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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/4773.txt b/4773.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8046c32 --- /dev/null +++ b/4773.txt @@ -0,0 +1,33619 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Letters of Horace Walpole Volume 3 +by Horace Walpole +(#4 in our series by Horace Walpole) + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: The Letters of Horace Walpole Volume 3 + +Author: Horace Walpole + +Release Date: December, 2003 [EBook #4773] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on March 16, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE LETTERS OF HORACE WALPOLE VOLUME 3 *** + + + + +This eBook was produced by Marjorie Fulton. + + + + The Letters of Horace Walpole, + Earl of Orford: + + Including Numerous letters Now First Published + From The Original Manuscripts. + + + In Four Volumes. + Vol. III. + + 1759-1769. + + + Contents Of Vol. III. + + [Those Letters now first collected are marked N.] + + + 1759. + +1. To George Montagu, Esq. Nov. 17.-Lord Temple's resignation of +the privy-seal. Lady Carlisle's marriage with Sir William +Musgrave.--25 + +2. To the Right Hon. William Pitt, Nov. 19.-Congratulations on +the +lustre of his administration--[N.] 26 + +3. To Sir Horace Mann, Nov. 30.-Sir Edward Hawke's victory over +Conflans. Lord Kinnoul's mission to Portugal--27 + +4. To the same, Dec. 13.-Regretting his own ignorance of +mathematics and common figures. Victory of Prince Henry--28 + +5. To George Montagu, Esq. Dec. 23.-Tumults in Ireland. Story of +Lord Lyttelton and Mr. Shelley--30 + +6. To the Rev. Henry Zouch, Dec. 23.-"Life of Lord Clarendon." +"Lucan"--31 + + + 1760. + +7. To George Montagu, Esq. Jan. 7.-Visit to Princess Emily. +Commotions in Ireland--32 + + +8. To the Right Hon. Lady Hervey, Jan. 12.-Apologizing for an +unintentional offence--34 + +9. To George Montagu, Esq. Jan. 14.-Severity of the weather. +Military preparations. Prince Edward's party. Edwards's "History +of +Birds"--35 + +10. To Sir Horace Mann, Jan. 26.-Severity of the winter. Death of +Lady Besborough. Ward's drops--36 + +11. To George Montagu, Esq. Jan. 28.-Death of Lady Besborough. +Lord +Ferrers's murder of his steward. Visit to the Magdalen. Dr. +Dodd-- +37 + +12. To Sir David Dalrymple. Feb. 3.-Macpherson's fragments or +Erse +poetry. Mary Queen of Scots. Dyer's "Fleece." Pepys's collection +of +ballads. Faction--[N.] 40 + +13. To Sir Horace Mann, Feb. 3.-Caserta. Character of Mr. Thomas +Pitt. Death of the Duchess of Bolton. Lord George Sackville's +court-martial. Lord Charles Hay. Lord Ferrers's murder of his +steward. Dutch mud-quake--41 + +14. To the Rev. Henry Zouch, Feb. 4.-"Anecdotes of Painting." +Character of Dr. Hurd. Warburton's "Shakspeare." Edwards's +"Canons +of Criticism"--44 + +15. To Sir Horace Mann, Feb. 28.-M. Thurot's expedition. Siege of +Carrickfergus. Lord Ferrers--45 + +16. To the same, March 4.-M. Thurot's expedition. Duke of +Bedford's +Irish administration. General Flobert and Mr. Mallet. Ward's +drops--48 + +17. To the same, March 26.-Lord George Sackville's +court-martial-- +49 + +18. To George Montagu, Esq. March 27.-Lord George Sackville's +court-martial. Miss Chudleigh's public breakfast--50 + +19. To Sir David Dalrymple, April 4.-Erse Poetry; Gray's queries +concerning Macpherson. Home's "Siege of Aquileia." "Tristram +Shandy"--[N.] 51 + +20. To George Montagu, Esq. April 19.-Lord George Sackville's +sentence. Lord Ferrers's trial. Duel between the Duke of Bolton +and +Mr. Stewart--52 + +21. To Sir Horace Mann, April 20.-Lord George Sackville's +sentence. +Trial of Lord Ferrers--54 + +22. To the Rev. Henry Zouch, May 3.-Lord Bath's ,Rhapsody." +"Anecdotes of Painting"--55 + + +23. To George Montagu, Esq. May 6.-Execution of Lord Ferrers--56 + +24. To Sir Horace Mann, May 7,--Execution of Lord Ferrers. Lady +Huntingdon. Death of Lord Charles Hay. King of Prussia's poems. +General Clive--57 + +25. To Sir David Dalrymple, May 15.-Erse poetry. Lord Lyttelton's +"Dialogues of the Dead." King of Prussia's poems--[N 63 + +26. To Sir Horace Mann, May 24.-Lord Lyttelton's "Dialogues of +the +Dead." Anecdotes of lord Ferrers--64 + +27. To the Earl of Strafford, June 7.-Description of Miss +Chudleigh's ball. Death of Lady Anson--66 + +28. To Sir Horace Mann, June 20.-Siege of Quebec. The house of +Fuentes. Pope's house and garden--68 + +29. To Sir David Dalrymple, June 20.-Authenticity of the Erse +poems. Lord Lyttelton's "Dialogues of the Dead." Isaac Walton's +"Complete Angler."--[N.] 69 + +30. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, June 21.-Story of Sir Robert +Walpole +and his man John. George Townshend's absurdities. "Tant mieux +pour +Elle."--[N.] 70 + +31. To the same, June 28.-Siege of Quebec raised. Lady +Stormont--72 + +32. To George Montagu, Esq. July 4:.-Visit to Chaffont. Gray's +taciturnity--73 + +33. To Sir Horace Mann, July 7.-Siege of Quebec raised--74 + +34. To George Montagu, Esq. July 19.-Visit to Oxford. Holbein's +portraits. Blenheim. Ditchley. --75 + +35. To the same, July 20.--76 + +36. To Sir Horace Mann, Aug. 1.-Wolfe's tomb. Death of Lady +Lincoln. Arrival of General Clive--77 + +37. To the Earl of Strafford, Aug. 7.-Fit of the gout--78 + +38. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Aug. 7-Fit of the gout--79 + +39. To George Montagu, Esq. Aug. 12.-Reflections on his +illness--80 + +40. To the Countess of Ailesbury, Aug. 23.-Visit to Whichnovre. +Advises her ladyship to claim the flitch of bacon--81 + +41. To Sir Horace Mann, Aug. 28.-Duke of Cumberland's illness--82 + +42. To George Montagu, Esq, Sept. 1.-Account of his tour to the +north. Whichnovre. Litchfield cathedral. Sheffield. Chatsworth. +Hardwicke. Bess of Hardwicke. Newstead Abbey--83 + +43. To the Earl of Strafford, Sept. 4.-Visit to Hardwicke. +Newstead. Althorpe. Mad dogs. An adventure--87 + +44. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Sept. 19--88 + +45. To the same, Sept. 30--89 + +46. To George Montagu, Esq. Oct. 2.-Marriage of his niece +Charlotte +to Lord Huntingtower--90 + +47. To Sir Horace Mann, Oct. 5.-Capture of Montreal. Projected +expedition. Lord Dysart. His niece's marriage. Death of Lady +Coventry--91 + +48. To George Montagu, Esq. Oct. 14.-Duke of York's visit to +Strawberry Hill. Intended expedition--92 + +49. To the same, Oct. 25.-Death of George the Second--95 + +50. To the Earl of Straford, Oct. 26.-Death of George the +Second-- +96 + +51. To George Montagu, Esq. Oct. 28.-The new court. Manners of +the +young King. Capture of Berlin--97 + +52. To Sir Horace Mann, Oct. 28.-Death of George the Second. +Capitulation of Berlin. Political movements--98 + +53. To George Montagu, Esq. Oct. 31.-Conduct of the young +King--99 + +54. To the same, Nov. 4.-Bequests of the late King. Court and +ministerial changes. George Townshend's challenge to Lord +Albemarle--100 + +55. To the same, Nov. 13.-Personal conduct of the new King. +Funeral +of George the Second. King of Prussia's victory over Marshal +Daun-- +102 + +56. To the same, Nov. 22.-Appointment of the King's +household--104 + +57. To the same, Nov. 24.-The King's first visit to the theatre. +Seditious papers. "Anecdotes of Painting." Foote's "Minor." +Voltaire's "Peter the Great"--104 + +58. To the Rev. Henry Zouch, Nov. 27.-"lucan." "Anecdotes of +Painting"--106 + +59. To George Montagu, Esq. Dec. 11.-State of the ministry. +Threatened resignations--106 + + + 1761. + +60. To the Rev. Henry Zouch, January 3.-State of the arts. +Booksellers. Dr. Hill's works. Architects--107 + +61. To George Montagu, Esq. Jan. 22.-A party at +Northumberland-house. Account of a play performed at +Holland-house- +-108 + +62. To the same, Feb. 7.-Ball at Carlton-house. Death of Wortley +Montagu. Miss Ford's letter to Lord Jersey--109 + +63. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Feb. 8.-Mr. Conway's speech on the +Qualification-bill --110 + +64. To George Montagu, Esq. March 7.-On Mr. Montagu's being +appointed usher of the black rod in Ireland. Prospect of Peace. +Rumours of the King's marriage. Lord Pembroke's "Treatise on +Horsemanship"--111 + +65. To the Rev. Henry Zouch, March 7.-Voltaire's letter to Lord +Lyttelton. Colman's "Jealous Wife." "Tristram Shandy." Voltaire's +"Tancred"--111 + +66. To George Montagu, Esq. March 17.-Changes in the King's +household--112 + +67. To the same, March 19.-Ministerial resignations and changes. +Militia disturbances. Lord Hardwicke's verses to Lord Lyttelton. +Death of Lady Gower--113 + +68. To the same, March 21.-Speaker Onslow's retirement--115 + +69. To the same, March 25.-Feelings and reflections occasioned by +a visit to Houghton. Electioneering at Lynn. Aunt Hammond--115 + +70. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, April 10.-Prospect of peace. Death +of +Sir Harry Bellendine--118 + +71. To Sir David Dalrymple, April 14.-Macpherson's +"Fingal."--[N.) +119 + +72. To the Countess of Suffolk, April 15.-Election +arrangements.-- +[N) 120 + +73. To George Montagu, Esq. April 16.-Anacreontic upon Sir Harry +Bellendine--121 + +74. To the same, April 28.-Lady Suffolk. Account of a fire near +Sackville-street--122 + +75. To the same, May 5.-Death of Sir William Williams. Gray and +Mason at Strawberry Hill. Conversation with Hogarth--123 + +76. To the same, May 14.-Jemmy Lumley's battle with Mrs. +Mackenzy. +Party at Bedford-house. Anecdotes--125 + +77. To the Countess of Ailesbury, June 13.-Thanks for a +snuff-box. +New opera. Murphy's "All in the Wrong." Lines on the Duchess of +Grafton--126 + +78. To George Montagu, Esq., June 18.-Mr. Bentley's play of The +Wishes, or Harlequin's mouth opened"--128 + +79. To the same, July 5.--130 + +80. To the Earl of Strafford, July 5.-Anecdote of Whitfield and +Lady Huntingdon--130 + +81. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, July 14.-Apologies for not having +written. Approaching marriage of the King--131 + +82. To George Montagu, Esq. July 16.-The King's approaching +marriage. The Queen's household--133 + +83. To the Countess of Ailesbury, July 20.-Thanks for a present +of +some china. Congratulations on Mr. Conway's escape at the battle +of +Kirkdenckirk--134 + +84. To the Earl of Strafford, July 2)@.-Battle of +Kirkdenckirk--136 + +85. To George Montagu, Esq. July 22.-The King's marriage. +Victories. Single-speech Hamilton. "Young Mr. Burke"--136 + +86. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, July 23.-Congratulations on the +success of the army. Taking of Pondicherry--138 + +87. To George Montagu, Esq. July 28.-First night of Mr. Bentley's +play. Singular instance of modesty--138 + +88. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Aug.,5.-Tomb of the Earl of +Pembroke. +Wolfe's monument. Rapacity of the chapter of Westminster--140 + +89. To George Montagu, Esq. Aug. 20.-offer of a seat at the +coronation. The Queen's arrival--142 + +90. To the Earl of Strafford, Aug. 21.-Arrival of the Queen. +Tripoline ambassador. Disputes about rank and precedence--143 + +91. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Sept. 9.-Arrival of the queen. Her +person and manners--144 + +92. To George Montagu, Esq. Sept. 24.-Description of the +coronation--145 + +93. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Sept. 25.-Delays in the treaty of +peace. The coronation--147 + +94. To the Countess of Ailesbury, Sept. 27.-Pedigrees. The +coronation. The treaty broken off--149 + +95. To George Montagu, Esq. Oct. 8.-Resignation of Mr. Pitt--151 + +96. To the same, Oct. 10.-Mr. Pitt's pension and peerage--152 + +97. To the Countess of Ailesbury, Oct. 10.-Mr. Pitt's +resignation, +pension, and peerage--153 + +98. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Oct. 12.-Mr. Pitt's pension and +peerage. Ministerial changes--154 + +99. To George Montagu, Esq. Oct. 24.-City address to Mr. Pitt. +Glover's "Medea"--156 + +100. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Oct. 26.-Civic agitations. London +address to Mr. Pitt. Differences in the cabinet. State of +parties-- +157 + +101. To George Montagu, Esq. Nov. 7.-Sir John Cust's nose. +Caricature of Hogarth--159 + +102. To the same, Nov. 28.-Private ball at court. Marriages. +Political changes--159 + +103. To the Countess of Ailesbury, Nov. 28.-Politics. Opera. +Burlettas. Private ball at court. Pamphlets on Mr. Pitt. Gray's +"Thyrsis, when we parted"--160 + +104. To Sir David Dalrymple, Nov. 30.-The best picture of an age +found in genuine letters. One from Anne of Denmark to the Marquis +of Buckingham. Hume's "History." "Hau Kiou Choaan;" a Chinese +history.--[N.] 161 + +105. To George Montagu, Esq. Dec. 8.-Hume's "History." "Fingal." +Doubts Of its authenticity. "Cymbeline"--162 + +106. To Sir David Dalrymple, Dec. 21.-Complaints of printers. +Difficulties of literature.--[N.] 163 + +107. To George Montagu, Esq. Dec. 23.-Irish revivification. +Effects +of age. Mistakes of life. Tricks of his printer. Mrs. Dunch's +auction. Losing at loo. Death of Lady Pomfret. Bon-mot of M. de +Choiseul. Lines on Lady Mary Coke's having St. Anthony's fire in +her cheek--164 + +108. To the same, Dec. 30.-Indifference to politics. Progress of +"Anecdotes of Painting." Death of Jemmy Pelham--165 + + + 1762. + +(109. To the same, Jan. 26.-Upbraiding for not writing--167 + + +110. To the same, Feb. 2.-Arrival of' Lady Mary Wortley Montagu. +Her dress and personal appearance. Mr. Macnaughton's murder of +Miss +Knox. Visit to the Cock-Lane Ghost--168 + +111. To the same, Feb. 6.-Effects of Hamilton's eloquence--169 + +112. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, Feb. 7.-Anecdotes of polite +literature-- +170 + +113. To the Rev. Henry Zouch, Feb. 13.-Lamentation on the +tediousness of engravers, and tricks of printers--171 + +114. To the Earl of Bute, Feb. 15.-On the Earl's suggesting to +him +a work Similar to Montfaucon's "Monuments de la Monarchie +Fran`caise."--[N.] 171 + +115. To George Montagu, Esq. Feb. 22.-Violent storms. Elopement +of +Lord Pembroke and Kitty Hunter--173 + +116. To Dr. Ducarel, Feb. 24.-English Montfaucon. Medals. Errors +in +Vertue and others--174 + +117. To George Montagu, Esq. Feb. 25.-Lely's picture of Madame +Grammont. Harris's "Hibernica." The recent elopement--175 + +118. To the Countess of Ailesbury, March 5.-Prospect of Peace. +dresses--176 + +119. To George Montagu, Esq. March 9.-Epitaph for Lord Cutts--177 + +120. To the Rev. Henry Zouch, March 20.-"Anecdotes of Painting." +Advice to antiquaries. Bishop of Imola. Resemblance between +Tiberius and Charles the Second. Caution on the care of his +eyesight--178 + +121. To George Montagu, Esq. March 22.-Capture of Martinico. +Fatal +accident at a concert at Rome--179 + +122. To the same, April 29.-Death of Lady Charlotte Johnstone. +Efficacy of James's powders. New batch of peers--180 + +123. To the same, May 14.-Attack of the gout. Visit to Audley +Inn-- +181 + +124. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, May 20.-"Anecdotes of Painting." +Knavery +of his printer--183 + +125. To George Montagu, Esq. May 25.-Duke of Newcastle's +resignation. Ministerial changes--184 + +126. To the same, June 1.-Lord Melcomb. Lady Mary Wortley +Montagu. +The Cherokee Indian chiefs. Anecdotes and bon-mots--185 + +127. To the same, June 8.-Account of Lady Northumberland's +festino. +Bon-mots. Death of Lord Anson--185 + +128. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, July 29.-Invitation to Strawberry +Hill-- +186 + +129. To the Countess of Ailesbury, July 31.-Congratulation on the +taking of the Castle of Waldeck--187 + +130. To the Earl of Strafford, Aug. 5.-Revolution in Russia. +Taking +of the Castle of Waldeck--187 + +131. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, Aug. 5.--188 + +132. To George Montagu, Esq. Aug. 10.-Great drought. Revolution +in +Russia. Count Biren--189 + +133. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, Aug. 19.-Object in publishing the +"Anecdotes of Painting"--190 + +134. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Sept. 9.-Prospect of peace. +Christening of the Prince of Wales. Fire at Strawberry Hill. "The +North Briton."--191 + +135. To George Montagu, Esq. Sept. 24.-Prospect of peace--192 + +136. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Sept. 28.-Negotiations for peace. +Capture of the Havannah--193 + +137. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, Sept. 30.--195 + +138. To the Right Hon. Lady Hervey, Oct. 1.-Congratulations on +her +son's safe return from the Havannah--196 + +139. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Oct. 4.-Love of fame. Capture of +the +Havannah. State of public feeling--196 + +140. To George Montagu, Esq. Oct. 14.-Ministerial changes--197 + +141. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Oct. 29.-Change of the ministry. +State of the opposition. Anticipation of the history of the +present +age--198 + +142. To the Right Hon. Lady Hervey, Oct. 31.--200 + +143. To George Montagu, Esq. Nov. 4.-The Duke of Devonshire's +name +erased out of the council-book--200 + +144. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, Nov. 13.--201 + +145. To George Montagu, Esq. Dec. 20.-His illness. Political +squabbles. A scene at Princess Emily's loo. Mr. Pitt--201 + +146. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, Dec. 23.--203 + + + 1763. + + +147. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Feb. 28.-Restoration to health. +Determination to retire from public life. Wilkes and "The North +Briton." Riots at Drury-lane Theatre. George Selwyn and Lord +Dacre's footman--203 + +148. To George Montagu, Esq. March 29.-Wilkes and "The North +Briton." Dedication to "The Fall of Mortimer." Lord and Lady +Pembroke's reconciliation, A song made in a postchaise--205 + +149. To the same, April 6.-Illness of Lord Waldegrave. And of Mr. +Thomas Pitt. Mr. Bentley's epistle to Lord Melcomb. Lines by Lady +Temple on Lady Mary Coke. Opposition to the Cider-tax--206 + +150. To the same, April 8.-Death of lord Waldegrave. Lord Bute's +resignation. New ministry. Quarrel among the Opposition--208 + +151. To the same, April 14.-Lady Waldegrave. Botched-up +administration. Grants and reversions--210 + +152. To the same, April 22,-Lady Waldegrave. The new +administration. Lord Pulteney's extravagance. Sir Robert Brown's +parsimony. Lord Bath's vault in Westminster-abbey. Lord Holland. +Charles Townshend--212 + +153. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, May 1.-Severity of the weather. +Committal of Wilkes to the Tower--213 + +154. To Sir David Dalrymple, May 2.-Political revolutions. Mr. +Grenville.--[N.] 215 + +155. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, May 6.-Prerogative. Wilkes's +release from the Tower. Dreadful fire at Lady Molesworth's. Lady +M. W. Montagu's Letters--216 + +156. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, May 16.--217 + +157. To George Montagu, Esq. May 17.-F`ete at Strawberry Hill. +Madame de Boufflers. Madame Dusson. Miss Pelham's entertainment +at Esher. Mrs. Anne Pitt--218 + +158. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, May 21.-French and English +vivacity compared. Miss chudleigh's f`ete--221 + +159. To the same, May 28.-Masquerade at the Duke of +Richmond's--223 + +160. To George Montagu, Esq. May 30.-Visit to Kimbolton. +Hinchinbrook--223 + +161. To the same, June 16.--225 + +162. To the same, July 1.-Improvements at Strawberry Hill--226 + +163. To Sir David Dalrymple, July 1.-Mr. Grenville.--[N.] 227 + +164. To the Rev. Mr, Cole, July 1.--228 + +165. To the same, July 12.--228 + +166. To George Montagu, Esq. July 23.-Visit to Stamford. Castle +Ashby. Easton Maudit. Boughton. Drayton. Fotheringhay--229 + +167. To the same, July 25.-Visit to Burleigh. Peterborough. +Huntingdon. Cambridge--231 + +168. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, Aug. 8.--232 + +169. To Dr. Ducarel, Aug. 8.--232 + +170. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Aug. 9.-Reported marriages. Dupery +of Opera undertakers--232 + +171. To the Earl of Strafford, Aug. 10.-Inclemency of the +weather- -233 + +172. To George Montagu, Esq. Aug. 15.-Singular appearance of the +Thames--233 + +173. To the same, Sept. 3.-Crowds of visitors to see Strawberry. +Comforts of keeping a gallery--235 + +(174. To the same, Sept. 7. Invitation. Character of Mr. Thomas +Pitt--236 + +175. To the same, Oct. 3.-Mrs. Crosby's pictures. Death of Mr. +Child. Visit to Sir Thomas Reeves--236 + +176. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, Oct. 8.-" Anecdotes of Engravers"--239 + +177. To the Earl of Hertford, Oct. 18.-Death of the King of +Poland. Expulsion of the Jesuits--239 + +178. To George Montagu, Esq. Nov. 12.-Irish politics. Death of +Sir Michael Foster--242 + +179. To the Earl of Hertford, Nov. 17.-Debates on the King's +Speech. Wilkes at the Cockpit. Privileges of Parliament. "North +Briton." Duel between Martin and Wilkes. "Essay on Woman." +Bon-mots. Lord Sandwich's piety. Wilkes and Churchill. M. de +Guerchy--243 + +180. To George Montagu, Esq. Nov. 20.-Political squabbles. +Wilkes's "Essay on Woman"--250 + +181. To the Earl of Hertford, Nov. 25.-Mr. Conway's voting +against the court. Unpopularity of the ministry. Debates on +privilege. Quarrel between Mr. James Grenville and Mr Rigby. M. +de Guerchy and M. D'Eon--251 + +182. To the same, Dec. 2.-Dismission of officers. Opera quarrel. +Lord Clive's Jaghire. State of the Opera. Prince de Masserano. +Count de Soleirn. Irish politics--254 + +183. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, Dec. 6.-Thanks for literary +information--256 + +184. To the Earl of Hertford, Dec. 9.-Transactions between +General Conway and Mr. Grenville. Dismissal of Lord Shelburne and +Colonel Barr`e. Riot at the burning of "The North Briton." +Wilkes's suit against Mr. Wood--257 + +185. To the same, Dec. 16.-City politics. Unpopularity of the +ministry. Dismissals. Intended assassination of Wilkes. Mrs. +Sheridan's comedy of "The Dupe"--261 + +186. To the same, Dec. 29.-Debates on privilege. Lord Clive's +jaghire. Anecdotes. The King at Drury-lane. Prize in the lottery. +la Harpe's "Comte de Warwic"--263 + + + + 1764. + +187. To George Montagu, Esq. Jan. 11.-Visit to Lady Suffolk. A +New-year's gift. Lady Temple. Portrait of Lady Suffolk at +seventy-six.--266 + +188. To the Earl of Hertford, Jan. 22.-Mr. Conway's opposition to +the ministry. Feelings of the government towards his lordship. +Ministerial disunion. State of the opposition. Marriage of Prince +Ferdinand with the Princess Augusta. His reception in England. +Wilkes. Churchill's "Dueller." Ball at Carlisle house. +Proceedings against Wilkes. Dismissals. The Duc de Pecquigny's +quarrel with Lord Garlies.--270 + +189. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, Jan. 31.--277 + +190. To Sir David Dalrymple,, Jan. 31.-Thanks for corrections of +the "Anecdotes of Painting." London booksellers--[N.) 278 + +191. To the Earl of Hertford, Feb. 6.-The Cider-bill. Debates on +privilege. Charles Townshend's bon-mot. East India affairs. Duc +de Pecquigny's episode--279 + +192. To the same, Feb. 15.-Great debates in the House of Commons +on general warrants. Duel between the Duc de Pecquigny and M. +Virette. Formidable condition of the Opposition. City rejoicings. +Expected changes in the ministry--283 + +193. To Sir David Dalrymple, Feb. 23.-" Anecdotes of Painting." +Complaints of the carelessness of artists and rapacity of +booksellers--[N.] 292 + +194. To the Earl of Hertford, Feb. 24.-Complaint in the House of +Lords of a book called "Droit le Roy." Wilkes's trials for "The +North Briton" and the "Essay on Woman." Tottering state of the +ministry. Mrs. Anne Pitt's ball--294 + +195. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, March 3.-Thanks for some prints and +the loan of manuscripts--296 + +196. To the Earl of Hertford, March 11.-Cambridge University +election for high-steward. Debate on the budget. Lord Bute's +negotiations. The Duchess of Queensbury's ball. Affairs of India. +M. Helvetius--297 + +197. To the same, March 18.-Death of Lord Malpas and of Lord +Townshend. Lord Clive's jaghire. George Selwyn's accident--300 + +198. To the same, March 27.-Uncertain state of politics. D'Eon's +publication of the Duc de Nivernois's private letters. Liberty of +the press. Lady Cardigan's ball. Bon-mot of Lady Bell Finch--302 + +199. To Charles Churchill, Esq. March 27.-Death of Lord Malpas. +M. de Guerchy. D'Eon's pamphlet. Efficacy of James's powder. +Reappearance of Lord Bute--306 + +200. To the Earl of Hertford, April 5.-Wilkes's suspected libel +on the Earl. Cambridge University election. Jemmy Twitcher. Lord +Lyttelton's reconciliation with Mr. Pitt. Lord Bath at court. +Bishop Warburton and Helvetius--308 + +201. To the same, April 12.-Party abuse. Character. Lady Susan +Fox's marriage with O'Brien the actor. East India affairs. +Projected marriages. Expected changes. Confusion at the +India-house--310 + +202. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, April 12.--313 + +203. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, April 19.-On Mr. Conway's +dismissal from all his employments--313 + +204. To the Earl of Hertford, April 20.-On Mr. Conway's dismissal +from all his employments. Political promotions and changes. +Prosecution of D'Eonn. East India affairs--314 + +205. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, April 21.-On Mr. Conway's +dismissal. Offers him half his fortune--316 + +206. The Hon. H. S. Conway to the Earl of Hertford, April +23.-Giving his brother an account of his total dismissal from the +King's service for his vote in the House of Commons--317 + +207. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, April 24.-On Mr. Conway's +dismissal- -320 + + +208. The Hon. H. S. Conway To the Earl of Hertford, May +1.-Conjectures as to the cause of his dismissal--320 + +209. To George Montagu, Esq. May 10.--322 + +210. To the Earl of Hertford, May 27.-On the Earl's position, in +consequence of Mr. Conway's dismissal. Promotions and +changes--322 + +211. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, June 5.-On Mr. Conway's dismissal. +Answer to the "Address to the Public"--325 + +212. To the Earl of Hertford, June 8.-Lord Tavistock's courtship +and marriage. The Mecklenburgh Countess. Bon-mot--326 + +213. To George Montagu, Esq. June 18.-Account of a party at +Strawberry--328 + +214. To the same, July 16.-"life of Lord Herbert." Lady Temple's +poems--329 + +215. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, July 16.-"Lord Herbert's Life"--330 + +216. To the Rev. Henry Zouch, July 21.-Harte's "Gustavus"--330 + +217. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, July 21.-"Life of Lord Herbert"--331 + +218. To the Earl of Hertford, Aug. 3. Instability of the +ministry. Determination to quit party. Regrets that the Earl did +not espouse mr. Conway's cause. Consequences of Lord Bute's +conduct. The Queen's intended visit to Strawberry. A dinner with +the Duke of Newcastle. Fracas at Tunbridge Wells. on Mr. Conway's +dismission. Walpole's Counter "Address"--332 + +219. To George Montagu, Esq. Aug. 16.--337 + +220. To the Earl of Hertford, Aug. 27.-Death of Mr. Legge. +Seizure of Turk's Island. Visit to Sion. Ministerial changes. +Murder of the Czar Ivan. Mr. Conway's dismission. Generous offer +of the Earl. Farewell to politics. Lord Mansfield's violence +against the press. Conduct of the Duke of Bedford. Overtures to +Mr. Pitt. Recluse life of their Majesties. Court economy. +Dissensions in the house of Grafton. Nancy Parsons. Death of Sir +John Barnard. Conduct of Mr. Grenville--338 + +221. To the Right Hon. William Pitt, Aug. 29.-"Life of Lord +Herbert of Cherbury"--343 + +222. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, Aug. 29.--343 + +223. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Sept. 1.-Enclosing a reply to +Walpole's "Counter Address." Lady Ailesbury's picture, executed +in worsteds--344 + + +224. To the Rev. Dr. Birch, Sept. 3.-Thanks for an original +picture of Sir William Herbert--345 + +225. To the Earl of Hertford, Oct. 5.-Madame de Boufflers and +Oliver Cromwell. James the Second's Journal. Illness of the Duke +of Devonshire. Folly of being unhappy--345 + +226. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Oct. 5.-Unfavourable state of +public affairs. Reflections on his birthday--347 + +227. To the same, Oct. 13.-Death of the Duke of Devonshire. His +bequest to Mr. Conway. Virtue rewarded in this world--348 + +228. To the same, Oct. 29.-Mourning for the Duke of Devonshire. +Reply of a poor man in Bedlam. Story of Sir Fletcher Norton and +his mother--348 + +229. To the Earl of Hertford, Nov. 1.-Duke of Devonshire's legacy +to Mr. Conway. Lady Harriot Wentworth's marriage with her +footman. Unpopularity of the court--350 + +230. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, Nov. 8.--352 + +231. To the Earl of Hertford, Nov. 9.-Announcing his intended +visit to Paris. Adieu to politics--353 + +232. To the Right Hon. Lady Hervey, Nov. 10.-Thanks for some +pilchards--355 + +233. To the Earl of Hertford, Nov. 25.-The Opera. Manzoli. Elisi. +Tenducci. D'Eon's flight. Wilkes's outlawry. Churchill's death. +Ministerial changes. Objects of his intended journey to +Paris--356 + +234. To the same, Dec. 3.-Ministerial changes. Separation in the +house of Grafton. The Duke of Kingston and Miss Chudleigh. +Correspondence between Mr. Legge and Lord Bute. Mr. Dunning's +pamphlet on the "Doctrine of Libels." Mrs. Ann Pitt's ball--358 + +235. To George Montagu, Esq. Dec. 16.-State of the town. Mr. +Dunning's pamphlet. "Lord Herbert's Life"--362 + +236. To the same, Dec. 24.-With a present of some books--364 + + + + 1765. + + +237. To the Earl of Hertford, Jan. 10.-Meeting of Parliament. +Debate in the House of Commons on the Address--364 + +238. To the same, Jan. 20.-Sir William Pynsent's bequest to Mr. +Pitt. Reported death of Lady Hertford. Death of Lady Harcourt. +Conduct of Charles Townshend. Couplet on Charles Yorke--367 + +239. To the same, Jan. 27.-Debates on the army estimates. Sir +William Pynsent's legacy to Mr. Pitt. Duel between Lord Byron and +Mr. Chaworth. Lady Townshend's arrest. "Castle of Otranto." Mrs. +Griffiths's "Platonic Wife"--370 + +240. To the same, Feb. 12.-Debates on the American Stamp-act. +Petition of the perriwig-makers. Almack's new assembly-room. +Williams the reprinter of "The North Briton" pilloried. Wretched +condition of The administration.--373 + +241. To George Montagu, Esq. Feb. 19.-Congratulations on his +health and cheerful spirits. Recommends him to quit his country +solitude. Contemplated visit to Paris. And retirement from +Parliament and political connexions. Runic poetry. Mallet's +"Northern Antiquities." Lord Byron's trial. Antiquarian +Society--376 + +242. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, Feb. 28.-Planting and gardening. +Publication of "The Castle of Otranto"--377 + +243. To the same, March 9.-Origin of "The Castle of Otranto." +Caution to his friend respecting his MSS. Consequences of the +Droit d'Aubaine. Dr. Percy's "Reliques of Ancient English +Poetry." Old Ballads. Rosamond's Bower. Ambition and Content--378 + +244. To Monsieur Elie de Beaumont, March 18.-"The Castle of +Otranto." Madame de Beaumont's "Letters of the Marquis de +Roselle." Churchill and Dryden. Effects of Richardson's +novels--381 + +245. To the Earl of Hertford, March 26.-Count de Guerchy's +pretended conspiracy to murder M. D'Eon. The King's illness. +Count de Caraman. "Siege of Calais." Duc de Choiseul's reply to +Mademoiselle Clairon. French admiration of Garrick. Quin in +Falstaff. Old Johnson. Mrs. Porter. Cibber and O'Brien, Mrs. +Clive. Garrick's chief characters. The wolf of the Gevaudan. +Favourable reception of "The Castle of Otranto." Bon-mot. Strait +of Thermopylae--382 + +246. To George Montagu, Esq. April 5.-"Siege of Calais." +Bon-mots. Quin and Bishop Warburton. Prerogative. +Preferments--384 + +247. To the Earl of Hertford, April 7.-The King's rapid recovery. +Fire at Gunnersbury. Count Schouvaloff. Count de Caraman. Mrs. +Anne Pitt. Mr. Pitt the, first curiosity of foreigners. French +encroachments. Parliament. Poor bill. A late dinner--385 + +248. To the same, April 18.-The King's recovery. Proceedings on +the Regency-bill. Enmity between Lord Bute and Mr. Grenville. +Rumoured changes. State of parties. Lord Byron's acquittal. The +Duke of Cumberland's illness. Daffy's Elixir. Poor-bill. lord +Hinchinbrook's marriage--388 + +249. To Sir David Dalrymple, April 21.-"The Castle of Otranto." +Old Ballads. Consolations of authorship--[N.] 391 + +To the Earl of Hertford, May 5.-Proceedings in the House of Lords +on the Regency-bill--391 + +251. To the same, May 12.-Proceedings in the House of Commons on +the Regency bill. The Princess Dowager excluded from the +Regency--395 + +252. To the same, May 20.-The King forbids the Parliament to be +prorogued. The Duke of Cumberland ordered to form a new +administration. Failure of the Duke's negotiation with Mr. Pitt. +Ministerial resignations. Humiliations of the Crown. Riots. +Attack on Bedford-house. General spirit of mutiny and +dissatisfaction. +Extraordinary conduct of Mr. Pitt. Second tumult at +Bedford-house. +The King compelled to take back his ministers. Reconciliation +between Lord Temple and George Grenville. Mr. Conway restored to +the King's favour. Extravagant terms dictated by the ministers to +the King. Stuart Mackenzie's removal. Ministerial changes and +squabbles--399 + +253. To George Montagu, Esq. May 26.-Proceedings on the +Regency-bill. Ministerial squabbles and changes. Mr. Bentley's' +poem. Danger of writing political panegyrics or satires. Lines on +the Fountain Tree in the Canary Islands--405 + +254. To the same, June 10.-A party at Strawberry. General +Schouvaloff. Felicity of being a private man. Ingratitude of +sycophants--407 + +255. To the right Hon. Lady Hervey, June 11.-Apology for not +writing. Regrets at being carried backward.,; and forwards to +balls and suppers. Resolutions of growing old and staid at +fourscore--408 + +256. To George Montagu, Esq.-Contradicting a report of his +dangerous illness--409 + +257. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, July 3.-Progress of his illness. +Effects of the gout. Dreams and reveries. Madame de Bentheim--410 + +258. To the Countess of Suffolk, July 3,-State of his health. +Lady Blandford--[N.] 411 + +259. To the same, July 9.--The new ministry, Conduct of Charles +Townshend.--(N) 411 + +260. To George Montagu, Esq. July 11.-Change of the ministry. The +Rockingham administration--412 + +261. To the same, July 28.-Reflections on loss of youth. Entrance +into old age through the gate Of infirmity. A month's confinement +to a sick bed a stinging lesson. Whiggism--413 + +262. To George Montagu, Esq. Aug. 23.-Death of Lady Barbara +Montagu. Old friends and new faces. A strange story. Motives for +revisiting Paris. The French reformation. Churches and convents. +Adieu to politics--414 + +263. To the same, Aug. 31.-Dropping off and separation of +friends. Pleasant anticipations from his visit to Paris. Revival +of old ideas. Stupefying effects of richardson's novels on the +Frenchmnation--416 + +264. To the Earl of Strafford, Sept. 3.-Motives of his journey to +Paris. Death of the Emperor of Germany. "My last sally into the +world"--418 + +265. To the Right Hon. Lady Hervey, Sept. 3.-Thanks for letters +of introduction. Modern French literature--419 + +266. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, Sept. 5.-Inviting him to visit Paris-- +420 + +267. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Sept. 11.-Journey to Amiens. +Meeting with Lady mary Coke. Boulogne. Duchess of Douglas. A +droll way of being chief mourner. A French absurdity. +Walnut-trees. Clermont. The Duc de Fitz-James. Arrival at +Paris--421 + + +268. To the Right Hon. Lady Hervey, Sept. 14.-Salutary effects OF +his journey. French gravity. Parisian dirt. French Opera. Italian +comedy Chantilly. Illness of the Dauphin. Mr. David Hume the mode +at Paris. Mesdames de Monaco, d'Egmont, and de Brionne. Nymphs of +the theatres--423 + +269. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, Sept. 18.-Advice respecting his +journey to Paris--424 + +270. To George Montagu, Esq. Sept. 22.-Ingratitude. Amusements. +French society. Mode of living. Music. Stage. Le Kain. The +Dumenil. Grandval. Italian comedy. Harlequin. Freethinking. +Conversation. Their savans. Admiration of Richardson and Hume. +Dress and equipages. Parliaments and clergy. Effects of company +--425 + +271. To the Right Hon. Lady Hervey, Oct. 3.-H`otel de Carnavalet. +Madame Geoffrin. His own defects the sole cause of his not +enjoying Paris. Duc de Nivernois. Colonel Drumgold. Duchesse de +Coss`e. Presentations at Versailles. The King and Queen. The +Mesdames. The Dauphin and Dauphiness. Wild beast of the Gevaudan. +Mr. hans Stanley--427 + +272. To John Chute, Esq. Oct. 3.-French manners. Their authors. +Style of conversations. English and French manners contrasted. +Presentation at Versailles. Duc de Berri. Count de Provence. +Count d'Artois. Duc and Duchesse de Praslin. Duc and Duchesse de +Choiseul. Duc de Richelieu--429 + +273. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Oct. 6.-French society. A supper +at Madame du Deffand's. President Henault. Walpole's blunders +against French grammar. Sir James Macdonald's mimicry of Mr. +David Hume. Mr. Elliot's imitation of Mr. Pitt. Presentation to +the Royal Family. Dinner at the Duc de Praslin's with the corps +diplomatique. Visit to the State Paper Office. M. de Marigny's +pictures. Mada mede Bentheim. Duc de Duras. Wilkes at Paris--431 + +274. To the Right Hon. Lady Hervey, Oct. 13.-Attack of the gout. +Cupid and death. Allan Ramsay the painter. Madame Geoffrin. +Common sense. Duc de Nivernois. Lady Mary Chabot. Politics--434 + +275. To George Montagu, Esq. Oct. 16.-Illness at Paris. Visit +from Wilkes. The Dumenil. Grandval. President Henault--436 + +276. To the Countess of Suffolk, Oct. 16.-Fontainbleau. Duc de +Richelieu. Lady Mary Chabot. Lady Browne. Visit to Mrs. Hayes. +Joys of the gout--[N.-) 437 + +277. To Thomas Brand, Esq. Oct. 19.-Laughter out of fashion at +Paris. "God and the King to be Pulled down." Admiration of whist +and Richardson. Freethinking. Wilkes, Sterne, and Foote at Paris. +Lord Ossory. Mesdames de Rochefort, Monaco, and Mirepoix. The +Mar`echalle d'Estr`ees--438 + +278. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Oct. 29.-Probable death of the +Dauphin. Description of the Philosophers. Their object the +destruction of regal power.--440 + +279. To Mr. Gray, Nov. 19.-State of his health. Infallible +specific for the gout. Picture of Paris. French society. The +Philosophers. Dumenil. Preville. Visit to the Chartreuse--441 + +280. To the Right Hon. Lady Hervey, Nov. 21.-Recovery from a fit +of the gout. "Le nouveau Richelieu." Indifference to politics. +Squabbles about the French Parliaments. Bigotry. Logogriphe by +Madame du Deffand--444 + +281. To George Montagu, Esq. Nov. 21.-A simile. Sameness of llife +at Paris. Invites him to transplant himself to Roehampton. +Reflections on coming old age. Object of all impostors. +Rabelais-- 445 + +282. To the Right Hon. Lady Hervey, Nov. 28.-Thanks for her +introductions. Duchesse d'Aiguillon. French women of quality. +Duchesse de Nivernois. "L'Orpheline Legu`egu`ee." Count +Grammont's picture--447 + +283. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Nov. 29.-Tea-drinking. Dissuades +him from going to Italy. Advice for his political conduct. +"L'Orpheline Legu`ee." Count Caylus's auction. Portrait of Count +Grammont. French painters--448 + +284. To the Hon. H. S. Conway. Dec. 5.-The Dauphin. French +politics. M. de Maurepas. Marshal Richelieu. French parliaments-- +450 + +285. To the Countess of Suffolk, Dec. 5.-Fret)ch society. The +Comtesse d'Egmont. The Dauphin--[N.] 451 + + + + 1766. + +286. To the Right Hon. Lady Hervey, Jan. 2.-Comtesse d'Egmont. +Severity of the Frost. Dread of being thought charming. +Rousseau's visit to England. Great parts. Charles Townshend--452 + +287. To John Chute, Esq. Jan.-Severity of the weather. Ill- +accordance of the French manners and climate. Presentation to the +Comtesse de la Marche. Douceur in the society of the Parisiennes +of fashion. Charlatanerie of the Savans and Philosophes. Count +St. Germain. Rousseau in England. Walpole's pretended letter of +the King of Prussia to Rousseau--453 + +288. To George Montagu, Esq. Jan, 5.-Robin Hood reform`e and +Little John. Dreams of life superior to its realities. Politics. +Lord Temple and George Grenville. Goody Newcastle. Helvetius's +"Esprit" and Voltaire's "Pucelle"--455 + +289. To the Right Hon. Lady Hervey, Jan. 11.-A supper at the +Duchesse d'Aiguillon's. Picture of the Duchesse de Choiseul. +Madame Geoffrin. Verses on Madame Forcalquier speaking English. +The Italians. The gout preferable to all other disorders--457 + +290. To The Hon. H. S. Conway, Jan. 12.-Regrets on leaving Paris. +Honours and distinctions. Invitation from Madame de Brionne. +Pretended letter from the King of Prussia to Rousseau--458 + +291. To the Rev. mr. Cole, Jan. 18.-Severity of the weather. +Cathedral of Amiens. The Sainte Chapelle. Rousseau in England. +King of Prussia's letter--460 + +292. To Mr. Gray, Jan. 25.-State of his health. "Making oneself +tender." Change in French manners. Their religious opinions. The +Parliaments. The men dull and empty. Wit, softness, and good +sense of the women. Picture of Madame Geoffrin. madame du +Deffand. M. Pontdeveyle. Madame de Mirepoix. Anecdote of M. de +Maurepas. Madame de Boufflers. Madame de Rochefort. Familiarities +under the veil of friendship. Duc de Nivernois. Madame de Gisors. +Duchesse de Choiseul. Duchesse de Grammont. Mar`echale de +Luxembourg. Pretended letter to Rousseau. Walpole at the head of +the fashion. Carried to the Princess de Talmond--461 + +293. To the Right Hon. Lady Hervey, Feb. 3.-Madame de Geoffrin's +secret mission to Poland. The Comtesse d'Egmont--468 + +294. To George Montagu, Esq. Feb. 4.-Madame Roland. Marriages. +Duc and Duchesse de Choiseul--469 + +295. To the Same, Feb. 23.-French Parliaments --470 + +296. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, Feb. 28.-Pretended letter to Rousseau. +A French horse-race--470 + +297. To George Montagu, Esq. March 3.-Preparations for leaving +Paris. Defeat of George Grenville. Repeal of the American +Stamp-act. Lit de justice. Remonstrances of the Parliaments--471 + +298. To the Right Hon. Lady Hervey, March 10.-Watchings and +revellings. A supper at the Mar`echale de Luxembourg's. Funeral +sermon on the Dauphin. The Abb`e Coyer's pamphlet on +Preaching--472 + +299. To George Montagu, Esq. March 12.-Colman and Garrick. Mrs. +Clive--474 + +300. To the same, March 21.-Madame Roland. A French woman's first +visit to Paris contrasted with his own. The Princess of Talmond's +pug-dogs. A commission--474 + +301. To the same, April 3.-Visit to Livry. The Abb`e de Malherbe. +Madame de S`evign`e's Sacred pavilion. Old trees--475 + +302. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, April 6.-Insurrection at Madrid on +the attempt of the Court to introduce the French dress in +Spain--476 + +303. To the same, April 8.-Further particulars of the +insurrection at Madrid. Change in the French ministry. Lettres de +cachet. Insurrections at Bordeaux and Toulouse--478 + +304. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, May 10.-Return to England--479 + +305. To the same, May 13.-Apology for accidentally opening one of +his letters--479 + +306. To George Montagu, Esq. May 25.-Ministerial appointments. +Duke of Richmond. Lord North. Death of Lord Grandison. Lady +Townshend turned Roman Catholic. Mrs. Clive's bon-mot--480 + +307. To the same, June 20.-Anstey's New Bath Guide. Swift's +Correspondence, and Journal to Stella. Bon-mot of George Selwyn. +Pun of the King of France--481 + + +308. To the Right Hon. Lady Hervey, June 28.-Madame du Deffand's +present of a snuff-box, with a portrait of Madame de S`evign`e. +Translation of a tale from the "Dictionnaire d'Anecdotes."--482 + +309. To George Montagu, Esq. July 10.-Expected change in the +ministry. The King's letter to Mr. Pitt--485 + +310. To the same, July 21.-Change of the ministry. Ode on the +occasion--485 + +311. To David Hume, Esq. July 26.-Quarrel between David Hume, and +Rousseau--486 + +312. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, Sept. 18.-Contradicting a newspaper +report of his illness--487 + +313. To George Montagu, Esq. Sept. 18.--488 + +314. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Oct. 2.-Journey to Bath. Great +dislike of the place. The new buildings. Lord Chatham--488 + +315. To George Montagu, Esq. Oct. 5.-Recovery. Tired to death of +Bath. Lord Chatham. Watering places--489 + +316. To John Chute, Esq. Oct. 10.-Visit to Wesley's meeting. +Hymns to ballad tunes. Style of Wesley's preaching. Countess of +Buchan. Lord Chatham--489 + +317. To George Montagu, Esq. Oct. 18.-Reasons for leaving Bath. +Inefficacy of the waters. "Good hours"--490 + +318. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Oct. 18.-Lord Chatham wishes him +to second the Address on the King's Speech. Life at Bath. Motives +for leaving the place. Old age. Dread of ridicule--491 + +319. To George Montagu, Esq. Oct. 22.-Satisfaction at his return +to Strawberry Hill. Visit to Bristol. Its buildings. Abbey church +of Bath. Batheaston--492 + +320. To Sir David Dalrymple, (Lord Hailes,) Nov. 5.-Thanks for +his "Memorials and Letters." Folly of burying in oblivion the +faults and crimes of princes--[N.] 494 + +321. To David Hume, Esq. Nov. 6.-On his quarrel with Rousseau. +Folly of literary squabbles--494 + +322. To the same, Nov. 11.-The same subject. Omissions by +D'Alembert in a published letter of Walpole's. Picture of modern +philosophers--496 + +323. To George Montagu, Esq. Dec. 12.-Politics. Ministerial +negotiations. Deaths and marriages. Caleb Whitefoord's +Cross-readings from the newspapers--499 + + +324. To the same, Dec. 16.-Thanks for a present of venison--500 + + + + 1767. + +325. To George Montagu, Esq. Jan. 13.-Death of his servant Louis. +Quarrel of Hume and Rousseau. High tide--501 + +326. To Dr. Ducarel, April 25.-Thanks for his "Anglo Norman +Antiquities"--501 + +327. To the Earl of Strafford, July 29.-Death and character of +Lady Suffolk--502 + +328. To George Montagu, Esq. July 31.-State of the ministry. +Intended trip to Paris. Death of Lady Suffolk. Lord Lyttelton's +"Henry the Second." Lean people. Mrs. Clive--503 + +329. To the same, Aug. 7.-Motives for revisiting Paris--503 + +330. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Sept. 9.-Death and character of +Charles Townshend. State of the ministry. Lord Chatham. Dinner at +the Duc de Choiseul's--[N.] 504 + +331. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, Oct. 24.-Return to England--505 + +332. To George Montagu, Esq. Nov. 1.-General Conway's refusal of +the appointment to secretary of state. Old Pulteney--506 + +333. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, Dec. 19.-Intended retirement from +Parliament. State of his health. Roman Catholic religion--506 + + + + 1768. + +334. To Sir David Dalrymple, Jan. 17.-Advice on sending a young +artist to Italy. "Historic Doubts." Coronation roll of Richard +the Third --[N.] 507 + +335. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, Feb. 1.-On Sending a copy of his +"Historic Doubts"--508 + +336. To Sir David Dalrymple, Feb. 2.-On sending him his "Historic +Doubts." Rapid sale of the first impression--(N.] 509 + +337. To Mr. Gray, Feb. 18.-New edition of Gray's poems. On his +own writings. King of Prussia. Lord Clarendon's "History." +"Historic Doubts." Disculpation of Richard the Third. "Turned of +fifty." Garrick's prologues and epilogues. Boswell's "Corsica." +General Paoli--509 + +338. To the same, Feb. 26.-"Historic Doubts." Guthrie's answer +thereto. Thanks for notes on the "Noble, Authors"--512 + +339. To George Montagu, Esq. March 12.-Reflections on his +retirement from Parliament. Guthrie's answer to the "Historic +Doubts." Sterne's Sentimental Journey." Gray's "Odes"--514 + +340. To the same, April 15.-Wit as temporary as dress and +manners. Fate of George Selwyn's bon-mots. Completion of his +tragedy of "The Mysterious Mother." Mrs. Pritchard. Garrick. +President Henault's tragedy of "Corn elie"--516 + +341. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, April 16.--Rous's rolls of the Earls +of Warwick. Projects a History of the Streets of London. St. +Foix's Rues de Paris. The Methodists. Whitfield's funeral sermon +on Gibson the forger--517 + +342. To the same, June 6.-History of Ely cathedral. Cardinal +Lewis de Luxembourg. Cardinal Morton. Painted glass--519 + +343. To George Montagu, Esq. June 15.-Inclemency of the weather. +English summers. Description of the climate by our poets. +Hot-house of St. Stephen's chapel. Indifference to parties. The +country going to ruin--520 + +344. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, June 16.-Wilkes and liberty. +Ministerial changes. Conduct of the Duke of Grafton. Distressed +state of the country. Lord Chatham. Foote's "Devil upon Two +Sticks." Subject of "The Mysterious Mother"--[N.] 521 + +345. To Monsieur de Voltaire, June 21.-On his soliciting a copy +of the "Historic Doubts." Reply to Voltaire's criticisms on +Shakspeare--523 + +346. To the Earl of Strafford, June 25.-Wilkes and Number 45. The +King of Denmark. Lady Rockingham and the Methodist Pope Joan +Huntingdon. Brentford election--524 + +347. To Monsieur de Voltaire, July 27.-Reply to Voltaire's +vindication of his criticism on Shakspeare. Story of M. de +jumonville. "Historic Doubts"--525 + +348. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Aug. 9.-Lord Botetourt. New +Archbishop of Canterbury. King of Denmark. Augustus Hervey's +divorce from the Chudleigh. Gray appointed professor of modern +history. Efficacy of ice-water--527 + +349. To George Montagu, Esq. Aug. 13.-Arrival of the King of +Denmark. His person and manners. His suite--529 + +350. To the Earl of Strafford, Aug. 16.-Personal description of +the King of Denmark. His cold reception at Court. the first +favourite, Count Holke. His prime minister, Count Bernsdorff--529 + + +351. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Aug. 25.-Disturbance in America. +Coffee-house politicians. King of Denmark. Lady Bel +Stanhope--(N.] 531 + +352. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, Aug. 30.-Thanks for some prints and +some notices. Improvements at Strawberry. Mr. Granger's +"Catalogue of English Heads." Dr. Robertson's writings. Scotch +puffing--532 + +353. To the Earl of Strafford, Oct. 10.-Health and sickness. +quiet of his present illness contrasted with the inquiries after +him when his friends were coming into power--534 + +354. To George Montagu, Esq. Nov. 10.-Benefits from bootikins and +water-drinking. Elections--535 + +355. To the same, Nov. 15.-Separation of old friends in old age. +Moroseness of retirement. Evils of solitude. Death of the Duke of +Newcastle, and of Lady Hervey--535 + +356. To the same, Dec. 1.-Arlington-street. Reconciliation +between Lord Chatham, Earl Temple, and Mr. George Grenville. +Wilkes and the House of Commons--536 + + + + 1769. + +357. To George Montagu, Esq. March 26.-City riot. Brentford +election. Wilkes and Luttrell. Marriages--538 + +358. To the same, April 15.-Temperance the best physician. Easy +mode of preserving the teeth. Advice on wine drinking. Middlesex +election. Wilkes and the House of Commons--539 + +359. To the same, May 11.-Grand festino at Strawberry. Ridotto al +fresco at Vauxhall--540 + +360. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, May 27.-Granger's Catalogue of Prints +and Lives down to the Revolution. Intended visit to Paris. +Gough's British Topography--541 + +361. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, June 14.-Proposed painted window for +Ely cathedral. Bishop Mawson. Granger's dedication. Shenstone's +Letters. His unhappy passion for fame. The Leasowes. Instructions +on domestic privacy--542 + +362. To the same, June 26.-Intended visit to Ely. English +summers. Advice to quit Marshland. Joscelin de Louvain--545 + +363. To the Earl of Strafford, July 3.-Disinterestedness and +length of their friendship. Three years' absence of summer. +Emptiness of London. City politics. Angling. Methuselah--546 + +364. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, July 7.-Lord Chatham at the King's +levee--547 + +365. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, July 15.-Return from Ely. East window +of the cathedral. Bishop Luda's tomb--548 + +366. To the same, Aug. 12.-Thanks for some prints. Advice +respecting a History of Gothic Architecture. Tyson's "History of +Fashions and Dresses"--549 + +367. To George Montagu, Esq. Aug. 18.-Calais. Complaint of his +friend's long silence. Journey to Paris--551 + +368. To John Chute, Esq. Aug. 30.-Journey to Paris. Lord Dacre +and Dr. Pomme. Account of Madame du Deffand. Madame du Barry. +French theatre. Hamlet. The Dumenil. Voltaire's tragedy of "Les +Gu`ebres"- -552 + +(369. To George Montagu, Esq. Sept. 7.-Character of Madame du +Deffand. Uncertainty of life. A five-and-thirty years' +friendship. Visit to the Abbess of Panthemont--553 + +370. To the Earl of Strafford, Sept. 8.-Affected admiration of +the French government. Lettres de cachet. Students in +legislature. French treatment Of trees--555 + +371. To George Montagu, Esq. Sept. 17.-Visit to Versailles, +Madame du Barry. The Dauphin. Count de Provence. Count d'Artois. +The King. Visit to St. Cyr. Madame de Maintenon. Madame de +Cambise. Trait of Madame de Mailly --557 + +372. To the same, Oct. 13.-Return to England. Congratulations on +his friend's being appointed Lord North's private secretary--560 + +373. To the same, Oct. 16.-Return to Strawberry. His tragedy of +"The Mysterious Mother." Bad taste of the public. Garrick's +prologues and epilogues. French chalk and dirt contrasted with +English neatness and greenth--560 + +374. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Nov. 14.-Lord Temple's dinner with +the Lord Mayor. Tottering position of the Duc de Choiseul. "Trip +to the Jubilee." Literature and politics of the day. Milton's +prose writings. Heroes and orators--561 + +375. To George Montagu, Esq. Dec. 14.-Condolence on the death of +Mrs. Trevor. Loss of friends and connexions. Cumberland's comedy +of "The Brothers." Alderman Backwell--562 + +376. To the Rev. Mr. Cole, Dec. 21.-Thanks for communications. +Mr. Tyson's etchings. Madame du Deffand--[N.] 563 + + + + +Letter 1 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Nov. 17, 1759. (page 25) + +I rejoice over your brother's honours, though I certainly had no +hand in them. He probably received his staff from the board of +trade. If any part of the consequences could be placed to +partiality for me, it would be the prevention of your coming to +town, which I wished. My lady Cutts(1) is indubitably your own +grandmother: the Trevors would once have had it, but by some +misunderstanding the old Cowslade refused it. Mr. Chute has +twenty more corroborating circumstances, but this one is +sufficient. + +Fred. Montagu told me of the pedigree. I shall take care of all +your commissions. Felicitate yourself on having got from me the +two landscapes; that source is stopped. Not that Mr. M`untz is +eloped to finish the conquest of America, nor promoted by Mr. +Secretary's zeal for my friends, nor because the ghost of Mrs. +Leneve has appeared to me, and ordered me to drive Hannah and +Ishmael into the wilderness. A cause much more familiar to me +has separated US--nothing but a tolerable quantity of ingratitude +on his side, both to me and Mr. Bentley. The story is rather too +long for a letter: the substance was most extreme impertinence to +me, concluded by an abusive letter against Mr. Bentley, who sent +him from starving on seven pictures for a guinea to One hundred +pounds a year, my house, table, and utmost countenance. In +short, I turned his head, and was forced to turn him out of +doors. You shall see the documents, as it is the fashion to call +proof papers. Poets and painters imagine they confer the Honour +when they are protected, and they set down impertinence to the +article of their own virtue, when you dare to begin to think that +an ode or a picture is not a patent for all manner of insolence. + +My Lord Temple, as vain as if he was descended from the stroller +Pindar, or had made up card-matches at the siege of Genoa, has +resigned the privy seal, because he has not the garter.(2) You +cannot imagine what an absolute prince I feel myself with knowing +that nobody can force me to give the garter to M`untz. + +My Lady Carlisle is going to marry a Sir William Musgrave, who is +but three-and-twenty; but, in consideration of the match, and of +her having years to spare, she has made him a present of ten, and +calls them three-and-thirty. I have seen the new Lady Stanhope. +I assure you her face will introduce no plebeian charms into the +faces of the Stanhopes, Adieu! + +(1) Lady Cutts was the mother of Mrs. Montagu, by her second +husband, John Trevor, Esq. and grandmother of George Montagu.-E. + +(2) See vol. ii. p. 522, letter 344. + + + +Letter 2 TO THE RIGHT HON. WILLIAM PITT.(3) +Arlington Street, Nov. 19, 1759. (page 26) + +Sir, +On coming to town, I did myself the honour of waiting on you and +Lady Hester Pitt: and though I think myself extremely +distinguished by your obliging note, I shall be sorry for having +given you the trouble of writing it, if it did not lend me a very +pardonable opportunity of saying what I much wished to express, +but thought myself too private a person, and of too little +consequence, to take the liberty to say. In short, Sir, I was +eager to congratulate you on the lustre you have thrown on this +country; I wished to thank you for the security you have fixed to +me of enjoying the happiness I do enjoy. You have placed England +in a situation in which it never saw itself--a task the more +difficult, as you had not to improve, but recover. + +In a trifling book, written two or three years ago,(4) I said +(speaking of the name in the world the most venerable to me), +"sixteen unfortunate and inglorious years since his removal have +already written his eulogium." It is but justice to you, Sir, to +add, that that period ended when your administration began. + +Sir, do not take this for flattery: there is nothing in your +power to give that I would accept; nay, there is nothing I could +envy, but what I believe you would scarce offer me--your glory. +This may seem very vain and insolent: but consider, Sir, what a +monarch is a man who wants nothing! consider how he looks down +on one who is only the most illustrious man in England! But Sir, +freedoms apart, insignificant as I am, probably it must be some +satisfaction to a great mind like yours to receive incense, when +you are sure there is no flattery blended with it; and what must +any Englishman be that could give you a moment's satisfaction and +would hesitate? + +Adieu! Sir. I am unambitious, I am uninterested, but I am vain. +You have, by your notice, uncanvassed, unexpected, and at a +period when you certainly could have the least temptation to +stoop down to me, flattered me in the most agreeable manner. If +there could arrive the moment when you could be nobody, and I any +body, you cannot imagine how grateful I would be. In the mean +time, permit me to be, as I have been ever since I had the honour +of knowing you, Sir, your most obedient humble servant. + +(3) Now first collected. + +(4) His "Catalogue of Royal and Noble Authors."-E. + + + +Letter 3 To Sir Horace Mann. +Arlington Street, Nov. 30th of the Great Year. (page 27) + +here is a victory more than I promised you! For these thirteen +days we have been in the utmost impatience for news. The Brest +fleet had got out; Duff, with three ships, was in the utmost +danger--Ireland ached--Sir Edward Hawke had notice in ten hours, +and sailed after Conflans--Saunders arrived the next moment from +Quebec, heard it, and sailed after Hawke, without landing his +glory. No express arrived, storms blow; we knew not what to +think. This morning at four we heard that, on the 20th, Sir +Edward Hawke came in sight of the French, who were pursuing Duff. +The fight began at half an hour past two--that is, the French +began to fly, making a running fight. Conflans tried to save +himself behind the rocks of Belleisle, but was forced to burn his +ship of eighty guns and twelve hundred men. The Formidable, of +eighty, and one thousand men, is taken; we burned the Hero of +seventy-four, eight hundred and fifteen men. The Thes`ee and +Superbe of seventy-four and seventy, and of eight hundred and +fifteen and eight hundred men, were sunk in the action, and the +crews lost. Eight of their ships are driven up the Vilaine, +after having thrown over their guns; they have moored two +frigates to defend the entrance, but Hawke hopes to destroy them. +Our loss is a scratch, one lieutenant and thirty-nine men killed, +and two hundred and two wounded. The Resolution of seventy-four +guns, and the Essex of sixty-four, are lost, but the crews saved; +they, it is supposed, perished by the tempest, which raged all +the time, for + +"We rode in the whirlwind and directed the storm." + +Sir Edward heard guns of distress in the night, but could not +tell whether of friend or foe, nor could assist them.(5) + +Thus we wind up this wonderful year! Who that died three years +ago and could revive, would believe it! Think, that from +Petersburgh to the Cape of Good Hope, from China to California, + +De Paris `a Perou, + +there are not five thousand Frenchmen in the world that have +behaved well! Monsieur Thurot is piddling somewhere on the coast +of Scotland, but I think our sixteen years of fears of invasion +are over--after sixteen victories. if we take Paris, I don't +design to go thither before spring. My Lord Kinnoul is going to +Lisbon to ask pardon for Boscawen's beating De la Clue in their +House; it will be a proud supplication, with another victory in +bank.(6) Adieu! I would not profane this letter with a word of +any thing else for the world. + +(5) This was Hawke's famous victory, for which he received the +thanks of Parliament, and a pension of two thousand pounds +a-year. In 1765, he was created a peer.-D. + +(6) The object of Lord Kinnoul's mission to the court of Portugal +was to remove the misunderstanding between the two crowns, in +consequence of Admiral Boscawen's having destroyed some French +ships under the Portuguese fort in the bay of Lagos.-E. + + + +Letter 4 TO SIR HORACE MANN. +Arlington Street, Dec. 13, 1759. (page 28) + +That ever you should pitch upon me for a mechanic or geometric +commission! How my own ignorance has laughed at me since I read +your letter! I say, your letter, for as to Dr. Perelli's, I know +no more of a Latin term in mathematics than Mrs. Goldsworthy(7) +had an idea of verbs. I will tell you an early anecdote in my +own life, and you shall judge. When I first went to Cambridge, I +was to learn mathematics of the famous blind professor Sanderson. +I had not frequented him a fortnight, before he said to me, +"Young man, it is cheating you to take your money: believe me, +you never can learn these things; you have no capacity for +them."- I can smile now, but I cried then with mortification. +The next step, in order to comfort myself, was not to believe him +: I could not conceive that I had not talents for any thing in +the world. I took, at my own expense, a private instructor,(8) +who came to me once a-day for a year. Nay, I took infinite +pains, but had so little capacity, and so little attention, (as I +have always had to any thing that did not immediately strike my +inclination) that after mastering any proposition, +when the man came the next day, it was as new to me as if I had +never heard of it ; in short, even to common figures, I am the +dullest dunce alive. I have often said it of myself, and it is +true, that nothing that has not a proper Dame of a man or + a woman to it, affixes any idea upon my mind. I could +remember who was King Ethelbald's great aunt, and not be sure +whether she lived in the year 500 or 1500. I don't know whether I +ever told you, that when you sent me the seven gallons of drams, +and they were carried to Mr. Fox by mistake for Florence wine, I +pressed @im to keep as much as he liked: for, said I, I have seen +the bill of lading, and there is a vast quantity. He asked how +much? I answered seventy gallons; so little idea I have of +quantity. I will tell you one more story of myself, and you will +comprehend what sort of a head I have! Mrs. Leneve said to me +one day, "There is a vast waste of coals in your house ; you +should make the servants take off the fires at night." I +recollected this as I was going to bed, and, out of economy, put +my fire out with a bottle of Bristol water! However, as I +certainly will neglect nothing to oblige you, I went to Sisson +and gave him the letter. He has undertaken both the engine and +the drawing, and has promised the utmost care in both. The +latter, he says, must be very large, and that it will take some +time to have it performed very accurately. He has promised me +both in six or seven weeks. But another time, don't imagine, +because I can bespeak an enamelled bauble, that I am fit to be +entrusted with the direction of the machine at Marli. It is not +to save myself trouble, for I think nothing so for you, but +I would have you have credit, and I should be afraid of +dishonouring you. + +There! there is the King of Prussia has turned all our war and + peace topsy-turvy ! If Mr. Pitt Will conquer +Germany too, he must go and do it himself. Fourteen thousand +soldiers and nine generals taken, as it were, in a partridge net! +and what is worse, I have not heard yet that the monarch owns his +rashness.(9) As often as he does, indeed, he is apt to repair +it. You know I have always dreaded Daun--one cannot make a +blunder but he profits of it-and this ' just at the moment that +we heard of nothing but new bankruptcy in France. I want to know +what a kingdom is to do when it is forced to run away? + +14th.--Oh! I interrupt my reflections--there is another bit of a +victory! Prince Henry, who has already succeeded to his +brother's crown, as king of the fashion, has +beaten a parcel of Wirternberghers and taken four battalions. +Daun is gone into Bohemia, and Dresden is still to be ours. The +French are gone into winter quarters--thank God! What weather is +here to be lying on the ground! Men should be statues, or will +be so, if they go through it. Hawke is enjoying himself in +Quiberon Bay, but I believe has done no more execution. Dr. Hay +says it will soon be as shameful to beat a Frenchman as to beat a +woman. Indeed, one is +forced to ask every morning what victory there is, for fear of +missing one. We talk of a con(,,ress at Breda, and some think +Lord Temple will go thither: if he does, I shall really believe +it will be peace; and a good one, as it will then be of Mr. +Pitt's making. + +I was much pleased that the watch succeeded so triumphantly, and +beat the French watches, though they were two to one. For the +Fugitive pieces: the Inscription for the Column(10) was written +when I was with you at Florence, though I don't wonder that you +have forgotten it after so many yeirs. I would not have it +talked of, for I find some grave personages are offended -with +the liberties I have taken with so imperial a head. What could +provoke them to give a column Christian burial? Adieu! + +(7) Wife of the English consul at Leghorn, where, when she was +learning Italian by grammar, she said, "Oh! give me a language in +which there are no verbs!" concluding, as she had not learnt her +own language by grammar, that there were no verbs in English. + +(8) Dr. Treviger. + +(9) It was not Frederick's fault; he was not there ; but that of +General Finek, who had placed himself so injudiciously, that he +was obliged to capitulate to the Austrians with fourteen thousand +men. + +(10) The inscription for the neglected Column in St. Mark's Place +at Florence.-E. + + + +Letter 5 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, Dec. 23, 1759. (page 30) + + +How do you do? are you thawed again? how have you borne the +country in this bitter weather? I have not been here these three +weeks till to-day, and was delighted to find it so pleasant, and +to meet a comfortable southeast wind, the fairest of all winds, +in spite of the scandal that lies on the east; though it is the +west that is parent of all ugliness. The frost was succeeded by +such fogs, that I could not find my way out of London. + +Has your brother told you of the violences in Ireland? There +wanted nothing but a Massaniello to overturn the government; and +luckily for the government and for Rigby, he, who was made for +Massaniello, happened to be first minister there. Tumults, and +insurrections, and oppositions, + +"Like arts and sciences, have travelled west." + +Pray make the general collect authentic accounts of those civil +wars against he returns--you know where they will find their +place, and that you are one of the very few that will profit of +them. I will grind and dispense to you all the corn you bring to +my mill. + +We good-humoured souls vote eight millions with as few questions, +as if the whole House of Commons was at the club at Arthur's; and +we live upon distant news, as if London was York or Bristol. +There is nothing domestic, but that Lord George Lennox, being +refused Lord Ancram's consent, set out for Edinburgh with Lady +Louisa Kerr, the day before yesterday; and Lord Buckingham is +going to be married to our Miss Pitt of Twickenham, daughter of +that strange woman who had a mind to be my wife, and who sent Mr. +Raftor to know why I did not marry her. I replied, "Because I +was not sure that the two husbands, that she had at once, were +both dead." Apropos to my wedding, Prince Edward asked me at the +Opera, t'other night, when I was to marry Lady Mary Coke: I +answered, as soon as I got a regiment; which, you know, is now +the fashionable way. + +The kingdom of beauty is in as great disorder as the kingdom of +Ireland. My Lady Pembroke looks like a ghost-poor Lady Coventry +is going to be one; and the Duchess of Hamilton is so altered I +did not know her. Indeed, she is bid with child, and so big, +that as my Lady Northumberland says, it is plain she has a camel +in her belly, and my Lord Edgecumbe says, it is as true it did +not go through the eye of a needle. That Countess has been laid +up with a hurt in her leg; Lady Rebecca Paulett pushed her on the +birthnight against a bench: the Duchess of Grafton asked if it +was true that Lady Rebecca kicked her? "Kick me, Madam! When did +you ever hear of a Percy that took a kick?" + +I can tell you another anecdote of that house, that will not +divert you less. Lord March making them a visit this summer at +Alnwick Castle, my lord received him at the gate, and said, "I +believe, my lord, this is the first time that ever a Douglas and +a Percy met here in friendship." Think of this from a Smithson to +a true Douglas! + +I don't trouble my head about any connexion; any news into the +country I know is welcome, though it comes out higlepigledy, just +as it happens to be packed up. The cry in Ireland has been +against Lord Hilsborough, supposing him to mediate an union of +the two islands; George Selwyn, seeing him set t'other night +between my Lady Harrington and Lord Barrington, said, "Who can +say that my Lord Hilsborough is not an enemy to an union?" + +I will tell you one more story, and then good night. Lord +Lyttelton(11) was at Covent Garden; Beard came on: the former +said, "How comes Beard here? what made him leave Drury Lane?" +Mr. Shelley, who sat next him, replied, "Why, don't you know he +has been such a fool as to go and marry a Miss Rich? He has +married Rich's daughter." My lord coloured; Shelley found out +what he had said, and ran away. + +I forgot to tell you, that you need be in no disturbance about +M`untz's pictures; they were a present I made you. Good night! + +(11) Lord Lyttelton married a daughter of Sir Robert Rich. + + + +Letter 6 To The Rev. Henry Zouch. +Strawberry Hill, Dec. 23, 1759. (page 31) + +Sir, +I own I am pleased, for your sake as well as my own, at hearing +from you again. I felt sorry at thinking that you was displeased +with the frankness and sincerity of my last. You have shown me +that I made a wrong judgment of you, and I willingly correct it. + +You are extremely obliging in giving yourself the least trouble +to make collections for me. I have received so much assistance +and information from you, that I am sure I cannot have a more +useful friend. For the Catalogue, I forgot it, as in the course +of things I suppose it is forgot. For the Lives of English +Artists I am going immediately to begin it, and shall then fling +it into the treasury of the world, for the amusement of the world +for a day, and then for the service of any body who shall happen +hereafter to peep into the dusty drawer where it shall repose. + +For my Lord Clarendon's new work(12) of which you ask me, I am +charmed with it. It entertains me more almost than any book I +ever read. I was told there was little in it that had not +already got abroad, or was not known by any other channels. If +that is true, I own I am so scanty an historian as to have been +ignorant of many of the facts but sure, at least, the +circumstances productive of, or concomitant on several of them, +set them in very new lights. The deductions and stating of +arguments are uncommonly fine. His language I find much +censured--in truth, it is sometimes involved, particularly in the +indistinct usage of he and him. But in my opinion his style is +not so much inferior to the former History as it seems. But this +I take to be the case; when the former part appeared, the world +was not accustomed to a good style as it is now. I question if +the History of the Rebellion had been published but this summer, +whether it would be thought so fine in point of style as it has +generally been reckoned. For his veracity, alas! I am sorry to +say, there is more than one passage in the new work which puts +one a little upon one's guard in lending him implicit credit. +When he says that Charles I. and his queen were a pattern of +conjugal affection, it makes one stare. Charles was so, I verily +believe; but can any man in his historical senses believe, that +my Lord Clarendon did not know that, though the Queen was a +pattern of affection, it was by no means of the conjugal +kind.(13) Then the subterfuges my Lord Clarendon uses to avoid +avowing that Charles II. was a Papist, are certainly no grounds +for corroborating his veracity.(14) In short, I don't believe +him when he does not speak truth; but he has spoken so much +truth, that it is easy to see when he does not. + +Lucan is in poor forwardness. I have been plagued with a +succession of bad printers, and am not got beyond the fourth +book. It will scarce appear before next winter. Adieu! Sir. I +have received so much pleasure and benefit from your +correspondence, that I should be sorry to lose it. I will not +deserve to lose it, but endeavour to be, as you will give me +leave to be, your, etc. + +(12) The life of Edward Earl of Clarendon, etc. Dr. Johnson, in +the sixty-fifth number of the Idler, has also celebrated the +appearance of this interesting and valuable work.-C. + +(13) Mr. Walpole had early taken up this opinion; witness that +gross line in his dull epistle to Aston, written in 1740, "The +lustful Henrietta's Romish shade;" but we believe that no good +authority for this imputation can be produced: there is strong +evidence the other way: and if we were even to stand on mere +authority, we should prefer that of Lord Clarendon to the +scandalous rumours of troublesome times, which were, we believe, +the only guides of Mr. Walpole.-C. + +(14) Nor for impugning it; for, the very fact, brought to light +in later times, of Charles's having, with great secrecy and +mystery, reconciled himself to the church of Rome on his +deathbed, proves that up to that extreme hour he was not a +Papist.-C. + + + +Letter 7 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Jan. 7, 1760. (page 32) + +You must wonder I have not written to you a long time; a person +of my consequence! I am now almost ready to say, We, instead of I +In short, I live amongst royalty--considering the plenty, that is +no great wonder. All the world lives with them, and they with +all the world. Princes and Princesses open shops in every corner +of the town, and the whole town deals with them. As I have gone +to one, I chose to frequent all, that I night not be particular, +and seem to have views; and yet it went so much against me, that +I came to town on purpose a month ago for the Duke's levee, and +had engaged brand to go with me, and then could not bring myself +to it. At last, I went to him and the Princess Emily yesterday. +It was well I had not flattered myself with being still in my +bloom; I am grown so old since they saw me, that neither of them +knew me. When they were told, he just spoke to me (I forgive +him; he is not out of my debt, even with that) - she was +exceedingly gracious, and commended Strawberry to the skies. +TO-night, I was asked to their party at Norfolk House. These +parties are wonderfully select and dignified one might sooner be +a knight of Malta than qualified for them; I don't know how the +Duchess of Devonshire, Mr. Fox, and I, were forgiven some of our +ancestors. There were two tables at loo, two at whist, and a +quadrille. I was commanded to the Duke's loo; he was sat down: +not to make him wait, I threw my hat upon the marble table, and +broke four pieces off a great crystal chandelier. I stick to my +etiquette, and treat them with great respect; not as I do my +friend, the Duke of York. But don't let us talk any more of +Princes. My Lucan appears to-morrow; I must say it is a noble +volume. Shall I send it you--or won't you come and fetch it? + +There is nothing new of public, but the violent commotions in +Ireland,(15) whither the Duke of Bedford still persists in going. +AEolus to quell a storm! + +I am in great concern for my old friend, poor Lady Harry +Beauclerc; her lord dropped down dead two nights ago, as he was +sitting with her and all their children. Admiral Boscawen is +dead by this time.(16) Mrs. Osborne and I are not much +afflicted; Lady Jane Coke too is dead, exceedingly rich; I have +not heard her will yet. + +If you don't come to town soon, I give you warning, I will be a +lord of the bedchamber, or a gentleman usher. If you will, I +will be nothing but what I have been so many years-my own and +yours ever. + +(15) Walpole, in his Memoires, vol. ii. p. 401, gives a +particular account of these commotions. Gray, in a letter to Dr. +Wharton, of the 23d of January, says, "They placed an old woman +on the throne, and called for pipes and tobacco; made my Lord +Chief Justice administer an oath (which they dictated) to my Lord +Chancellor; beat the Bishop of Killaloe black and blue; at +foot-ball with Chenevix, the old refugee Bishop of Waterford; +rolled my Lord Farnham in the kennel; pulled Sir Thomas +Prendergast by the nose (naturally large) till it was the size of +a cauliflower-; and would have hanged Rigby if he had not got out +of a window. At last the guard was obliged to move (with orders +not to fire), but the mob threw dirt at them. then the horse +broke in upon them, cutting and slashing, and took seventeen +prisoners. The notion that had possessed the crowd was, that a +union was to be voted between the two nations, and they should +have no more parliaments there." Works, vol. iii. p. 233.-E. + +(16) This distinguished admiral survived till January 1761.-E. + +(17) Daughter of lord Torrington, and sister of the unfortunate +Admiral Byng. She was married to the son of sir John Osborn of +Chicksand Priory.-E. + + + + Letter 8 To The Right Hon. Lady Hervey. + Jan. 12, 1760. (page 34) + +I am very sorry your ladyship could doubt a moment on the cause +of my concern yesterday. I saw you much displeased at what I had +said; and felt so innocent of the least intention of offending +you, that I could not help being struck at my own ill-fortune, +and wit[) the sensation raised by finding you mix great goodness +with great severity. + +I am naturally very impatient under praise; I have reflected +enough on myself to know I don't deserve it; and with this +consciousness you ought to forgive me, Madam, if I dreaded that +the person Whose esteem I valued the most in the world, should +think, that I was fond of what I know is not my due. I meant to +express this apprehension as respectfully as I could, but my +words failed me-a misfortune not too common to me, who am apt to +say too much, not too little! Perhaps it is that very quality +which your ladyship calls wit, and I call tinsel, for which I +dread being praised. I wish to recommend myself to you by more +essential merits-and if I can only make you laugh, it will be +very apt to make me as much concerned as I was yesterday. For +people to whose approbation I am indifferent, I don't care +whether they commend or condemn me for my wit; in the former case +they Will not make me admire myself for it, in the latter they +can't make me think but what I have thought already. But for the +few whose friendship I wish, I would fain have them see, that +under all the idleness of my spirits there are some very serious +qualities, such as warmth, gratitude, and sincerity, which @ill +returns may render useless or may make me lock up in my breast, +but which will remain there while I have a being. + +having drawn you this picture of myself, Madam, a subject I have +to say so much upon, will not your good-nature apply it as it +deserves, to what passed yesterday? Won't you believe that my +concern flowed from being disappointed at having offended one +whom I ought by so many ties to try to please, and whom, if I +ever meant any thing, I had meaned to please? I intended you +should see how much I despise wit, if I have any, and that you +should know my heart was void of vanity and full of gratitude. +They -are very few I desire should know so much; but my passions +act too promptly and too naturally, as you saw, when I am with +those I really love, to be capable of any disguise. Forgive me, +Madam, this tedious detail but of all people living, I cannot +bear that you should have a doubt about me. + + + + +Letter 9 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Jan. 14, 1760. (page 35) + +How do you contrive to exist on your mountain in this rude +season! Sure you must be become a snowball! As I was not in +England in forty-one, I had no notion of such cold. The streets +are abandoned; nothing appears in them: the Thames is almost as +solid. Then think what a campaign must be in such a season! Our +army was under arms for fourteen hours on the twenty-third, +expecting the French and several of the men were frozen when they +should have dismounted. What milksops the Marlboroughs and +Ttirennes, the Blakes and the Van Tromps appear now, who whipped +into winter quarters and into port, the moment their noses looked +blue. Sir Cloudesly Shovel said that an admiral would deserve to +be broke, who kept great ships out after the end of September, +and to be shot if after October. There is Hawke(18) in the bay +weathering this winter, after conquering in a storm. For my +part, I scarce venture to make a campaign in the Opera-house; for +if I once begin to freeze, I shall be frozen through in a moment. +I am amazed, with such weather, such ravages, and distress, that +there is any thing left in Germany, but money; for thither half +the treasure of Europe goes: England, France, Russia, and all the +Empress can squeeze from Italy and Hungary, all is sent thither, +and yet the wretched people have not subsistence. A pound of +bread sells at Dresden for eleven-pence. We are going to send +many more troops thither; and it Is so much the fashion to raise +regiments, that I wish there were such a neutral kind of beings +in England as abb`es, that one might have an excuse for not +growing military mad, when one has turned the heroic corner of +one's age. I am ashamed of being a young rake, when my seniors +are covering their gray toupees with helmets and feathers, and +accoutering their pot-bellies with cuirasses and martial +masquerade habits. Yet rake I am, and abominably so, for a +person that begins to wrinkle reverently. I have sat up twice +this week till between two and three with the Duchess of Grafton, +at loo, who, by the way, has got a pam-child this morning; and on +Saturday night I supped with Prince Edward at my Lady Rochford's, +and we stayed till half an hour past three. My favour with that +Highness continues, or rather increases. He makes every body +make suppers for him to meet me, for I still hold out against +going to court. In short, if he were twenty years older, or I +could make myself twenty years younger, I might carry him to +Camden-house, and be as impertinent as ever my Lady Churchill +was; but, as I dread being ridiculous, I shall give my Lord Bute +no uneasiness. My Lady Maynard, who divides the favour of this +tiny court with me,- supped with us. Did you know she sings +French ballads very prettily? Lord Rochford played on the guitar, +and the Prince sung; there were my two nieces, and Lord +Waldegrave, Lord Huntingdon, and Mr. Morrison the groom, and the +evening was pleasant; but I had a much more agreeable supper last +night at Mrs. Clive's, with Miss West, my niece Cholmondeley, and +Murphy, the writing actor, who is very good company, and two or +three more. Mrs. Cholmondeley is very lively; you know how +entertaining the Clive is, and Miss West is an absolute original. + +There is nothing new, but a very dull pamphlet, written by Lord +Bath, and his chaplain Douglas, called a Letter to Two Great Men. +It is a plan for the peace, and much adopted by the city, and +much admired by all who are too humble to judge for themselves. + +I was much diverted the other morning with another volume on +birds, by Edwards, who has published four or five. The poor man, +who is grown very old and devout, begs God to take from him the +love of natural philosophy; and having observed some heterodox +proceedings among bantam cocks, he proposes that all schools of +girls and boys should be promiscuous, lest, if separated, they +should learn wayward passions. But what struck me most were his +dedications, the last was to God; this is to Lord Bute, as if he +was determined to make his fortune in one world or the other. + +Pray read Fontaine's fable of the lion grown old; don't it put +you in mind of any thing? No! not when his shaggy majesty has +borne the insults of the tiger and the horse, etc. and the ass +comes last, kicks out his only remaining fang, and asks for a +blue bridle? Apropos, I will tell you the turn Charles Townshend +gave to this fable. "My lord," said he, "has quite mistaken the +thing; he soars too high at first: people often miscarry by not +proceeding by degrees; he went and at once asked for my Lord +Carlisle's garter-if he would have been contented to ask first +for my Lady Carlisle's garter, I don't know but he would have +obtained it." ' Adieu! + +(18) Sir Edward Hawke had defeated the French fleet, commanded by +Admiral Conflans, in the beginning of this winter. [A graphical +description of this victory is given by Walpole in his Memoires. +"It was," he says, "the 20th of November: the shortness of the +day prevented the total demolition of the enemy; but neither +darkness, nor a dreadful tempest that ensued, could call off Sir +Edward from pursuing his blow. The roaring of the element was +redoubled by the thunder from our ships; and both concurred, in +that scene of horror, to put a period to the navy and hopes of +France."--E.] + + + +Letter 10 To Sir Horace Mann. +Strawberry Hill, Jan. 20, 1760. (page 36) + +I am come hither in the bleakest of all winters, not to air and +exercise, but to look after my gold-fish and orange-trees. We +import all the delights of hot countries, but as we cannot +propagate their climate too, such a season as this is mighty apt +to murder rarities. And it is this very winter that has been +used for the invention of a campaign in Germany! where all fuel +is so destroyed that they have no fire but out of the mouth of a +cannon. If I were writing to an Italian as well as into Italy, +one might string concetti for an hour, and describe how heroes +are frozen on their horses till they become their own statues. +But seriously, does not all this rigour of warfare throw back an +air of effeminacy on the Duke of Marlborough and the brave of +ancient days, who only went to fight as one goes out of town in +spring, and who came back to London with the first frost'@ Our +generals are not yet arrived, though the Duke de Broglio's last +miscarriage seems to determine that there shall at last be such a +thing as winter quarters; but Daun and the King of Prussia are +still choosing King and Queen in the field. + +There is a horrid scene of distress in the family of Cavendish; +the Duke's sister,(19) Lady Besborough, died this morning of the +same fever and sore throat of which she lost four children four +years ago. It looks as if it was a plague fixed in the walls of +their house: it broke out again among their servants, and carried +off two, a year and a half after the children. About ten days +ago Lord Besborough was seized with it, and escaped with +difficulty; then the eldest daughter had it, though slightly: my +lady, attending them, is dead of it in three days. It is the +same sore throat which carried off Mr. Pelham's two only sons, +two daughters, and a daughter of the Duke of Rutland, at once. +The physicians, I think, don't know what to make of it. + +I am sorry you and your friend Count Lorenzi(20) are such +political foes, but I am much more concerned for the return of +your headaches. I don't know what to say about Ward's(21) +medicine, because the cures he does in that complaint are +performed by him in person. He rubs his hand with some +preparation and holds it upon your forehead, from which several +have found instant relief. If you please, I will consult him +whether he will send you any preparation for it; but you must +first send me the exact symptoms and circumstances of your +disorder and constitution, for I would not for the world venture +to transmit to you a blind remedy for an unexamined complaint. + +You cannot figure a duller season: the weather bitter, no party, +little money, half the world playing the fool in the country with +the militia, others raising regiments or with their regiments; in +short, the end of a war and of a reign furnish few episodes. +Operas are more in their decline than ever. Adieu! + +(19) Caroline, eldest daughter of William third Duke of +Devonshire, and wife of William Ponsonby, Earl of Besborough. + +(20) Minister of France at Florence, though a Florentine. + +(21) Ward, the empiric, whose pill and drop were supposed, at +this time, to have a surprising effect. He is immortalized by +Pope- + +"See Ward by batter'd beaux invited over." + +There is a curious statue of him in marble at the Society of +Arts, in full dress, and a flowing wig.