With all his abilities, Lord Chesterfield may be said to
have failed both as a courtier and as a political character, as far as
permanent influence in any ministry was concerned, until in 1744, when
what was called the 'Broad-bottomed administration' was formed, when he
was admitted into the cabinet. In the following year, however, he went,
for the last time, to Holland, as ambassador, and succeeded beyond the
expectations of his party in the purposes of his embassy. He took leave
of the States-General just before the battle of Fontenoy, and hastened
to Ireland, where he had been nominated Lord-Lieutenant previous to his
journey to Holland. He remained in that country only a year; but long
enough to prove how liberal were his views--how kindly the dispositions
of his heart.
Only a few years before Lord Chesterfield's arrival in Dublin, the Duke
of Shrewsbury had given as a reason for accepting the vice-regency of
that country, (of which King James I. had said, there was 'more ado'
than with any of his dominions,) 'that it was a place where a man had
business enough to keep him from falling asleep, and not enough to keep
him awake.'
Chesterfield, however, was not of that opinion.
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