JAMES BRYDGES

james brydges, 1st duke of chandos (1673-1744), son and heir of the last-named, had been member of parliament for hereford from 1698 to 1714, and, three days after his father's death, was created viscount wilton and earl of carnarvon. for eight years, from 1705 to 1713, during the war of the spanish succession, he was paymaster-general of the forces abroad, and in this capacity he amassed great wealth. in 1719 he was created marquess of carnarvon and duke of chandos. the duke is chiefly remembered on account of his connexion with handel and with pope. he built a magnificent house at canons near edgware in middlesex, and is said to have contemplated the construction of a private road between this place and his unfinished house in cavendish square, london. for over two years handel, employed by chandos, lived at canons, where he composed his oratorio _esther_. pope, who in his _moral essays_ (_epistle to the earl of burlington_) doubtless described canons under the guise of "timon's villa," referred to the duke in the line, "thus gracious chandos is belov'd at sight"; but swift, less complimentary, called him "a great complier with every court." the poet was caricatured by hogarth for his supposed servility to the duke. chandos, who was lord-lieutenant of the counties of hereford and radnor, and chancellor of the university of st andrews, became involved in financial difficulties, and after his death on the 9th of august 1744 canons was pulled down. he was succeeded by his son henry, 2nd duke (1708-1771), and grandson james, 3rd duke (1731-1789). on the death of the latter without sons in september 1789 all his titles, except that of baron kinloss, became extinct, although a claimant arose for the barony of chandos of sudeley. the 3rd duke's only daughter, anna elizabeth, who became baroness kinloss on her father's death, was married in 1796 to richard grenville, afterwards marquess of buckingham; and in 1822 this nobleman was created duke of buckingham and chandos (see buckingham, dukes of). see g.e. c(okayne), _complete peerage_ (1887-1898); and j.r. robinson, _the princely chandos_, i.e. the 1st duke (1893).