-D. + + + +Letter 11 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Jan. 28, 1760. (page 37) + +I shall almost frighten you from coming to London, for whether +you have the constitution of a horse or a man, you will be +equally in danger. All the horses in town are laid up with sore +throats and colds, and are so hoarse you cannot hear them speak, +I, with all my immortality, have been -half killed; that violent +bitter weather was too much for me; I have had a nervous fever +these six or seven weeks every night, and have taken bark enough +to have made a rind for Daphne; nay, have even stayed at home two +days; but I think my eternity begins to bud again. I am quite of +Dr. Garth's mind, who, when any body commended a hard frost to +him, used to reply, "Yes, Sir, 'fore Gad, very fine weather, Sir, +very wholesome weather, Sir; kills trees, Sir; very good for man, +Sir." There has been cruel havoc among the ladies; my Lady Granby +is dead; and the famous Polly, Duchess of Bolton, and my Lady +Besborough. I have no great reason to lament the last, and yet +the circumstances of her death, and the horror of it to her +family, make one shudder. It was the same sore throat and fever +that carried off four of their children a few years ago. My lord +now fell ill of it, very ill, and the eldest daughter slightly: +my lady caught it, attending her husband, and concealed it as +long as she could. When at last the physician insisted on her +keeping her bed, she said, as she went into her room, "Then, Lord +have mercy on me! I shall never come out of it again," and died +in three days. Lord Besborough grew outrageously impatient at +not seeing her, and would have forced into her room, when she had +been dead about four days. They were obliged to tell him the +truth: never was an answer that expressed so much horror! he +said, "And how many children have I left?"not knowing how far +this calamity might have reached. Poor Lady Coventry is near +completing this black list. + +You have heard, I suppose, a horrid story of another kind, of +Lord Ferrers murdering his steward in the most barbarous and +deliberate manner. He sent away all his servants but one, and, +like that heroic murderess Queen Christina, carried the poor man +through a gallery and several rooms, locking them after him, and +then bid the man kneel down, for he was determined to kill him. +The poor creature flung himself at his feet, but in vain; was +shot, and lived twelve hours. Mad as this action was from the +consequences, there was no frenzy in his behaviour; he got drunk, +and, at intervals, talked of it coolly; but did not attempt to +escape, till the colliers beset his house, and were determined to +take him alive or dead. He is now in the gaol at Leicester, and +will soon be removed to the Tower, then to Westminster Hall, and +I suppose to Tower Hill; unless, as Lord Talbot prophesied in the +House of Lords, "Not being thought mad enough to be shut up, till +he had killed somebody, he will then be thought too mad to be +executed;" but Lord Talbot was no more honoured in his vocation, +than other prophets are in their own country. + +As you seem amused with my entertainments, I will tell you how I +passed yesterday. A party was made to go to the Magdalen-house. +We met at Northumberland-house at five, and set off in four +coaches. Prince Edward, Colonel Brudenel his groom, Lady +Northumberland, Lady Mary Coke, Lady Carlisle, Miss Pelham, Lady +Hertford, Lord Beauchamp, Lord Huntingdon. old Bowman, and I. +This new convent is beyond Goodman's-fields, and I assure you +would content any Catholic alive. We were received by--oh! +first, a vast mob, for princes are not so common at that end of +the town as at this. Lord Hertford, at the head of the governors +with their white staves, met us at the door, and led the Prince +directly into the chapel, where, before the altar, was an +arm-chair for him, with a blue damask cushion, a prie-Dieu, and a +footstool of black cloth with gold nails. We set on forms near +him. There were Lord and Lady Dartmouth in the odour of +devotion, and many city ladies. The chapel is small and low, but +neat, hung with Gothic paper, and tablets of benefactions. At +the west end were enclosed the sisterhood, above an hundred and +thirty, all in grayish brown stuffs, broad handkerchiefs, and +flat straw hats, with a blue riband, pulled quite over their +faces. As soon as we entered the chapel, the organ played, and +the Magdalens sung a hymn in parts; you cannot imagine how well, +The chapel was dressed with orange and myrtle, and there wanted +nothing but a little incense to drive away the devil-or to invite +him. Prayers then began, psalms, and a sermon: the latter by a +young clergyman, one Dodd,(22) who contributed to the Popish idea +one had imbibed, by haranguing entirely in the French style, and +very eloquently and touchingly. He apostrophized the lost sheep, +who sobbed and cried from their souls; so did my Lady Hertford +and Fanny Pelham, till I believe the city dames took them both +for Jane Shores. The confessor then turned to the audience, and +addressed himself to his Royal Highness, whom he called most +illustrious Prince, beseeching his protection. In short, it was +a very pleasing performance, and I got the most illustrious to +desire it might be printed. We had another hymn, and then were +conducted to the parloir, where the governors kissed the Prince's +hand, and then the lady abbess, or matron, brought us tea. From +thence we went to the refectory, where all the nuns, without +their hats, were ranged at long tables, ready for supper. A few +were handsome, many who seemed to have no title to their +profession, and two or three of twelve years old; but all +recovered, and looking healthy. I was struck and pleased with +the modesty of two of them, who swooned away with the confusion +of being stared at. We were then shown their work, which is +making linen, and bead-work; they earn ten pounds a-week. One +circumstance diverted me, but amidst all this decorum, I kept it +to myself. The wands of the governors are white, but twisted at +top with black and white, which put me in mind of Jacob's rods, +that he placed before the cattle to make them breed. My Lord +Hertford would never have forgiven me, if I had joked on this; so +I kept my countenance very demurely, nor even inquired, whether +among the pensioners there were any novices from Mrs. Naylor's. + +The court-martial on Lord George Sackville is appointed: General +Onslow is to be Speaker of it. Adieu! till I see you; I am glad +it will be so soon. + +(22) The unfortunate Dr. Dodd, who suffered at Tyburn, in June +1770, for forgery.-E. + + + +Letter 12 To Sir David Dalrymple.(23) +Strawberry Hill, Feb. 3, 1760. (page 40) + +I am much obliged to you, Sir! for the Irish poetry.(24) they +are poetry, and resemble that of the East; that is, they contain +natural images and natural sentiment elevated, before rules were +invented to make poetry difficult and dull. The transitions are +as sudden as those in Pindar, but not so libertine; for they +start into new thoughts on the subject, without wandering from +it.' I like particularly the expression of calling Echo, "Son of +the Rock." The Monody is much the best. + +I (cannot say I am surprised to hear that the controversy on the +Queen of Scots is likely to continue. Did not somebody write a +defence of Nero, and yet none of his descendants remained to +pretend to the empire? If Dr. Robertson could have said more, I +am sorry it will be forced from him. He had better have said it +voluntarily. You will forgive me for thinking his subject did +not demand it. Among the very few objections to his charming +work, one was, that he seemed to excuse that Queen more than was +allowable, from the very papers he has printed in his Appendix; +and some have thought, that though he could not disculpate her, +he has diverted indignation from her, by his art in raising up +pity for her and resentment against her persecutress, and by much +overloading the demerits of Lord Darnley. For my part, Dr. +Mackenzie, or any body else, may write what they please against +me: I meaned to speak my mind, not to write controversy-trash +seldom read but by the two opponents who write it. Yet were I +inclined to reply, like Dr. Robertson, I could say a little more. +You have mentioned, Sir, Mr. Dyer's Fleece. I own I think it a +very insipid poem.(25) His Ruins of Rome had great picturesque +spirit, and his Grongar Hill was beautiful. His Fleece I could +never get through; and from thence I suppose never heard of Dr. +Mackenzie. + +Your idea of a collection of ballads for the cause of liberty is +very public-spirited. I wish, Sir, I could say I thought it +would answer your view. Liberty, like other good and bad +principles, can never be taught the people but when it is taught +them by faction. The mob will never sing lilibullero but in +opposition to some other mob. However, if you pursue the +thought, there is an entire treasure of that kind in the library +of Maudlin College, Cambridge. It was collected by Pepys, +secretary of the admiralty, and dates from the battle of +Agincourt. Give me leave to say, Sir, that it is very +comfortable to me to find gentlemen of your virtue and parts +attentive to what is so little the object of public attention +now. The extinction of faction, that happiness to which we owe +so much of our glory and success, may not be without some +inconveniences. A free nation, perhaps, especially when arms are +become so essential to our existence as a free people, may want a +little opposition: as it is a check that has preserved us so +long, one cannot wholly think it dangerous; and though I would +not be one to tap new resistance to a government with which I +have no fault to find, yet it may not be unlucky hereafter, if +those who do not wish so well to it, would a little show +themselves. They are not strong enough to hurt; they may be of +service by keeping ministers in awe. But all this is +speculation, and flowed from the ideas excited in me by your +letter, that is full of benevolence both to public and private. +Adieu! Sir; believe that nobody has more esteem for you than is +raised by each letter. + +(23) Now first collected. + +(24) "Fragments of Ancient Poetry, collected in the Highlands of +Scotland, and translated from the Gaelic, or Erse Language," the +production of James Macpherson; the first presentation to the +world of that literary novelty, which was afterwards to excite so +much discussion and dissension in the literary world.-E. + +(25) Dr. Johnson was pretty much of Walpole's opinion. "Of The +Fleece," he says, "which never became popular, and is now +universally neglected, I can say little that is likely to call it +to attention. The woolcomber and the poet appear to me such +discordant natures, that an attempt to bring them together is to +couple the serpent with the fowl."-E. + + + +Letter 13 To Sir Horace Mann. +Strawberry Hill, Feb. 3, 1760 (page 41) + +herculaneum is arrived; Caserta(26) is arrived: what magnificence +You Send me! My dear Sir, I can but thank you, and thank you-- +oh! yes, I can do more; greedy creature, I can put you in mind, +that you must take care to send me the subsequent volumes of +Herculaneum as they appear, if ever they do appear, which I +suppose is doubtful now that King Carlos(27) is gone to Spain. +One thing pray observe, that I don't beg these scarce books of +you, as a bribe to spur me on to obtain for you your +extra-extraordinaries. Mr. Chute and I admire Caserta; and he at +least is no villanous judge of architecture; some of our English +travellers abuse it; but there are far from striking faults: the +general idea seems borrowed from Inigo Jones's Whitehall, though +without the glaring uglinesses, which I believe have been lent to +Inigo; those plans, I think, were supplied by Lord Burlington, +Kent, and others, to very imperfect sketches of the author. Is +Caserta finished and furnished? Were not the treasures of +Herculaneum to be deposited there? + +I am in the vein of drawing upon your benevolence, and shall +proceed. Young Mr. Pitt,(28) nephew of the Pitt, is setting out +for Lisbon with Lord Kinnoul, and will proceed through Granada to +Italy, with his friend Lord Strathmore;(29) not the son, I +believe, of that poor mad Lady Strathmore(30) whom you remember +at Florence. The latter is much commended; I don't know him: Mr. +Pitt is not only a most ingenious Young man, but a most amiable +one: he has already acted in the most noble style-I don't mean +that he took a quarter of Quebec, or invaded a bit of France, or +has spoken in the House of Commons better than DemostheneS'S +nephew: but he has an odious father, and has insisted on glorious +cuttings off of entails on himself, that his father's debts might +be paid and his sisters provided for. My own lawyer,(31) who +knew nothing of my being acquainted with him, spoke to me of him +in raptures--no small merit in a lawyer to comprehend virtue in +cutting off an entail when it was not to cheat; but indeed this +lawyer was recommended to me by your dear brother --no wonder he +is honest. You will now conceive that a letter I have given Mr. +Pitt is not a mere matter of form, but an earnest suit to you to +know one you will like so much. I should indeed have given it +him, were it only to furnish you with an opportunity of +ingratiating yourself with Mr. Pitt's nephew: but I address him +to your heart. Well! but I have heard of another honest lawyer! +The famous Polly, Duchess of Bolton,(32) is dead, having, after a +life of merit, relapsed into her Pollyhood. Two years ago, at +Tunbridge, she picked up an Irish surgeon. When she was dying, +this fellow sent for a lawyer to make her will, but the man, +finding who was to be her heir, instead of her children, refused +to draw it. The Court of Chancery did furnish one other, not +quite so scrupulous, and her three sons have but a thousand +pounds apiece; the surgeon about nine thousand. + +I think there is some glimmering of peace! God send the world +some repose from its woes! The King of Prussia has writ to +Belleisle to desire the King of France will make peace for him: +no injudicious step, as the distress of France will make them +glad to oblige him. We have no other news, but that Lord George +Sackville has at last obtained a court-martial. I doubt much +whether he will find his account in it. One thing I know I +dislike-a German aide-de-camp is to be an evidence! Lord George +has paid the highest compliment to Mr. Conway's virtue. Being +told, as an unlucky circumstance for him, that Mr. Conway was to +be one of his judges, (but It is not so,) he replied, there was +no man in England he should so soon desire of that number. And +it is no mere compliment, for Lord George has excepted against +another of them--but he knew whatever provocation he may have +given to Mr. Conway, whatever rivalship there has been between +them, nothing could bias the integrity of the latter. There is +going to be another court-martial on a mad Lord Charles Hay,(33) +who has foolishly demanded it; but it will not occupy the +attention of the world like Lord George's. There will soon be +another trial of another sort on another madman, an Earl Ferrers, +who has murdered his steward. He was separated by Parliament +from his wife, a very pretty woman, whom he married with no +fortune, for the most groundless barbarity, and now killed his +steward for having been evidence for her; but his story and +person are too wretched and despicable to give you the detail. +He will be dignified by a solemn trial in Westminster-hall. + +Don't you like the impertinence of the Dutch? They have lately +had a mudquake, and giving themselves terrafirma airs, call it an +earthquake! Don't you like much more our noble national charity? +Above two thousand pounds has been raised in London alone, +besides what is collected in the country, for the French +prisoners, abandoned by their monarch. Must not it make the +Romans blush in their Appian-way, who dragged their prisoners in +triumph? What adds to this benevolence is, that we cannot +contribute to the subsistence of our own prisoners in France; +they conceal where they keep them, and use them cruelly to make +them enlist. We abound in great charities: the distress of war +seems to heighten rather than diminish them. There is a new one, +not quite so certain of its answering, erected for those wretched +women, called abroad les filles repenties. I was there the other +night, and fancied myself in a convent. + +The Marquis of Buckingham and Earl Temple are to have the two +vacant garters to-morrow. Adieu! + +Arlington Street, 6th. + +I am this minute come to town, and find yours of Jan. 12. Pray, +my dear child, don't compliment me any more upon my learning; +there is nobody so superficial. Except a little history, a +little poetry, a little painting, and some divinity, I know +nothing. How should I? I, who have always lived in the big busy +world; who lie abed all the morning, calling it morning as long +as you please; who sup in company; who have played at pharaoh +half my life, and now at loo till two and three in the morning; +who have always loved pleasure haunted auctions--in short, who +don't know so much astronomy as would carry me to Knightsbridge, +nor more physic than a physician, nor in short any thing that is +called science. If it were not that I lay up a little provision +in summer, like the ant, I should be as ignorant as all the +people I live with. How I have LAUGHED when some of the +magazines have called me the learned gentleman! Pray don't be +like THE Magazines. + +I see by your letter that you despair of peace; I almost do: +there is but a gruff sort of answer from the woman of' Russia +to-day in the papers; but how should there be peace? If We are +victorious, what is the King of Prussia? Will the distress of +France move the Queen of Hungary? When we do make peace, how few +will it content! The war was made for America, but the peace +will be made for Germany; and whatever geographers may pretend, +Crown-point lies somewhere in Westphalia. Again adieu! I don't +like your rheumatism, and much less your plague. + +(26) Prints of the palace of Caserta. + +(27) Don Carlos, King of Naples, who succeeded his half-brother +Ferdinand in the crown of Spain. An interesting picture of the +court of the King of the Two Sicilies at the time of his leaving +Naples, will be found in the Chatham Correspondence, in a letter +from Mr. Stanier Porten to Mr. Pitt. See vol. ii. p. 31.-E. + +(28) Thomas, only son of Thomas Pitt of boconnock, eldest brother +of the famous William Pitt. [Afterwards Lord Camelford. (Gray, +in a letter to Dr. Wharton, of the 23d of January, says, "Mr. +Pitt (not the great, but the little one, my acquaintance) is +setting out on his travels. He goes with my Lord Kinnoul to +Lisbon; then (by sea still) to Cates; then up the Guadalquiver to +Seville and Cordova, and so perhaps to Toledo, but certainly to +Grenada; and, after breathing the perfumed air of Andalusia, and +contemplating the remains of Moorish magnificence, re-embarks at +Gibraltar or Malaga, and sails to Genoa. Sure an extraordinary +good way of passing a few winter months, and better than dragging +through Holland, Germany, and Switzerland, to the same place." A +copy of Mr. Thomas Pitt's manuscript Diary of his tour to Spain +and Portugal is in the possession of Mr. Bentley, the proprietor +of this Correspondence.-E.] + +(29) John Lyon, ninth Earl of Strathmore. He married in 1767 +Miss Bowes, the great heiress, whose disgraceful adventures are +so well known.-D. + +(30) Lady Strathmore, rushing between her husband and a +gentleman, with whom he had quarrelled and was fighting, and +trying to hold the former, the other stabbed him in her -arms, on +which she went mad, though not enough to be confined. + +(31) His name was Dagge. + + +(32) Miss Fenton, the first Polly of the Beggar's Opera. Charles +Duke of Bolton took her off the stage, had children by her, and +afterwards married her. + +(33) Lord Charles Hay, brother of the Marquis of Tweedale. + + + + +Letter 14 To The Rev. Henry Zouch. +Strawberry Hill, February 4th, 1760. (page 44) + +Sir, +I deferred answering your last, as I was in hopes of BEING able +to send you a SHEET or two of my new work, but I find so many +difficulties and so much darkness attending the beginning, that I +can scarce say I have begun. I can only say in general, that I +do not propose to go further back than I have sure footing; that +is, I shall commence with what Vertue had collected from our +records, which, with regard to painting, do not date before Henry +III.; and then from him there is a gap to Henry VII. I shall +supply that with a little chronology of intervening paintings, +THOUGH, hitherto, I can find none of the two first Edwards. From +Henry VIII. there will be a regular succession of painters, short +lives of whom I am enabled by Vertue's MSS. to write, and I shall +connect them historically. I by no means Mean to touch on +foreign Artists, unless they came over hither; but they are +essential, for we had scarce any others tolerable. I propose to +begin with the anecdotes of painting only, because, in that +branch, my materials are by far most considerable. If I shall be +able to publish this part, perhaps it may induce persons of +curiosity and knowledge to assist me in the darker parts of the +story touching our architects, statuaries, and engravers. But it +is from the same kind friendship which has assisted me so +liberally already, that I expect to draw most information; need I +specify, Sir, that I mean yours, when the various hints in your +last letter speak so plainly for me? + +It is a pleasure to have any body one esteems agree with one's +own sentiments, as you do strongly with mine about Mr. Hurd.(34) +It is impossible not to own that he has sense and great +knowledge--but sure he is a most disagreeable writer! He loads +his thoughts with so many words, and those couched in so hard a +style, and so void of all veracity, that I have no patience to +read him. In one point. in the dialogues you mention, he is +perfectly ridiculous. He takes infinite pains to make the world +believe, upon his word, that they are the genuine productions of +the speakers, and yet does not give himself the least trouble to +counterfeit the style of any one of them. What was so easy as to +imitate Burnet? In his other work, the notes on Horace, he is +still more absurd. He cries up Warburton's preposterous notes on +Shakspeare, which would have died of their own folly, though Mr. +Edwards had not put them to death with the keenest wit in the +world.(35) But what signifies any sense, when it takes Warburton +for a pattern, who, with much greater parts, has not been able to +save himself from, or rather has affectedly involved himself in +numberless absurdities?--who proved Moses's legation by the sixth +book of Virgil;--a miracle (Julian's Earthquake), by proving it +was none;--and who explained a recent poet (Pope) by metaphysical +notes, ten times more obscure than the text! As if writing were +come to perfection, Warburton and Hurd are going back again; and +since commentators, obscurity, paradoxes, and visions have been +so long exploded, ay, and pedantry too, they seem to think that +they shall have merit by reviving what was happily forgotten -, +and yet these men have their followers, by that balance which +compensates to one for what he misses from another. When an +author writes clearly, he is imitated; and when obscurely, he is +admired. Adieu! + +(34) Who died Bishop of Worcester in 1808. He was the author of +many works, most of which are now little read, although they had +a great vogue in their day. There is a great deal of justice in +Mr. Walpole's criticism of him and his patron.-C. + +(35) In the "Canons of Criticism."--E. + + + +Letter 15 To Sir Horace Mann. +Arlington Street, Feb. 28, 1760. (page 45) + +The next time you see Marshal Botta, and are to act King of Great +Britain, France, and Ireland, you must abate about an hundredth +thousandth part of the dignity of your crown. You are no more +monarch of all Ireland, than King O'Neil, or King Macdermoch is. +Louis XV. is sovereign of France, Navarre, and Carrickfergus. +You will be mistaken if you think the peace is made, and that we +cede this Hibernian town, in order to recover Minorca, or to keep +Quebec and Louisbourg. To be sure, it is natural you should +think so: how should so victorious and heroic nation cease to +enjoy any of its possessions, but to save Christian blood? Oh! I +know, you will suppose there has been another insurrection, and +that it is King John(36) of Bedford, and not King George of +Brunswick, that has lost this town. Why, I own you are a great +politician, and see things in a moment-and no wonder, considering +how long you have been employed in negotiations; but for once all +your sagacity is mistaken. Indeed, considering the total +destruction of the maritime force of France, and that the great +mechanics and mathematicians of this age have not invented a +flying bridge to fling over the sea and land from the coast of +France to the north of Ireland, it was not easy to conceive how +the French should conquer Carrickfergus--and yet they have. But +how I run on! not reflecting that by this time the old Pretender +must have hobbled through Florence on his way to Ireland, to take +possession of this scrap of his recovered domains; but I may as +well tell you at once, for to be sure you and the loyal body of +English in Tuscany will slip over all this exordium to come to +the account of so extraordinary a revolution. Well, here it is. +Last week Monsieur Thurot--oh! now you are au fait!--Monsieur +Thurot, as I was saying, landed last week in the isle of Islay, +the capital province belonging to a great Scotch King,(37) who is +so good as generally to pass the winter with his friends here in +London. Monsieur Thurot had three ships, the crews of which +burnt two ships belonging to King George, and a house belonging +to his friend the King of Argyll--pray don't mistake; by his +friend(38) I mein King George's, not Thurot's friend. When they +had finished this campaign, they sailed to Carrickfergus, a +poorish town, situated in the heart of the Protestant cantons. +They immediately made a moderate demand of about twenty articles +of provisions, promising to pay for them; for you know it is the +way of modern invasions(39) to make them cost as much as possible +to oneself, and as little to those one invades. If this was not +complied with, they threatened to burn the town, and then march +to Belfast, which is much richer. We were sensible of this civil +proceedings and not to be behindhand, agreed to it; but somehow +or other this capitulation was broken; on which a detachment (the +whole invasion consists of one thousand men) attack the place. +We shut the gates, but after the battle of Quebec it is +impossible that so great a people should attend to such trifles +as locks and bolts, accordingly there were none--and as if there +were no gates neither, the two armies fired through them--if this +is a blunder, remember I am describing an Irish war. I forgot to +give you the numbers of the Irish army. It consisted but Of +seventy-two, under lieut.-colonel Jennings, a wonderful brave +man--too brave, in short, to be very judicious. Unluckily our +ammunition was soon spent, for it is not above a year that there +have been any apprehensions for Ireland, and as all that part of +the country are most protestantly loyal, it was not thought +necessary to arm people who would fight till they die for their +religion. When the artillery was silenced, the garrison thought +the best way of saving the town was by flinging it at the heads +of the besiegers; accordingly they poured volleys of brickbats at +the French, whose commander, Monsieur Flobert, was mortally +knocked down, and his troops began to give way. However, General +Jennings thought it most prudent to retreat to the castle, and +the French again advanced. Four or five raw recruits still +bravely kept the gates, when the garrison, finding no more +gunpowder in the castle than they had had in the town, and not +near so good a brick-kiln, sent to desire to surrender. General +Thurot accordingly made them prisoners of war, and plundered the +town. + +END OF THE SIEGE OF CARRICKFERGUS. + +You will perhaps ask what preparations have been made to recover +this loss. The, viceroy immediately despatched General +Fitzwilliam with four regiments of foot and three of horse +against the invaders, appointing to overtake them in person at +Newry; but -@is I believe he left Bladen's Caesar, and Bland's +Military Discipline behind him in England, which he used to study +in the camp at Blandford, I fear he will not have his campaign +equipage ready soon enough. My Lord Anson too has sent nine +ships, though indeed he does not think they will arrive time +enough. Your part, my dear Sir, will be very easy: you will only +have to say that it is nothing, while it lasts; and the moment it +is over, you must say it was an embarkation of ten thousand men. +I will punctually let you know how to vary your dialect. Mr. +Pitt is in bed very ill with the gout. + +Lord George Sackville was put under arrest to-day. His trial +comes on to-morrow, but I believe will be postponed, as the +court-martial will consult the judges, whether a man who is not +in the army, may be tried as an officer. The judges will answer +yes, for how can a point that is not common sense, not be common +law! + +Lord Ferrers is in the Tower; so you see the good-natured people +of England will not want their favourite amusement, executions- +-not to mention, that it will be very hard if the Irish war don't +furnish some little diversion. + +My Lord Northampton frequently asks me about you. Oh! I had +forgot, there is a dreadful Mr. Dering come over, who to show +that he has not been spoiled by his travels, got drunk the first +day he appeared, and put me horridly out of countenance about my +correspondence with you--for mercy's sake take care how you +communicate my letters to such cubs. I will send you no more +invasions, if you read them to bears and bear-leaders. +Seriously, my dear child, I don't mean to reprove you; I know +your partiality to me, and your unbounded benignity to every +thing English; but I sweat sometimes, when I find that I have +been corresponding for two or three months with young Derings. +For clerks and postmasters, I can't help it, and besides, they +never tell one they have seen One's letters; but I beg you will +at most tell them my news, but without my name, or my words. +Adieu! If I bridle you, believe that I know that it is only your +heart that runs away with you. + +(36) John Duke of Bedford, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. + +(37) Archibald Earl of Islay and Duke of Argyle. + +(38) The Duke of argyle had been suspected of temporizing in the +last rebellion. + +(39) Alluding to our expensive invasions on the coast of France. + + + +Letter 16 To Sir Horace Mann. +Arlington Street, March 4, 1760. (page 48) + +never was any romance of such short duration as Monsieur +Thurot's! Instead of the waiting for the viceroy's army, and +staying to see whether it had any ammunition, or was only armed +with brickbats `a la Carrickfergienne, he re-embarked on the +28th, taking along with him the mayor and three others--I +suppose, as proofs of his conquest. The Duke of Bedford had sent +notice of' the invasion to Kinsale, where lay three or four of +our best frigates. They instantly sailed, and came up with the +flying invaders in the Irish Channel. You will see the short +detail of the action in the Gazette; but, as the letter was +written by Captain Elliot himself, you will not see there, that +he with half the number of Thurot's crew, boarded the latter's +vessel. Thurot was killed, and his pigmy navy all taken and +carried into the Isle of Man. It is an entertaining episode; but +think what would have happened, if the whole of the plan had +taken place -it the destined time. The negligence of the Duke of +Bedford's administration has appeared so gross, that one may +believe his very kingdom would have been lost, if Conflans had +not been beat. You will see, by the deposition of Ensign hall, +published in all our papers, that the account of the siege of +Carrickfergus, which I sent you in my last, was not half so +ridiculous as the reality--because, as that deponent said, I was +furnished with no papers but my memory. The General Flobert, I +am told, you may remember at Florence; he was then very mad, and +was to have fought Mallet.--but was banished from Tuscany. Some +years since he was in England; and met Mallet at lord +Chesterfield's, but without acknowledging one another. The next +day Flobert asked the Earl if Mallet had mentioned him?--No-"Il a +donc," said Flobert, "beaucoup de retenue, car surement ce qu'il +pourroit dire de moi, ne seroit pas `a mon avantage."--it was +pretty, and they say he is now grown an agreeable and rational +man. + +The judges have given their opinion that the court-martial on +lord George Sackville is legal; so I suppose it will proceed on +Thursday. + +I receive yours of the 16th of last month: I wish you had given +me any account of your headaches that I could show to Ward. He +will no more comprehend nervous, than the physicians do who use +the word. Send me an exact description; if he can do you no +good, at least it will be a satisfaction to me to have consulted +him. I wish, my dear child, that what you say at the end of your +letter, of appointments and honours, was not as chronical as your +headaches-that is a thing you may long complain of-indeed there I +can consult nobody. I have no dealings with either our +state-doctors or statequacks. I only know that the political +ones are so like the medicinal ones, that after the doctors had +talked nonsense for years, while we daily grew worse, the quacks +ventured boldly, and have done us wonderful good. I should not +dislike to have you state your case to the latter, though I +cannot advise it, for the regular physicians are daintily +jealous; nor could I carry it, for when they know I would take +none of their medicines myself, they would not much attend to me +consulting them for others, nor would it be decent, nor should I +care to be seen in their shop. Adieu! + +P. S. There are some big news from the East Indies. I don't know +what, except that the hero Clive has taken Mazulipatam and the +Great Mogul's grandmother. I suppose she will be brought over +and put in the Tower with the Shahgoest, the strange Indian beast +that Mr. Pitt gave to the King this winter. + + + +.Letter 17 To Sir Horace Mann. + +Arlington Street, March 26, 1760. (page 49) + +I have a good mind to have Mr. Sisson tried by a court-martial, +in order to clear my own character for punctuality. It is time +immemorial since he promised me the machine and the drawing in +six weeks. After above half of time immemorial was elapsed, he +came and begged for ten guineas. Your brother and I called one +another to a council of war, and at last gave it him nemine +contradicente. The moment your hurrying letter arrived, I issued +out a warrant and took Sisson up, who, after all his promises, +was guilty by his own confession, of not having begun the +drawing. However, after scolding him black and blue, I have got +it from him, have consigned it to your brother James, and you +will receive it, I trust, along With this. I hope too time +enough for the purposes it is to serve, and correct; if it is +not, I shall be very sorry. You shall have the machine as soon +as possible, but that must go by sea. + +I shall execute your commission about Stoschino(40) much better; +he need not fear my receiving him well, if he has virt`u to +sell,--I am only afraid, in that case, of receiving him too well. +You know what a dupe I am when I like any thing. + +I shall handle your brother James as roughly as I did Sisson--six +months without writing to you! Sure he must turn black in the +face, if he has a drop of brotherly ink in his veins. As to your +other brother,(41) he is so strange a man, that is, so common a +one;, that I am not surprised at any thing he does or does not +do. + +Bless your stars that you are not here, to be worn out with the +details of lord George's court-martial! One hears of nothing +else. It has already lasted much longer than could be conceived, +and now the end of it is still at a tolerable distance. The +colour of it is more favourable for him than it looked at first. +Prince Ferdinand's narrative has proved to set out with a heap of +lies. There is an old gentleman(42) of the same family who has +spared no indecency to give weight to them--but, you know, +general officers are men of strict honour, and nothing can bias +them. Lord Charles Hay's court-martial is dissolved, by the +death of one of the members--and as no German interest is +concerned to ruin him, it probably will not be re-assumed. Lord +Ferrers's trial is fixed for the 16th of next month. Adieu! + +P. S. Don't mention it from me, but if you have a mind you may +make your court to my Lady Orford, by announcing the ancient +barony of Clinton, which is fallen to her, by the death of the +last incumbentess.(43) + +(40) Nephew of Baron Stosch, a well-known virtuoso and antiquary, +who died at Florence. + +(41) Edward Louisa Mann, the eldest brother. + + +(42) George the Second. + +(43) Mrs. Fortescue, sister of Hugh last Lord Clinton. + + + +Letter 18 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, March 27, 1760. (page 50) + +I should have thought that you might have learnt by this time, +that when a tradesman promises any thing on Monday, Or Saturday, +or any particular day of the week, he means any Monday or any +Saturday of any week, as nurses quiet children and their own +consciences by the refined salvo of to-morrow is a new day. When +Mr. Smith's Saturday and the frame do arrive, I will pay the one +and send you the other. + +Lord George's trial is not near being finished. By its draggling +beyond the term of the old Mutiny-bill, they were forced to make +out a new warrant: this lost two days, as all the depositions +were forced to be read over again to, and resworn by, the +witnesses; then there will be a contest, whether Sloper(44) shall +re-establish his own credit by pawning it farther. Lord Ferrers +comes on the stage on the sixteenth of next month. + +I breakfasted the day before yesterday at Elia laelia +Chudleigh's. There was a concert for Prince Edward's birthday, +and at three, a vast cold collation, and all the town. The house +is not fine, nor in good taste, but loaded with finery. +Execrable varnished pictures, chests, cabinets, commodes, tables, +stands, boxes, riding on One another's backs, and loaded with +terrenes, filigree, figures, and every thing upon earth. Every +favour she has bestowed is registered by a bit of Dresden china. +There is a glass-case full of enamels, eggs, ambers, lapis +lazuli, cameos, toothpick-cases, and all kinds of trinkets, +things that she told me were her playthings; another cupboard, +full of the finest japan, and candlesticks and vases of rock +crystal, ready to be thrown down, in every corner. But of all +curiosities, are the conveniences in every bedchamber: great +mahogany projections, with brass handles, cocks, etc. I could +not help saying, it was the loosest family I ever saw. Adieu! + +(44) Lieutenant-colonel Sloper, of Bland's dragoons. + + + + +Letter 19 To Sir. David Dalrymple.(45) +Strawberry Hill, April 4, 1760. (page 51) + +Sir, +As I have very little at present to trouble you with myself, I +should have deferred writing, till a better opportunity, if it +were not to satisfy the curiosity of a friend; a friend whom you, +Sir, will be glad to have made curious, as you originally pointed +him out as a likely person to be charmed with the old Irish +poetry you sent me. It is Mr. Gray, who is an enthusiast about +those poems, and begs me to put the following queries to you; +which I will do in his own words, and I may say truly, Poeta +loquitur. + +"I am so charmed with the two specimens of Erse poetry, that I +cannot help giving you the trouble to inquire a little farther +about them, and should wish to see a few lines of the original, +that I may form some slight idea of the language, the measure, +and the rhythm. + +"Is there any thing known of the author or authors, and of what +antiquity are they supposed to be? + +"Is there any more to be had of equal beauty, or at all +approaching to it? + +"I have been often told, that the poem called Hardykanute (which +I always admired and still admire) was the work of somebody that +lived a few years ago.(46) This I do not at all believe, though +it has evidently been retouched in places by some modern hand; +but, however, I am authorized by this report to ask, whether the +two poems in question are certainly antique and genuine. I make +this inquiry in quality of an antiquary, and am not otherwise +concerned about it; for if I were sure that any one now living in +Scotland had written them, to divert himself and laugh at the +credulity of the world, I would undertake a journey into the +Highlands only for the pleasure of seeing him." + +You see, Sir, how easily you may make our greatest southern bard +travel northward to visit a brother. young translator had +nothing to do but to own a forgery, and Mr. Gray is ready to pack +up his lyre, saddle Pegasus, and set out directly. But +seriously, he,' Mr. Mason, my Lord Lyttelton, and one or two +more, whose taste the world allows, are in love with your Erse +elegies - I cannot say in general they are so much admired--but +Mr. Gray alone is worth satisfying. + +The "Siege of Aquileia," of which you ask, pleased less than Mr. +Home's other plays.(47) In my own opinion, Douglas far exceeds +both the other. Mr. Home seems to have a beautiful talent for +painting genuine nature and the manners of his country. There +was so little nature in the manners of both Greeks and Romans, +that I do not wonder at his success being less brilliant when he +tried those subjects; and, to say the truth, one is a little +weary of them. At present, nothing is talked of, nothing +admired, but what I cannot help calling a very insipid and +tedious performance: it is a kind Of novel, called "The Life and +Opinions of Tristram Shandy;" the great humour of which consists +in the whole narration always going backwards. I cannot conceive +a man saying that it would be droll to write a book in that +manner, but have no notion of his persevering in executing it. +It makes one smile two or three times at the beginnings but in +recompense makes one yawn for two hours. The characters are +tolerably kept up, but the humour is for ever attempted and +missed. The best thing in it is a Sermon, oddly coupled with a +good deal of bawdy, and both the composition of a clergyman. The +man's head, indeed, was a little turned before, now topsy-turvy +with his success and fame.(48) Dodsley has given him six hundred +and fifty pounds for the second edition and two more volumes +(which I suppose will reach backwards to his +great-great-grandfather); Lord Falconberg, a donative of one +hundred and sixty pounds a-year; and Bishop Warburton gave him a +purse of gold and this compliment (which happened to be a +contradiction), "that it was quite an original composition, and +in the true Cervantic vein:" the only copy that ever was an +original, except in painting, where they all pretend to be so. +Warburton, however, not content with this, recommended the book +to the bench of bishops, and told them Mr. Sterne, the author, +was the English Rabelais. They had never heard of such a writer. +Adieu! + +(45) Now first collected. + +(46) It was written by Mrs. Halket of Wardlaw. Mr. Lockhart +stated, that on the blank leaf of his copy of Allan Ramsay's +"Evergreen," Sir Walter Scott has written "Hardyknute was the +first poem that I ever learnt, the last that I shall forget."-E. + +(47) It came out at Drury-Lane, but met with small success.-E. + +(48) Gray, in a letter to Wharton, of the 22d of April, says, +"Tristram Shandy is an object of admiration, the man as well as +the book. One is invited to dinner, where he dines, a fortnight +beforehand. His portrait is done by Reynolds, and now +engraving." He adds, in another letter, "There is much good fun +in Tristram, and humour sometimes hit and sometimes missed. Have +you read his Sermons (with his own comic figure at the head of +them)? They are in the style, I think, most proper for the +pulpit, and show a very strong imagination and a sensible heart: +but you see him often tottering on the verge of laughter, and +ready to throw his periwig in the face of his audience."-E. + + + +Letter 20 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, April 19, 1760. (page 52) + +Well, this big week is over! Lord George's sentence, after all +the communications of how terrible it was, is ended in +proclaiming him unfit for the King's service. Very moderate, in +comparison of what was intended and desired, and truly not very +severe, considering what was proved. The other trial, Lord +Ferrers's, lasted three days. You have seen the pomp and +awfulness of such doings, so I will not describe it to you. The +judge and criminal were far inferior to those you have seen. For +the Lord High Steward(49) he neither had any dignity nor affected +any; nay, he held it all so cheap, that he said at his own table +t'other day, "I will not send for Garrick and learn to act a +part." At first I thought Lord Ferrers shocked, but in general +he behaved rationally and coolly; though it was a strange +contradiction to see a man trying by his own sense, to prove +himself out of his senses. It was more shocking to see his two +brothers brought to prove the lunacy in their own blood; in order +to save their brother's life. Both are almost as ill-looking men +as the Earl; one of them is a clergyman, suspended by the Bishop +of London for being a Methodist; the other a wild vagabond, whom +they call in the country, ragged and dangerous. After Lord +Ferrers was condemned, he made an excuse for pleading madness, to +which he said he was forced by his family. He is respited till +Monday-fortnight, and will then be hanged, I believe in the +Tower; and, to the mortification of the peerage, is to be +anatomized, conformably to the late act for murder. Many peers +were absent; Lord Foley and Lord Jersey attended only the first +day; and Lord Huntingdon, and my nephew Orford (in compliment to +his mother), as related to the prisoner, withdrew without voting. +But never was a criminal more literally tried by his peers, for +the three persons, who interested themselves most in the +examination, were at least as mad as he; Lord Ravensworth, Lord +Talbot, and Lord Fortescue. Indeed, the first was almost +frantic. The seats of the peeresses were not near full, and most +of the beauties absent; the Duchess of Hamilton and my niece +Waldegrave, you know, lie in; but, to the amazement of every +body, Lady Coventry was there; and what surprised me much more, +looked as well as ever. I sat next but one to her, and should +not have asked if she had been ill--yet they are positive she has +few weeks to live. She and Lord Bolingbroke seemed to have +different thoughts, and were acting over all the old comedy of +eyes. I sat in Lord Lincoln's gallery; you and I know the +convenience of it; I thought it no great favour to ask, and he +very obligingly sent me a ticket immediately, and ordered me to +be placed in one of the best boxes. Lady Augusta was in the same +gallery; the Duke of York and his young brothers were in the +Prince of Wales's box, who was not there, no more than the +Princess, Princess Emily, nor the Duke. It was an agreeable +humanity in my friend--the Duke of York; he would not take his +seat in the House before the trial, that he might not vote in it. +There are so many young peers, that the show was fine even in +that respect; the Duke of Richmond was the finest figure; the +Duke of Marlborough, with the best countenance in the world, +looked clumsy in his robes; he had new ones, having given away +his father's to the valet de chambre. There were others not at +all so indifferent about the antiquity of theirs; Lord +Huntingdon's, Lord Abergavenny's, and Lord Castlehaven's scarcely +hung on their backs; the former they pretend were used at the +trial of the Queen of Scots. But all these honours were a little +defaced by seeing Lord Temple, as lord privy seal, walk at the +head of the peerage. Who, at the last trials, would have +believed a prophecy, that the three first men at the next should +be Henley the lawyer, Bishop Secker, and Dick Grenville. + +The day before the trial, the Duke of Bolton fought a duel at +Marylebone with Stewart who lately stood for Hampshire; the +latter was wounded in the arm, and the former fell down.(50) +Adieu! + +(49) Robert Henley, afterwards Earl of Northington.-E. + +(50) "Here has just been a duel between the Duke of Bolton and +Mr. Stewart, a candidate for the county of Hampshire at the late +election: what the quarrel was I do not know; but, they met near +Marylebone, and the Duke, in making a pass, overreached himself, +fell down, and hurt his knee. The other bid him get up, but he +could not; then he bid him ask his life, but he would not; so he +let him alone, and that's all. Mr. Stewart was slightly +wounded." Gray, vol. iii. p. 238.-E. + + + +Letter 21 To Sir Horace Mann. +Strawberry Hill, April 20, 1760. (page 54) + +The history of Lord George Sackville, which has interested us so +much and so long, is at last at an end-,gently enough, +considering who were his parties, and what has been proved. He +is declared unfit to serve the King in a military capacity-but I +think this is not the last we shall hear of Whatever were his +deficiencies in the day of battle, he has at least showed no want +of spirit, either in pushing on his trial or during it. His +judgment in both was perhaps a little more equivocal. He had a +formal message that he must abide the event whatever it should +be. He accepted that issue, and during the course of the +examination, attacked judge, prosecutor and evidence. Indeed, a +man cannot be said to want spirit, who could show so much in his +circumstances.(51) I think, without much heroism, I could sooner +have led up the cavalry to the charge, than have gone to +Whitehall to be worried as he was; nay, I should have thought +with less danger of my life. But he is a peculiar man; and I +repeat it, we have hot heard the last of him. You will find that +by serving the King he understands in a very literal sense; and +there is a young gentleman(52) who it is believed intends those +words shall not have a more extensive one. + +We have had another trial this week, still more solemn, though +less interesting, and with more serious determination: I mean +that of Lord Ferrers. I have formerly described this solemnity +to you. The behaviour, character, and appearance of the +criminal, by no means corresponded to the dignity of the show. +His figure is bad and villanous, his crime shocking. He would +not plead guilty, and yet had nothing to plead; and at last to +humour his family, pleaded madness against his inclination: it +was moving to see two of his brothers brought to depose the +lunacy in their blood. After he was condemned, he excused +himself for having used that plea. He is to be hanged in a +fortnight, I believe, in the Tower, and his body to be delivered +to the surgeons, according to the tenour of the new act of +parliament for murder. His mother was to present a petition for +his life to the King to-day. There were near an hundred and +forty peers present; my Lord Keeper was lord high steward, but +was not at all too dignified a personage to sit on such a +criminal: indeed he gave himself no trouble to figure. I will +send you both trials as soon as they are published. It is +astonishing with what order these shows are conducted. Neither +within the hall nor without was there the least disturbance,(53) +though the one so full, and the whole way from Charing-cross to +the House of Lords was lined with crowds. The foreigners were +struck with the awfulness of the proceeding-it is new to their +ideas, to see such deliberate justice, and such dignity of +nobility, mixed with no respect for birth in the catastrophe, and +still more humiliated by anatomizing the criminal. + +I am glad you received safe my history of Thurot: as the accounts +were authentic, they must have been useful and amusing to you. I +don't expect more invasions, but I fear our correspondence will +still have martial events to trade in, though there are such +Christian professions going about the world. I don't believe +their Pacific Majesties will waive a campaign, for which they are +all prepared, and by the issue of which they will all hope to +improve their terms. + +You know we have got a new Duke of York(54) and were to have had +several new peers, but hitherto it has stopped at him and the +lord keeper. Adieu! + +P. S. I must not forget to recommend to you a friend of Mr. +Chute, who will ere long be at Florence, in his way to Naples for +his health. It is Mr. Morrice, clerk of the green cloth, heir of +Sir William Morrice, and of vast wealth. I gave a letter lately +for a young gentleman whom I never saw, and consequently not +meaning to incumber you with him, I did not mention him +particularly in my familiar letters. + +(51) Gray, in a letter of the 22d, gives the following account of +the result of this trial. "The old Pundles that sat on Lord +George Sackville have at last hammered out their sentence. He is +declared disobedient, and unfit for all military command. What +he will do with himself, nobody guesses. The unembarrassed +countenance, the looks of revenge, contempt, and superiority that +he bestowed on his accusers were the admiration of all, but his +usual talent and art did not appear; in short, his cause would +not support him. You may think, perhaps, he intends to go abroad +and hide his head; au contraire, all the world visits him on his +condemnation." Works, vol. iii. p. 239.-E. + +(52) George Prince of Wales. + +(53) "I was not present," says Gray, "but Mason was in the Duke +of Ancaster's gallery. and in the greatest danger; for the cell +underneath him (to which the prisoner retires) was on fire during +the trial, and the Duke, with the workmen, by sawing away some +timbers, and other assistance, contrived to put it out without +any alarm to the Court." Works, vol. iii. p. 240.-E. + +(54) Prince Edward, second son of Frederic Prince of Wales.-D. + + + +Letter 22 To The Rev. Henry Zouch. +Strawberry Hill, May 3, 1760. (page 55) + +Indeed, Sir, you have been misinformed; I had not the least hand +in the answer to my Lord Bath's Rhapsody: it is true the +booksellers sold it as mine, and it was believed so till people +had 'read it, because my name and that of Pulteney had been apt +to answer one another, and because that war was dirtily revived +by the latter in his libel; but the deceit soon vanished; the +answer a appeared to have much more knowledge of the subject than +I have, and a good deal more temper than I should probably have +exerted, if I had thought it worth while to proceed to an answer; +but though my Lord Bath is unwilling to enter lists in which he +has suffered so much shame, I am by no means fond of entering +them; nor was there any honour to be acquired, either from the +contest or the combatant. + +My history of artists proceeds very leisurely; I find the subject +dry and uninteresting, and the materials scarce worth arranging: +yet I think I shall execute my purpose, at least as far as +relates to painters. It is a work I can scribble at any time, +and on which I shall bestow little pains; things that are so soon +forgotten should not take one up too much. I had consulted Mr. +Lethinkai, who told me he had communicated to Mr. Vertue what +observations he had made. I believe they were scanty, for I find +small materials relating to architects among his manuscripts. +Adieu! + + + +Letter 23 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, May 6, 1760. (page 56) + +The extraordinary history of Lord Ferrers is closed: he was +executed yesterday. Madness, that in other countries is a +disorder, is here a systematic character; it does not hinder +people from forming a plan of conduct, and from even dying +agreeably to it. You remember how the last Ratcliffe died with +the utmost propriety; so did this horrid lunatic, coolly and +sensibly. His own and his wife's relations had asserted that he +would tremble at last. No such thing; he shamed heroes. He bore +the solemnity of a pompous and tedious procession of above two +hours, from the Tower to Tyburn, with as much tranquillity as if +he was only going to his own burial, not to his own execution. +He even talked on indifferent subjects in the passage; and if the +sheriff and the chaplains had not thought that they had parts to +act, too, and had not consequently engaged him in most particular +conversation, he did not seem to think it necessary to talk on +the occasion; he went in his wedding-clothes, marking the only +remaining impression on -his mind. The ceremony he was in a +hurry to have over: he was stopped at the gallows by the vast +crowd, but got out of his coach as soon as he could, and was but +seven minutes on the scaffold, which was hung with black, and +prepared by the undertaker of his family at their expense. There +was a new contrivance for sinking the stage under him, which did +not play well; and he suffered a little by the delay, but was +dead in four minutes. The mob was decent, and admired him, and +almost pitied him; so they would Lord George, whose execution +they are so angry at missing. I suppose every highwayman will +now preserve the blue handkerchief he has about his neck when he +is married, that he may die like a lord. With all his madness, +he was not mad enough to be struck with his aunt Huntingdon's +sermons. The Methodists have nothing to brag of his conversion, +though Whitfield prayed for him and preached about him. Even +Tyburn has been above their reach. I have not heard that Lady +Fanny dabbled with his soul; but I believe she is prudent enough +to confine her missionary zeal to subjects where the body may be +her perquisite. + +When am I likely to see you? The delightful rain is come--we look +and smell charmingly. Adieu! + + + +Letter 24 To Sir Horace Mann. +Strawberry Hill, May 7, 1760. (page 57) + +What will your Italians say to a peer of England, an earl of one +of the best of families, tried for murdering his servant, with +the utmost dignity and solemnity, and then hanged at the common +place of execution for highwaymen, and afterwards anatomized? +This must seem a little odd to them, especially as they have not +lately had a Sixtus Quinttis. I have hitherto spoken of Lord +Ferrers to you as a mad beast, a mad assassin, a low wretch, +about whom I had no curiosity. If I now am going to give you a +minute account of him, don't think me so far part of an English +mob, as to fall in love with a criminal merely because I have had +the pleasure of his execution. I certainly did not see it, nor +should have been struck with more intrepidity--I never adored +heroes, whether in a cart or a triumphal car--but there has been +Such wonderful coolness and sense in all this man's last +behaviour, that it has made me quite inquisitive about him --not +at all pity him. I only reflect, what I have often thought, how +little connexion there is between any man's sense and his +sensibility--so much so, that instead of Lord Ferrers having any +ascendant over his passions, I am disposed to think, that his +drunkenness, which was supposed to heighten his ferocity, has +rather been a lucky circumstance-what might not a creature of +such capacity, and who stuck at nothing, have done, if his +abilities had not been drowned in brandy? I will go back a little +into his history. His misfortunes, as he called them, were dated +from his marriage, though he has been guilty of horrid excesses +unconnected with Matrimony, and is even believed to have killed a +groom -,,,he died a year after receiving a cruel beating from +him. His wife, a very pretty woman, was sister of Sir William +Meredith,(55) had no fortune, and he says, trepanned him into +marriage, having met him drunk at an assembly in the country, and +kept him so till the ceremony was over. As he always kept +himself so afterwards, one need not impute it to her. In every +other respect, and one scarce knows how to blame her for wishing +to be a countess, her behaviour was unexceptionable.(56) He had +a mistress before and two or three children, and her he took +again after the separation from his wife. He was fond of both +and used both ill: his wife so ill, always carrying pistols to +bed, and threatening to kill her before morning, beating her, and +jealous without provocation, that she got separated from him by +act of Parliament, which appointed receivers of his estate in +order to secure her allowance. This he could not bear. However, +he named his steward for one, but afterwards finding out that +this Johnson had paid her fifty pounds without his knowledge, and +suspecting him of being in the confederacy against him, he +determined, when he failed of opportunities of murdering his +wife, to kill the steward, which he effected as you have heard. +The shocking circumstances attending the murder, I did not tell +you-indeed, while he was alive, I scarce liked to speak my +opinion even to you; for though I felt nothing for him, I thought +it wrong to propagate any notions that might interfere with +mercy, if he could be then thought deserving it--and not knowing +into what hands my letter might pass before it reached yours, I +chose to be silent, though nobody could conceive greater horror +than I did for him at his trial. Having shot the steward at +three in the afternoon, he persecuted him till one in the +morning, threatening again to murder him, attempting to tear off +his bandages, and terrifying him till in that misery he was glad +to obtain leave to be removed to his own house; and when the earl +heard the poor creature was dead, he said he gloried in having +killed him. You cannot conceive the shock this evidence gave the +court-many of the lords were standing to look at him-at once they +turned from him with detestation. I had heard that on the former +affair in the House of Lords, he had behaved with great +shrewdness--no such thing appeared at his trial. It is now +pretended, that his being forced by his family against his +inclination to plead madness, prevented his exerting his parts- +-but he has not acted in any thing as if his family had influence +over him--consequently his reverting to much good sense leaves +the whole inexplicable. The very night he received sentence, he +played at picquet with the warders and would play for money, and +would have continued to play every evening, but they refuse. +Lord Cornwallis, governor of the Tower, shortened his allowance +of wine after his conviction, agreeably to the late strict acts +on murder. This he much disliked, and at last pressed his +brother the clergyman to intercede that at least he might have +more porter; for, said he, what I have is not a draught. His +brother represented against it, but at last consenting (and he +did obtain it)--then said the earl, "Now is as good a time as any +to take leave of you--adieu!" A minute journal of his whole +behaviour has been kept, to see if there was any madness in it. +Dr. Munro since the trial has made -,in affidavit of his lunacy. +The Washingtons were certainly a very frantic race, and I have no +doubt of madness in him, but not of a pardonable sort. Two +petitions from his mother and all his family were presented to +the King, who said, as the House of Lords had unanimously found +him guilty, he would not interfere. Last week my lord keeper +very good-naturedly got out of a gouty bed to present another: +the King would not hear him. "Sir," said the keeper, "I don't +come to petition for mercy or respite; but that the four thousand +pounds which Lord Ferrers has in India bonds may be permitted to +go according to his disposition of it to his mistress' children, +and the family of the murdered man." "With all my heart," said +the King, "I have no objection; but I will have no message +carried to him from me." However, this grace was notified to him +and gave him great satisfaction: but unfortunately it now appears +to be law, that it is forfeited to the sheriff of the county +where the fact was committed; though when my Lord Hardwicke was +told that he had disposed of it, he said, to be sure he may +before conviction. + +Dr. Pearce, Bishop of Rochester,(57) offered his service to him: +he thanked the Bishop, but said, as his own brother was a +clergyman, he chose to have him. Yet he had another relation who +has been much more busy about his repentance. I don't know +whether you have ever heard that one of the singular characters +here is a Countess of Huntingdon,(58) aunt of Lord Ferrers. She +is the Saint Theresa of the Methodists. Judge how violent +bigotry must be in such mad blood! The Earl, by no means +disposed to be a convert, let her visit him, and often sent for +her, as it was more company; but he grew sick of her, and +complained that she was enough to provoke any body. She made her +suffragan, Whitfield, pray for and preach about him, and that +impertinent fellow told his enthusiasts in his sermon, that my +Lord's heart was stone. The earl wanted much to see his +mistress: my Lord Cornwallis, as simple an old woman as my Lady +Huntingdon herself, consulted her whether he should permit it. +"Oh! by no means; it would be letting him die in adultery!" In +one thing she was more sensible. He resolved not to take leave +of his children, four girls, but on the scaffold, and then to +read to them a paper he had drawn up, very bitter on the family +of Meredith, and on the House of Lords for -the first +transaction. This my Lady Huntingdon persuaded him to drop, and +he took leave of his children the day before. He wrote two +letters in the preceding week to Lord Cornwallis on some of these +requests - they were cool and rational, and concluded with +desiring him not to mind the absurd requests of his (Lord +Ferrers's) family in his behalf. On the last morning he dressed +himself in his wedding clothes, and said, he thought this, at +least, as good an occasion of putting them on as that for which +they were first made. He wore them to Tyburn. This marked the +strong impression on his mind. His mother wrote to his wife in a +weak angry Style, telling her to intercede for him as her duty, +and to swear to his madness. But this was not so easy; in all +her cause before the lords, she had persisted that he was not +mad. + +Sir William Meredith, and even Lady Huntingdon had prophesied +that his courage would fail him at last, and had so much +foundation, that it is certain Lord Ferrers had often been beat:- +-but the Methodists were to get no honour by him. His courage +rose where it was most likely to fail,-an unlucky circumstance to +prophets, especially when they have had the prudence to have all +kind of probability on their side. Even an awful procession of +above two hours, with that mixture of pageantry, shame, and +ignominy, nay, and of delay, could not dismount his resolution. +He set out from the Tower at nine, amidst crowds, thousands. +First went a string of constables; then one of the sheriffs, in +his chariot and six, the horses dressed with ribands; next Lord +Ferrers, in his own landau and six, his coachman crying all the +way; guards at each side; the other sheriffs chariot followed +empty, with a mourning coach-and-six, a hearse, and the Horse +Guards. Observe, that the empty chariot was that of the other +sheriff, who was in the coach with the prisoner, and who was +Vaillant, the French bookseller in the Strand. How will you +decipher all these strange circumstances to Florentines? A +bookseller in robes and in mourning, sitting as a magistrate by +the side of the Earl; and in the evening, every -body going to +Vaillant's shop to hear the particulars. I wrote to him '. as he +serves me, for the account: but he intends to print it, and I +will send it you with some other things, and the trial. Lord +Ferrers at first talked on indifferent matters, and observing the +prodigious confluence of people, (the blind was drawn up on his +side,) he said,--"But they never saw a lord hanged, and perhaps +will never see another;" One of the dragoons was thrown by his +horse's leg entangling in the hind wheel: Lord Ferrers expressed +much concern, and said, "I hope there will be no death to-day but +mine," and was pleased when Vaillant told him the man was not +hurt. Vaillant made excuses to him on his office. "On the +contrary," said the Earl, "I am much obliged to you. I feared +the disagreeableness of the duty might make you depute your +under-sheriff. As you are so good as to execute it yourself, I +am persuaded the dreadful apparatus will be conducted with more +expedition." The chaplain of the Tower, who sat backwards, then +thought it his turn to speak, and began to talk on religion; but +Lord Ferrers received it impatiently. However, the chaplain +persevered, and said, he wished to bring his lordship to some +confession or acknowledgment of contrition for a crime so +repugnant to the laws of God and man, and wished him to endeavour +to do whatever could be done in so short a time. The Earl +replied, "He had done every thing he proposed to do with regard +to God and man; and as to discourses on religion, you and I, +Sir," said he to the clergyman, "shall probably not agree on that +subject. The passage is very short: you will not have time to +convince me, nor I to refute you; it cannot be ended before we +arrive." The clergyman still insisted, and urged, that. at +least, the world would expect some satisfaction. Lord Ferrers +replied, with some impatience, "Sir, what have I to do with the +world? I am going to pay a forfeit life, which my country has +thought proper to take from me--what do I care now what the world +thinks of me? But, Sir, since you do desire some confession, I +will confess one thing to you; I do believe there is a God. As +to modes of worship, we had better not talk on them. I always +thought Lord Bolingbroke in the wrong, to publish his notions on +religion: I will not fall into the same error." The chaplain, +seeing sensibly that it was in vain to make any more attempts, +contented himself with representing to him, that it would be +expected from one of his calling, and that even decency required, +that some prayer should be used on the scaffold, and asked his +leave, at least to repeat the Lord's Prayer there. Lord Ferrers +replied, "I always thought it a good prayer; you may use it if +you please." + +While these discourses were passing, the procession was stopped +by the crowd. The Earl said he was dry, and wished for some wine +and water. The Sheriff said, he was sorry to be obliged to +refuse him. By late regulations they were enjoined not to let +prisoners drink from the place of imprisonment to that of +execution, as great indecencies had been formerly committed by +the lower species of criminals getting drunk; "And though," said +he, "my Lord, I might think myself excusable in overlooking this +order out of regard to a person of your lordship's rank, yet +there is another reason which, I am sure, will weigh with +you;-your Lordship is sensible of the greatness of the crowd; we +must draw up to some tavern; the confluence would be so great, +that it would delay the expedition which your Lordship seems so +much to desire." He replied, he was satisfied, adding, "Then I +must be content with this," and took some pigtail tobacco out of +his pocket. As they went on, a letter was thrown into his coach; +it was from his mistress, to tell him, it was impossible, from +the crowd, for her to get up to the spot where he had appointed +her to meet and take leave of him, but that she was in a +hackney-coach of such a number. He begged Vaillant to order his +officers to try to get the hackney-coach up to his, "My Lord," +said Vaillant, you have behaved so well hitherto, that I think it +is pity to venture unmanning yourself." He was struck, and was +satisfied without seeing her. As they drew nigh, he said, "I +perceive we are almost arrived; it is time to do what little more +I have to do;" and then taking out his watch, gave it to +Vaillant, desiring him to accept it as a mark of his gratitude +for his kind behaviour, adding, "It is scarce worth Your +acceptance; but I have nothing else; it is a stop-watch, and a +pretty accurate one." He gave five guineas to the chaplain, and +took out as much for the executioner. Then giving Vaillant a +pocket-book, he begged him to deliver it to Mrs. Clifford his +mistress, with what it contained, and with his most tender +regards, saying, "The key of it is to the watch, but I am +persuaded you are too much a gentleman to open it." He destined +the remainder of the money in his purse to the same person, and +with the same tender regards. + +When they came to Tyburn, his coach was detained some minutes by +the conflux of people; but as soon as the door was opened, he +stepped out readily and mounted the scaffold: it was hung with +black, by the undertaker, and at the expense of his family. +Under the gallows was a new invented stage, to be struck from +under him. He showed no kind of fear or discomposure, only just +looking at the gallows with a slight motion of dissatisfaction. +He said little, kneeled for a moment to the prayer, said, "Lord +have mercy upon me, and forgive me my errors," and immediately +mounted the upper stage. He had come pinioned with a black sash, +and was unwilling to have his hands tied, or his face covered, +but was persuaded to both. When the rope was put round his neck, +he turned pale, but recovered his countenance instantly, and was +but seven minutes from leaving the coach, to the signal given for +striking the stage. As the machine was new, they were not ready +at it: his toes touched it, and he suffered a little, having had +time, by their bungling, to raise his cap; but the executioner +pulled it down again, and they pulled his legs, so that he was +soon out of pain, and quite dead in four minutes. He desired not +to be stripped and exposed, and Vaillant promised him, though his +clothes must be taken off, that his shirt should not. This +decency ended with him: the sheriffs fell to eating and drinking +on the scaffold, ran and helped up one of their friends to drink +with them, as he was still hanging, which he did for above an +hour, and then was conveyed back with the same pomp to Surgeons' +Hall, to be dissected. The executioners fought for the rope, and +the one who lost it cried. The mob tore off the black cloth as +relics; but the universal crowd behaved with great decency and +admiration, as they well might; for sure no exit was ever made +with more sensible resolution and with less ostentation. + +If I have tired you by this long narrative, you feel differently +from me. The man, the manners of the country, the justice of so +great and curious a nation, all to me seem striking, and must, I +believe, do more so to you, who have been absent long enough to +read of your own country as history. + +I have run into so much paper, that I am ashamed at going on, but +having a bit left, I must say a few more words. The other +prisoner, from whom the mob had promised themselves more +entertainment, is gone into the country, having been forbid the +court, with some barbarous additions to the sentence, as you Will +see in the papers. It was notified, too, to the second +court,(59) who have had the prudence to countenance him no +longer. The third prisoner, and second madman, Lord Charles Hay, +is luckily dead, and has saved much trouble. + +Have you seen the works of the philosopher of Sans Souci, or +rather of the man who is no philosopher, and who had more Souci +than any man now in Europe? How contemptible they are! Miserable +poetry; not a new thought, nor an old one newly expressed.(60) I +say nothing of the folly of publishing his aversion to the +English, at the very time they are ruining themselves for him; +nor of the greater folly of his irreligion. The epistle to Keith +is puerile and shocking. He is not so sensible as Lord Ferrers, +who did not think such sentiments ought to be published. His +Majesty could not resist the vanity of showing how disengaged he +can be even at this time. + +I am going to give a letter for you to Strange, the engraver, who +is going to visit Italy. He is a very first-rate artist, and by +far our best. Pray countenance him, though you will not approve +his politics.(61) I believe Albano(62)) is his Loretto. + +I shall finish this vast volume with a very good story, though +not so authentic as my sheriff's. It is said that General +Clive's father has been with Mr. Pitt, to notify, that if the +government will send his son four hundred thousand pounds, and a +certain number of ships, the heaven-born general knows of a part +of India, where such treasures are buried, that he will engage, +to send over enough. to pay the national debt. "Oh!" said the +minister, "that is too much; fifty millions would be sufficient." +Clive insisted on the hundred millions,--Pitt, that half would do +as well. "Lord, Sir!" said the old man, "consider, if your +administration lasts, the national debt will soon be two hundred +millions." Good night for a twelvemonth! + +(55) Sir William Meredith, Bart. of Hanbury, in Cheshire. The +title is now extinct.-D. + +(56) She afterwards married Lord Frederick Campbell, brother of +the Duke of Argyle, and was an excellent woman. (She was +unfortunately burned to death at Lord Frederick's seat, Combe +Bank, in Kent.-D.) + +(57) Zachariah Pearce, translated from the see of Bangor in 1756. +He was an excellent man, and later in life, in the year 1768, +finding himself growing infirm, he presented to the world the +rare instance of disinterestedness, of wishing to relinquish all +his pieces of preferment. These consisted of the deanery of +Westminster and bishopric of Rochester. The deanery he gave up, +but was not allowed to do so by the bishopric, which was said, as +a peerage, to be inalienable.-D. + +(58) Lady Selina Shirley, daughter of an Earl of Ferrers. +(Selina Shirley, second daughter and coheiress of Washington Earl +Ferrers, and widow of Theophilus Hastings, ninth Earl of +Huntingdon. She was the peculiar patroness of enthusiasts of all +sorts in religion.-D.) + +(59) The Prince of Wales's. + +(60) "The town are reading the King of Prussia's poetry, and I +have done like the town; they do not seem so sick of it as I am. +It is all the scum of Voltaire and Bolingbroke, the crambe +recocta of our worst freethinkers tossed up in German-French +rhyme." Gray, vol. iii. p. 241. + +(61) Strange was a confirmed Jacobite. + +(62) The residence of the Pretender. + + + +Letter 25 To Sir David Dalrymple.(63) +Arlington Street, May 15, 1760. (page 63) + +Sir, +I am extremely sensible of your obliging kindness in sending me +for Mr. Gray the account of Erse poetry, even at a time when you +were so much out of order. That indisposition I hope is entirely +removed, and your health perfectly reestablished. Mr. Gray is +very thankful for the information.(64) + +I have lately bought, intending it for Dr. Robertson, a Spanish +MS. called "Annals del Emperador Carlos V. Autor, Francisco Lopez +de Gornara." As I am utterly ignorant of the Spanish tongue, I +do not know whether there is the least merit in my purchase. It +is not very long; if you will tell me how to convey it, I will +send it to him. + +We have nothing new but some Dialogues of the Dead by Lord +Lyttelton. I cannot say they are very lively or striking. The +best I think, relates to your country, and is written with a very +good design: an intention of removing all prejudices and disUnion +between the two parts of our island. I cannot tell you how the +book is liked in general, for it appears but this moment. + +You have seen, to be sure, the King of Prussia's Poems. If he +intended to raise the glory of his military capacity by +depressing his literary talents, he could not, I think,. have +succeeded better. One would think a man had been accustomed to +nothing but the magnificence of vast armies, and to the tumult of +drums and trumpets. who is incapable of seeing that God is as +great in the most minute parts of creation as in the most +enormous. His Majesty does not seem to admire a mite, unless it +is magnified by a Brobdignag microscope! While he is struggling +with the force of three empires, he fancies that it adds to his +glory to be unbent enough to contend for laurels with the +triflers of a French Parnassus! Adieu! Sir. + +(63) Now first collected. + +(64) The following is Gray's description of these poems, in a +letter to Wharton.--"I am gone mad about them. They are said to +be translations (literal and in prose) from the Erse tongue, done +by one Macpherson, a young clergyman in the Highlands. He means +to publish a collection he has of these specimens of antiquity; +but what plagues me is, I cannot come at any certainty on that +head. I was so struck, so extasi`e, with their infinite beauty, +that I writ into Scotland to make a thousand inquiries. The +letters I have in return are ill-wrote, ill-reasoned, +unsatisfactory, calculated (one would imagine) to deceive one, +and yet not cunning enough to do it cleverly: in short, the whole +external evidence would make one believe these fragments (for so +he calls them, though nothing can be more entire) counterfeit; +but the internal is so strong on the other side, that I am +resolved to believe them genuine, spite of the devil and the +kirk. It is impossible to convince me, that they were invented +by the same man that writes me these letters. On the other hand, +it is almost as hard to suppose, if they are original, that he +should be able to translate them so admirably. In short, this +man is the very demon of poetry, or he has lighted on a treasure +hid for ages." In another letter, be says,--"As to their +authenticity, I have many enquiries, and have lately procured a +letter from Mr. David Hume, the historian, which is more +satisfactory than any thing I have yet met with on that subject. +He says, 'Certain it is, that these poems are in every body's +mouth in the Highlands, have been handed down from father to son, +and are of an age beyond all memory and tradition.'" Works vol. +iii. pp. 249, 257.-E. + + + +Letter 26 To Sir Horace Mann. +Strawberry Hill, May 24, 1760. (page 64) + +Well! at last Sisson's machine sets out-but, my dear Sir, how you +still talk of him! You seem to think him as grave and learned as +a professor of Bologna--why, he is an errant, low, indigent +mechanic, and however Dr. Perelli found him out, is a shuffling +knave, and I fear, no fitter to execute his orders than to write +the letter you expect. Then there was my ignorance and your +brother James's ignorance to be thrown into the account. For the +drawing, Sisson says Dr. Perelli has the description of it +already; however, I have insisted on his making a reference to +that description in a scrawl we have with much ado extorted from +him. I pray to Sir Isaac Newton that the machine may answer: It +costs, the stars know what! The whole charge comes to upwards of +threescore pounds! He had received twenty pounds, and yet was so +necessitous, that on our hesitating, he wrote me a most +impertinent letter for his money. I dreaded at first undertaking +a commission for which I was so unqualified, and though I have +done all I could, I fear you and your friend will be but ill +satisfied. + +Along with the machine I have sent you some new books; Lord +George's trial, Lord Ferrers's, and the account of him; a +fashionable thing called Tristram Shandy, and my Lord Lyttelton's +new Dialogues of the Dead, or rather Dead Dialogues; and +something less valuable still than any of these, but which I +flatter myself you will not despise; it is my own print, done +from a picture that is reckoned very like--you must allow for the +difference that twenty years since you saw me have made. That +wonderful creature Lord Ferrers, of whom I told you so much in my +last, and with whom I am not going to plague you much more, made +one of his keepers read Hamlet to him the night before his death +after he was in bed-paid all his bills in the morning, as if +leaving an inn, and half an hour before the sheriffs fetched him, +corrected some verses he had written in the Tower in imitation of +the Duke of Buckingham's epitaph, dublus sed ron improbus +vin.(65) What a noble author have I here to add to my Catalogue! +For the other noble author, Lord Lyttelton, you will find his +work paltry enough; the style, a mixture of bombast, poetry, and +vulcarisms. Nothing new in the composition, except making people +talk out of character is so. Then he loves changing sides so +much, that he makes Lord Falkland and Hampden cross over and +figure in like people in a country dance; not to mention their +guardian angels, who deserve to be hanged for murder. He is +angry too at Swift, Lucian, and Rabelais, as if they had laughed +at him of all men living, and he seems to wish that one would +read the last's Dissertation 1 on Hippocrates instead of his +History of Pantagruel. But I blame him most, when he was +satirizing too free writers, for praising the King of Prussia's +poetry, to which any thing of Bayle is harmless. I like best the +Dialogue between the Duke of argyll and the Earl of Angus, and +the character of his own first wife under that of Penelope. I +need not tell you that Pericles is Mr. Pitt. + +I have had much conversation with your brother James, and intend +to have more with your eldest, about your nephew. He is a sweet +boy, and has all the goodness of dear Gal. and dear you in his +countenance. They have sent him to Cambridge under that +interested hog the Bishop of Chester,(66) and propose to keep him +there three years. Their apprehension seems to be of his growing +a fine gentleman. I could not help saying, "Why, is he not to be +one?" My wish is to have him with you--what an opportunity of +his learning the world and business under such a tutor and such a +parent! but they think he will dress and run into diversions. I +tried to convince them that of all spots upon earth dress is +least necessary at Florence, and where one can least divert +oneself. I am answered with the necessity of Latin and +mathematics-the one soon forgot, the other never got to any +purpose. I cannot bear his losing the advantage of being brought +up by you, with all the advantages of such a situation, and where +he May learn in perfection living languages, never attained after +twenty. I am so earnest on this, for I doat on him for dear +Gal.'s sake, that I will insist to rudeness on his remaining at +Cambridge but two years; and before that time you shall write to +second My motions. + +The Parliament is up, and news are gone out of town: I expect +none but what we receive from Germany. As to the Pretender, his +life or death makes no impression here when a real King is so +soon forgot, how should an imaginary one be remembered? Besides, +since Jacobites have found the way to St. James's, it is grown so +much the fashion to worship Kings, that people don't send their +adorations so far as Rome. He at Kensington is likely long to +outlast his old rival. The spring is far from warm, yet he wears +a silk coat and has left off fires. + +Thank you for the entertaining history of the Pope and the +Genoese. I am flounced again into building--a round tower, +gallery, cloister, and chapel, all starting up--if I am forced to +run away by ruining myself, I will come to Florence, steal your +nephew, and bring him with me. Adieu! + +(65) The following verses are said to have been found in Lord +Ferrers's apartment in the Tower: + +"In doubt I lived, in doubt I die, +Yet stand Prepared the vast abyss to try. +And undismay'd expect eternity!"