Though his lordship was now possessed of his family estate, as much as
a minor could be; yet his trustees very much limited his expences,
and made him too moderate remittances, for a person of his rank and
spirit. This gave him great uneasiness, and embarrassed him much in
his way of living, which ill suited with the profusion of his taste.
To remove these difficulties, he had recourse to mortgaging, and by
premiums and large interest paid to usurers, supplied his present
necessities, by rendering his affairs still worse.

The unhappy divisions which reigned in England at the time this
young peer made his first entry into public life, rendered it almost
impossible for him to stand neuter, and on whatever side he should
declare himself, still there was danger. The world generally expected
he would follow the steps of his father, who was one of the first
English gentlemen who joined the prince of Orange, and continued firm
to the Revolution principles, and consequently approved the Hanoverian
succession, upon whose basis it was built. But whatever motives
influenced the young marquis (for king William had bestowed this title
on his father) he thought proper to join the contrary party. The cause
of his abandoning the principles of the Whigs is thought to be this.

The marquis being arrived at Geneva, he conceived so great a disgust
at the dogmatical precepts of his governor, the restraints he
endeavoured to lay upon him, and the other instances of strict
discipline exercised in that meridian of Presbyterianism, that he fell
upon a scheme of avoiding these intolerable incumbrances; so, like
a torrent long confined within its bounds by strong banks, he broke
loose, and entered upon engagements, which, together with the natural
impetuosity of his temper, threw him into such inconveniencies, as