(328) John Montagu, fourth Earl of Sandwich, passed through a long life of office, and left behind him n indifferent character, both in public and private He was, however, a man of some ability.-D.

(329) Charles Fitzroy, second Duke of Grafton, and grandson of Charles ii., was a person of considerable weight and influence at the court of George ii., where he long held the post of chamberlain of the household.

(330) “Honest Will Shippen,” as he was called, or ,Downright Shippen,” as Pope terms him, was a zealous Jacobite member of parliament, possessed of considerable talents, and a vehement opposer of Sir Robert Walpole’s government.  He, however, did justice to that able minister, for he was accustomed to say, “Robin and I are honest men; but as for those fellows in long perriwigs” (meaning the Tories of the day,) " they only want to get into office themselves.”  He was the author of a satirical poem, entitled, “Faction Displayed,” which possesses considerable merit.-D. [Shippen was born in 1672, and died in 1743.  Sir Robert Walpole repeatedly declared, that he would not say who was corrupted, but he would say who was not corruptible-that man was Shippen.  His speeches generally contained some pointed period, which he uttered with great animation.  He usually spoke in a low tone of voice, with too great rapidity, and held his glove before his mouth.]

(331) Lord Charles Noel Somerset, second son of Henry, second Duke of Beaufort.  He succeeded to the family honours in 1746, when his elder brother, Henry, the third duke, died without children.-D. [After the death of Sir William Wyndham, which happened in 1740, Lord Noel Somerset was considered as the rising head of the Tory interest.  “He was,” says Tindal, “a man of sense, spirit, and activity, unblameable in his morals, but questionable in his political capacity.”  He died in 1756.)

(332) Mr. Pulteney declared against dividing; observing, with a witticism, that “dividing was not the way to multiply.”

(333) In speaking of the balance of power, Mr. Pulteney had said, ,He did not know how it was abroad, not being in secrets, but congratulated the House, that he had not, for these many years, known it so near an equilibrium as it now was there."-E.

(334) Lord Chesterfield had been sent by the party, in the preceding September, to France, to request the Duke of Ormond (at Avignon,) to obtain the Pretender’s order to the Jacobites, to vote against Sir R. W. upon any question whatever; many of them having either voted for him, or retired, on the famous motion the last year for removing him from the, King’s councils. [Lord Chesterfield’s biographer, Dr. Maty states that the object of his lordship’s visit to France was the restoration of his health, which required the assistance of a warmer climate.  The reception he met with during his short stay at Paris, is thus noticed in a letter from Mr. Pitt, of the 10th of September:-” I hope you liked the