also; Sunderland was no longer a
Minister of State, and the shadow of death was already on him. It was
not merely the bursting of a bubble, it was the bursting of a shell--it
mutilated or killed those who stood around and near.

[Sidenote: 1722--Sunderland's antipathy to Walpole]

By the time of the new elections--for Parliament had now nearly run its
course--public tranquillity was entirely restored. Parliament was
dissolved in March, 1722, and the new elections left Walpole and his
friends in power, with an immense majority at their back. Long before
the new Parliament had time to assemble, Lord Sunderland suddenly died
of heart disease. On April 19, 1722, his death took place, and it was
so unexpected that a wild outcry was raised by some of his friends, who
insisted that his enemies had poisoned him. The medical examination
proved, however, that Sunderland's disease was one which might at any
moment of excitement have brought on his death. Nearly all the leading
public men who, innocent or guilty, had been mixed up with the evil
schemes of the South Sea Company were now in the grave.

The field seemed now clear and open to Walpole. The death of
Sunderland, following so soon on that of Stanhope, had left him
apparently without a rival. Sunderland had been to the last a
political, and even a personal, enemy of Walpole. Although Walpole had
gone so far to protect Sunderland against the House of Commons and
against public opinion, with regard to his share in {207} the South Sea
Company's transactions, Sunderland could not forgive Walpole because
Walpole was rising higher in the State--because he was, in fact, the
greater man. Though Sunderland was compelled by public opinion to
resign office, he had contrived, up to the hour of his death, to
maintain his influence over the mind of King George. Fortunately for
George, the King had too much clear, robust good-sense not to recognize
the priceless worth of Walpole's advice and Walpole's services.
Sunderland tried one ingenious artifice to get rid of Walpole. He
suggested to George that Walpole's merits required some special and
permanent recognition, and he recommended that the King should create
Walpole Postmaster-general for life. Such an office, indeed, would
have brought Walpole an ample revenue, supposing he stood in need of
money, which he did not, but it would have disqualified him forever for
a seat in Parliament. Perhaps no better illustration of Su