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of virtue and virtue certainly is most conducive to content of mind and a cheerful spirit. He (the virtuous man) rejoiceth with a friend in the good things he enjoys; fears not the reproaches of any; no evil spirit can approach to hurt him here, or accuse him in the great day of the Lord, when every soul shall be judged according as they have done good or evil. Oh, blessed state! fit for life, fit for death! In this good state I wish and pray for all mankind; but most particularly, and with all the ardour I am capable of, to those I have brought into the world, and those dear to them. Thus are my fervent and frequent prayers directed. That you may die the death of the righteous, and to this end, that Almighty God would endue you with all spiritual wisdom, to discern what is pleasing in his sight.

THE

DUKE OF WHARTON TO LADY JANE HOLT.

Madrid, June 19, N. S. 1726.

DEAR SISTER, My name has been so often mentioned of late in the public prints, and consequently the subject of private conversation, that my personal friends (you in particular) may with reason expect to know from myself, what steps I have taken, and what were the reasons of my present resolutions.

As to the reasons of my conduct, I do not think it proper to write them directly to you; I must refer you to some papers you will see published through all Europe. I will not trust the good

manners or the good nature of my enemies, by writing any thing to you that might expose you to trouble; for it would sharpen the prosecutions begun against me, if you should suffer the least inconvenience for your tenderness to me.

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Whatever relates to myself gives me no uneasiness; every virulent vote, every passionate reproach, and every malicious calumny against me, are so many real commendations of my conduct; and while you and my sister Lucy are permitted to live quietly and securely, I shall think our family has met with no misfortune, and has no claim therefore to the compassion of its truest friends.

I know your concern and affection for me, and I write chiefly to give you comfort, not to receive any from you; for, I thank God, I have an easy contented mind, and that I want no comfort. I have some hopes, I have no fears, which is more than some of your Norfolk neighbours can say of themselves. I desire your prayers for the success of my wishes, and the prosperity of my family. I scorn the false pretended compassion of my enemies, and it would grieve me much more to receive the real pity of my friends. I shall not wonder if, at first, you be affected with the warmth of the proceedings against me, and should show some concern at the attempts made to strip our family of its title, and to rob them of their estates; but you will soon change your mind, when you consider that my real honour does not depend on Walpole, or his master's pleasure; that a faction may attaint a man without corrupting his blood; and that an estate seized for a time by violence

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to render it illustrious to after ages, and to atone for the unhappy mistakes of any of our misguided ancestors. If it should end with me, it would, however, have outlived the liberty of England. Those honours, which we received at first from the Crown, can never be more gloriously interred than in the defence of the injured rights of the crown, than in the cause of the rightful monarch of Britain, the greatest of princes and the best of masters. But I forget myself by enlarging too far on a subject that may not be so conveniently mentioned in a letter to you. My zeal for my country, my duty to my sovereign, my affection to you, and my respect to my family, and its true honour, have carried on my pen further than I intended. I will only add, that no change in my circumstances ever shall lessen my tender concern for you or my sister Lucy, to whom I desire you should present my love; and charge her, as she values my friendship, never to marry without my consent. Be assured, that no distance of place, nor length of time, shall abate my affection for you and my enemies shall find, whenever I return to England, it shall be with honour to myself, and with joy to my friends; to all those I mean who wish well to the church of England, and to their native country. Neither shall any thing ever tempt me to abandon that cause which I have deliberately embraced, or to forsake that religion wherein I was educated. Wherever I am, I shall always be, dear sister, your sincere friend and brother,

WHARTON.

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