-E. + +(66) Dr. Edmund Keene, brother of Sir Benjamin, and afterwards +Bishop of Ely. + + + +Letter 27 To The Earl Of Strafford. +Strawberry Hill, June 7, 1760. (page 66) + +My dear lord, +When at my time of day one can think a ball worth going to London +for on purpose, you will not wonder that I am childish enough to +write an account of it. I could give a better reason, your +bidding me send you any news; but I scorn a good reason when I am +idle enough to do any thing for a bad one. You had heard, before +you left London, of Miss Chudleigh's intended loyalty on the +Prince's birthday. Poor thing, I fear she has thrown away above +a quarter's salary! It was magnificent and well-understood--no +crowd--and though a sultry night, one was not a moment +incommoded. The court was illuminated on the whole summit of the +wall with a battlement of lamps; smaller ones on every step, and +a figure of lanterns on the outside of the house. The +virgin-mistress began the ball with the Duke of York, who was +dressed in a pale blue watered tabby, which, as I told him, if he +danced much, would soon be tabby all over, like the man's +advertisement,(67) but nobody did dance much. There was a new +Miss Bishop from Sir Cecil's endless hoard of beauty daughters, +who is still prettier than her sisters. The new Spanish embassy +was there--alas! Sir Cecil Bishop has never been in Spain! +Monsieur de Fuentes is a halfpenny print of my Lord Huntingdon. +His wife homely, but seems good-humoured and civil. The son does +not degenerate from such high-born ugliness; the daughter-in-law +was sick, and they say is not ugly, and has as good set of teeth +as one can have, when one has but two and those black. They seem +to have no curiosity, sit where they are placed, and ask no +questions about so strange a country. Indeed, the ambassadress +could see nothing; for Doddington(68) stood before her the whole +time, sweating Spanish at her, of which it was evident, by her +civil nods without answers, she did understand a word. She +speaks bad French, danced a bad minuet, and went away--though +there was a miraculous draught of fishes for their supper, for it +was a fast-day--but being the octave of their f`ete-dieu, they +dared not even fast plentifully. Miss Chudleigh desired the +gamblers would go up into the garrets--"Nay, they are not +garrets-it is only the roof of the house hollowed for upper +servants-but I have no upper servants." Every body ran up: there +is a low gallery with bookcases, and four chambers practised +under the pent of the roof, each hung with the finest Indian +pictures on different colours, and with Chinese chairs of the +same colours. Vases of flowers in each for nosegays, and in one +retired nook a most critical couch! + +The lord of the Festival(69) was there, and seemed neither +ashamed nor vain of the expense of his pleasures. At supper she +offered him Tokay, and told him she believed he would find it +good. The supper was in two rooms and very fine, and on the +sideboards, and even on the chairs, were pyramids and troughs of +strawberries and cherries you would have thought she was kept by +Vertumnus. Last night my Lady Northumberland lighted up her +garden for the Spaniards: I was not there, having excused myself +for a headache, which I had not, but ought to have caught the +night before. Mr. Doddington entertained these Fuentes's at +Hammersmith; and to the shame of our nation, while they were +drinking tea in the summer-house, some gentlemen, ay, my lord, +gentlemen, went into the river and showed the ambassadress and +her daughter more than ever they expected to see of England. + +I dare say you are sorry for poor Lady Anson. She was +exceedingly good-humoured, and did a thousand good-natured and +generous actions. I tell you nothing of the rupture of Lord +Halifax's match, of which you must have heard so much; but you +will like a bon-mot upon it. They say, the hundreds of Drury +have got the better of the thousands of Drury.(70) The pretty +Countess(71) is still alive, was I thought actually dying on +Tuesday night, and I think will go off very soon. I think there +will soon be a peace: my only reason is, that every body seems so +backward at making war. Adieu! my dear lord! + +(67) A staymaker of the time, who advertised in the newspapers +that he made stays at such a price, "tabby all over." + +(68) Dodington had been minister in Spain. + +(69) The Duke of Kingston. + +(70) Lord Halifax kept an actress belonging to Drury Lane +Theatre; and the marriage broken off was with a daughter of Sir +Thomas Drury, an heiress.-E. + +(71) The Countess of Coventry. She survived till the 1st of +October.-E. + + + +Letter 28 To Sir Horace Mann. +Arlington Street, June 20, 1760. (page 68) + +Who the deuce was thinking of Quebec? America was like a book one +has read and done with; or at least, if one looked at the book, +one just recollected that there was a supplement promised, to +contain a chapter on Montreal, the starving and surrender of it- +-but here are we on a sudden reading our book backwards. An +account came two days ago that the French on their march to +besiege Quebec, had been attacked by General Murray, who got into +a mistake and a morass, attacked two bodies that were joined, +when he hoped to come up with one of them before the junction, +was enclosed, embogged,'and defeated. By the list of officers +killed and wounded, I believe there has been a rueful slaughter- +-the place, too, I suppose will be retaken. The year 1760 is not +the year 1759. Added to the war we have a kind of plague too, an +epidemic fever and sore throat: Lady Anson is dead of it; Lord +Bute and two of his daughters were in great danger; my Lady +Waldegrave has had it, and I am mourning for Mrs. Thomas +Walpole,(72) who died of it--you may imagine I don't come much to +town; I had some business here to-day, particularly with Dagge, +whom I have sent for to talk about Sophia;(73) he will be here +presently, and then I will let you know what he says. + +The embassy and House of Fuentes are arrived-many feasts and +parties have been made for them, but they do not like those out +of town, and have excused themselves rather ungraciously. They +were invited to a ball last Monday at Wanstead, but did not go: +yet I don't know where they can see such magnificence. The +approach, the coaches, the crowds of spectators to see the +company arrive, the grandeur of the fa`cade and apartments, were +a charming sight; but the town is so empty that that great house +appeared so too. He, you know, is all attention, generosity, and +good breeding. + +I must tell you a private wo that has happened to me in my +neighbourhood--Sir William Stanhope bought Pope's house and +garden. The former was so small and bad, one could not avoid +pardoning his hollowing out that fragment of the rock Parnassus +into habitable chambers--but would you believe it, he has cut +down the sacred groves themselves! In short, it was a little bit +of ground of five acres, inclosed with three lanes, and seeing +nothing. Pope had twisted and twirled, and rhymed and harmonized +this, till it appeared two or three sweet little lawns opening +beyond one another, and the whole surrounded with thick +impenetrable woods. Sir William, by advice of his +son-in-law,(74) Mr. Ellis, has hacked and hewed these groves, +wriggled a winding-gravel walk through them with an edging of +shrubs, in what they call the modern taste, and in short, has +designed the three lanes to walk in again--and now is forced to +shut them out again by a wall, for there was not a Muse could +walk there but she was spied by every country fellow that went by +with a pipe in his mouth. + +It is a little unlucky for the Pretender to be dying just as the +Pope seems to design to take Corsica into his hands, and might +give it to so faithful a son of the church. + +I have heard nothing yet of Stosch. + +Presently. +Mr. Dagge has disappointed me, and I am obliged to go out of +town, but I have writ to him to press the affair, and will press +it, as it is owing to his negligence. Mr. Chute, to whom I +spoke, says he told Dagge he was ready to be a trustee, and +pressed him to get it concluded. + +(72) Daughter of Sir Gerard Vanneck. + +(73) Natural daughter of Mr. Whitehed, mentioned in preceding +letters, by a Florentine woman. + +(74) Welbore Ellis, afterwards*Lord Mendip, married the only +daughter of Sir William Stanhope; in right of whom he afterwards +enjoyed Pope's villa at Twickenham.-E. + + + +Letter 29 To Sir David Dalrymple.(75) +June 20th, 1760. (page 69) + +I am obliged to you, Sir, for the volume of Erse poetry - all of +it has merit; but I am sorry not to see in it the six +descriptions of night, with which you favoured me before, and +which I like as much as any of the pieces. I can, however, by no +means agree with the publisher, that they seem to be parts of an +heroic poem; nothing to me can be more unlike. I should as soon +take all the epitaphs in Westminster Abbey, and say it was an +epic poem on the History of England. The greatest part are +evidently elegies; and though I should not expect a bard to write +by the rules of Aristotle, I would not, on the other hand, give +to any work a title that must convey so different an idea to +every common reader. I could wish, too, that the authenticity +had been more largely stated. A man who knows Dr. Blair's +character, will undoubtedly take his word; but the gross of +mankind, considering how much it is the fashion to be sceptical +in reading, will demand proofs, not assertions. + +I am glad to find, Sir, that we agree so much on the Dialogues of +the Dead; indeed, there are very few that differ from us. It is +well for the author, that none of his critics have undertaken to +ruin his book by improving it, as you have done in the lively +little specimen you sent me., Dr. Brown has writ a dull dialogue, +called Pericles and Aristides, which will have a different effect +from what yours, would have. One of the most objectionable +passages in lord Lyttelton's book is, in my opinion, his +apologizing for 'the moderate government of Augustus. A man who +had exhausted tyranny in the most lawless and Unjustifiable +excesses is to be excused, because, out of weariness or policy, +he grows less sanguinary at last! + +There is a little book coming Out, that will amuse you. It is a +new edition of Isaac Walton's Complete Angler,. full of anecdotes +and historic notes. It is published by Mr. Hawkins,(76) a very +worthy gentleman in my neighbourhood, but who, I could wish, did +not think angling so very innocent an amusement. We cannot live +without destroying animals, but shall-we torture them for our +sport--sport in their destruction?(77) I met a rough officer at +his house t'other day, who said he knew such a person was turning +Methodist; for, in the middle of conversation, he rose, and +opened the window to let out a moth. I told him I did not know +that the Methodists had any principle so good, and that I, who am +certainly not on the point of becoming one, always did so too. +One of the bravest and best men I ever knew, Sir Charles Wager, I +have often heard declare he never killed a fly willingly. It is +a comfortable reflection to me, that all the victories of last +year have been gained since the suppression of the bear garden +and prize-fighting; as it is plain, and nothing else would have +made it so, that our valour did not, singly and solely depend +upon, those two universities. Adieu.! + +(75) Now first collected. + + +(76) Afterwards Sir John Hawkins, Knight, the executor and +biographer of Dr. Johnson.-E. + +(77) Lord Byron, like Walpole, had a mortal dislike to angling, +and describes it as " the cruelest, the coldest, and the +stupidest of pretended sports." Of good Isaac Walton he says, + +"The quaint, old, cruel coxcomb,. in his gullet +Should have a hook, and a small trout to pull it."-E. + + + +Letter 30 To The Hon. H. S. Conway.(78) +Strawberry Hill, June 21, 1760. (page 70) + +There is nothing in the world so tiresome as a person that always +says they will come to one and never does; that is a mixture of +promises and excuses; that loves one better than anybody, and yet +will not stir a step to see one; that likes nothing but their own +ways and own books, and that thinks the Thames is not as charming +in one place as another, and that fancies Strawberry Hill is the +only thing upon earth worth living for-all this you would say, if +even I could make you peevish: but since you cannot be provoked, +you see I am for you, and give myself my due. It puts me in mind +of General Sutton, who was one day sitting by my father at his +dressing. Sir Robert said to Jones, who was shaving him, "John, +you cut me"--presently afterwards, "John, you cut me"--and again, +with the same patience or Conway-ence, "John, you cut me." +Sutton started up and cried, "By God! if he can bear it, I can't; +if you cut him once more, damn my blood if I don't knock you +down!" My dear Harry, I will knock myself down-but I fear I +shall cut you again. I wish you sorrow for the battle of Quebec. +I thought as much of losing the duchies of Aquitaine and Normandy +as Canada. + +However, as my public feeling never carries me to any great +lengths of reflection, I bound all my Qu`ebecian meditations to a +little diversion on George Townshend's absurdities. The Daily +Advertiser said yesterday, that a certain great officer who had a +principal share in the reduction of Quebec had given it as his +opinion, that it would hold out a tolerable siege. This great +general has acquainted the public to-day in an advertisement +with--what do you think?--not that he has such an opinion, for he +has no opinion at all, and does not think that it can nor cannot +hold out a siege,--but, in the first place, that he was luckily +shown this paragraph, which, however, he does not like; in the +next, that he is and is not that great general, and yet that +there is nobody else that is; and, thirdly, lest his silence, +till he can proceed in another manner with the printer, (and +indeed it is difficult to conceive what manner of proceeding +silence is,) should induce anybody to believe the said paragraph, +he finds himself under a necessity of giving the public his +honour, that there is no more truth in this paragraph than in +some others which have tended to set the opinions of some general +officers together by the ears--a thing, however, inconceivable, +which he has shown may be done, by the confusion he himself has +made in the King's English. For his another manner with the +printer, I am impatient to see how the charge will lie against +Matthew Jenour, the publisher of the Advertiser, who, without +having the fear of God before his eyes, has forcibly, violently, +and maliciously, with an offensive weapon called a hearsay, and +against the peace of our sovereign Lord the King, wickedly and +traitorously assaulted the head of George Townshend, general, and +accused it of having an opinion, and him the said George +Townshend, has slanderously and of malice prepense believed to be +a great general; in short, to make Townshend easy, I wish, as he +has no more contributed to the loss of Quebec than he did to the +conquest of it, that he was to be sent to sign this capitulation +too. + +There is a delightful little French book come out, called "Tant +Mieux pour elle." It is called Cr`ebillon's, and I should think +was so. I only borrowed it, and cannot get one; tant pis pour +vous. By the way, I am not sure you did not mention it to me; +somebody did. + +Have you heard that Miss Pitt has dismissed Lord Buckingham? +Tant mieux pour lui. She damns her eyes that she will marry some +captain--tant mieux pour elle. I think the forlorn earl should +match with Miss Ariadne Drury; and by the time my Lord Halifax +has had as many more children and sentiments by and for Miss +Falkner, as he can contrive to have. probably Miss Pitt may be +ready to be taken into keeping. Good night! + +P. S. The Prince of Wales has been in the greatest anxiety for +Lord Bute; to whom he professed to Duncombe, and Middleton, he +has the greatest obligations; and when they pronounced their +patient out of danger, his Royal Highness gave to each of them a +gold modal of himself, as a mark of his sense of their care and +attention. + +(78) Now first printed. + + + +Letter 31 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Strawberry Hill, June 28, 1760. (page 72) + +The devil is in people for fidgetting about! They can neither be +quiet in their own houses, nor let others be at peace in theirs! +Have not they enough of one another in winter, but they must +cuddle in summer too? For your part, you are a very priest: the +moment one repents, you are for turning it to account. I wish +you was in camp--never will I pity you again. How did you +complain when you was in Scotland, Ireland, Flanders, and I don't +know where, that you could never enjoy Park-place! Now you have a +whole summer to yourself, and you are as junkettaceous as my Lady +Northumberland. Pray, what horse-race do you go to next? For my +part, I can't afford to lead such a life: I have Conway-papers to +sort; I have lives of the painters to write; I have my prints to +paste, my house to build, and every thing in the world to tell +posterity. How am I to find time for all this? I am past forty, +and may 'not have above as many more to live; and here I am to go +here and to go there--well, I will meet you at Chaffont on +Thursday; but I positively will stay but one night. I have +settled with our brother that we will be at Oxford on the 13th of +July, as Lord Beauchamp is only loose from the 12th to the 20th. +I will be at Park-place on the 12th, and we will go together the +next day. If this is too early for you, we may put it off to the +15th: determine by Thursday, and one of us will write to Lord +Hertford. + +Well! Quebec(79) is come to life again. Last night I went to see +the Holdernesses, who by the way are in raptures with Park-in +Sion-lane; as Cibber says of the Revolution, I met the Raising of +the Siege; that is, I met my lady in a triumphal car, drawn by a +Manks horse thirteen little fingers high, with Lady Emily: + +et sibi Countess +Ne placeat, ma'amselle curru portatur eodem- + +Mr. Milbank was walking in ovation by himself after the car; and +they were going to see the bonfire at the alehouse at the corner. +The whole procession returned with me; and from the countess's +dressing-room we saw a battery fired before the house, the mob +crying "God bless the good news!"--These are all the particulars +I know of the siege: my lord would have showed me the journal, +but we amused ourselves much better in going to eat peaches from +the new Dutch stoves. + +The rain is come indeed, and my grass is as green as grass; but +all my hay has been cut and soaking this week, and I am too much +in the fashion not to have given Up gardening for farming; as +next I suppose We shall farming and turn graziers and hogdrivers. + +I never heard of such a Semele as my Lady Stormont(80) brought to +bed in flames. I hope Miss Bacchus Murray will not carry the +resemblance through, and love drinking like a Pole. My Lady +Lyttelton is at Mr. Garrick's, and they were to have breakfasted +here this morning; but somehow or other they have changed their +mind. Good Night! + +(79) Quebec was besieged by the French in the spring of this +year, with an army of fifteen thousand men, under the command of +the Chevalier de Levis, assisted by a naval force. They were, +however, repulsed by General Murray, who was supported by Lord +Colville and the fleet under his command; and on the night of the +16th of May raised the siege very precipitately, leaving their +cannon, small arms, stores, etc. behind them.-E. + +(80) See vol. ii. p. 513, letter 336.-E. + + + +Letter 32 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, July 4, 1760. (page 73) + +I am this minute returned from Chaffont, where I have been these +two days. Mr. Conway, Lady Ailesbury, Lady Lyttelton, and Mrs. +Shirley are there; and Lady Mary is going to add to the number +again. The house and grounds are still in the same dislocated +condition; in short, they finish nothing but children; even Mr. +Bentley's Gothic stable, which I call Houynhm castle, is not +roughcast yet. We went to see More-park, but I was not much +struck with it, after all the miracles I had heard Brown had +performed there. He has undulated the horizon in so many +artificial mole-hills, that it is full as unnatural as if it was +drawn with a rule and compasses. Nothing is done to the house; +there are not even chairs in the great apartment. My Lord Anson +is more slatternly than the Churchills, and does not even finish +children. I am going to write to Lord Beauchamp, that I shall be +at Oxford on the 15th, where I depend upon meeting you. I design +to see Blenheim, and Rousham, (is not that the name of Dormer's?) +and Althorp, and Drayton, before I return--but don't be +frightened, I don't propose to drag you to all or any of these, +if you don't like it. + +Mr. Bentley has sketched a very pretty Gothic room for Lord +Holderness, and orders are gone to execute it directly in +Yorkshire. The first draught was Mason's; but as he does not +pretend to much skill, we were desired to correct it. I say we, +for I chose the ornaments. Adieu! Yours ever. + +P. S. My Lady Ailesbury has been much diverted, and so will you +too. Gray is in @their neighbourhood. My Lady Carlisle says, +"he is extremely like me in his manner." They went a party to +dine on a cold loaf, and passed the day; Lady A. protests he +never opened his lips but once, and then only said, "Yes, my +lady, I believe so."(81) + +(81) Gray, in a letter to Dr. Clarke, of the 12th of August, +says, "For me, I am come to my resting-place, and find it very +necessary, after living for a month in a house with three women +that laughed from morning till night, and would allow nothing to +the sulkiness of my disposition. Company and cards at home, +parties by land and water abroad, and (what they call) doing +something, that is, racketting about from morning to night, are +occupations, I find, that wear out my spirits." Works, vol. iii. +p. 253.-E. + + + +Letter 33 To Sir Horace Mann. + +Arlington Street, July 7, 1760. (page 74) + +I shall write you but a short letter myself, because I make your +brother, who has this moment been here, write to-night with all +the particulars relating to the machine. The ten guineas are +included in the sixty; and the ship, which is not yet sailed, is +insured. My dear child, don't think of making me any excuses +about employing me; I owe you any trouble sure that I can +possibly undertake, and do it most gladly; in this one instance I +was sorry you had pitched upon me, because it was entirely out of +my sphere, and I could not even judge whether I had served you +well or not. I am here again waiting for Dagge, whom it is more +difficult to see than a minister; he disappointed me last time, +but writ to me afterwards that he would immediately settle the +affair for poor Sophia. + +Quebec, you know, is saved; but our German histories don't go on +so well as our American. Fouquet is beat, and has lost five out +of twelve thousand men, after maintaining himself against thirty +for seven hours--he is grievously wounded, but not prisoner. The +Russians are pouring on--adieu the King of Prussia, unless Prince +Ferdinand's battle, of which we have expected news for these four +days, can turn the scale a little--we have settled that he is so +great a general, that you must not wonder if We expect that he +should beat all the world in their turns. + +There has been a woful fire at Portsmouth; they say occasioned by +lightning; the shipping was saved, but vast quantities of stores +are destroyed. + +I shall be more easy about your nephew, since you don't adopt my +idea; and yet I can't conceive with his gentle nature and your +good sense but you would have sufficient authority over him. I +don't know who your initials mean, Ld. F. and Sr. B. But don't +much signify, but consider by how many years I am removed from +knowing the rising generation. + +I shall some time hence trouble you for some patterns of +brocadella of two or three colours: it is to furnish a round +tower that I am adding, with a gallery, to my castle: the +quantity I shall want will be pretty large; it is to be a +bedchamber entirely hung bed, and eight armchairs; the dimensions +thirteen feet high, and twenty-two diameter. Your Bianca Capello +is to be over the chimney. I shall scarce be ready to hang it +these two years, because I move gently, and never begin till I +have the money ready to pay, which don't come very fast, as it is +always to be saved out of my income, subject, too, to twenty +other whims and expenses. I only mention it now, that you may at +your leisure look me out half a dozen patterns; and be so good as +to let me know the prices. Stosch is not arrived yet as I have +heard. + +Well,--at last, Dagge is come, and tells me I may assure you +positively that the money will be paid in- two months from this +time; he has been at Thistlethwait's,(82) which is nineteen miles +from town, and goes again this week to make him sign a paper, on +which the parson(82) will pay the money. I shall be happy when +this is completed to your satisfaction, that is, when your +goodness is rewarded by being successful; but till it is +completed, with all Mr. Dagge's assurances, I shall not be easy, +for those brothers are such creatures, that I shall always expect +some delay or evasion, when they are to part with money. Adieu! + +(82) Brother and heirs of Mr. Whithed, who had changed his name +for an estate. +(Transcriber's note: this note really is cited twice in the above +paragraph.) + + + +Letter 34 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, July 19, 1760. (page 75) + +Mr. Conway, as I told you, was With me at Oxford, and I returned +with him to Park-place, and to-day hither. I am sorry you could +not come to us; we passed four days most agreeably, and I believe +saw more antique holes and corners than Tom Hearne did in +threescore years. You know my rage for Oxford; if King's-college +would not take it ill,. I don't l(now but I should retire +thither, and profess Jacobitism, that I might enjoy some +venerable set of chambers. Though the weather has been so +sultry, I ferreted from morning to night, fatigued that strong +young lad Lord Beauchamp, and harassed his tutors till they were +forced to relieve one another.' With all this, I found nothing +worth seeing, except the colleges themselves, painted glass, and +a couple of crosiers. Oh, yes! in an old buttery at Christ- +church I discovered two of the most glorious portraits by Holbein +in the world. They call them Dutch heads. I took them down, +washed them myself, and fetched out a thousand beauties. We went +to Blenheim and saw all Vanbrugh's quarries, all the acts of +parliament and gazettes on the Duke in inscriptions, and all the +old flock chairs, wainscot tables, and gowns and petticoats of +Queen Anne, that old Sarah could crowd among blocks of marble. +It looks like the palace of an auctioneer, who has-been chosen +King of Poland, and furnished his apartments with obsolete +trophies, rubbish that nobody bid for, and a dozen pictures, that +he had stolen from the inventories of different families. The +place is as ugly as the house, and the bridge, like the beggars +at the old Duchess's gate, begs for a drop of water, and is +refused. We went to Ditchley, which is a good house, well +furnished, has good portraits, a wretched saloon, and one +handsome scene behind the house. There are portraits of the +Litchfield hunt, in true blue frocks, with ermine capes. One of +the colleges has exerted this loyal pun, and made their east +window entirely of blue glass. But the greatest pleasure we had, +was in seeing Sir Charles Cotterel's at Housham; it reinstated +Kent with me; he has nowhere shown so much taste. The house is +old, and was bad; he has improved it, stuck as close as he could +to Gothic, has made a delightful library, and the whole is +comfortable. The garden is Daphne in little; the sweetest little +groves, streams, glades, porticoes, cascades, and river, +imaginable; all the scenes are perfectly classic. Well, if I had +such a house, such a library, so pretty a place, and so pretty a +wife, I think I should let King George send to Herenhausen for a +master of the ceremonies. + +Make many compliments to all your family for me; Lord Beauchamp +was much obliged by your invitation. I shall certainly accept +it, as I return from the north; in the mean time, find out how +Drayton and Althorp lie according to your scale. Adieu! Yours +most sincerely. + + + +Letter 35 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, July 20, 1760. (page 76) + +I shall be very sorry if I don't see you at Oxford on Tuesday +next: but what can I say if your Wetenhalls will break into my +almanack, and take my very day, can I help it! I must own I +shall be glad if their coach-horse is laid up with the +fashionable sore throat and fever can you recommend no coachman +to them like Dr. Wilmot, who will despatch it in three days? If +I don't see you at Oxford, I don't think I shall at Greatworth +till my return from the north, which will be about the 20th or +22d of August. Drayton,(83) be it known to you, is Lady Betty +Germain's., is in your own county, was the old mansion of the +Mordaunts, and is crammed with whatever Sir John could get from +them and the Norfolks. Adieu! + +(83) The seat of Sir John Germain, Bart.; by whose will, and that +of his widow, Lady Betty, his property devolved upon Lord George +Sackvillc; who, in consequence, assumed, in 1770, the name of +Germain.-E. + + + +Letter 36 To Sir Horace Mann. +Arlington Street, Aug. 1, 1760. (page 77) + +I came to town to-day on purpose to see Stosch, who has been +arrived some days; and to offer him all manner, of civilities on +your account--when indeed they can be of no use to him, for there +is not a soul in town. There was a wild report last week of the +plague being in St. Thomas's Hospital, and to be sure Stosch must +believe there is some truth in it, for there is not a coach to be +seen, the streets are new paving, and the houses new painting, +just as it is always at this season. I told him if he had a mind +to see London, he must go to Huntingdon races, Derby races, +Stafford races, Warwick races-that is the fashionable route this +year-alas! I am going part of it; the Duchess of Grafton and Loo +are going to the Duke of Devonshire's, Lord Gower's, and Lord +Hertford's; but I shall contrive to arrive after every race is +over. Stosch delivered me the parcel safe, and I should have +paid him for your Burgundy, but found company with him, and +thought it not quite so civil to offer it at the first interview, +lest it should make him be taken for a wine-merchant. He dines +with me on Tuesday at Strawberry Hill, when I shall find an +opportunity. He is going for a few days to Wanstead, and then +for three months to a clergyman's in Yorkshire, to learn English. +Apropos, you did not tell me why he comes; is it to sell his +uncle's collection? Let me know before winter on what foot I +must introduce him, for I would fain return a few of the thousand +civilities you have showed at my recommendation. + +The hereditary Prince has been beaten, and has beaten, with the +balance on his side; but though the armies are within a mile of +one another, I don't think it clear there will be a battle, as we +may lose much more than we can get. A defeat will cost Hanover +and Hesse; a victory cannot be vast enough to leave us at liberty +to assist the King of Prussia. He gave us a little advantage the +other day; outwitted Daun, and took his camp and magazines, and +aimed at Dresden; but to-day the siege is raised. Daun sometimes +misses himself, but never loses himself. It is not the fashion +to admire him, but for my part, I should think it worth while to +give the Empress a dozen Wolfes and Dauns, to lay aside the +cautious Marshal. Apropos to Wolfe, I cannot Imagine what you +mean by a design executing at Rome for his tomb. The designs +have been laid before my lord chamberlain several months; Wilton, +Adam, Chambers, and others, all gave in their drawings +immediately; and I think the Duke of Devonshire decided for the +first. Do explain this to me, or get a positive explanation. of +it-and whether any body is drawing for Adam or Chambers. + +Mr. Chute and Mr. Bentley, to whom I showed your accounts of the +Papa-Portuguese war, were infinitely diverted, as I was too, with +it. The Portuguese, "who will turn Jews not Protestants," and the +Pope's confession, "which does more honour to his sincerity than +to his infallibility," are delightful. I will tell you who will +neither, turn Jew nor Protestant, Day, nor Methodist, which is +much more in fashion than either--Monsieur Fuentes will not; he +has given the Virgin Mary (who he fancies hates public places, +because he never met her at one,) his honour that he never will +go to any more. What a charming sort of Spanish Ambassador! I +wish they always sent us such-the worst they can do, is to buy +half a dozen converts. + +My Lady Lincoln,(84) who was ready to be brought to bed, is dead +in three hours of convulsions. It has been a fatal year to great +ladies: within this twelvemonth have gone off Lady Essex, Lady +Besborough, Lady Granby, Lady Anson, and Lady Lincoln. My Lady +Coventry is still alive, sometimes at the point of death, +sometimes recovering. They fixed the spring: now the autumn is +to be critical for her. + +I set out for my Lord Strafford's to-morrow se'nnight, so shall +not be able to send you any victory this fortnight. + +General Clive(85) is arrived all over estates and diamonds. If a +beggar asks charity, be says, "Friend, I have no small brilliants +about me." + +I forgot to tell you that Stosch was to dine with General +Guise.(86) The latter has notified to Christ Church, Oxford, +that in his will he has given them his collection of pictures. +Adieu! + +(84) Catherine, eldest daughter of Henry Pelham, wife of Henry +Clinton, Earl of Lincoln, afterwards Duke of newcastle. + +(85) Afterwards created Lord Clive in Ireland. It is to him that +we in great measure owe our dominion in India; in the acquisition +of which he is, however, reproached with having exercised great +cruelties.-D. + +(86) General Guise did leave his collection as he promised; but +the University employing the son of Bonus, the cleaner of +pictures, to repair them, he entirely repainted them, and as +entirely spoiled them. + + + +Letter 37 To The Earl Of Strafford. +Strawberry Hill, Aug. 7, 1760. (page 78) + +My dear lord, +You will laugh, but I am ready to cry, when I tell you that I +have no notion when I shall be able to wait on you.-Such a +calamity!--My tower is not fallen down, nor Lady Fanny Shirley +run away with another printer; nor has my Lady D * * * * insisted +on living with me as half way to Weybridge. Something more +disgraceful than all these, and wofully mortifying for a young +creature, who is at the same time in love with Lady Mary Coke, +and following the Duchess of Grafton and Loo all over the +kingdom. In short, my lord, I have got the gout-yes, the gout in +earnest. I was seized on Monday morning, suffered dismally all +night, am now wrapped in flannels like the picture of a Morocco +ambassador, and am carried to bed by two servants. You see +virtue and leanness are no preservatives. I write this now to +your lordship, because I think it totally impossible that I +should be able to set out the day after to-morrow, as I intended. +The moment I can, I will, but this is a tyrant that will not let +one name a day. All I know is, that it may abridge my other +parties, but shall not my stay at Wentworth Castle. The Duke of +Devonshire was so good as to ask me to be at Chatsworth +yesterday, but I did not know it time enough. As it happens, I +must have disappointed him. At present I look like Pam's father +more than one of his subjects; only one of my legs appears: The +rest my parti.colour'd robe conceals. Adieu! my dear lord. + + + +Letter 38To The Hon. H. S/ Conway. +Strawberry Hill, August 7, 1760. (page 79) + +I can give you but an unpleasant account of myself, I mean +unpleasant for me; every body else I suppose it will make laugh. +Come, laugh at once! I am laid up with the gout, am an absolute +cripple, am carried up to bed by two men, and could walk to China +as soon as cross the room. In short, here is my history: I have +been out of order this fortnight, without knowing what was the +matter with me; pains in my head, sicknesses at my stomach, +dispiritedness, and a return of the nightly fever I had in the +winter. I concluded a northern journey would take all this off- +-but, behold! on Monday morning I was seized as I thought with +the cramp in my left foot; however, I walked about all day: +towards evening it discovered itself by its true name, and that +night I suffered a great deal. However, on Tuesday I was -,again +able to go about the house; but since Tuesday I have not been +able to stir, and am wrapped in flannels and swathed like Sir +Paul Pliant on his wedding-night. I expect to hear that there is +a bet at Arthur's, which runs fastest, Jack Harris(87) or I. +Nobody would believe me six years ago when I said I had the gout. +They would do leanness and temperance honours to which they had +not the least claim. + +I don't yet give up my expedition; as my foot is much swelled, I +trust this alderman distemper is going: I shall set out the +instant I am able; but I much question whether it will be soon +enough for me to get to Ragley by the time the clock strikes Loo. +I find I grow too old to make the circuit with the charming +Duchess.(88) + +I did not tell you about German skirmishes, for I knew nothing of +them: when two vast armies only scratch one another's faces it +gives me no attention. My gazette never contains above one or +two casualties of foreign politics:-overlaid, one king; dead of +convulsions, an electorate; burnt to death, Dresden. + +I wish you joy of all your purchases; why, you sound as rich as +if you had had the gout these ten years. I beg their pardon; but +just at present, I am very glad not to be near the vivacity of +either Missy or Peter. I agree with you much about the +Minor:(89) there are certainly parts and wit in it. Adieu! + +(87) John Harris, of Hayne in Devonshire, married to Mr. Conway's +eldest sister. + +(88) Anne Liddell, Duchess of Grafton. + +(89) Foote's comedy of The Minor came out at the Haymarket +theatre, and, though performed by a young and unpractised +company, brought full houses for many nights. In the character +of Mrs. Cole and Mr. Smirk, the author represented those of the +notorious Mother Douglas, and Mr. Langford, the auctioneer. In +the epilogue, spoken by Shift, which the author himself +performed, together with the other two characters, he took off, +to a degree of exactness, the manner and person of the celebrated +George Whitfield.-E. + + + +Letter 39 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, August 12, 1760. (page 80) + +In what part of the island you are just now, I don't know; flying +about some where or other, I suppose. Well, it is charming to be +so young! Here I am, lying upon a couch, wrapped up in flannels, +with the gout in both feet--oh yes, gout in all the terms. Six +years ago I had it, and nobody would believe me--now they may +have proof. My legs are as big as your cousin Guildford's and +they don't use to be quite so large. I was seized yesterday +se'nnight; have had little pain in the day, but most +uncomfortable nights; however, I move about again a little with a +stick. If either my father or mother had had it, I should not +dislike it so much. I am bound enough to approve it if descended +genealogically: but it is an absolute upstart in me, and what is +more provoking, I had trusted to my great abstinence for keeping +me from it: but thus it is, if 1 had had any gentlemanlike +virtue, as patriotism or loyalty, I might have got something by +them: I had nothing but that beggarly virtue temperance, and she +had not interest enough to keep me from a fit of the gout. +Another plague is, that every body that ever knew any body that +had it, is so good as to come with advice, and direct me how to +manage it; that is, how to contrive to have it for a great many +years. I am very refractory; I say to the gout, as great +personages do to the executioners, "Friend, do your work +as quick as you can." They tell me of wine to keep it out of my +stomach; but I will starve temperance itself; I will be virtuous +indeed--that is, I will stick to virtue, though I find it is not +its own reward. + +This confinement has kept me from Yorkshire; I hope, however, to +be at Ragley by the 20th, from whence I shall still go to Lord +Strafford's and by this delay you may possibly be at Greatworth +by my return, which will be about the beginning of September. +Write me a line as soon as you receive this; direct it to +Arlington Street, it will be sent after me. Adieu. + +P. S. My tower erects its battlements bravely; my Anecdotes of +Painting thrive exceedingly: thanks to the gout, that has pinned +me to my chair: think of Ariel the sprite in a slit shoe! + + + + +Letter 40 To The Countess Of Ailesbury.(90) +Whichnovre, August 23, 1760. (page 81) + + Well, madam, if I had known whither I was coming, I would not +have come alone! Mr. Conway and your ladyship should have come +too. Do you know, this is the individual manor-house,(91) where +married ladies may have a flitch of bacon upon the easiest terms +in the world? I should have expected that the owners would be +ruined in satisfying the conditions of the obligation, and that +the park would be stocked with hogs instead of deer. On the +contrary, it is thirty years since the flitch was claimed, and +Mr. Offley was never so near losing one as when you and Mr. +Conway were at Ragley. He so little expects the demand, that the +flitch is only hung in effigie over the hall chimney, carved in +wood. Are not you ashamed, Madam, never to have put in your +claim? It is above a year and a day that you have been married, +and I never once heard either of you mention a journey to +Whichnovre. If you quarrelled at loo every night, you could not +quit your pretensions with more indifference. I had a great mind +to take my oath, as one of your witnesses, that you neither of +you would, if you were at liberty, prefer any body else, ne +fairer ne fouler, and I could easily get twenty persons to swear +the same. Therefore, unless you will let the world be convinced, +that all your apparent harmony is counterfeit, you must set out +immediately for Mr. Offley's, or at least send me a letter of +attorney to claim the flitch in your names; and I will send it up +by the coach, to be left at the Blue Boar, or wherever you will +have it delivered. But you had better come in person; you will +see one of the prettiest spots in the world; it is a little +paradise, and the more like the antique one, as, by all I have +said, the married couple seems to be driven out of it. The house +is very indifferent: behind is a pretty park; the situation, a +brow of a hill commanding sweet meadows, through which the Trent +serpentizes in numberless windings and branches. The spires of +the cathedral of Litchfield are in front at a distance, with +variety of other steeples, seats, and farms, and the horizon +bounded by rich hills covered with blue woods. If you love a +prospect, or bacon, you will certainly come hither. + +Wentworth Castle, Sunday night. + +I had writ thus far yesterday, but had no opportunity of sending +my letter. I arrived here last night, and found only the Duke of +Devonshire, who went to Hardwicke this morning: they were down at +the menagerie, and there was a clean little pullet, with which I +thought his grace looked as if he should be glad to eat a slice +of Whichnovre bacon. We follow him to Chatsworth tomorrow, and +make our entry to the public dinner, to the disagreeableness of +which I fear even Lady Mary's company will not reconcile me. + +My Gothic building, which tiny lord Strafford has executed in the +menagerie, has a charming effect. There are two bridges built +besides; but the new front is very little advanced. Adieu, +Madam! + +(90) Daughter of the Duke of Argyle, first married to the Earl of +Ailesbury, and afterwards to the Hon. H. S. Conway. + +(91) Of Whichnovre, near Litchfield. Sir Philip de Somerville, +in the 10th of Edward III., held the manor of Whichnovre, etc. of +the Earls of Lancaster, lords of the honour of Tutbury, upon two +small fees, but also upon condition of his keeping ready +"arrayed, at all time of the year but Lent, one bacon flyke +hanging in his hall at Whichnovre, to be given to every man or +woman who demanded it a year and a day after the marriage upon +their swearing they would not have changed for none other, fairer +nor fouler, richer nor poorer, nor for no other descended of a +great lineage, sleeping nor waking, at no time," etc.-E. + + + +Letter 41 To Sir Horace Mann. +Chatsworth, Aug. 28, 1760. (page 82) + +I am a great way out of the world, and yet enough in the way of +news to send you a good deal. I have been here but two or three +days, and it has rained expresses. The most important +intelligence I can give you is that I was stopped from coming +into the north for ten days by a fit of the gout in both feet, +but as I have a tolerable quantity of resolution, I am now +running about with the children and climbing hills--and I intend +to have only just as much of this wholesome evil as shall carry +me to a hundred. The next point of consequence is, that the Duke +of Cumberland has had a stroke of the palsy-- As his courage is +at least equal to mine, he makes nothing of it; but being above +an inch more in the girth than I am, he is not Yet arrived at +skipping about the house. In truth, his case is melancholy: the +humours that have fallen upon the wound in his leg have kept him +lately from all exercise-. as he used much, and is so corpulent, +this must have bad consequences. Can one but pity him? A hero, +reduced by injustice to crowd all his fame into the supporting +bodily ills, and to looking upon the approach of a lingering +death with fortitude, is a real object of compassion. How he +must envy, what I am sure I don't, his cousin of Prussia risking +his life every hour against Cossacks and Russians! Well! but this +risker has scrambled another victory: he has beat that pert +pretender Laudon(92)--yet it looks to me as if he was but new +gilding his coffin; the undertaker Daun will, I fear, still have +the burying of him! + +I received here your letter of the 9th, and am glad Dr. Perelli +so far justifies Sisson as to disculpate me. I trust I shall +execute Sophia's business better. + +Stosch dined with me at Strawberry before I set out. He is a +very rational creature. I return homewards to-morrow; my +campaigns are never very long; I have great curiosity for seeing +places, but I despatch it soon, and am always impatient to be +back with my own Woden and Thor, my own Gothic Lares. While the +lords and ladies are at skittles, I just found a moment to write +you a line. Adieu! + +Arlington Street, Sept. 1. + +I had no opportunity of sending my letter to the secretary's +office, so brought it myself. You will see in the Gazette +another little victory of a Captain Byron over a whole diminutive +French squadron. Stosch has had a fever. He is now going to +establish himself at Salisbury. + +(92) This was the battle of Licgnitz, fought on the 15th of +August, 1760, and in which the King of Prussia signally defeated +the Austrians under Marshal Laudon, and thereby saved Silesia.-D. + + + +Letter 42 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, September 1, 1760. (page 83) + +I was disappointed at your not being at home as I returned from +my expedition; and now I fear it must be another year before I +see Greatworth, as I have two or three more engagements on my +books for the residue of this season. I go next week to Lord +Waldegrave, and afterwards to George Selwyn, and shall return by +Bath, which I have never yet seen. Will not you and the general +come to Strawberry in October? + +Thank you for your lamentations on my gout; it was, in proportion +to my size, very slender--my feet are again as small as ever they +were. When I had what I called big shoes, I could have danced a +minuet on a silver penny. + +My tour has been extremely agreeable. I set out with winning a +good deal at loo at Ragley; the Duke of Grafton was not so +successful. and had some high words with Pam. I went from thence +to Offley's at Whichnovre, the individual manor of the flitch of +bacon, which has been growing rusty for these thirty years in his +hall. I don't wonder; I have no notion that one could keep in +good humour with one's wife for a year and a day, unless one was +to live on the very spot, which is one of the sweetest scenes I +ever saw. It is the brink of a high hill; the Trent wriggles +through at the foot; Litchfield and twenty other churches and +mansions decorate the view. Mr. Anson has bought an estate close +by, whence my lord used to cast many a wishful eye, though +without the least pretensions even to a bit of lard. + +I saw Litchfield cathedral, which has been rich, but my friend +Lord Brook and his soldiery treated poor St. Chadd(93) with so +little ceremony, that it is in a most naked condition. In a +niche ,it the very summit they have crowded a statue of Charles +the Second, with a special pair of shoo-strings, big enough for a +weathercock. As I went to Lord Strafford's I passed through +Sheffield, which is one of the foulest towns in England in the +most charming situation there are two-and-twenty thousand +inhabitants making knives and scissors; they remit eleven +thousand pounds a week to London. One man there has discovered +the art of plating copper with silver; I bought a pair of +candlesticks for two guineas that are quite pretty. Lord +Strafford has erected the little Gothic building, which I got Mr. +Bentley to draw; I took the idea from Chichester-cross. It +stands on a high bank in the menagerie, between a pond and a +vale, totally bowered over with oaks. I went with the Straffords +to Chatsworth, and stayed there four days; there were Lady Mary +Coke, Lord Besborough and his daughters, Lord Thomond, Mr. +Boufoy, the Duke, the old Duchess,(94) and two of his brothers. +Would you believe that nothing was ever better humoured than the +ancient grace? She stayed every evening till it was dark in the +skittle-ground, keeping the score: and one night, that the +servants had a ball for Lady Dorothy'S(95) birthday, we fetched +the fiddler into the drawing-room, and the dowager herself danced +with us! I never was more disappointed than at Chatsworth, which, +ever since I was born, I have condemned. It is a glorious +situation; the vale rich in corn and verdure, vast woods hang +down the hills, which are green to the top, and the immense rocks +only serve to dignify the prospect. The river runs before the +door, and serpentizes more than you can conceive in the vale. +The duke is widening it, and will make it the middle of his park; +but I don't approve an idea they are going to execute, of a fine +bridge with statues under a noble cliff. If they will have a +bridge (which by the way will crowd the scene), it should be +composed of rude fragments, such as the giant of the Peak would +step upon, that he might not be wet-shod. The expense of the +works now carrying on will amount to forty thousand pounds. A +heavy quadrangle of stables is part of the plan,. is very +cumbrous, and standing higher than the house, is ready to +overwhelm it. The principal front of the house is beautiful, and +executed with the neatness of wrought-plate; the inside is most +sumptuous, but did not please me; the heathen gods, goddesses, +Christian virtues, and allegoric gentlefolks, are crowded into +every room, as if Mrs. Holman had been in heaven and invited +every body she saw. The great apartment is first; painted +ceilings, inlaid floors, and unpainted wainscots make every room +sombre. The tapestries are fine, but, not fine enough, and there +are few portraits. The chapel is charming. The great jet d'eau +I like, nor would I remove it; whatever is magnificent of the +kind in the time it was done, I would retain, +else all gardens and houses wear a tiresome resemblance. I +except that absurdity of a cascade tumbling down marble steps, +which reduces the steps to be of no use at all. I saw +Haddon,(96) an abandoned old castle of the Rutlands, in a +romantic situation, but which never could have composed a +tolerable dwelling. The Duke sent Lord John with me to +Hardwicke, where I was again disappointed; but I will not take +relations from others; they either don't see for themselves, or +can't see for me. How I had been promised that I should be +charmed with Hardwicke, and told that the Devonshires ought to +have established there! never was I less charmed in my life. The +house is not Gothic, but of that betweenity, that intervened when +Gothic declined and Palladian was creeping in--rather, this is +totally naked of either. It has vast chambers--aye, vast, such +as the nobility of that time delighted in, and did not know how +to furnish. The great apartment is exactly what it was when the +Queen of @Scots was kept there. Her council-chamber, the +council-chamber of a poor woman, who had only two secretaries, a +gentleman usher, an apothecary, a confessor, and three maids, is +so outrageously spacious, that you would take it for King +David's, who thought, contrary to all modern experience, that in +the multitude of counsellors there is wisdom. At the upper +end is the state, with a long table, covered with a sumptuous +cloth, embroidered and embossed with gold, -at least what was +gold: so are all the tables. Round the top of the chamber runs a +monstrous frieze, ten or twelve feet deep, representing +stag-hunting in miserable plastered relief. The next is her +dressing-room, hung with patchwork on black velvet; then her +state bedchamber. The bed has been rich beyond description, and +now hangs in costly golden tatters. The hangings, part of which +they say her Majesty worked, are composed of figures as large as +life, sewed and embroidered on black velvet, white satin, etc. +and represent the virtues that were necessary for her, or that +she was forced to have, as patience and temperance, etc. The +fire-screens are particular; pieces of yellow velvet, fringed +with gold, hang on a cross-bar of wood, which is fixed on the top +of a single stick, that rises from the foot. The only furniture +which has any appearance of taste are the table and cabinets, +which are all of oak, richly carved. There is a privata chamber +within, where she lay, her arms and style over the door; the +arras hangs over all the doors; the gallery is sixty yards long, +covered with bad tapestry, and wretched pictures of Mary herself, +Elizabeth in a gown of sea-monsters, Lord Darnley, James the +Fifth and his Queen, curious, and a whole history of Kings of +England, not worth sixpence apiece. There is an original of old +Bess(97) of Hardwicke herself, who built the house. Her estates +were then reckoned at sixty thousand pounds a-year, and now let +for two hundred thousand pounds. Lord John Cavendish told me, +that the tradition in the family was that it had been prophesied +to her that she should never die as long as she was building; and +that at last she died in a hard frost, when the labourers could +not work. There is a fine bank of old oaks in the park over a +lake; nothing else pleased me there. However, I was so diverted +with this old beldam and her magnificence, that I made this +epitaph for her: + +Four times the nuptial bed she warm'd, +And every time so well perform'd, +That when death spoil'd each husband's billing, +He left the widow every shilling. +Fond was the dame, but not dejected; +Five stately mansions she erected +With more than royal pomp, to vary +The prison of her captive +When Hardwicke's towers shall bow their head, +Nor mass be more in Worksop said; +When Bolsover's fair fame shall tend, +Like Olcotes, to its mouldering end; +When Chatsworth tastes no Can'dish bounties, +Let fame forget this costly countess. + +As I returned, I saw Newstead and Althorpe: I like both. The +former is the very abbey.(98) The great east window(99) of the +church remains, and connects with the house; the hall entire, the +refectory entire, the cloister untouched, with the ancient +cistern of the convent, and their arms on it; a private chapel +quite perfect. The park, which is still charming, has not been +so much unprofaned; the present lord has lost large sums, and +paid part in old oaks, five thousand pounds of which have been +cut near the house. In recompense he has built two baby forts, +to pay his country in castles for the damage done to the navy, +and planted a handful of Scotch firs, that look like plough-boys +dressed in old family liveries for a public day. In the hall is +a very good collection of pictures, all animals; the refectory, +now the great-drawing-room, is full of Byrons; the vaulted roof +remaining, but the windows have new dresses making for them by a +Venetian tailor.(100) Althorpe(101) has several very fine +pictures by the best Italian hands, and a gallery of all one's +acquaintance by Vandyke and Lely. I wonder you never saw it; it +is but six miles from Northampton. Well, good night; I have writ +you such a volume, that you see I am forced to page it. The Duke +has had a stroke of the palsy, but is quite recovered, except in +some letters, which he cannot pronounce; and it is still visible +in the contraction of one side of his mouth. My compliments to +your family. + +(93) The patron saint Of the town. The imagery and carved work +on the front of the cathedral was much injured in 1641. The +cross upon the west window is said to have been frequently aimed +at by Cromwell's soldiery.-E. + +(94) Daughter of John Hoskins, Esq. and widow of William the +third Duke of Devonshire. + +(95) Afterwards Duchess of Portland. + +(96) Anciently the seat of the Vernons. Sir George Vernon, in +Queen Elizabeth's time, was styled King of the Peak," and the +property came into the Manners family by his daughter marrying +Thomas, son of the first Earl of Rutland.-E. + +(97) She was daughter of John Hardwicke, of Hardwicke in +Derbyshire. Her first husband was Robert Barley, Esq. who +settled his large estate on her and hers. She married, secondly, +Sir William Cavendish; her third husband was Sir William St. Lo; +and her fourth was George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, whose +daughter, Lady Grace, married her son by Sir William Cavendish. + +(98) Evelyn, who visited Newstead in 1654, says of it:--"It is +situated much like Fontainbleau, in France, capable of being made +a noble seat, accommodated as it is with brave woods and streams; +it has yet remaining the front of a glorious abbey church." Lord +Byron thus beautifully describes the family seat, in the +thirteenth canto of Don Juan: + +"An old, old monastery once, and now +Still older mansion-of a rich and rare +Mix'd Gothic, much as artists all allow +Few specimens yet left us can compare. + +"Before the mansion lay a lucid lake, +Broad as transparent, deep, and freshly fed +By a river, which its soften'd way did take +In currents through the calmer water spread +Around: the wildfowl nestled in the brake +And sedges, brooding in their liquid bed: +The woods sloped downwards to its brink, and stood +With their green faces fix'd upon the flood."-E. + +(99) A mighty window, hollow in the centre, +Shorn of its glass of thousand colourings, +Through which the deepen'd glories once could enter, +Streaming from off the sun like seraph's wings, +Now yawns all desolate."-E. + +(100) "----The cloisters still were stable, +The cells, too, and refectory, I ween: +An exquisite small chapel had been able +Still unimpaired to decorate the scene +The rest had been reform'd, replaced, or sunk, +And spoke more of the baron than the monk."-E. + +(101) The seat of Earl Spencer.-E. + + + +Letter 43 To The Earl Of Strafford. +Strawberry Hill, Sept. 4, 1760. (87) + +My dear lord, +You ordered me to tell you how I liked Hardwicke. To say the +truth, not exceedingly. The bank of oaks over the ponds is fine, +and the vast lawn behind the house: I saw nothing else that is +superior to the common run of parks. For the house, it did not +please me at all; there is no grace, no ornament, no Gothic in +it. I was glad to see the style of furniture of that age; and my +imagination helped me to like the apartment of the Queen of +Scots. Had it been the chateau of a Duchess of Brunswick, on +which they had exhausted the revenues of some centuries, I don't +think I should have admired it at all. In short, Hardwicke +disappointed me as much as Chatsworth surpassed my expectation. +There is a richness and vivacity of prospect in the latter; in +the former, nothing but triste grandeur. + +Newstead delighted me. There is grace and Gothic indeed--good +chambers and a comfortable house. The monks formerly were the +only sensible people that had really good mansions.(102) I saw +Althorpe too, and liked it very well: the pictures are fine. In +the gallery I found myself quite at home; and surprised the +housekeeper by my familiarity with the portraits. + +I hope you have read Prince Ferdinand's thanksgiving, where he +has made out a victory by the excess of his praises. I supped at +Mr. Conway's t'other night with Miss West'(103) and we diverted +ourselves with the encomiums on her Colonel Johnston. Lady +Ailesbury told her, that to be sure next winter she would burn +nothing but laurel-faggots. Don't you like Prince Ferdinand's +being so tired with thanking, that at last he is forced to turn +God over to be thanked by the officers? + +In London there is a more cruel campaign than that waged by the +Russians: the streets are a very picture of the murder of the +innocents--one drives over nothing but poor dead dogs!(104) The +dear, good-natured, honest, sensible creatures! Christ! how can +anybody hurt them? Nobody could but those Cherokees the English, +who desire no better than to be halloo'd to blood:--one day +Admiral Byng, the next Lord George Sackville, and to-day the poor +dogs! + +I cannot help telling your lordship how I was diverted the night +I returned hither. I was sitting with Mrs. Clive, her sister and +brother, in the bench near the road at the end of her long walk. +We heard a violent scolding; and looking out, saw a pretty woman +standing by a high chaise, in which was a young fellow, and a +coachman riding by. The damsel had lost her hat, her cap, her +cloak, her temper, and her senses; and was more drunk and more +angry than you can conceive. Whatever the young man had or had +not done to her. she would not ride in the chaise with him, but +stood cursing and swearing in the most outrageous style: and when +she had vented all the oaths she could think of, she at last +wished perfidion might seize him. You may imagine how we +laughed. The fair intoxicate turned round, and cried "I am +laughed at!--Who is it!--What, Mrs. Clive? Kitty Clive?--No: +Kitty Clive would never behave so!" I wish you could have seen +My neighbour's confusion. She certainly did not grow paler than +ordinary. I laugh now while I repeat it to you. + +I have told Mr. Bentley the great honour you have done him, my +lord. He is happy the Temple succeeds to please you. + +(102) "----It lies perhaps a little low, Because the monks +preferred a hill behind To shelter their devotion from the wind." +Byron.-E. + +(103) Lady Henrietta-Cecilia, eldest daughter of John, afterwards +Lord de la Warr. In 1763, she was married to General James +West.-E. + +(104) In the summer of this year the dread of mad dogs' raged +like an epidemic: the periodical publications of the time being +filled with little else of domestic interest than the squabbles +of the dog-lovers and dog-haters. The Common Council of London, +at a meeting on the @6th August, issued an order for killing all +dogs found in the street., or highways after the 27th, and +offered a reward of two shillings for every dog that should be +killed and buried in the skin. In Goldsmith's Citizen of the +World there is an amusing paper in which he ridicules the fear of +mad dogs as one of those epidemic terrors to which our countrymen +are occasionally prone.-E. + + + + +Letter 44 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Strawberry Hill, September 19, 1760. (page 88) + +thank you for your notice, though I should certainly have +contrived to see you without it. Your brother promised he would +come and dine here one day with you and Lord Beauchamp. I go to +Navestock on Monday, for two or three days; but that Will not +exhaust your waiting.(105) I shall be in town on Sunday; but- as +that is a court-day, I will not--so don't propose it--dine with +you at Kensington; but I will be with my Lady Hertford about six, +where your brother and you will find me if you please. I cannot +come to Kensington in the evening, for I have but one pair of +horses in the world, and they will have to carry me to town in +the morning. + +I wonder the King expects a battle; when Prince Ferdinand can do +as well without fighting, why should he fight? Can't he make the +hereditary Prince gallop into a mob of Frenchmen, and get a +scratch on the nose; and Johnson straddle across a river and come +back with six heads of hussars in his fob, and then can't he +thank all the world, and assure them he shall never forget the +victory they have not gained? These thanks are sent over: the +Gazette swears that this no-success was chiefly owing to General +Mostyn; and the Chronicle protests, that it was achieved by my +Lord Granby's losing his hat, which he never wears; and then his +lordship sends over for three hundred thousand pints of porter to +drink his own health; and then Mr. Pitt determines to carry on +the war for another year; and then the Duke of Newcastle hopes +that we shall be beat, that he may lay the blame on Mr. Pitt, and +that then he shall be minister for thirty years longer; and then +we shall be the greatest nation in the universe. Amen! My dear +Harry, you see how easy it is to be a hero. If you had but taken +impudence and Oatlands in your way to Rochfort, it would not have +signified whether you had taken Rochfort or not. Adieu! I don't +know who Lady Ailesbury's Mr. Alexander is. If she curls like a +vine with any Mr. Alexander but you, I hope my Lady Coventry will +recover and be your Roxana. + +(105) Mr. Conway, as groom of the bedchamber to the King, was +then in waiting at Kensington. + + + +Letter 45 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Strawberry Hill. (page 89) + +You are good for nothing; you have no engagement, you have no +principles; and all this I am not afraid to tell you,. as you +have left your sword behind you. If you take it ill, I have +given my nephew, who brings your sword, a letter of attorney to +fight you for me; I shall certainly not see you: my Lady +Waldegrave goes to town on Friday, but I remain here. You lose +Lady Anne Connolly and her forty daughters, who all dine here +to-day upon a few loaves and three small fishes. I should have +been glad if you would have breakfasted here on Friday on your +way; but as I lie in bed rather longer than the lark, I fear our +hours would not suit one another. Adieu! + + + +Letter 46 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, October 2, 1760. (page 90) + +I announce my Lady Huntingtower(106) to you. I hope you will +approve the match a little more than I Suppose my Lord Dysart +will, as he does not yet know, though they have been married +these two hours, that, at ten o'clock this morning, his son +espoused my niece Charlotte at St. James's church. The moment +my Lord Dysart is dead, I will carry you to see the Ham-house; +it is pleasant to call cousins with a charming prospect over +against one. Now you want to know the detail: there was none. +It is not the style of Our Court to have long negotiations; we +don't fatigue the town with exhibiting the betrothed for six +months together in public places. Vidit, venit, vicit;--the +young lord has liked her some time; on Saturday se'nnight He +came to my brother, and made his demand. The princess did not +know him by sight, and did not dislike him when she did; she +consented. and they were married this morning. My Lord Dysart +is such a - that nobody will pity him; he has kept his son till +six-and-twenty, and would never make the least settlement on +him; "Sure," said the young man, "if he will do nothing for me, +I may please myself; he cannot hinder me of ten thousand pounds +a-year, and sixty thousand that are in the funds, all entailed +on me"--a reversion one does not wonder the bride did not +refuse, as there is present possession too of a very handsome +person; the only thing his father has ever given him. His +grandfather, Lord Granville, has always told him to choose a +gentlewoman, and please himself; yet I should think the ladies +Townshend and Cooper would cackle a little. + +I wish you could have come here this October for more reasons +than one. The Teddingtonian history is grown wofully bad. +Mark Antony, though no boy, persists in losing the world two or +three times over for every gipsy that be takes for a Cleopatra. +I have laughed, been scolded, represented, begged, and at last +spoken very roundly--all with equal success; at present we do +not meet. I must convince him of ill usage, before I can make +good usage of any service. All I have done is forgot, because +I will not be enamoured of Hannah Cleopatra too. You shall +know the whole history when I see you; you may trust me for +still being kind to him; but that he must not as yet suspect; +they are bent on going to London, that she may visit and be +visited, while he puts on his red velvet and ermine, and goes +about begging in robes. + +Poor Mr. Chute has had another very severe fit of the gout; I +left him in bed, but by not hearing he is worse, trust on +Saturday to find him mended. Adieu! + +(106) Charlotte, third daughter of Sir Edward Walpole, and +sister to Lady Waldegrave, and to Mrs. Keppel. + + + + +Letter 47 To Sir Horace Mann. +Arlington Street, Oct. 5, 1760. Page 91) + +I am afraid you will turn me off from being your gazetteer. Do +you know that I came to town to-day by accident, and was here +four hours before I heard that Montreal was taken? The express +came early this morning. I am so posthumous in my intelligence, +that you must not expect any intelligence from me--but the same +post that brings you this, will convey the extraordinary gazette, +which of late is become the register of the Temple of Fame. All +I know is, that the bonfires and squibs are drinking General +Amherst's(107) health. + +Within these two days Fame and the Gazette have laid another egg; +I wish they may hatch it themselves! but it is one of that +unlucky hue which has so often been addled; in short, behold +another secret expedition. It was notified on Friday, and +departs in a fortnight. Lord Albemarle, it is believed, will +command it. One is sure at least that it cannot be to America, +for we have taken it all. The conquest of Montreal may perhaps +serve in full of all accounts, as I suspect a little that this +new plan was designed to amuse the City of London at the +beginning of the session, who would not like to have wasted so +many millions on this campaign, without any destruction of friend +or foe.(108) Now, a secret expedition may at least furnish a +court-martial, and the citizens love persecution even better than +their money. A general or in admiral to be mobbed either by +their applause or their hisses, is all they desire.-Poor Lord +Albemarle! + +The charming Countess(109) is dead at last; and as if the whole +history of both sisters was to be extraordinary, the Duchess of +Hamilton is in a consumption too, and going abroad directly. +Perhaps you may see the remains of these prodigies, you will see +but little remains; her features were never so beautiful as Lady +Coventry's, and she has long been changed, though not yet I think +above six-and-twenty. The other was but twenty-seven. + +As all the great ladies are mortal this year, my family is forced +to recruit the peerage. My brother's last daughter is married; +and, as Biddy Tipkin(110) says, though their story is too short +for a romance, it will make a very pretty novel--nay, it is +almost brief enough for a play, and very near comes within one of +the unities, the space of four-and-twenty hours. There is in the +world, particularly in my world, for he lives directly over +against me across the water, a strange brute called Earl of +Dysart.(111) Don't be frightened, it is not he. His son, Lord +Huntingtower, to whom he gives but four hundred pounds a year, is +a comely young gentleman of twenty-six, who has often had +thoughts of trying whether his father would not like +grandchildren better than his own children, as sometimes people +have more grand-tenderness than paternal. All the answer he +could ever get was, that the Earl could not afford, as he has +five younger children, to make any settlement, but he offered, as +a proof of his inability and kindness, to lend his son a large +sum of money at low interest. This indigent usurer has thirteen +thousand pounds a year, and sixty thousand pounds in the funds. +The money and ten of the thirteen thousand in land are entailed +on Lord Huntingtower. The young lord, it seems, has been in love +with Charlotte for some months, but thought so little of +inflaming her, that yesterday fortnight she did not know him by +sight. On that day he came and proposed himself to my brother, +who with much surprise heard his story, but excused himself from +giving an answer. He said, he would never force the inclinations +of his children; he did not believe his daughter had any +engagement or attachment, but she might have: he would send for +her and know her mind. She was at her sister Waldegrave's, to +whom, on receiving the notification, she said very sensibly, "if +I was but nineteen, I would refuse pointblank; I do not like to +be married in a week to a man I never saw. But I am +two-and-twenty; some people say I am handsome, some say I am not; +I believe the truth is, I am likely to be at large and to go off +soon-it is dangerous to refuse so great a match." Take notice of +the married in a week; the love that was so many months in +ripening, could not stay above a week. She came and saw this +impetuous lover, and I believe was glad she had not refused +pointblank-for they were married last Thursday. I tremble a +little for the poor girl; not to mention the oddness of the +father, and twenty disagreeable things that may be in the young +man, who has been kept and lived entirely out of the world; @ +takes her fortune, ten thousand pounds, and cannot settle another +shilling upon her till his father dies, and then promises Only a +thousand a year. Would one venture one's happiness and one's +whole fortune for the chance of being Lady Dysart?@if Lord +Huntingtower dies before his father, she will not have sixpence. +Sure my brother has risked too much! + +Stosch, who is settled at Salisbury, has writ to me to recommend +him to somebody or other as a travelling governor or companion. +I would if I knew any body: but who travels now? He says you +have notified his intention to me-so far from it, I have not +heard from you this age: I never was SO long without a letter- +-but you don't take Montreals and Canadas every now and then. +You repose like the warriors in Germany-at least I hope so--I +trust no ill health has occasioned your silence. Adieu! + +(107) General Sir Jeffrey Amherst distinguished himself in the +war with the French in America. He was subsequently created a +peer, and made commander-in-chief.-D. + +(108) The large armament, intended for a secret expedition and +collected at Portsmouth, was detained there the whole summer, but +the design was laid aside.-E. + +(109) Maria Gunning, Countess of Coventry. + +(110) In Steele's "Tender Husband" + +(111) Lionel Tolmache, Earl of Dysart, lived at Ham House, over +against Twickenham. + + + +Letter 48 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, Oct. 14, 1760. (page 92) + +If you should see in the newspapers, that I have offered to raise +a regiment at Twickenham, am going with the expedition, and have +actually kissed hands, don't believe it; though I own, the two +first would not be more surprising than the last. I will tell +you how the calamity befell me, though you will laugh instead of +pitying me. Last Friday morning, I was very tranquilly writing +my Anecdotes of Painting,--I heard the bell at the gate ring--I +called out, as usual, "Not at home;" but Harry, who thought it +would be treason to tell a lie, when he saw red liveries, owned I +was, and came running up: "Sir, the Prince of Wales is at the +door, and says he is come on purpose to make you a visit!" There +was I, in the utmost confusion, undressed, in my slippers, and my +hair about my ears; there was no help, insanunt vetem aspiciet- +-and down I went to receive him. Him was the Duke of York. +Behold my breeding of the old court; at the foot of the stairs I +kneeled down, and kissed his hand. I beg your uncle Algernon +Sidney's pardon, but I could not let the second Prince of the +blood kiss my hand first. He was, as he always is, extremely +good-humoured; and I, as I am not always, extremely respectful. +He stayed two hours, nobody with him but Morrison; I showed him +all my castle, the pictures of the Pretender's sons, and that +type of the Reformation, Harry the Eighth's ----, moulded into a +to the clock he gave Anne Boleyn. - But observe my luck; he would +have the sanctum sanctorum in the library opened: about a month +ago I removed the MSS. in another place. All this is very well; +but now for the consequences; what was I to do next? I have not +been in a court these ten years, consequently have never kissed +hands in the next reign. Could I let a Duke of York visit me, +and never go to thank him? I know, if I was a great poet, I might +be so brutal, and tell the world in rhyme that rudeness is +virtue; or, if I was a patriot, I might, after laughing at Kings +and Princes for twenty years, catch at the first opening of +favour and beg a place. In truth, I can do neither; yet I could +not be shocking; I determined to go to Leicester-house, and +comforted myself that it was not much less meritorious to go +there for nothing, than to stay quite away; yet I believe I must +make a pilgrimage to Saint Liberty of Geneva, before I am +perfectly purified, especially as I am dipped even at St. +James's. Lord Hertford, at my request, begged my Lady Yarmouth +to get an order for my Lady Henry to go through the park, and the +countess said so many civil things about me and my suit, and +granted it so expeditiously, that I shall be forced to visit, +even before she lives here next door to my Lady Suffolk. My +servants are transported; Harry expects to see me first minister, +like my father, and reckons upon a place in the Custom-house.. +Louis, who drinks like a German, thinks himself qualified for a +page of the back stairs--but these are not all my troubles. As I +never dress in summer, I had nothing upon earth but a frock, +unless I went in black, like a poet, and pretended that a cousin +was dead, one of the muses. Then I was in panics lest I should +call my Lord Bute, your Royal Highness. I was not indeed in much +pain at the conjectures the Duke of Newcastle would make on such +an apparition, even if he should suspect that a new opposition +was on foot, and that I was to write some letters to the Whigs. + +Well, but after all, do you know that my calamity has not +befallen me yet? I could not determine to bounce over head and +ears into the drawing-room at once, without one soul knowing why +I cane thither. I went to London on Saturday night, and Lord +Hertford was to carry me the next Morning; in the meantime I +wrote to Morrison, explaining my gratitude to one brother, and my +unacquaintance with t'other, and how afraid I was that it would +be thought officious and forward if I was presented now, and +begging he would advise me what to do; and all this upon my +bended knee, as if Schutz had stood over me and dictated every +syllable. The answer was by order from the Duke of York, that he +smiled at my distress, wished to put me to no inconvenience, but +desired, that as the acquaintance had begun without restraint, it +might continue without ceremony. Now I was in more perplexity +than ever! I could not go directly, and yet it was not fit it +should be said I thought it an inconvenience to wait on the +Prince of Wales. At present it is decided by a jury of court +matrons, that is, courtiers, that I must write to my Lord Bute +and explain the whole, and why I desire to come now--don't fear; +I will take care they shall understand how little I come for. In +the mean time, you see it is my fault if I am not a favourite, +but alas! I am not heavy enough to be tossed in a blanket, like +Doddington; I should never come down again; I cannot be driven in +a royal curricle to wells and waters: I can't make love now to my +contemporary Charlotte Dives; I cannot quit Mufti and my +parroquet for Sir William Irby,(112) and the prattle of a +drawing-room, nor Mrs. Clive for Aelia Lalia Chudleigh; in short, +I could give up nothing but an Earldom of EglingtOn; and yet I +foresee, that this phantom of the reversion of a reversion will +make me plagued; I shall have Lord Egmont whisper me again; and +every tall woman and strong man, that comes to town, will make +interest with me to get the Duke of York to come and see them. +Oh! dreadful, dreadful! It is plain I never was a patriot, for I +don't find my virtue a bit staggered by this first glimpse of +court sunshine. + +Mr. Conway has pressed to command the new Quixotism on foot, and +has been refused; I sing a very comfortable te Deum for it. +Kingsley, Craufurd, and Keppel, are the generals, and Commodore +Keppel the admiral. The mob are sure of being pleased; they will +get a conquest, or a court-martial. A very unpleasant thing has +happened to the Keppels; the youngest brother, who had run in +debt at Gibraltar, and was fetched away to be sent to Germany, +gave them the slip at the first port they touched at in Spain, +surrendered himself to the Spanish governor, has changed his +religion, and sent for a ---- that had been taken from him at +Gibraltar; naturam expellas fure`a. There's the true blood of +Charles the Second sacrificing every thing for popery and a +bunter. + +Lord Bolingbroke, on hearing the name of Lady Coventry at +Newmarket, affected to burst into tears, and left the room, not +to hide his crying, but his not crying. + +Draper has handsomely offered to go on the expedition, and goes. + +Ned Finch, t'other day, on the conquest of Montreal, wished the +King joy of having lost no subjects, but those that perished in +the rabbits. Fitzroy asked him if he thought they crossed the +great American lakes in such little boats as one goes to +Vauxhall? he replied, "Yes, Mr. Pitt said the rabbits"--it was +in the falls, the rapids. + +I like Lord John almost as well as Fred. Montagu; and I like your +letter better than Lord John; the application of Miss Falkener +was charming. Good night. + +P. S. If I had been told in June, that I should have the gout, +and kiss hands before November, I don't think I should have given +much credit to the prophet. + +(112) In 1761, created Baron Boston.-E. + + + +Letter 49 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street. October 25, 1760. (page 95) +I tell a lie: I am at Mr. Chute's. + +Was ever so agreeable a man as King George the Second, to die the +very day it was necessary to save me from a ridicule? I was to +have kissed hands to-morrow-but you will not care a farthing +about that now; so I must tell you all I know of departed +majesty. He went to bed well last night, rose at six this +morning as usual, looked, I suppose, if all his money was in his +purse, and called for his chocolate. A little after seven, he +went into the water-closet; the German valet de chambre heard a +noise, listened, heard something like a groan, ran in, and found +the hero of Oudenarde and Dettingen on the floor, with a gash on +his right temple, by falling against the corner of a bureau. He +tried to speak, could not, and expired. Princess Emily was +called, found him dead, and wrote to the Prince. I know not a +syllable, but am come to see and hear as much as I can. I fear +you will cry and roar all night, but one could not keep it from +you. For my part, like a new courtier, I comfort myself, +considering what a gracious Prince comes next. Behold my luck. +I wrote to Lord Bute, just in all the unexpecteds, want Of +ambition, disinteresteds, etc. that I could amass, gilded with as +much duty affection, zeal, etc. as possible, received a very +gracious and sensible answer, and was to have been presented +to-morrow, and the talk of the few people, that are in town, for +a week. Now I shall be lost in the crowd, shall be as well there +as I desire to be, have done what was right, they know I want +nothing, may be civil to me very cheaply, and I can go and see +the puppet-show for this next month at my ease: but perhaps you +will think all this a piece of art; to be sure, I have timed my +court, as luckily as possible, and contrived to be the last +person in England that made interest with the successor. You see +virtue and philosophy always prone to know the world and their +own interest. However, I am not so abandoned a patriot yet, as +to desert my friends immediately; you shall hear now and then the +events of this new reign--if I am not made secretary of state--if +I am, I shall certainly take care to let you know it. + +I had really begun to think that the lawyers for once talked +sense, when they said the King never dies. He probably cot his +death, as he liked to have done two years ago, by viewing the +troops for the expedition from the wall of Kensington Garden. My +Lady Suffolk told me about a month ago that he had often told +her, speaking of the dampness of Kensington, that he would never +die there. For my part, my man Harry will always be a favourite: +he tells me all the amusing news; he first told me of the late +Prince of Wales's death, and to-day of the King's. + +Thank you, Mr. Chute is as well as can be expected--in this +national affliction. Sir Robert Brown has left every thing to my +Lady--aye, every thing, I believe his very avarice. + +Lord Huntingtower wrote to offer his father eight thousand pounds +of Charlotte's fortune, if he would give them one thousand a-year +in present, and settle a jointure on her. The Earl returned this +truly laconic, for being so unnatural, an answer. "Lord +Huntingtower, I answer your letter as soon as I receive it; I +wish you joy; I hear your wife is very accomplished. Yours, +Dysart." I believe my Lady Huntingtower must contrive to make it +convenient for me, that my Lord Dysart should die--and then he +will. I expect to be a very respectable personage in time, and +to have my tomb set forth like the Lady Margaret Douglas, that I +had four earls to my nephews, though I never was one myself. +Adieu! I must go govern the nation. + + + +Letter 50 To The Earl Of Strafford. +Arlington Street, October 26, 1760. (page 96) + +My dear lord, +I beg your pardon for so long a silence in the late reign; I knew +nothing worth telling you; and the great event of this morning +you Z, will certainly hear before it comes to you by so sober and +regular a personage as the postman. The few circumstances known +yet are, that the King went well to bed last night; rose well at +six this morning; went to the water-closet a little after seven +-, had a fit, fell against a bureau, and gashed his right temple: +the valet de chambre heard a noise and a groan, and ran in: the +King tried to speak, but died instantly. I should hope this +would draw you southward: such scenes are worth looking at, even +by people who regard them with such indifference as your lordship +and I. I say no more, for what will mix in a letter with the +death of a King! I am my lady's and your lordship's most +faithful servant. + + + +Letter 51 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Tuesday, October 28. (page 97) + +The new reign dates with great propriety and decency; the +civilest letter to Princess Emily; the greatest kindness to the +duke; the utmost respect to the dead body. No changes to be made +but those absolutely necessary, as the household, etc.