CHAP. VII. 



(ih'oWTH ()F MANVIIKSTKIf. 



413 



works of art wlnYli were pouring into the country at 

 tin: time, occasioned by the disturbances prevailing on 

 tin' Con tiiinii. rimHrd him to lay the foundation of 

 tin- famous IJridgi'water Gallery, now reckoned to be 

 one of the finest private collections in Europe. At his 

 death, iii 1803, its value was estimated at not less than 

 L50,000& 



The Duke very seldom took part in politics, but 

 usually followed the lead of his relative Earl Gower, 

 afterwards Marquis of Stafford, who was a Whig. In 

 1762, we find his name in a division on a motion to 

 withdraw the British troops from Germany, and on the 

 loss of the motion he joined in a protest on the subject. 

 \\ hen the repeal of the American Stamp Act was under 

 discussion, his Grace was found in the ranks of the 

 opposition to the measure. He strongly supported Mr. 

 Fox's India Bill, and generally approved the policy of 

 that statesman. 



The title of Duke of Bridge water died with him. 1 The 

 Earldom went to his cousin General Egerton, seventh 

 Earl of Bridge water, and from him to his brother the 



1 In 1720, when Scroop Egerton, 

 Earl of Bridgewater, had obtained the 

 promise of a dukedom, he acquainted 

 liis brother with the circumstance, 

 and told him, moreover, he had so 

 much interest he could get the duke- 

 dom settled collaterally upon him 

 and his heirs male, in case there 

 should happen a failure of males in 

 his own line direct, provided his bro- 

 ther would pay the additional officc- 

 \\hich amounted to less than 

 320/., lor extending the patent. His 

 brother, then Ii simp of Hereford (and 

 who, if he had lived, was to have 

 been Archbishop of York), replied 

 that if the Duke would consent to 

 entail the old family estates uj)on the 

 dukedom, he would consent to dis- 

 charge the additional fees. To this 

 the Muke answered that he himself 

 had no immediate concern, and no 

 particular interest, in the above pro- 



posal. He made it solely because he 

 conceived it might be acceptable to 

 his brother ; he would bind himself, 

 however, by no promise or condition 

 in a matter which regarded the Bishop 

 alone. If the Bishop thought it worth 

 while to give about three hundred 

 guineas for the chance, well; other- 

 wise, the patent would stand as it 

 was already directed to be made out. 

 Hence the patent was not extended, 

 and now there is a failure of males in 

 the Duke's own line direct. The 

 dukedom of Bridgewater is conse- 

 quently become extinct, in the branch 

 of the family of Egerton, by the 

 death of Francis, the lake I>uke; and 

 the Earldom of Bridgewater is de- 

 volved to the direct heir of tin- al>vc- 

 mentioned Henry Bishop of Here- 

 ford. ' < ieiitleman's Ma _;.' lor .lime, 

 1807. Vol. 77, p. 499. 



