him, and although
adored by the officers and men who served under him, he made almost
every man of rank approaching his own who came in contact with him his
personal enemy. Among the bulk of the Spanish people of the provinces in
which he warred he was beloved as well as admired, and even to this day
legends of the brilliant and indefatigable English general are still
current among the people of Catalonia and Valencia. No man ever served
the cause to which he devoted himself with greater zeal and sincerity.
He was lavish of his own private means in its interest, and, even when
his advice and opinion were most slighted, he was ready to sacrifice
himself, his rank, and dignity to the good of the cause. Had he had
the good fortune to command an army of his own countrymen unfettered by
others, it is probable that he would have gained a renown equal to that
of the greatest commanders the world has known.

The great services which he had rendered were warmly felt and
acknowledged by the people of England on his return, and the attempts
of his enemies to undermine his reputation were confuted by the
papers which he brought back with him. For a time Peterborough took a
considerable part in politics, and his acrimony in debate so enraged
his enemies that his conduct during the war in Spain was called into
question. A debate on the subject took place. In this he successfully
defended himself from the attacks made against him, and a formal vote of
thanks to him was passed.

Some years afterward he retired altogether from public life, and
privately married Miss Anastasia Robinson, his first wife having died
many years before. Miss Robinson was a singer of the highest repute, of
the most amiable character, and kindest disposition. There was no reason
why the match should not have been publicly acknowledged, as the lady
was held in universal esteem; but, with his usual eccentricity, the earl
insisted on the marriage being kept a secret, and did not announce it
until on his death bed in the year 1735. Lady Peterborough lived in
profound retirement, universally beloved and honored, to the age of
eighty-eight.

Upon arriving in London Jack stayed for a few days with his friend
Graham, whose family lived there. The earl had told the young officer
that he would introduce them to the queen, but, on their calling by
appointment on him at his hotel on the third day after their arrival in
town, Peterborough said:

"You had best go about