--and what +some will think the most unnecessary, in the representative of +power. There are but two new cabinet counsellors named; the Duke +of York and Lord Bute, so it must be one of them. The Princess +does not remove to St. James's, so I don't believe it will be +she. To-day England kissed hands, so did I, and it is more +comfortable to kiss hands with all England, than to have all +England ask why one kisses hands. Well! my virtue is safe; I had +a gracious reception, and yet I am almost as impatient to return +to Strawberry, as I was to leave it on the news. There is great +dignity and grace in the King's manner. I don't say this, like +my dear Madame de S`evign`e, because he was civil to me but the +part is well acted. If they do as well behind the scenes, as +upon the stage, it will be a very complete reign. Hollinshed, or +Baker, would think it begins well, that is, begins ill; it has +rained without intermission, and yesterday there came a cargo of +bad news, all which, you know, are similar omens to a man who +writes history upon the information of the clouds. Berlin is +taken by the Prussians, the hereditary Prince beaten by the +French. Poor Lord Downe has had three wounds. He and your +brother's Billy Pitt are prisoners. Johnny Waldegrave was shot +through the hat and through the coat; and would have been shot +through the body, if he had had any. Irish Johnson is wounded in +the hand; Ned Harvey somewhere; and Prince Ferdinand mortally in +his reputation for sending this wild detachment. Mr. Pitt has +another reign to set to rights. The Duke of Cumberland has taken +Lord Sandwich's, in Pall-mall; Lord Chesterfield has offered his +house to Princess Emily; and if they live at Hampton-court, as I +suppose his court will, I may as well offer Strawberry for a +royal nursery; for at best it will become a cakehouse; 'tis such +a convenient airing for the maids of honour. If I was not forced +in conscience to own to you, that my own curiosity is exhausted, +I would ask you, if you would not come and look at this new +world; but a new world only reacted by old players is not much +worth seeing; I shall return on Saturday. The Parliament is +prorogued till the day it was to have met; the will is not +opened; what can I tell you more? Would it be news that all is +hopes and fears, and that great lords look as if they dreaded +wanting bread? would this be news? believe me, it all grows +stale soon. I had not seen such a sight these three-and-thirty +years: I came eagerly to town; I laughed for three days-. I am +tired already. Good night! + +P. S. I smiled to myself last night. Out of excess of attention, +which costs me nothing, when I mean it should cost nobody else +any thing, I went last night to Kensington to inquire after +Princess Emily and Lady Yarmouth: nobody knew me, they asked my +name. When they heard it, they did not seem ever to have heard +it before, even in that house. I waited half an hour in a lodge +with a footman of Lady Yarmouth's; I would not have waited so +long in her room a week ago; now it only diverted me. Even +moralizing is entertaining, when one laughs at the same time; but +I pity those who don't moralize till they cry. + + + +Letter 52 To Sir Horace Mann. + +Arlington Street, Oct. 28, 1760. (page 98) + +The deaths of kings travel so much faster than any post, that I +cannot expect to tell you news, when I say your old master is +dead. But I can pretty well tell you what I like best to be +able to say to you on this occasion, that you are in no danger. +Change Will scarce reach to Florence when its hand is checked +even in the capital. But I will move a little regularly, and +then you will form your judgment more easily--This is Tuesday; +on Friday night the King went to bed in perfect health, and +rose so the next morning at his usual hour of six; he called +for and drank his chocolate. At seven, for every thing with +him was exact and periodic, he went into the closet to dismiss +his chocolate. Coming from thence, his valet de chambre heard +a noise; waited a moment, and heard something like a groan. He +ran in, and in a small room between the closet and bedchamber +he found the King on the floor, who had cut the right side of +his face against the edge of a bureau, and who after a gasp +expired. Lady Yarmouth was called, and sent for Princess +Amelia; but they only told the latter that the King was ill and +wanted her. She had been confined for some days with a +rheumatism, but hurried down, ran into the room without farther +notice, and saw her father extended on the bed. She is very +purblind, and more than a little deaf They had not closed his +eyes: she bent down close to his face, and concluded he spoke +to her, though she could not hear him-guess what a shock when +she found the truth. She wrote to the Prince of Wales--but so +had one of the valets de chambre first. He came to town and +saw the Duke(113) and the privy council. He was extremely kind +to the first--and in general has behaved with the greatest +propriety, dignity, and decency. He read his speech to the +council with much grace, and dismissed the guards on himself to +wait on his grandfather's body. It is intimated, that he means +to employ the same ministers, but with reserve to himself of +more authority than has lately been in fashion. The Duke of +York and Lord Bute are named of the cabinet council. The late +King's will is not yet opened. To-day every body kissed hands +at Leicester-house, and this week, I believe, the King will go +to St. James's. The body has been opened; the great ventricle +of the heart had burst. What an enviable death! In the +greatest period of glory of this country, and of his reign, in +perfect tranquillity at home, at seventy-seven, growing blind +and deaf, to die without a pang, before any reverse of fortune, +or any distasted peace, nay, but two days before a ship load of +bad news: could he have chosen such another moment? The news is +bad indeed! Berlin taken by capitulation, and yet the Austrians +behaved so savagely that even the Russians(114) felt delicacy, +were shocked, and checked them! Nearer home, the hereditary +Prince(115) has been much beaten by Monsieur de Castries, and +forced to raise the siege of Wesel, whither Prince Ferdinand +had Sent him most unadvisedly: we have scarce an officer +unwounded. The secret expedition will now, I conclude, sail, +to give an `eclat to the new reign. Lord Albemarle does not +command it, as I told you, nor Mr. Conway, though both applied. + +Nothing is settled about the Parliament; not even the necessary +changes in the household. Committees of council are regulating +the mourning and the funeral. The town, which between armies, +militia, and approaching elections, was likely to be a desert +all the winter, is filled in a minute, but every thing is in +the deepest tranquility. People stare; the only expression. +The moment any thing is declared, one shall not perceive the +novelty of the reign. A nation without parties is soon a +nation without curiosity. You may now judge how little your +situation is likely to be affected. I finish; I think I feel +ashamed of tapping the events of a new reign, of which probably +I shall not see half. If I was not unwilling to balk your +curiosity, I should break my pen, as the great officers do +their white wands, over the grave of the old King. Adieu! + +(113) William Duke of Cumberland. + +(114) The Russians and Austrians obtained possession of Berlin, +while Frederick was employed in watching the great Austrian +army. They were, however, soon driven from it.-D. + +(115) Of Brunswick; afterwards the celebrated duke of that +name.-D. + + + + +Letter 53 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Oct. 31, 1760. (page 99) + +When you have changed the cipher of George the Second into that +of George the Third. and have read the addresses, and have +shifted a few lords and grooms of the bedchamber, you are master +of the history of the new reign, which is indeed but a new lease +of the old one. The favourite took it up in a +high style; but having, like my Lord Granville, forgot to ensure +either house of Parliament, or the mob, the third house of +Parliament, he drove all the rest to unite. They have united, +and have notified their resolution of governing as + before: not but the Duke of Newcastle cried for his old +master, desponded for himself, protested he would retire, +consulted every body whose interest it was to advise him to stay, +and has accepted to-day, thrusting the dregs of his ridiculous +life into a young court, which will at least be saved from the +imputation of childishness, by being governed by folly of seventy +years growth. + +The young King has all the appearance of being amiable. There is +great grace to temper much dignity and extreme good-nature, which +breaks out on all occasions. Even the household is not settled +yet. The greatest difficulty is the master of the horse. Lord +Huntingdon is so by all precedent; Lord Gower, I believe, will be +so. Poor Lord Rochford is undone - nobody is unreasonable to +save him. The Duke of Cumberland has taken Schomberg-house in +Pall-mall; Princess Emily is dealing for Sir Richard Lyttelton's +in Cavendish-square. People imagined the Duke of Devonshire had +lent her Burlington-house; I don't know why, unless they supposed +she was to succeed my Lady Burlington in every thing. + +A week has finished my curiosity fully; I return to Strawberry +to-morrow, and I fear go next week to Houghton, to make an +appearance of civility to Lynn, whose favour I never asked, nor +care if I have or not; but I don't know how to refuse this +attention to Lord Orford, who begs it. + +I trust you will have approved my behaviour at court, that is, my +mixing extreme politeness with extreme indifference. Our +predecessors, the philosophers of ancient days, knew not how to +be disinterested without brutality; I pique myself on founding a +new sect. My followers are to tell kings, with excess of +attention, that they don't want them, and to despise favour with +more good breeding than others practise in suing for it. We are +a thousand times a greater nation than the Grecians: why are we +to imitate them! Our sense is as great, our follies greater; sure +we have all the pretensions to superiority! Adieu! + +P. S. As to the fair widow Brown, I assure you the devil never +sowed two hundred thousand pounds in a more fruitful soil: every +guinea has taken root already. I saw her yesterday; it shall be +some time before I see her again. + + + +Letter 54 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Nov. 4, 1760. (page 100) + +I am not gone to Houghton, you see: my Lord Orford is come to +town, and I have persuaded him to stay and perform decencies. +King George the Second is dead richer than Sir Robert Brown, +though perhaps not so rich as my Lord Hardwicke. He has left +fifty thousand pounds between the Duke, Emily, and Mary; the Duke +has given up his share. To Lady Yarmouth a cabinet, with the +contents; they call it eleven thousand pounds. By a German deed, +he gives the Duke to the value of one hundred and eighty thousand +pounds, placed on mortgages, not immediately recoverable. e had +once given him twice as much more, then revoked it, and at last +excused the revocation, on the pretence of the expenses of the +war; but owns he was the best son that ever lived, and had never +offended him; a pretty strong comment on the affair of +Closterseven! He gives him, besides, all his jewels in England; +but had removed all the best to Hanover, which he makes crown +jewels, and his successor residuary legatee. The Duke, too, has +some uncounted cabinets. My Lady Suffolk has given me a +particular of his jewels, which plainly amount to one hundred and +fifty thousand pounds. It happened oddly to my Lady Suffolk. +Two days before he died, she went to make a visit at Kensington, +not knowing of the review; she found herself hemmed in by +coaches, and was close to him, whom she had not seen for so many +years, and to my Lady Yarmouth; but they did not know her: it +struck her, and has made her very sensible to his death. +The changes hang back. Nothing material has been altered yet. + +Ned Finch, the only thing my Lady Yarmouth told the new King she +had to ask for, is made surveyor of the roads, in the room of Sir +Harry Erskine, who is to have an old regiment. He excuses +himself from seeing company, as favourite of the favourite. +Arthur is removed from being clerk of the wine-cellar, a +sacrifice to morality The Archbishop has such hopes of the young +King, that he is never out of the circle. He trod upon the +Duke's foot on Sunday, in the haste of his zeal; the Duke said to +him, "My lord, if your grace is in such a hurry to make your +court, that is the way." Bon-mots come thicker than changes. +Charles Townshend, receiving an account of the impression the +King's death had made, was told Miss Chudleigh cried. "What," +said he, "Oysters?" And last night, Mr. Dauncey, asking George +Selwyn if Princess Amelia would have a guard? he replied, "Now +and then one, I suppose." + +An extraordinary event has happened to-day; George Townshend sent +a challenge to Lord Albemarle, desiring him to be with a second +in the fields. Lord Albemarle took Colonel Crawford, and went to +Mary-le-bone; George Townshend bespoke Lord Buckingham, who loves +a secret too well not to tell it: he communicated it to Stanley, +who went to St. James's, and acquainted Mr. Caswall, the captain +on guard. The latter took a hackney-coach, drove to +Mary-le-bone, and saw one pair. After waiting ten minutes, the +others came; Townshend made an apology to Lord Albemarle for +making him wait. "Oh," said he, "men of spirit don't want +apologies: come, let us begin what we came for." At that +instant, out steps Caswall from his coach, and begs their pardon, +as his superior officers, but told them they were his prisoners. +He desired Mr. Townshend and Lord Buckingham to return to their +coach; he would carry back Lord Albemarle and Crawford in his. +He did, and went to acquaint the King, who has commissioned some +of the matrons of the army to examine the affair, and make it up. +All this while, I don't know what the quarrel was, but they hated +one another so much on the Duke's account, that a slight word +would easily make their aversions boil over. Don't you, nor even +your general come to town on this occasion? Good night. + + + + +Letter 55 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Nov. 13, 1760. (page 102) + +Even the honeymoon of a new reign don't produce events every day. +There is nothing but the common Paying of addresses and kissing +hands. The chief difficulty is settled; Lord Gower yields the +mastership of the horse to Lord Huntingdon, and removes to the +great wardrobe, from whence Sir Thomas Robinson was to have gone +into Ellis's place, but he is saved. The city, however, have a +mind to be out of humour; a paper has been fixed on the Royal +Exchange, with these words, "No petticoat government, no Scotch +minister, no Lord George Sackville;" two hints totally unfounded, +and the other scarce true. No petticoat ever governed less, it +is left at Leicester-house; Lord George's breeches are as little +concerned; and, except Lady Susan Stuart and Sir Harry Erskine, +nothing has yet been done for any Scots. For the King himself, +he seems all good-nature, and wishing to satisfy every body; all +his speeches are obliging. I saw him again yesterday, and was +surprised to find the levee-room had lost so entirely the air of +the lion's den. This sovereign don't stand in one spot, with his +eyes fixed royally on the ground, and dropping bits of German +news; he walks about, and speaks to every body- I saw him +afterwards on the throne, where he is graceful and genteel, sits +with dignity, and reads his answers to addresses well; it was the +Cambridge address, carried by the Duke of Newcastle in his +doctor's gown, and looking like the M`edecin malgr`e lui. He had +been vehemently solicitous for attendance, for fear my Lord +Westmoreland, who vouchsafes himself to bring the address from +Oxford, should outnumber him. Lord Litchfield and several other +Jacobites have kissed hands; George Selwyn says, "They go to St. +James's, because now there are so many Stuarts there." + +Do you know, I had the curiosity to go to the burying t'other +night; I had never seen a royal funeral; nay, I walked as a rag +of quality, which I found would be, and so it was, the easiest +way of seeing it. It is absolutely a noble sight. The Prince's +chamber, hung with purple, and a quantity of silver lamps, the +coffin under a canopy of purple velvet, and six vast chandeliers +of silver on high stands, had a very good effect. The ambassador +from Tripoli and his son were carried to see that chamber. The +procession through a line of foot-guards, every seventh man +bearing a torch, the horse-guards lining the outside, their +officers with drawn sabres and crape sashes on horseback, the +drums muffled, the fifes, bells tolling, and minute guns,--all +this was very solemn. But the charm was the entrance of the +abbey, where we were received by the dean and chapter in rich +robes, the choir and almsmen bearing torches; the whole abbey so +illuminated, that one saw it to greater advantage than by day; +the tombs, long aisles, and fretted roof, all appearing +distinctly, and with the happiest chiaro scuro. There wanted +nothing but incense, and little chapels here and there, with +priests saying mass for the repose of the defunct; yet one could +not complain of its not being Catholic enough. I had been in +dread of' being coupled with some boy of ten years old; but the +heralds were not very accurate, and I walked with George +Grenville, taller and older, to keep me in countenance. When we +came to the chapel of Henry the Seventh, all solemnity and +decorum ceased; no order was observed, people sat or stood where +they could or would; the yeomen of the guard were crying out for +help, oppressed by the immense weight of the coffin; the bishop +read sadly, and blundered in the prayers; the fine chapter, Man +that is born of a woman, was chanted, not read; and the anthem, +besides being immeasurably tedious, would have served as well for +a nuptial. The real serious part was the figure of the Duke of +Cumberland, heightened by a thousand melancholy circumstances. +He had a dark brown adonis, and a cloak of black cloth, with a +train of five yards. Attending the funeral of a father could not +be pleasant: his leg extremely bad, yet forced to stand upon it +near two hours; his face bloated and distorted with his late +paralytic stroke, which has affected, too, one of his eyes, and +placed over the mouth of the vault, into which, in all +probability, he must himself so soon descend; think how +unpleasant a situation! he bore it all with a firm and +unaffected countenance. This grave scene was fully contrasted by +the burlesque Duke of Newcastle. He fell into a fit of crying +the moment he came into the chapel, and flung himself back in a +stall, the archbishop hovering over him with a smelling-bottle; +but in two minutes his curiosity got the better of his hypocrisy, +and he ran about the chapel with his glass to spy who was or was +not there, spying with one hand, and mopping his eyes with the +other. Then returned the fear of catching cold; and the Duke of +Cumberland, who was sinking with heat, felt himself weighed down, +and turning round, found it was the Duke of Newcastle standing +upon his train, to avoid the chill of the marble. It was very +theatric to look down into the vault, where the coffin lay, +attended by mourners with lights. Clavering, the groom of the +bedchamber, refused to sit up with the body, and was dismissed by +the King's order. + +I have nothing more to tell you, but a trifle, a very trifle. +The King of Prussia has totally defeated Marshal Daun.(116) +This, which would have been prodigious news a month ago, is +nothing to-day; it only takes its turn among the questions, "Who +is to be groom of the bedchamber? what is Sir T. Robinson to +have?" I have been to Leicester-fields to-day; the crowd was +immoderate; I don't believe it will continue so. good night. +Yours ever. + +(116) At Torgau, on the 3d of November. An animated description +of this desperate battle is given by Walpole in his Memoires, +vol. ii. p. 449.-E. + + + +Letter 56 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Thursday, 1760. (page 104) + +As a codicil to my letter, I send you the bedchamber. There are +to be eighteen lords, and thirteen grooms; all the late King's +remain, but your cousin Manchester, Lord Falconberg, Lord Essex, +and Lord Flyndford, replaced by the Duke of Richmond, Lord +Weymouth, Lord March, and Lord Eglinton: the last at the request +of the Duke of York. Instead of Clavering, Nassau, and General +Campbell, who is promised something else, Lord Northampton's +brother and Commodore Keppel are grooms. When it was offered to +the Duke of Richmond, he said he could not accept it, unless +something was done for Colonel Keppel, for whom he has interested +himself; that it would look like sacrificing Keppel to his own +views. This is handsome; Keppel is to be equery. + +Princess Amelia goes every where, as she calls it; she was on +Monday at Lady Holderness's, and next Monday is to be at +Bedford-house; but there is only the late King's set, and the +court of Bedford so she makes the houses of other people as +triste as St. James's was. Good night. + +Not a word more of the King of Prussia: did you ever know a +victory mind the wind so? + + + +Letter 57 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, Monday, Nov. 24, 1760. (page 104) + + +Unless I were to send you journals, lists, catalogues, +computations of the bodies, tides, swarms of people that go to +court to present addresses, or to be presented, I can tell you +nothing new. The day the King went to the House, I was three +quarters of an hour getting through Whitehall; there were +subjects enough to set up half-a-dozen petty kings: the Pretender +would be proud to reign over the footmen only; and, indeed, +unless he acquires some of them, he will have no subjects left; +all their masters flock to St. James's. The palace is so +thronged, that I will stay tilt some people are discontented. +The first night the King went to the play, which was civilly on a +Friday, not on the opera-night, as he used to do, the whole +audience sung God save the King in chorus. For the first act, +the press was so great at the door, that no ladies could go to +the boxes, and only the servants appeared there, who kept places: +at the end of the second act, the whole mob broke in, and seated +themselves; yet all this zeal is not likely to last, though he so +well deserves it. Seditious papers are again stuck up: one +t'other day in Westminster Hall declared against a Saxe-Gothan +Princess. The Archbishop, who is never out of the drawing-room, +has great hopes from the King's goodness, that he shall make +something of him, that is something bad of him. On the Address, +Pitt and his zany Beckford quarrelled, on the latter's calling +the campaign languid. What is become of our magnanimous ally and +his victory, I know not. It) eleven days, no courier has arrived +from him; but I have been these two days perfectly indifferent +about his magnanimity. I am come to put my Anecdotes of Painting +into the press. You are one of the few that I expect will be +entertained with it. It has warmed Gray's coldness so much, that +he is violent about it; in truth, there is an infinite quantity +of new and curious things about it; but as it is quite foreign +from all popular topics, I don't suppose it will be much attended +to. There is not a word of Methodism in it, it says nothing of +the disturbances in Ireland, it does not propose to keep all +Canada, it neither flattered the King of Prussia nor Prince +Ferdinand, it does not say that the city of London are the wisest +men in the world, it is silent about George Townshend, and does +not abuse my Lord George Sackville; how should it please? I want +you to help me in a little affair, that regards it. I have found +in a MS. that in the church of Beckley, or Becksley, in Sussex, +there are portraits on glass, In a window, of Henry the Third and +his Queen. I have looked in the map, and find the first name +between Bodiham and Rye, but I am not sure it is the place. I +will be much obliged to you if you will write directly to your +Sir Whistler, and beg him to inform himself very exactly if there +is any such thing in such a church near Bodiham. Pray state it +minutely; because if there is, I will have them drawn for the +frontispiece to my work. + +Did I tell you that the Archbishop tried to hinder the "Minor" +from being played at Drury Lane? for once the Duke of Devonshire +was firm, and would only let him correct some passages, and even +of those the Duke has restored some. One that the prelate +effaced was, "You snub-nosed son of a bitch." Foote says, he +will take out a license to preach Tam. Cant, against Tom. +Cant.(117) + +The first volume of Voltaire's Peter the Great is arrived. I +weep over it. It is as languid as the campaign; he is grown old. +He boasts of the materials communicated to him by the Czarina's +order--but alas! he need not be proud of them. They only serve +to show how much worse he writes history with materials than +without. Besides, it is evident how much that authority has +cramped his genius. I had heard before, that when he sent the +work to Petersburgh for imperial approbation, it was returned +with orders to increase the panegyric. I wish he had acted like +a very inferior author. Knyphausen once hinted to me, that I +might have some authentic papers, if I was disposed to write the +life of his master; but I did not care for what would lay me +under such restrictions. It is not fair to use weapons against +the persons that lend them; and I do not admire his master enough +to commend any thing in him, but his military actions. Adieu! + +(117) The following anecdote is related in the Biographia +Dramatica:--"Our English Aristophanes sent a copy of the Minor to +the Archbishop of Canterbury, requesting that, if his grace +should see any thing objectionable in it, he would exercise the +free use of his pen, either in the way of erasure or correction. +The Archbishop returned it untouched; observing to a confidential +friend, that he was sure the wit had only laid a trap for him, +and that if he had put his pen to the manuscript, by way of +correction or objection, Foote would have had the assurance to +have advertised the play as 'corrected and prepared for the press +by his grace the Archbishop of Canterbury.'"-E. + + + +Letter 58 To The Rev. Henry Zouch. +Arlington Street, Nov. 27, 1760. (page 106) + +You are extremely kind, Sir, in remembering my little commission +I troubled you with. As I am in great want of some more painted +glass to finish a window in my round tower, I should be glad, +though it may not be a Pope, to have the piece you mentioned, if +it can be purchased reasonably. + +My Lucan is finished, but will not be published till after +Christmas, when I hope you will do me the favour of accepting +one, and let me know how I shall Convey it. The Anecdotes of +Painting have succeeded to the press: I have finished two +volumes, but as there will at least be a third, I am not +determined whether I shall not wait to publish the whole +together. You will be surprised, I think, to see what a quantity +of materials the industry of one man (Vertue) could amass and how +much he retrieved at this late period. I hear of nothing new +likely to appear; all the world is taken up in penning addresses, +or in presenting them;(118) and the approaching elections will +occupy the thoughts of men so much that an author could not +appear at a worse era. + +(118) On the then recent accession of George III.-E. + + + +letter 59 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Dec. 11, 1760. (page 106) + +I thank you for the inquiries about the painted glass, and shall +be glad if I prove to be in the right. + +There is not much of news to tell you; and yet there is much +dissatisfaction. The Duke of Newcastle has threatened to resign +on the appointment of Lord Oxford and Lord Bruce without his +knowledge. His court rave about Tories, which you know comes +with a singular grace from them, as the Duke never preferred any. +Murray, Lord Gower, Sir John Cotton, Jack Pitt, etc. etc. etc. +were all firm whigs. But it is unpardonable to put an end to all +faction, when it is not for factious purposes. Lord +Fitzmaurice,(119) made aide-de-camp to the King, has disgusted +the army. The Duke of Richmond, whose brother has no more been +put over others than the Duke of Newcastle has preferred Tories, +has presented a warm memorial in a warm manner, and has resigned +the bedchamber, not his regiment-another propriety. + +Propriety is so much in fashion, that Miss Chudleigh has called +for the council books of the subscription concert, and has struck +off the name of Mrs. Naylor.(120) I have some thoughts of +remonstrating, that General Waldegrave is too lean for to be a +groom of the bedchamber. Mr. Chute has sold his house to Miss +Speed for three thousand pounds, and has taken one for a year in +Berkeley Square. + +This is a very brief letter; I fear this reign will soon furnish +longer. When the last King could be beloved, a young man with a +good heart has little chance of being so. Moreover, I have a +maxim, that the extinction of party is the origin of faction." +Good night. + +(119) Afterwards Earl of Shelburne, and in 1784 created Marquis +of Lansdowne.-E. + +(120) A noted procuress.-E. + + + +Letter 60 To The Rev. Henry Zouch +Arlington Street, Jan. 3, 1761. (page 107) + +Sir, +I stayed till I had the Lucan ready to send you, before I thanked +you for your letter, and for the pane of glass, about which you +have given yourself so much kind trouble, and which I have +received; I think it is clearly Heraclitus weeping over a globe. + +Illuminated MSS., unless they have portraits of particular +persons, I do not deal in; the extent of my collecting is already +full asgreat as I can afford. I am not the less obliged to you, +Sir, for thinking Of me. Were my fortune larger, I should go +deeper into printing, and having engraved curious MSS. and +drawings; as I cannot, I comfort myself with reflecting on the +mortifications I avoid, by the little regard shown by the world +to those sort of things. The sums laid out on books one should, +at first sight, think an indication of encouragement to letters; +but booksellers only are encouraged, not books. Bodies of +sciences, that is, compilations and mangled abstracts, are the +only saleable commodities. Would you believe, what I know is +fact, that Dr. Hill(121) earned fifteen guineas a-week by working +for wholesale dealers: he was at once employed on six voluminous +works of Botany, Husbandry, etc. published weekly. I am sorry to +say, this journeyman is one of the first men preferred in the new +reign: he is made gardener of Kensington, a place worth two +thousand pounds a-year.(122) The King and lord Bute have +certainly both of them great propensity to the arts; but Dr. +Hill, though undoubtedly not deficient in parts, has as little +claim to favour in this reign, as Gideon, the stock-jobber, in +the last; both engrossers without merit. Building, I am told, is +the King's favourite study; I hope our architects will not be +taken from the erectors of turnpikes. + +(121) Dr. Hill's were among the first works in which scientific +knowledge was put in a popular shape, by the system of number +publishing. The Doctor's performances in this way are not +discreditable, and are still useful as works of reference.-C. + +(122) This was an exaggeration of the emoluments of a place, +which, after all was not improperly bestowed on a person of his +pursuits and merits.-C. + + + +Letter 61 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Jan. 22, 1761. (page 108) + +I am glad you are coming, and now the time is over, that you are +coming so late, as I like to have you here in the spring. You +will find no great novelty in the new reign. Lord Denbigh(123) +is made master of the harriers, with two thousand a-year. Lord +Temple asked it, and Newcastle and Hardwicke gave into it for +fear of Denbigh's brutality in the House of Lords. Does this +differ from the style of George the Second? + +The King designs to have a new motto; he will not have a French +one; so the Pretender may enjoy Dieu et mon droit in quiet. + +Princess Amelia is already sick of being familiar: she has been +at Northumberland-house, but goes to nobody more. That party was +larger, but still more formal than the rest, though the Duke of +York had invited himself and his commerce-table. I played with +Madam and we were mighty well together; so well, that two nights +afterwards she commended me to Mr. Conway and Mr. Fox, but +calling me that Mr. Walpole, they did not guess who she meant. +For my part, I thought it very well, that when I played with her, +she did not call me that gentleman. As she went away, she +thanked my Lady Northumberland, like a parson's wife, for all her +civilities. + +I was excessively amused on Tuesday night; there was a play at +Holland-house, acted by children; not all children, for Lady +Sarah Lenox(124) and Lady Susan Strangways(125) played the women. +It was Jane Shore; Mr. Price, Lord Barrington's nephew, was +Gloster, and acted better than three parts of the comedians. +Charles Fox, Hastings; a little Nichols, who spoke well, Belmour; +Lord Ofaly,,(126) Lord Ashbroke, and other boys did the rest: but +the two girls were delightful, and acted with so much nature and +simplicity, that they appeared the very things they represented. +Lady Sarah was more beautiful than you can conceive, and her very +awkwardness gave an air of truth to the shame of the part, and +the antiquity of the time, which was kept up by her dress, taken +out of Montfaucon. Lady Susan was dressed from Jane Seymour; and +all the parts were clothed in ancient habits, and with the most +minute propriety. I was infinitely more struck with the last +scene between the two women than ever I was when I have seen it +on the stage. When Lady Sarah was in white, with her hair about +her ears, and on the ground, no Magdalen by Corregio was half so +lovely and expressive. You would have been charmed too with +seeing Mr. Fox's little boy of six years old, who is beautiful, +and acted the Bishop of Ely, dressed in lawn sleeves and with a +square cap; they had inserted two lines for him, which he could +hardly speak plainly. Francis had given them a pretty prologue. +Adieu! + +(123) Basil Fielding, sixth Earl of Denbigh, and fifth Earl of +Desmond. He died in 1800.-E. + +(124) daughter of the Duke of Richmond, afterwards married to Sir +Thomas Charles Bunbury, Bart.-E. + +(125) Daughter of Stephen Fox, first Earl of Ilchester; married, +in 1764, to William O'Brien, Esq.-E. + +(126) Eldest son of the Marquis of Kildare.-E. + + + +Letter 62 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Feb. 7, 1761. (page 109) + +I have not written to you lately, expecting your arrival. As you +are not come yet, you need not come these ten days if you please, +for I go next week into Norfolk, that my subjects of Lynn may at +least once in their lives see me. 'Tis a horrible thing to dine +with a mayor! I shall profane King John's cup, and taste nothing +but water out of it, as if it were St. John Baptist's. + +Prepare yourself for crowds, multitudes. In this reign all the +world lives in one room: the capital is as vulgar as a country +town in the season of horse-races. There were no fewer than four +of these throngs on Tuesday last, at the Duke of Cumberland's, +Princess Emily's, the Opera, and Lady Northumberland's; for even +operas, Tuesday's operas, are crowded now. There is nothing else +new. Last week there was a magnificent ball at Carleton-house: +the two royal Dukes and Princess Emily were there. He of York +danced; the other and his sister had each their table at loo. I +played at hers, and am grown a favourite; nay, have been at her +private party, and was asked again last Wednesday, but took the +liberty to excuse myself, and am yet again summoned for Tuesday. +It is triste enough: nobody sits till the game begins, and then +she and the company are all on stools. At Norfolk-house were two +armchairs placed for her and the Duke of Cumberland, the Duke of +York being supposed a dancer, but they would not use them. Lord +Huntingdon arrived in a frock, pretending he was just come out of +the country; unluckily, he had been at court, full-dressed, in +the morning. No foreigners were there but the son and +daughter-in-law of Monsieur de Fuentes: the Duchess told the +Duchess of Bedford, that she had not invited the ambassadress, +because her rank is disputed here. You remember the Bedford took +place, of madame de Mirepoix; but Madame de Mora danced first, +the Duchess of Norfolk saying she supposed that was of no +consequence. + +Have you heard what immense riches old Wortley has left? One +million three hundred and fifty thousand pounds.(127) It is all +to centre in my Lady Bute; her husband is one of Fortune's +prodigies. They talk of a print, in which her mistress is +reprimanding Miss Chudleigh; the latter curtsies, and replies, +"Madame, chacun a son but." + +Have you seen a scandalous letter in print, from Miss Ford,(128) +to lord Jersey, with the history of a boar's head? George Selwyn +calls him Meleager. Adieu! this is positively my last. + +(127) "You see old Wortley Montagu is dead at last, at eighty- +three. It was not mere avarice and its companion abstinence, that +kept him alive so long. He every day drank, I think it was, +half-a-pint of tokay, which he imported himself from Hungary in +greater quantity than he could use, and sold the overplus for any +price he chose to set upon it. He has left better than half a +million of money." Gray, Works, vol. iii. p. 272.-E. + +(128) Miss Ford was the object of an illicit, but unsuccessful +attachment, on the part of Lord Jersey, whose advances, if not +sanctioned by the lady, appear to have been sanctioned by her +father, who told her "she might have accepted the settlement his +lordship offered her, and yet not have complied" with his terms. +The following extract from the letter will explain the history +above alluded to:--"However, I must do your lordship the justice +to say, that as you conceived this meeting [one with a noble +personage which Lord Jersey had desired her not to make] would +have been most pleasing to me, and perhaps of some ,advantage, +your lordship did (in consideration of so great a disappointment) +send me, a few days after, a present of a boar's head, which I +had often had the honour to meet at your lordship's table before. +It was rather an odd first and only present from a lord to his +beloved mistress; but as coming from your lordship gave it an +additional value, which it had not in itself; and I received it +with the regard I thought due to every thing coming from your +lordship, and would have eat it, had it been eatable. I am'' +impatient to acquit your lordship and myself, by showing that as +your lordship's eight hundred pounds a-year did not purchase my +person, the boar's head did not purchase my silence."-E. + + + + +Letter 63 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Monday, five o'clock, Feb. 1761. (page 110) + +I am a little peevish with you-I told you on Thursday night that +I had a mind to go to Strawberry on Friday without staying for +the Qualification bill. You said it did not signify--No! What if +you intended to speak on it? Am I indifferent to hearing you? +More-Am I indifferent about acting with you? Would not I follow +you in any thing in the world?--This is saying no profligate +thing. Is there any thing I might not follow you in? You even +did not tell me yesterday that you had spoken. Yet I will tell +you all I have heard; though if there was a Point in the world in +which I could not wish you to succeed where you wish yourself, +perhaps it would be in having you employed. I cannot be cool +about your danger; yet I cannot know any thing that concerns you, +and keep it from you. Charles Townshend called here just after I +came to town to-day. Among other discourse he told me of your +speaking on Friday, and that your speech was reckoned hostile to +the Duke of Newcastle. Then talking of regiments going abroad, +he said, * * * * * With regard to your reserve to me, I +can easily believe that your natural modesty made you unwilling +to talk of yourself to me. I don't suspect you of any reserve to +me: I only mention it now for an occasion of telling you, that I +don't like to have any body think that I would not do whatever +you do. I am of no consequence: but at least it would give me +some, to act invariably with you; and that I shall most certainly +be ever ready to do. Adieu! + + + +Letter 64 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, March 7, 1761. (page 111) + +I rejoice, you know, in whatever rejoices you, and though I am +not certain what your situation(129) is to be, I am glad you go, +as you like it. I am told it is black rod. lady Anne +Jekyll(130) said, she had written to you on Saturday night. I +asked when her brother was to go, if before August; she answered: +"Yes, if possible." long before October you may depend upon it; +in the quietest times no lord lieutenant ever went so late as +that. Shall not you come to town first? You cannot pack up +yourself, and all you will want, at Greatworth. + +We are in the utmost hopes of a peace; a Congress is agreed upon +at Augsbourg, but yesterday's mail brought bad news. Prince +Ferdinand has been obliged to raise the siege of Cassel, and to +retire to Paderborn; the hereditary prince having been again +defeated, with the loss of two generals, and to the value of five +thousand men, in prisoners and exchanged. If this defers the +peace it will be grievous news to me, now Mr. Conway is gone to +the army. + +The town talks of nothing but an immediate Queen, yet I am +certain the ministers know not of it. Her picture is come, and +lists of her family given about; but the latter I do not send +you, as I believe it apocryphal. Adieu! + +P.S. Have you seen the -,advertisement of a new noble author? A +Treatise of Horsemanship, by Henry Earl of Pembroke!(131) As +George Selwyn said of Mr. Greville, "so far from being a writer, +I thought he was scarce a courteous reader." + +(129) Mr. Montagu was appointed usher of the black rod in +Ireland. + +(130) sister of the Earl of Halifax. + +(131) Tenth Earl of Pembroke and seventh Earl of Montgomery. The +work was entitled "Military Equitation; or a Method of breaking +Horses, and teaching Soldiers to ride." A fourth edition, in +quarto, appeared in 1793.-E. + + + +Letter 65 To The Rev. Henry Zouch. +Arlington Street, March 7, 1761. (page 111) + +Just what I supposed, Sir, has happened; with your good breeding, +I did not doubt but you would give yourself the trouble of +telling me that you had received the Lucan, and as you did not, I +concluded Dodsley had neglected it: he has in two instances. The +moment they were published, I delivered a couple to him, for you, +and one for a gentleman in Scotland. I received no account of +either, and after examining Dodsley a fortnight ago, I learned +three days since from him, that your copy, Sir, was delivered to +Mrs. Ware, bookseller, in Fleet Street, who corresponds with Mr. +Stringer, to be sent in the first parcel; but, says he, as they +send only once a month, it probably was not sent away till very +later),. I am vexed, Sir, that you have waited so long +for this trifle: if you neither receive it, nor get information +of it, I will immediately convey another to you. It would be +very ungrateful in me to neglect what would give you a moment's +amusement, after your thinking so obligingly of the painted glass +for me. I shall certainly be in Yorkshire this summer, and as I +flatter myself that I shall be more lucky in meeting you, I will +then take what you shall be so good as to bestow on me, without +giving you the trouble of sending it. + +If it were not printed in the London Chronicle, I would +transcribe for you, Sir, a very weak letter of Voltaire to Lord +Lyttelton,(132) and the latter's answer: there is nothing else +new, but a very indifferent play,(133) called The Jealous Wife, +so well acted as to have succeeded greatly. Mr. Mason, I +believe, is going to publish some elegies: I have seen the +principal one, on Lady Coventry; it was then only an unfinished +draft. The second and third volumes of +Tristram Shandy, the dregs of nonsense, have universally met the +contempt they deserve: genius may be exhausted;--I see that +folly's invention may be so too. + +The foundations of my gallery at Strawberry are laying. May I +not flatter myself, Sir, that you will see the whole even before +it is quite complete? + +P. S. Since I wrote my letter, I have read a new play of +Voltaire's, called Tancred, and I am glad to say that it repairs +the idea of his decaying parts, which I had conceived from his +Peter the Great, and the letter I mentioned. Tancred did not +please at Paris, nor was I charmed with the two first acts; in +the three last are great flashes of genius, single lines, and +starts of passion of the first fire: the woman's part is a little +too Amazonian. + +(132) An absurd letter from Voltaire to the author of the +Dialogues of the Dead, remonstrating against a statement, that +"he, Voltaire, was in exile, on account of some blamable freedoms +in his writings." He denies both the facts and the cause +assigned; but he convinced nobody, for both were notoriously +true. Voltaire was, it is true, not banished by sentence; but he +was not permitted to reside in France, and that surely may be +called exile, particularly as he was all his life endeavouring to +obtain leave to return to Paris.-C. + +(133) The Jealous Wife still keeps the stage, and does not +deserve to be so slightingly spoken of: but there were private +reasons which might possibly warp Mr. Walpole's judgment on the +works of Colman. He was the nephew of lord Bath, and The Jealous +Wife was dedicated to that great rival of Sir Robert Walpole.-C. +[Dr. Johnson says.-that the Jealous Wife, "though not written +with much genius, was yet so well exhibited by the actors, that +it was crowded for near twenty nights."] + + + + +Letter 66 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, March 17, 1761. (page 112) + +If my last letter raised your wonder, this Will not allay it. +Lord Talbot is lord steward! The stone, which the builders +refused, is become the head-stone of the corner. My Lady Talbot, +I suppose, would have found no charms in Cardinal Mazarin. As +the Duke of Leeds was forced to give way to Jemmy Grenville, the +Duke of Rutland has been obliged to make room for this new Earl. +Lord Huntingdon is groom of the stole, and the last Duke I have +named, master of the horse; the red liveries cost Lord Huntingdon +a pang. Lord Holderness has the reversion of the Cinque-ports +for life, and I think may pardon his expulsion. + +If you propose a fashionable assembly, you must send cards to +Lord Spenser, Lord Grosvenor, Lord Melcomb, Lord Grantham, Lord +Boston, Lord Scarsdale, Lady Mountstuart, the Earl of TyrConnell, +and Lord Wintertown. The two last you will meet in Ireland. No +joy ever exceeded your cousin's or Doddington's: the former came +last night to Lady Hilsborough's to display his triumph; the +latter too was there, and advanced to me. I said, ":I was coming +to wish you joy." "I concluded so," replied he, "and came to +receive it." He left a good card yesterday at Lady Petersham's, a +very young lord to wait on Lady Petersham, to make her ladyship +the first offer of himself. I believe she will be content with +the exchequer: Mrs. Grey has a pension of eight hundred pounds +a-year. + +Mrs. Clive is at her villa for Passion week; I have written to +her for the box, but I don't doubt of its being (,one; but, +considering her alliance, why does not Miss Price bespeak the +play and have the stage box? + +I shall smile if Mr. Bentley, and M`Untz, and their two Hannahs +meet at St. James's; so I see neither of them, I care not where +they are. + +Lady Hinchinbrook and Lady Mansel are at the point of death; Lord +Hardwicke is to be poet-laureate; and, according to modern usage, +I suppose it will be made a cabinet-counsellor's place. Good +night! + + + +Letter 67 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, March 19, 1761. (page 113) + +I can now tell you, with great pleasure, that your cousin(134) is +certainly named lord-lieutenant. I wish you joy. You will be +sorry too to hear that your Lord North is much talked of for +succeeding him at the board of' trade. I tell you this with +great composure, though today has been a day of amazement. All +the world is staring, whispering, and questioning. Lord +Holderness has resigned the seals,(135) and they are given to +Lord Bute. Which of the two secretaries of state is first +minister? the latter or Mr. Pitt? Lord Holderness received the +command but yesterday, at two o'clock, till that moment thinking +himself extremely well at court; but it seems the King said he +was tired of having two secretaries, of which one would do +nothing, and t'other could do nothing; he would have a secretary +who both could act and would. Pitt had as +short a notice of this resolution as the sufferer, and was little +better pleased. He is something softened for the present by the +offer of cofferer for Jemmy Grenville, which is to be ceded by +the Duke of Leeds, who returns to his old post of justice in +eyre, from whence Lord Sandys is to be removed, some say to the +head of the board of trade. Newcastle, who enjoys this fall of +Holderness's, who had deserted him for Pitt, laments over the +former, but seems to have made his terms with the new favourite: +if the Bedfords have done so too, will it surprise you? It will +me, if Pitt submits to this humiliation; if he does not, I take +for granted the Duke of Bedford will have the other seals. The +temper with which the new reign has hitherto proceeded, seems a +little impeached by this sudden act, and the Earl now stands in +the direct light of a minister-, if the House of Commons should +cavil at him. Lord Delawar kissed hands to-day for his earldom; +the other new peers are to follow on Monday. + +There are horrid disturbances about the militia(136) in +Northumberland, where the mob have killed an officer and three of +the Yorkshire militia, who, in return, fired and shot twenty-one. + +Adieu! I shall be impatient to hear some consequences of my first +paragraph. + + +P. S. Saturday.--I forgot to tell you that Lord Hardwicke has +written some verses to Lord Lyttelton, upon those the latter made +on Lady Egremont.(137) If I had been told that he had put on a +bag, and was gone off with Kitty Fisher,(138) I should not have +been more astonished. + +Poor Lady Gower(139) is dead this morning of a fever in her +lying-in. I believe the Bedfords arc very sorry; for there is a +new opera(140) this evening. + +(134) The Earl of Halifax. + +(135) Lord Barrington, in a letter to Mr. Mitchell, of the 23d +says, "Our friend Holderness is finally in harbour; he has four +thousand a-year for life, with the reversionship of the Cinque- +ports, after the Duke of Dorset; which he likes better than +having the name of pensioner. I never could myself understand +the difference between a pension and a synecure place."-E. + +(136) In consequence of the expiration of the three years' term +of service, prescribed by the Militia-act, and the new ballot +about to take place.-E. + +(137) The following are the lines alluded to, "Addition extempore +to the verses on Lady Egremont: + + +"Fame heard with pleasure--straight replied, +First on my roll stands Wyndham's bride, +My trumpet oft I've raised to sound +Her modest praise the world around; +But notes were wanting-canst thou find +A muse to sing her face, her mind? +Believe me, I can name but one, +A friend of yours-'tis Lyttelton." + +(138) A celebrated courtesan of the day.-E. + +(139) Daughter of Scroope Duke of Bridgewater. + +(140) The serious opera of Tito Manlio, by Cocchi. By a letter +from Gray to Mason, of the 22d of January, the Opera appears at +this time to have been in a flourishing condition--"The Opera is +crowded this year like any ordinary theatre. Elisi is finer than +any thing that has been here in your memory; yet, as I suspect, +has been finer than he is: he appears to be near forty, a little +potbellied and thick-shouldered, otherwise no bad figure; has +action proper, and not ungraceful. We have heard nothing, since +I remember operas, but eternal passages, divisions, and flights +of execution: of these he has absolutely none; whether merely +from judgment, or a little from age, I will not affirm: his point +is expression, and to that all the ornaments he inserts (which +are few and short) are evidently directed. He gets higher, they +say, than Farinelli; but then this celestial note you do not hear +above once in a whole opera; and he falls from this altitude at +once to the mellowest, softest, Strongest tones (about the middle +of his compass) that can be heard. The Mattei, I assure you, is +much improved by his example, and by her great success this +winter; but then the burlettas and the Paganina, I have not been +so pleased with any thing these many years. She is too fat, and +above forty, yet handsome withal, and has a face that speaks the +language of all nations. She has not the invention, the fire, +and the variety of action that the Spiletta had; yet she is +light, agile, ever in motion, and above all, graceful; but then, +her voice, her ear, her taste in singing; good God! as Mr. +Richardson, the painter, says." Works, vol. iii. p. 268.-E. + + + +Letter 68 To George Montagu, Esq. +March 21, 1761. (page 115) + +Of the enclosed, as you perceive, I tore off the seal, but it has +not been opened. I grieve at the loss of your suit, and for the +injustice done you, but what can one expect but injury, when +forced to have recourse to law! Lord Abercorn asked me this +evening, if it was true that you are going to Ireland? I gave a +vague answer, and did not resolve him how much I knew of it. I +am impatient for the answer to your compliment. + +There is not a word of newer news than what I sent you last. The +Speaker has taken leave, and received the highest compliments, +and substantial ones too; he did not over-act, and it was really +a handsome scene.(141) I go to my election on Tuesday, and, if I +do not tumble out of the chair, and break my neck, you shall hear +from me at my return. I got the box for Miss Rice; Lady +Hinchinbrook is dead. + +(141) Mr, Onslow held the office of Speaker of the House of +Commons for above thirty-three years, and during part of that +time enjoyed the lucrative employment of treasurer of the navy: +"notwithstanding which," says Mr Hatsell, "it is an anecdote +perfectly well known, that on his quitting the Chair, his income +from his private fortune, which had always been inconsiderable, +Was rather less than it had been in 1727, when he was first +elected into it. Superadded to his great and accurate knowledge +of the history of this country, and of the minuter forms and +proceedings of Parliament, the distinguishing features of his +character were a regard and veneration for the British +constitution, as it was declared at and established at the +Revolution."-E. + + + +letter 69 To George Montagu, Esq. +Houghton, March 25, 1761. (page 115) + +Here I am at Houghton! and alone! in this spot, where (except two +hours last month) I have not been in sixteen years! Think what a +crowd of reflections! No; Gray, and forty churchyards, could not +furnish so many: nay, I know one must feel them with greater +indifference than I possess, to have the patience to put them +into verse. Here I am, probably for the last time of my life, +though not for the time: every clock that strikes tells me I am +an hour nearer to yonder church--that church, into which I have +not yet had courage to enter, where lies that mother on whom I +doated, and who doated on me! There are the two rival mistresses +of Houghton, neither of whom ever wished to enjoy it! There too +lies he who founded its greatness; to contribute to whose fall +Europe was embroiled; there he sleeps in quiet and dignity, while +his friend and his foe, rather his false ally and real enemy, +Newcastle and Bath, are exhausting the dregs of their pitiful +lives in squabbles and pamphlets. + +The surprise the pictures(142) gave me is again renewed; +accustomed for many years to see nothing but wretched daubs and +varnished copies at auctions, I look at these as enchantment. My +own description of them seems poor; but shall I tell you truly, +the majesty of Italian ideas almost sinks before the warm nature +of Flemish colouring. Alas! don't I grow old? My young +imagination was fired with Guido's ideas; must they be plump and +prominent as Abishag to warm me now? Does great youth feel with +poetic limbs, as well as see with poetic eyes? In one respect I +am very young, I cannot satiate myself with looking: an incident +contributed to make me feel this more strongly. A party arrived +just as I did, to see the house, a man and three women In riding +dresses, and they rode post through the apartments. I could not +hurry before them fast enough; they were not so long in seeing +for the first time, as I could have been in one room, to examine +what I knew by heart. I remember formerly being often diverted +with this kind of seers; they come, ask what such a room is +called, in which Sir Robert lay, write it down, admire a lobster +on a cabbage in a market-piece, dispute whether the last room was +green or purple, and then hurry to the inn for fear the fish +should be over-dressed. How different my sensations! not a +picture here but recalls a history; not one, but I remember in +Downing-street or Chelsea, where queens and crowds admired them, +though seeing them as little as these travellers! + +When I had drank tea, I strolled into the garden; they told me it +was now called the pleasure-ground. What a dissonant idea of +pleasure! those groves, those all`ees, where I have passed so +many charming moments, are now stripped up or over-grown--many +fond paths I could not unravel, though with a very exact clew in +my memory: I met two gamekeepers, and a thousand hares In the +days when all my soul was tuned to pleasure and vivacity (and you +will think, perhaps, it is far from being out of tune yet), I +hated Houghton and its solitude; yet I loved this garden, as now, +with many regrets, I love Houghton; Houghton, I know not what to +call it, monument of grandeur or ruin! How I have wished this +evening for Lord Bute! how I could preach to him! For myself, I +do not want to be preached to; I have long considered, how every +Balbec must wait for the chance of a Mr. Wood. The servants +wanted to lay me in the great apartment-what, to make me pass my +night as I have done my evening! It were like Proposing to +Margaret Roper(143) to be a duchess in the court that cut off her +father's head, and imagining it would please her. I have chosen +to sit in my father's little dressing-room, and am now by his +scrutoire, where, in the heights of his fortune, he used to +receive the accounts of his farmers, and deceive himself, or us, +with the thoughts of his economy. How wise a man at once, and +how weak! For what has he built Houghton? for his grandson to +annihilate, or for his son to mourn over. If Lord Burleigh could +rise and view his representative driving the Hatfield stage, he +would feel as I feel now.(144) Poor little Strawberry! at least +it will not be stripped to pieces by a descendant! You will find +all these fine meditations dictated by pride, not by philosophy. +Pray consider through how many mediums philosophy must pass, +before it is purified-- + +"how often must it weep, how often burn!" + +My mind was extremely prepared for all this gloom by parting with +Mr. Conway yesterday morning; moral reflections or commonplaces +are the livery one likes to wear, when one has just had a real +misfortune. He is going to Germany: I was glad to dress myself +up in transitory Houghton, in lieu of very sensible concern. +To-morrow I shall be distracted with thoughts, at least images of +very different complexion. I go to Lynn, and am to be elected on +Friday. I shall return hither on Saturday, again alone, to +expect Burleighides on Sunday, whom I left at Newmarket. I must +once in my life see him on his grandfather's throne. + +Epping, Monday night, thirty-first.-No, I have not seen him; he +loitered on the road, and I was kept at Lynn till yesterday +morning. It is plain I never knew for how many trades I was +formed, when at this time of day I can begin electioneering, and +succeed in my new vocation.. Think of me, the subject of a mob, +who was scarce ever before in a mob, addressing them in the +town-hall, riding at the head of two thousand people through such +a town as Lynn, dining with above two hundred of them, amid +bumpers, huzzas, songs, and tobacco, and finishing with country +dancing at a ball and sixpenny whisk! I have borne it all +cheerfully; nay, have sat hours in conversation, the thing upon +earth that I hate; have been to hear misses play on the +harpsichord, and to see an alderman's copies of Rubens and Carlo +Marat. Yet to do the folks justice, they are sensible, and +reasonable, and civilized; their very language is polished since +I lived among them. I attribute this to their more frequent +intercourse with the world and the capital, by the help of good +roads and postchaises, which, if they have abridged the King's +dominions, have at least tamed his subjects. Well, how +comfortable it will be to-morrow, to see my parroquet, to play at +loo, and not be obliged to talk seriously! The Heraclitus of the +beginning of this letter will be overjoyed on finishing it to +sign himself your old friend, Democritus. + +P. S. I forgot to tell you that my ancient aunt Hammond came over +to Lynn to see me; not from any affection, but curiosity. The +first thing she said to me, though we have not met these sixteen +years, was, ,Child, you have done a thing to-day, that your +father never did in all his life; you sat as they carried you,-- +he always stood the whole time." "Madam," said I, "when I am +placed in a chair, I conclude I am to sit in it; besides, as I +cannot imitate my father in great things, I am not at all +ambitious of mimicking him in little ones." I am sure she +proposes to tell her remarks to my uncle Horace's ghost, the +instant they meet. + +(142) This magnificent collection of pictures was sold to the +Empress of Russia, and some curious particulars relative to the +sale will be found in Beloe's Anecdotes of Literature. A series +Of engravings was likewise made from them, which was published in +1788, under the title of "The Houghton Gallery: a collection of +prints, from the best pictures in the possession of the Earl of +Orford."-E. + +(143) Wife,, of William Roper, Esq. and eldest and favourite +daughter of Sir Thomas More. She bought the head of her +ill-fated parent, when it was about to be thrown into the Thames, +after having been affixed to London bridge, and on being +questioned by the Privy Council about her conduct, she boldly +replied, that she had done so that "it might not become food for +fishes." She survived her father nine years, and died at the age +of thirty-six, in 1544, and was buried at St. Dunstan's church, +Canterbury; the box containing her father's head being placed on +her coffin.-E. + +(144) the prayer of Sir Robert Walpole, recorded on the +foundation-stone, was, that "after its master, to a mature old +age, had long enjoyed it in perfection, his latest descendants +might safely possess it to the end of time."-E. + + + +Letter 70 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Arlington Street, April 10, 1761. (page 118) + +If Prince Ferdinand had studied how to please me, I don't know +any method he could have lighted upon so likely to gain my heart, +as being beaten out of the field before you joined him. I +delight in a hero that is driven so far that nobody can follow +him. He is as well at Paderborn, as where I have long wished the +King of Prussia, the other world. You may frown if you please at +my imprudence, you who are gone with all the disposition in the +world to be well with your commander; the peace is in a manner +made, and the anger of generals will not be worth sixpence these +ten years. We peaceable folks are now to govern the world, and +you warriors must in your turn tremble at our Subjects the mob, +as we have done before your hussars and court-martials. + +I am glad you had so pleasant a passage.(145) My Lord Lyttelton +would say, that Lady Mary Coke, like Venus, smiled over the +waves, et mare prestabat eunti. in truth, when she could tame +me, she must have had little trouble with the ocean. Tell me how +many burgomasters she has subdued, or how many would have fallen +in love with her if they had not fallen asleep! Come, has she +saved two-pence by her charms? Have they abated a farthing of +their impositions for her being handsomer than any thing in the +seven provinces? Does she know how political her journey is +thought? Nay, my Lady Ailesbury, you are not out of the scrape; +you are both reckoned des Mar`echale de Guebriant,(146) going to +fetch, and consequently govern the young queen. There are more +jealousies about your voyage, than the Duke of Newcastle would +feel if Dr. Shaw had prescribed a little ipecacuanha to my Lord +Bute. + +I am sorry I must adjourn my mirth, to give Lady Ailesbury a +pang; poor Sir Harry Bellendine(147) is dead; he made a great +dinner at Almac's for the House of Drummond, drank very hard, +caught a violent fever, and died in a very few days. Perhaps you +will have heard this before; I shall wish so; I do not like, even +innocently, to be the cause of sorrow. + +I do not at all lament Lord Granby's leaving the army, and your +immediate succession. There are persons in the world who would +gladly ease you of this burden. As you are only to take the +vice-royalty of a coop, and that for a few weeks, I shall but +smile if you are terribly distressed. Don't let Lady Ailesbury +proceed to Brunswick: you might have had a wife who would not +have thought it so terrible to fall into the hands [arms] of +hussars; but as I don't take that to be your Countess's turn, +leave her with the Dutch, who are not so boisterous as Cossacks +or chancellors of the exchequer. + +My love, my duty, my jealousy, to Lady Mary, if she is not sailed +before you receive this--if she is, I shall deliver them myself +Good night! I write immediately on the receipt of your letter, +but you see I have nothing yet new to tell you. + +(145) From Harwich to Holvoetsluys. + +(146) The Mar`echale de Gu`ebriant was sent to the King of Poland +with the character of ambassadress by Louis Xiii. to accompany +the Princess Marie de Gonzague, who had been married by proxy to +the King of Poland at Paris. + +(147) Uncle to the Countess of Ailesbury. + + + +Letter 71 To Sir David Dalrymple.(148) +Arlington Street, April 14, 1761. (page 119) + +Sir, I have deferred answering the favour of your last, till I +could tell you that I had seen Fingal. Two journeys into Norfolk +for my election, and other accidents, prevented my seeing any +part of the poem till this last week, and I have yet only seen +the first book. There are most beautiful images in it, and it +surprises one how the bard could strike out so many shining ideas +from a few so very simple objects, as the moon, the storm, the +sea, and the heath, from whence he borrows almost all his +allusions. The particularizing of persons, by "he said," "he +replied," so much objected to in Homer, is so wanted in +Fingal,(149) that it in some measure justifies the Grecian +Highlander; I have even advised Mr. Macpherson (to prevent +confusion) to have the names prefixed to the speeches, as in a +play. It is too obscure without some such aid. My doubts of the +genuineness are all vanished. + +I fear, sir, from Dodsley's carelessness, you have not received +the Lucan. A gentleman in Yorkshire, for whom I consigned +another copy at the same time with yours, has got his but within +this fortnight. I have the pleasure to find, that the notes are +allowed the best of Dr. Bentley's remarks on poetic authors. +Lucan was muscular enough to bear his rough hand. + +Next winter I hope to be able to send you Vertue's History of the +Arts, as I have put it together from his collections. Two +volumes are finished, the first almost printed and the third +begun. There will be a fourth, I believe, relating solely to +engravers. You will be surprised, sir, how the industry of one +man could at this late period amass so near a complete history of +our artists. I have no share in it, but in arranging his +materials. Adieu! + +(148) Now first collected. + +(149) "For me," writes Gray, it this time, to Dr. Wharton, "I +admire nothing but Fingal; yet I remain still in doubt about the +authenticity of these poems, though inclining rather to believe +them genuine in spite of the worio. Whether they are the +inventions of antiquity, or of a modern Scotchman, either case to +me is alike unaccountable. Je m'y perds." Dr. Johnson, on the +contrary, all along denied their authenticity. "The subject," +says Boswell, "having been introduced by Dr. Fordyce, Dr. Blair, +relying on the external evidence of their antiquity, asked +Johnson whether he thought any man of modern age could have +written such poems? Johnson replied, 'Yes, Sir, many men, many +women, and many children.' He, at this time, did not know that +Dr. Blair had just published a dissertation, not only defending +their authenticity, but seriously ranking them with the poems of +Homer and Virgil; and when he was afterwards informed of this +circumstance, he expressed some displeasure at Dr. Fordyce's +having suggested the topic, and said, 'I am not sorry that they +got thus much for their pains: Sir, it was like leading one to +talk of a book, when the author is concealed behind the +door.'"-E. + + + +Letter 72 To The Countess Of Suffolk.(150) +Friday night, April 1761. (page 120) + +We are more successful, Madam, than I could flatter myself we +should be. Mr. Conway--and I need say no more--has negotiated so +well, that the Duke of Grafton is disposed to bring Mr. +Beauclerk(151) in for Thetford. It will be expected, I believe, +that Lord Vere should resign Windsor in a handsome manner to the +Duke of Cumberland. It must be your ladyship's part to prepare +this; which I hope will be the means of putting an end to these +unhappy differences. My only fear now is, lest the Duke should +have promised the Lodge.' Mr. Conway writes to Lord Albemarle, +who is yet at Windsor, to prevent this, if not already done, till +the rest is ready to be notified to the Duke of Cumberland. Your +ladyship's good sense and good heart make it unnecessary for me +to say more. + +(150) Now first collected. + +(151) The Hon. Aubrey Beauclerk, son of Lord Vere; afterwards +Duke of St. Albans. + + + + +Letter 73 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, April 16, 1761. (page 121) + + +You are a very mule; one offers you a handsome stall and manger +in Berkeley Square, and you will not accept it. I have chosen +your coat, a claret colour, to suit the complexion of the country +you are going to visit; but I have fixed nothing about the lace. +Barrett had none of gauze, but what were as broad as the Irish +Channel. Your tailor found a very reputable one at another +place, but I would not determine rashly; it will be two or +three-and-twenty shillings the yard: you might have a very +substantial real lace,' which would wear like your buffet, for +twenty. The second order of gauzes are frippery, none above +twelve shillings, and those tarnished, for the species are out of +fashion. You will have time to sit in judgment upon these +important points; for Hamilton(152) your secretary told me at the +Opera two nights ago, that he had taken a house near Busby, and +hoped to be in my neighbourhood for four months. + +I was last night at your plump Countess's who is so shrunk, that +she does not seem to be composed of above a dozen hassocs. Lord +Guildford rejoiced mightily over your preferment. The Duchess of +Argyle was playing there, not knowing that the great Pam was just +dead,, to wit, her brother-in-law. He was abroad in the morning, +was seized with a palpitation after dinner, and was dead before +the surgeon could arrive. There's the crown of Scotland too +fallen upon my Lord Bute's head! Poor Lord Edgecumbe is still +alive, and may be so for some days; the physicians, who no longer +ago than Friday se'nnight persisted that he had no dropsy, in +order to prevent his having Ward,(153) on Monday last proposed +that Ward should be called in, and at length they owned they +thought the mortification begun. It is not clear it is yet; at +times he is in his senses, and entirely so, composed, clear, and +most rational; talks of his death, and but yesterday, after such +a conversation with his brother, asked for a pencil to amuse +himself with drawing. What parts, genius, agreeableness thrown +away at a hazard table, and not permitted the chance of being +saved by the villainy of physicians! + +You will be pleased with the Anacreontic, written by Lord +Middlesex upon Sir Harry Bellendine: I have not seen any thing so +antique for ages; it has all the fire, poetry, and simplicity of +Horace. + +"Ye sons of Bacchus, come and join +in solemn dirge, while tapers shine +Around the grape-embowered shrine +Of honest Harry Bellendine. + +Pour the rich juice of Bourdeaux's wine, +Mix'd with your falling tears of brine, +In full libation o'er the shrine +Of honest Harry Bellendine. + +Your brows let ivy chaplets twine, +While you push round the sparkling wine, +And let your table be the shrine +Of honest Hairy Bellendine." + +He died in his vocation, of a high fever, after the celebration +of some orgies. Though but six hours in his senses, he gave a +proof of his usual good humour, making it his last request to the +sister Tuftons to be reconciled; which they are. His pretty +villa, in my neighbourhood, I fancy he has left to the new Lord +Lorn. I must tell you an admirable bon-mot of George Selwyn, +though not a new one; when there was a malicious report that the +eldest Tufton was to marry Dr. Duncan, Selwyn said, "How often +will she repeat that line of Shakspeare, + +"Wake Duncan with this knocking--would thou couldst!" + +I enclose the receipt from your lawyer. Adieu! + +(152) William Gerard Hamilton, commonly called Single-speech +Hamilton, was, on the appointment of Lord Halifax to the +viceroyalty of Ireland, selected as his secretary, and was +accompanied thither by the celebrated Edmund Burke, partly as a +friend and partly as his private secretary.-E. + +(153) The celebrated empiric, see ant`e, p. 37, letter 10. His +drops were first introduced in 1732, by Sir Thomas Robinson; upon +which occasion, Sir C. H. Williams addressed to him his poem, +commencing, + +"Say, knight, for learning most renown'd, +What is this wondrous drop?"-E. + + + +Letter 74 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, April 28, 1761. (page 122) + +I am glad you will relish June for Strawberry; by that time I +hope the weather will have recovered its temper. At present it +is horridly cross and uncomfortable; I fear we shall have a cold +season; we cannot eat our summer and have our summer. + +There has been a terrible fire in the little traverse street, at +the upper end of Sackville Street. Last Friday night, between +eleven and twelve, I was sitting with Lord Digby in the +coffee-room at Arthur's; they told us there was a great fire +somewhere about Burlington Gardens. I, who am as constant at a +fire as George Selwyn at an execution, proposed to Lord Digby to +go and see where it was. We found it within two doors of that +pretty house of Fairfax, now General Waldegrave's. I sent for +the latter, who was at Arthur's; and for the guard, from St. +James's. Four houses were in flames before they could find a +drop of water; eight were burnt. I went to my Lady Suffolk, in +Saville Row, and passed the whole night, till three in the +morning, between her little hot bedchamber and the spot up to my +ancles in water, without catching cold.(154) As the wind, which +had sat towards Swallow Street, changed in the middle of the +conflagration, I concluded the greater part of Saville Row would +be consumed. I persuaded her to prepare to transport her most +valuable effects--"portantur avari Pygmalionis opes miserae." +She behaved with great composure, and observed to me herself how +much worse her deafness grew with the alarm. Half the people of +fashion in town were in the streets all night, as it happened in +such a quarter of distinction. In the crowd, looking on with +great tranquillity, I saw a Mr. Jackson, an Irish gentleman, with +whom I had dined this winter, at Lord Hertford's. He seemed +rather grave; I said, "Sir, I hope you do not live hereabouts." +"Yes, Sir," said he, "I lodged in that house that is Just burnt." + +Last night there was a mighty ball at Bedford-house; the royal +Dukes and Princess Emily were there; your lord-lieutenant, the +great lawyer, lords, and old Newcastle, whose teeth are tumbled +out, and his mouth tumbled in; hazard very deep; loo, beauties, +and the Wilton Bridge in sugar, almost as big as the life. I am +glad all these joys are near going out of town. The Graftons go +abroad for the Duchess's health; Another climate may mend that--I +will not answer for more. Adieu! Yours ever. + +(154) This accident was owing to a coachman carrying a lighted +candle into the stable, and, agreeably to Dean Swift's Advice to +Servants, sticking it against the rack; the straw being set in a +flame in his absence, by the candle falling. Eight or nine +horses perished, and fourteen houses were burnt to the ground. +Walpole was, most probably, not an idle spectator for the +newspapers relate, that the "gentlemen in the neighbourhood, +together with their servants, formed a ring, kept off the mob, +and handed the goods and movables from one another, till they +secured them in a place of safety; a noble instance of +neighbourly respect and kindness."-E. + + + +Letter 75 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, May 5, 1761. (page 123) + +We have lost a young genius, Sir William Williams;(155) an +express from Belleisle, arrived this morning, brings nothing but +his death. He was shot very unnecessarily, riding too near a +battery; in sum, he is a sacrifice to his own rashness, and to +ours. For what are we taking Belleisle? I rejoiced at the little +loss we had on landing; for the glory, I leave it to the common +council. I am very willing to leave London to them too, and do +pass half the week at Strawberry, where my two passions, lilacs +and nightingales, are in full bloom. I spent Sunday as if it +were Apollo's birthday -. Gray and Mason were with me, and we +listened to the nightingales till one o'clock in the morning. +Gray has translated two noble incantations from the Lord knows +who, a Danish Gray, who lived the Lord knows when. They are to +be enchased in a history of English bards, which Mason and he are +Writing; but of which the former has not written a word yet, and +of which the latter, if he rides Pegasus at his usual foot-pace, +will finish the first page two years hence. + +But the true frantic OEstus resides at present with Mr. Hogarth; +I went t'other morning to see a portrait he is painting of Mr. +Fox. Hogarth told me he had promised, if Mr. Fox would sit as he +liked, to make as good a picture as Vandyke or Rubens could. I +was silent--"Why now," said he, "you think this very vain, but +why should not one speak the truth?" This truth was uttered in +the face of his own Sigismonda, which is exactly a maudlin w----, +tearing off the trinkets that her keeper had given her, to fling +at his head. She has her father's picture in a bracelet on her +arm, and her fingers are bloody with the heart, as if she had +just bought a sheep's pluck in St. James's Market. As I was +going, Hogarth put on a very grave face, and said, "Mr. Walpole, +I want to speak to you." I sat down, and said I was ready to +receive his commands. For shortness, I will mark this wonderful +dialogue by initial letters. + +H. I am told you are going to entertain the town with something +in our way. W. Not very soon, Mr. Hogarth. H. I wish you would +let me have it to correct; I should be very sorry to have you +expose yourself to censure; we painters must know more of those +things than other people. W. Do you think nobody understands +painting but painters? H. Oh! so far from it, there's Reynolds, +who certainly has genius; why but t'other day he offered a +hundred pounds for a picture, that I would not hang in my cellar; +and indeed, to say truth I have generally found, that persons who +had studied painting least were the best judges of it; but what I +particularly wished to say to you was about Sir James Thornhill +(you know he married Sir James' daughter): I would not have you +say any thing against him; there was a book published some time +ago, abusing him, and it gave great offence. He was the first +that attempted history in England, and, I assure you, some +Germans have said that he was a very great painter. W. My work +will go no lower than the year one thousand seven hundred, and I +really have not considered whether Sir J. Thornhill will come +within my plan or not; if he does, I fear you and I shall not +agree upon his merits. H. I wish you would let me correct it; +besides; I am writing something of the same kind myself; I should +be sorry we should clash. W. I believe it is not much known what +my work is, very few persons have seen it. H. Why, it is a +critical history of painting , is it not? W. No, it is an +antiquarian history of it in England; I bought Mr. Vertue's MSS. +and, I believe, the work will not give much offence; besides, if +it does, I cannot help it: when I publish any thing, I give it to +the world to think of it as they please. H. Oh! if it is an +antiquarian work, we shall not clash; mine is a critical work; I +don't know whether I shall ever publish it. It is rather an +apology for painters. I think it is owing to the good sense of +the English that they have not painted better. W. My dear Mr. +Hogarth, I must take my leave of you, you now grow too wild--and +I left him. If I had stayed, there remained nothing but for him +to bite me. I give you my honour, this conversation is literal, +and, perhaps, as long as you have known Englishmen and painters, +You never met with any thing so distracted. I had consecrated a +line to his genius (I mean, for wit) in my preface; I shall not +erase it; but I hope nobody will ask me if he is not mad. Adieu! + +(155) Sir William Pere Williams, Bart. member for Shoreham, and a +captain in Burgoyne's Dragoons. He was killed in reconnoitring +before Belleisle. Gray wrote his epitaph, at the request of Mr. +Frederick Montagu, who intended to have it inscribed on a +monument at Belleisle:-- + +"Here, foremost in the dangerous paths of fame, +Young Williams fought for England's fair renown; +His mind each Muse, each Grace adornd his frame, +Nor Envy dared to view him with a frown," etc.-E. + + + +Letter 76 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, May, 14, 1761. (page 125) + +As I am here, and know nothing of our poor heroes at Belleisle, +who are combating rocks, mines, famine, and Mr. Pitt's obstinacy, +I will send you the victory of a heroine, but must preface it +with an apology, as it was gained over a sort of relation of +yours. Jemmy Lumley last week had a party of whist at his own +house; the combatants, Lucy Southwell, that curtseys like a bear, +Mrs. Prijean, and a Mrs. Mackenzy. They played from six In the +evening till twelve next day; Jemmy never winning one rubber, and +rising a loser of two thousand pounds. How it happened I know +not, nor why his suspicions arrived so late, but he fancied +himself cheated, and refused to pay. However, the bear had no +share in his evil surmises: on the contrary, a day or two +afterwards, he promised a dinner at Hampstead to Lucy and her +virtuous sister. As he went to the rendezvous his chaise was +stopped by somebody, who advised him not to proceed. Yet no whit +daunted, he advanced. In the garden he found The gentle +conqueress, Mrs. MacKenzy, Who accosted him in the most friendly +manner. After a few compliments, she asked if he did not intend +to pay her. "No, indeed I shan't, I shan't; your servant, your +servant."--"Shan't you?" said the fair virago; and taking a +horsewhip from beneath her hoop, she fell upon him with as much +vehemence as the Empress-queen would upon the King of Prussia, if +she could catch him alone in the garden at Hampstead. Jemmy +cried out murder; his servant,- rushed in, rescued him from the +jaws of the lioness, and carried him off in his chaise to town. +The Southwells, were already arrived, and descended on the noise +of the fray, finding nobody to pay for the dinner, and fearing +they must, set out for London too without it, though I suppose +they had prepared tin pockets to carry off all that should be +left. Mrs. Mackenzy is immortal, and in the crown-office.(156) + +The other battle in my military journal happened between the +Duchess of Argyle and Lord Vere. The Duchess, who always talks +of puss and pug, and who, having lost her memory, forgets how +often she tells the same story, had tired the company at +Dorset-house with the repetition of the same story; when the +Duke's spaniel reached up into her lap, and placed his nose most +critically: "See," said she, "see, how fond all creatures are of +me." Lord Vere, who was at cards, and could not attend to them +for her gossiping, said peevishly, without turning round or +seeing where the dog was, "I suppose he smells PUSS." "What!" +said the Duchess of Argyle, in a passion, "Do you think my puss +stinks?" I believe you have not two better stories in +Northamptonshire. + +Don't imagine that my gallery will be prance-about-in-able, as +you expect, by the beginning of June; I do not propose to finish +it till next year, but you will see some glimpse of it, and for +the rest of Strawberry, it never was more beautiful, You must now +begin to fix your motions: I go to Lord Dacre's at the end of +this month, and to Lord Ilchester's the end of the next; between +those periods I expect you. + +Saturday morning, Arlington Street. +I came to town yesterday for a party at Bedford-house, made for +Princess Amelia; the garden was open, with French horns and +clarionets, and would have been charming with one single zephyr, +that had not come from the northeast; however, the young ladies +found it delightful. There was limited loo for the Princess, +unlimited for the Duchess of Grafton, to whom I belonged, a table +of quinze, and another of quadrille. The Princess ha(f heard of +our having cold meat upon the loo-table, and would have some. A +table was brought in, she was served so, others rose by turns and +went to the cold meat; in the outward room were four little +tables for the rest of the company. Think, if King George the +Second could have risen and seen his daughter supping pell-mell +with men, as if it were in a booth! The tables were removed, the +young people began to dance to a tabor and pipe; the Princess sat +down again, but to unlimited loo; we played till three, and I won +enough to help on the gallery. I am going back to it, to give my +nieces and their lords a dinner. + +We were told there was a great victory come from Pondicherry, but +it came from too far to divert us from liking our party better. +Poor George Monson has lost his leg there. You know that Sir W. +Williams has made Fred. Montagu heir to his debts. Adieu! + +(156) "Sure Mr. Jonathan, or some one, has told you how your good +friend Mr. L. has been horsewhippcd, trampled, bruised, and p--d +upon, by a Mrs. Mackenzie, a sturdy Scotchwoman. it was done in +an inn-yard at Hampstead, in the face of day, and he has put her +in the crown-office. it is very true." Gray to Wharton. + + + +Letter 77 To The Countess Of Ailesbury. +Strawberry Hill, June 13, 1761. (page 126) + +I never ate such good snuff, nor smelt such delightful bonbons, +as your ladyship has sent me. Every time you rob the Duke's +dessert, does it cost you a pretty snuff-box? Do the pastors at +the Hague(157) enjoin such expensive retributions? If a man +steals a kiss there, I suppose he does penance in a sheet of +Brussels lace. The comical part is, that you own the theft, ind +sending me, but say nothing of the vehicle of your repentance. +In short, Madam, the box is the prettiest thing I ever saw, and I +give you a thousand thanks for it. + +When you comfort yourself about the operas, you don't know what +you have lost; nay, nor I neither; for I was here, concluding +that a serenata for a birthday would be -is dull and as vulgar as +those festivities generally are: but I hear of nothing but the +enchantment of it.(158) There was a second orchestra in the +footman's gallery, disguised by clouds, and filled with the music +of the King'S chapel. The choristers behaved like angels, and +the harmony between the two bands was in the most exact time. +Elisi piqued himself, and beat both heaven and earth. The joys +of the year do not end there. The under-actors open at +Drury-lane to-night with a new comedy by Murphey, called "All in +the Wrong."(159) At Ranelagh, all is fireworks and skyrockets. +The birthday exceeded the splendour of Haroun Alraschid and the +Arabian Nights, when people had nothing to do but to scour a +lantern and send a genie for a hamper of diamonds and rubies. Do +you remember one of those stories, where a prince has eight +statues of diamonds, which he overlooks, because he fancies he +wants a ninth; and to his great surprise the ninth proves to be +pure flesh and blood, which he never thought of? Some how or +other, Lady Sarah(160 is the ninth statue; and, you will allow, +has better white and red than if she was made of pearls and +rubies. Oh! I forgot, I was telling you of the birthday: my Lord +P * * * * had drunk the King's health so often at dinner, that at +the ball he took Mrs. * * * * for a beautiful woman, and, as she +says, "made an improper use of his hands." The proper use of +hers, she thought, was to give him a box on the ear, though +within the verge of the court. He returned it by a push, and she +tumbled off the end of the bench; which his Majesty has accepted +as sufficient punishment, and she is not to lose her right +hand.(161) + +I enclose the list your ladyship desired: you will see that the +Plurality of Worlds" are Moore's, and of some I do not know the +authors. ' There is a late edition with these names to them. + +My duchess was to set out this morning. I saw her for the last +time the day before yesterday at Lady Kildare's: never was a +journey less a party of pleasure. She was so melancholy, that +all Miss Pelham's oddness and my spirits could scarce make her +smile. Towards the end of the night, and that was three in the +morning, I did divert her a little. I slipped Pam into her lap, +and then taxed her with having it there. She was quite +confounded; but, taking it up, saw he had a Telescope in his +hand, which I had drawn, and that the card, which was split, and +just waxed together, contained these lines: + +"Ye simple astronomers, lay by your glasses; +The transit of Venus has proved you all asses: +Your telescopes signify nothing to scan it; +'Tis not meant in the clouds, 'tis not meant of a planet: +The seer who foretold it mistook or deceives us, +For Venus's transit is when Grafton leaves us." + +I don't send your ladyship these verses as good, but to show you +that all gallantry does not centre at the Hague. + +I wish I could tell you that Stanley(162) and Bussy, by crossing +over and figuring in, had forwarded the peace. It is no more +made than Belleisle is taken. However, I flatter myself that you +will not stay abroad till you return for the coronation, which is +ordered for the beginning of October. I don't care to tell you +how lovely the season is; how my acacias are powdered with +flowers, and my hay just in its picturesque moment. Do they ever +make any other hay in Holland than bulrushes in ditches? My new +buildings rise so swiftly, that I shall have not a shilling left, +so far from giving commissions on Amsterdam. When I have made my +house so big that I don't know what to do with it, and am +entirely undone, I propose, like King Pyrrhus, who took such a +roundabout way to a bowl of punch, to sit down and enjoy myself; +but with this difference, that it is better to ruin one's self +than all the world. I am sure you would think as I do, though +Pyrrhus were King of Prussia. I long to have you bring back the +only hero that ever I could endure. Adieu, Madam! I sent you +just such another piece of tittle-tattle as this by General +Waldegrave: you are very partial to me, or very fond of knowing +every thing that passes in your own country, if you can be amused +so. If you can, 'tis surely my duty to divert you, though at the +expense of my character; for I own I am ashamed when I look back +and see four sides of paper scribbled over with nothings. + +(157) Lady Ailesbury remained at the Hague while Mr. Conway was +with the army during the campaign in 1761. + +(158) The music was by Cocchi. Dr. Burney says it was not +sufficiently admired to encourage the manager to perform it more +than twice.