Bolingbroke At Battersea
When the late Sir Richard Phillips took his "Morning's Walk from London
to Kew," in 1816, he found that a portion of the family mansion in which
Lord Bolingbroke was born had been converted into a mill and distillery,
though a small oak parlour had been carefully preserved. In this room,
Pope is said to have written his Essay on Man; and, in Bolingbroke's
time, the mansion was the resort, the hope, and the seat of enjoyment,
England. The oak room was always called "Pope's Parlour," it being, in
all probability, the apartment generally occupied by that great poet, in
his visits to his friend Bolingbroke.
On inquiring for an ancient inhabitant of Battersea, Sir Richard
Phillips was introduced to a Mrs. Gilliard, a pleasant and intelligent
woman, who told him she well remembered Lord Bolingbroke; that he used
to ride out every day in his chariot, and had a black patch on his
cheek, with a large wart over his eyebrows. She was then but a girl,
but she was taught to look upon him with veneration as a great man. As,
however, he spent little in the place, and gave little away, he was not
much regarded by the people of Battersea. Sir Richard mentioned to
her the names of several of Bolingbroke's contemporaries; but she
recollected none except that of Mallet, who, she said, she had often
seen walking about in the village, while he was visiting at Bolingbroke
House.
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