Stanhope, Philip Dormer, fourth Earl of Chesterfield (1694-1773)

Because of his experience of the Continent, Chesterfield was sent as ambassador to the Hague, to negotiate with the Dutch with a view to their joining in the war of the Austrian Succession. His mission was successful, and he was awarded the lord-lieutenancy of Ireland. It was on his brilliant administration of Ireland that his reputation as a statesman rested.

He was a clever and witty essayist and epigrammatist, but is most famous for his Letters to his Son and his Letters to his Godson. He had no children by his wife, Melusina von Schulemberg, illegitimate daughter of George I, but Mademoiselle du Bouchet bore him a son, Philip Stanhope, to whom the famous letters were written. Philip died at the age of thirty-six and his death was an overwhelming grief to Chesterfield.

In a letter to Mrs Dunlop from Ellisland, dated l0th April 1790, Burns described Chesterfield as:

'... one of the ablest judges of men, and himself one of the ablest men that ever lived... In fact, a man who could thoroughly control his vices whenever they interfered with his interests, and who could completely put on the appearance of every virtue as often as it suited his purposes is, on the Stanhopian plan, the perfect man: a man to lead nations.' Burns added: 'But are great abilities, compleat without a flaw, and polished without a blemish, the standard of human excellence? This is certainly the staunch opinion of men of the world; but I call on honor, virtue and worth, to give the Stygian doctrine a loud negative.'