-E. + +(159) 'This comedy, which came out in the summer-season at +Drury-lane, under the conduct of Foote and the author, met with +considerable success. Some of the hints are acknowledged to have +been borrowed from Moli`ere's "Cocu Imaginaire."-E. + +(160) Lady Sarah Lenox.-E. + + +(161) The old punishment for giving a blow in the King's +presence. + +(162) Mr. Hans Stanley was at this time employed in negotiating a +peace at Paris.-E. + + + +Letter 78 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, June 18, 1761. (page 128) + +I am glad you will come on Monday, and hope you will arrive in a +rainbow and pair, to signify that we are not to be totally +drowned. It has rained incessantly, and floated all my new +works; I seem rather to be building a pond than a gallery. My +farm too is all under water, and what is vexatious, if Sunday had +not thrust itself between, I could have got in my hay on Monday. +As the parsons will let nobody else make hay on Sundays, I think +they ought to make it on that day themselves. + +By the papers I see Mrs. Trevor Hampden is dead of the smallpox. +Will he be much concerned? If you will stay with me a fortnight +or three weeks, perhaps I may be able to carry you to a play of +Mr. Bentley's--you stare, but I am in earnest: nay, and de par le +roy. In short, here is the history of it. You know the passion +he always had for the Italian comedy; about two years ago he +wrote one, intending to get it offered to Rich, but without his +name. He would have died to be supposed an author, and writing +for gain. I kept this an inviolable secret. Judge then of my +surprise, when about a fortnight or three weeks ago, I found my +Lord Melcomb reading this very Bentleiad in a circle at my Lady +Hervey's. Cumberland had carried it to him with a recommendatory +copy of verses, containing more incense to the King and my Lord +Bute, than the magi brought in their portmanteaus to Jerusalem. +The idols were propitious, and to do them justice, there is a +great deal of wit in the piece, which is called "The Wishes, or +Harlequin's Mouth Opened."(163) A bank note of two hundred +pounds was sent from the treasury to the author, and the play +ordered to be performed by the summer company. Foote was +summoned to Lord Melcomb's, where Parnassus was composed of the +peer himself, who, like Apollo, as I am going to tell you, was +dozing, the two chief justices, and Lord B. Bubo read the play +himself, "with handkerchief and orange by his side." But the +curious part is a prologue, which I never saw. It represents the +god of verse fast asleep by the side of Helicon: the race of +modern bards try to wake him, but the more they repeat their +works, the louder he snores. At last "Ruin seize thee, ruthless +King!" is heard, and the god starts from his trance. This is a +good thought, but will offend the bards so much, that I think Dr. +Bentley's son will be abused at least @as much as his father was. +The prologue concludes with young Augustus, and how much he +excels the ancient one by the choice of his friend. Foote +refused to act this prologue, and said it was too strong. +"Indeed," said Augustus's friend, "I think it is." They have +softened it a little, and I suppose it will be performed. You +may depend upon the truth of all this; but what is much more +credible is, that the comely young author appears every night in +the Mall in a milk-white coat with a blue cape, disclaims any +benefit, and says he has done with the play now it is out of his +own hands, and that Mrs. Hannah Clio, alias Bentley, writ the +best scenes in it. He is going to write a tragedy, and she, I +suppose, is going--to court. + +You will smile when I tell you that t'other day a party went to +Westminster Abbey, and among the rest saw the ragged regiment. +They inquired the names of the figures. "I don't know them," said +the man, "but if Mr. Walpole was here he could tell you every +one." Adieu! I expect Mr. John and you with impatience. + +(163) This piece, founded on Fontaine's "Trois Souhaits," was +written in imitation of the Italian comedy; Harlequin, Pantaloon, +Columbine, etc. being introduced into it as speaking characters. +"Many parts of it," says the Biographia Dramatica, "exhibit very +just satire and solid sense, and give evident testimony of the +author's learning, knowledge, understanding, and critical +judgment; yet the deficiency of incident which appears in it, as +well as of that lively kind of wit which is one of the essentials +of perfect comedy, seem, in great measure, to justify that +coldness with which the piece was received by the town."-E. + + + +Letter 79 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, July 5, 1761. (page 130) + +You are a pretty sort of a person to come to one's house and get +sick, only to have an excuse for not returning to it. Your +departure is so abrupt, that I don't know but I may expect to +find that Mrs. Jane Truebridge, whom you commend so much, and +call Mrs. Mary, will prove Mrs. Hannah. Mrs. Clive is still more +disappointed: she had proposed to play at quadrille with you from +dinner till supper, and to sing old Purcell to you from supper to +breakfast next morning.(164) If you cannot trust yourself from +Greatworth for a whole fortnight, how will you do in Ireland for +six months? Remember all my preachments, and never be in spirits +at supper. Seriously I am sorry you are out of order, but am +alarmed for you at Dublin, and though all the bench of bishops +should quaver Purcell's hymns, don't let them warble you into a +pint of wine. I wish you were going among catholic prelates, who +would deny you the cup. Think of me and resist temptation. +Adieu! + + +(164) Dr. Burney tells us, that Mrs. Clive's singing, "which was +intolerable when she meant to be fine, in ballad-farces and songs +of humour, was, like her comic acting, every thing it should +be."-E. + + + +Letter 80 To The Earl Of Strafford. +Strawberry Hill, July 5, 1761. (page 130) + +My dear lord, +I cannot live at Twickenham and not think of you: I have long +wanted to write, and had nothing to tell you. My Lady D. seems +to have lost her sting; she has neither blown up a house nor a +quarrel since you departed. Her wall, contiguous to you, is +built, but so precipitate and slanting that it seems hurrying to +take water. I hear she grows sick of her undertakings. We have +been ruined by deluges; all the country was under water. Lord +Holderness's new foss`e(165) was beaten in for several yards - +this tempest was a little beyond the dew of Hermon, that fell on +the Hill of Sion. I have been in still more danger by water: my +parroquet was on my shoulder as I was feeding my gold-fish, and +flew into the middle of the pond: I was very near being the +Nouvelle Eloise, and tumbling in after him; but with much ado I +ferried him out with my hat. + +Lord Edgecumbe has had a fit of apoplexy; your brother +Charles(166) a bad return of his old complaint; and Lord Melcombe +has tumbled down the kitchen stairs, and--waked himself. + +London is a desert; no soul in it but the king. Bussy has taken +a temporary house. The world talks of peace-would I could +believe it! every newspaper frightens me: Mr. Conway would be +very angry if he knew how I dread the very name of the Prince de +Soubise. + +We begin to perceive the tower of Kew(167) from Montpellier in a +fortnight you will see it in Yorkshire. + +The Apostle Whitfield is come to some shame: he went to Lady +Huntingdon lately, and asked for forty pounds for some distressed +saint or other. She said she had not so much money in the house, +but would give it him the first time she had. He was very +pressing, but in vain. At last he said, "There's your watch and +trinkets, you don't want such vanities; I will have that." She +would have put him off- but he persisting, she said, "Well, if +you must have it, you must." About a fortnight afterwards, going +to his house, and being carried into his wife's chamber, among +the paraphernalia of the latter the Countess found her own +offering. This has made a terrible schism: she tells the story +herself--I had not it from Saint Frances,(168) but I hope it is +true. Adieu, my dear lord! + +P. S. My gallery sends its humble duty to your new front, and all +my creatures beg their respects to my lady. + +(165) At Sion-hill, near Brentford. + +(166) Charles Townshend, married to Lady Greenwich, eldest sister +to Lady Strafford. + +(167) The pagoda in the royal garden at Kew. + +(168) Lady Frances Shirley. + + + +Letter 81 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Arlington Street, July 14, 1761. (page 131) + +My dearest Harry, +How could you write me such a cold letter as I have just received +from you, and beginning Dear sir! Can you be angry with me, for +can I be in fault to you? Blamable in ten thousand other +respects, may not I almost say I am perfect with regard to you'? +Since I was fifteen have I not loved you unalterably? Since I +was capable of knowing your merit, has not my admiration been +veneration? For what could so much affection and esteem change? +Have not your honour, your interest, your safety been ever my +first objects? Oh, Harry! if you knew what I have felt and am +feeling about you, would you charge me with neglect? If I have +seen a person since you went, to whom my first question has not +been, "What do you hear of the peace?" you would have reason to +blame me. You say I write very seldom: I will tell you what, I +should almost be sorry to have you see the anxiety I have +expressed about you in letters to every body else. No; I must +except Lady Ailesbury, and there is not another on earth who +loves you so well, and is so attentive to whatever relates to +you. + +With regard to writing, this is exactly the case.- I had nothing +to tell you; nothing has happened; and where you are I was +cautious of writing. Having neither hopes nor fears, I always +write the thoughts of the moment, and even laugh to divert the +person I am writing to, without any ill will on the subjects I +mention. But in your situation that frankness might be +prejudicial to you: and to write grave unmeaning letters, I +trusted you was too secure of' me either to like them or desire +them. I knew no news, nor could: I have lived quite alone at +Strawberry; am connected with no court, ministers, or party; +consequently heard nothing, and events there have been none. I +have not even for this month heard my Lady Townshend's extempore +gazette. All the morning I play with my workmen or animals, go +regularly every evening to the meadows with Mrs. Clive, or sit +with my Lady Suffolk, and at night scribble my Painters-What a +journal to send you! I write more trifling letters than any man +living; am ashamed of them, and yet they are expected of me. +You, my Lady Ailesbury, your brother, Sir Horace Mann, George +Montagu, Lord Strafford-all expect I should write--Of what? I +live less and less in the world, care for it less and less, and +yet am thus obliged to inquire what it is doing. Do make these +allowances for me, and remember half your letters go to my Lady +Ailesbury. I writ to her of the King's marriage, concluding she +would send it to you: tiresome as it would be, I will copy my own +letters, if you it; for I will do any thing rather than disoblige +you. I will send you a diary of the Duke of York's balls and +Ranelaghs, inform you of how many children my Lady Berkeley is +with child, and how many races my nephew goes to. No; I will +not, you do not want such proofs of my friendship. + +The papers tell us you are retiring, and I was glad? You seem to +expect an action--Can this give me spirits? Can I write to you +joyfully, and fear? Or is it fit Prince Ferdinand should know +you have a friend that is as great a coward about you as your +wife? The only reason for my silence that can not be true, is, +that I forget you. When I am prudent or cautious, it is no +symptom of my being indifferent. Indifference does not happen in +friendships, as it does in passions; and if I was young enough, +or feeble enough to cease to love you, I would not for my own +sake let it be known. Your virtues are my greatest pride; I have +done myself so much honour by them, that I will not let it be +known you have been peevish with me unreasonably. Pray God we +may have peace, that I may scold you for it! + +The King's marriage was kept the profoundest secret till last +Wednesday, when the privy council was extraordinarily summoned, +and it was notified to them. Since that, the new Queen's mother +is dead, and will delay it a few days; but Lord Harcourt is to +sail on the 27th, and the coronation will certainly be on the 22d +of September. All that I know fixed is, Lord Harcourt master of +the horse, the Duke of Manchester chamberlain, and Mr. Stone +treasurer. Lists there are in abundance; I don't know the +authentic: those most talked of, are Lady Bute groom of the +stole, the Duchesses of Hamilton and Ancaster, Lady +Northumberland, Bolingbroke, Weymouth, Scarborough, Abergavenny, +Effingham, for ladies; you may choose any six of them you please; +the four first are most probable. Misses Henry Beauclerc, M. +Howe, Meadows, Wrottesley, Bishop, etc. etc. Choose your maids +too. Bedchainber women, Mrs. Bloodworth, Robert Brudenel, +Charlotte Dives, Lady Erskine; in short, I repeat a mere +newspaper. + +We expect the final answer of France this week. Bussy(169) was +in great pain on the fireworks for quebec, lest he should be +obliged to illuminate his house: you see I ransack my memory for +something to tell you. + +Adieu! I have more reason to be angry than you had; but I am not +so hasty: you are of a violent, impetuous, jealous temper--I, +cool, sedate, reasonable. I believe I must subscribe my name, or +you will not know me by this description. + +(169) The Abb`e de Bussy, sent here with overtures of peace. Mr. +Stanley was at the same time sent to Paris. + + + +Letter 82 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, Friday night, July 16, 1761. (page 133) + +I did not notify the King's marriage to you yesterday, because I +knew you would learn as much by the evening post as I could tell +you. The solemn manner of summoning the council was very +extraordinary: people little imagined, that the urgent and +important business in the rescript was to acquaint them that his +Majesty was going to * * * * * * * *. All I can tell you of +truth is, that Lord Harcourt goes to fetch the Princess, and +comes back her master of the horse. She is to be here in August, +and the coronation certainly on the 22d of September. Think of +the joy the women feel; there is not a Scotch peer in the fleet +that might not marry the greatest fortune in England between this +and the 22d of September. However, the ceremony will lose its +two brightest luminaries, my niece Waldegrave for beauty, and the +Duchess of Grafton for figure. The first will be lying-in, the +latter at Geneva; but I think she will come, if she walks to It +as well as at it. I cannot recollect but Lady Kildare and Lady +Pembroke of great beauties. Mrs. Bloodworth and Mrs. Robert +Brudenel, bedchamber women, Miss Wrottesley and Miss Meadows, +maids of honour, go to receive the Princess at Helvoet; what lady +I do not hear. Your cousin's Grace of Manchester, they say, is +to be chamberlain, and Mr. Stone, treasurer; the Duchess of +Ancaster and Lady Bolingbroke of her bedchamber: these I do not +know are certain, but hitherto all seems well chosen. Miss Molly +Howe, one of the pretty Bishops, and a daughter of Lady Harry +Beauclerc, are talked of for maids of honour. The great +apartment at St. James's is enlarging, and to be furnished with +the pictures from Kensington : this does not portend a new +palace. + +In the midst of all this novelty and hurry, my mind is very +differently employed. They expect every minute the news of a +battle between Soubise and the hereditary Prince. Mr. Conway, I +believe, is in the latter army; judge if I can be thinking much +of espousals and coronations! It is terrible to be forced to sit +still, expecting such an event; in one's own room one is not +obliged to be a hero; consequently, I tremble for one that is +really a hero. + +Mr. Hamilton, your secretary, has been to see me to-day; I am +quite ashamed not to have prevented him. I will go to-morrow +with all the speeches I can muster. + +I am sorry neither you nor your brother are quite well, but shall +be content if my Pythagorean sermons have any weight with you. +You go to Ireland to make the rest of your life happy; don't go +to fling the rest of it away. Good night! + +Mr. Chute is gone to his Chutehood. + + + +Letter 83 To The Countess Of Ailesbury. +Strawberry Hill, July 20, 1761. (page 134) + +I blush, dear Madam, on observing that half my letters to your +ladyship are prefaced with thanks for presents:-don't mistake; I +am not ashamed of thanking you, but of having so many occasions +for it. Monsieur Hop has sent me the piece of china: I admire it +as much as possible, and intend to like him as much as ever I can +but hitherto I have not seen him, not having been in town since +he arrived. + +Could I have believed that the Hague would so easily compensate +for England? nay, for Park-place! Adieu, all our agreeable +suppers! Instead of Lady Cecilia's(170) French songs, we shall +have Madame Welderen(171) quavering a confusion of d's and t's, +b's and p's--Bourquoi s`cais du blaire?(172)--Worse than that, I +expect to meet all my relations at your house, and Sir Samson +Gideon instead of Charles Townshend. You will laugh like Mrs. +Tipkin(173) when a Dutch Jew tells you that he bought at two and +a half per cent. and sold at four. Come back, if you have any +taste left: you had better be here talking robes, ermine, and +tissue, Jewels and tresses, as all the world does, than own you +are corrupted. Did you receive my notification of the new Queen? +Her mother is dead, and she will not be here before the end of +August. + +My mind is much more at peace about Mr. Conway than it was. +Nobody thinks there will be a battle, as the French did not +attack them when both armies shifted camps; and since that, +Soubise has entrenched himself up to the whiskers:--whiskers I +think he has, I have been so afraid of him! Yet our hopes of +meeting are still very distant: the peace does not advance; and +if Europe has a stiuer left in its pockets, the war will +continue; though happily all parties have been so scratched, that +they only sit and look anger at one another, like a dog and cat +that don't care to begin again. + +We are in danger of losing our sociable box at the Opera. The +new Queen is very musical, and if Mr. Deputy Hodges and the city +don't exert their veto, will probably go to the Haymarket. +George Pitt, in imitation of the Adonises in Tanzai's retinue, +has asked to be her Majesty's grand harper. Dieu s`cait quelle +raclerie il y aura! All the guitars are untuned; and if Miss +Conway has a mind to be in fashion at her return, she must take +some David or other to teach her the new twing twang, twing twing +twang. As I am still desirous of being in fashion with your +ladyship, and am, over and above, very grateful, I keep no +company but my Lady Denbigh and Lady Blandford, and learn every +evening, for two hours, to mask my English. Already I am +tolerably fluent in saying she for he.(174) + +Good night, Madam! I have no news to send you: one cannot +announce a royal wedding and a coronation every post. + +P. S. Pray, Madam, do the gnats bite your legs? Mine are swelled +as big as one, which is saying a deal for me. + +July 22. + +I HAD writ this, and was not time enough for the mail, when I +receive your charming note, and this magnificent victory!(175) +Oh! my dear Madam, how I thank you, how I congratulate you, how I +feel for you, how I have felt for you and for myself! But I +bought it by two terrible hours to-day--I heard of the battle two +hours before I could learn a word of Mr. Conway--I sent all round +the world, and went half around it myself. I have cried and +laughed, trembled and danced, as you bid me. If you had sent me +as much old china as King Augustus gave two regiments for, I +should not be half so much obliged to you as for your note. How +could you think of me, when you had so much reason to think of +nothing but yourself?--And then they say virtue is not rewarded +in this world. I will preach at Paul's Cross, and quote you and +Mr. Conway; no two persons were ever so good and happy. In +short, I am serious in the height of all my joy. God is very +good to you, my dear Madam; I thank him for you; I thank him for +myself: it is very unalloyed pleasure we taste at this moment!- +-Good night! My heart is so expanded, I could write to the last +scrap of my paper; but I won't. Yours most entirely. + +(170) Lady Cecilia West, daughter of John Earl of Delawar, +afterwards married to General James Johnston. + +(171) Wife of the Count de Welderen, one of the lords of the +States of Holland.-E. + +(172) The first words of a favourite French air, with Madame +Welderen's confusion of p's, t's' etc. + +(173) A character in Steele's comedy of The Tender Husband, or +the Accomplished Fools brought out at Drury-lane in 1709.-E. + +(174) A mistake which these ladies, who were both Dutch women, +constantly made. + +(175) The battle of Kirckdenckirck, on the 15th and 16th of July, +in which the allied army, under Prince Ferdinand, gained a great +victory over the French, under the Prince of Soubise.-E. + + + +Letter 84 To The Earl Of Strafford. +Strawberry Hill, July 22, 1761. (page 136) + +My dear lord, +I love to be able to contribute to your satisfaction, and I think +few things would make you happier than to hear that we have +totally defeated the French combined armies, and that Mr. Conway +is safe. The account came this morning: I had a short note from +my poor Lady Ailesbury, who was waked with the good news before +she had heard there had been a battle. I don't pretend to send +you circumstances, no more than I do of the wedding and +coronation, because you have relations and friends in town nearer +and better informed. indeed, only the blossom of victory is come +yet. Fitzroy is expected, and another fuller courier after him. +Lord Granby, to the mob's heart's content, has the chief honour +of the day--rather, of the two days. The French behaved to the +mob's content too, that is, shamefully: and all this glory +cheaply bought on our side. Lieutenant-colonel Keith killed, and +Colonel Marlay and Harry Townshend wounded. If it produces a +peace, I shall be happy for mankind--if not, shall content myself +with the single but pure joy of Mr. Conway's being safe. + +Well! my lord, when do you come? You don't like the question, but +kings will be married and must be crowned-and if people will be +earls, they must now and then give up castles and new fronts for +processions and ermine. By the way, the number of peeresses that +propose to excuse themselves makes great noise; especially as so +many are breeding, or trying to breed, by commoners, that they +cannot walk. I hear that my Lord Delawar, concluding all women +would not dislike the ceremony, is negotiating his peerage in the +city, and trying if any great fortune will give fifty thousand +pounds for one day, as they often do for one night. I saw Miss +this evening at my Lady Suffolk's, and fancy she does not think +my Lord quite so ugly as she did two months ago. Adieu, my lord! +This is a splendid year! + + + +Letter 85 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, July 22, 1761. (page 136) + +For my part, I believe Mademoiselle Scuderi drew the plan of this +year. It is all royal marriages, coronations, and victories; +they come tumbling so over one another from distant parts of the +globe, that it looks just like the handywork of a lady romance +writer, whom it costs nothing but a little false geography to +make the Great Mogul in love with a Princess of Mecklenburg, and +defeat two marshals of France as he rides post on an elephant to +his nuptials. I don't know where I am. I had scarce found +Mecklenburg Strelitz(176) with a magnifying-glass before I am +whisked to Pondicherri(177)--well, I take it, and raze it. I +begin to grow acquainted with Colonel Coote, and to figure him +packing up chests and diamonds, and sending them to his wife +against the King's wedding--thunder go the Tower guns, and +behold, Broglio and Soubise are totally defeated; if the mob have +not much stronger heads and quicker conceptions than I have, they +-will conclude my Lord Granby is become nabob. How the deuce in +two days can one digest all this? Why is not Pondicherri in +Westphalia? I don't know how the Romans did, but I cannot +support two victories every week. Well, but you will want to +know the particulars. Broglio and Soubise united, attacked our +army on the 15th, but were repulsed; the next day, the Prince +Mahomet Alli d Cawn--no, no, I mean Prince Ferdinand, returned +the attack, and the French threw down their arms and fled, run +over my Lord Harcourt, who was going to fetch the new Queen; in +short, I don't know how it was, but Mr. Conway is safe, and I am +as happy as Mr. Pitt himself. We have only lost a +Lieutenant-colonel Keith; Colonel Marlay and Harry Townshend are +wounded. + +I could beat myself for not having a flag ready to display on my +round tower, and guns mounted on all m@battlements. Instead of +that, I have been foolishly trying on My new pictures upon my +gallery. However, the oratory of our Lady of Strawberry shall be +dedicated next year on the anniversary of Mr. Conway's safety. +Think with his intrepidity, and delicacy of honour wounded, what +I had to apprehend; you shall absolutely be here on the sixteenth +of next July. Mr. Hamilton tells me your King does not set out +for his new dominions till the day after the coronation; if you +will come to it, I can give you a very good place for the +procession; which is a profound secret, because, if known, I +should be teased to death, and none but my first friends shall be +admitted. I dined with your secretary yesterday; there were +Garrick and a young Mr. Burke, who wrote a book in +the style of Lord Bolingbroke, that was much admired.(178) He is +a sensible man, but has not worn off his authorism yet, and +thinks there is nothing so charming as writers, and to be one. +He will know better one of these days. I like Hamilton's little +Marly; we walked in the great all`ee, and drank tea in the arbour +of treillage; they talked of Shakspeare and Booth, of Swift and +my Lord Bath, and I was thinking of Madame S`evign`e,-. Good +night! I have a dozen other letters to write; I must tell my +friends how happy I am--not as an Englishman, but as a cousin. + +(176) The King had just announced his intention of demanding in +marriage the Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg Strelitz.-E. + +(177) the news of the capture of Pondicherry had only arrived on +the preceding day.-E. + +(178) Mr. Burke's "Vindication of Natural Society," in imitation +of Lord Bolingbroke's style, which came out in the spring of +1756, was his first avowed production.-E. + + + +Letter 86 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Strawberry Hill, July 23, 1761. (page 138) + +Well, mon beau cousin! you may be as cross as you please now. +when you beat two Marshals of France and cut their armies to +pieces, I don't mind your pouting; but in good truth, it was a +little vexatious to have you quarrelling with me, when I was in +greater pain about you than I can express. I Will Say no more; +make a peace, under the walls of Paris if you please, and I will +forgive you all--but no more battles: consider, as Dr. Hay said, +it is cowardly to beat the French now. + +Don't look upon yourselves as the only conquerors in the world. +Pondicherri is ours, as well as the field of KirkDenckirk. The +park guns never have time to cool; we ruin ourselves in gunpowder +and skyrockets. If you have a mind to do the gallantest thing in +the world after the greatest, you must escort the Princess of +Mecklenburgh through France. You see what a bully I am; the +moment the French run away, I am sending you on expeditions. I +forgot to tell you that the King has got the isle of Dominique +and the chickenpox, two trifles that don't count in the midst of +all these festivities. No more does your letter of the 8th, +which I received yesterday: it is the one that is to come after +the 16th, that I shall receive graciously. + +Friday 24th. + +Not satisfied with the rays of glory that reached Twickenham, I +came to town to bask in your success; but am most disagreeably +disappointed to find you must beat the French once more, who seem +to love to treat the English mob with subjects for bonfires. I +had got over such an alarm, that I foolishly ran into the other +extreme, and concluded there was not a French battalion left +entire upon the face of Germany. Do write to me; don't be out of +humour, but tell me every motion you make: I assure you I have +deserved you should. Would you were out of the question, if it +were only that I might feel a little humanity! There is not a +blacksmith or linkboy in London that exults more than I do, upon +any good news, since you went abroad. What have I to do to hate +people I never saw, and to rejoice in their calamities? Heaven +send us peace, and you home! Adieu! + + + +Letter 87 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, July 28, 1761. (page 138) + +No, I shall never cease being a dupe, till I have been undeceived +round by every thing that calls itself a virtue. I came to town +yesterday, through clouds of dust, to see The Wishes, and went +actually feeling for Mr. Bentley, and full of the emotions he +must be suffering. What do you think, in a house crowded, was +the first thing I saw? Mr. and Madame Bentley, perched up in the +front boxes, and acting audience at his own play! No, all the +impudence of false patriotism never came up to it. Did one ever +hear of an author that had courage to see his own first night in +public'? I don't believe Fielding or Foote himself ever did; and +this was the modest, bashful Mr. BenTley, that died at the +thought of being known for an author even by his own +acquaintance! In the stage-box was Lady Bute, Lord Halifax, and +Lord Melcombe. I must say, the two last entertained the house as +much as the play; your King was prompter, and called out to the +actor every minute to speak louder. The other went backwards, +behind the scenes, fetched the actors into the box, and was +busier than Harlequin. The curious prologue was not spoken, the +whole very ill acted. It turned out just what I remembered it; +the good extremely good, the rest very flat and vulgar; the +genteel dialogue, I believe, might be written by Mrs. Hannah. +The audience were extremely fair: the first act they bore with +patience, though it promised very ill; the second is admirable, +and was much applauded; so was the third; the fourth-woful; the +beginning of the fifth it seemed expiring, but was revived by a +delightful burlesque of the ancient chorus, which was followed by +two dismal scenes, at which people yawned, but were awakened on a +sudden by Harlequin's being drawn up to a gibbet, nobody knew why +or wherefore - this raised a prodigious and continued hiss, +Harlequin all the while suspended in the air,--at last they were +suffered to finish the play, but nobody attended to the +conclusion.(179) Modesty and his lady all the while sat with the +utmost indifference; I suppose Lord Melcombe had fallen asleep +before he came to this scene, and had never read it. The +epilogue was the King and new queen, and ended with a personal +satire on Garrick: not very kind on his own stage To add to the +judgment of his conduct, Cumberland two days ago published a +pamphlet to abuse him. It was given out for to-night with rather +more claps than hisses, but I think will not do unless they +reduce it to three acts. + +I am sorry you will not come to the coronation. The place I +offered I am not sure I can get for any body else; I cannot +explain it to you, because I am engaged to secrecy: if I can get +it for your brother John I will, but don't tell him of it, +because it is not sure. Adieu! + +(179) The piece was coldly received by the town. Cumberland says +that, "when the last of the three Wishes produced the ridiculous +catastrophe of the hanging of Harlequin in full view of the +audience, my uncle, the author, then sitting by me, whispered in +my ear, 'If they don't damn this they deserve to be damned +themselves;' and whilst he was yet speaking the roar began, and +The Wishes were irrevocably damned."-E. + + + +Letter 88 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Strawberry Hill. (page 140) + +This is the 5th of August, and I just receive your letter of the +17th of last month by Fitzroy.(180) I heard he had lost his +pocket-book with all his despatches, but had found it again. He +was a long time finding the letter for me. + +You do nothing but reproach me; I declare I will bear it no +longer, though you should beat forty more Marshals of France. I +have already writ you two letters that would fully justify me if +you receive them; if you do not, it is not I that am in fault for +not writing, but the post-offices for reading my letters, content +if they would forward them when they have done with them. They +seem to think, like you that I know more news than any body. +What is to be known in the dead of summer, when all the world is +dispersed? Would you know who won the sweepstakes at Huntingdon? +what parties are at Woburn? what officers upon guard in Betty's +fruit-shop? whether the peeresses are to wear long, or short +tresses at the coronation? how many jewels Lady Harrington +borrows of actresses? All this is your light summer wear for +conversation; and if my memory were as much stuffed with it as my +ears, I might have sent you Volumes last week. My nieces, Lady +Waldegrave and Mrs. Keppel, were here five days, and discussed +the claim or disappointment of every miss in the kingdom for maid +of honour. Unfortunately this new generation is not at all my +affair. I cannot attend to what Concerns them. Not that their +trifles are less important than those of one's own time, but my +mould has taken all its impressions, and can receive no more. I +must grow old upon the stock I have. I, that was so impatient at +all their chat, the moment they were gone, flew to my Lady +Suffolk, and heard her talk with great satisfaction of the late +Queen's coronation-petticoat. The preceding age always appears +respectable to us (I mean as one advances in years), one's own +age interesting, the coming age neither one nor t'other. + +You may judge by this account that I have writ all my letters, or +ought to have written them; and yet, for occasion to blame Me, +you draw a very pretty picture of my situation: all which tends +to prove that I ought to write to you every day, whether I have +any thing to say or not. I am writing, I am building--both works +that will outlast the memory of battles and heroes! Truly, I +believe, the one will as much as t'other. My buildings are +paper, like my writings, and both will be blown away in ten years +after I am dead; if they had not the substantial use of amusing +me while I live, they would be worth little indeed. I will give +you one instance that will sum up the vanity of great men, +learned men, and buildings altogether. I heard lately, that Dr. +Pearce, a very learned personage, had consented to let the tomb +of Aylmer de Valence, Earl of Pembroke, a very great personage, +be removed for Wolfe's monument; that at first he had objected, +but was wrought upon by being told that hight Aylmer was a knight +templar, a very wicked set of people, as his lordship had heard, +though he knew nothing of them, as they are not mentioned by +Longinus. I own I thought this a made story, and wrote to his +lordship, expressing my concern that one of the finest and most +ancient monuments in the abbey should be removed, and begging, if +it was removed, that he would bestow it on me, who would erect +and preserve it here. After a fortnight's deliberation, the +bishop sent me an answer, civil indeed, and commending my zeal +for antiquity! but avowing the story under his own hand. He +said, that at first they had taken Pembroke's tomb for a knight +templar's. Observe, that not only the man who shows the tombs +names it every day, but that there is a draught of it at large in +Dart's Westminster; that upon discovering whose it was, he had +been very unwilling to consent to the removal, and at last had +obliged Wilton to engage to set it up within ten feet of where it +stands at present. His lordship concluded with congratulating me +on publishing learned authors at my press. don't wonder that a +man who thinks Lucan a learned author, should mistake a tomb in +his own cathedral. If I had a mind to be angry, I could complain +with reason; as, having paid forty pounds for ground for my +mother's tomb, that the Chapter of Westminster sell their church +over and over again; the ancient monuments tumble upon one's head +through their neglect, as one of them did, and killed a man at +Lady Elizabeth Percy's funeral; and they erect new waxen dolls of +Queen Elizabeth, etc. to draw visits and money from the mob. I +hope all this history is applicable to some part or other of my +letter; but letters you will have, and so I send you one, very +like your own stories that you tell your daughter-. There was a +King, and he had three daughters, and they all went to see the +tombs; and the youngest, -who was in love with Aylmer de Valence, +etc. + +Thank you for your account of the battle; thank Prince Ferdinand +for giving you a very Honourable post, which, in spite of his +teeth and yours, proved a very safe one; and above all, thank +Prince Soubise, whom I love better than all the German Princes in +the universe. Peace, I think, we must have at last, if you beat +the French, or at least hinder them from beating you, and +afterwards starve them. Bussy's last last courier is expected; +but as he may have a last last last courier, I trust more to this +than to all the others. He was complaining t'other day to Mr. +Pitt of our haughtiness, and said it would drive the French to +some desperate effort, "Thirty thousand men," continued he, +"would embarrass you a little, I believe!" "Yes," replied Pitt, +"for I am so embarrassed with those we have already, I don't know +what to do with them." + +Adieu! Don't fancy that the more you scold, the more I will +write: it has answered three times, but the next cross word you +give me shall put an end to our correspondence. Sir Horace +Mann's father used to say, "Talk, Horace, you have been abroad:"- +-You cry, "Write, Horace, you are at home." No, Sir. you can +beat an hundred and twenty thousand French, but you cannot get +the better of me. I will not write such foolish letters as this +every day, when I have nothing to say. Yours as you behave. + +(180) George Fitzroy, afterwards created Lord Southampton. + + + +Letter 89 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, Aug. 20, 1761. (page 142) + +A few lines before you go; your resolutions are good, and give me +great pleasure; bring them back unbroken; I have no mind to lose +you; we have been acquainted these thirty years, and to give the +devil his due, in all that time I never knew a bad, a false, a +mean, or ill-natured thing in the devil--but don't tell him I say +so, especially as I cannot say the same of myself. I am now +doing a dirty thing, flattering you to preface a commission. +Dickey Bateman(181) has picked up a whole cloister full of old +chairs in Herefordshire. He bought them one by one, here and +there in farmhouses, for three-and-sixpence, and a crown apiece. +They are of' wood, the seats triangular, the backs, arms, and +legs loaded with turnery. A thousand to one but there are plenty +up and down Cheshire too. If Mr. and Mrs. Wetenhall, as they +ride or drive out would now and then pick up such a chair, it +would oblige me greatly. Take notice, no two need be of the same +pattern. + +Keep it as the secret of your life; but if your brother John +addresses himself to me a day or two before the coronation, I can +place him well to see the procession: when it is over, I will +give you a particular reason why this must be such a mystery. I +was extremely diverted t'other day with my mother's and my old +milliner; she said she had a petition to me--"What is it, Mrs. +Burton?" "It Is in behalf of two poor orphans." I began to feel +for my purse. "What can I do for them, Mrs. Burton?" "Only if +your honour would be so compassionate as to get them tickets for +the coronation." I could not keep my countenance, and these +distressed orphans are two and three-and-twenty! Did you ever +hear a more melancholy case? + +The Queen is expected on Monday. I go to town on Sunday. Would +these shows and your Irish journey were over, and neither of us a +day the poorer! + +I am expecting Mr. Chute to hold a chapter on the cabinet. A +barge-load of niches, window-frames, and ribs, is arrived. The +cloister is paving, the privy garden making, painted glass +adjusting to the windows on the back stairs - with so many irons +in the fire, you may imagine I have not much time to write. I +wish you a safe and pleasant voyage. + +(181) Richard Bateman, brother of Viscount Bateman. In Sir +Charles Hanbury Williams's Poems he figures as "Constant +Dickey."-E. + + + +Letter 90 To The Earl Of Strafford. +Arlington Street, Tuesday morning. (page 143) + +My dear lord, +Nothing was ever equal to the bustle and uncertainty of the town +for these three days. The Queen was seen off the coast of Sussex +on Saturday last, and is not arrived yet-nay, last night at ten +o'clock it was neither certain when she landed, nor when she +would be in town. I forgive history for knowing nothing, when so +public an event as the arrival of a new Queen is a mystery even +at the very moment in St. James's Street. The messenger that +brought the letter yesterday morning, said she arrived ,it half +an hour after four at Harwich. This was immediately translated +into landing, and notified in those words to the ministers. Six +hours afterwards it proved no such thing, and that she was only +in Harwich-road; and they recollected that an hour after four +happens twice in twenty-four hours, and the letter did not +specify which of the twices it was. Well! the bridemaids whipped +on their virginity; the new road and the parks were thronged; the +guns were choking with impatience to go off; and Sir James +Lowther, who was to pledge his Majesty was actually married to +Lady Mary Stuart.(182) Five, six, seven, eight o'clock came, and +no Queen--She lay at Witham at Lord Abercorn's, who was most +tranquilly in town; and it is not certain even whether she will +be composed enough to be in town to-night. She has been sick but +half an hour; sung and played on the harpsicord all the voyage, +and been cheerful the whole time. The coronation will now +certainly not be put off-so I shall have the pleasure of seeing +you on the 15th. The weather is close and sultry; and if the +wedding is to-night, we shall all die. + +They have made an admirable speech for the Tripoline ambassador +that he said he heard the King had sent his first eunuch to fetch +the Princess. I should think he meaned Lord Anson. + +You will find the town over head and ears in disputes about rank, +and precedence, processions, entr`ees, etc. One point, that of +the Irish peers, has been excellently liquidated: Lord Halifax +has stuck up a paper in the coffee-room at Arthur's, importing, , +That his Majesty, not having leisure to determine a point of such +great consequence, permits for this time such Irish peers as +shall be at the marriage to walk in the procession." Every body +concludes those personages will understand this order as it is +drawn up in their own language; otherwise it is not very clear +how they are to walk to the marriage, if they are at it before +they come to it. + +Strawberry returns its duty and thanks for all your lordship's +goodness to it, and though it has not got its wedding-clothes +yet, will be happy to see you. Lady Betty Mackenzie is the +individual woman she was--she seems to have been gone three +years, like the Sultan in the Persian Tales, who popped his head +into a tub of water, pulled it up again, and fancied he had been +a dozen years in bondage in the interim. She is not altered a +tittle. Adieu, my dear lord! + +Twenty minutes past three in the afternoon, not in the middle of +the night. + +Madame Charlotte is this instant arrived. The noise of coaches, +chaises, horsemen, mob, that have been to see her pass through +the parks, is so prodigious that I cannot distinguish the guns. +I am going to be dressed, and before seven shall launch into the +crowd. Pray for me! + +(182) Eldest daughter of the Earl of Bute.-E. + + + +Letter 91 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Arlington Street, Sept. 9, 1761. (page 144) + +The date of my promise is now arrived, and I fulfil it--fulfil it +with great satisfaction, for the Queen is come; and I have seen +her, have been presented to her--and may go back to Strawberry. +For this fortnight I have lived upon the road between Twickenham +and london: I came, grew inpatient, returned; came again, still +to no purpose. The yachts made the coast of Suffolk last +Saturday, on Sunday entered the road of Harwich, and on Monday +morning the King's chief eunuch, as the Tripoline ambassador +calls Lord Anson, landed the Princess. She lay that night at +Lord Abercorn's at Whitham, the palace of silence; and yesterday +at a quarter after three arrived at St. James's. In half an hour +one heard nothing but proclamations of her beauty: every body was +content, every body pleased. At seven one went to court. The +night was sultry. About ten the procession began to move towards +the chapel, and at eleven they all came up into the drawing-room. +She looks very sensible, cheerful, and is remarkably genteel. +Her tiara of diamonds was very pretty, her stomacher sumptuous; +her violet-velvet mantle and ermine so heavy, that the spectators +knew as much of her upper half as the King himself. You will +have no doubts of her sense by what I shall tell you. On the +road they wanted to curl her toupet; she said she thought it +looked as well as that of any of the ladies sent to fetch her; if +the King bid her, she would wear a periwig, otherwise she would +remain as she was. When she caught the first glimpse of the +palace, she grew frightened and turned pale; the Duchess of +Hamilton smiled--the Princess said, "My dear Duchess, you may +laugh, you have been married twice, but it is no joke to me." +Her lips trembled as the coach stopped, but she jumped out with +spirit, and has done nothing but with good-humour and +cheerfulness. She talks a great deal--is easy, civil, and not +disconcerted. At first, when the bridemaids and the court were +introduced to her, she said, "Mon Dieu, il y en a tant, il y en a +tant!" She was pleased when she was to kiss the peeresses; but +Lady Augusta was forced to take her hand and give it to those +that were to kiss it, which was prettily humble and good-natured. +While they waited for supper, she sat down, sang, and played. +Her French is tolerable, she exchanged much both of that and +German with the King, and the Duke of York. They did not get to +bed till two. To-day was a drawing-room: every body was +presented to her; but she spoke to nobody, as she could not know +a soul. The crowd was much less than at a birthday, the +magnificence very little more. The King looked very handsome, +and talked to her continually with great good-humour.- It does +not promise as if they two would be the two most unhappy persons +in England, from this event. The bridemaids, especially Lady +Caroline Russel, Lady Sarah Lenox, and Lady Elizabeth Keppel, +were beautiful figures. With neither features nor air, Lady +Sarah was by far the chief angel. The Duchess of Hamilton was +almost in possession of her former beauty today: and your other +Duchess, your daughter, was much better dressed than ever I saw +her. Except a pretty Lady Sutherland, and a most perfect beauty, +an Irish Miss Smith,(183) I don't think the Queen saw much else +to discourage her: my niece,(184) Lady Kildare, Mrs. Fitzroy, +were none of them there. There is a ball to-night, and two more +drawing-rooms; but I have done with them. The Duchess of +Queensbury and Lady Westmoreland were in the procession, and did +credit to the ancient nobility. + +You don't presume to suppose, I hope, that we are thinking of +you, and wars, and misfortunes, and distresses, in these festival +times. Mr. Pitt himself Would be mobbed if he talked of any +thing but clothes, and diamonds, and bridemaids. Oh! yes, we +have wars, civil wars; there is a campaign opened in the +bedchamber. Every body is excluded but the ministers; even the +lords of the bedchamber, cabinet counsellors, and foreign +ministers: but it has given such offence that I don't know +whether Lord Huntingdon must not be the scapegoat. Adieu! I am +going to transcribe most of this letter to your Countess. + +(183) Afterwards married to Lord Llandaff. + +(184) The Countess of Waldegrave. + + + +Letter 92 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Sept. 24, 1761. (page 145) + +I am glad you arrived safe in Dublin, and hitherto like it so +well; but your trial is not begun yet. When your King comes;, +the ploughshares will be put into the fire. Bless your stars +that your King is not to be married or crowned. All the vines of +Bordeaux, and all the fumes of Irish brains cannot make a town so +drunk as a regal wedding and coronation. I am going to let +London cool, and will not venture into it again this fortnight. +O! the buzz, the prattle, the crowds, the noise, the hurry! Nay, +people are so little come to their senses, that though the +coronation was but the day before yesterday, the Duke of +Devonshire had forty messages yesterday, desiring tickets for a +ball, that they fancied was to be at court last night. People +had sat up a night and a day, and yet wanted to see a dance. If +I was to entitle ages, I would call this the century of crowds. +For the coronation, if a puppet-show could be worth a million, +that is. The multitudes, balconies, guards, and processions, +made Palace-yard the liveliest spectacle in the world - the hall +was the most glorious. The blaze of lights, the richness and +variety of habits, the ceremonial, the benches of peers, and +peeresses, frequent and full, was as awful as a pageant can be -. +and yet for the King's sake and my own, I never wish to see +another; nor am impatient to have my Lord Effingham's promise +fulfilled. The King complained that so few precedents were kept +for their proceedings. Lord Effingham owned, the earl marshal's +office had been strangely neglected; but he had taken such care +for the future, that the next coronation would be regulated in +the most exact manner imaginable. The number of peers and +peeresses present was not very great; some of the latter, with no +excuse in the world, appeared in Lord Lincoln's gallery, and even +walked about the hall indecently in the intervals of the +procession. My Lady Harrington, covered with all the diamonds +she could borrow, hire, or seize, and with the air of Roxann, was +the finest figure at a distance; she complained to George Selwyn +that she was to walk with Lady Portsmouth, who would have a wig +and a stick--"Pho," said he, "you will only look as if you were +taken up by the constable." She told this everywhere, thinking +the reflection was on my Lady Portsmouth. Lady Pembroke, alone +at the head of the countesses, was the picture of majestic +modesty; the Duchess of Richmond as pretty as nature and dress, +with no pains of her own, could make her; Lady Spencer, Lady +Sutherland, and Lady Northampton, very pretty figures. Lady +Kildare, still beauty itself, if not a little too large. The +ancient peeresses were by no means the worst party: Lady +Westmoreland, still handsome, and with more dignity than all; the +Duchess of Queensbury looked well, though her locks were +milk-white; Lady Albemarle very genteel; nay, the middle age had +some good representatives in lady Holderness, Lady Rochford, and +Lady Strafford, the perfectest little figure of all. My Lady +Suffolk ordered her robes, and I dressed part of her head, as I +made some of my Lord Hertford's dress; for you know, no +profession comes amiss to me, from a tribune of the people to a +habit-maker. Don't imagine that there were not figures as +excellent on the other side: old Exeter, who told the King he was +the handsomest man she ever saw; old Effingham and a Lady Say and +Seale, with her hair powdered and her tresses black, were in +excellent contrast to the handsome. Lord B * * * * put on rouge +upon his wife and the Duchess of Bedford in the painted chamber; +the Duchess of Queensbury told me of the latter, that she looked +like an orange-peach, half red, and half yellow. The coronets of +the peers and their robes disguised them strangely; it required +all the beauty of the Dukes of Richmond and Marlborough to make +them noticed. One there was, though of another species, the +noblest figure I ever saw, the high-constable of Scotland, Lord +Errol; as one saw him in a space capable of containing him, one +admired him. At the wedding, dressed in tissue, he looked like +one of the giants in Guildhall, new gilt. It added to the energy +of his person, that one considered him acting so considerable a +part in that very hall, where so few years ago one saw his +father, Lord Kilmarnock, condemned to the block. The champion +acted his part admirably, and dashed down his gauntlet with proud +defiance. His associates, Lord Effingham, Lord Talbot, and the +Duke of Bedford, were woful: Lord Talbot piqued himself on his +horse backing down the hall, and not turning its rump towards the +King; but he had taken such pains to dress it to that duty, that +it entered backwards, and at his retreat the spectators clapped, +a terrible indecorum, but suitable to such Bartholomew-fair +doings. He had twenty demel`es and came out of none creditably. +He had taken away the table of the knights of the Bath, and was +forced to admit two in their old place, and dine the others in +the court of requests. Sir William Stanhope said, "We are +ill-treated, for some of us are gentlemen." beckford told the +Earl, it was hard to refuse a table to the city of london Whom it +would cost ten thousand pounds to banquet the King, and his +lordship would repent it if they had not a table in the Hall; +they had. To the barons of the Cinque-ports, who made the same +complaint, he said, "If you come to me as lord-steward, I tell +you it is impossible; if, as Lord Talbot, I am a match for any of +you:" and then he said to Lord Bute, "If I were a minister, thus +I would talk to France, to Spain, to the Dutch--none of your half +measures." This has brought me to a melancholy topic. Bussy +goes tomorrow, a Spanish war is hanging in the air, destruction +is taking a new lease of mankind--of the remnant of mankind. I +have no prospect of seeing Mr. Conway. Adieu! I will not disturb +you with my forebodings. You I shall see again in spite of war, +and I trust in spite of Ireland. I was much disappointed at not +seeing your brother John: I kept a place for him to the last +minute, but have heard nothing of him. Adieu! + + + +Letter 93 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Arlington Street, Sept. 25, 1761. (page 147) + +This is the most unhappy day I have known of years: Bussy goes +away! Mankind is again given up, to the sword! Peace and you are +far from England! + +Strawberry Hill. + +I was interrupted this morning, just as I had begun my letter, by +Lord Waldegrave; and then the Duke of Devonshire sent for me to +Burlington-house to meet the Duchess of Bedford, and see the old +pictures from Hardwicke. If my letter reaches you three days +later, at least you are saved from a lamentation. Bussy has put +off his journey to Monday (to be sure, you know this is Friday): +he says this is a strange country, he can get no Waggoner to +carry his goods on a Sunday. I am Clad a Spanish war waits for a +conveyance, and that a wagoner's veto is as good as a tribune's +of Rome, and can stop Mr. Pitt on his career to Mexico. He was +going post to conquer it--and Beckford, I suppose, would have had +a contract for remitting all the gold, of which Mr. Pitt never +thinks, unless to serve a city friend. It is serious that we +have discussions with Spain, who says France is humbled enough, +but must not be ruined: Spanish gold is actually coining in +frontier towns of France; and the privilege which Biscay and two +other provinces have of fishing on the coast of Newfoundland, has +been demanded for all Spain. It was refused peremptorily; and +Mr. Secretary Cortez(185) insisted yesterday se'nnight on +recalling Lord Bristol.(186) The rest of the council, who are +content with the world they have to govern, without conquering +Others, prevailed to defer this impetuosity. However, if France +or Spain are the least untractable, a war is inevitable: nay, if +they don't submit by the first day of the session, I have no +doubt but Mr. Pitt will declare it himself on the address. I +have no opinion of Spain intending it: they give France money to +protract a war, from which they reap such advantages in their +peaceful capacity; and I should think would not give their money +if they were on the point of having occasion for it themselves. +In spite of you, and all the old barons our ancestors, I pray +that we may have done with glory, and would willingly burn every +Roman and Greek historian who have don nothing but transmit +precedents for cutting throats. + +The coronation is over: 'tis even a more gorgeous sight than I +imagined. I saw the procession and the hall; but the return was +in the dark. In the morning they had forgot the sword of state, +the chairs for King and Queen, and their canopies. They used the +Lord Mayor's for the first, and made the last in the hall so they +did not set forth till noon; and then, by a childish compliment +to the King, reserved the illumination of the hall till his +entry; by which means they arrived like a funeral, nothing being +discernible but the plumes of the knights of the Bath, which +seemed the hearse. Lady Kildare the Duchess of Richmond, and +Lady Pembroke were the capital beauties. Lady Harrington, the +finest figure at a distance; old Westmoreland, the most majestic. +Lady Hertford could not walk, and indeed I think is in a way to +give us great anxiety. She is going to Ragley to ride. Lord +Beauchamp was one of the King's train-bearers. Of all the +incidents of the day, the most diverting was what happened to the +Queen. She had a retiring-chamber, with all conveniences, +prepared behind the altar. She went thither--in the most +convenient what found she, but--the Duke of Newcastle! Lady +Hardwicke died three days before the Ceremony, Which kept away +the whole house of Yorke. Some of the peeresses were dressed +overnight, slept in armchairs, and were waked if they tumbled +their heads. Your sister Harris's maid, Lady Peterborough, was a +comely figure. My Lady Cowper refused, but was forced to walk +with Lady Macclesfield. Lady Falmouth was not there on which +George Selwyn said, "that those peeresses who were most used to +walk, did not." I carried my Lady Townshend, Lady Hertford, Lady +Anne Connolly, my Lady Hervey, and Mrs. Clive, to my deputy's +house at the gate of Westminster-hall. My Lady Townshend said +she should be very glad to see a coronation, as she never had +seen one. "Why," said I, "Madam, you walked at the last?" "Yes, +child," said she, "but I saw nothing of it: I only looked to see +who looked at me." The Duchess of Queensbury walked! her +affectation that day was to do nothing preposterous. The Queen +has been at the Opera, and says she will go once a week. This is +a fresh disaster to our box, where we have lived so harmoniously +for three years. We can get no alternative but that over Miss +Chudleigh's; and Lord Strafford and Lady Mary Coke will not +subscribe, unless we can. The Duke of Devonshire and I are +negotiating with all our -art to keep our party together. The +crowds at the Opera and play when the King and Queen go, are a +little greater than what I remember. The late royalties went to +the Haymarket, when it was the fashion to frequent the other +opera in Lincoln's-inn-fields. Lord Chesterfield one night came +into the latter, and was asked, if he had been at the other +house? "Yes," said he, "but there was nobody but the King and +Queen; and as I thought they might be talking business, I came +away." + +Thank you for your journals: the best route you can send me in +would be of your Journey homewards. Adieu! + +P. S. If you ever hear from, or write to, such a person as Lady +Ailesbury, pray tell her she is worse to me in point of +correspondence than ever you said I was to you, and that she +sends me every thing but letters! + +(185) Mr. Pitt, then secretary of state. + +(186) The English ambassador at the court of Madrid. + + + +Letter 94 To The Countess Of Ailesbury. +Strawberry Hill, Sept. 27, 1761. (page 149) + +You are a mean mercenary woman. If you did not want histories of +weddings and coronations, and had not jobs to be executed about +muslins, and a bit of china, and counterband goods, one should +never hear of you. When you don't want a body, you can frisk +about with greffiers and burgomasters. and be as merry in a dyke +as my lady frog herself. The moment your curiosity is agog, or +your cambric seized, you recollect a good cousin in England, and, +as folks said two hundred years ago, begin to write "upon the +knees of your heart." Well! I am a sweet-tempered creature, I +forgive you. I have already writ to a little friend in the +customhouse, and will try what can be done; however, by Mr. +Amyand's report to the Duchess of Richmond, I fear your case is +desperate. For the genealogies, I have turned over all my books +to no purpose; I can meet with no Lady Howard that married a +Carey, nor a Lady Seymour that married a Canfield. Lettice +Canfield, who married Francis Staunton, was a daughter of Dr. +James (not George) Canfield, younger brother of the first Lord +Charlemont. This is all I can ascertain. For the other +pedigree; I can inform your friend that there was a Sir Nicholas +Throckmorton, who married an Anne Carew, daughter of Sir Nicholas +Carew, knight of the garter, not Carey. But the Sir Nicholas +Carew married Joan Courtney--not a Howard: and besides, the +Careys and Throckmortons you wot of were just the reverse, your +Carey was the cock, and Throckmorton the hen-mine are vice +versa:--otherwise, let me tell your friend, Carews and Courtneys +are worth Howards any day of the week, and of ancienter blood;- +-so, if descent is all he wants, I advise him to take up with the +pedigree as I have refitted it. However, I will cast a figure +once more, and try if I can conjure up the dames Howard and +Seymour that he wants. + +My heraldry was much more offended at the coronation with the +ladies that did walk, than with those that walked out of their +place; yet I was not so perilously angry as my Lady Cowper, who +refused to set a foot with my Lady Macclesfield; and when she was +at last obliged to associate with her, set out on a round trot, +as if she designed to prove the antiquity of her family by +marching as lustily as a maid of honour of Queen Gwiniver. It +was in truth a brave sight. The sea of heads in palace-yard, the +guards, horse and foot, the scaffolds, balconies, and procession, +exceeded imagination. The hall, when once illuminated, was +noble; but they suffered the whole parade to return in the dark, +that his Majesty might be surprised with the quickness with which +the sconces catched fire. The champion acted well; the other +Paladins had neither the grace nor alertness of Rinaldo. Lord +Effingham and the Duke of Bedford were but untoward knights +errant; and Lord Talbot had not much more dignity than the figure +of General Monk in the abbey. The habit of the peers is +unbecoming to the last degree; but the peeresses made amends for +all defects. Your daughter Richmond, Lady Kildare, and Lady +Pembroke were as handsome as the Graces. Lady Rochford, Lady +Holderness, and Lady Lyttelton looked exceedingly well in that +their day; and for those of the day before, the Duchess of +Queensbury, Lady Westmoreland, and Lady Albemarle were +surprising. Lady Harrington was noble at a distance, and so +covered with diamonds, that you would have thought she had bid +somebody or other, like Falstaff, rob me the exchequer. Lady +Northampton was very magnificent too, and looked prettier than I +have seen her of late. Lady Spencer and Lady Bolingbroke were +not the worst figures there. The Duchess of Ancaster marched +alone after the Queen with much majesty; and there were two new +Scotch peeresses that pleased every body, Lady Sutherland and +Lady Dunmore. Per contra, were Lady P * * *, who had put a wig +on, and old E * * * *, who had scratched hers off, Lady S * * *, +the Dowager E * * *, and a Lady Say and Sele, with her tresses +coal-black, and her hair coal-white. Well! it was all delightful, +but not half so charming as its being over. The gabble one heard +about it for six weeks before, and the fatigue of the day, could +not well be compensated by a mere puppet-show; for puppet-show it +was, though it cost a million. The Queen is so gay that we shall +not want sights; she has been at the Opera, the Beggar's Opera +and the Rehearsal, and two nights ago carried the King to +Ranelagh. In short, I am so miserable with losing my +Duchess,(187) and you and Mr. Conway, that I believe, if you +should be another six weeks without writing to me, I should come +to the Hague and scold you in person--for, alas! my dear lady, I +have no hopes of seeing you here. Stanley is recalled, is +expected every hour. Bussy goes tomorrow ; and Mr. Pitt is so +impatient to conquer Mexico, that I don't believe he will stay +till my Lord Bristol can be ordered to leave Madrid. I tremble +lest Mr. Conway should not get leave to come--nay, are we sure he +would like to ask it? he was so impatient to get to the army, +that I should not be surprised if he stayed there till every +suttler and woman that follows the camp was come away. You ask +me if we are not in admiration of Prince Ferdinand. In truth, we +have thought very little of him. He may outwit Broglio ten +times, and not be half so much talked of as lord Talbot' backing +his horse down Westminster-hall. The generality are not struck +with any thing under a complete victory. If you have a mind to +be well with the mob of England, you must be knocked on the head +like Wolfe, or bring home as many diamonds as Clive. We live in +a country where so many follies or novelties start forth every +day, that we have not time to try a (general's capacity by the +rules of Polybius. + +I have hardly left room for my obligations-to your ladyship, for +my commissions at Amsterdam; to Mrs. Sally,(188) for her teapots, +which are to stay so long at the Hague, that I fear they will +have begot a whole set of china; and to Miss Conway and Lady +George, for thinking of me. Pray assure them of my re-thinking. +Adieu, dear Madam! Don't You think we had better write oftener +and shorter. + +(187) The Duchess of Grafton, who was abroad. + +(188) Lady Ailesbury's woman. + + + +Letter 95 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Oct. 8, 1761. (page 151) + +I cannot swear I wrote to you again to offer your brother the +place for the coronation; but I was Confident I did, nay, I think +so still: my proofs are, the place remained vacant, and I sent to +old Richard to inquire if Mr. John was not arrived. He had no +great loss, as the procession returned in the dark. + +Your King(189) will have heard that Mr. Pitt resigned last +Monday.(190) Greater pains have been taken to recover him than +were used to drive him out. He is inflexible, but mighty +peaceable. Lord Egremont is to have the seals to-morrow. It is +a most unhappy event--France and Spain will soon let us know we +ought to think so. For your part, you will be invaded; a blacker +rod than you will be sent to Ireland. Would you believe that the +town is a desert'! The wedding filled it, the coronation crammed +it; Mr. Pitt's resignation has not brought six people to London. +As they could not hire a window and crowd one another to death to +see him give up the seals, it seems a matter of perfect +indifference. If he will accuse a single man of checking our +career of glory, all the world will come to see him hanged; but +what signifies the ruin of a nation, if no particular man ruins +it? + +The Duchess of Marlborough died the night before last. Thank you +for your descriptions; pray continue them. Mrs. Delany I know a +little, Lord Charlemont's villa is in Chambers's book.(191) + +I have nothing new to tell you; but the grain of mustard seed +sown on Monday will soon produce as large a tree as you can find +in any prophecy. Adieu! + +P. S. Lady Mary Wortley is arrived. + +(189) The Earl of Halifax, lord-lieutenant of Ireland. + + +(190) The following is Mr. Pitt's own account of this +transaction, in a letter to Alderman Beckford:--"A difference of +opinion with regard to measures to be taken against Spain, of the +highest importance to the Honour of the crown and to the most +essential national interests, and this founded on what Spain had +already done, not on what that court may further intend to do, +was the cause of my resigning, the seals. Lord Temple and I +submitted in writing, and urged our most humble sentiments to his +Majesty; which being overruled by the united opinion of the rest +of the King's servants, I resigned, on Monday the 5th, in order +not to remain responsible for measures which I was no longer +allowed to guide." Chatham Correspondence, vol. ii. p. 158.-E. + +(191) Sir William Chambers's "Treatise on Civil Architecture," a +work which Walpole describes as "the most sensible book, and the +most exempt from prejudices, that was ever written on that +science." It first appeared in 1759. A fourth edition, edited by +Mr. Gwin was published in 1825.-E. + + + +letter 96 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, Oct. 10, 1761. (page 152) + +Pray, sir, how does virtue sell in Ireland now? I think for a +province they have now and then given large prices. Have you a +mind to know what the biggest virtue in the world is worth? If +Cicero had been a drawcansir instead of a coward, and had carried +the glory of Rome to as lofty a height as he did their eloquence, +for how much do you think he would have sold all that reputation? +Oh! sold it! you will cry, vanity was his predominant passion; he +would have trampled on sesterces like dirt, and provided the +tribes did but erect statues enough for him, he was content with +a bit of Sabine mutton; he would have preferred his little +Tusculan villa, or the flattery of Caius Atticus at Baia, to the +wealth of Croesus, or to the luxurious banquets of Lucullus. +Take care, there is not a Tory gentleman, if there is one left, +who would not have laid the same wager twenty years ago on the +disinterestedness of my Lord Bath. Come, u tremble, you are so +incorrupt yourself you will give the world Mr. Pitt was so too. +You adore him for what he has done for us; you bless him for +placing England at the head of Europe, and you don't hate him for +infusing as much spirit into us, as if a Montague, Earl of +Salisbury, was still at the head of our enemies. Nothing could +be more just. We owe the recovery of our affairs to him, the +splendour of our country, the conquest of Canada, Louisbourg, +Guadaloupe, Africa, and the East. Nothing is too much for such +services; accordingly, I hope you will not think the barony of +Chatham, and three thousand pounds a-year for three lives too +much for my Lady Hester. She has this pittance: good night! + +P. S. I told you falsely in my last that Lady Mary Wortley was +arrived--I cannot help it if my Lady Denbigh cannot read English +in all these years, but mistakes Wrottesley for Wortley. + + + +Letter 97 To The Countess Of Ailesbury. +Strawberry Hill, Oct. 10, 1761. (page 153) + +I don't know what business I had, madam, to be an economist: it +was out of' character. I wished for a thousand more drawings in +that sale at Amsterdam, but concluded they would be very dear; +and not having seen them, I thought it too rash to trouble your +ladyship with a large commission. I wish I could give you as +good an account of your commission; but it is absolutely +impracticable. I employed one of the most sensible and +experienced men in the customhouse; and all the result was, he +could only recommend me to Mr. Amyand as the newest, and +consequently the most polite of the commissioners--but the +Duchess of Richmond had tried him before--to no purpose. There +is no way of recovering any of your goods, but purchasing them +again at the sale. + +What am I doing, to be talking to you of drawings and chintzes, +when the world is all turned topsy-turvy! Peace, as the poets +would say, is not only returned to heaven, but has carried her +sister Virtue along with her!--Oh! no, peace will keep no such +company--Virtue is an errant strumpet, and loves diamonds as well +as my Lady Harrington, and is as fond of a coronet as my Lord +Melcombe.(192) Worse! worse! She will set men to cutting +throats, and pick their pockets at the same time. I am in such a +passion, I cannot tell you what I am angry about--why, about +Virtue and Mr. Pitt; two errant cheats, gipsies! I believe he +was a comrade of Elizabeth Canning, when he lived at +Enfield-wash. In short, the council were for making peace; + +"But he, as loving his own pride, and purposes, +Evades them with a bombast circumstance, +horribly stuffed with epithets of war, +And in conclusion--nonsuits my mediators." + +He insisted on a war with Spain, was resisted, and last Monday +resigned. The city breathed vengeance on his opposers, the +council quailed, and the Lord knows what would have happened; but +yesterday, which was only Friday, as this giant was stalking to +seize the tower of London, he stumbled over a silver penny, +picked it up, carried it home to Lady Hester, and they are now as +quiet, good sort of people, as my Lord and Lady Bath who lived in +the vinegar-bottle. In fact, Madam, this immaculate man has +accepted the Barony of Chatham for his wife, with a pension of +three thousand pounds a year for three lives; and though he has +not quitted the House of Commons, I think my Lord Anson would now +be as formidable there. The pension he has left us, is a war for +three thousand lives! perhaps, for twenty times three thousand +lives!--But-- + +"Does this become a soldier? this become +Whom armies follow'd, and a people loved?" + +What! to sneak out of the scrape, prevent peace, and avoid the +war! blast one's character, and all for the comfort of a Paltry +annuity, a long-necked peeress, and a couple of Grenvilles! The +city looks mighty foolish, I believe, and possibly even Beckford +may blush. Lord Temple resigned yesterday: I suppose his virtue +pants for a dukedom. Lord Egremont has the seals; Lord +Hardwicke, I fancy, the privy seal; and George Grenville, no +longer Speaker, is to be the cabinet minister in the House of +Commons. Oh! Madam, I am glad you are inconstant to Mr. Conway, +though it is only with a Barbette! If you piqued yourself on +your virtue, I should expect you would sell it to the master of a +Trechscoot. + +I told you a lie about the King's going to Ranelagh--No matter; +there is no such thing as truth. Garrick exhibits the +coronation, and, opening the end of the stage, discovers a real +bonfire and real mob: the houses in Drury-lane let their windows +at threepence a head. Rich is going to produce a finer +coronation, nay, than the real one; for there is to be a dinner +for the Knights of the Bath and the Barons of the Cinque-ports, +which Lord Talbot refused them. + +I put your Caufields and Stauntons into the hands of one of the +first heralds upon earth, and who has the entire pedigree of the +Careys; but he cannot find a drop of Howard or Seymour blood in +the least artery about them. Good night, Madam! + +(192) Bubb Doddington, having for many years placed his ambition +on the acquisition of a coronet, obtained the long-wished-for +prize in the preceding April.-E. + + + +Letter 98 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Arlington Street, Oct. 12, 1761. (page 154) + +It is very lucky that you did not succeed in the expedition to +Rochfort. Perhaps you might have been made a peer; and as +Chatham is a naval title, it might have fallen to your share. +But it was reserved to crown greater glory: and lest it should +not be substantial pay enough, three thousand pounds a year for +three lives go along with it. Not to Mr. Pitt--you can't suppose +it. Why truly, not the title, but the annuity does, and Lady +Hester is the baroness; that, if he should please, he may earn an +earldom himself. Don't believe me, if you have not a mind. I +know I did not believe those who told me. But ask the gazette +that swears it--ask the King, who has kissed Lady Hester--ask the +city of London, who are ready to tear Mr. Pitt to pieces--ask +forty people I can name, who are overjoyed at it--and then ask me +again, who am mortified, and who have been the dupe of his +disinterestedness. Oh, my dear Harry! I beg you on my knees, +keep your virtue: do let me think there is still one man upon +earth who despises money. I wrote you an account last week of his +resignation. Could you have believed that in four days he would +have tumbled from the conquest of Spain to receiving' a quarter's +pension from Mr. West?(193) To-day he has advertised his seven +coach-horses to be sold--Three thousand a year for three lives, +and fifty thousand pounds of his own, will not keep a coach and +six. I protest I believe he is mad, and Lord Temple thinks so +too; for he resigned the same morning that Pitt accepted the +pension. George Grenville is minister of the House of Commons. +I don't know who will be Speaker. They talk of Prowse, Hussey, +Bacon, and even of old Sir John Rushout. Delaval has said an +admirable thing: he blames Pitt not as you and I do; but calls +him fool; and says, if he had gone into the city, told them he +had a poor wife and children unprovided for, and had opened a +subscription, he would have got five hundred thousand pounds, +instead of three thousand pounds a year. In the mean time the +good man has saddled us with a war which we can neither carry on +nor carry off. 'Tis pitiful! 'tis wondrous pitiful! Is the +communication stopped, that we never hear from you? I own 'tis +an Irish question. I am out of humour: my visions are dispelled, +and you are still abroad. As I cannot put Mr. Pitt to death, at +least I have buried him: here is his epitaph: + +Admire his eloquence--it mounted higher +Than Attic purity or Roman fire: +Adore his services-our lions view +Ranging, where Roman eagles never flew: +Copy his soul supreme o'er Lucre's sphere; +--But oh! beware three thousand pounds a-year!(194) + +October 13. + +Jemmy Grenville resigned yesterday. Lord Temple is all +hostility; and goes to the drawing-room to tell every body how +angry he is with the court-but what is Sir Joseph Wittol, when +Nol Bluff is pacific? They talk of erecting a tavern in the city, +called The Salutation: the sign to represent Lord Bath and Mr. +Pitt embracing. These are shameful times. Adieu! + +(193) Secretary to the treasury. + +(194) Gray also appears to have been greatly offended at this +acceptance of the title and the pension: "Oh!" he exclaim, "that +foolishest of great men, that sold his inestimable diamond for a +paltry peerage and pension! The very night it happened was I +swearing that it was a d-d lie, and never could be: but it was +for want of reading Thomas `a Kempis, who knew mankind so much +better than I." Works, vol. iii. p. 265. Mr. Burke took a very +different view of Mr. Pitt's conduct on this occasion. "With +regard to the pension and title, it is a shame," he says, "that +any defence should be necessary. What eye cannot distinguish, at +the first glance, between this and the exceptionable case of +titles and pensions? What Briton, with the smallest sense of +honour and gratitude, but must blush for his country, if such a +man retired unrewarded from the public service, let the motives +for that retirement be what they would? It was not possible that +his sovereign could let his eminent services pass unrequited: the +sum that was given was inadequate to his merits; and the quantum +was rather regulated by the moderation of the great mind that +received it, than by the liberality of that which bestowed it."- +E. + + + +Letter 99 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, October 24, 1761. (page 156) + +I have got two letters from you, and am sensibly pleased with +your satisfaction. I love your cousin for his behaviour to you; +he will never place his friendship better. His parts and +dignity, I did not doubt, would bear him out. I fear nothing but +your spirits and the frank openness of your heart; keep them +within bounds, and you will return in health, and with the +serenity I wish you long to enjoy. + +You have heard our politics; they do not mend, sick of glory, +without being tired of war, and surfeited with unanimity before +it had finished its work, we are running into all kinds of +confusion. The city have bethought themselves, and have voted +that they will still admire Mr. Pitt; consequently, be, without +the cheek of seeming virtue, may do what he pleases. An address +of thanks to hit-() has been carried by one hundred and nine +against fifteen, and the city are to instruct their members; that +is, because we are disappointed of a Spanish war, we must have +one at home. Merciful! how old I am grown! here am I, not liking +a civil war! Do you know me? I am no longer that Gracchus, who, +when Mr. Bentley told him something or other, I don't know what, +would make a sect, answered quickly, "Will it make a party?" In +short, I think I am always to be in contradiction; now I am +loving my country. + +Worksop(195) is burnt down; I don't know the circumstances; the +Duke and Duchess are at Bath; it has not been finished a month; +the last furniture was brought in for the Duke of York; I have +some comfort that I had seen it, and, except the bare chambers, +in which the Queen of Scots lodged, nothing remained of ancient +time. + +I am much obliged to Mr. Hamilton's civilities; but I don't take +too much to myself; yet it is no drawback to think that he sees +an compliments your friendship for me. I shall use his +permission of sending you any thing that I think will bear the +sea; but how must I send it! by what conveyance to the sea, and +where deliver it? Pamphlets swarm already; none very good, and +chiefly grave; you would not have them. Mr. Glover has published +his long-hoarded Medea,(196) as an introduction to the House of +Commons; it had been more proper to usher him from school to the +University. There are a few good lines, not much conduct, and a +quantity of iambics, and trochaics, that scarce speak English, +and yet have no rhyme to keep one another in countenance. If his +chariot is stopped at Temple-bar, I suppose he will take it for +the Straits of Thermopylae, and be delivered of his first speech +before its time. + +The catalogue of the Duke of Devonshire's collection is only in +the six volumes of the Description of London. I did print about +a dozen, and gave them all away so totally that on searching, I +had not reserved one for myself. When we are at leisure, I will +reprint a few more, and you shall have one for your Speaker. I +don't know who is to be ours: Prowse, they say, has refused; Sir +John Cust was the last I heard named: but I am here and know +nothing; sorry that I shall hear any thing on Tuesday se'nnight. + +Pray pick me up any prints of lord-lieutenants, Irish bishops, +ladies --nay, or patriots; but I will not trouble you for a +snuff-box or toothpick-case, made of a bit of the Giant's +Causeway. + +My anecdotes of Painting will scarcely appear before Christmas. +My gallery and cabinet are at a full stop till spring. but I +shall be sorry to leave it all in ten days; October, that scarce +ever deceived one before, has exhibited a deluge; but it was +recovered, and promised to behave well as long as it lives, like +a dying sinner. Good night! + +P. S. My niece lost the coronation for only a daughter. It makes +me smile, when I reflect that you are come into the world again, +and that I have above half left it. + +(195) The Duke of norfolk's seat at Worksop Manor, +Nottinghamshire, was burnt down on the 20th of October 1761. The +damage was estimated at one hundred thousand pounds. When the +Duke heard of it, he exclaimed, "God's will be done!" and the +Duchess, "How many besides us are sufferers by the like +calamity!" Evelyn, who visited Worksop in 1654, says, "The manor +belongs to the Earle of Arundel, and has to it a faire house at +the foote of an hill, in a park that affords a delicate +prospect."-E. + +(196) Glover's tragedy of Medea was performed several times at +Drury-lane and Covent-garden, for the benefit of Mrs. Yates, +whose spirited acting Gave it considerable effect.-E. + + + +Letter 100 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Strawberry Hill, Oct. 26, 1761. (page 157) + +and how strange it seems! You are talking to me of the King's +wedding, while we are thinking of a civil war. Why, the King's +wedding was a century ago, almost two months; even the coronation +things that happened half an age ago, is quite forgot. The post +to Germany cannot keep pace with our revolutions. Who knows but +you may still be thinking that Mr. Pitt is the most disinterested +man in the world? Truly, as far as the votes of a common-council +can make him so, he is. Like Cromwell, he has always promoted +the self-denying ordinance, and has contrived to be excused from +it himself. The city could no longer choose who should be their +man of virtue; there was not one left - by all rules they ought +next to have pitched upon one who was the oldest offender: +instead of that, they have reelected the most recent; and, as if +virtue was a borough, Mr. Pitt is rechosen for it, on vacating +his seat. Well, but all this is very serious: I shall offer a +prophetic picture, and shall be very glad if I am not a true +soothsayer. The city have voted an address of thanks to Mr. +Pitt, and given instructions to their members; the chief articles +of which are, to promote an inquiry into the disposal of the +money that has been granted, and to consent to no peace, unless +we are to retain all, or near all, our conquests. Thus the city +of London usurp the right of making peace and war. But is the +government to be dictated to by one town? By no means. But +suppose they are not -what is the consequence? How will the +money be raised? If it cannot be raised without them, Mr. Pitt +must again be minister: that you think would be easily +accommodated. Stay, stay; he and Lord Temple have declared +against the whole cabinet council. Why, that they have done +before now, and yet have acted with them again. It is very true; +but a little word has escaped Mr. Pitt, which never entered into +his former declarations; nay, nor into Cromwell's, nor Hugh +Capet's, nor Julius Caesar's, nor any reformer's of ancient time. +He has happened to say, he will guide. Now, though the cabinet +council are mighty willing to be guided, when they cannot help +it, yet they wish to have appearances saved: they cannot be fond +of being told they are to be guided still less, that other people +should be told so. Here, then, is Mr. Pitt and the +common-council on one hand, the great lords on the other. I +protest, I do not see but it will come to this. Will it allay +the confusion, if Mr. Fox is retained on the side of the court? +Here are no Whigs and Tories, harmless people, that are content +with worrying one another for i hundred and fifty years together. +The new parties are, I will, and you shall not; and their +principles do not admit delay. However, this age is of suppler +mould than some of its predecessors; and this may come round +again, by a coup de baguette, when one least expects it. If it +should not, the honestest part one can take is to look on, and +try if one can do any good if matters go too far. + +I am charmed with the Castle of Hercules;(197) it is the boldest +pile I have seen since I travelled in Fairyland. You ought to +have delivered a princess imprisoned by enchanters in his club: +she, in gratitude, should have fallen in love with you; your +constancy should have been immaculate. The devil knows how it +would have ended--I don't--and so I break off my romance. + +You need not beer the French any more this year: it cannot be +ascribed to Mr. Pitt; and the mob won't thank you. If we are to +have a warm campaign in Parliament, I hope you will be sent for. +Adieu! We take the field tomorrow se'nnight. + +P. S. You will be sorry to hear that Worksop is burned. My Lady +Waldegrave has got a daughter, and your brother an ague. + +(197) Alluding to a description of a building in Hesse Cassel, +given by Mr. Conway in one of his letters. + + + +Letter 101 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Nov. 7, 1761. (page 159) + +You will rejoice to hear that your friend Mr. Amyand is going to +marry the dowager Lady Northampton; she has two thousand pounds +a-year, and twenty thousand in money. Old Dunch(198) is dead, +and Mrs. Felton Hervey(199) was given over last night, but is +still alive. + +Sir John Cust is Speaker, and bating his nose, the chair seems +well filled. There are so many new faces in this Parliament, +that I am not at all acquainted with it. + +The enclosed print will divert you, especially the baroness in +the right-hand corner--so ugly, and so satisfied: the Athenian +head was intended for Stewart; but was so like, that Hogarth was +forced to cut off the nose. Adieu! + +(198) Widow of Edmund Dunch, Esq. comptroller of the household of +George the First.