er House. Some years after he was
released from his prison, and conducted out of France, he sent for
this girl, who soon acquired such a dominion over him, that she was
acquainted with all his schemes, and trusted with his most secret
correspondence. As soon as this was known in England, all those persons
of distinction who were attached to him were greatly alarmed: they
imagined that this wench had been placed in his family by the English
ministers; and, considering her sister's situation, they seemed to have
some ground for their suspicion; wherefore, they dispatched a gentleman
to Paris, where the prince then was, who had instructions to insist that
Mrs. Walkinshaw should be removed to a convent for a certain term; but
her gallant absolutely refused to comply with this demand; and although
Mr. M'Namara, the gentleman who was sent to him, who has a natural
eloquence and an excellent understanding, urged the most cogent reasons,
and used all the arts of persuasion, to induce him to part with his
mistress, and even proceeded so far as to assure him, according to his
instructions, that an immediate interruption of all correspondence with
his most powerful friends in England, and, in short, that the ruin of
his interest, which was now daily increasing, would be the infallible
consequence of his refusal; yet he continued inflexible, and all
M'Namara's entreaties and remonstrances were ineffectual. M'Namara
stayed in Paris some days beyond the time prescribed him, endeavouring
to reason the prince into a better temper; but finding him obstinately
persevere in his first answer, he took his leave with concern and
indignation, saying, as he passed out, "What has your family done, sir,
thus to draw down the vengeance of Heaven on every branch of it, through
so many ages?" It is worthy of remark, that in all the conferences which
M'Namara had with the prince on this occasion, the latter declared that
it was not a violent passion, or indeed any particular regard, which
attached him to Mrs. Walkinshaw and that he could see her removed from
him without any concern; but he would not receive directions, in respect
to his private conduct, from any man alive. When M'Namara returned
to London, and reported the prince's answer to the gentlemen who had
employed him, they were astonished and confounded. However, they soon
resolved on the measures which they were to pursue for the future, and
determined no longer to serve a man who could not