James, determined to bring about a revolution in favour of the
Prince of Orange, and of having, with that view, recommended a
succession of outrages on the civil and ecclesiastical
constitution of the realm. This idle story has been repeated down
to our own days by ignorant writers. But no well informed
historian, whatever might be his prejudices, has condescended to
adopt it: for it rests on no evidence whatever; and scarcely any
evidence would convince reasonable men that Sunderland
deliberately incurred guilt and infamy in order to bring about a
change by which it was clear that he could not possibly be a
gainer, and by which, in fact, he lost immense wealth and
influence. Nor is there the smallest reason for resorting to so
strange a hypothesis. For the truth lies on the surface. Crooked
as this man's course was, the law which determined it was simple.
His conduct is to be ascribed to the alternate influence of
cupidity and fear on a mind highly susceptible of both those
passions, and quicksighted rather than farsighted. He wanted more
power and more money. More power he could obtain only at
Rochester's expense; and the obvious way to obtain power at
Rochester's expense was to encourage the dislike which the King
felt for Rochester's moderate counsels. Money could be most
easily and most largely obtained from the court of Versailles;
and Sunderland was eager to sell himself to that court. He had no
jovial generous vices. He cared little for wine or for beauty:
but he desired riches with an ungovernable and insatiable desire.
The passion for play raged in him without measure, and had not
been tamed by ruinous losses. His hereditary fortune was ample.
He had long filled lucrative posts, and had neglected no art
which could make them more lucrative: but his ill luck at the
hazard table was such that his estates were daily becoming more