The new confidant conformed to all her prejudices, and encouraged all her designs with assent and approbation.

In political intrigues she acted as associate, or rather auxiliary, to Mr.Secretary Harley, who had insinuated himself into the queen's good graces, and determined to sap the credit of the duke of Marlborough and the earl of Godolphin.

His aim was to unite the tory interest under his own auspices, and expel the whigs from the advantages they possessed under the government.

His chief coadjutor in this scheme was Henry St.John, afterwards lord Bolingbroke, a man of warm imagination and elegant taste, penetrating, eloquent, ambitious, and enterprising, whose talents were rather specious than solid, and whose principles were loose and fluctuating.

He was at first contented to act in an inferior capacity, subservient to the designs of the secretary; but, when he understood the full extent of his own parts and influence, he was fired with the ambition of eclipsing his principal, and from the sphere of his minister raised himself to the character of his rival These politicians, with the assistance of sir Simon Har court, a colleague of uncommon ability and credit, exerted their endeavours to rally and reconcile the disunited tories, who were given to understand that the queen could no longer bear the tyranny of the whigs: that she had been always a friend in her heart to the tory and high-church party; and that she would now exhibit manifest proof of her inclination.