you will be so kind and just to me, as to believe that I will have no
friends but such as will support the queen and government. Yours of
the 13th, which had the draught of the house and gardens, I received
but this day, the French having taken the postilion, but they sent the
letters back unopened. I hope some time this summer you will go down
to Woodstock for three or four days, and that you will let me know if
Mr. Wise be still of the opinion that he shall be able to make all the
plantations this next season, which would be a great pleasure to me at
my return, if I could see the walks in the park planted."

"Corbais, August 24. -- I have this day received yours of the 5th and
6th from Tunbridge, as also one from Lady Sunderland, which tells me
that you are in good health, which I am extremely glad of; for I wish
you all the happiness this world is capable of giving. I have received the
Observator, and am of your mind. When I differ from you, it is not
that I think those are in the right whom you say are always in the
wrong; but it is that I would be glad not to enter into the unreasonable
reasoning of either party, for I have trouble enough for my little head,
in the business which of necessity I must do here. I thank you for the
piece of a letter you sent me, for I own to you that I have a very great de-
sire to have that work of Woodstock finished; and if I can be so happy as
to live some years in quietness there with my dear soul, I shall think
myself fully recompensed for all the vexations and troubles I am now
obliged to undergo. I can never regret too much the last disappoint-
ment; since I am every day more and more persuaded that we should
have had good success, which must have put a good and speedy end to this
war. I hope the Spa waters, which I intend to take the beginning of
this next month, will do my eyes good, since I am persuaded it is the
heat of my blood which has occasioned their being sore."

These letters lead us to notice an erroneous opinion which
has been sanctioned by history. It has been generally as-
serted that Marlborough evinced the same weakness as Beli-
sarius, in submitting to the government of his wife. It
cannot indeed be denied that in domestic life he indulged
her caprices, and that in conferring offices of more emolument
than trust he occasionally listened to her recommendation.
But the whole series of his correspondence shows that she
possessed no influence in political affairs of importance, and
was suffered to take no share in those arrangements which
give character to the administration of government. The
Whigs, whose interest she particularly claims the merit of
promoting, were little indebted to her importunities, and
owed their introduction to power to the fears of the trea-
surer, to their strength in parliament, and, above all, to the
conviction of Marlborough that the war could not be vigo-
rously prosecuted without their support.

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