WHARTON, Philip, Dure of, a nobleman of the most brilliant parts, but of the most whimsical, extravagant, and inconsistent turn of mind, was the son of Philip marquis of Wharton. He was educated at home; and his father’s great aim was to render him a complete orator. At a very early age he married a young lady, the daughter of Major-general Holmes, which disappointed his father’s views of disposing of him in such a marriage as would have been a considerable addition to the fortune and grandeur of his illustrious family; yet that amiable lady deserved infinitely more felicity than she met with by this alliance. This precipitate marriage is thought to have hastened the death of his father; after which the son, being free from paternal restraints, and possessing a fortune of L.16,000 a year, plunged into those excesses which rendered him, as Pope expresses it,

A tyrant to the wife his heart approv'd,

A rebel to the very king he lov’d.

In the beginning of the year 1716 he began his travels; and as he was designed to be educated in the strictest Whig principles, Geneva was thought a proper place for [7:21:869]his residence. He first passed through Holland, and visited several courts of Germany; and being arrived at Geneva, conceived such a disgust against his governor, that he left him, and set out post for Lyon, where he wrote a letter to the Chevalier de St George, who then resided at Avignon, and presented him with a very fine stout horse; which the chevalier no sooner received than he sent a man of quality to him, who took him privately to his court, where he was entertained with the greatest marks of esteem, and had the title of duke of Northumberland conferred upon him. He however remained there but one day, and then returned to Lyon, whence he set out for Paris. He likewise paid a visit to the dowager of James II. then residing at St Germains. During his stay at Paris, his winning address and abilities gained him the esteem and admiration of all the British subjects of rank of both parties.

About the latter end of December 1716, he arrived in England, whence he soon after set out for Ireland, where, though still under age, he was allowed the honour to take his seat in the House of Peers, as earl of Rathfarnham and marquis of Catherlough. Notwithstanding his former conduct, he immediately distinguished himself as a violent partisan for the ministry; and in consequence of his zeal the king created him a duke. He no sooner came of age than he was introduced to the House of Lords in England with the same blaze of reputation. In a little time he opposed the court, and appeared one of the most vigorous in defence of the bishop of Rochester; and soon afterwards he printed his lucubrations twice a week, in a paper called “The True Briton,” several thousand copies of which were circulated.

The duke’s boundless profusion had by this time so burdened his estate, that by a decree of Chancery it was vested in the hands of trustees for the payment of his debts, allowing him a provision of L.1200 per annum for his subsistence. This being insufficient to support his title with suitable dignity, he went abroad, and appeared to great advantage at the imperial court. From thence he made a tour to Spain. The English minister was alarmed at his arrival, fearing that his grace was received in the character of an ambassador. The duke received a summons under the privy seal to return home; but instead of obeying it, he endeavoured to inflame the Spanish court against that of Great Britain, for exercising an act of power, as he calls it, within the jurisdiction of his Catholic majesty. He then acted openly in the service of the Pretender, and was received at his court with the greatest marks of favour.

While his grace was thus employed, his neglected duchess died in England on the 14th of April 1726, without issue. He soon afterwards fell violently in love with Miss Obyrne, one of the maids of honour to the queen of Spain, the daughter of an Irish colonel, whose fortune chiefly consisted in her personal accomplishments. All his friends, and particularly the queen of Spain, opposed the match; but he falling into a lingering fever, occasioned by his disappointment, the queen gave her consent, and they were soon after married. He then spent some time at Rome, where he accepted of a blue garter, assumed the title of duke of Northumberland, and for a while enjoyed the confidence of the exiled prince. But not always keeping within the bounds of Italian gravity, it became necessary for him to remove from hence; when, going by sea to Barcelona, he wrote a letter to the king of Spain, acquainting him that he would assist at the siege of Gibraltar as a volunteer. Soon after he wrote to the Chevalier de St George, expressing a desire to visit his court; but the chevalier advised him to draw near to England.

The duke seemed resolved to follow his advice; and setting out with his duchess, arrived in Paris in May 1728, whence he soon after proceeded to Rouen, where he took up his residence; and was so far from making any conces sion to the government of England, that he did not give himself the least trouble about his estate, or any other concern there, though, on his arrival at Rouen, he had only about L.600 in his possession, and a bill of indictment was preferred against him in England for high treason. Soon after, the chevalier sent him L.2000, which he squandered away in a course of extravagance, when, to save the charges of travelling by land, he went from Orleans to Nantz by water, and staid there till he got a remittance from Paris, which was squandered almost as soon as received. At Nantz he was joined by his ragged servants, and from hence took shipping with them for Bilboa, when the queen of Spain took the duchess to attend her person. About the beginning of the year 1731, the duke, who commanded a regiment, was at Lerida, but declined so fast that he could not move without assistance, yet when free from pain did not lose his gaiety. He however received benefit from some mineral waters in Catalonia; but soon after relapsed at a small village, where he was utterly destitute of all the necessaries of life, till some charitable fathers of a Bernardine convent removed him to their house, and gave him all the relief in their power. Under their hospitable roof he languished a week, and died on the 31st of May, without one friend or acquaintance to close his eyes; and his funeral was performed in the same manner in which the fathers inter the members of their own fraternity. He died without issue, and his titles became extinct. The duchess survived till February 1777.

Two octavo volumes, published under the title of his Life and Writings, include seventy-four papers of the True Briton, and his speech in defence of Atterbury. Other two duodecimo volumes likewise bear his name; and the same life occurs in a publication called “The Poetical Works of Philip late Duke of Wharton, and others of the Wharton Family, and of the duke’s intimate acquaintance,” &c. Lond. 1731, 2 vols. 8vo. On such a collection as this no reliance can be placed. Ritson intended to publish an edition of the duke’s genuine poems, accompanied with an account of his life.