French scholar, soon found an ample number of friends and acquaintances, and not being particular about either, managed to get through his half-year’s income in a few weeks.  Evil consequence:  he was assailed by duns.  French duns know nothing about forgiving debtors; ‘your money first, and then my pardon,’ is their motto.  My lord duke soon found this out.  Still he had an income, and could pay them all off in time.  So he drank and was merry, till one fine day came a disagreeable piece of news, which startled him considerably.  The government at home had heard of his doings, and determined to arraign him for high treason.

He could expect little else, for had he not actually taken up arms against his sovereign?

Now Sir Robert Walpole was, no doubt, a vulgarian.  He was not a man to love or sympathise with; but he was good-natured at bottom.  Our ‘frolic grace’ had reason to acknowledge this.  He could not complain of harshness in any measures taken against him, and he had certainly no claim to consideration from the government he had treated so ill.  Yet Sir Robert was willing to give him every chance; and so far did he go, that he sent over a couple of friends to him to induce him only to ask pardon of the king, with a promise that it would be granted.  For sure the Duke of Wharton’s character was anomalous.  The same man who had more than once humiliated himself when unasked, who had written to Walpole’s brother the letter we have read, would not now, when entreated to do so, write a few lines to that minister to ask mercy.  Nay, when the gentleman in question offered to be content even with a letter from the duke’s valet, he refused to allow the man to write.  Some people may admire what they will believe to be firmness, but when we review the duke’s character and subsequent acts, we cannot attribute this refusal to anything but obstinate pride.  The consequence of this folly was a stoppage of supplies, for as he was accused of high treason, his estate was of course sequestrated.  He revenged himself by writing a paper which was published in ‘Mist’s Journal,’ and which, under the cover of a Persian tale, contained a species of libel on the government.

His position was now far from enviable; and, assailed by duns, he had no resource but to humble himself, not before those he had offended, but before the Chevalier, to whom he wrote in his distress, and who sent him L2,000, which he soon frittered away in follies.  This gone, the duke begged and borrowed, for there are some people such fools that they would rather lose a thousand pounds to a peer than give sixpence to a pauper, and many a tale was told of the artful manner in which his grace managed to cozen his friends out of a louis or two.  His ready wit generally saved him.