CHURCHILL, Sarah.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

An Account of the Conduct of the Dowager Duchess of Marlborough, Sarah Churchill's justificatory account of her service to Queen Anne, defending her political influence and personal reputation.The work "must be seen as an apologia for herself and her husband [John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough]. It was intended primarily to rehabilitate their own reputations, and to restate the grievances of ill treatment and ingratitude to which Sarah believed they had been subject. Although the events described were long past, the publication of the Conduct caused a minor sensation in polite society and attracted criticism, although Henry Fielding wrote persuasively in support of Sarah's conclusions" (ODNB).Sarah dictated the book to her friend Nathaniel Hooke, who is often named as sole or co- author; "Hooke's role in the final book has usually been overestimated: he merely improved the style as Sarah dictated the contents, drawing upon previous drafts" (Field, pp. 432-3).The book was a sensation and rapidly reprinted. ESTC counts multiple editions of 1742 with variant paginations and press figures, without determining priority.Provenance: the collection of Steve Forbes, chairman of Forbes Magazine, and presidential candidate in the 1996 and 2000 US elections; his book label is loosely inserted.

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