parliaments
the most violent partisanship in politics and religion, without
sincerity or substance in either. But the long peace threw open the
floodgates of frivolity and fashion once more, and France again became
the universal model.

On glancing over the history of public men through this diversified
period, the astonishment of an honest mind is perpetually excited at the
unblushing effrontery with which the most scandalous treacheries seem to
have been all but acknowledged. France was still the great corrupter,
and French money was lavished, not more in undermining the fidelity of
public men, than in degrading the character of the nation. But when
Charles was an actual pensioner of the French King, and James a palpable
dependent on the French throne, the force of example may be easily
conceived, among the spendthrift and needy officials, one half of whose
life was spent at the gaming table.

On those vilenesses history looks back with an eye of disgust. But they
were the natural results of an age when religion was at the lowest ebb
in Europe; when our travelled gentry only brought back with them that
disregard of Christianity which they had learned in Paris and Rome, and
when Voltaire's works were found on the toilet of every woman in high
life.

The accession of George III. was, in this view, of incalculable value to
England. Contempt for the marriage tie is universally the source of all
popular corruption. The king instantly discountenanced the fashionable
levity of noble life. No man openly stigmatised for profligacy, dared to
appear before him. No woman scandalised by her looseness of conduct was
suffered to approach the drawing-room. The public feeling was suddenly
righted. The shameless forehead was sent into deserved obscurity. The
debased heart felt that there was a punishment, which no rank, wealth,
or effrontery could resist. The decorum of public manners was
effectively restored, and the nation had to thank the monarch for the
example and for the restoration.

Lady Sundon was of an obscure family, of the name of Dyves. Her portrait
represents her as handsome, and her history vouches for her cleverness.
It was probably owing to both that she was married to Mr Clayton, then
holding an appointment in the treasury, and also the agent for the great
Duke of Marlborough's estate, both of them appointments which implied a
certain degree of intelligence and character. He also at one period was
deputy-auditor