-E. + +(199) Wife of the Hon. Felton Hervey, ninth son of John, first +Earl of Bristol.-E. + + + + + + + + +Letter 102 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Nov. 28, 1761. (page 159) + +I am much obliged for the notice of Sir Compton's illness; if you +could send me word of peace too, I should be completely satisfied +on Mr. Conway's account. He has been in the late action, and +escaped, at a time that, I flattered myself, the campaign -was at +an end. However, I trust it is now. You will have been +concerned for young Courtney. The war, we hear, is to be +transferred to these islands; most probably to yours. The +black-rod I hope, like a herald, is a sacred personage. + +There has been no authentic account of the coronation published; +if there should be, I will send it. When I am at Strawberry, I +believe I can make you out a list of those that walked; but I +have no memorandum in town. If Mr. Bentley's play is printed in +Ireland, I depend on your sending me two copies. + +There has been a very private ball at court, consisting of not +above twelve or thirteen couple; some of the lords of the +bedchamber, most of the ladies, the maids of honour, and six +strangers, Lady Caroline Russell, Lady Jane Stewart, Lord +Suffolk, Lord Northampton, Lord Mandeville, and Lord Grey. +Nobody sat by, but the Princess, the Duchess of Bedford, and Lady +Bute. They began before seven, danced till one, and parted +without a supper. + +Lady Sarah Lenox has refused Lord Errol; the Duke of Bedford is +privy seal; Lord Thomond cofferer; Lord George Cavendish +comptroller; George Pitt goes minister to Turin; and Mrs. Speed +must go thither, as she is marrying the Baron de Perrier, Count +Virry's son.(200) Adieu! Commend me to your brother. + +(200) "My old friend Miss SPeed has done what the world calls a +very foolish thing; she has married the Baron de la Poyri`ere, +son to the Sardinian minister, the Count de Viry. He is about +twenty-eight years old (ten years younger than herself), but +looks nearer This is not the effect of debauchery; for he is a +very sober and good-natured man honest and no conjurer." Gray to +Wliarton. Works, vol. iii. p. 263.-E. + + + +Letter 103 To The Countess Of Ailesbury. +Arlington Street, Nov. 28, 1761. (page 160) + +Dear Madam, +You are so bad and so good, that I don't know how to treat you. +You give me every mark of kindness but letting me hear from you. +You send me charming drawings the moment I trouble you with a +commission, and you give Lady Cecilia(201) commissions for +trifles of my writing, in the most obliging manner. I have taken +the latter off her hands.- The Fugitive Pieces, and the Catalogue +of Royal and Noble Authors shall be conveyed to you directly. +Lady Cecilia and I agree how we lament the charming suppers +there, every time we pass the corner of Warwick Street! We have +a little comfort for your sake and our own, in believing that the +campaign is at an end, at least for this year--but they tell us, +it is to recommence here or in Ireland. You have nothing to do +with that. Our politics, I think, will soon be as warm as our +war. Charles Townshend is to be lieutenant-general to Mr. Pitt. +The Duke of Bedford is privy seal; Lord Thomond, cofferer; Lord +George Cavendish, comptroller. + +Diversions, you know, Madam, are never at high watermark before +Christmas: yet operas flourish pretty well: those on Tuesdays are +removed to Mondays, because the Queen likes the burlettas, and +the King cannot go on Tuesdays, his postdays. On those nights we +have the middle front box railed in, where Lady Mary(202) and I +sit in triste state like a Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress. The +night before last there was a private ball at court, which began +at half an hour after six, lasted till one, and finished without +a supper. The King danced the whole time with the Queen, Lady +Augusta with her four younger brothers. The other performers +were: the two Duchesses of Ancaster and Hamilton, who danced +little; Lady Effingham, and Lady Egremont who danced much; the +six maids of honour; Lady Susan Stewart, as attending Lady +Augusta; and Lady Caroline Russel, and Lady Jane Stewart, the +only women not of the family. Lady Northumberland is at Bath; +Lady Weymouth lies in; Lady Bolingbroke was there in Waiting, but +in black gloves, so did not dance. The men, besides the royals, +were Lords March and Lord Eglinton, of the bedchamber: Lord +Cantalope, vice-chamberlain; Lord Huntingdon; and four strangers, +Lord Mandeville, Lord Northampton, lord Suffolk, and lord Grey. +No sitters-by, but the Princess, the Duchess of Bedford, and Lady +Bute. + +If it had not been for this ball, I don't know how I should have +furnished a decent letter. Pamphlets on Mr. Pitt are the whole +conversation, and none of them worth sending cross the water: at +least I, who am said to write some of them, think so; by which +you may perceive I am not much flattered with the imputation. +There must be new personages at least, before I write on any +side. Mr. Pitt and the Duke of Newcastle! I should as soon think +of informing the world that Miss Chudleigh is no vestal. You +will like better to see some words which Mr. Gray has writ, at +Miss Speed's request, to an old air of Geminiani: the thought is +from the French. + +Thyrsis, when we parted, swore +Ere the spring he would return. +Ah! what means yon violet flower, +And the buds that deck the thorn? +'Twas the lark that upward sprung, +'Twas the nightingale that sung. + +Idle notes! untimely green! +Why this unavailing haste? +Western gales and skies serene +Speak not always winter past. +Cease my doubts, my fears to move; +Spare the Honour of my love. + +Adieu, Madam, your most faithful servant. + +(201) Lady Cecilia Johnston. + +(202) lady Mary Coke. + + + +Letter 104 To Sir David Dalrymple.(203) +Nov. 30, 1761. (page 161) + +I am much obliged to you, Sir, for the specimen of letters(204) +you have been so good as to send me. The composition is +touching, and the printing very beautiful. I am still more +pleased with the design of the work; nothing gives so just an +idea of an age as genuine letters; nay, history waits for its +last seal from them. I have an immense collection in my hands, +chiefly of the very time on which you are engaged: but they are +not my own. + +If I had received your commands in summer when I was at +Strawberry Hill, and at leisure, I might have picked you out +something to your purpose; at present I have not time, from +Parliament and business, to examine them: yet to show you, Sir, +that I have great desire to oblige you and contribute to your +work, I send you the following singular paper, which I have +obtained from Dr. Charles lyttelton, Dean of Exeter, whose name I +will beg you to mention in testimony of his kindness, and as +evidence for the authenticity of the letter, which he copied from +the original in the hands of Bishop Tanner, in the year 1733. It +is from Anne of Denmark, to the Marquis of Buckingham. + +"Anna R., + +"My kind dogge, if I have any power or credit with you, let me +have a trial of it at this time, in dealing sincerely and +earnestly with the King, that Sir Walter Raleigh's life may not +be called in question. If you do it, so that the success answer +my expectation, assure yourself that I will take it +extraordinarily kindly at your hands, and rest one that wisheth +you well, and desires you to continue still as you have been, a +true servant to your master." + +I have begun Mr. Hume's history, and got almost through the first +volume. It is amusing to one who ]knows a little of his own +country, but I fear would not teach much to a beginner; details +are so much avoided by him, and the whole rather skimmed than +elucidated. I cannot say I think it very carefully performed. +Dr. Robertson's work I should expect would be more accurate. + +P. S. There has lately appeared, in four little volumes, a +Chinese Tale, called Hau Kiou Choaan,(205) not very entertaining +from the incidents, but I think extremely so from the novelty of +the manner and the genuine representation of their customs. + +(203) Now first collected. + +(204) Probably Sir David's "Memorials and Letters relating to the +History of Britain in the Reigns of James the First and Charles +the First," which were published in 1766, from the originals in +the Advocates' Library.-E. + +(205) This pleasing little novel, in which the manners of the +Chinese are painted to the life, was a translation from the +Chinese by Mr. Wilkinson, and revised for publication by Dr. +Percy.-E. + + + +Letter 105 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Dec. 8, 1761. (page 162) + +I return you the list of prints, and shall be glad you will bring +me all to which I have affixed this mark X. The rest I have; yet +the expense of the whole list would not ruin me. Lord Farnham, +who, I believe, departed this morning, brings you the list of the +Duke of Devonshire's pictures. + +I have been told that Mr. Bourk's history was of England, not of +Ireland; I am glad it is the latter, for I am now in Mr. Hume's +England, and would fain read no more. I not only know what has +been written, but what would be written. Our story is so +exhausted, that to make it new, they really make it new. Mr. +Hume has exalted Edward the Second and depressed Edward the +Third. The next historian, I suppose, will make James the First +a hero, and geld Charles the Second. + +Fingal is come out; I have not yet got through it; not but, it is +very fine-yet I cannot at once compass an epic poem now. It +tires me to death to read how many ways a warrior is like the +moon, or the sun, or a rock, or a lion, or the ocean. Fingal is +a brave collection of similes, and will serve all the boys at +Eton and Westminster for these twenty years. I will trust you +with a secret, but you must not disclose it; I should be ruined +with my Scotch friends; in short, I cannot believe it genuine; I +cannot believe a regular poem of six books has been preserved, +uncorrupted, by oral tradition, from times before Christianity +was introduced into the island. What! preserved unadulterated by +savages dispersed among mountains, and so often driven from their +dens, so wasted by wars civil and foreign! alas one man ever got +all by heart? I doubt it; were parts preserved by some, other +parts by others? Mighty lucky, that the tradition was never +interrupted, nor any part lost-not a verse, not a measure, not +the sense! luckier and luckier. I have been extremely qualified +myself lately for this Scotch memory; we have had nothing but a +coagulation of rains, fogs, and frosts, and though they have +clouded all understanding, I suppose, if I had tried, I should +have found that they thickened, and gave great consistence to my +remembrance. + +You want news--I must make it, if I send it. To change the +dulness of the scene I went to the play, where I had not been +this winter. They are so crowded, that though I went before six, +I got no better place than a fifth row, where I heard very ill, +and was pent for five hours without a soul near me that I knew. +It was Cymbeline, and appeared to me as long as if every body in +it went really to Italy in every act,, and came back again. With +a few pretty passages and a scene or two, it is so absurd and +tiresome, that I am persuaded Garrick(206) * * * * * + +(206) The rest of this letter is lost. + + + +Letter 106 To Sir David Dalrymple.(207) +December 21, 1761. (page 163) + +Your specimen pleases me, and I give you many thanks for +promising me the continuation. You will, I hope, find less +trouble with printers than I have done. Just when my book was, I +thought, ready to appear, my printer ran away, and has left it +very imperfect. This is the fourth I have tried, and I own it +discourages me. Our low people are so corrupt and such knaves, +that being cheated and disappointed are all the fruits of +attempting to amuse oneself or others. Literature must struggle +with many difficulties. They who print for profit print only for +profit; we, who print to entertain or instruct others, are the +bubbles of our designs, defrauded, abused, pirated--don't you +think, Sir, one need have resolution? Mine is very nearly +exhausted. + +(207) Now first collected. + + + +Letter 107 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Dec. 23, 1761. Past midnight. (page 164) + +I am this minute come home, and find such a delightful letter +from you, that I cannot help answering it, and telling you so +before I sleep. You need not affirm, that your ancient wit and +pleasantry are revived; your letter is but five and twenty, and I +will forgive any vanity, that is so honest, and so well founded. +Ireland I see produces wonders of more sorts than one; if my Lord +Anson was to go lord-lieutenant, I suppose he would return a +ravisher. How different am I from this state of revivification! +Even such talents as I had are far from blooming again; and while +my friends, or contemporaries, or predecessors, are rising to +preside over the fame of this age, I seem a mere antediluvian; +must live upon what little stock of reputation I had acquired, +and indeed grow so indifferent, that I can only wonder how those, +whom I thought as old as myself, can interest themselves so much +about a world, whose faces I hardly know. You recover your +spirits and wit, Rigby is grown a speaker, Mr. Bentley a poet, +while I am nursing one or two gouty friends, and sometimes +lamenting that I am likely to survive the few I have left. +Nothing tempts me to launch out again; every day teaches me how +much I was mistaken in my own parts, and I am in no danger now +but of thinking I am grown too wise; for every period of life has +its mistake. + +Mr. Bentley's relation to Lord Rochester by the St. Johns is not +new to me, and you had more reason to doubt of their affinity by +the former marrying his mistress, than to ascribe their +consanguinity to it. I shall be glad to see the epistle: are not +"The Wishes" to be acted? remember me, if they are printed; and I +shall thank you for this new list of prints. + +I have mentioned names enough in this letter to lead me naturally +to new ill usage I have received. Just when I thought my book +finished, my printer ran away, and had left eighteen sheets in +the middle of the book untouched, having amused me with sending +proofs. He had got into debt, and two girls with child; being +two, he could not marry two Hannahs. You see my luck; I had been +kind to this fellow; in short, if the faults of my life had been +punished as severely as my merits have been, I should be the most +unhappy of beings; but let us talk of something else. + +I have picked up at Mrs. Dunch's auction the sweetest Petitot in +the world-the very picture of James the Second, that he gave Mrs. +Godfrey,(208) and I paid but six guineas and a half for it. I +will not tell you how vast a commission I had given; but I will +own, that about the hour of sale, I drove about the door to find +what likely bidders there were. The first coach I saw was the +Chudleighs; could I help concluding, that a maid of honour, kept +by a duke, would purchase the portrait of a duke kept by a maid +of honour-but I was mistaken. The Oxendens reserved the best +pictures; the fine china, and even the diamonds, sold for +nothing; for nobody has a shilling. We shall be beggars if we +don't conquer Peru within this half year. + + +If you are acquainted with my lady Barrymore, pray tell her that +in less than two hours t'other night the Duke of Cumberland lost +four hundred and fifty pounds at loo; Miss Pelham won three +hundred, and I the rest. However, in general, loo is extremely +gone to decay; I am to play at Princess Emily's to-morrow for the +first time this winter, and it is with difficulty she has made a +party. + +My Lady Pomfret is dead on the road to Bath; and unless the +deluge stops, and the fogs disperse, I think we shall all die. A +few days ago, on the cannon firing for the King going to the +House, some body asked what it was? M. de Choiseul replied, +"Apparemment, c'est qu'on voit le soleil." + +Shall I fill up the rest of my paper with some extempore lines +that I wrote t'other night on Lady Mary Coke having St. Anthony's +fire in her cheek! You will find nothing in them to contradict +what I have said in the former part of my letter; they rather +confirm it. + +No rouge you wear, nor can a dart +>From Love's bright quiver wound your heart. +And thought you, Cupid and his mother +Would unrevenged their anger smother? +No, no, from heaven they sent the fire +That boasts St. Anthony its sire; +They pour'd it on one peccant part, +Inflamed your cheek, if not your heart. +In vain-for see the crimson rise, +And dart fresh lustre through your eyes +While ruddier drops and baffled pain +Enhance the white they mean to stain. +Ah! nymph, on that unfading face +With fruitless pencil Time shall trace +His lines malignant, since disease +But gives you mightier power to please. + +Willis is dead, and Pratt is to be chief justice; Mr. Yorke +attorney general; solicitor, I don't know who. Good night! the +watchman cries past one! + +(208) Arabella Churchill, sister of the great Duke of +Marlborough, was the mistress of James the Second while Duke of +York, by whom she had four children; the celebrated Duke of +Berwick, the Duke of Albemarle, and two daughters. She +afterwards became the wife of Colonel Charles Godfrey, master of +the jewel office, and died in 1714, leaving by him two daughters, +Charlotte Viscountess Falmouth, and Elizabeth, wife of Edmund +Dunch, Esq.-E. + + + + +Letter 108 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Dec. 30, 1761. (page 165) + +I have received two more letters from You since I wrote last +week, and I like to find by them that you are so well and so +happy. As nothing has happened of change in my situation but a +few more months passed, I have nothing to tell you new of myself. +Time does not sharpen my passions or pursuits, and the experience +I have had by no means prompts me to make new connexions. 'Tis a +busy world, and well adapted to those who love to bustle in it; I +loved it once, loved its very tempests--now I barely open my +windows to view what course the storm takes. The town, who, like +the devil, when one has once sold oneself' to him, never permits +one to have done playing the fool, believe I have a great hand in +their amusements; but to write pamphlets, I mean as a volunteer, +one must love or hate, and I have the satisfaction of doing +neither. I Would not be at the trouble of composing a distich to +achieve a revolution. 'Tis equal to me what names are on the +scene. In the general view, the prospect is very dark: the +Spanish war, added to the load, almost oversets our most sanguine +heroism: and now we have in opportunity of conquering all the +world, by being at war with all the world, we seem to doubt a +little of our abilities. On a survey +of our situation, I comfort myself with saying, "Well, what is it +to me?" A selfishness that is far from anxious, when it is the +first thought in one's constitution; not so agreeable when it is +the last, and adopted by necessity alone. + +You drive your expectations much too fast, in thinking my +Anecdotes of Painting are ready to appear, in demanding three +volumes. You will see but two, and it will be February first. +True, I have written three, but I question whether the third will +be published at all; certainly not soon; it is not a work of +merit enough to cloy the town with a great deal at once. My +printer ran away, and left a third part of the two first volumes +unfinished. I suppose he is writing a tragedy himself, or an +epistle to my Lord Melcomb, or a panegyric on my Lord Bute. + +Jemmy Pelham(209) is dead, and has left to his servants what +little his servants had left him. Lord Ligonier was killed by +the newspapers, and wanted to prosecute them; his lawyer told him +it was impossible--a tradesman indeed might prosecute, as such a +report might affect his credit. "Well, then," said the old man, +"I may prosecute too, for I can prove I have been hurt by this +'report I was going to marry a great fortune, who thought I was +but seventy-four; the newspapers have said I am eighty, and she +will not have me." + +Lord Charlemont's Queen Elizabeth I know perfectly; he outbid me +for it; is his villa finished? I am well pleased with the design +in Chambers. I have been my out-of-town with Lord Waldecrave, +Selwyn, and Williams; it was melancholy the missing poor +Edgecombe, who was constantly of the Christmas and Easter +parties. Did you see the charming picture Reynolds painted for +me of him, Selwyn, and Gilly Williams? It is by far one of the +best things he has executed. He has just finished a pretty +whole-length of Lady Elizabeth Keppel,(210) in the bridemaid's +habit, sacrificing to Hymen. + +If the Spaniards land in Ireland, shall you make the campaign? +No. no, come back to England; you and I will not be patriots, +till the Gauls are in the city, and we must take our great chairs +and our fasces, and be knocked on the head with decorum in St. +James's market. Good night! + +P. S. I am told that they bind in vellum better at Dublin than +any where; pray bring me one book of their binding, as well as it +can be done, and I will not mind the price. If Mr. Bourk's +history appear,-, before your return, let it be that. + +(209) The Hon. James Pelham, of Crowhurst, Sussex. He had been +principal secretary to Frederick Prince of Wales, and for nearly +forty years secretary to the several lords-chamberlain.-E. + +(210) She was daughter of the Earl of Albemarle, and married to +the Marquis of Tavistock. + + + +Letter 109 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Jan. 26, 1762. (page 167) + +We have had as many mails due from Ireland as you had from us. I +have at last received a line from you; it tells me you are well, +which I am always glad to hear; I cannot say you tell me much +more. My health is so little subject to alteration, and so +preserved by temperance, that it is not worth repetition; thank +God you may conclude it is good, if I do not say to the contrary. + +Here is nothing new but preparations for conquest, and approaches +to bankruptcy; and the worst is, the former will advance the +latter at least as much as impede it. You say the Irish will +live and die with your cousin: I am glad they are so well +disposed. I have lived long enough to doubt whether all, who +like to live with one, would be so ready to die with one. I know +it is not pleasant to have the time arrived when one looks about +to see whether they would or not; but you are in a country of +more sanguine complexion, and where I believe the clergy do not +deny the laity the cup. + +The Queen's brother arrived yesterday; your brother, Prince John, +has been here about a week; I am to dine with him to-day at Lord +Dacre's with the Chute. Our burlettas are gone out of fashion; +do the Atnicis come hither next year, or go to Guadaloupe, as is +said? I have been told that a lady Kingsland(211) at Dublin has +a picture of Madame Grammont by Petitot; I don't know who Lady +Kingsland is, whether rich or poor, but I know there is nothing I +would not give for such a picture. I wish you would hunt it; and +if the dame is above temptation, do try if you could obtain a +copy in water colours, if there is any body in Dublin could +execute it. + +The Duchess of Portland has lately enriched me exceedingly; nine +portraits of the court of Louis quatorze! Lord Portland brought +them over; they hung in the nursery at Bulstrode, the children +amused themselves with shooting at them. I have got them, but I +will tell you no more, you don't deserve it; you write to me as +if I were your godfather: "Honoured Sir, I am brave and well, my +cousin George is well, we drink your health every night, and beg +your blessing." This is the sum total of all your letters. I +thought in a new country, and with your spirits and humour, you +could have found something to tell me. I shall only ask you now +when you return; but I declare I will not correspond with you: I +don't write letters to divert myself, but in expectation of +returns; in short, you are extremely in disgrace with me; I have +measured my letters for sometime, and for the future will answer +you paragraph for paragraph. You yourself don't seem to find +letter-writing so amusing as to pay itself. Adieu! + +(211) Nicholas Barnewall, third Viscount Kingsland, married Mary, +daughter of Frances Jennings, sister to the celebrated Sarah +Duchess of Marlborough, by George Count Hamilton: "by which +marriage," says Walpole, "the pictures I saw at Tarvey, Lord +Kingsland's house, came to him: I particularly recollect the +portraits of Count Hamilton and his brother Anthony, and two of +Madame Grammont; one taken in her youth, the other in advanced +age."-E. + + + +Letter 110 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Feb. 2, 1762. (page 168) + +I scolded YOU in my last, but I shall forgive you if you return +soon to England, as you talk of doing; for though you are an +abominable correspondent, and only write to beg letters, you are +good company, and I have a notion I shall still be glad to see +You. + +Lady Mary Wortley is arrived;(212) I have seen her; I think her +avarice, her dirt, and her vivacity, are all increased. Her +dress, like her languages, is a gralimatias of several countries; +the groundwork rags, and the embroidery nastiness. She needs no +cap, no handkerchief, no gown, no petticoat, no shoes. An old +black-laced hood represents the first; the fur of a horseman's +coat, which replaces the third, serves for the second; a dimity +petticoat is deputy, and officiates for the fourth; and slippers +act the part of the last. When I was at Florence, and she was +expected there, we were drawing Sortes Virgili-anas for her; we +literally drew + +Insanam vatem aspicies. + + +It would have been a stronger prophecy now, even than it was +then. + +You told me not a word of Mr. Macnaughton,(213) and I have a +great mind to be as coolly indolent about our famous ghost in +Cock-lane. Why should one steal half an hour from one's +amusements to tell a story to a friend in another island? I +could send you volumes on the ghost, and I believe if I were to +stay a little, I might send its life, dedicated to my Lord +Dartmouth, by the ordinary of Newgate, its two great patrons. A +drunken parish clerk set it on foot out of revenge, the +Methodists have adopted it, and the whole town of london think of +nothing else. Elizabeth Canning and the Rabbit-woman were modest +impostors in comparison of this, which goes on Without saving the +least appearances. The Archbishop, who would not suffer the +Minor to be acted in ridicule of the Methodists, permits this +farce to be played every night, and I shall not be surprised if +they perform in the great hall at Lambeth. I went to hear it, +for it is not an apparition, but an audition. We set out from +the Opera, changed our clothes at Northumberland-house, the Duke +of York, Lady Northumberland, Lady Mary Coke, Lord Hertford, and +I, all in one hackney coach, and drove to the spot: it rained +torrents; yet the lane was full of mob, and the house so full we +could not get in; at last they discovered it was the Duke of +York, and the company squeezed themselves into one another's +pockets to make room for us. The house, which is borrowed, and +to which the ghost has adjourned, is wretchedly small and +miserable; when we opened the chamber, in which were fifty +people, with no light but one tallow candle at the end, we +tumbled over the bed of the child to whom the ghost comes, +and whom they are murdering by inches in such insufferable heat +and stench. At the top of the room are ropes to dry clothes. I +asked, if we were to have rope-dancing between the acts? We had +nothing; they told us, as they would at a puppet-show, that it +would not come that night till seven in the morning, that is, +when there are only 'prentices and old women. We stayed however +till half an hour after one. The Methodists have promised them +contributions; provisions are sent in like forage, and all the +taverns and alehouses in the neighbourhood make fortunes. The +most diverting part is to hear people wondering when it will be +found out--as if there was any thing to find out--as if the +actors would make their noises when they can be discovered. +However, as this pantomime cannot last much longer, I hope Lady +Fanny Shirley will set up a ghost of her own at Twickenham, and +then you shall hear one. The Methodists, as Lord Aylesford +assured Mr. Chute two nights ago at Lord Dacre's have attempted +ghosts three times in Warwickshire. There, how good I am! + +(212) Lady Mary Wortley Montagu remained at Venice till the death +of Mr. Wortley in this year when she yielded to the solicitations +of her daughter, the Countess of Bute, and, after an absence of +two-and-twenty years, began her journey to England, where she +arrived in October.-E. + + +(213) john Macnaughton, Esq. executed in December, 1761, for the +murder of Miss Knox, daughter of Andrew Knox, Esq. of Prehen, +member of parliament for Donegal. macnaughton, who had ruined +himself by gambling, sought to replenish his fortune by marriage +with this young lady, who had considerable expectations; but as +her friends would not consent to their union, and he failed both +in inveigling her into a secret marriage, and in compelling her +by the suits which he commenced in the ecclesiastical courts to +ratify an alleged promise of marriage, he revenged himself by +shooting her while riding in a carriage with her father.-E. + + + +Letter 111 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Feb. 6, 1762. (PAGE 169) + +You must have thought me very negligent of your commissions; not +only in buying your ruffles, but in never mentioning them; but my +justification is most ample and verifiable. Your letters of Jan. +2d arrived but yesterday with the papers of Dec. 29. These are +the mails that have so long been missing, and were shipwrecked or +something on the Isle of Man. Now you see it was impossible for +me to buy you a pair of ruffles for the 18th of January, when I +did not receive the orders till the 5th of February. + +You don't tell me a word (but that is not new to you) of Mr. +Hamilton's wonderful eloquence, which converted a whole House of +Commons on the five regiments. We have no such miracles here; +five regiments might work such prodigies, but I never knew mere +rhetoric gain above one or two proselytes at a time in all my +practice. + +We have a Prince Charles here, the Queen's brother; he is like +her, but more like the Hows; low, but well made, good eyes and +teeth. Princess Emily is very ill, has been blistered, and been +blooded four times. + +My books appear on Monday se'nnight: if I can find any quick +conveyance for them, you shall have them; if not, as you are +returning soon, I may as well keep them for you. Adieu! I grudge +every word I write to you. + + + +Letter 112To The Rev. Mr. Cole.(214) +Tuesday, Feb. 7, 1762. (PAGE 170) + +Dear Sir, +The little leisure I have to-day will, I trust, excuse my saying +very few words in answer to your obliging letter, of which no +part touches me more than what concerns your health, which, +however, I rejoice to hear is reestablishing itself. + +I am sorry I did not save you the trouble of cataloguing Ames's +beads, by telling you that another person has actually done it, +and designs to publish a new edition ranged in a different +method. I don't know the gentleman's name, but he is a friend of +Sir William Musgrave, from whom I had this information some +months ago. + +You will oblige me much by the sight of the volume you mention. +Don't mind the epigrams you transcribe on my father. I have been +inured to abuse on him from my birth. It is not a quarter of an +hour ago since, cutting the leaves of a new dab called Anecdotes +of Polite Literature, I found myself abused for having defended +my father. I don't know the author, and suppose I never shall, +for I find Glover's Leonidas is one of the things he admires--and +so I leave them to be forgotten together, Fortunati Ambo! + +I sent your letter to Ducarel, who has promised me those poems--I +accepted the promise to get rid of him t'other day, when he would +have talked me to death. + +(214) A distinguished antiquary, better known by the assistance +he gave to others than by publications of his own. He was vicar +of Burnham, in the county of Bucks; and died December 16th, 1782, +in his sixty-eighth year.-E. + + + +Letter 113 To The Rev. Henry Zouch. +Arlington Street, Feb. 13, 1762. (PAGE 171) + +Sir, +I should long ago have given myself the pleasure of writing to +you, if I had not been constantly in hope of accompanying my +letter with the Anecdotes of Painting, etc.; but the tediousness +of engraving, and the roguery of a fourth printer, have delayed +the publication week after week- for months: truly I do not +believe that there is such a being as an honest printer in the +world. + +I Sent the books to Mr. Whiston, who, I think you told me, was +employed by you: he answered, he knew nothing of the matter. Mr. +Dodsley has undertaken now to convey them to you, and I beg your +acceptance of them: it will be a very kind acceptance if you will +tell me of any faults, blunders ,omissions, etc. as you observe +them. In a first sketch of this nature, I cannot hope the work +is any thing like complete. Excuse, Sir, the brevity Of this. I +am much hurried at this instant of publication, and have barely +time to assure you how truly I am your humble servant. + + + +Letter 114To The Earl Of Bute.(215) +Strawberry Hill, Feb. 15, 1762. (PAGE 171) + +My lord, +I am sensible how little time your lordship can have to throw +away on reading idle letters of compliment; yet as it would be +too great want of respect to your lordship, not to make some sort +of reply to the note(216) you have done me the honour to send me, +I thought I could couch what I have to say in fewer words by +writing, than in troubling you with a visit, which might come +unseasonably, and a letter you may read at any moment when you +are most idle. I have already, my lord, detained you too long by +sending you a book, which I could not flatter myself you would +turn over in such a season of business: by the manner in 'Which +you have considered it, you have shown me that your very minutes +of amusement you try to turn to the advantage of your country. +It was this pleasing prospect of patronage to the arts that +tempted me to offer you my pebble towards the new structure. I +am flattered that you have taken notice' of the only ambition I +have: I should be more flattered if I could contribute to the +smallest of your lordship's designs for illustrating Britain. +The hint your lordship is so good as to give me for a work like +Montfaucon's Monuments de la Monarchie Francaise, has long been a +subject that I have wished to see executed, nor, in point of +materials, do I think it would be a very difficult one. The +chief impediment was the expense, too great for a private +fortune. The extravagant prices extorted by English artists is a +discouragement to all public undertakings. Drawings from +paintings, tombs, etc. would be very dear. To have them engraved +as they ought to be, would exceed the compass of a much ampler +fortune than mine; which though equal to my largest wish, cannot +measure itself with the rapacity of our performers. + +But, my lord, if his Majesty was pleased to command such a work, +on so laudable an idea as your lordship's, nobody would be more +ready than myself to give his assistance. I own I think I could +be of use in it, in collecting or pointing out materials, and I +would readily take any trouble in aiding, supervising, or +directing such a plan. Pardon me, my lord, if I offer no more; I +mean, that I do not undertake the part of composition. I have +already trespassed too much upon the indulgence of the public; I +wish not to disgust them with hearing of me, and reading me. It +is time for me to have done; and when I shall have completed, as +I almost have, the History of the Arts on which I am now engaged, +I did not purpose to tempt again the patience of mankind. But +the case is very different with regard to my trouble. My whole +fortune is from the bounty of the crown, and from the public: it +would ill become me to spare any pains for the King's glory, or +for the honour and satisfaction of my country; and give me leave +to add, my lord, it would be an ungrateful return for the +distinction with which your lordship has condescended to honour +me if I withheld such trifling aid as mine, when it might in the +least tend to adorn your lordship's administration. From me, my +lord, permit me to say, these are not words of course or of +compliment, this is not the language of flattery; your lordship +knows I have no Views, perhaps knows that, insignificant as it +is, my praise is never detached from my esteem: and when you have +raised, as I trust you will, real monuments of glory, the most +contemptible characters in the inscription dedicated by your +country, may not be the testimony of, my lord, etc.(217) + +(215) Now first collected. + +(216) This letter is in reply to the following note, which +Walpole had, a few days before, received from the Earl of Bute:-- +"Lord Bute presents his compliments to Mr. Walpole, and returns +him a thousand thanks for the very agreeable present he has made +him. In looking over it, Lord Bute observes Mr. Walpole has +mixed several curious remarks on the customs, etc. of the times +he treats of; a thing much wanted, and that has never yet been +executed, except in parts, by Peck, etc. Such a general work +would be not only very agreeable, but instructive: the French +have attempted it; the Russians are about it; and Lord Bute has +been informed Mr. Walpole is well furnished with materials for +such a noble work."-E. + +(217) The following passage, in a letter from Gray to Walpole, of +the 28th of February, has reference to that work projected by +Lord Bute:--"I rejoice in the good disposition of our court, and +in the propriety of their application to you: the work is a thing +so much to be wished; has so near a connexion with the turn of +your studies and of your curiosity, and might find such ample +materials among your hoards and in your head, that it will be a +sin if you let it drop and come to nothing, or worse than +nothing, for want of your assistance. The historical part should +be in the manner of Herault, a mere abridgment; a series of facts +selected with judgment, that may serve as a clue to lead the mind +along in the midst of those ruins and scattered monuments of art +that time has spared. This would be sufficient, and better than +Montfaucon's more diffuse narrative." Works, vol. iii. p. 293. +Before Walpole had received Gray's letter, he had already adopted +the proposed method; a large memorandum book of his being extant, +with this title page, Collections for a History of the Manners, +Customs, Habits, Fashions, Ceremonies, etc. of England; begun +February 21, 1762, by Horace Walpole." For a specimen of it, see +his Works, vol. v. p. 400.-E. + + + +Letter 115 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Feb. 22, 1762. (PAGE 173) + +My scolding does you so much good. that I will for the future +lecture you for the most trifling peccadillo. You have written +me a very entertaining letter, and wiped out several debts; not +that I will forget one of them if you relapse. + +As we have never had a rainbow to assure us that the world shall +not be snowed to death, I thought last night was the general +connixation. We had a tempest of wind and snow for two hours +beyond any thing I remember: chairs were blown to pieces, the +streets covered with tassels and glasses and tiles, and coaches +and chariots were filled like reservoirs. Lady Raymond's house +in Berkeley-square is totally unroofed; and Lord Robert Bertie, +who is going to marry her, may descend into it like a Jupiter +Pluvius. It is a week of wonders, and worthy the note of an +almanack-maker. Miss Draycott, within two days of matrimony, has +dismissed Mr. Beauclerc; but this is totally forgotten already in +the amazement of a new elopement. In all your reading, true or +false, have you ever heard of a young Earl, married to the most +beautiful woman in the world, a lord of the bedchamber, a general +officer, and with a great estate, quitting every thing, resigning +wife and world, and embarking for life in a pacquetboat with a +Miss? I fear your connexions will but too readily lead you to +the name of the peer; it is Henry Earl of Pembroke,(218) the +nymph Kitty Hunter. The town and Lady Pembroke were but too much +witnesses to this intrigue, last Wednesday, at a great ball at +Lord Middleton's. On Thursday they decamped. However, that the +writer of their romance, or I, as he is a noble author, might not +want materials, the Earl has left a bushel of letters behind him; +to his mother, to Lord Bute, to Lord Ligonier, (the two last to +resign his employments,) and to Mr. Stopford, whom he acquits of +all privity to his design. In none he justifies himself, unless +this is a justification, that having long tried in vain to make +his wife hate and dislike him, he had no way left but this, and +it is to be hoped will succeed; and then it may not be the worst +event that could have happened to her. You may easily conceive +the hubbub such an exploit must occasion. With ghosts, +elopements, abortive motions, etc., we can amuse ourselves +tolerably well, till the season arrives for taking the field and +conquering the Spanish West Indies. + +I have sent YOU my books by a messenger; Lord Barrington was so +good as to charge himself with them. They barely saved their +distance; a week later, and no soul could have read a line in +them, unless I had changed the title-page, and called them the +loves of the Earl of Pembroke and Miss Hunter. + +I am sorry Lady Kingsland is so rich. However, if the Papists +should be likely to rise, pray disarm her of the enamel, and +commit it to safe custody in the round tower at Strawberry. Good +night! mine is a life of letter-writing; I pray for a peace that +I may sheath my Pen. + +(218) Henry Herbert, tenth Earl of Pembroke, married, 13th March +1756, Lady Elizabeth Spencer, second daughter of Charles, third +Duke of Marlborough, by whom he had a son, George, eleventh Earl, +born 19th September 1759: and some years afterwards, when he ran +away with her, which he actually did, after they had lived for +some time separated, a daughter, born in 1773, who died in 1784, +unmarried. + + + +Letter 116 To Dr. Ducarel.(219) +Feb. 24, 1762. (PAGE 174) + +Sir, I am glad my books have at all amused you, and am much +obliged to you for your notes and communications. Your thought +of an English Montfaucon accords perfectly with a design I have +long had of attempting something of that kind, in which too I +have been lately encouraged; and therefore I will beg you at your +leisure, as they shall occur, to make me little notes of customs, +fashions, and portraits, relating to our history and manners. +Your work on vicarages, I am persuaded, will be very useful, as +every thing you undertake is, and curious.--After the medals I +lent Mr. Perry, I have a little reason to take it ill, that he +has entirely neglected me; he has published a number, and sent it +to several persons,-and never to me.(220) I wanted to see him +too, because I know of two very curious medals, which I could +borrow for him. He does not deserve it at my hands, but I will +not defraud the public of any thing valuable; and therefore, if +he will call on me any morning, but a Sunday or Monday, between +eleven and twelve, I will speak to him of them.--With regard to +one or two of your remarks, I have not said that real lions were +originally leopards. I have said that lions in arms, that is, +painted lions, were leopards; and it is fact, and no inaccuracy. +Paint a leopard yellow, and it becomes a lion.--YOU say, colours +rightly prepared do not grow black. The art would be much +obliged for such a preparation. I have not said that oil-colours +would not endure with a glass; on the contrary, I believe they +would last the longer. + +I am much amazed at Vertue's blunder about my marriage of Henry +VII.; and afterwards, he said, "Sykes, knowing how to give names +to pictures to make them sell," called this the marriage of Henry +VII.; and afterwards, he said, Sykes had the figures in an old +picture of a church. He must have known little Indeed, Sir, if +he had not known how to name a picture that he had painted on +purpose that he might call it so! That Vertue, on the strictest +examination, could not be convinced that the man was Henry VII., +not being like any of his pictures. Unluckily, he is extremely +like the shilling, which is much more authentic than any picture +of Henry VII. But here Sykes seems to have been extremely +deficient in his tricks. Did he order the figure to be painted +like Henry VII., and yet could not get it painted like him, which +was the easiest part of the task? Yet how came he to get the +Queen painted like, whose representations are much scarcer than +those of her husband? and how came Sykes to have pomegranates +painted on her robe, only to puzzle the cause! It is not worth +adding, that I should much sooner believe the church was painted +to the figures, than the figures to the church. They are hard +and antique: the church in a better style, and at least more +fresh. If Vertue had made no better criticisms than these, I +would never have taken so much trouble with his MS. Adieu! + +(219) Librarian at Lambeth Palace, and a well-known antiquary. +He died in 1785. + + +(220) A series of English Medals, by Francis Perry, 4to. with +thirteen plates. + + + +Letter 117 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Feb. 25, 1762. (PAGE 175) + +I sent you my gazette but two days ago; I now write to answer a +kind long letter I have received from you since. + +I have heard of my brother's play several years ago; but I never +understood that it was completed, or more than a few detached +scenes. What is become of Mr. Bentley's play and Mr. Bentley's +epistle? + +When I go to Strawberry, I will look for where Lord Cutts was +buried; I think I can find it. I am disposed to prefer the +younger picture of Madame Grammont by Lely; but I stumbled at the +price; twelve guineas for a copy in enamel is very dear. Mrs. +Vezey tells me, his originals cost sixteen, and are not so good +as his copies. I will certainly have none of his originals. +His, what is his name'! I would fain resist his copy; I would +more fain excuse myself for having it. I say to myself, it Would +be rude not to have it, now Lady Kingsland and Mr. Montagu have +had so much trouble--well--"I think I must have it," as my Lady +Wishfort says, "Why does not the fellow take me?" Do try if he +will not take ten; remember it is the younger picture: and, oh! +now you are remembering, don't forget all my prints and a book +bound in vellum. There is-a thin folio too I want, called +"Hibernica;"(221) it is a collection of curious papers, one a +translation by Carew Earl of Totness: I had forgot that you have +no books in Ireland; however, I must have this, and your pardon +for all the trouble I give you. + +No news yet of the runaways: but all that comes out antecedent to +the escape, is more and more extraordinary and absurd. The day +of the elopement he had invited his wife's family and other folk +to dinner with her, but said he must himself dine at a tavern; +but he dined privately in his own dressing-room, put on a +sailor's habit, and black wig, that he had brought home with him +in a bundle, and threatened the servants he would murder them if +they mentioned it to his wife. He left a letter for her, which +the Duke 'of Marlborough was afraid to deliver to her, and +opened. It desired that she would not write to him, as it would +make him completely mad. He desires the King would preserve his +rank of major-general, as some time or other he may serve again. +Here is an indifferent epigram made on the occasion: I send it to +you, though I wonder any body could think it a subject to joke +upon. + +As Pembroke a horseman by most is accounted, +'Tis not strange that his lordship a Hunter has mounted. + +Adieu! yours ever. + +(221) Hibernica; or, some Ancient Pieces relating to Ireland," +published at Dublin in 1757, by Walter Harris.-E. + + + +Letter 118 To The Countess Of Ailesbury. +Strawberry Hill, March 5, 1762. (PAGE 176) + +Madam, +one of your slaves, a fine young officer, brought me two days ago +a very pretty medal from your ladyship. Amidst all your triumphs +you do not, I see, forget your English friends, and it makes me +extremely happy. He pleased me still more, by assuring me that +you return to England when the campaign opens. I can pay this +news by none so good as by telling you that we talk of nothing +but peace. We are equally ready to give law to the world, or +peace. MartiniCO has not made us intractable. We and the new +Czar are the best sort of people upon earth: I am sure, Madam, +you must adore him; he is ,,, to resign all his conquests, that +you and Mr. Conway may be settled again at Park-place. My Lord +Chesterfield, with the despondence of an old man and the wit of a +young one, thinks the French and Spaniards must make some attempt +upon these islands, and is frightened lest we should not be so +well prepared to repel invasions as to make them: he says, "What +will it avail us if we gain the whole world, and lose our own +soul!" + +I am here alone, Madam, and know nothing to tell you. I came +from town on Saturday for the worst cold I ever had in my life, +and, what I care less to own even to myself, a cough. I hope +Lord Chesterfield will not speak more truth in what I have +quoted, than in his assertion, that one need not cough if one did +not please. It has pulled me extremely, and you may believe I do +not look very plump, when I am more emaciated that usual. +However, I have taken James's powder for four nights, and have +found great benefit from it; and if Miss Conway does not come +back with soixante et douze quartiers, and the hauteur of a +landgravine, I think I shall still be able to run down the +precipices at Park-place with her-This is to be understood, +supposing that we have any summer. Yesterday was the first +moment that did not feel like Thule: not a glimpse of spring or +green, except a miserable almond tree, half opening one bud, like +my Lord PowersCOurt'S eye. + +It will be warmer, I hope, by the King's birthday, or the old +ladies will catch their deaths. There is a court dress to be +instituted--(to thin the drawing-rooms)--stiff-bodied gowns and +bare shoulders. What dreadful discoveries will be made both on +fat and lean! I recommend to you the idea of Mrs. Cavendish, +when half-stark; and I might fill the rest of my paper with such +images, but your imagination will supply them; and you shall +excuse me, though I leave this a short letter: but I wrote merely +to thank your ladyship for the medal, and, as you perceive, have +very little to say, besides that known and lasting truth, how +much I am Mr. Conway's and your ladyship's faithful humble +servant. + + + +Letter 119 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, March 9, 1762. (PAGE 177) + +I am glad you have received my books safe, and are content with +them. I have little idea of Mr. Bentley's; though his +imagination is sufficiently Pindaric, nay obscure, his numbers +are not apt to be so tuneful as to excuse his flights. He should +always give his wit, both in verse and prose, to somebody else to +make up. If any of his things are printed at Dublin, let me have +them; I have no quarrel with his talents. Your cousin's +behaviour has been handsome, and so was his speech, which is +printed in our papers. Advice is arrived to-day, that our troops +have made good their landing at Martinico; I don't know any of +the incidents yet. + +You ask me for an epitaph for Lord Cutts;(222) I scratched out +the following lines last night as I was going to bed; if they are +not good enough, pray don't take them: they were written in a +minute, and you are under no obligation to like them. + +Late does the muse approach to Cutts's grave, +But ne'er the grateful muse forgets the brave; +He gave her subjects for the immortal lyre, +And sought in idle hours the tuneful choir; +Skilful to mount by either path to fame, +And dear to memory by a double name. +Yet if ill known amid the Aonian groves, +His shade a stranger and unnoticed roves, +The dauntless chief a nobler band may join: +They never die who conquer'd at the Boyne. + +The last line intends to be popular in Ireland; but you must take +care to be certain that he was at the battle of the Boyne; I +conclude so; ind it should be specified the year, when you erect +the monument-The latter lines mean to own his having been but a +moderate poet, and to cover that mediocrity under his valour; all +which is true. Make the sculptor observe the steps. + + +I have not been at Strawberry above a month, nor ever was so long +absent - but the weather has been cruelly cold and disagreeable. +We have not had a single dry week since the beginning of +September; a great variety of weather, all bad. Adieu! + +(222) John Lord Cutts, a soldier of most hardy bravery in King +William's wars. He died at Dublin in 1707. Swift's epigram on a +Salamander alluded to this lord, who was called by the Duke of +Marlborough the Salamander, on account of his always being in the +thickest of the fire. He published, in 1687, "Poetical +Exercises, written upon several Occasions."-E. + + + +Letter 120 To The Rev. Henry Zouch. +Arlington Street, March 20, 1762. (PAGE 178) + +I am glad you are pleased, Sir, with my "Anecdotes of Painting;" +but I doubt you praise me too much: it was an easy task when I +had the materials Collected. and I would not have the labours of +forty years, which was Vertue's case, depreciated in compliment +to the work of four months, which is almost my whole merit. +Style is become, in a manner, a mechanical affair,--and if to +much ancient lore our antiquaries would add a little modern +reading, to polish their language and correct their prejudices, I +do not see why books of antiquities should not be made as amusing +as writings on any other subject. If Tom Herne had lived in the +world, he might have writ an agreeable history of dancing; at +least, I am sure that many modern volumes are read for no reason +but for their being penned in the dialect of the age. + +I am much beholden to you, dear Sir, for your remarks; they shall +have their due place whenever the work proceeds to a second +edition, for that the nature of it as a record will ensure to it. +A few of your notes demand a present answer: the Bishop of Imola +pronounced the nuptial benediction at the marriage of Henry VII., +which made me suppose him the person represented.(223) + +Burnet, who was more a judge of characters than statues, mentions +the resemblance between Tiberius and Charles II.; but, as far as +countenances went, there could not be a more ridiculous +prepossession; Charles had a long face, with very strong lines, +and a narrowish brow; Tiberius a very square face, and flat +forehead, with features rather delicate in proportion. I have +examined this imaginary likeness, and see no kind of foundation +for it. It is like Mr. Addison's travels, of which it was so +truly said, he might have composed them without stirring out of +England. There are a kind of naturalists who have sorted out the +qualities of the mind, and allotted particular turns of features +and complexions to them. It would be much easier to prove that +every form has been endowed with every vice. One has heard much +of the vigour of Burnet himself; yet I dare to say, he did not +think himself like to Charles II. + +I am grieved, Sir, to hear that your eyes suffer; take care of +them; nothing can replace the satisfaction they afford: one +should hoard them, as the only friend that will not be tired of +one when one grows old, and when one should least choose to +depend on others for entertainment. I most sincerely wish you +happiness and health in that and every other instance. + +(223) In the picture by Mabuse of the marriage of Henry VII. +Whatever was Mr. Zouch's correction (in which Mr. Walpole seems +to acquiesce), no alteration seem,- to have been made in the +passage about the Bishop of Imola. This curious picture is at +Strawberry Hill, and should be in the Royal Collection.-C. + + + +Letter 121 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, March 22, 1762. (PAGE 179) + +You may fancy what you -will, but the eyes of all the world are +not fixed upon Ireland. Because you have a little virtue, and a +lord-lieutenant(224) that refuses four thousand pounds a-year, +and a chaplain(225) of a lord-lieutenant that declines a huge +bishopric, and a secretary(226) whose eloquence can convince a +nation of blunderers, you imagine that nothing is talked of but +the castle of Dublin. In the first place, virtue may sound its +own praises, but it never is praised; and in the next place, +there are other feats besides self-denials; and for eloquence, we +overflow with it. Why, the single eloquence of Mr. Pitt, like an +annihilated star, can shine many months after it has set. I tell +you it has conquered Martinico.(227) If you will not believe me, +read the Gazette; read Moncton's letter; there is more martial +spirit in it than in half Thucydides, and in all the grand Cyrus. +Do you think Demosthenes or Themistocles ever raised the Grecian +stocks two per cent. in four-and-twenty hours? I shall burn all +my Greek and Latin books; they are histories of little people. +The Romans never conquered the world, till they had conquered +three parts of it, and were three hundred years about it; we +subdue the globe in three campaigns; and a globe, let me tell +you, as big again as It was in their days. Perhaps you may think +me proud; but you don't know that I had some share in the +reduction of Martinico; the express was brought to my godson, Mr. +Horatio Gates; and I have a very good precedent for attributing +some of the glory to myself - I have by me a love-letter, written +during my father's administration, by a journeyman tailor to my +brother's second chambermaid; his offers Honourable; he proposed +matrimony, and to better his terms, informed her of his +pretensions to a place; they were founded on what he called, +"some services to the government." As the nymph could not read, +she carried the epistle to the housekeeper to be deciphered, by +which means it came into my hands. I inquired what were the +merits of Mr. Vice Crispin, was informed that he had made the +suit of clothes for a figure of Lord Marr, that was burned after +the rebellion. I hope now you don't hold me too presumptuous for +pluming myself on the reduction of Martinico. However, I shall +not aspire to a post, nor to marry my Lady Bute's Abigail. I +only trust my services to you as a friend, and do not mean under +your temperate administration to get the list of Irish pensions +loaded with my name, though I am godfather to Mr. Horatio Gates. + +The Duchess of Grafton and the English have been miraculously +preserved at Rome by being at loo, instead of going to a great +concert, where the palace fell in, and killed ten persons and +wounded several others. I shall send orders to have an altar +dedicated in the Capitol. + +Pammio O. M. +Capitolino +Annam Ducisam de Grafton +Merito Incolumem. + +I tell you of it now, because I don't know whether it will be +worth while to write another letter on purpose. Lord Albemarle +takes up the victorious grenadiers at Martinico, and in six weeks +will conquer the Havannah.- Adieu! + +(224) The Irish House of Commons having voted an address to the +King to increase the salary of the lord-lieutenant, the Earl of +Halifax declined having any augmentation. + +(225) Dr. Crane, chaplain to the Earl of Halifax, had refused the +bishopric of Elphin. + +(226) Single-speech Hamilton. + +(227) Sir Richard Lyttelton, in a letter to Mr. Pitt, written +from Rome on the 14th of April, says, " I cannot forbear +congratulating you on the glorious conquest of Martinico, which, +whatever effect it may have on England, astonishes all Europe, +and fills every mouth with praise and commendation of the noble +perseverance and superior ability of the planner of this great +and decisive undertaking. His Holiness told Mr. Weld, that, were +not the information such as left no possibility of its being +doubted, the news of our success could not have been credited; +and that so great was the national glory and reputation all over +the world, that he esteemed it the highest honour to be born an +Englishman. If this, sir, be the end of your administration, I +shall only say finis coronet opus." Chatham Correspondence, vol. +ii. p. 173-E. + + + +Letter 122 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, April 29, 1762. (PAGE 180) + +I am most absurdly glad to hear you are returned well and safe, +of which I have at this moment received your account from +Hankelow, where you talk of staying a week. However, not knowing +the exact day of your departure, I direct this to Greatworth, +that it may rather wait for you, than you for it, if it should go +into Cheshire and not find you there. As I should ever be sorry +to give you any pain, I hope I shall not be the first to tell you +of the loss of poor Lady Charlotte Johnstone,(228) who, after a +violent fever of less than a week, was brought to bed yesterday +morning of a dead child, and died herself at four in the +afternoon. I heartily condole with you, as I know your +tenderness for all your family, and the regard you have for +Colonel Johnstone. The time is wonderfully sickly; nothing but +sore throats, colds, and fevers. I got rid of one of the worst +of these disorders, attended with a violent cough, by only taking +seven grains of James's powder for six nights. It was the first +cough I ever had, and when coughs meet with so spare a body as +mine, they are not apt to be so easily conquered. Take great +care of yourself, and bring the fruits of your expedition in +perfection to Strawberry. I shall be happy to see you there +whenever you please. I have no immediate purpose of settling +there yet, as they are laying floors, which is very noisy, and as +it is uncertain when the Parliament will rise, but I would go +there at any time to meet you. The town will empty instantly +after the King's birthday; and consequently I shall then be less +broken in upon, which I know you do not like. If, therefore, it +suits you, any time you will name after the 5th of June will be +equally agreeable; but sooner if you like it better. + +We have little news at present, except a profusion of new +peerages, but are likely I think to have much greater shortly. +The ministers disagree, and quarrel with as much alacrity as +ever; and the world expects a total rupture between Lord Bute and +the late King's servants. This comedy has been so often +represented, it scarce interests one, especially one who takes no +part, and who is determined to have nothing to do with the world, +but hearing and seeing the scenes it furnishes. + +The new peers, I don't know their rank, scarce their titles, are +Lord Wentworth and Sir William Courtenay, Viscounts; Lord Egmont, +Lord Milton, Vernon of Sudbury, old Foxiane, Sir Edward Montagu, +Barons; and Lady Caroline Fox, a Baroness; the Duke of Newcastle +is created Lord Pelham, with an entail to Tommy Pelham; and Lord +Brudenel is called to the House of lords, as Lord Montagu. The +Duchess of Manchester was to have had the peerage alone, and +wanted the latter title: her sister, very impertinently, I think, +as being the younger, objected and wished her husband Marquis of +Monthermer. This difference has been adjusted, by making Sir +Edward Montagu Lord Beaulieu, and giving the title of the family +to Lord Brudenel. With pardon of your Cu-blood, I hold, that +Lord Cardigan makes a very trumpery figure by so meanly +relinquishing all Brudenelhood. Adieu! let me know soon when you +will keep your Strawberry tide. + +P. S. Lord Anson is in a very bad way;(229) and Mr. Fox, I think, +in not a much better. + +(228) Sister of the Earl of Halifax. + +(229) His lordship, who was at this time first lord of the +admiralty, died on the 6th of June.-E. + + + +Letter 123 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, May 14, 1762. (page 181) + + +It is very hard, when you can plunge over head and ears in Irish +claret, and not have even your heel vulnerable by the gout, that +such a Pythagorean as I am should yet be subject to it! It is +not two years since I had it last, and here am I with My foot +again upon cushions. But I will not complain; the pain is +trifling, and does little more than prevent my frisking about. +If I can bear the motion of the chariot, I shall drive to +Strawberry tomorrow, for I had rather only look at verdure and +hear my nightingales from the bow-window, than receive visits and +listen to news. I can give you no certain satisfaction relative +to the viceroy, your cousin. It is universally said that he has +no mind to return to his dominions, and pretty much believed that +he will succeed to Lord Egremont's seals, who will not detain +them long from whoever is to be his successor. + +I am sorry you have lost another Montagu, the Duke of +Manchester.(230) Your cousin Guilford is among the competitors +for chamberlain to the Queen. The Duke of Chandos, Lord +Northumberland, and even the Duke of Kingston, are named as other +candidates; but surely they will not turn the latter loose into +another chamber of maids of honour! Lord Cantelupe has asked to +rise from vice-chamberlain, but met with little encouragement. +It is odd, that there are now seventeen English and Scotch dukes +unmarried, and but seven out of twenty-seven have the garter. +It is comfortable to me to have a prospect of seeing Mr. Conway +soon; the ruling part of the administration are disposed to +recall our troops front Germany. In the mean time our officers +and their wives are embarked for Portugal-what must Europe think +of us when we make wars and assemblies all over the world? + +I have been for a few days this week at Lord Thomond's; by making +a river-like piece of water, he has converted a very ugly spot +into a tolerable one. As I was so near, I went to see Audley +Inn(231) once more; but it is only the monument now of its former +grandeur. The gallery is pulled down, and nothing remains but +the great hall, and an apartment like a tower at each end. In +the church I found, still existing and quite fresh, the +escutcheon of the famous Countess of Essex and Somerset. + +Adieu! I shall expect you with great pleasure the beginning of +next month. + +(230) Robert Montagu, third Duke of Manchester, lord-chamberlain +to the Queen, died on the 10th of May.-E. + +(231) In Essex; formerly the largest palace in England. It was +built out of the ruins of a dissolved monastery, near Saffron +Walden, by Thomas, second son of Thomas Duke of Norfolk, who +married the only daughter and heir of Lord Audley, chancellor to +King Henry VIII. This Thomas was summoned to parliament in Queen +Elizabeth's time as Lord Audley of Walden, and was afterwards +created Earl of Suffolk by James I., to whom he was lord +chancellor and lord high treasurer. It was intended for a royal +palace for that King, who, when it was finished, was invited to +see it, and lodged there one night on his way to Newmarket; when, +after having viewed it with astonishment, he was asked how he +approved of it, he answered, "Very well; but troth, man, it is +too much for a king, but it may do for a lord high treasurer;" +and so left it upon the Earl's hands. It was afterwards +purchased by Charles II.; but, as he had never been able to pay +the purchase-money, it was restored to the family by William +III.-E. + + + +Letter 124 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +strawberry Hill, May 20, 1762. (page 183) + +Dear Sir, +You have sent me the most kind and obliging letter in the world, +and I cannot sufficiently thank you for it; but I shall be very +glad to have an opportunity of acknowledging it in person, by +accepting the agreeable visit you are so good as to offer me, and +for which I have long been impatient. +I should name the earliest day possible; but besides having some +visits to make, I think it will bi more pleasant to you a few +weeks hence (I mean, any time in July,) when the works, with +which I am finishing my house, will be more advanced, and the +noisy part, as laying floors and fixing wainscots, at an end, and +which now make me a deplorable litter. As you give me leave, I +will send You notice. + +I am glad my books amused you;(232) yet you, who are so much +deeper an antiquarian, must have found more faults and emissions, +I fear, than your politeness suffers you to reprehend; yet you +will, I trust, be a little more severe. We both labour, I will +not say for the public (for the public troubles its head very +little about our labours),. but for the few of posterity that +shall be curious; and therefore, for their sake, you must assist +me in making my works as complete as possible. This sounds +ungrateful, after all the trouble you have given yourself; but I +say it to prove MY gratitude, and to show you how fond I am of +being corrected. + +For the faults of impression, they were owing to the knavery of a +printer, who, when I had corrected the sheets, amused me with +revised proofs, and never printed off the whole number, and then +ran away. This accounts, too, for the difference of the ink in +various sheets, and for some other blemishes; though there are +still enough of my own, which I must not charge on others. + +Ubaldini's book I have not, and shall be pleased to see it; but I +cannot think of robbing your collection, and am amply obliged by +the offer. The Anecdotes of Horatio Palavacini are extremely +entertaining. + +In an Itinerary of the late Mr. Smart Lethiullier, I met the very +tomb of Gainsborough this winter that you mention; and, to be +secure, sent to Lincoln for an exact draught of it. But what +vexed me then, and does still, is, that by the defect at the end +of the inscription, one cannot be certain whether he lived in +CCC. or CCCC. as another C might have been there. Have you any +corroborating circumstance, Sir, to affix his existence to 1300 +more than 1400? Besides, I don't know any proof of his having +been architect of the church: his epitaph only calls him +Caementarius, which, I suppose, means mason. + +I have observed, since my book was published, what you mention of +the tapestry in Laud's trial; yet as the Journals were by +authority, and certainly cannot be mistaken, I have concluded +that Hollar engraved his print after the restoration. Mr. Wight, +clerk of the House of Lords, says, that Oliver placed them in the +House of Commons. I don't know on what grounds he says so. I +am, Sir, with great gratitude, etc. + +(232) Anecdotes of Painting. + + + +Letter 125 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, May 25, 1762. (page 184) + +I am diverted with your anger at old Richard. Can you really +suppose that I think it any trouble to frank a few covers for +you? Had I been with you, I should have cured you and your whole +family in two nights with James's powder. If you have any +remains of the disorder, let me beg you to take seven or eight +grains when you go to bed: if you have none, shall I send you +some? For my own part, I am released -again, though I have been +tolerably bad, and one day had the gout for several hours in my +head. I do not like such speedy returns. I have been so much +confined that I could not wait on Mrs. Osborn, and I do not take +it unkindly that she will not let me have the prints without +fetching them. I met her, that is, passed her, t'other day as +she was going to Bushy, and was sorry to see her look much older. + +Well! tomorrow is fixed for that phenomenon, the Duke of +Newcastle's resignation.(233) He has had a parting lev`ee; and +as I suppose all bishops are prophets, they foresee that he will +never come into place again, for there was but one that had the +decency to take leave of him after crowding his rooms for forty +years together; it was Cornwallis. I hear not even Lord Lincoln +resigns. Lord Bute succeeds to the treasury, and is to have the +garter too On Thursday with Prince William. Of your cousin I hear +no more mention, but that he returns to his island. I cannot +tell you exactly even the few changes that are to be made, but I +can divert you with a bon-mot, which they give to my Lord +Chesterfield. The new peerages being mentioned, somebody said, +"I suppose there will be no duke made," he replied, "Oh yes, +there is to be one."--"Is? who?"--"Lord Talbot: he is to be +created Duke Humphrey, and there is to be no table kept at court +but his." If you don't like this, what do you think of George +Selwyn, who asked Charles Boone if it is true that he is going to +be married to the fat rich Crawley? Boone denied it. "Lord!" +said Selwyn, "I thought you were to be Patrick Fleming on the +mountain, and that gold and silver you were counting!" * * * * + +P.S. I cannot help telling you how comfortable the new +disposition of the court is to me-, the King and Queen are +settled for good and all at Buckingham-house, and are stripping +the other palaces to furnish it. In short, they have already +fetched pictures from Hampton Court, which indicates their never +living there; consequently Strawberry Hill will remain in +possession of its own tranquillity, and not become a cheesecake +house to the palace. All I ask of Princes is, not to live within +five miles of me. + +(233) The Duke of Newcastle, finding himself, on the subject of a +pecuniary aid to the King of Prussia, only supported in the +council by the Duke of Devonshire and Lord Hardwicke, resigned on +the 26th of May, and Lord Bute became prime minister.-E. + + + +Letter 126 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, Wednesday night, June 1. (page 185) + +Since you left Strawberry, the town (not the King of Prussia) has +beaten Count Daun, and made the peace, but the benefits of either +have not been felt beyond Change Alley. Lord Melcomb is +dying(234) of a dropsy in his stomach,' and Lady Mary Wortley of +a cancer in her breast.(235) + +Mr. Hamilton was here last night, and complained of your not +visiting him. He pumped me to know if Lord Hertford has not +thoughts of the crown of Ireland, and was more than persuaded +that I should go with him: I told him what was true, that I knew +nothing of the former; and for the latter, that I would as soon +return with the King of the Cherokees.(236) When England has +nothing that can tempt me, it would be strange if Ireland had. +The Cherokee Majesty dined here yesterday at Lord Macclesfield's, +where the Clive sang to them and the mob; don't imagine I was +there, but I heard so at my Lady Suffolk's. + +We have tapped a little butt of rain to-night, but my lawn is far +from being drunk yet. Did not you find the Vine in great beauty? +My compliments to it, and to your society. I only write to +enclose the enclosed. I have consigned your button to old +Richard. Adieu! + +(234) Lord Melcombe died on the 28th of July: upon which event +the title became extinct.-E. + +(235) Lady Mary Wortley Montagu died on the 21st August, in the +seventy-third year of her age.-E. + + +(236) Three Cherokee Indian chiefs arrived this month in London, +from South Carolina, and became the lions of the day.-E. + + + +Letter 127 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, June 8, 1762. (page 185) + +Well, you have had Mr. Chute. I did not dare to announce him to +you, for he insisted on enjoying all your ejaculations. He gives +me a good account of your health and spirits, but does not say +when you come hither. I hope the General, as well as your +brother John, know how welcome they would be, if they would +accompany you. I trust it will be before the end of this month, +for the very beginning of July I am to make a little visit to +Lord Ilchester, in Somersetshire, and I should not like not to +see you before the middle or end of next month. + + +Mrs. Osborn has sent me the prints; they are woful; but that is +my fault and the engraver's, not yours, to whom I am equally +obliged; you don't tell me whether Mr. Bentley's play was acted +or not, printed or not. + +There is another of the Queen's brothers come over. Lady +Northumberland made a pompous festino for him t'other night; not +only the whole house, but the garden, was illuminated, and was +quite a fairy scene. Arches and pyramids of lights alternately +surrounded the enclosure; a diamond necklace of lamps edged the +rails and descent, with a spiral obelisk of candles on each hand; +and dispersed over the lawn were little bands of kettle-drums, +clarionets, flutes, etc., and the lovely moon, who came without a +card. The birthday was far from being such a show; empty and +unfine as possible. In truth, popularity does not make great +promises to the new administration, and for fear it should +hereafter be taxed with changing sides, it lets Lord Bute be +abused every day, though he has not had time to do the least +wrong. His first levee was crowded. Bothmer, the Danish +minister, said, "La chaleur est excessive!" George Selwyn +replied, "Pour se mettre au froid, il faut aller chez Monsieur le +Duc de Newcastle!" There was another George not quite SO tender. +George Brudenel was passing by; somebody in the mob said, "What +is the matter here?" Brudenel answered, "Why, there is a +Scotchman got into the treasury, and they can't get him out." +The Archbishop, conscious of not having been at Newcastle's last +levee, and ashamed of appearing at Lord Bute's, first pretended +he had been going by in his way from Lambeth, and, Upon inquiry, +found it was Lord Bute's levee, and so had thought he might as +well go in-I am glad he thought he might as well tell it. + +The mob call Buckingham-house, Holyrood-house; in short, every +thing promises to be like times I can remember. Lord Anson is +dead; poor Mrs. Osborn will not break her heart; I should think +Lord Melcomb will succeed to the admiralty. Adieu! + + + +Letter 128 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Strawberry Hill, July 29, 1762. (page 186) + + +Sir, +I fear you will have thought me neglectful of the visit you was +so good as to offer me for a day or two at this place; the truth +is, I have been in Somersetshire on a visit, which was protracted +much longer than I intended. I am now returned, and shall be +glad to see you as soon as you please, Sunday or Monday next, if +you like either, or any other day you will name. I cannot defer +the pleasure of seeing you any longer, though to my mortification +you will find Strawberry Hill with its worst looks-not a blade of +grass! My workmen too have disappointed me; they have been in the +association for forcing their masters to raise their wages, and +but two are yet returned--so you must excuse litter and shavings. + + + + +Letter 129 To The Countess Of Ailesbury. +Strawberry Hill, July 31, 1762 (page 187) + +Madam, +Magnanimous as the fair soul of your ladyship is, and plaited +with superabundanCe of Spartan fortitude, I felicitate my own +good fortune who can circle this epistle with branches of the +gentle olive, as well as crown it with victorious laurel. This +pompous paragraph, Madam, which in compliment to my Lady +Lyttelton I have penned in the style of her lord, means no more, +them that I wish you joy of the castle of Waldeck,(237) and more +joy on the peace, +which I find every body thinks is concluded. In truth, I have +still my doubts; and yesterday came news, which, if my Lord Bute +does not make haste, may throw a little rub in the way. In +short, the Czar is dethroned. Some give the honour to his wife; +others, who add the little circumstance of his being murdered +too, ascribe the revolution to the Archbishop of Novogorod, who, +like other priests, thinks assassination a less affront to Heaven +than three Lutheran churches. I hope the latter is the truth; +because, in the honeymoonhood of Lady Cecilia's tenderness, I +don't know but she might miscarry at the thought of a wife +preferring a crown, and scandal says a regiment of grenadiers, to +her husband. + +I have a little meaning in naming Lady Lyttelton and Lady +Cecilia, who I think are at Park-place. Was not there a promise +that you all three would meet Mr. Churchill and Lady Mary here in +the beginning of August! Yes, indeed was there, and I put in my +claim. Not confining your heroic and musical ladyships to a day +or a week; my time is at your command: and I wish the rain was at +mine; for, if you or it do not come soon, I shall not have a leaf +left. Strawberry is browner than Lady Bell Finch. + +I was grieved, Madam, to miss seeing you in town on Monday, +particularly as I wished to settle this party. If you will let +me know when it will be your pleasure, I will write to my sister. + + +(237) At the taking of which Mr. Conway had assisted. + + + +Letter 130 To The Earl Of Strafford. +Strawberry Hill, August 5, 1762. (page 187) + +My dear lord, +As you have correspondents of better authority in town, I don't +pretend to send you great events, and I know no small ones. +Nobody talks of any thing under a revolution. That in Russia +alarms me,.lest Lady Mary should fall in love with the Czarina, +who has deposed her Lord Coke, and set out for Petersburgh. We +throw away a whole summer in writing Britons and North Britons; +the Russians change sovereigns faster than Mr. Wilkes can choose +a motto for a paper. What years were spent here in controversy +on the abdication of King James, and the legitimacy of the +Pretender! Commend me to the Czarina. They doubted, that is, +her husband did, whether her children were of genuine +blood-royal. She appealed to the Preobazinski guards, excellent +casuists; and, to prove Duke Paul heir to the crown, assumed it +herself. The proof was compendious and unanswerable. + +I trust you know that Mr. Conway has made a figure by taking the +castle of Waldeck. There has been another action to Prince +Ferdinand's advantage, but no English were engaged. + +You tantalize me by talking of the verdure of Yorkshire; we have +not had a teacupfull of rain till to-day for these six weeks. +Corn has been reaped that never wet its lips; not a blade of +grass; the leaves yellow and falling as in the end of October. +In short, Twickenham is rueful; I don't believe Westphalia looks +more barren. Nay, we are forced to fortify ourselves too. +Hanworth was broken open last night, though the family was all +there. Lord Vere lost a silver standish, an old watch, and his +writing-box with fifty pounds in it. They broke it open in the +park, but missed a diamond ring which was found, and the +telescope, which by the weight of the case they had fancied full +of money. Another house in the middle of Sunbury has had the +same fate. I am mounting cannon on my +battlements. + +Your chateau, I hope, proceeds faster than mine. The carpenters +are all associated for increase of wages; I have had but two men +at work these five weeks. You know, to be sure, that Lady Mary +Wortley cannot live. Adieu, my dear Lord! + + + +Letter 131 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Strawberry Hill, August 5, 1762. (page 188) + +Sir, +As I had been dilatory in accepting your kind offer of coming +hither, I proposed it as soon as I returned. As we are so burnt, +and as my workmen have disappointed me, I am not quite sorry that +I had not the pleasure of seeing you this week. Next week I am +obliged to be in town on business. If you please, therefore, we +will postpone our meeting till the first of September; by which +time, I flatter myself we shall be green, and I shall be able to +show you my additional apartment to more advantage. Unless you +forbid me, I shall expect you, Sir, the very beginning of next +month. In the mean time, I will only thank you for the obliging +and curious notes you have sent me, which will make a great +figure in my second edition. + + + +Letter 132 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, August 10, 1762. (page 189) + +I have received your letter from Greatworth since your return, +but I do not find that you have got one, which I sent you to the +Vine, enclosing one directed for you: Mr. Chute says you did +mention hearing from me there. I left your button too in town +with old Richard to be transmitted to you. Our drought +continues, though we have had one handsome storm. I have been +reading the story of Phaeton in the Metamorphoses; it is a +picture of Twickenham. Ardet +Athos, taurusque Cilix, etc.; Mount Richmond burns, parched is +Petersham: Parnassusque biceps, dry is Pope's grot, the nymphs of +Clievden are burning to blackmoors, their faces are already as +glowing as a cinder, Cycnus is changed into a swan: quodque suo +Tagus amne vehit, fluit ignibus aurum; my gold fishes are almost +molten. Yet this conflagration is nothing to that in Russia; +what do you say to a czarina mounting her horse, and marching at +the head of fourteen thousand men, with a large train of +artillery, to dethrone her husband? Yet she is not the only +virago in that country; the conspiracy was conducted by the +sister of the Czar's mistress, a heroine under twenty! They have +no fewer than two czars now in coops-that is, supposing these +gentle damsels have murdered neither of them. Turkey Will become +a moderate government; one must travel to frozen climates if one +chooses to see revolutions in perfection. Here's room for +meditation even to madness:" the deposed Emperor possessed +Muscovy, was heir to Sweden, and the true heir of Denmark; all +the northern crowns centered in his person; one hopes he is in a +dungeon, that is, one hopes he is not assassinated. You cannot +crowd more matter into a lecture of morality, than is +comprehended in those few words. This is the fourth czarina that +you and I have seen: to be sure, as historians, we have not +passed our time ill. Mrs. Anne Pitt, who, I suspect, envies the +heroine of twenty a little, says, "The Czarina has only robbed +Peter to pay Paul;" and I do not believe that her brother, Mr. +William Pitt, feels very happy, that he cannot immediately +despatch a squadron to the Baltic to reinstate the friend of' the +King of Prussia. I cannot afford to live less than fifty years +more; for so long, I suppose, at least, it will be before the +court of Petersburgh will cease to produce amusing scenes. Think +of old Count Biren, former master of that empire, returning to +Siberia, and bowing to Bestucheff, whom he may meet on the road +from thence. I interest myself now about nothing but Russia; +Lord Bute must be sent to the Orcades before I shall ask a +question in English politics; at least I shall expect that Mr. +Pitt, at the head of the Preobazinski guards, will seize the +person of the prime minister for giving up our conquests to the +chief enemy of this nation. + +My pen is in such a sublime humour, that it can scarce condescend +to tell you that Sir Edward Deering is going to marry Polly Hart, +Danvers's old mistress; and three more baronets, whose names +nobody knows, but Collins, are treading in the same steps. + +My compliments to the House of' Montagu-upon my word I +congratulate the General and you, and your viceroy, that you +escaped being deposed by the primate of Novogorod. + + + +Letter 133 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Strawberry Hill, August 19, 1762. (page 190) + +Sir, +I am very sensible of the obligations I have to you and Mr. +Masters, and ought to make separate acknowledgments to both; but, +not knowing how to direct to him, I must hope that you will +kindly be once more the channel of our correspondence; and that +you will be so good as to convey to him an answer to what you +communicated from him to me, and in particular my thanks for the +most obliging offer he has made me of a picture of Henry VII.; of +which I will by no means rob him. My view in publishing the +Anecdotes was, to assist gentlemen in discovering the hands of +pictures they possess: and I am sufficiently rewarded when that +purpose is answered. If there is another edition, the mistake in +the calculation of the tapestry shall be rectified, and any +others, which any gentleman will be so good as to point out. +With regard to the monument of Sir Nathaniel Bacon, Vertue +certainly describes it as at Culford; and in looking Into the +place to which I am referred, in Mr. Master's History of Corpus +Christi College, I think he himself allows in the note, that +there is such a monument at Culford. Of Sir Balthazar Gerber +there are several different prints. Nich. Lanicre purchasing +pictures at the King's sale, is undoubtedly a mistake for one of +his brothers--I cannot tell now whether Vertue's mistake or my +own. At Longleafe is a whole-length of Frances Duchess of +Richmond, exactly such as Mr. Masters describes, but in +oil. I have another whole-length of the same duchess, I believe +by Mytins, but younger than that at Longleafe. But the best +picture of her is in Wilson's life of King James, and very +diverting indeed. I Will not trouble you, Sir, or Mr. Masters, +with any more at present; but, repeating my thanks to both, will +assure you that I am, etc. + + + + +Letter 134 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Strawberry Hill, Sept. 9, 1762. (page 191) + +Nondurn laurus erat, longoque decentia crine +Tempera cingebat de qualibet arbore Phoebus.