Page:Life of William Shelburne (vol 1).djvu/265

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1763-1765
SHELBURNE AND ROCKINGHAM
239

ciples, continued always to enjoy substantial power and patronage, while greater men were without difficulty suffered to do the business and take the honours of it.[1]

"From Westminster his father carried him to Ireland when he first went Lord Lieutenant, and during his absence from thence left him under the particular care of the Master of the Rolls there, Mr. Carter, a man of a very original character, whose uncommon sagacity and shrewdness as well as depth of understanding, would have distinguished and advanced him in any country. This shrewd old man observed Lord George Sackville's countenance and manner dining at a side-table in his own house with some persons of his own age—Mr. Carter's own table being full—when a slight dispute occurred; and saw enough into his character to make him advise the Duke of Dorset when he returned to Ireland, whatever he did with his son, never to put him into the army. Had the Duke followed this advice, the whole empire would probably have followed the fate of the particular parts which were committed to his care, for I do not conceive that anything but the checks which stopped his military career, could have prevented his being Prime Minister. He was however prepared for another destiny: he took the military line, and was rapidly advanced in it.

"He commanded a regiment in Flanders and in Scotland. I have heard the officers of the regiment affirm that he was frequently found in Scotland listening at the officers' tents to hear what was said of him.

"He afterwards attended his father when he was appointed a second time Lord-Lieutenant of that Kingdom as Secretary, and, together with Primate Stone, whom the Duke of Dorset made Primate, threw that kingdom into the utmost confusion, by attempting measures which Government had not the power either here or there to carry through, and which they had still less the ability and the weight to conduct.[2] They attempted a change of measures and modes of administration at one and the

  1. See supra, p. 14.
  2. The Duke of Dorset was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland from 1731 to 1737 and 1751 to 1755.