband did. He was a born intriguer, a man natively underhand, but it was not her way at aIL She did r.ot plot to bring people into power; when they were in power she went to them and demanded everything they had to give. Moreover, she honestly dtsKlned St. Germain, and was true to her dislikes. Fairly consistent in an age of turncoats, fairly truthful in an age of bars, and very strong in an age of weaklings—ber good qualities in this kind all minister to the supreme effect of her life.—From ' The Great Duchess' in the ' Comhill Magaaane J for January. ________________