The family had had their due quota of garters
and governments and bishoprics; admirals without fleets, and
generals who fought only in America. They had glittered in
great embassies with clever secretaries at their elbow, and
had once governed Ireland when to govern Ireland was only to
apportion the public plunder to a corrupt senate.
Notwithstanding however this prolonged enjoyment of undeserved
prosperity, the lay abbots of Marney were not content. Not
that it was satiety that induced dissatisfaction. The
Egremonts could feed on. They wanted something more. Not to
be prime ministers or secretaries of state, for they were a
shrewd race who knew the length of their tether, and
notwithstanding the encouraging example of his grace of
Newcastle, they could not resist the persuasion that some
knowledge of the interests and resources of nations, some
power of expressing opinions with propriety, some degree of
respect for the public and for himself, were not altogether
indispensable qualifications, even under a Venetian
constitution, in an individual who aspired to a post so
eminent and responsible. Satisfied with the stars and mitres
and official seals, which were periodically apportioned to
them, the Marney family did not aspire to the somewhat
graceless office of being their distributor.
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