(238) + +This is a hint to you, that Phoebus, who was certainly your +superior, could take up with a chestnut garland, or any crown he +found, you must have the humility to be content without laurels, +when none are to be had: you have hurried far and near for them, +and taken true pains to the last in that old nursery-garden +Germany, and by the way have made me shudder with your last +journal: but you must be easy with qu`alibet other arbore; you +must come home to your own plantations. The Duke of Bedford is +gone in a fury to make peace, for he cannot be even pacific with +temper; and by this time I suppose the Duke de Nivernois is +unpacking his portion of olive dans la rue de Suffolk-street. I +say, I suppose- -for I do not, like my friends at Arthur's, whip +into my postchaise to see every novelty. My two sovereigns, the +Duchess of Grafton and Lady Mary Coke, are arrived, and yet I +have seen neither Polly nor Lucy. The former, I hear, is +entirely French; the latter as absolutely English. + +Well! but if you insist on not doffing your cuirass, you may find +an opportunity of wearing it. The storm thickens. The city of +London are ready to hoist their standard; treason is the bon-ton +at that end of the town; seditious papers pasted up at every +corner: nay, my neighbourhood is not unfashionable; we have had +them at Brentford and Kingston. The Peace is the cry; but to +make weight, they throw in all the abusive ingredients they can +collect. They talk of your friend the Duke of Devonshire's +resigning; and, for the Duke of Newcastle, it puts him so much in +mind of the end of Queen Anne's time, that I believe he hopes to +be minister again for another forty years. + +In the mean time. there are but dark news from the Havannah; the +Gazette, who would not fib for the world, says, we have lost but +four officers; the World, who is not quite so scrupulous, says, +our loss is heavy. But whit shocking notice to those who have +Harry Conways there! The Gazette breaks off with saying, that +they were to storm the next day! Upon the whole, it is regarded +as a preparative to worse news. + +Our next monarch was christened last night, George Augustus +Frederick; the Princess, the Duke of Cumberland, and the Duke of +Mecklenburgh, sponsors,; the ceremony performed by the Bishop of +London. The Queen's bed, magnificent, and they say in taste, was +placed in the great drawing-room: though she is not to see +company in form, yet it looks as if they had intended people +should have been there, as all who presented themselves were +admitted, which were very few, for it had not been notified; I +suppose to prevent too great a crowd: all I have heard named, +besides those in waiting, were the Duchess of Queensbury, Lady +Dalkeith, Mrs. Grenville, and about four more ladies. + +My Lady Ailesbury is abominable: she settled a party to come +hither, and Put it off a month; and now she has been here and +seen my cabinet, she ought to tell you what good reason I had not +to stir. If she has not told you that it is the finest, the +prettiest, the newest and the oldest thing in the world, I will +not go to Park-place on the 20th, as I have promised. Oh! but +tremble you may for me, though you will not for yourself--all my +glories were on the point of vanishing last night in a flame! +The chimney of the new gallery, which chimney is full of +deal-boards, and which gallery is full of shavings was on fire at +eight o'clock. Harry had quarrelled with the other servants, and +would not sit in the +kitchen; and to keep up his anger, had lighted a vast fire in the +servants' hall, which is under the gallery. The chimney took +fire; and if Margaret had not smelt it with the first nose that +ever a servant had, a quarter of an hour had set us in a blaze. +I hope you are frightened out of your senses for me: if you are +not, I will never live in a panic for three or four years for you +again. + +I have had Lord March and the Rena(239) here for One night, which +does not raise my reputation in the neighbourhood, and may usher +me again for a Scotchman into the North Briton.(240) I have had +too a letter from a German that I never saw, who tells me, that, +hearing by chance how well I am with my Lord Bute, he desires me +to get him a place. The North Briton first recommended me for an +employment, and has now given me interest -.it the backstairs. +It is a notion, that whatever is said of one, has generally some +kind of foundation: surely I am a contradiction to this maxim! +yet, was I of consequence enough to be remembered, perhaps +posterity would believe that I was a flatterer! Good night! Yours +ever. + +(238) "The laurel was not yet for triumphs born, +But every green, alike by Phoebus worn, +Did, with promiscuous grace, his flowing locks adorn." Garth.-E. + +(239) A fashionable courtesan. + +(240) The favourable opinion given by Mr. Walpole of the +abilities of the Scotch in the Royal and Noble Authors, first +drew upon him the notice of the North Briton. ("The Scotch are +the most accomplished nation in Europe; the nation to which, if +any one country is endowed with a superior partition of sense, I +should be inclined to give the preference in that particular."] + + + + +Letter 135 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, Sept. 24, 1762. (page 192) + +I was disappointed at not seeing you, as you had given me hopes, +but shall he glad to meet the General, as I think I shall, for I +go to town on Monday to restore the furniture of my house, which +has been painted; and to stop the gaps as well as I can, which I +have made by bringing away every thing hither; but as long as +there are auctions, and I have money or hoards, those wounds soon +close. + +I can tell you nothing of your dame Montagu and her arms; but I +dare to swear Mr. Chute can. I did not doubt but you would +approve Mr. Bateman's, since it has changed its religion; I +converted it from Chinese to Gothic. His cloister of founders, +which by the way is Mr. Bentley's, is delightful; I envy him his +old chairs, and the tomb of Bishop Caducanus; but I do not agree +with you in preferring the Duke's to Stowe. The first is in a +greater style, I grant, but one always perceives the mesalliance, +the blood of Bagshot-heath will never let it be green, If Stowe +had but half so many buildings as it has, there would be too +many; but that profusion that glut enriches, and makes it look +like a fine landscape of Albano; one figures oneself in Tempe or +Daphne. I never saw St. Leonard's-hill; would you spoke +seriously of buying it! one could stretch out the arm from one's +postchaise, and reach you when one would. + + +I am here all in ignorance and rain, and have seen nobody these +two days since I returned from Park-place. I do not know whether +the mob hissed my Lord Bute at his installation,(241) as they +intended, or whether my lord Talbot drubbed them for it. I know +nothing of the peace, nor of the Havannah; but I could tell you +much of old English engravers, whose lives occupy me at present. +On Sunday I am to dine with your prime minister Hamilton; for +though I do not seek the world, and am best pleased when quiet +here, I do not refuse its invitations, whet) it does not press +one to pass above a few hours with it. I have no quarrel to it, +when it comes not to me, nor asks me to lie from home. That +favour is only granted to the elect, to Greatworth, and a very +few more spots. Adieu! + +(241) The ceremony of the installation of + Prince William and Lord Bute, as knights of the garter, took +place at Windsor on the 22d of September.-E. + + + + +Letter 136 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Strawberry Hill, Sept. 28, 1762. (page 193) + +To my sorrow and your wicked joy, it is a doubt whether Monsieur +de Nivernois will shut the temple of Janus. We do not believe +him quite so much in earnest as the dove(242) we have sent, who +has summoned his turtle to Paris. She sets out the day after +to-morrow, escorted, to add gravity to the embassy, by George +Selwyn. The stocks don't mind this journey of a rush, but draw +in their horns every day. We can learn nothing of the Havannah, +though the axis of which the whole treaty turns. We believe, for +we have never seen them, that the last letters thence brought +accounts of great loss, especially by the sickness. Colonel +Burgoyne(243) has given a little fillip to the Spaniards, and +shown them, that though they can take Portugal from the +Portuguese, it will not be entirely so easy to wrest it from the +English. Lord Pulteney,(244) and my nephew,(245) Lady +Waldegrave's brother, distinguished themselves. I hope your +hereditary Prince is recovering of the wounds in his loins; for +they say he is to marry Princess Augusta. + +Lady Ailesbury has told you, to be sure, that I have been at Park +place. Every thing there is in beauty; and, I should think, +pleasanter than a campaign in Germany. Your Countess is +handsomer than Fame; your daughter improving every day; your +plantations more thriving than the poor woods about Marburg and +Cassel. Chinese pheasants swarm there. For Lady Cecilia +Johnston, I assure you, she sits close upon her egg, and it will +not be her fault if she does not hatch a hero. We missed all the +glories of the installation, and all the faults, and all the +frowning faces there. Not a knight was absent but the lame and +the deaf. + +Your brother, Lady Hertford, and Lord Beauchamp, are gone from +Windsor into Suffolk. Henry,(246) who has the genuine +indifference of a Harry Conway, would not stir from Oxford for +those pageants. Lord Beauchamp showed me a couple of his +letters, which have more natural humour and cleverness than is +conceivable. They have the ease and drollery of a man of parts +who has lived long in the world--and he is scarce seventeen! + +I am going to Lord Waldegrave's for a few days, and, when your +Countess returns from Goodwood, am to meet her at Churchill's. +Lord Strafford, who has been terribly alarmed about my lady, +mentions, with great pleasure, the letters he receives from you. +His neighbour and cousin, Lord Rockingham, I hear, is one of the +warmest declaimers at Arthur's against the present system. Abuse +continues in much plenty, but I have seen none that I thought had +wit enough to bear the sea. Good night. There are satiric +prints enough to tapestry Westminster-hall. + +Stay a moment: I recollect telling you a lie in my last, which, +though of no consequence, I must correct. The right reverend +midwife, Thomas Secker, archbishop, did christen the babe, and +not the Bishop of London, as I had been told by matron authority. +Apropos to babes: have you read Rousseau on Education? I almost +got through a volume at Park-place, though impatiently; it has +mor(-tautology than any of his works, and less eloquence. Sure +he has writ more sense and more nonsense than ever any man did of +both! All I have yet learned from this work is, that one should +have a tutor for one's son to teach him to have no ideas, in +order that he may begin to learn his alphabet as he loses his +maidenhead. + +Thursday noon, 30th. + +lo Havannah! Lo Albemarle! I had sealed my letter, and given it +to Harry for the post, when my Lady Suffolk sent me a short note +from Charles Townshend, to say the Havannah surrendered on the +12th of August, and that we have taken twelve ships of the line +in the harbour. The news came late last night. I do not know a +particular more. God grant no more blood be shed! I have hopes +again of the peace. My dearest Harry, now we have preserved you +to the last moment, do take care of yourself. When one has a +whole war to wade through, it is not worth while to be careful in +any one battle; but it is silly to fling one's self away in the +last. Your character is established; Prince Ferdinand's letters +are full of encomiums on you; but what will weigh more with you, +save yourself for another war, which I doubt you will live to +see, and in which you may be superior commander, and have space +to display your talents. A second in service is never +remembered, whether the honour of the victory be owing to him -. +or be killed. Turenne would have a very short paragraph, if the +Prince of Cond`e had been general when he fell. Adieu! + +(242) The Duke of Bedford, then ambassador at Paris. + +(243) Colonel, afterwards General Burgoyne, with the Compte de +Lippe, commanded the British troops sent to the relief of +Portugal. + +(244) Only son of William Pulteney, Earl of Bath. He died before +his father. + +(245) Edward, only son of sir Edward Walpole. He died in 1771. + +(246) ,Henry Seymour Conway, second son of Francis, Earl and +afterwards Marquis of Hertford. + + + +Letter 137 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Strawberry Hill, Sept. 30, 1762. (page 195) + +It gives me great satisfaction that Strawberry Hill pleased you +enough to make it a second visit. I could name the time +instantly, but you threaten me with coming so loaded with +presents, that it will look mercenary, not friendly, to accept +your visit. If your chaise is empty, to be sure I shall rejoice +to hear it at my gate about the 22d of this next month: if it is +crammed, though I have built a convent, I have not SO much of the +monk in me as not to blush-nor can content myself with praying to +our Lady of Strawberries to reward you. + +I am greatly obliged to you for the accounts from Gothurst. What +treasures there are still in private seats, if one knew where to +hunt them! The emblematic picture of Lady Digby is like that at +Windsor, and the fine small one at Mr. Skinner's. I should be +curious to see the portrait of Sir Kenelm's father; was not he +the remarkable Everard Digby?(247) How singular too is the +picture of young Joseph and Madam Potiphar! His Mujora--one has +heard of Josephs that did not find the lady's purse any +hinderance to Majora. + +You are exceedingly obliging, in offering to make an index to my +prints, Sir; but that would be a sad way of entertaining you. I +am antiquary and virtuoso enough myself not to dislike such +employment, but could never think it charming enough to trouble +any body else with. Whenever you do me the favour of coming +hither, you will find yourself entirely at liberty to choose your +own amusements--if you choose a bad one, and in truth there is +not very good, you must blame yourself, while you know I hope +that it would be my wish that you did not repent your favours to, +Sir, etc. + +(247) Executed in 1605, as a conspirator in the Gunpowder +Plot.-E. + + + +Letter 138 To The Right Hon. Lady Hervey. +Strawberry Hill, Oct. 1, 1762. (page 196) + +Madam, +I hope you are as free from any complaint, as I am sure you are +full of joy. Nobody partakes more of your satisfaction for Mr. +Hervey's(248) safe return; and now he is safe, I trust you enjoy +his glory: for this is a wicked age; you are one of those +un-Lacedaemonian mothers, that are not content unless your +children come off with all their limbs. A Spartan countess would +not have had the confidence of my Lady Albemarle to appear in the +drawing-room without at least one of her sons being knocked on +the head.(249) However, pray, Madam, make my compliments to her; +one must conform to the times, and congratulate people for being +happy, if they like it. I know one matron, however, with whom I +may condole; who, I dare swear, is miserable that she has not one +of her acquaintance in affliction, and to whose door she might +drive with all her sympathizing greyhounds to inquire after her, +and then to Hawkins's, and then to Graham's, and then cry over a +ball of rags that she is picking, and be sorry for poor Mrs. +Such-a-one, who has lost an only son! + +When your ladyship has hung up all your trophies, I will come and +make you a visit. There is another ingredient I hope not quite +disagreeable that Mr. Hervey has brought with him, +un-Lacedaemonian too, but admitted among the other vices of our +system. If besides glory and riches they have brought us peace, +I will make a bonfire myself, though it should be in the +mayoralty of that virtuous citizen Mr. Beckford. Adieu, Madam! + +(248) General William Hervey, youngest son of Lady Hervey; who +had just returned from the Havannah. + +(249) Lady Anne Lenox, Countess of Albemarle, had three sons +present at the taking of the Havannah. The eldest, Lord +Albemarle, commanded the land forces; the second, afterwards Lord +Keppel, was then captain of a man of war; and the third was +colonel of a regiment. + + + +Letter 139 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Arlington Street, Oct. 4, 1762. (page 196) + +I am concerned to hear you have been so much out of order, but +should rejoice your sole command(250) disappointed you, if this +late cannonading business(251) did not destroy all my little +prospects. Can one believe the French negotiators are sincere, +when their marshals are so false? What vexes me more is to hear +you seriously tell your brother that you are always unlucky, and +lose all opportunities of fighting. How can you be such a child? +You cannot, like a German, love fighting for its own sake. No: +you think of the mob of London, who, if you had taken Peru, would +forget you the first lord mayor's day, or for the first hyena +that comes to town. How can one build on virtue and on fame too? +When do they ever go together? In my passion, I could almost wish +you were as worthless and as great as the King of Prussia! If +conscience is a punishment, is not it a reward too? Go to that +silent tribunal, and be satisfied with its sentence. + +I have nothing new to tell you. The Havannah is more likely to +break off the peace than to advance it.(252) We are not in a +humour to give up the world; anza, are much more disposed to +conquer the rest of it. We shall have some commanding here, I +believe, if we sign the peace. Mr. Pitt, from the bosom of his +retreat, has made Beckford mayor. The Duke of Newcastle, if not +taken in again, will probably end his life as he began it-at the +head of a mob. Personalities and abuse, public and private, +increase to the most outrageous degree, and yet the town is at +the emptiest. You may guess what will be the case in a month. I +do not see at all into the storm: I do not mean that there will +not be a great majority to vote any thing; but there are times +when even majorities cannot do all they are ready to do. Lord +Bute has certainly great luck, which is something in politics, +whatever it is in logic: but whether peace or war, I would not +give him much for the place he will have this day twelvemonth. +Adieu! The watchman goes past one in the morning; and as I have +nothing better than reflections and conjectures to send YOU, I +may as well go to bed. + +(250) During Lord Granby's absence from the army in Flanders, the +command in chief had devolved on Mr. Conway. + +(251) The affair of Bucker-Muhl. + +(252) On this subject, Sir Joseph Yorke, in a letter to Mr. +Michell of the 9th of October, Observes, "All the world is struck +with the noble capture of the Havannah, which fell into our hands +on the Prince of Wales's birthday, as a just punishment upon the +Spaniards for their unjust quarrel with us, and for the supposed +difficulties they have raised in the negotiation for peace. By +what I hear from Paris, my old acquaintance Grimaldi is the cause +of the delay in signing the preliminaries, insisting upon points +neither France nor England would ever consent to grant, such as +the liberty of fishing at Newfoundland; a point we should not +dare to yield, as Mr. Pitt told them, though they were masters of +the Tower of London. What effect the taking of the Havannah will +have is uncertain; for the Spaniards have nothing to give us in +return."-E. + + + +Letter 140 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, Oct 14, 1762. (page 197) + +You will not make your fortune in the admiralty at least; your +King's cousin is to cross over and figure in with George +Grenville; the latter takes the admiralty, Lord Halifax the +seals--still, I believe, reserving Ireland for pocket-money; at +least no new viceroy is named. mr. Fox undertakes the House of +Commons--and the peace--and the war--for if we have the first, we +may be pretty sure of the second.(253) + +you see Lord Bute totters; reduced to shift hands so often, it +does not look like much stability. The campaign at Westminster +will be warm. When Mr. Pitt can have such a mouthful as Lord +Bute, Mr. Fox, and the peace, I do not think three thousand +pounds a year will stop it. Well, I shall go into my old corner +under the window, and laugh I had rather sit by my fire here; but +if there are to be bull-feasts, one would go and see them, when +one has a convenient box for nothing, and is very indifferent +about the cavalier combatants. Adieu! + +(253) In a letter to Mr. Pitt, of this day's date, Mr. Nuthall +gives the ex-minister the following account of these changes:- +-"Mr. Fox kissed hands yesterday, as one of the cabinet; Lord +Halifax, as secretary of state, and Mr. George Grenville, as +first lord of the admiralty. Mr. Fox's present state of health, +it was given out, would not permit him to take the seals. +Charles Townshend was early yesterday morning sent for by Lord +Bute, who opened to him this new system, and offered him the +secretaryship of the plantations and board of trade, which he not +only refused, but refused all connexion and intercourse whatever +with the new counsellor, and spoke out freely. He was afterwards +three times in with the King, to whom be was more explicit, and +said things that did not a little alarm." Chatham Correspondence, +vol. ii. p. 181.-E. + + + +Letter 141 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Strawberry Hill, Oct. 29, 1762. (page 198) + +You take my philosophy very kindly, as it was meant; but I +suppose you smile a little in your sleeve to hear me turn +moralist. Yet why should not I? Must every absurd young man +prove a foolish old one? Not that I intend, when the latter term +is quite arrived, to profess preaching; nor should, I believe, +have talked so gravely to you, if your situation had not made me +grave. Till the campaign is ended, I shall be in no humour to +smile. For the war, when it will be over, I have no idea. The +peace is a jack o' lanthorn that dances before one's eyes, is +never approached, and at best seems ready to lead some follies +into a woful quagmire. + +As your brother was in town, and I had my intelligence from him, +I concluded you would have the same, and therefore did not tell +you of this last resolution, which has brought Mr. Fox again upon +the scene. I have been in town but once since; yet learned +enough to confirm the opinion I had conceived, that the building +totters, and that this last buttress will but push on its fall. +Besides the clamorous opposition already encamped, the world +talks of another, composed of names not so often found in a +mutiny. What think you of the great Duke,(254) and the little +Duke,(255) and the old Duke,(256) and the Derbyshire Duke,(257) +banded together against the favourite?(258) If so, it proves the +Court, as the late Lord G * * * wrote to the mayor of Litchfield, +will have a majority in every thing but numbers. However, my +letter is a week old before I write it: things may have changed +since last Tuesday. Then the prospect was des plus gloomy. +Portugal at the eve of being conquered--Spain preferring a diadem +to the mural crown of the Havannah--a squadron taking horse for +Naples, to see whether King Carlos has any more private bowels +than public, whether he is a better father than brother. If what +I heard yesterday be true, that the Parliament is to be put off +till the 24th, it does not look as if they were ready in the +green-room, and despised catcalls. + +You bid me send you the flower of brimstone, the best things +published in this season of outrage. I should not have waited +for orders, if I had met with the least tolerable morsel. But +this opposition ran stark mad at once, cursed, swore, called +names, and has not been one minute cool enough to have a grain of +wit. Their prints are gross, their papers scurrilous: indeed the +authors abuse one another more than any body else. I have not +seen a single ballad or epigram. They are as seriously dull as +if the controversy was religious. I do not take in a paper of +either side; and being very indifferent, the only way of being +impartial, they shall not make me pay till they make me laugh. I +am here quite' alone, and shall stay a fortnight longer, unless +the Parliament prorogued lengthens my holidays. I do not pretend +to be so indifferent, to have so little curiosity, as not to go +and see the Duke of Newcastle frightened for his country--the +only thing that never yet gave him a panic. Then I am still such +a schoolboy, that though I could guess half their orations, and +know all their meaning, I must go and hear Caesar and Pompey +scold in the Temple of Concord. As this age is to make such a +figure hereafter, how the Gronoviuses and Warburtons would +despise a senator that deserted the forum when the masters of the +world harangued! For, as this age is to be historic, so of +course it will be a standard of virtue too; and we, like our +wicked predecessors the Romans, shall be quoted, till our very +ghosts blush, as models of patriotism and magnanimity. What +lectures will be read to poor children on this era! Europe taught +to tremble, the great King humbled, the treasures of Peru +diverted into the Thames, Asia subdued by the gigantic Clive! for +in that age men were near seven feet high; France suing for peace +at the gates of Buckingham-house, the steady wisdom of the Duke +of Bedford drawing a circle round the Gallic monarch, and +forbidding him to pass it till he had signed the cession of +America; Pitt more eloquent than Demosthenes, and trampling on +proffered pensions like-I don't know who; Lord Temple sacrificing +a brother to the love of his country; Wilkes as spotless as +Sallust, and the Flamen Churchill(259) knocking down the foes of +Britain with statues of the gods!-Oh! I am out of breath with +eloquence and prophecy, and truth and lies; my narrow chest was +not formed to hold inspiration! I must return to piddling with +my painters: those lofty subjects are too much for me. Good +night! + +P. S. I forgot to tell -you that Gideon, who is dead worth more +than the whole land of canaan, has left the reversion of all his +milk and honey, after his son and daughter and their children, to +the Duke of Devonshire, without insisting on his taking the name, +or even being circumcised. Lord Albemarle is expected home in +December. My nephew Keppel(260) is Bishop of Exeter, not of the +Havannah, as you may imagine, for his mitre was promised the day +before the news came. + +(254) Of Cumberland. + +(255) Of Bedford. + +(256) Of Newcastle. + +(257) Of Devonshire. + +(258) The Earl of Bute. + +(259) Charles Churchill the poet. + +(260) Frederick Keppel, youngest brother of George Earl of +Albemarle, who commanded at taking the Havannah, had married +Laura, eldest daughter of Sir Edward Walpole. + + + +Letter 142 To The Right Hon. Lady Hervey. +Strawberry Hill, Oct. 31, 1762. (page 200) + +Madam, +It is too late, I fear, to attempt acknowledging the honour +Madame de Chabot,(261) does me; and yet, if she is not gone, I +would fain not appear ungrateful. I do not know where she lives, +or I would not take the liberty again of making your ladyship my +penny-post. If she is gone, you will throw my note into the +fire. + +Pray, Madam, blow your nose with a piece of flannel-not that I +believe it will do you the least good--but, as all wise folks +think it becomes them to recommend nursing and flannelling the +gout, imitate them; and I don't know any other way of lapping it +up, when it appears in the person of a running cold. I will make +it a visit on Tuesday next, and shall hope to find it tolerably +vented. + +P. S. You must tell me all the news when I arrive, for I know +nothing of what is passing. I have only seen in the papers, that +the cock and hen doves(262) that went to Paris not having been +able to make peace, there is a third dove(263) just flown thither +to help them. + +(261) Lady Mary Chabot, daughter of the Earl of Stafford. + +(262) The Duke and Duchess of Bedford. + +(263) Mr. Hans Stanley. + + + +letter 143 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Thursday, Nov. 4, 1762. (page 200) + +The events of these last eight days will make you stare. This +day se'nnight the Duke of Devonshire came to town, was flatly +refused an audience, and gave up his key. Yesterday Lord +Rockingham resigned, and your cousin Manchester was named to the +bedchamber. The King then in council called for the book, and +dashed out the Duke of Devonshire's name. If you like spirit, en +Voila! Do you know I am sorry for all this? You will not +suspect me of tenderness for his grace of Devonshire, nor, +recollecting how the whole house of Cavendish treated me on my +breach with my uncle, will any affronts, that happen to them, +call forth my tears. But I think the act too violent and too +serious, and dipped in a deeper dye than I like in politics. +Squabbles, and speeches, and virtue, and prostitution, amuse one +sometimes; less and less indeed every day; but measures, from +which you must advance and cannot retreat, is a game too deep; +one neither knows who may be involved, nor where may be the end. +It is not pleasant. Adieu! + + + +Letter 144 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Strawberry Hill, Nov. 13, 1762. (page 201) + +Dear sir, +You will easily guess that my delay in answering your obliging +letter, was solely owing to my not knowing whither to direct to +you. I waited till I thought you may be returned home. Thank +you for all the trouble you have given, and do give yourself for +me; it is vastly more than I deserve. + +Duke Richard's portrait I willingly wave, at least for the +present, till one can find out who he is. I have more curiosity +about the figures of Henry VII. at Christ's College. I shall be +glad some time or other to visit them, to see how far either of +them agree with his portrait in my picture of his marriage. St. +Ethelreda was mighty welcome. + +We have had variety of weather since I saw you, but I fear none +of the patterns made your journey more agreeable. + + + +Letter 145 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Dec. 20, 1762. (page 201) + +As I am far from having been better since I wrote to you last, my +postchaise points more and more to Naples. Yet Strawberry, like +a mistress, As oft as I descend the hill of health, Washes my +hold away. Your company would have made me decide much faster, +but I see I have little hopes of that, nor can I blame you; I +don't use so rough a word with regard to myself, but to your +pursuing your amusement, which I am sure the journey Would be. I +never doubted your kindness to me one moment; the affectionate +manner in which you offered, three weeks ago, to accompany me to +Bath, Will never be forgotten. I do not think my complaint very +serious: for how can it be so, when it has never confined me a +whole day? But my mornings are so bad, and I have had so much +more pain this last week, with restless nights, that I am +convinced it must not be trifled with. Yet I think Italy would +be the last thing I would try, if it were 'not to avoid politics: +yet I hear nothing else. The court and opposition both grow more +violent every day from the same cause; the victory of the former. +Both sides torment me with their affairs, though it is so plain I +do not care a straw about either. I wish I -were great enough to +say, as a French officer on the stage at Paris said to the pit, +"Accordez vous, canaille!" Yet to a man without ambition or +interestedness, politicians are canaille. Nothing appears to me +more ridiculous in my life than my having ever loved their +squabbles, and that at an age when I loved better things too! My +poor neutrality, which thing I signed with all the world, +subjects me, like other insignificant monarchs on parallel +occasions, to affronts. On Thursday I was summoned to Princess +Emily's loo. Loo she called it, politics it was. The second +thing she said to me was, "How were you the two long days?" +"Madam, I was only there the first." "And how did you vote!" +"Madam, I went away." "Upon my word, that was carving well." +Not a very pleasant apostrophe to one who certainly never was a +time-server! Well, we sat down. She said, "I hear Wilkinson is +turned out, and that Sir Edward Winnington is to have his place; +who is he?" addressing herself to me, who sat over against her. +"He is the late Mr. Winnington's heir, Madam." "Did you like +that Winnington?" "I can't but say I did, Madam." She shrugged +her shoulders, and continued; "Winnington originally was a great +Tory; what do you think he was when he died?" "Madam, I believe +what all people are in place." Pray, Mr. Montagu, do you +perceive any thing rude or offensive in this? Hear then: she +flew into the most outrageous passion, Coloured like scarlet, and +said, "None of your wit; I don't understand joking on those +subjects; what do you think your father would have said if he had +heard you say so? He Would have murdered you, and you would have +deserved it." I was quite Confounded and amazed; it was +impossible to explain myself across a loo-table, as she is so +deaf: there was no making a reply to a woman and a Princess, and +particularly for me, who have made it a rule, when I must +converse with royalties, to treat them with the greatest respect, +since it is all the court they will ever have from me. I said to +those on each side of me, "What can I do? I cannot explain +myself now." Well, I held my peace, and so did she for a quarter +of an hour. Then she began with me again, examined me on the +whole debate, and at last asked me directly, which I thought the +best speaker, my father or Mr. Pitt. If possible, this was more +distressing than her anger. I replied, it was impossible to +compare two men so different: that I believed my father was more +a man of business than Mr. Pitt. "Well, but Mr. Pitt's +language?" "Madam," said I, "I have always been remarkable for +admiring Mr. Pitt's language." At last, this unpleasant scene +ended; but as we were going away, I went close to her, and said, +"Madam, I must beg leave to explain myself; your royal highness +has seemed to be very angry with me, and I am sure I did not mean +to offend you: all I intended to say was, that I supposed Tories +were Whigs when they got places!" "Oh!" said she, "I am very +much obliged to you; indeed, I was very angry." Why she was +angry, or what she thought I meaned, I do not know to this +moment, unless she supposed that I would have hinted that the +Duke of Newcastle and the opposition were not men of consummate +virtue, and had lost their places out of principle. The very +reverse was at that time in my head; for I meaned that the Tories +would be just as loyal as the Whigs, when they got any thing by +it. + +You will laugh at my distresses, and in truth they are little +serious yet they almost put me out of humour. If your cousin +realizes his fair words to you, I shall be very good-humoured +again. I am not so morose as to dislike my friends for being in +place; indeed, if they are in great place, my friendship goes to +sleep like a paroli at pharaoh, and does not wake again till +their deal is over. Good night! + + + +Letter 146 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Arlington Street, Dec. 23, 1762. (page 203) + +Dear sir, +You are always abundantly kind to me, and pass my power of +thanking you. You do nothing but give yourself trouble and me +presents. My cousin Calthorpe is a great rarity, and I think I +ought, therefore, to return him to you; but that would not be +treating him like a relation, or you like a +friend. My ancestor's epitaph, too, was very agreeable to me. + +I have not been at Strawberry Hill these three weeks. My maid is +ill there, and I have not been well myself with the same flying +gout in my stomach and breast, of which you heard me complain a +little in the summer. I am much persuaded to go to a warmer +climate, which often disperses these unsettled complaints. I do +not care for it, nor can determine till I see I grow worse: if I +do (To, I hope it will not be for long; and you shall certainly +hear again before I set out. + + + +Letter 147 +To The Hon. H. S. Conway. + +Strawberry Hill, Feb. 28, 1763. (page 203) + + +Your letter of the 19th seems to postpone your arrival rather +than advance it; yet Lady Ailesbury tells me that to her you +talk of being here in ten days. I wish devoutly to see you, +though I am not departing myself; but I am impatient to have +your disagreeable function(264) at an end, and to know that YOU +enjoy Yourself after such fatigues, dangers, and ill-requited +services. For any public satisfaction you will receive in +being at home, you must not expect much. Your mind was not +formed to float on the surface of a mercenary world. My prayer +(and my belief) is, that you may always prefer what you always +have preferred, your integrity to success. You will then +laugh, as I do, at the attacks and malice of faction or +ministers. I taste of both; but, as my health is recovered, +and My Mind does not reproach me, they will perhaps only give +me an opportunity, which I should never have sought, of proving +that I have some virtue--and it will not be proved in the way +they probably expect. I have better evidence than by hanging +out the tattered ensigns of patriotism. But this and a +thousand other things I shall reserve for our meeting. Your +brother has pressed me much to go with him, if he goes, to +Paris.(265) I take it very kindly, but have excused myself, +though I have promised either to accompany him for a short time +at first, or to go to him if he should have any particular +occasion for me: but my resolution against ever appearing in +any public light is unalterable. When I wish to live less and +less in the world here, I cannot think of mounting a new stage +at Paris. At this moment I am alone here, while every body is +balloting in the House of Commons. Sir John Philips proposed a +commission of accounts, which has been converted into a select +committee of twenty-one, eligible by ballot. As the ministry +is not predominant in the affections of mankind, some of them +may find a jury elected that will not be quite so complaisant +as the House is in general when their votes are given openly. +As many may be glad of this opportunity, I shun it; for I +should scorn to do any thing in secret, though I have some +enemies that are not quite so generous. + + +You say you have seen the North Briton, in which I make a +capital figure. Wilkes, the author, I hear, says, that if he +had thought I should have taken it so well, he would have been +damned before he would have written it-but I am not sore where +I am not sore. + + +The theatre of Covent-garden has suffered more by riots than +even Drury-lane.(266) A footman of Lord Dacre has been hanged +for murdering the butler. George Selwyn had great hand in +bringing him to confess it. That Selwyn should be a capital +performer in a scene of that kind is not extraordinary: I tell +it you for the strange coolness which the young fellow, who was +but nineteen, expressed: as he was writing his confession, "I +murd--" he stopped, and asked, "how do you spell murdered?" + + +Mr. Fox is much better than at the beginning of the winter; and +both his health and power seem to promise a longer duration +than people expected. Indeed, I think the latter is so +established, that poor Lord Bute would find it more difficult +to remove him, than he did his predecessors, and may even feel +the effects of the weight he has made over to him; for it is +already obvious that Lord Bute's lev`ee is not the present path +to fortune. Permanence is not the complexion of these times--a +distressful circumstance to the votaries of a court, but +amusing to us spectators. Adieu! + + +(264) The re-embarkation of the British troops from Flanders +after the peace. + + +(265) An ambassador. + + +(266. In January, there was a riot at Drury-lane, in +consequence of the managers refusing admittance at the end of +the third act of a play for half-price; when the glass lustres +were broken and thrown upon the stage, the benches torn up, and +the performance put a stop to. The same scene was threatened +on the following evening, but was prevented by Garrick's +consenting to give admittance at half-price after the third +act, except during the first winter of a new pantomime. At +Covent-garden, the redress demanded having been acceded to, no +disturbance took place on that occasion; but a more serious +riot happened on the 24th of February, in consequence of a +demand for full prices at the opera of Artaxerxes. The +mischief done was estimated at not less than two thousand +pounds.-E. + + + + +Letter 148 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, March 29, 1763. (page 205) + +Though you are a runaway, a fugitive, a thing without friendship +or feeling, though you grow tired of your acquaintance in half +the time you intended, I will not quite give you up: I will write +to you once a quarter, just to keep up a connexion that grace may +catch at, if it ever proposes to visit you. This is my plan, for +I have little or nothing to tell you. The ministers only cut one +another's throats instead of ours. They growl over their prey +like two curs over a bone, which neither can determine to quit; +and the whelps in opposition are not strong enough to beat either +way, though like the species, they will probably hunt the one +that shall be worsted. The saddest dog of all, Wilkes, shows +most spirit. The last North Briton is a masterpiece of mischief. +He has written a dedication too to an old play, the Fall of +Mortimer, that is wormwood; and he had the impudence t'other day +to ask Dyson if he was going to the treasury; "Because," said he, +"a friend of mine has dedicated a play to Lord Bute, and 'It is +usual to give dedicators something; I wish you would put his +lordship in mind of it." Lord and Lady Pembroke are reconciled, +and live again together.(267) Mr. Hunter would have taken his +daughter too, but upon condition she should give back her +settlement to Lord Pembroke and her child: she replied nobly, +that she did not trouble herself about fortune, and would +willingly depend on her father; but for her child, she had +nothing left to do but to take care of that, and would not part +with it; so she keeps both, and I suppose will soon have her +lover again too, for T'other sister(268) has been sitting to +Reynolds, who by her husband's direction has made a speaking +picture. Lord Bolingbroke said to him, "You must give the eyes +something of Nelly O'Brien, or it will not do." As he has given +Nelly something of his wife's, it was but fair to give her +something of Nelly's, and my lady will not throw away the +present! + +I am going to Strawberry for a few days, pour faire mes piques. +The gallery advances rapidly. The ceiling is Harry the Seventh's +chapel in proprid persona; the canopies are all placed; I think +three months will quite complete it. - I have bought at Lord +Granville's sale the original picture of Charles Brandon and his +queen; and have to-day received from France a copy of Madame +Maintenon, which with my La Vali`ere, and copies of Madame +Grammont, and of the charming portrait of the Mazarine at the +Duke of St. Alban's, is to accompany Bianca Capello and Ninon +L'Enclos in the round tower. I hope now there will never be +another auction, for I have not an inch of space, or a farthing +left. As I have some remains of paper, I will fill it up with a +song that I made t'other day in the postchaise, after a +particular conversation that I had with Miss Pelham the night +before at the Duke of Richmond's. + + THE ADVICE. + +The business of women, dear Chloe, is pleasure, +And by love ev'ry fair one her minutes should measure. +"Oh! for love we're all ready," you cry.--very true; +Nor would I rob the gentle fond god of his due. +Unless in the sentiments Cupid has part, +And dips in the amorous transport his dart +'Tis tumult, disorder, 'tis loathing and hate; +Caprice gives it birth, and contempt is its fate. + +"True passion insensibly leads to the joy, +And grateful esteem bids its pleasures ne'er cloy. +Yet here you should stop-but your whimsical sex +Such romantic ideas to passion annex, +That poor men, by your visions and jealousy worried, +To Dyinphs less ecstatic, but kinder, are hurried. +In your heart, I consent, let your wishes be bred; +Only take care your heart don't get into your head. + +Adieu, till Midsummer-day! + +(267) See ant`e, p. 175, Letter 117.-E. + +(268) Lady Bolingbroke and the Countess of Pembroke were +sisters.-E. + + + +Letter 149 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, April 6, 1763. (page 206) + +You will pity my distress when I tell you that Lord Waldegrave +has got the smallpox, and a bad sort. This day se'nnight, in the +evening, I met him at Arthur's: he complained to me of the +headache, and a sickness in the stomach. I said, "My dear lord, +why don't you go home, and take James's powder you will be well +in the morning." He thanked me, said he was glad I had put him +in mind of it, and he would take my advice. I sent in the +morning; my niece said he had taken the powder, and that James +thought he had no fever, but that she found him very low. As he +had no fever, I had no apprehension. At eight o'clock on Friday +night, I was told abruptly at Arthur's, that Lord Waldegrave had +the small-pox. I was excessively shocked, not knowing if the +powder was good or bad for it. I went instantly to the house; at +the door I was met by a servant of Lady Ailesbury, sent to tell +me that Mr. Conway was arrived. These two opposite strokes of +terror and joy overcame me so much, that when I got to Mr. +Conway's I could not speak to him, but burst into a flood of +tears. The next morning, Lord Waldegrave hearing I was there, +desired to speak to me alone. I should tell you, that the moment +he knew it was the small-pox, he signed his will. This has been +the unvaried tenor of his behaviour, doing just what is wise and +necessary, and nothing more. He told me, he knew how great the +chance was against his living through that distemper at his age. +That, to be sure, he should like to have lived a few years +longer; but if he did not, he should submit patiently. That all +he desired was, that if he should fail, we would do our utmost to +comfort his wife, who, he feared was breeding, and who, he added, +was the best woman in the world. I told him he could not doubt +our attention to her, but that at present all our attention was +fixed on him. That the great difference between having the +small-pox young, or more advanced in years, consisted in the fear +of the latter; but that as I had so often heard him say, and now +saw, that he had none of those fears, the danger of age was +considerably lessened. Dr. Wilmot says, that if any thing saves +him, it will be his tranquillity. To my comfort I am told, that +James's powder has probably been a material ingredient towards +his recovery. In the mean time, the universal anxiety about him +is incredible. Dr. Barnard, the master of Eton, who is in town +for the holidays, says, that, from his situation, he is naturally +invited to houses of all ranks and parties, and that the concern +is general in all. I cannot say so much of my lord, and not do a +little justice to my niece too. Her tenderness, fondness, +attention, and courage are surprising. She has no fears to +become her, nor heroism for parade. I could not help saying to +her, "There never was a nurse of your age had such attention." +She replied, "There never was a nurse of my age had such an +object." It is this astonishes one, to see so much beauty +sincerely devoted to a man so unlovely in his person; but if +Adonis was sick, she could not stir seldomer out of his +bedchamber. The physicians seem to have little hopes, but, as +their arguments are not near so strong as their alarms, I own I +do not give it up, and yet I look on it in a very dangerous +light. + +I know nothing of news and of the world, for I go to +Albemarle-Street early in the morning, and don't come home till +late at night. Young Mr. Pitt has been dying of a fever in +Bedfordshire. The Bishop of Carlisle,(269) whom I have appointed +visiter of Strawberry, is gone down to him. You will be much +disappointed if you expect to find the gallery near finished. +They threaten me with three months before the gilding can be +begun. twenty points are at a stand by my present confinement, +and I have a melancholy prospect of being forced to carry my +niece thither the next time I go. The Duc de Nivernois, in +return for a set of the Strawberry editions, has sent me four +seasons, which, I conclude, he thought good, but they shall pass +their whole round in London, for they have not even the merit of +being badly old enough for Strawberry. Mr. Bentley's epistle to +Lord Melcomb has been published in a magazine. It has less wit +by far than I expected from him, and to the full as bad English. +The thoughts are old Strawberry phrases; so are not the +panegyrics. Here are six lines written extempore by Lady Temple, +on Lady Mary Coke, easy and genteel, and almost true: + +She sometimes laughs, but never loud; +She's handsome too, but somewhat proud: +At court she bears away the belle; +She dresses fine, and figures well: +With decency she's gay and airy; +Who can this be but Lady Mary? + +There has been tough doings in Parliament about the tax on cider; +and in the Western counties the discontent is so great, that if +Mr. Wilkes will turn patriot-hero, or patriot-incendiary in +earnest, and put himself at their head, he may obtain a rope of +martyrdom before the summer is over. Adieu! I tell you my +sorrows, because, if I escape them, I am sure nobody will rejoice +more. + +(269) Dr. Charles Lyttelton, consecrated Bishop of Carlisle in +1762, in the room of Dr. Osbaldiston, translated to the see of +London.-E. + + + +Letter 150 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Friday night, late. [April 8, 1763.. (page 208) + +Amidst all my own grief, and all the distress which I have this +moment left, I cannot forget you, who have so long been my steady +and invariable friend. I cannot leave it to newspapers and +correspondents to tell you my loss. Lord Waldegrave died to-day. +Last night he had some glimmerings of hope. The most desponding +of the faculty flattered us a little. He himself joked with the +physicians, and expressed himself in this engaging manner: asking +what day of the week it was; they told him Thursday: "Sure," said +he, "it is Friday." "No, my lord, indeed it is Thursday." +"Well," said he, "see what a rogue this distemper makes one; I +want to steal nothing but a day." By the help of opiates, with +which, for two or three days, they had numbed his sufferings, he +rested well. This morning he had no worse symptoms. I told Lady +Waldegrave, that as no material alteration was expected before +Sunday, I would go to dine at Strawberry, and return in time to +meet the physicians in the evening; in truth, I was worn out with +anxiety and attendance, and wanted an hour or two of fresh air. +I left her at twelve, and had ordered dinner at three that I +might be back early. I had not risen from table when I received +an express from Lady Betty Waldegrave, to tell me that a sudden +change had happened, that they had given him James's powder, but +that they feared it was too late, and that he probably would be +dead before I could come to my niece, for whose sake she begged I +would return immediately. It was indeed too late! too late for +every thing--late as it was given, the powder vomited him even in +the agonies--had I had power to direct, he should never have +quitted James; but these are vain regrets! vain to recollect how +particularly kind he, who was kind to every body, was to me! I +found Lady Waldegrave at my brother's; she weeps without ceasing, +and talks of his virtues and goodness to her in a manner that +distracts one. My brother bears this mortification with more +courage than I could have expected from his warm passions: but +nothing struck me more than to see my rough savage Swiss, Louis, +in tears, as he opened my chaise. I have a bitter scene to come: +to-morrow morning I carry poor Lady Waldegrave to Strawberry. +Her fall is great, from that adoration and attention that he paid +her, from that splendour of fortune, so much of which dies with +him, and from that consideration, which rebounded to her from the +great deference which the world had for his character. Visions +perhaps. Yet who could expect that they would have passed away +even before that fleeting thing, her beauty! + +If I had time or command enough of my thoughts, I could give you +as long a detail of as unexpected a revolution in the political +world. To-day has been as fatal to a whole nation, I mean to the +Scotch, as to our family. Lord Bute resigned this morning. His +intention was not even suspected till Wednesday, nor at all known +a very few days before. In short, there is nothing, more or +less, than a panic; a fortnight's opposition has demolished that +scandalous but vast majority, which a fortnight had purchased; +and in five months a plan of absolute power has been demolished +by a panic. He pleads to the world bad health; to his friends, +more truly, that the nation was set at him. He pretends to +intend retiring absolutely, and giving no umbrage. In the mean +time he is packing up a sort of ministerial legacy, which cannot +hold even till next session, and I should think would scarce take +place at all. George Grenville is to be at the head of the +treasury and chancellor of the exchequer; Charles Townshend to +succeed him; and Lord Shelburne, Charles. Sir Francis Dashwood +to have his barony of Despencer and the great wardrobe, in the +room of Lord Gower, who takes the privy seal, if the Duke of +Bedford takes the presidentship; but there are many ifs in this +arrangement; the principal if is, if they dare stand a tempest +which has so terrified the pilot. You ask what becomes of Mr. +Fox? Not at all pleased with this sudden determination, which has +blown up so many of his projects, and left him time to heat no +more furnaces, he goes to France by the way of the House of +Lords,(270) but keeps his place and his tools till something else +happens. The confusion I suppose will be enormous, and the next +act of the drama a quarrel among the opposition, who would be +all-powerful if they could do what they cannot, hold together and +not quarrel for the plunder. As I shall be +at a distance for some days, I shall be able to send you no more +particulars of this interlude, but you will like a pun my brother +made when he was told of this explosion: "Then," said he, "they +must turn the Jacks out of the drawing-room again, and again take +them into the kitchen." Adieu! what a world to set one's heart +on! + +270) Mr. Fox was Created Baron Holland of Foxley.-E. + + + +Letter 151 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, April 14, 1763. (page 210) + +I have received your two letters together, and foresaw that your +friendly good heart would feel for us just as you do. The loss +is irreparable,(271) and my poor niece is sensible it is. She +has such a veneration for her lord's memory, that if her sister +and I make her cheerful for a moment, she accuses herself of it +the next day to the Bishop of Exeter,(272) as if he was her +confessor, and that she had committed a crime. She cried for two +days to such a degree, that if she had been a fountain it must +have stopped. Till yesterday she scarce eat enough to keep her +alive, and looks accordingly; but at her age she must be +comforted: her esteem will last, but her spirits will return in +spite of herself. Her lord has made her sole executrix, and +added what little douceurs he could to her jointure, which is but +a thousand pounds a-year, the estate being but three-and-twenty +hundred. The little girls will have about eight thousand pounds +apiece; for the teller's place was so great during the war, that +notwithstanding his temper was a sluice of generosity, he had +saved thirty thousand pounds since his marriage. + +Her sisters have been here with us the whole time. Lady +Huntingtower is all mildness and tenderness; and by dint of +attention I have not displeased the other. Lord Huntingtower has +been here once; the Bishop most of the time: he is very +reasonable and good-natured, and has been of great assistance and +comfort to me in this melancholy office, which is to last here +till Monday or Tuesday. We have got the eldest little girl too, +Lady Laura, who is just old enough to be amusing; and last night +my nephew arrived here from Portugal. It was a terrible meeting +at first; but as he is very soldierly and lively, he got into +spirits, and diverted us much with his relations of the war and +the country. He confirms all we have heard of the villany, +poltroonery, and ignorance of the Portuguese, and of their +aversion to the English; but I could perceive, even through his +relation, that our flippancies and contempt of them must have +given a good deal of play to their antipathy. + +You are admirably kind, as you always are in inviting me to +Greatworth, and proposing Bath; but besides its being impossible +for me to take any journey just at present, I am really very well +in health, and the tranquillity and air of Strawberry have done +much good. The hurry of London, where I shall be glad to be just +now, will dissipate the gloom that this unhappy loss has +occasioned; though a deep loss I shall always think it. The time +passes tolerably here; I have my painters and gilders and +constant packets of news from town, besides a thousand letters of +condolence to answer; for both my niece and I have received +innumerable testimonies of the regard that was felt for Lord +Waldegrave. I have heard of but one man who ought to have known +his worth, that has shown no concern; but I suppose his childish +mind is too much occupied with the loss of his last +governor.(273) I have given up my own room to my niece, and have +taken myself to the Holbein chamber, where I am retired from the +rest of the family when I choose it, and nearer to overlook my +workmen. The chapel is quite finished except the carpet. The +sable mass of the altar gives it a very sober air; for, +notwithstanding the solemnity of the painted windows, it had a +gaudiness that was a little profane. + +I can know no news here but by rebound; and yet, though they are +to rebound again to you, they will be as fresh as any you can +have at Greatworth. A kind of administration is botched up for +the present, and even gave itself an air of that fierceness with +which the winter set out. Lord Hardwicke -was told, that his +sons must vote with the court, or be turned out; he replied, as +he meant to have them in place, he chose they should be removed +now. It looks ill for the court when he is sturdy. They wished, +too, to have had Pitt, if they could have had him Without +consequences; but they don't find any recruits repair to their +standard. They brag that they should have had Lord Waldegrave; a +most notorious falsehood, as he had refused every offer they +could invent the day before he was taken ill. The Duke of' +Cumberland orders his servants to say, that so far from joining +them, he believes if Lord Waldecrave could have been foretold of +his death, he would have preferred it to an union with Bute and +Fox. The former's was a decisive panic; so sudden, that it is +said Lord Egremont was sent to break his resolution of retiring +to the King. The other, whose journey to France does not +indicate much less apprehension, affects to walk in the streets +at the most public hours to mark his not trembling. In the mean +time the two chiefs have paid their bravoes magnificently: no +less than fifty-two thousand pounds a-year are granted in +reversion! Young Martin,(274) Who is older than I am, is named +my successor; but I intend he shall wait some years: if they had +a mind to serve me, they could not have selected a fitter tool to +set my character in a fair light by the comparison. Lord Bute's +son has the reversion of an auditor of the imprest; this is all +he has done ostensibly for his family, but the great things +bestowed on the most insignificant objects, make me suspect some +private compacts. Yet I may wrong him, but I do not mean it. +Lord Granby has refused Ireland, and the Northumberlands are to +transport their magnificence thither.(275) I lament that you +made so little of that voyage, but is this the season of +unrewarded merit? One should blush to be preferred within the +same year. Do but think that Calcraft is to be an Irish lord! +Fox's millions, or Calcraft's tythes of millions, cannot purchase +a grain of your virtue or character. Adieu! + +(271) In September 1766, Lady Waldegrave became the wife of his +Royal Highness William Henry Duke of Gloucester; by whom she was +mother of Prince William and of the Princess Sophia of +Gloucester.-E. + +(272) Married to a sister of Lady Waldegrave. + + +(273) Lord Waldegrave had been governor of George the Third.-E. + +(274) Samuel Martin, Esq. member for Camelford, one of the joint +secretaries of the treasury, named to succeed Walpole as usher of +receipts of the exchequer, comptroller of the great roll, and +keeper of the foreign receipts.-E. + +(275) The Earl of Northumberland was gazetted on the 20th of +April lord-lieutenant of Ireland, and on the 14th of May the +Marquis of Granby was appointed master of the ordnance.-E. + + + +Letter 152 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, April 22, 1763. (page 212) + +I have two letters from you, and shall take care to execute the +commission in the second. The first diverted me much. . + +I brought my poor niece from Strawberry on Monday. As executrix, +her presence was quite necessary, and she has never refused to do +any thing reasonable that has been desired of her. But the house +and the business have shocked her terribly; she still eats +nothing, sleeps worse than she did, and looks dreadfully; I begin +to think she will miscarry. She said to me t'other day, "they +tell me that if my lord had lived, he might have done great +service to his country at this juncture, by the respect all +parties had for him. This is very fine; but as he did not live +to do those services, it will never be mentioned in history!" I +thought this solicitude for his honour charming. But he will be +known by history; he has left a small volume of Memoirs, that are +a chef-d'oeuvre.(276) He twice +showed them to me, but I kept his secret faithfully; now it is +for his glory to divulge it. + +I and glad you are going to Dr. Lewis After an Irish voyage I do +not wonder you want careening. I have often preached to +you--nay, and lived to you too; but my sermons were flung away +and my example. + +This ridiculous administration is patched up for the present; the +detail is delightful, but that I shall reserve for +Strawberry-tide. Lord Bath has complained to Fanshaw of Lord +Pulteney's(277) extravagance, and added, "if he had lived he +would have spent my whole estate." This almost comes up to Sir +Robert Brown, who, when his eldest daughter was given over, but +still alive, on that uncertainty sent for an undertaker, and +bargained for her funeral in hopes of having it cheaper, as it +was possible she might recover. Lord Bath has purchased the +Hatton vault in Westminster-abbey, squeezed his wife, son, and +daughter into it, reserved room for himself, and has set the rest +to sale. Come; all this is not far short of Sir Robert Brown. + +To my great satisfaction, the new Lord Holland has not taken the +least friendly, or even formal notice of me, on Lord Waldegrave's +death. It dispenses me from the least farther connexion with +him, and saves explanations, which always entertain the world +more than satisfy. + +Dr. Cumberland is an Irish bishop; I hope before the summer is +over that some beam from your cousin's portion of the triumvirate +may light on poor Bentley. If he wishes it till next winter, he +will be forced to try still new sunshine. I have taken Mrs. +Pritchard's house for Lady Waldegrave; I offered her to live with +me at Strawberry, but with her usual good sense she declined it, +as she thought the children would be troublesome. + + +Charles Townshend's episode in this revolution passes belief, +though he does not tell it himself. If I had a son born, and an +old fairy were to appear and offer to endow him with her choicest +gifts, I should cry out, "Powerful Goody, give him any thing but +parts!"(278) Adieu! + +(276) "the Memoirs, from 1754 to 1758, by James Earl Waldegrave," +which were published in 1821, in a small quarto volume.-E. + +(277) Son Of the Earl of Bath. He was a lord of the bedchamber +and member for Westminster. He died on the 16th of February.-E. + +(278) Lord Barrington, in a letter to Mr. Mitchell of the 19th of +April, says,--"Charles Townshend accepted the admiralty on +Thursday, and went to kiss hands the next day; but he brought +Peter Burrell with him to court, and insisted he likewise should +be one of the board. Being told that Lords Howe and Digby were +to fill up the vacant seats at the admiralty, he declined +accepting the office destined for him, and the next day received +a dismission from the King's service."-E. + + + +Letter 153To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Strawberry Hill, May 1, 1763. (page 213) + +I feel happy at hearing your happiness; but, my dear Harry, your +vision is much indebted to your long absence, which Makes + +bleak rocks and barren mountains smile. + +I mean no offence to Park-place, but the bitterness of the +weather makes me wonder how you can find the country tolerable +now. This is a May-day for the latitude of Siberia! The +milkmaids should be wrapped in @the motherly comforts of a +swanskin petticoat. In short, such hard words have passed +between me and the north wind to-day, that, according to the +language of the times, I was very near abusing it for coming from +Scotland, and to imputing it to Lord Bute. I don't know whether +I should not have written a North Briton against it, if the +printers were not all sent to Newgate, and Mr. Wilkes to the +Tower--ay, to the Tower, tout de bon.(279) The new ministry are +trying to make up for their ridiculous insignificance by a coup +d'`eclat. As I came hither yesterday, I do not know whether the +particulars I have heard are genuine--but in the Tower he +certainly is, taken up by Lord Halifax's warrant for treason; +vide the North Briton of Saturday was se'nnight. It is said he +refused to obey the warrant, of which he asked and got a copy +from the two messengers, telling them he did not mean to make his +escape, but sending to demand his habeas corpus, which was +refused. He then went to Lord Halifax, and thence to the Tower; +declaring they should get nothing out of him but what they knew. +All his papers have been seize(]. Lord Chief Justice Pratt, I am +told, finds great fault with the wording of the warrant. + + +I don't know how to execute your commission for books of +architecture, nor care to put you to expense, which I know will +not answer. I have been consulting my neighbour young Mr. Thomas +Pitt,(280) my present architect: we have all books of that sort +here, but, cannot think of one which will help you to a cottage +or a green-house. For the former you should send me your idea, +your dimensions; for the latter, don't you rebuild your old one, +though in another place? A pretty greenhouse I never saw; nor +without immoderate expense can it well be an agreeable object. +Mr. Pitt thinks a mere portico without a pediment, and windows +retrievable in summer, would be the best plan you could have. If +so, don't you remember something of that kind, which you liked at +Sir Charles Cotterel's at Rousham? But a fine greenhouse must be +on a more exalted plan. In Short.. YOU Must be more particular, +before I can be at all so. + +I called at Hammersmith yesterday about Lady Ailesbury's tubs; +one of them is nearly finished, but they will not both be +completed these ten days. Shall they be sent to you by water? +Good night to her ladyship and you, and the infanta,(281) whose +progress in waxen statuary I hope advances so fast, that by next +winter she may rival Rackstrow's old man. Do you know that, +though apprised of what I was going to see, it deceived me, and +made such impression on my mind, that, thinking on it as I came +home in my chariot. and seeing a woman steadfastly at work in a +window in Pall-mall, it made me start to see her move. Adieu! + +Arlington Street, Monday night. + +The mighty commitment set out with a blunder; the warrant +directed the printer, and all concerned (unnamed) to be taken up. +Consequently Wilkes had his habeas corpus of course, and was +committed again; moved for another in the common pleas, and is to +appear there to-morrow morning. Lord Temple, by another strain +of power refused admittance to him, said, "I thought this was the +Tower, but find it the Bastille." They found among Wilkes's +papers an unpublished North Briton. designed for It contains +advice to the King not to go to St. Paul's for the thanksgiving, +but to have a snug one in his own chapel; and to let Lord George +Sackville carry the sword. There was a dialogue in it too +between Fox and Calcraft: the former says to the latter, "I did +not think you would have served me so, Jemmy Twitcher." + +(279) For his strictures in the North Briton, No. 45, on the +King's speech at the close of the session.-E. + +(280) Afterwards created Lord Camelford. + +(281) Anne Seymour Conway. + + + +Letter 154 To Sir David Dalrymple.(282) +Strawberry Hill, May 2, 1763. _page 215) + +Sir, +I forebore to answer your letter for a few days, till I knew +whether it was in my power to give you satisfaction. Upon +inquiry, and having conversed with some who could inform me, I +find it would be very difficult to obtain so peremptory an order +for dismissing fictitious invalids (as I think they may properly +be called), as you seem to think the state of the case requires; +by any interposition of mine, quite impossible. Very difficult I +am told it would be to get them dismissed from our hospitals when +once admitted, and subject to a clamour which, in the present +unsettled state of government, nobody would care to risk. Indeed +I believe it could not be done by any single authority. The +power of admission, and consequently of dismission, does not +depend on the minister, but on the board who direct the affairs +of the hospital, at which board preside the paymaster,, secretary +at war, governor, etc.; if I am not quite exact, I know it is so +in general. I am advised to tell you, Sir, that if upon +examination it should be thought right to take the step you +counsel, still it could not be done without previous and +deliberate discussion. As I should grudge no trouble, and am +very desirous of executing any +commission, Sir, you will honour me with, if you will draw up a +memorial in form, stating the abuses which have come to your +]Knowledge, the advantages which would result to the community by +more rigorous examination of candidates for admission, and the +uses +to which the overflowings of the military might be put, I will +engage to put it into the hands of Mr. Grenville, the present +head +of the treasury, and to employ all the little credit he is so +good +to let me have with him, in backing your request. I can answer +for +one thing and no more, that as long as he sits at that board, +which +probably will not be long, he will give all due attention to any +scheme of national utility. + +It is seldom, Sir, that political revolutions bring any man upon +the stage, with whom I have much connexion. The great actors are +not the class whom I much cultivate; consequently I am neither +elated with hopes on their advancement, nor mortified nor +rejoiced +at their fall. As the scene has shifted often of late, and is +far +from promising duration at present, one must, if one lives in the +great world, have now and then an acquaintance concerned in the +drama. Whenever I happen to have one, I hope I am ready and glad +to make use of such (however unsubstantial) interest to do good +or +to oblige; Ind this being the case at present, and truly I cannot +call Mr. Grenville much more than an acquaintance, I shall be +happy, Sir, if I can Contribute to your views, which I have +reason +to believe are those of a benevolent man and good citizen; but I +advertise you truly, that my interest depends more on Mr. +Grenville's goodness and civility, than on any great connexion +between Us, and still less on any Political connexion. I think +he would like to do public good, I know I should like to +contribute to it-but if it is to be done by this channel, I +apprehend there is not much time to be lost--you See, what I +think of the permanence of the present system! Your ideas, Sir, +on the hard fate of our brave soldiers concur with mine; I +lamented their sufferings, and have tried in vain to suggest some +little plans for their relief. I only mention this, to prove to +you that I am not indifferent to the subject, nor undertake your +commission from mere complaisance. You Understand the matter +better than I do, but you cannot engage in it with more zeal. +Methodize, if you please, your plan, and communicate it to me, +and it shall not be lost for want of solicitation. We swarm with +highwaymen, who have been heroes. We owe our safety to them, +consequently we owe a return Of preservation to them, if we can +find out methods of employing them honestly. Extend your views, +Sir, for them, and let me -be@solicitor to the cause. + +(282) Now first collected. + + + +Letter 155To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Arlington Street, May 6, very late, 1763. (page 216) + +The complexion of the times is a little altered since the +beginning of this last winter. Prerogation, that gave itself +such airs in November, and would speak to nothing but a Tory, has +had a rap this morning that will do it some good, unless it is +weak enough to do itself more harm. The judges of the common +pleas have unanimously dismissed Wilkes from his +imprisonment,(283) as a breach of +privilege; his offence not being a breach of peace, only tending +to it. The people are in transports; and it will require all the +vanity and confidence of those able ministers, Lord Sandwich and +Mr. C * * * to keep up the spirits of the court. + +I must change this tone, to tell you of the most dismal calamity +that ever happened. Lady Molesworth's house, in Upper Brook- +street was burned to the ground between four and five this +morning. She herself, two of her daughters, her brother,(284) +and six servants Perished. Two other of the young ladies jumped +out of the two pair of stairs and garret windows: one broke her +thigh, the other (the eldest of all) broke hers too, and has had +it cut off. The fifth daughter is much burnt. The French +governess leaped from the garret, and was dashed to pieces. Dr. +Molesworth and his wife, who were there on a visit, escaped; the +wife by jumping from the two pair of stairs, and saving herself +by a rail; he by hanging by his hands, till a second ladder was +brought, after a first had proved too short. Nobody knows how or +where the fire began; the catastrophe is shocking beyond what one +ever heard: and poor Lady Molesworth whose character and conduct +were the most amiable in the world, is universally lamented. +Your good hearts will feel this in the most lively manner.(285) + +I go early to Strawberry to-morrow, giving up the new Opera, +Madame de Boufflers, and Mr. Wilkes, and all the present topics. +Wilkes, whose case has taken its place by the side of the seven +bishops, calls himself the eighth--not quite improperly, when One +remembers that Sir Jonathan Trelawney, who swore like a trooper, +was one of those confessors. + +There is a good letter in the Gazetteer on the other side, +pretending to be written by Lord Temple, and advising Wilkes to +cut his throat, like Lord E * * * as it would be of infinite +service to their cause. There are published, too, three volumes +of Lady Mary Wortley's letters, which I believe are genuine, and +are not unentertaining. But have you read Tom Hervey's letter to +the late King? That beats every thing for madness, horrid +indecency, and folly, and yet has some charming and striking +passages. I have advised Mrs. Harris to inform +against Jack, as writing in the North Briton; he will then be +shut up in the Tower, and may be shown for old Nero.(286) Adieu! + +(283) Wilkes was discharged on the 6th of May, by Lord Chief +Justice Pratt, who decided that he was entitled to plead his +privilege as a member of parliament; the crime of which he was +accused, namely, a libel, being in the eyes of the law only a +high misdemeanour, whereas the only three cases which could +affect the privilege of a member of parliament were treason, +felony, and breach of the peace.-E. + +(284) Captain Usher. Lady Molesworth was daughter of the Rev. W. +Usher, archdeacon of Clonfret, and second wife of Richard third +Viscount Molesworth, who was aide-de-camp to the Duke of +Marlborough at the battle of Ramilies, and saved his grace's life +in that engagement.-E. + +(285) The King upon hearing of this calamity, immediately sent +the young ladies a handsome present; ordered a house to be taken +and furnished for them at his expense; and not only continued the +pension settled on the mother, but ordered it to be increased two +hundred pounds per annum. + +(286) An old lion there, so called. + + + +Letter 156 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Strawberry Hill, May 16, 1763. (page 217) + +Dear sir, +I promised you should hear from me if I did not go abroad, and I +flatter myself that you will not be sorry to know that I am much +better in health than I was at the beginning of the winter. My +journey is quite laid aside, at least for this year; though as +Lord Hertford goes ambassador to Paris, I propose to make him a +visit there next spring. As I shall be a good deal here this +summer, I hope you did not take a surfeit of Strawberry Hill, but +will bestow a visit on it while its beauty lasts; the gallery +advances fast now, and I think in a few weeks will make a figure +worth your looking at. + + + +Letter 157 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, May 17, 1763. (page 218) + +"On vient de nous donner une tr`es jolie f`ete au ch`ateau de +Straberri: tout etoit tapiss`e de narcisses, de tulipes, et de +lilacs; des cors de chasse, des clarionettes; des petits vers +galants faits par des f`ees, et qui se trouvoient sous la presse; +des fruits `a la glace, du th`e, du caff`e, des biscuits, et +force hot-rolls."--This is not the beginning of a letter to you, +but of one that I might suppose sets out to-night for Paris, or +rather, which I do not suppose will set out thither: for though +the narrative is circumstantially true, I don't believe the +actors were pleased enough with the scene, to give so favourable +an account of it. + +The French do not come hither to see. A l'Anglaise happened to +be the word in fashion; and half a dozen of the most fashionable +people have been the dupes of it. I take for granted that their +next mode will be `a l'Iroquaise, that they may be under no +obligation of realizing their pretensions. Madame de +Boufflers(287) I think will die a martyr to a taste, which she +fancied she had, and finds she has not. Never having stirred ten +miles from Paris, and having only rolled in an easy coach from +one hotel to another on a gliding pavement, she is already worn +out with being hurried from morning till night from one sight to +another. She rises every morning SO fatigued with the toils of +the preceding day, that she has not strength, if she had +inclination, to observe the least, or the finest thing she sees! +She came hither to-day to a great breakfast I made for her, with +her eyes a foot deep in her head, her hands dangling, and scarce +able to support her knitting-bag. She had been yesterday to see +a ship launched, and went from Greenwich by water to Ranelagh. +Madame Dusson, who is Dutch-built, and whose muscles are +pleasure-proof, came with her; there were besides, Lady Mary +Coke, Lord and Lady Holderness, the Duke and Duchess of Grafton, +Lord Hertford, Lord Villiers, Offley, Messieurs de Fleury, +D'Eon,(288) et Duclos. The latter is author of the Life of Louis +Onze;(289) dresses like a dissenting minister, which I suppose is +the livery of le bel esprit, and is much more impetuous than +agreeable. We breakfasted in the great parlour, and I had filled +the hall and large cloister by turns with French horns and +clarionettes. As the French ladies had never seen a +printing-house, I carried them into mine; they found something +ready set, and desiring to see what it was, it proved as +follows:-- + + The Press speaks: + +For MADAME DE BOUFFLERS-- + +The graceful fair, who loves to know, +Nor dreads the North's inclement snow: +Who bids her polish'd accent wear +The British diction's harsher air; +Shall read her praise in every clime +Where types can speak or poets rhyme + +For MADAME: DUSSON. + +Feign not an ignorance of what I speak +You could not miss my meaning were it Greek: +'Tis the same language Belgium utter'd first, +The same which from admiring Gallia burst. +True sentiment a like expression pours; +Each country says the same to eyes like yours. + +You will comprehend that the first speaks English, and that the +second does not; that the second is handsome, and the first not; +and that the second was born in Holland. This little gentilesse +pleased, and atoned for the popery of my house, which was not +serious enough for Madame de Boufflers, who is Montmorency, et du +sang du premier Chritien; and too serious for Madame Dusson, who +is a Dutch Calvinist. The latter's husband was not here, nor +Drumgold,(290) who have both got fevers, nor the Duc de +Nivernois, who dined at Claremont. The gallery is not advanced +enough to give them any idea at all, as they are not apt to go +out of their way for one; but the cabinet, and the glory of +yellow glass at top, which had a charming sun for a foil, did +surmount their indifference, especially as they were animated by +the Duchess of Grafton, who had never happened to be here before, +and who perfectly entered into the air of enchantment and +fairyism, which is the tone of the place, and was peculiarly so +to-day--a-propos, when do you design to come hither? Let me know, +that I may have no measures to interfere with receiving you and +your grandsons. + +Before Lord Bute ran away, he made Mr. Bentley a commissioner of +the lottery; I don't know whether a single or double one: the +latter, which I hope it is, is two hundred a-year. + +Thursday, 19th. + +I am ashamed of myself to have nothing but a journal of pleasures +to send you; I never passed a more agreeable day than yesterday. +Miss Pelham gave the French an entertainment at Esher; but they +have been so feasted and amused, that none of them were well +enough, or reposed enough. to come, but Nivernois and Madame +Dusson. The rest of the company were, the Graftons, Lady +Rockingham, Lord and Lady Pembroke, Lord and Lady Holderness, +Lord Villiers, Count Worotizow the Russian minister, Lady Sondes, +Mr. and Miss Mary Pelham, Lady Mary Coke, Mrs. Anne Pitt, and Mr. +Shelley. The day was delightful, the scene transporting; the +trees, lawns, concaves, all in the perfection in which the ghost +of Kent would joy to see them. At twelve we made the tour of the +farm in chaises, and calashes, horsemen, and footmen, setting out +like a picture of Wouverman's. My lot fell in the lap of Mrs. +Anne Pitt,(291) which I could have excused, as she was not at all +in the style of the day, romantic, but political. We had a +magnificent dinner, cloaked in the modesty of earthenware; French +horns and hautboys On the lawn. We walked to the Belvidere on +the summit of the hill, where a theatrical storm only served to +heighten the beauty Of the landscape, a rainbow on a dark cloud +falling precisely behind the tower of a neighbouring church, +between another tower and the building at Claremont. Monsieur de +Nivernois, who had been absorbed all day, and lagging behind, +translating my verses, was delivered of bis version, and of some +more lines which he wrote on Miss Pelham in the Belvedere, while +we drank tea and coffee. From thence we passed into the wood, +and the ladies formed a circle on chairs before the Mouth of the +cave, which was overhung to a vast height with the woodbines, +lilacs, and liburnums, and dignified by the tall shapely +cypresses. On the descent of the hill were placed the French +horns; the abigails, servants, and neighbours wandering below the +river; in short, it was Parnassus, as Watteau would have painted +it. Here we had a rural syllabub, and part of the company +returned to town; but were replaced +by Giardini and Onofrio, who, with Nivernois on he violin, an +Lord Pembroke on the bass, accompanied Mrs. Pelham, Lady +Rockingham, and the Duchess of Grafton, who sang. This little +concert lasted till past ten; then there were minuets, and as we +had seven couple left, it concluded with a Country dance. I +blush again, for I danced, but was kept in countenance by +Nivernois, who has one wrinkle more than I have. A quarter after +twelve they sat down to supper, and I came home by a charming +moonlight. I am going to dine in town, and to a great ball with +fireworks at Miss Chudleigh's, but I return hither on Sunday, to +bid adieu to this abominable Arcadian life; for really when one +IS not young, one ought to do nothing but s'ennuyer; I will try, +but I always go about it awkwardly. Adieu! + +P. S. I enclose a copy of both the English and French verses. + +A MADAME DE BOUFFLRLRS. + +Boufflers, qu'embellissent les graces, +Et qui plairot sans le vouloir, +Elle `a qui l'amour du s`cavoir +Fit braver le Nord et les glaces; +Boufflers se plait en nos vergers, +Et veut `a nos sons `etrangers +Plier sa voix enchanteresse. +R`ep`etons son nom Mille fois, +Sur tons les coeurs Bourflers aura des droits, +Par tout o`u la rime et la Presse +`a l'amour pr`eteront leur voix. + +A MADAME DUSSON. + +Ne feignez point, Iris, de ne pas nous entendre +Cc que vous inspirez, en Grec doit se comprendre. +On vous l'a dit d'abord en Hollandois, +Et dans on langage plus tendre +Paris vous l'a repet`e mille fois. +C'est de nos coeurs l'expression sinc`ere; +En tout climat, Iris, & toute heure, en tous lieux, +Par tout o`u brilleront vos yeux, +Vous apprendrez combien ils s`cavent plaire. + +(287) La Comtesse de Boufflers, a lady of some literary +pretensions, and celebrated as the intimate friend of the Prince +de Conti, to whom she is said to have been united by a marriage +de la main gauche. During her stay in England she paid a visit +to Dr. Johnson, of which Mr. Beauclerk gave the following account +to Boswell:--"When Madame de Boufflers was first in England, she +was desirous to see Johnson; I accordingly went with her to his +chambers in the Temple, where she was entertained with his +conversation for some time. When our visit was over, she and I +left him, and were got into Inner-Temple-lane, when all at once I +heard a voice like thunder. This was occasioned by Johnson, who, +it seem,;, upon a little reflection, had taken it into his head +that he ought to have done the honours of his literary residence +to a foreign lady of quality, and, eager to show himself a man of +gallantry, was hurrying down the staircase in violent agitation. +He overtook us before we reached the Temple gate, and brushing in +between me and Madame de Boufflers, seized her hand and conducted +her to her coach. His dress was a rusty-brown morning suit, a +pair of old shoes by way of slippers, a little shrivelled wig +sticking on the top of his head, and the sleeves of his shirt and +the knees of his breeches hanging loose. A considerable crowd of +people gathered round, and were not a little struck by this +singular appearance."-E. + +(288) The Chevalier D'Eon, secretary to the Duke de Nivernois, +the French ambassador, and, upon the Duke's return to France, +appointed minister plenipotentiary. On the Comte de Guerchy +being some time afterwards nominated ambassador, the Chevalier +was ordered to resume his secretaryship; at which he was so much +mortified that he libelled the Comte, for which he was indicted +and found guilty in the court of king's bench, in July 1764. For +a further account of this extraordinary personage, see post, +letter 181 to Lord Hertford, of the 25th of November.-E. + +(289) Duclos's History of Louis XI. appeared in 1743. He was +also the author of several ingenious novels, and had a large +share in the Dictionary of the Academy. After his death, which +took place in 1772, his Secret Memoirs of the Courts of Louis +XIV. and Louis XV. appeared. Rousseau describes him as a man +"droit et adroit;" and D'Alembert said of him, "De tons les +hommes que je connais, c'est lui qui a le plus d'esprit dans un +temps donn`e."