New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-03-19
MARLBOROUGRS MEANNESG


From L0HfOht SOctsfy.
There IL probably scarcely single ancient or
noble famlly-the terms are not quite synonymous
which does not possess "a imminent room, the
contents of which have never been edited calen-
dared ami it fairly makes the mouth of tue hstOri
cal student water to think what treasures OF history
and of antiquarian gossip lie thus buried. Now
and again noble lord gracOusly puts his name TO
a small compilation, or permits some labouOus anti
quarIan to Tummage amongst his family archives,
and the little that given To the world IN this way
creates an irresistible longing for more. One such
volume was prepared some sixty years ago Tor the
qualification OF the then Earl OF BrGgewater.
Only a small number of copies were printed; tho
book itself was never published, and IN ITS present
form II naturally belongs to the category OF h6rt
rarsSini. III any member of the house OF Egerton
could be induced to reprint 1t, and To add to II from
the stores of family papers preserved at Norsley no
would do u service 10 literature and to tho public
generally the value of which II would uot be easy
TO over-c,tmate. In the meantime IL may be worth
while to puck from this book OF Family Anec-
d0tes" few of the most striking.
The EgertOn family, as everyone who - well up in
his Burke or Debrett ought % know, has intcrmar-
ried with about half the peerage and has alliances
with every one of those great governing families
whose predom nance has gwen such strength to tho
Nation time OF political storm and stress. Among
these families, that u Churchill Is not the lcast
distinguished.
The family traditions preserved by the Earl of
Brdgewater chiefly relate to the ayarce of the
great Duke of Marlborough. When IN the carly
years CT the eighteenth century, the Earl OF Peter
borough was IN command of the English forces in
Spain and Portugal he found great difficulty in
obtaining the necessary supplies. In order to
matters he returned nome; Dut on appllca-
ton at Headquarters he found all his demands held
over for further consideration whilst the Duke or
Marlborough obtained all he wanted without the
smallest difficulty. Much disguised withal,' says
Lord Brdgewater, " he threw himself into "A sedan
chair and drew the curtains az the sides well as
at the front, that he might not be known or seen.
The pOpulace took up an idea that the person in
the chair was the Duke OF Marlborough; they
Qat hercd round IL. God bless the Duke of Marl-
borough! GUd bless the Duke of Marlborough"
Gentlemen" said Lord Peterborough, pushing
down one of the windows, am not the Duke of
Marlborough 40 yes,' said spokesman OF the
multitude you are the Duke OF Marlborough We
know YOU well enough Gentlemen said Lord
Peterborough am not the Duke OF Marlborough.
| tell YOU, aud | will give YOU two convincing
proofs [ am not One is that | have but a single
guinea and he turned his pockets inside out the
other is that | give IL to you; and he throw It
among them.
On the eve of a great pitched battle, which was 70
be fought under the Joint command OF TIE Duke or
Marlborough and Prince Eugene OF Savoy, tho
latter waited upon the Duke alter dinner TO settle
the plan of action for the following ddy. " Tho
Duke had taken up his head quarters at n small
house which had little garden before it, and q
coach-road. Prince Eugene received IN great
state In driving out of the cOach-road II struck
Prince Eugene that there was one mannuyre which
he had not notified to the Duke. Drive me back
again. He skipped uimbly into the house and in
the drawing Dom where he had been received he
fouud the Duke of Marlborough perched upon q
clair with his handkerchief under his shoes. and
whiting out tho candles Of the middle piece Of
lustre.