The Virginia Gazette

To the Author of the London Daily-Post, July 8.

SIR,

THE Inclosed is a Character of our late glorious Queen ANNE, which, at present, I believe, is in very few Hands; but I am informed is now inscribing upon the Pedestal of a fine Statue of that Princess, just finished by Mr. Rysbrack, and to be erected at St. Albans, at the Expence of the Duchess Dowager of Marlborough. Since nothing can equal the Justice of the Character drawn, but the Generosity and Gratitude of her who writes it, I hope you will not fail to give it a Place in your Paper. After all the Obloquy and Reproach that has been cast from Parties, it is a shining Instance of Magnanimity in her Grace, and worthy of the Consort of the Great Duke of Marlborough.

QUEEN ANNE was very Graceful and Majestic in Her Person: Religious without Affectation.

She always meant well. She had no false Ambition; which appear'd by Her never complaining at King William's being preferred to the Crown before Her, when it was taken from the King Her Father, for following such Counsels, and pursuing such Measures, as rendered the Revolution necessary. It was Her greatest Affliction, to be forced to act against Him, even for Security. Her Journey to Nottingham was never concerted, but occasioned by the great Consternation She was under at the King's sudden Return from Salisbury. She always paid the greatest Respect to King William and Queen Mary; never insisted upon any one Circumstance of Grandeur, more than was established in Her Family by King Charles II. though, after the Revolution, She was presumptive Heir to the Crown; and after the Death of Her Sister, was in the Place of Prince of Wales. Upon Her Accession to the Throne, the Civil List was not increased. The late Earl of Godolphin, Lord High Treasurer of England, often said, that, from Accidents in the Customs, and Lenity in the Collection, it did not arise, one Year with another, to more than Five Hundred Thousand Pounds a Year. She had no Vanity in Her Expences, nor bought any one Pearl in the whole Time of Her Reign. She paid out of Her Civil List many Pensions granted in former Reigns, which have since been thrown upon the Publick. When a War was necessary to secure Europe against the Power of France, She contributed, in One Year, towards the War, out of Her Civil List, One Hundred Thousand Pounds, in Ease of Her Subjects. She granted the Revenue arising from the First Fruits, to augment the Provisions of the poorer Clergy. She never refused Her private Charity to proper Objects. 'Til a few Years before Her Death, She never had but Twenty Thousand Pounds a Year for Her Privy Purse. At the latter End of Her Reign, it did not exceed Twenty Six Thousand Pounds a Year; which was much to Her Honour, because it was subject to no Account. And as to Her Robes, it will appear by the Records in the Exchequer, that in Nine Years She spent only Thirty Two Thousand and Fifty Pounds, including the Coronation Expence. She was extreamly well bred, treated Her chief Ladies and Servants, as if they had been Her Equals. Her Behaviour to all that approach'd Her was decent, and full of Dignity, and shew'd Condescension, without Art or Meanness.

All this I know to be true.

SARAH MARLBOROUGH.