PHILIP DUKE OF, a nobleman of the most brilliant parts, but of the most whimsical, extravagant, and inconsistent turn of mind, was educated by his father's father's express order at home. He very early 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 he met with by this alliance. This precipitate marriage is thought to have hastened the death of his father; after which the duke, being free from paternal restraints, plunged into those excesses which rendered him, as Pope expresses it,

"A tyrant to the wise 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 instructed in the strictest Whig principles, Geneva was thought a proper place for 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 Lyons, where he wrote a letter to the chevalier de St George, who then resided at Avignon, and presented him 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 post to Lyons, whence he set out for Paris. He likewise paid a visit to the consort of James II. who then resided at St Germain, to whom he also paid his court. 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 under age, he was allowed the honour to take his seat in the house of peers, and immediately distinguished himself, notwithstanding his former conduct, as a violent partisan for the ministry; in consequence of which 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 after printed his thoughts twice a-week, in a paper called the True Briton, several thousands 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 1200l. per annum for his subsistence. This being insufficient to support his title with suitable dignity, he went abroad, and shone to great advantage, with respect to his personal character, 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: upon which 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. Soon after the duke fell violently in love with M. Oberne, 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 concession 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 600l. in his possession, and a bill of indictment was preferred against him in England for high-treason. Soon after the chevalier sent him 2000l. 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 then died, without one friend or acquaintance to close his eyes; and his funeral was performed in the same manner in which the fathers inter those of their own fraternity.

Thus died Philip duke of Wharton, "who, like Buckingham and Rochester (lays Mr Walpole), comforted all the grave and dull, by throwing away the brightest profusion of parts on witty fooleries, debaucheries, and scrapes, which mix graces with a great character, but never can compose one.

"With attachment to no party, though with talents to govern any party, this lively man changed the free air of Westminster for the gloom of the Ecurial, the prospect of King George's garter for the Pretender's; and with indifference to all religion, the frolic lord who had written the ballad on the archbishop of Canterbury, died in the habit of a capuchin. It is difficult to give an account of the works of a man whose library was a tavern, and women of pleasure his muses. A thousand fallies of his imagination may have been lost. There are only two volumes in 8vo, called his Life and Writings. These contain nothing of the latter, but 74 numbers of the True Briton, and his speech in defence of the bishop of Rochester. His other works are the ballads above mentioned; the Drinking Match at Eden-hall, in imitation of the Chevy Chace, printed in a miscellany called Whartoniana; and a parody of a song sung at the opera house by Mrs Tofts. His lordship also began a play on the story of the queen of Scots."