-E. + +(290) Secretary to the Duc de Nivernois. + +(291) Sister of Lord Chatham, whom she strikingly resembled in +features as well as in talent. She was remarkable, even to old +age, for decision of character and sprightliness of conversation. +She died in 1780.-E. + + + +Letter 158 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Arlington Street, May 21, 1763. (page 221) + +You have now seen the celebrated Madame de Boufflers. I dare say +you could in that short time perceive that she is agreeable, but +I dare say too that you will agree with me that vivacity is by no +means the partage of the French--bating the `etourderie of the +mousquetaires and of a high-dried petit-maitre or two, they +appear to me more lifeless than Germans. I cannot comprehend how +they came by the character of a lively people. Charles Townshend +has more sal volatile in him than the whole nation. Their King +is taciturnity itself, Mirepoix was a walking mummy, Nivernois +his about as much life as a sick favourite child, and M. Dusson +is a good-humoured country gentleman, who has been drunk the day +before, and is upon his good behaviour. If I have the gout next +year, and am thoroughly humbled by it again, I will go to Paris, +that I may be upon a level with them: at present, I am trop fou +to keep them company. Mind, I do not insist that, to have +spirits, a nation should be as frantic as poor Fanny Pelham, as +absurd as the Duchess of Queensbury, or as dashing as the Virgin +Chudleigh. Oh, that you had been' at her ball t'other night! +History could never describe it and keep its countenance. The +Queen's real birthday, you know, is not kept: this maid of honour +kept it--nay, while the court is in mourning, expected people to +be out of mourning; the Queen's family really was so, Lady +Northumberland having desired leave for them. A scaffold was +erected in Hyde-park for fireworks. To show the illuminations +without to more advantage, the company were received in an +apartment totally dark, where they remained for two hours. If +they gave rise to any more birthdays, who could help it? The +fireworks were fine, and succeeded well. On each side of the +court were two large scaffolds for the Virgin's tradespeople. +When the fireworks ceased, a large scene was lighted in the +court, representing their majesties; on each side of which were +six obelisks, painted with emblems, and illuminated; mottoes +beneath in Latin and English: 1. For the Prince of Wales, a ship, +Mullorum spes. 2. For the Princess Dowager, a bird of paradise, +and two little ones, meos ad sidera tollo. People smiled. 3. +Duke of York, a temple, Virtuti et honori. 4. Princess Augusta, a +bird of paradise, Non habet paren--unluckily this was translated, +I have no peer. People laughed out, considering where this was +exhibited. 5. The three younger princes, an orange tree, +Promiiuit et dat. 6. the younger princesses, the flower +crown-imperial. I forget the Latin: the translation was silly +enough, Bashful in youth, graceful in age. The lady of the house +made many apologies for the poorness of the performance, which +she said was only oil-paper, painted by one of her servants; but +it really was fine and pretty. The Duke of Kingston was in a +frock coat come chez lui. Behind the house was a cenotaph for +the Princess Elizabeth, a kind of illuminated cradle; the motto, +All the honours the dead can receive. This burying-ground was a +strange codicil to a festival, and, what was more strange, about +one in the morning, this sarcophagus burst out into crackers and +guns. The Margrave of Anspach began the ball with the Virgin. +The supper was most sumptuous. + +You ask, when I propose to be at Park-place. I ask, shall not +you come to the Duke of Richmond's masquerade, which is the 6th +of June? I cannot well be with you till towards the end of that +month. + +The enclosed is a letter which I wish you to read attentively, to +give me your opinion upon it, and return it. It is from a +sensible friend of mine in Scotland,(292) who has lately +corresponded with me on the enclosed subjects, which I little +understand; but I promised to communicate his ideas to George +Grenville, if he would state them-are they practicable? I wish +much that something could be done for those brave soldiers and +sailors, who will all come to the gallows, unless some timely +provision can be made for them. The former part of his letter +relates to a Grievance he complains of, that men who have not +served are admitted into garrisons, and then into our hospitals, +which were designed for meritorious sufferers. Adieu! + +(292) Sir David Dalrymple. See ant`e, p. 215, letter 154.-E. + + + +Letter 159 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Arlington Street, Saturday evening. (May 28, 1763.] (page 223) + +No, indeed, I cannot consent to your being a dirty +Philander.(293) Pink and white, and white and pink and both as +greasy as if you had gnawed a leg of a fowl on the stairs of the +Haymarket with a bunter from the Cardigan's Head! For Heaven's +sake don't produce a tight rose-coloured thigh, unless you intend +to prevent my Lord Bute's return from Harrowgate. Write, the +moment you receive this, to your tailor to get you a sober purple +domino as I have done, and it will make you a couple of +summer-waistcoats. + +In the next place, have your ideas a little more correct about us +of times past. We did not furnish ou cottages with chairs of ten +guineas apiece. Ebony for a farmhouse!(294) So, two hundred +years hence some man of taste will build a hamlet in the style of +George the Third, and beg his cousin Tom Hearne to get him some +chairs for it of mahogany gilt, and covered with blue damask. +Adieu! I have not a minute's time more. + +(293) At the masquerade given by the Duke of Richmond on the 6th +of June at his house in Privy-garden. + +(294) Mr. Conway was at this time fitting up a little building +at Park-place, called the Cottage, for which he had consulted Mr. +Walpole on the propriety of ebony chairs. + + + +Letter 160 To George Montagu, Esq. +Huntingdon, May 30, 1763. (page 223) + +As you interest yourself about Kimbolton, I begin my journal of +two days here. But I must set Out With owning, that I believe I +am the first man that ever went sixty miles to an auction. As I +came for ebony, I have been up to my chin in ebony; there is +literally nothing but ebony in the house; all the other goods. if +there were any, and I trust my Lady Convers did not sleep upon +ebony mattresses, are taken away. There are two tables and +eighteen chairs, all made by the Hallet of two hundred years ago. +These I intend to have; for mind, the auction does not begin till +Thursday. There are more plebeian chairs of the same materials, +but I have left commission for only the true black blood. Thence +I went to Kimbolton,(295) and asked to see the house. A kind +footman, who in his zeal to open the chaise pinched half my +finger off, said he would call the housekeeper: but a groom of +the chambers insisted on my visiting their graces; and as I vowed +I did not know them, he said they were in the great apartment, +that all the rest was in disorder and altering, and would let me +see nothing. This was the reward of my first lie. I returned to +my inn or alehouse, and instantly received a message from the +Duke to invite me to the castle. I was quite undressed, and +dirty with my journey, and unacquainted with the Duchess--yet was +forced to go--Thank the god of dust, his grace was dirtier than +me. He was extremely civil, and detected me to the groom of the +chambers--asked me if I had dined. I said yes--lie the second. +He pressed me to take a bed there. I hate to be criticised at a +formal supper by a circle of stranger-footmen, and protested I +was to meet a gentleman at Huntingdon to-night. the Duchess and +Lady Caroline(296) came in from walking; and to disguise my not +having dined, for it was past six, I drank tea with them. The +Duchess is much altered, and has a bad short cough. I pity +Catherine of Arragon(297) for living at Kimbolton: I never saw an +uglier spot. The fronts are not so bad as I expected, by not +being so French as I expected; but have no pretensions to beauty, +nor even to comely ancient ugliness. The great apartment is +truly noble, and almost all the portraits good, of what I saw; +for many are not hung up, and half of those that are, my lord +Duke does not know. The Earl of Warwick is delightful; the Lady +Mandeville, attiring herself in her wedding garb, delicious. The +Prometheus is a glorious picture, the eagle as fine as my statue. +Is not it by Vandyck? The Duke told me that Mr. Spence found out +it was by Titian--but critics in poetry I see are none in +painting. This was all I was shown, for I was not even carried +into the chapel. The walls round the house are levelling, and I +saw nothing without doors that tempted me to taste. So I made my +bow, hurried to my inn, snapped up my dinner, lest I should again +be detected, and came hither, where I am writing by a great fire, +and give up my friend the east wind, which I have long been +partial to for the Southeast's sake, and in contradiction to the +west, for blowing perpetually and bending all one's plantations. +To-morrow I see Hinchinbrook(298)--and London. Memento, I +promised the Duke that you should come and write on all his +portraits. Do, as you honour the blood of Montagu! Who is the +man in the picture with Sir Charles Goring, where a page is tying +the latter's scarf? And who are the ladies in the double +half-lengths? + +Arlington Street, May 31. + +Well! I saw Hinchinbrook this morning. Considering it is in +Huntingdonshire, the situation is not so ugly nor melancholy as I +expected; but I do not conceive what provoked so many of your +ancestors to pitch their tents in that triste country, unless the +Capulets(299) loved fine prospects. The house of Hinchinbrook is +most comfortable, and just what I like; old, spacious, irregular, +yet not vast or forlorn. I believe much has been done since you +saw it--it now only wants an apartment, for in no part of it are +there above two chambers together. The furniture has much +simplicity, not to say too much; some portraits tolerable, none I +think fine. When this lord gave Blackwood the head of the +Admiral' that I have now, he left himself not one so good. The +head he kept is very bad: the whole-length is fine, except the +face of it. There is another of the Duke of Cumberland by +Reynolds, the colours of which are as much changed as the +original is to the proprietor. The garden is wondrous small, the +park almost smaller, and no appearance of territory. The whole +has a quiet decency that seems adapted to the Admiral after his +retirement, or to Cromwell before his exaltation. I returned +time enough for the opera; observing all the way I came the proof +of the duration of this east wind, for on the west side the +blossoms were so covered with dust one could not distinguish +them; on the eastern hand the hedges were white in all the pride +of May. Good night! + +Wednesday, June 1. + +My letter is a perfect diary. There has been a sad alarm in the +kingdom of white satin and muslin. The Duke of Richmond was +seized last night with a sore throat and fever; and though he is +much better to-day, the masquerade of to-morrow night is put off +till Monday. Many a Queen of Scots, from sixty to sixteen, has +been ready to die of the fright. Adieu once more! I think I can +have nothing more to say before the post goes out to-morrow. + +(295) The seat of the Duke of Manchester.-E. + +(296) Sister of the Duke of Manchester.-E. + +(297) Queen Catherine of Arragon, after her divorce from Henry +the Eighth, resided some time in this castle, and died there in +1536.-E. + +(298) The seat of the Earl of Sandwich.-E. + +(299) As opposing in every thing the Montagus. + + + +Letter 161 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, June 16, 1763. (page 225) + +I do not like your putting off your visit hither for so long. +Indeed, by September the gallery will probably have all its fine +clothes on, and by what have been tried, I think it will look +very well. The fashion of the garments to be sure will be +ancient, but I have given them an air that is very becoming. +Princess Amelia was here last night While I was abroad; and if +Margaret is not too much prejudiced by the guinea left, or by +natural partiality to what servants call our house, I think was +pleased, particularly with the chapel. + +As Mountain-George will not come to Mahomet-me, Mahomet-I Must +come to Greatworth. Mr. Chute and I think of visiting you about +the seventeenth of July, if you shall be at home, and nothing +happens to derange our scheme; possibly we may call at Horton; we +certainly shall proceed to Drayton, Burleigh, Fotheringay, +Peterborough, and Ely; and shall like much of your company, all, +or part of the tour. The only present proviso I have to make is +the health of my niece who is at present much out of order, we +think not breeding, and who was taken so ill on Monday, that I +was forced to carry her suddenly to town, where I yesterday left +her better at her father's. + +There has been a report that the new Lord Holland was dead at +Paris, but I believe it is not true. I was very indifferent +about it: eight months ago it had been lucky. I saw his jackall +t'other night in the meadows, the secretary at war,(301) so +emptily-important and distilling paragraphs of old news with such +solemnity, that I did not know whether it was a man or the +Utrecht gazette. + +(300) Admiral Montagu, first Earl of Sandwich; by Sir Peter Lely. +In early life he was distinguished as a military commander under +the parliamentary banner, and subsequently joint high-admiral of +England; in which capacity, having had sufficient influence to +induce the whole fleet to acknowledge the restored monarchy, he +received the peerage as his reward. Having attained the highest +renown as a naval officer, he fell in the great sea-fight with +the Dutch, off Southwold-bay, on the 28th of May, 1672. Evelyn, +in his diary of the 31st, gives the following high character of +the Earl:--"Deplorable was the loss of that incomparable person, +and my particular friend. He was learned in sea affairs, in +politics, in mathematics, and in music: he had been on divers +embassies, was of a sweet and obliging temper, sober, chaste, +very ingenious, a true nobleman and ornament to the court and his +prince; nor has he left any behind him who approach his many +virtues."-E. + +(301) Welbore Ellis, Esq. afterwards Lord Mendip.-E. + + + +Letter 162 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, July 1, 1763. (page 226) + +Mr. chute and I intend to be with you on the seventeenth or +eighteenth; but as we are wandering swains, we do not drive one +nail into one day of the almanack irremovably. Our first stage is +to Bleckley, the parsonage of venerable Cole, the antiquarian of +Cambridge. Bleckley lies by Fenny Stratford; now can you direct +us how to make Horton(302) in our way from Stratford to +Greatworth? If this meander engrosses more time than we propose, +do not be disappointed, and think we shall not come, for we +shall. The journey you must accept as a great sacrifice either +to you or to my promise, for I quit the gallery almost in the +critical minute of consummation. Gilders, carvers, upholsterers, +and picture-cleaners are labouring at their several forges, and I +do not love to trust a hammer or a brush without my own +supervision. This will make my stay very short, but it is a +greater compliment than a month would be at another season and +yet I am not profuse of months. Well, but I begin to be ashamed +of my magnificence; Strawberry is growing Sumptuous in its latter +day; it will scarce be any longer like the fruit of its name, or +the modesty of its ancient demeanour, both which seem to have +been in spencer's prophetic eye when he sung of + +"The blushing strawberries +Which lurk, close-shrouded from high-looking eyes, +Showing that sweetness low and hidden lies." + +In truth, my collection was too great already to be lodged +humbly; it has extended my walls, and pomp followed. It was a +neat, small house; it now will be a comfortable one, and except +for one fine apartment, does not deviate from its simplicity. +Adieu! I know nothing about the world, and am only Strawberry's +and yours, sincerely. + +(302) The seat of the Earl of Halifax. + + + +Letter 163 To Sir David Dalrymple.(303) +Strawberry Hill, July 1, 1763. (page 227) + +Perhaps, sir, you have wondered that I have been +so long silent about a scheme,(304) that called for despatch. +The truth is I have had no success. Your whole +plan has been communicated to Mr. Grenville by one whose heart +went with it, going always with what is humane. Mr. Grenville +mentions two objections; one, insuperable as to expedition; the +other, totally so. No crown or public lands could be so disposed +of without an act of parliament. In that case the scheme should +be digested during a war, to take place at the conclusion, and +cannot be adjusted in time for receiving the disbanded. But what +is worse, he hints, Sir, that your good heart has only considered +the practicability with regard to Scotland, where there are no +poor's rates. Here every parish would object to such settlers. + This is the sum of his reply; I am not master +enough of the subject or the nature of it, as to answer either +difficulty. If you can, Sir, I am ready to continue the +intermediate negotiator; but you must furnish me with answers to +these obstacles, before I could hope to make any way even with +any private person. In truth, I am little versed in the subject; +which I own, not to excuse myself from pursuing it if it can be +made feasible, but to prompt you, Sir, to instruct me. Except at +this place, which cannot be called the country, I have scarce +ever lived in the country, and am shamefully ignorant of the +police and domestic laws of my own country. Zeal to do any good, +I have; but I want to be tutored when the operation is at all +complicated. Your knowledge, Sir, may supply my deficiencies; at +least you are sure of a solicitor for your good intentions, in +your, etc. + +(303) Now first collected. + +(304) See ant`e, p. 215, letter 154.-E. + + + +Letter 164 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. + +Strawberry Hill, July 1, 1763. (page 228) + + +Dear sir, +As you have given me leave, I propose to pass a day with you, +on my way to Mr. Montagu's. If you have no engagement, I will +be with you on the 16th of this month, and if it is not +inconvenient, and you will tell me truly whether it is or not, +I shall bring my friend Mr. Chute with me, who is destined to +the same place. I will beg you too to let me know how far it +is to Bleckley, and what road I must take: that is, how far +from London, or how far from Twickenham, and the road from +each, as I am uncertain yet from which I shall set out. If any +part of this proposal does not suit You, I trust you will own +it, and I will take some other opportunity of calling on you, +being most truly, dear Sir, etc. + + + + +Letter 165 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Strawberry Hill, July 12, 1763. (page 228) + +Dear sir, +Upon consulting maps and the knowing, I find it will be my best +way to call on Mr. Montagu first, before I come to you, or I must +go the same road twice. This will make it a few days later than +I intended before I wait on you, and will leave you time to +complete your hay-harvest, as I gladly embrace your offer of +bearing me company on the tour I meditate to Burleigh, Drayton, +Peterborough, Ely, and twenty other places, of all which you +shall take as much or as little as you please. It will, I think, +be Wednesday or Thursday se'nnight, before I wait on you, that is +the 20th or 21st, and I fear I shall come alone; for Mr. Chute is +confined with the gout: but you shall hear again before I set +out. Remember I am to see Sir Kenelm Digby's. + +I thank you much for your informations. The Countess of +Cumberland is an acquisition, and quite new to me. With the +Countess of Kent I am acquainted since my last edition. + +Addison certainly changed sides in the epitaph to indicabit to +avoid the jingle with dies: though it is possible that the +thought may have been borrowed elsewhere. Adieu, Sir! + +To The Rev. Mr. Cole. + +Dear sir, +Wednesday is the day I propose waiting on you; what time of it +the Lord and the roads know; so don't wait for me any part of it. +If I should be violently pressed to stay a day longer at Mr. +Montagu's I hope it will be no disappointment to you: but I love +to be uncertain, rather than make myself expected and fail. + + + + +Letter 166 To George Montagu, Esq. +Stamford, Saturday night, July 23, 1763. (page 229) + +"Thus far arms have with success been crowned," bating a few +mishaps, which will attend long marches like ours. We have +conquered as many towns as Louis Quatorze in the campaign of +seventy-two; that is, seen them, for he did little more, and into +the bargain he had much better roads, and a dryer summer. It has +rained perpetually till to-day, and made us experience the rich +soil of Northamptonshire, which is a clay-pudding stuck full of +villages. After we parted with you on Thursday, we saw Castle +Ashby(305) and Easton MaudUit.(306) The first is most +magnificently triste, and has all the formality of the Comptons. +I should admire 'It if I could see out of it, or any thing in it, +but there is scarce any furniture, and the bad little frames of +glass exclude all objects. Easton is miserable enough; there are +many modern portraits, and one I was glad to see of the Duchess +of Shrewsbury. We lay at Wellingborough--pray never lie there-- +the beastliest inn upon earth is there! We were carried into a +vast bedchamber, which I suppose is the club-room, for it stunk +of tobacco like a justice of peace. I desired some boiling water +for tea; they brought me a sugar dish of hot water in a pewter +plate. Yesterday morning we went to Boughton,(307) where we were +scarce landed, before the Cardigans, in a coach and six and three +chaises, arrived with a cold dinner in their pockets, on their +way to Deane; for as it is in dispute, they never reside at +Boughton. This was most unlucky, that we should pitch on the +only hour in the year in which they are there. I was so +disconcerted, and so afraid, of falling foul of the Countess and +her caprices, that I hurried from chamber to chamber, and scarce +knew what I saw, but that the house is in the grand old French +style, that gods and goddesses lived over my head in every room, +and that there was nothing but pedigrees all around me, and under +my feet, for there is literally a coat of arms at the end of +every step of the stairs: did the Duke mean to pun, and intend +this for the descent of the Montagus? Well! we hurried away and +got to Drayton an hour before dinner. Oh! the dear old place! +you would be transported with it. In the first place, it stands +in as ugly a hole as Boughton: well! that is not its beauty. The +front is a brave strong castle wall, embattled and loopholed for +defence. Passing the great gate, you come to a sumptuous but +narrow modern court, behind which rises the old mansion, all +towers and turrets. The house is excellent; has a vast hall, +ditto dining-room, king's chamber, trunk gallery at the top of +the house, handsome chapel, and seven or eight distinct +apartments, besides closets and conveniences without end. Then +it is covered with portraits, crammed with old china, furnished +richly, and not a rag in it under forty, fifty, or a thousand +years old; but not a bed or chair that has lost a tooth, or got a +gray hair, so well are they preserved. I rummaged it from head +to foot, examined every spangled bed, and enamelled pair of +bellows, for such there are; in short, I do not believe the old +mansion was ever better pleased with an inhabitant, since the +days of Walter de Drayton, except when it has received its divine +old mistress.(308) If one could honour her more than one did +before, it would be to see with what religion she keeps up the +old dwelling and customs, as well as old servants, who you may +imagine do not love her less than other people do. The garden is +just as Sir John Germain brought it from Holland; pyramidal yews, +treillages, and square cradle walks with windows clipped in them. +Nobody was there but Mr. Beauclerc(309) and Lady Catharine,(310) +and two parsons: the two first suffered us to ransack and do as +we would, and the two last assisted us, informed us, and carried +us to every tomb in the neighbourhood. I have got every +circumstance by heart, and was pleased beyond my expectation, +both with the place and the comfortable way of seeing it. We +stayed here till after dinner to-day, and saw Fotheringhay in our +way hither. The castle is totally ruined.(311) The mount, on +which the keep stood, two door-cases, and a piece of the moat, +are all the remains. Near it is a front and two projections of +an ancient house, which, by the arms about it, I suppose was part +of the palace of Richard and Cicely, Duke and Duchess of York. +There are two pretty tombs for them and their uncle Duke of York +in the church, erected by order of Queen Elizabeth. The church +has been very fine, but is now intolerably shabby; yet many large +saints remain in the windows, two entire, and all the heads well +painted. You may imagine we were civil enough to the Queen of +Scots, to feel a feel of pity for her, while we stood on the very +spot where she was put to death; my companion,(312) I believe, +who is a better royalist than I am, felt a little more. There, I +have obeyed you. To-morrow we see Burleigh and Peterborough, and +lie @t Ely; on Monday I hope to be in town, and on Tuesday I hope +much more to be in the gallery at Strawberry Hill, and to find +the gilders laying on the last leaf of gold. Good night! + +(305) A seat of the Earl of Northampton. + +(306) A seat of the Earl of Sussex. + +(307) The seat of Lord Montagu. + +(308) Lady Betty Germain.-E. + +(309) Aubrey Beauclerk, Esq. member for Thetford. He succeeded +to the dukedom of St. Albans, as fifth Duke, in 1787, and died in +1802.-E. + +(310) Lady Catharine Ponsonby, daughter of the Earl of +Desborough. + +(311) James the First is said to have ordered it to be destroyed, +in consequence of its having been the scene of the trial and +execution of his mother, Mary Queen of Scots, beheaded there in +February 1587.-E. + +(312) Mr. Cole. + + + +Letter 167 To George Montagu, Esq. +Hockerill, Monday night, July 25, Vol. 2d. (page 231) + +You must know we were drowned on Saturday night. It rained, as +it did at Greatworth on Wednesday, all night and all next +morning, so we could not look even at the outside of Burleigh; +but we saw the inside pleasantly; for Lord Exeter, whom I had +prepared for our intentions, came to us, and made every door and +every lock fly open, even of his magazines, yet unranged. He is +going through the house by decrees, furnishing a room every year, +and has already made several most sumptuous. One is a little +tired of Carlo Maratti and Lucca Jordano, yet still these are +treasures. The china and japan are of the finest; miniatures in +plenty, and a shrine full of crystal vases, filigree, enamel, +jewels, and the trinkets of taste, that have belonged to many a +noble dame. In return for his civilities, I made my Lord Exeter +a present of a glorious cabinet, whose drawers and sides are all +painted by Rubens. This present you must know is his own, but he +knew nothing of the hand or the value. Just so I have given Lady +Betty Germain a very fine portrait, that I discovered ,at Drayton +in the Woodhouse. + +I was not much pleased with Peterborough; the front is adorable, +but the inside has no more beauty than consists in vastness. By +the way, I have a pen and ink that will not form a letter. We +were now sent to Huntingdon in our way to Ely, as we found it +impracticable, from the rains and floods, to cross the country +thither. We landed in the heart of the assizes, and almost in +the middle of the races, both which, to the astonishment of the +virtuosi, we eagerly quitted this morning. We were hence sent +south to Cambridge, still on our way north to Ely: but when we +got to Cambridge we were forced to abandon all thoughts of Ely, +there being nothing but lamentable stories of inundations and +escapes. However, I made myself amends at the university, which +I have not seen these four-and-twenty years, and which revived +many youthful scenes, which, merely from their being youthful, +are forty times pleasanter than any other ideas. You know I +always long to live at Oxford: I felt that I could like to live +even at Cambridge again. The colleges are much cleaned and +improved since my days, and the trees and groves more venerable; +but the town is tumbling about their ears. We surprised Gray +with our appearance, dined and drank tea with him, and are come +hither within sight of land. I always find it worth my while to +make journeys, for the joy I have in getting home again. A +second adieu! + + + + +Letter 168 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Strawberry Hill, Aug. 8, 1763. (page 232) + +Dear sir, +You judge rightly, I am very indifferent about Dr. Shorton, since +he is not Dr. Shorter. It has done nothing but rain since my +return; whoever wants hay, must fish for it; it is all drowned, +or swimming about the country. I am glad our tour gave you so +much pleasure; you was so very obliging, as you have always been +to me, that I should have been grieved not to have had it give +you satisfaction. I hope your servant is quite recovered. + +The painters and gilders quit my gallery this week, but I have +not got a chair or a table for it yet; however, I hope it will +have all its clothes on by the time you have promised me a visit. + + + +Letter 169 To Dr. Ducarel. +Strawberry Hill, Aug. 8, 1763. (page 232) + +Sir, +I have been rambling about the country, or should not so long +have deferred to answer the favour of your letter. I thank you +for the notices in it, and have profited of them. I am much +obliged to you too for the drawings you intended me; but I have +since had a letter from Mr. Churchill, and he does not mention +them. + + + +Letter 170 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Strawberry Hill, Aug. 9, 1763. (page 232) + +My gallery claims your promise; the painters and gilders finish +to-morrow, and next day it washes its hands. You talked of the +15th; shall I expect you then, and the Countess,(313) and the +Contessina,(314) and the Baroness?(315) + +Lord Digby is to be married immediately to the pretty Miss +Fielding; and Mr. Boothby, they say, to Lady Mary Douglas. What +more news I know I cannot send you; for I have had it from Lady +Denbigh and Lady Blandford, who have so confounded names, +genders, and circumstances, that I am not sure whether Prince +Ferdinand is not going to be married to the hereditary Prince. +Adieu! + +P. S. If you want to know more of me, you may read a whole column +of abuse upon me in the Public Ledger of Thursday last; where +they inform me that the Scotch cannot be so sensible @as the +English, because they have not such good writers. Alack! I am +afraid the most sensible men in any country do not write. + +I had writ this last night. This morning I receive your paper of +evasions, perfide que vous `etes! You may let it alone, you will +never see any thing like my gallery--and then to ask me to leave +it the instant it is finished! I never heard such a request in my +days!--Why, all the earth is begging to come to see it: as Edging +says, I have had offers enough from blue and green ribands to +make me a falbala-apron. Then I have just refused to let Mrs. +Keppel and her Bishop be in the house with me, because I expected +all you--it is mighty well, mighty fine!-No, sir, no, I shall not +come; nor am I in a humour to do any thing else you desire: +indeed, without your provoking me, I should not have come into +the proposal of paying Giardini. We have been duped and cheated +every winter for these twenty years by the undertakers of +operas, and I never will pay a farthing more till the last +moment, nor can be terrified at their puffs; I am astonished you +are. So far from frightening me. the kindest thing they could do +would be not to let one have a box to hear their old threadbare +voices and frippery thefts; and as for Giardini himself, I would +not go cross the room to hear him play to eternity. I should +think he could frighten nobody but Lady Bingley by a refusal. + +(313) Of Ailesbury. + +(314) Miss Anne Seymour Conway. + +(315) Elizabeth Rich, second wife of George Lord Lyttelton. + + + + +Letter 171 To The Earl Of Strafford. +Strawberry Hill, Aug 10, 1763. Page 233) + +My dear lord, +I have waited in hopes that the world would do something worth +telling you: it will not, and I cannot stay any longer without +asking you how you do, and hoping you have not quite forgot me. +It has rained such deluges, that I had some thoughts of turning +my gallery into an ark, and began to pack up a pair of bantams, a +pair of cats, in short, a pair of every living creature about my +house: but it is grown fine at last, and the workmen quit my +gallery to-day without hoisting a sail in it. I know nothing +upon earth but what the ancient ladies in my neighbourhood knew +threescore years ago; I write merely to pay you my pepper-corn of +affection, and to inquire after my lady, who I hope is perfectly +well. A longer letter would not have half the merit: a line in +return will however repay all the merit I can possibly have to +one to whom I am so much obliged. + + + +Letter 172 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, Aug. 15, 1763. (page 233) + +The most important piece of news I have to tell you is, that the +gallery is finished; that is, the workmen have quitted it. For +chairs and tables, not one is arrived yet. Well, how you will +tramp up and down in it! Methinks I wish you would. We are in +the perfection of beauty; verdure itself was never green till +this summer, thanks to the deluges of rain. Our complexion used +to be mahogany in August. Nightingales and roses indeed are out +of blow, but the season is celestial. I don't know whether we +have not even had an earthquake to-day. Lady Buckingham, Lady +Waldegrave, the Bishop of' Exeter, and Mrs. Keppel, and the +little Hotham dined here; between six and seven we were sitting +in the great parlour; I sat in the window looking at the river: +on a sudden I saw it violently agitated, and, as it were, lifted +up and down by a thousand hands. I called out, they all ran to +the window; it continued; we hurried into the garden, and all saw +the Thames in the same violent commotion for I suppose a hundred +yards. We fancied at first there must be some barge rope; not +one was in sight. It lasted in this manner, and at the farther +end, towards Teddington, even to dashing. It did not cease +before I got to the middle of the terrace, between the fence and +the hill. Yet this is nothing: to what is to come. The Bishop +and I walked down to my meadow by the river. At this end were +two fishermen in a boat, but their backs had been turned to the +agitation, and they had seen nothing. At the farther end of the +field was a gentleman fishing, and a woman by him; I had +perceived him on the same spot at the time of the motion of the +waters, which was rather beyond where it was terminated. I now +thought myself sure of a witness, and concluded he could not have +recovered his surprise. I ran up to him. "Sir," said I, "did +you see that strange agitation of the waters?" "When, Sir? when, +Sir?" "Now, this very instant, not two minutes ago." He +replied, with the phlegm of a philosopher, or of a man that can +love fishing, "Stay, Sir, let me recollect if I remember nothing +of it." "Pray, Sir," said I, scarce able to help laughing, "you +must remember whether you remember it or not, for it is scarce +over." "I am trying to recollect," said he, with the same +coolness. "Why, Sir," said I, "six of us saw it from my parlour +window yonder." "Perhaps," answered he, "you might perceive it +better where you were, but I suppose it was an earthquake." His +nymph had seen nothing neither, and so we returned as wise as +most who inquire into natural phenomena. We expect to hear +to-morrow that there has been an earthquake somewhere; unless +this appearance portended a state-quake. You see, my impetuosity +does not abate much; no, nor my youthfullity, which bears me out +even at a sabat. I dined last week at Lady Blandford's, with +her, the old Denbigh, the old Litchfield, and Methuselah knows +who. I had stuck some sweet peas in my hair, was playing at +quadrille, and singing to my sorci`eres. The Duchess of Argyle +and Mrs. Young came in; you may guess how they stared; at last +the Duchess asked what was the meaning of those flowers? "Lord, +Madam," said I, "don't you know it is the fashion? The Duke of +Bedford is come over with his hair full." Poor Mrs. Young took +this in sober sadness, and has reported that the Duke of Bedford +wears flowers. You will not know me less by a precipitation of +this morning. Pitt and I were busy adjusting the gallery. Mr. +Elliott came in and discomposed us; I was horridly tired of him. +As he was going, he said, "Well, this house is so charming, I +don't wonder at your being able to live so much alone." I, who +shudder at the thought of any body's living With me, replied very +innocently, but a little too quick, "No, only pity me when I +don't live alone." Pitt was shocked, and said, "To be sure he +will never forgive you as long as he lives." Mrs. Leneve used +often to advise me never to begin being civil to people I did not +care for: For," says she, "you grow weary of them, and can't help +showing it, and so make it ten times worse than if you had never +attempted to please them." + +I suppose you have read in the papers the massacre of my +innocents. Every one of my Turkish sheep, that I have been +nursing up these fourteen years, torn to pieces in one night by +three strange dogs! They killed sixteen outright, and mangled +the two others in such a manner that I was forced to have them +knocked on the head. However, I bore this better than an +interruption. + +I have scrawled and blotted this letter so I don't know whether +you can read it; but it is no matter, for I perceive it is all +about myself: but what has one else in the dead of summer? In +return, tell me as much as you please about yourself, which you +know is always a most welcome subject to me. One may preserve +one's spirits with one's juniors, but I defy any body to care but +about their contemporaries. One wants to linger about one's +predecessors, but who has the least curiosity about their +successors? This is abominable ingratitude: one takes wondrous +pains to consign one's own memory to them at the same time that +one feels the most perfect indifference to whatever relates to +them themselves. Well, they will behave just so in their turns. +Adieu! + + + +Letter 173 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, Sept. 3, 1763. (page 235) + +I have but a minute's time for answering your letter; my house is +full of people, and has been so from the instant I breakfasted, +and more are coming; in short, I keep an inn; the sign, the +Gothic Castle. Since my gallery was finished I have not been in +it a quarter of an hour together; my whole time is passed in +giving tickets for seeing it, and hiding myself while it is seen. +Take my advice, never build a charming house for yourself between +London and Hampton-court: every body will live in it but you. I +fear you must give up all thoughts of the Vine for this year, at +least for some time. The poor master is on the rack; I left him +the day before yesterday in bed, where he had been ever since +Monday, with the gout in both knees and one foot, and suffering +martyrdom every night. I go to see him again on Monday. He has +not had so bad a fit these four years, and he has probably the +other foot still to come. You must come to me at least in the +mean time, before he is well enough to receive you. After next +Tuesday I am unengaged, except on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday +following; that is, the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth, when the +family from Park-place are to be with me. Settle your motions, +and let me know them as soon as you can, and give me as much time +as you can spare. I flatter myself the General(316) and Lady +Grandison will keep the kind promise they made me, and that I +shall see your brother John and Mr. Miller too. + +My niece is not breeding. You shall have the auction books as +soon as I can get them, though I question if there is any thing +in your way; however, I shall see you long before the sale, and +we will talk on it. + +There has been a revolution and a re-revolution, but I must defer +the history till I see you, for it is much too big for a letter +written in such a hurry as this. Adieu! + +(316) General Montagu, who, in the preceding February, had +married the Countess-dowager of Grandison.-E. + + + +Letter 174 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, Sept. 7, 1763. (page 236) + +As I am sure the house of Conway will not stay with me beyond +Monday next, I shall rejoice to see the house of Montagu this day +se'nnight (Wednesday), and shall think myself highly honoured by +a visit from Lady Beaulieu;(317) I know nobody that has better +taste, and it would flatter me exceedingly if she should happen +to like Strawberry. I knew you would be pleased with Mr. Thomas +Pitt; he is very amiable and very sensible, and one of the very +few that I reckon quite worthy of being at home at Strawberry. + +I have again been in town to see Mr. Chute; he thinks the worst +over, yet he gets no sleep, and is still confined to his bed 'but +his spirits keep up surprisingly. As to your gout, so far from +pitying you, 'tis the best thing that can happen to you. All +that claret and port are very kind to you, when they prefer the +shape of lameness to that of apoplexies, or dropsies, or fevers, +or pleurisies. + +Let me have a line certain what day I may expect your party, that +I may pray to the sun to illuminate the cabinet. Adieu! + +(317) Isabella, eldest daughter and co-heir of John Duke of +Montagu, and relict of William Duke of Manchester; married, in +1763, to Edward Montagu, Lord Beaulieu.-E. + + + +Letter 175 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, Oct. 3, 1763. (page 236) + + +I was just getting into my chaise to go to Park-place, when I +received your commission for Mrs. Crosby's pictures; but I did +not neglect it, though I might as well, for the old gentlewoman +was a little whimsical, and though I sent my own gardener and +farmer with my cart to fetch them on Friday, she would not +deliver them, she said, till Monday; so this morning they were +forced to go again. They are now all safely lodged in my +cloister; when I say safely, you understand, that two of them +have large holes in them, as witness this bill of lading signed +by your aunt. There are eleven in all, besides Lord Halifax, +seven half-lengths and four heads; the former are all desirable, +and one of the latter; the three others woful. Mr. Wicks is now +in the act of packing them, for we have changed our minds about +sending them to London by water, as your wagoner told Louis last +time I was at Greatworth, that if they were left at the Old Hat, +near Acton, he would take them up and convey them to Greatworth; +so my cart carries them thither, and they will set out towards +you next Saturday. + +I felt shocked, as you did, to think how suddenly the prospect of +joy at Osterly was dashed after our seeing it. However the young +lover(318) died handsomely. Fifty thousand pounds will dry +tears, that at most could be but two months old. His brother, I +heard, has behaved still more handsomely, and confirmed the +legacy, and added from himself the diamonds that had been +prepared for her. Here is a charming wife ready for any body +that likes a sentimental situation, a pretty woman, and a large +fortune.(319) + +I have been often at Bulstrode from Chaffont, but I don't like +it. It is Dutch and triste. The pictures you mention in the +gallery would be curious if they knew one from another; but the +names are lost, and they are only sure that they have so many +pounds of ancestors in the lump. One or two of them indeed I +know, as the Earl of Southampton, that was Lord Essex's friend. + +The works of Park-place go on bravely; the cottage will be very +pretty, and the bridge sublime, composed of loose rocks, that +will appear to have been tumbled together there the very wreck of +the deluge. One stone is of fourteen hundred weight. It will be +worth a hundred of Palladio's brigades, that are only fit to be +used in an opera. + +I had a ridiculous adventure on my way hither. A Sir Thomas +Reeves wrote to me last year, that he had a great quantity of +heads of painters, drawn by himself from Dr. Mead's collection, +of which many were English, and offered me the use of them. This +was one of the numerous unknown correspondents which my books +have drawn upon me. I put it off then, but being to pass near +his door, for he lives but two miles from Maidenhead, I sent him +word I would call on my way to Park-place. After being carried +to three wrong houses, I was directed to a very ancient mansion, +composed of timber, and looking as unlike modern habitations, as +the picture of Penderel's house in Clarendon. The garden was +overrun with weeds, and with difficulty we found a bell. Louis +came riding back in great haste, and said, "Sir, the Gentleman is +dead suddenly." You may imagine I was surprised; however, as an +acquaintance I had never seen was an endurable misfortune, I was +preparing to depart; but happening to ask some women, that were +passing by the chaise, if they knew any circumstance of Sir +Thomas's death, I discovered that this was not Sir Thomas's +house, but belonged to a Mr. Mecke,(320) fellow of a college at +Oxford, who was actually just dead, and that the antiquity itself +had formerly been the residence of Nell Gwyn. Pray inquire after +it the next time you are at Frocmore. I went on, and after a +mistake or two more found Sir Thomas, a man about thirty in age, +and twelve in understanding; his drawings very indifferent, even +for the latter calculation. I did not know what to do or say, +but commended them and his child, and his house; said I had all +the heads, hoped I should see him at Twickenham, was afraid of +being too late for dinner, and hurried out of his house before I +had been there twenty minutes. It grieves one to receive +civilities when one feels obliged, and yet finds it impossible to +bear the people that bestow them. + +I have given my assembly, to show my gallery, and it was +glorious; but happening to pitch upon the feast of tabernacles, +none of my Jews could come, though Mrs. Clive proposed to them to +change their religion; so I am forced to exhibit once more. For +the morning spectators, the crowd augments instead of +diminishing. It is really true that Lady Hertford called here +t'other morning, and I was reduced to bring her by the back gate +into the kitchen; the house was so full of company that came to +see the gallery, that I had no where else to carry her. Adieu! + +P. S. I hope the least hint has never dropped from the Beaulieus +of that terrible picture of Sir Charles Williams, that put me +into such confusion the morning they breakfasted here. If they +did observe the inscription, I am sure they must have seen too +how it distressed me. Your collection of pictures is packed up, +and makes two large cases and one smaller. + +My next assembly will be entertaining; there will be five +countesses, two bishops, fourteen Jews, five papists, a doctor of +physic, and an actress; not to mention Scotch, Irish, East and +West Indians. + +I find that, to pack up your pictures, Louis has taken some paper +out of a hamper of waste, into which I had cast some of the +Conway papers, perhaps only as useless , however, if you find any +such in the packing, be so good as to lay them by for me. + +(318) Francis Child, Esq. the banker at Temple-bar, and member +for Bishop's-Castle, who died on the @3d of September. He was to +have been married in a few days to the only daughter of the Hon. +Robert Trevor Hampden, one of the postmasters-general.-E. + +(319) This young lady was married in the May following to Henri, +twelfth Earl of Suffolk.-E. + +(320) The Rev. Mr. Mecke, of Pembroke College. He died on the +26th of September.-E. + + + +Letter 176 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Strawberry Hill, Oct. 8, 1763. Page 239) + +Dear Sir, +You are always obliging to me and always thinking Of me kindly; +yet for once you have forgotten the way of obliging me most. You +do not mention any thought of coming hither, which you had given +me cause to hope about this time, I flatter myself nothing has +intervened to deprive me of that visit. Lord Hertford goes to +France the end of next week; I shall be in town to take leave of +him; but after the 15th, that is, this day se'nnight, I shall be +quite unengaged and the sooner I see you after the 15th, the +better, for I should be sorry to drag you across the country in +the badness of November roads. + +I shall treasure up your notices against my second edition for +the volume of Engravers is printed off, and has been some time; I +only wait for some of the plates. The book you mention I have +not seen, nor do you encourage me to buy it. Some time or other +however I will get you to let me turn it over. + +As I will trust that you will let me know soon when I shall have +the pleasure of seeing you here, I will make this a very short +letter indeed. I know nothing new or old worth telling you. + + + +Letter 177 To The Earl Of Hertford.(321) +Arlington Street, Oct. 18, 1763. (page 239) + +My dear Lord, +I am very impatient for a letter from Paris, to hear of your +outset, and what my Lady Hertford thinks of the new world she is +got into, and whether it is better or worse than she expected. +Pray tell me all: I mean of that sort, for I have no curiosity +about the family compact, nor the harbour of Dunkirk. It is your +private history--your audiences, reception, comforts or +distresses, your way of life, your company--that interests me; in +short, I care about my cousins and friends, not, like Jack +Harris,(322) about my lord ambassador. Consider you are in my +power. You, by this time, +are longing to hear from England, and depend upon me for the news +of London. I shall not send you a tittle, if you are not very +good, and do not (one of you, at least) write to me punctually. + +This letter, I confess, will not give you much encouragement, for +I can absolutely tell you nothing. I dined at Mr. Grenville's +to-day, if there had been any thing to hear, I should have heard +it; but all consisted in what you will see in the papers--some +diminutive(323) battles in America, and the death of the King of +Poland,(324) which you probably knew before we did. The town is +a desert; it is like a vast plain, which, though abandoned at +present, is in three weeks to have a great battle fought upon it. +One of the colonels, I hear, is to be in town tomorrow, the Duke +of Devonshire. I came myself but this morning, but as I shall +not return to Strawberry till the day after to-morrow, I shall +not seal my letter till then. In the mean time, it is but fair +to give you some more particular particulars of what I expect to +know. For instance, of Monsieur de Nivernois's cordiality; of +Madame Dusson's affection for England; of my Lord Holland's joy +at seeing you in France, especially without your Secretary;(325) +of all my Lady Hertford's(326) cousins at St. Germains; and I +should not dislike a little anecdote or two of the late +embassy,(327) of which I do not doubt you will hear plenty. I +must trouble you with many +compliments to Madame de Boufflers, and with still more to the +Duchesse de Mirepoix,(328) who is always so good as to remember +me. Her brother, Prince de Beauvau,(329) I doubt has forgotten +me. +In +the disagreeableness of taking leave, I omitted these messages. +Good night for to-night--OH! I forgot--pray send me some caff`e +au lait: the Duc de Picquigny(33) (who by the way is somebody's +son, as I thought) takes it for snuff; and says it is the new +fashion at +Paris; I suppose they drink rappee after dinner. + +Wednesday night. + +I might as well have finished last night; for I know nothing more +than I did then, but that Lady mary Coke arrived this evening. +She has behaved very honourably, and not stolen the hereditary +Prince.(331) + +Mr. Bowman(332) called on me yesterday before I came, and left +word that he would come again to-day, but did not. I wished to +hear of you from him, and a little of my old acquaintance at +Rheims. Did you find Lord Beauchamp(333) much grown? Are all +your sons to be like those of the Amalekites? who were I forget +how many cubits high. + +Pray remind Mr. Hume(334) Of collecting the whole history of the +expulsion of the Jesuits. It is a subject worthy of his inquiry +and pen. Adieu! my dear lord. + +(321) This is the first of the series of letters which Walpole +addressed to his relation, the Earl of Hertford, during his +lordship's embassy in Paris, in the years 1763, 1764, and 1765. +The first edition of these letters appeared, in quarto, in 1825, +edited by the Right Honourable John Wilson Croker, and contained +the following introductory notice:-- + +"No apology, it is presumed, is necessary for the following +publication. The Letters of Mr. Walpole have already attained +the highest rank in that department of English literature, and +seem to deserve their popularity, whether they are regarded as +objects of mere amusement, or as a collection of anecdotes +illustrative of the politics, literature, and manners of an +important and interesting period. + +"The following collection is composed of his letters to his +cousin, the Earl of Hertford, while ambassador at Paris, from +1763 to 1765; +which seem, at least as much as those which have preceded them, +deserving of the public attention. + +"It appears from some circumstances connected with the letters +themselves, that Mr. Walpole wrote them in the intention and hope +that they might be preserved; and although they are enlivened by +his characteristic vivacity, and are not deficient in the lighter +matters with which he was in the habit of amusing all his +correspondents, they are, on the whole, written in a more careful +style, and are employed on more important subjects than any +others which have yet come to light. + +"Of the former collections, anecdote and chit-chat formed the +principal topics, and politics were introduced Only as they +happened to be the news of the day. Of the series now offered to +the public, politics are the groundwork, and the town-talk is +only the accidental embroidery. + +"Mr. Walpole's lately published Memoires have given proof of his +ability in sketching parliamentary portraits and condensing +parliamentary debates. In the following letters, powers of the +same class will, it is thought, be recognised; and as the +published parliamentary debates are extremely imperfect for the +whole time to which this correspondence relates, Mr. Walpole's +sketches are additionally valuable. + +"These letters also give a near view of the proceedings of +political parties during that interesting period; and although +the representation of so warm a partisan must be read with due +caution, a great deal of authentic information on this subject +will be found, and even the very errors of the writer will +sometimes tend to elucidate the state of parties during one of +the busiest periods of our domestic dissensions. + +"Mr. Walpole's party feelings were, indeed, so warm, and his +judgment of individuals was so often affected by the political +lights in which he viewed them, that the Editor has thought it +due to many eminent political characters to add a few notes, to +endeavour to explain the prejudices and to correct the +misapprehensions under which Mr. Walpole wrote. In doing so, the +Editor has, he hopes, shown (what he certainly felt) a perfect +impartiality; and he flatters himself that he has only +endeavoured to perform, (however imperfectly) what Mr. Walpole +himself, after the heat of party had subsided, would have been +inclined to do."-- +To the notes here spoken of, the letter C. is affixed. + +(322) John Harris, Esq. of Hayne, in Devonshire, who married +Anne, Lord Hertford's eldest sister.-E. + +(323) The actions at Detroit and Edge Hill, on the 31st of July +and 5th and 6th of August, between the British and the Indians. +In the former the British were defeated, and their leader, +Captain Ditlyell, killed; in the latter engagements, under +Colonel Bouguet, they defeated the Indians.-C. + +(324) Stanislaus Augustus, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland. +He died at Dresden, on the 5th of October.-E. + +(325) Mr. Fox, so long a political leader in the House of +Commons, had been lately created Lord Holland, and was now in +Paris. Mr. Walpole insinuates, in his letter to Mr. Montagu of +the 14th of April, that Lord Holland's visit to France arose from +apprehension of personal danger to himself, in consequence of his +share in Lord Bute's administration--an absurd insinuation! What +is meant by his joy at seeing Lord Hertford in France is not +clear; but the allusion to the secretary probably refers to the +absence of Sir Charles, then Mr. Bunbury, who was nominated +secretary to the embassy, but who had not accompanied Lord +Hertford to Paris: as Mr. +Bunbury had married Lady Holland's niece, there may have been +family reason for this allusion.-C. + +(326) Lady Hertford was a granddaughter of Charles II., and +therefore cousin to the pretender, who, however, was at this +period in Italy; and the cousins alluded to were probably the +family of Fitz-James.-C. + +(327) John, fourth Duke of Bedford, was Lord Hertford's +predecessor. Mr. Walpole had been on terms of personal and +political intimacy at Bedford-house; but political and private +differences had occurred to sharpen his resentment against the +Duke, and even occasionally against the Duchess of Bedford.-C. + +(328) The Mar`eschale de Mirepoix was a clever woman, who was at +the head of one class of French society. She, however, +quarrelled with her family, and lost the respect of the public by +the meanness of countenancing Madame du Barri.-C. + +(329) Son of the Prince de Craon: he was born in 1720; served +with great distinction from the earliest age, and was created, in +1782, marshal of France. His conduct in discountenancing the +favouritism of the last years of Louis XV. was very honourable, +as was his devotion to Louis XVI. in the first years of the +revolution. The marshal survived his unfortunate sovereign but +three months.-C. + +(330) Son of the Duke de Chaulnes.-E. + +(331) The Hereditary Prince of Brunswick was at this time +betrothed to the King's eldest sister; and Mr. Walpole, a +constant friend and admirer of Lady Mary, affects to think that +her beauty and vivacity might have seduced his Serene Highness +from his royal bride. Lady Mary lived till 1810.-C. + +(332) This gentleman was travelling tutor to Lord Hertford's +eldest son, and had been lately residing with him at Rheims.-C. + +(333) Francis, afterwards second Marquis of Hertford, who died in +the year 1822.-E. + +(334) David Hume, the historian. He was at first private +secretary to Lord Hertford, and afterwards secretary of +embassy.-E. + + + +Letter 178 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, Nov. 12, 1763. (page 242) + +I send you the catalogue as you desired; and as I told you, you +will, I think, find nothing to your purpose: the present lord +bought all the furniture at Navestock;(335) the few now to be +sold are the very fine ones of the best masters, and likely to go +at vast prices, for there are several people determined to have +some one thing that belonged to Lord Waldegrave. I did not get +the catalogue till the night before last, too late to send by the +post, for I had dined with Sir Richard Lyttelton at Richmond, and +was forced to return by Kew-bridge, for the Thames was swelled so +violently that the ferry could not work. I am here quite alone +in the midst of a deluge, without Mrs. Noah, but with half as +many animals. The waters are as much out as they were last year, +when her vice-majesty of Ireland,(336) that now is sailed to +Newmarket with both legs out at the fore glass, was here. +Apropos, the Irish court goes on ill; they lost a question by +forty the very first day +on the address. The Irish, not being so absurd or so +complimental as Mr. Allen, they would not suffer the word +"adequate" to pass.(337) The prime minister is so unpopular that +they think he must be sent back. His patent and Rigby's are +called in question. +You see the age is not favourable to prime ministers: well! I am +going amidst it all, very unwillingly; I had rather stay here, +for I am sick of the storms, that once loved them so cordially: +over and above, I am not well; this is the third winter my +nightly fever +has returned; it comes like the bellman before Christmas, to put +me in mind of my mortality. + +Sir Michael Foster(338) is dead, a Whig of the old rock: he is a +greater loss to his country than the prim attorney-general,(339) +who has resigned, or than the attorney's father, who is dying, +will be. + +My gallery is still in such request, that, though the middle of +November, I give out a ticket to-day for seeing it. I see little +of it myself, for I cannot sit alone in such state; I should +think myself like the mad Duchess of Albemarle,(340) who fancied +herself Empress of China. Adieu! + +(335) In Essex, the seat of the Waldegraves.-E. + +(336) The Countess of Northumberland.-E. + +(337) To prevent the presentation of a more objectionable address +from the corporation of Bath, in favour of the peace, Mr. Allen +had secured the introduction of the word adequate, into the one +agreed to; which gave such offence to Mr. Pitt that he refused to +present it.-E. + +(338) One of the judges in the court of King's Bench.-E. + +(339) The Hon. Charles Yorke. + +(340) Widow of Christopher Duke of Albemarle, and daughter of the +Duke of Newcastle. + + + +Letter 179 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Arlington Street, Nov. 17, 1763. (page 243) + +If the winter keeps up to the vivacity of its d`ebut, you will +have no reason to complain of the sterility of my letters. I do +not say +this from the spirit of the House of Commons on the first +day,(341) which was the most fatiguing and dull debate I ever +heard, dull as +I have heard many; and yet for the first quarter of an hour it +looked as if we were met to choose a King of Poland,(342) and +that all our names ended in zsky. Wilkes, the night before, had +presented himself at the Cockpit: as he was listening to the +Speech,(343) George Selwyn said to him, in the words of the +Dunciad, "May Heaven preserve the ears you lend!"(344) We lost +four hours debating whether or not it was necessary to open the +session with reading a bill. The opposite sides, at the same +time, pushing to get the start, between the King's message, which +Mr. Grenville stood at the bar to present, which was to acquaint +us with the arrest of Wilkes and all that affair, and the +complaint which Wilkes himself stood up to make. At six we +divided on the question of reading a bill.(345) Young Thomas +Townshend(346) divided the House injudiciously, as the question +was so idle; yet the whole argument of the day had been so +complicated with this question, that in effect it became the +material question for trying +forces. This will be an interesting part to you, when you hear +that your brother(347) and I were in the minority. You know him, +and therefore know he did what he thought right; and for me, my +dear lord, you must know that I would die in the House for its +privileges, and the liberty of the press. But come, don't be +alarmed: this will have no Consequences. I don't think your +brother is going into opposition; and for me, if I may name +myself to your affection after him, nothing but a question of +such magnitude can carry me to the House at all. I am sick of +parties and factions, and leave them to buy and sell one another. +Bless me! I had forgot the numbers; they were 300, we 111. We +then went upon the King's message; heard the North Briton read; +and Lord North,(348) who took the prosecution upon him and did it +very well, moved to vote a scandalous libel, etc. tending to +foment treasonable insurrections. Mr. Pitt gave up the paper, +but fought against the last words of the censure. I say Mr. +Pitt, for indeed, +like Almanzor, he fought almost singly, and spoke forty times: +the first time in the day with much wit, afterwards with little +energy. He had a tough enemy too; I don't mean in parts or +argument, but one that makes an excellent bulldog, the +solicitor-general Norton. +Legge was, as usual, concise; and Charles Townshend, what is not +usual, silent. We sat till within a few minutes of two, after +dividing again; we, our exact former number, 111; they, 273; and +then we adjourned to go on the point of privilege the next day; +but now + +"Listen, lordings, and hold you still; +Of doughty deeds tell you I will." + +Martin,(349) in the debate, mentioned the North Briton, in which +he himself had been so heavily abused; and he said, "whoever +stabs a reputation in the dark, without setting his name, is a +cowardly, malignant, and scandalous scoundrel." This, looking at +Wilkes, he +repeated twice, with such rage and violence, that he owned his +passion obliged him to sit down. Wilkes bore this with the same +indifference as he did all that passed in the day. The -House, +too, who from Martin's choosing to take a public opportunity of +resentment, when he had so long declined any private notice, and +after Wilkes's courage was become so problematic, seemed to think +there was no danger of such champions going further; but the next +day, when we came into the House, the first thing we heard was +that Martin had shot Wilkes: so he had; but Wilkes has six lives +still good. It seems Wilkes had writ, to avow the paper, to +Martin, on which the latter challenged him. They went into +Hyde-park about noon; Humphrey Coates, the wine-merchant, waiting +in a postchaise to convey Wilkes away if triumphant. They fired +at the distance of +fourteen yards: both missed. then Martin fired and lodged a ball +in the side of Wilkes; who was going to return it, but dropped +his pistol. He desired Martin to take care of securing himself, +and assured him he would never say a word against him, and he +allows that Martin behaved well. The wound yesterday was thought +little more than a flesh-wound, and he was in his old spirits. +To-day the account is worse, and he has been delirious: so you +will think when +you hear what is to come. I think, from the agitation his mind +must be in, from his spirits, and from drinking, as I Suppose he +will, that he probably will end here. He puts me in mind of two +lines of Hudibras,(350) which, by the arrangement of the words +combined with Wilkes's story, are stronger than Butler intended +them:-- + +"But he, that fights and runs away, +May live to fight another day." + +His adventures with Lord Talbot,(351) Forbes,(352) and Martin, +make these lines history. + +Now for part the second. On the first day, in your House, where +the address was moved by Lord Hilsborough and Lord Suffolk, after +some wrangling between Lord Temple, Lord Halifax, the Duke of +Bedford, and Lord Gower; Lord Sandwich(353) laid before the House +the most blasphemous and indecent poem that ever was composed, +called "An Essay on Woman, With notes, by Dr. Warburton."', I +will tell you none of the particulars: they were so exceedingly +bad, that Lord Lyttelton begged the reading might be stopped. +The House +was amazed; nobody ventured even to ask a question: so it was +easily voted every thing you please, and a breach of privilege +into the bargain. Lord Sandwich then informed your Lordships, +that Mr. +Wilkes was the author. Fourteen copies alone were printed, one +of which the ministry had bribed the printer to give up. Lord +Temple then objected to the manner of obtaining it; and Bishop +Warburton, as much shocked at infidelity as Lord Sandwich had +been at obscenity, said, "the blackest fiends in hell would not +keep company with Wilkes when he should arrive there." Lord +Sandwich moved to vote Wilkes the author; but this Lord Mansfield +stopped, advertising the House that it was necessary first to +hear what Wilkes could say in his defence. To-day, therefore, +Was appointed +for that purpose; but it has been put off by Martin's lodging a +caveat.(354) This bomb was certainly well conducted, and the +secret, though known to many, well kept. The management is +worthy of Lord Sandwich, and like him. It may sound odd for me, +with my principles, to admire Lord Sandwich; but besides that he +has in several instances been very obliging to me, there is a +good humour and an industry about him that are very uncommon. I +do not admire politicians; but when they are excellent in their +way, one cannot help allowing them their due. Nobody but he +could have struck a stroke like this. + +Yesterday we sat till eight on the address, which yet passed +without a negative - we had two very long speeches from Mr. Pitt +and Mr. Grenville; many fine parts in each. Mr. Pitt has given +the latter some strong words, yet not so many as were +expected.(355) To-morrow we go on the great question 'of +privilege; but I must send this away, as we have no chance of +leaving the House before midnight, if before next morning. + +This long letter contains the history of but two days; yet if two +days furnish a history, it is not my fault. The ministry, I +think, may do whatever they please. Three hundred, that will +give up their own privileges, may be depended upon for giving up +any thing else. I have not time or room to ask a question, or +say a word more. + +Nov. 18, Friday. + +I have luckily got a holiday, and can continue my despatch, as +you know dinner time is my chief hour of business. The Speaker, +unlike Mr. Onslow, who was immortal in the chair, is taken very +ill, and our House is adjourned to Monday. Wilkes is thought in +great danger: instead of keeping him quiet, his friends have +shown their zeal by him, and himself has been all spirits and +riot, and sat in his bed the next morning to correct the press +for to-morrow's North Briton. His bon-mots are all over the +town, but too gross, I think, to repeat; the chief' are at the +expense of poor Lord George.(356) Notwithstanding Lord +Sandwich's masked battery, the tide runs violently for Wilkes, +and I do not find people in general so inclined to excuse his +lordship as I was. One hears nothing but +stories of the latter's impiety, and of the concert he was In +with Wilkes on that subject. Should this hero die, the Bishop of +Gloucester may doom him whither he pleases, but Wilkes will pass +for a saint and a martyr. + +Besides what I have mentioned, there were two or three passages +in the House of Lords that were diverting. Lord Temple dwelled +much on the Spanish ministry being devoted to France. Lord +Halifax replied, "Can we help that? We can no more oblige the +King of Spain to change his ministers, than his lordship can +force his Majesty to change the present administration." Lord +Gower, too, attacking Lord Temple on want of respect to the King, +the Earl replied, "he never had wanted respect for the King: he +and his family had been attached to the house of Hanover full as +long as his lordship's family had."(357) + +You may imagine that little is talked of but Wilkes, and what +relates to him. Indeed, I believe there is no other news, but +that Sir George Warren marries Miss Bishop, the maid of honour. +The Duchess Of Grafton is at Euston, and hopes to stay there till +after Christmas. Operas do not begin till tomorrow se'nnight; +but the Mingotti is to sing, and that contents me. I forgot to +tell you, and you may Wonder at hearing nothing Of the Reverend +Mr. Charles Pylades,(358) while Mr. John Orestes is making such a +figure: but Dr. Pylades, the poet, has forsaken his consort and +the Muses, and is gone off with a stonecutter's daughter.(359) +If he should come and offer himself to you for chaplain to the +embassy! + +The Countess of Harrington was extremely alarmed last Sunday,, on +seeing the Duc de Prequigny enter her assembly: she forbade Lady +Caroline(360) speaking to such a debauched young man, and +communicated her fright to everybody. The Duchess of Bedford +observed to me that as Lady Berkeley(361) and some other matrons +of the same stamp were there, she thought there was no danger of +any violence being committed. For my part, the sisters are so +different, that I conclude my Lady Hertford has not found any +young man in France wild enough for her. Your counterpart, M. de +Guerchy, takes extremely. I have not yet seen his wife. + +I this minute receive your charming long letter of the 11th, and +give you a thousand thanks for it. I wish next Tuesday was past, +for Lady Hertford's sake. You may depend on my letting you know, +if I hear the least rumour in your disfavour. I shall do so +without your orders, for I could not bear to have you traduced +and not advertise you to defend yourself. I have hitherto not +heard a +syllable; but the newspapers talk of your magnificence, and I +approve extremely your intending to support their evidence; for +though I do not think it necessary to scatter pearls and diamonds +about the streets like their vice-majesties(362), of Ireland, one +owes it to one's self and to the King's choice to prove it was +well made. + +The colour given at Paris to Bunbury's(363) stay in England has +been given out here too. You need not, I think, trouble yourself +about that; a majority of three hundred will soon show, that if +he was detained, the reason at least no longer subsists. + +Hamilton is certainly returning from Ireland. Lord +Shannon's(364) son is going to marry the Speaker's daughter, and +the Primate has begged to have the honour of Joining their hands. + +This letter is wofullv blotted and ill-written, yet I must say it +is print compared to your lordship's. At first I thought you had +forgot that you was not writing to the secretary of state, and +had put it into cipher. Adieu! I am neither, dead of my fever +nor apoplexy, nay, nor of the House of Commons. I rather think +the violent heat of the latter did me good. Lady Ailesbury was +at court yesterday, and benignly received;(365) a circumstance +you will not dislike. + +P.S. If I have not told you all you want to know, interrogate me, +and I will answer the next post. + +(341) Parliament met on the 15th of November. The public mind +was at this moment in a considerable ferment, and the King's +speech invited Parliament "to discourage that licentious spirit +which is repugnant to the true principles of liberty and of this +happy constitution." It was expected that these words would, from +their being understood as a direct attack on Mr. Wilkes, have +opened a debate on his question, which was then uppermost in +every mind; but the opposition were unwilling to put themselves +under the disadvantage of opposing the address and of excepting +against words, which, in their general meaning were +unexceptionable; they, therefore, had recourse to the proceedings +so well described in this letter.-C. + +(342) He means, that parties were so violent that the members +seemed inclined to come to blows.-C. + +(343) The King's speech, which is now read at the house of the +minister, to a selection of the friends of government, was +formerly read at the Cockpit, and all who chose attended.-C. + +(344) "Yet oh, my sons! a father's words attend; +So may the Fates preserve the ears you lend."-E. + +(345) "As soon as the members were sworn at the table, Mr. Wilkes +and Mr. Grenville then a chancellor of the exchequer, arose in +their places, the first to make a complaint of a breach of +privilege in having been imprisoned, etc.; and Mr. Grenville, to +communicate to the House a message from the King, which related +to the privileges of the House: the Speaker at the same time +acquainted the House, that the clerk had prepared a bill, and +submitted it to them, whether, in point of form, the reading of +the bill should not be the first proceeding towards opening the +session. A very long debate ensued, which of these three matters +ought to have the precedence,, -and at last it was carried in +favour of the bill." Hatsell's Precedents, vol. ii. p. 77.-E. + +(346) Afterwards Lord Sydney. The Townshends were supposed to be +very unsteady, if not fickle, in their political conduct; a +circumstance which gives point to Goldsmith's mention of this Mr. +Townshend in his character of Burke:- + +"----yet straining his throat +To persuade Tommy Townshend to lend him a vote."-C. + +(347) Henry Seymour Conway, only brother of Lord Hertford, at +this time a groom of the bedchamber, lieutenant-general in the +army, and colonel of the first regiment of dragoons. He was, as +we will see, in consequence of his opposition to government on +these questions, dismissed both from court and his regiment: but +he became, on a change of ministers in 1765, secretary of state; +and in 1772 was promoted to be a general; and in 1793 a +field-marshal.-C. + +(348) Lord North was at this time one of the junior lords of the +treasury.-E. + +(349) Samuel Martin, Esq. Member for Camelford. He had been +secretary of the treasury during the Duke of Newcastle's and Lord +Bute's administration.-E. + +(350) These lines, and two others, usually appended to them-- + +"He that is in battle slain +Can never rise to fight again," + +are not in Hudibras. Butler has the same thought in two lines-- + + +"For those that fly may fight again, +Which he can never do that's slain." +Par. iii. Cant. 3, 1. 243.-C. + +(351) At the coronation, Lord Talbot, as lord steward, appeared +on horseback in Westminster-hall. His horse had been, at +numerous rehearsals, so assiduously trained to perform what was +thought the most difficult part of his duty, namely, the retiring +backwards from the royal table, that, at the ceremony itself, no +art of his rider could prevent the too docile animal from making +his approaches to the royal presence tail foremost. This +ridiculous incident, was the occasion of some sarcastic remarks +in the North Briton, of the 21st August, which led to a +correspondence between Lord Talbot and Mr. Wilkes, and ultimately +to a duel in the garden of the Red Lion Inn, at Bagshot, Mr. +Wilkes proposed that the parties should sup together that night, +and fight next morning. Lord Talbot insisted on fighting +immediately. This altercation, and some delay of Wilkes in +writing papers, which (not expecting, he said, to take the field +before morning) he had left unfinished, delayed the affair till +dusk, and after the innocuous exchange of shots by moonlight, the +parties shook hands, and supped together at the inn with a great +deal of jollity.-C. + +(352) A young Scotch officer of the name of Forbes, fastened a +quarrel on Mr. Wilkes, in Paris, for having written against +Scotland, and insisted on his fighting him. Wilkes declined +until he should have settled an engagement of the same nature +which he had with Lord Egremont. Just at this time Lord Egremont +died, and Wilkes immediately offered to meet Captain Forbes at +Menin, in Flanders. By some mistake Forbes did not appear, and +the affair blew over. A long controversy was kept up on the +subject by partisans in the newspapers; but on the whole it is +impossible to deny that Forbes's conduct was nasty and foolish, +and that Wilkes behaved himself like a man of temper and +honour.-C. + +(353) At this time secretary of state. " It is a great mercy," +says Lord Chesterfield, in a letter to his son, of the 3d of +December, "that Mr. Wilkes, the intrepid defender of our rights +and liberties, is out of danger; and it is no less a mercy, that +God hath raised up the Earl of Sandwich, to vindicate true +religion and morality. These two blessings will justly make an +epocha in the annals affairs country."-E. + +(354) The Bishop of Gloucester, whose laborious commentaries on +Pope's Essay on Man gave Wilkes the idea of fathering on him the +notes on the Essay on Woman.-C. + +(355) Dr. Birch, in a letter to Lord Royston, gives the following +account of what passed in the House of Lords on this occasion:- +-"The session commenced with a complaint made by Lord Sandwich +against Mr. Wilkes for a breach of privilege in being the author +of a poem full of obscenity and blasphemy, intitled 'An Essay on +Woman,' with notes, under the name of the Bishop of Gloucester. +His letters, which discovered the piece was his, had been seized +at Kearsley's the bookseller, when the latter was taken up for +publishing No. 45 of the North Briton. Lord Temple and Lord +Sandys objected to the reading letters, till the secretary of +state's warrant, by which Kearsley had been arrested, had been +produced and shown to be a legal act; but this objection being +overruled, the Lords voted the Essay a most scandalous, obscene, +and impious libel, and adjourned the farther consideration of the +subject, as far as concerned the author, till the Thursday +following."-E. + +Lord Barrington, in a letter to Sir Andrew Mitchell, gives the +following account of Mr. Pitt's speech:--"He spoke with great +ability, and the utmost degree of temper: he spoke civilly, and +not unfairly, of the ministers; but of the King he said every +thing which duty and affection could inspire. The effect of this +was a vote for an address, nem. con. I think, if fifty thousand +pounds had been given for that speech, it would have been well +expended. It secures us a quiet session." See Chatham +Correspondence, Vol. ii. p. 262.-E. + +(356) Probably Lord George Sackville, so disagreeably celebrated +for his conduct at Minden; afterwards a peer, by the title of +Lord Sackville, and secretary of state. In the North Briton +which was in preparation when Wilkes was taken up, he advised +that Lord George should carry the sword before the King at an +intended thanksgiving. Of all the persons suspected of being the +author of Junius, Lord George Sackville seems the most +probable.-C. ["It is peculiarly hostile to the opinion in favour +of Lord George, that Junius should roundly have accused him of +want of courage." Woodfall's Junius, Vol. i. P. 161.] + + +(357) Lord Gower had been reputed the head of the Jacobites. Sir +C. H. Williams sneeringly calls him "Hanoverian Gower;" and when +he accepted office from the house of Brunswick, all the Jacobites +in England were mortified and enraged. Dr. Johnson, a steady +Tory, was, when compiling his Dictionary, with difficulty +persuaded not to add to his explanation of the word +deserter--"Sometimes it is called a Go'er."-C. ["Talking," says +Boswell, "upon this subject, Dr. Johnson mentioned to me a +stronger instance of the predominance +of his private feelings in the composition of this work than any +now to be found in it: 'You know, Sir, Lord Gower forsook the old +Jacobite interest: when I came to the word renegades after +telling what it meant, one who deserts to the enemy, a revolter, +I added, sometimes we Say a GOWER: thus it went to the press; but +the printer had more wit than I, and struck it out.'" Croker's +Boswell.] + +(358) Churchill the satirist and Wilkes; of whom Mr. Southey, in +his Life of Cowper, relates the following anecdote:--"Churchill +became Wilkes's coadjutor in the North Briton; and the +publishers, when examined before the privy council on the +publication of No. 45, having declared that Wilkes gave orders +for the printing, and Churchill received the profits from the +sale, orders were given for arresting Churchill under the general +warrant. He was saved from arrest by Wilkes's presence of mind, +who was in custody of the messenger when Churchill entered the +room. 'Good morning, Thompson,' said Wilkes to him: 'how does +Mrs. Thompson do? Does she dine in the country?' Churchill took +the hint as readily as it had been given. He replied, that Mrs. +Thompson was waiting for him, and that he only came for a moment, +to ask him how he did. Then almost directly he took his leave, +hastened home, secured his papers, retired into the Country, and +eluded all search."-E. + +(359) Mr. Southey states, that "a fortnight had not elapsed +before both parties were struck with sincere compunction, and +through the intercession of a true friend, at their entreaty, the +unhappy penitent was received by her father: it is said she would +have proved worthy of this parental forgiveness, if an elder +sister had not, by continual taunt,; and reproaches, rendered her +life so miserable, that, in absolute despair, she threw herself +upon Churchill for protection. Instead of making a just +provision forher, which his means would have allowed, he received +her as his mistress. If all his other writings were forgotten, +the lines in which he expressed his compunction for his conduct +would deserve always to be remembered-- + +"Tis not the babbling of a busy world, +Where praise and censure are at random hurl'd, +Which can the meanest of my thoughts control, +one settled purpose of my soul; +Free and at large might their wild curses roam, +If all, if all, alas! were well at home. +No; 'tis the tale which angry conscience tells, +When she, with more than tragic horror, swells +Each circumstance of guilt; when stern, but true, +She brings bad action.,; full into review, +And, like the dread handwriting on the wall, +Bids late remorse awake at reason's call; +Arm'd at all points, bids scorpion vengeance pass, +And to the mind holds up reflection's glass-- +The mind, which starting heaves the heartfelt groan, +And hates that form she knows to be her own.'"-E. + +(360) Her eldest daughter, afterwards Viscountess Fortrose . she +died in 1767, at the age of twenty.-E. + +(361) Elizabeth Drax, wife of Augustus, fourth Earl Berkeley; she +had been lady of the bedchamber to the Princess-dowager.-E. + +(362) Hugh Earl, and afterwards Duke of Northumberland, and his +lady, Elizabeth Seymour, only surviving child of Algernon Duke of +Somerset, and heiress, by her grandmother, of the Percies.-E. + + +(363) Sir Charles Bunbury, Bart. The reason evidently was, that +he remained to vote in the House of Commons.-C. + +(364) Lord Boyle, eldest son of the first Earl of Shannon, +married, in the following month, Catharine, eldest daughter of +the Right Hon. John Ponsonby, Speaker of the Irish House of +commons, by Lady Ellen Cavendish, second daughter of the third +Duke of Devonshire. Lord Shannon, Mr. Ponsonby, and the Primate, +Dr. George Stone, Archbishop of Armagh, were the ruling +triumvirate of Ireland. They +were four times declared lords justices of that kingdom. Some +differences had, however, occurred between these great leaders, +which Mr. Walpole insinuates that this marriage was likely to +heal.-C. + +(365) the benignity of her reception at court is noticed because +General Conway's late votes against the ministry might naturally +have displeased the King, to whom he was groom of the +bedchamber.-C. + + + +Letter 180 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Nov. 20, 1763. (page 250) + +You are in the wrong; believe me you are in the wrong to stay in +the country; London never was so entertaining since it had a +steeple or a madhouse. Cowards fight duels; secretaries of state +turn Methodists on the Tuesday, and are expelled the playhouse +for blasphemy on Friday. I am not turned Methodist, but patriot, +and what is more extraordinary, am not going to have a place. +What is more wonderful still, Lord Hardwicke has made two of his +sons resign their employments. I know my letter sounds as +enigmatic as Merlin's almanack; but my events have really +happened. I had almost persuaded myself like you to quit the +world; thank my stars I did not. Why, I have done nothing but +laugh since last Sunday; though on Tuesday I was one of a hundred +and eleven, who were outvoted by three hundred; no laughing +matter generally to a true patriot, whether he thinks his country +undone or himself. Nay, I am still: more absurd; even for my +dear country's sake I cannot bring myself to connect with Lord +Hardwicke, or the Duke of Newcastle, though they are in the +minority-an unprecedented case, not to love every body one +despises, when they are of the same side. On the contrary, I +fear I resembled a fond woman, and dote on the dear betrayer. In +short, and to write something that you can understand, you know I +have long had a partiality for your cousin Sandwich, who has +out-Sandwiched himself. He has impeached +Wilkes for a blasphemous poem, and has been expelled for +blasphemy himself by the Beefsteak Club at Covent-garden. Wilkes +has been shot by Martin, and instead of being burnt at an auto da +fe, as the Bishop of Gloucester intended, is reverenced as a +saint by the mob, and if he dies, I suppose, the people will +squint themselves into convulsions at his tomb, in honour of his +memory. Now is not this better than feeding one's birds and +one's bantams, poring one's eyes out over old histories, not half +so extraordinary as the present, or ambling to Squire Bencow's on +one's padnag, and playing +at cribbage with one's brother John and one's parson? Prithee +come to town, and let us put off taking the veil for another +year: besides by this time twelvemonth we are sure the world will +be a year older in wickedness, and we shall have more matter for +meditation. One would not leave it methinks till it comes to the +worst, and that time cannot be many months off. In the mean +time, I have bespoken a dagger, in case the circumstances should +grow so classic as to make it becoming to kill oneself; however, +though disposed to quit the world, as I have no mind to leave it +entirely, I shall put off my death to the last minute, and do +nothing rashly, till I see Mr. Pitt and Lord Temple place +themselves in their curule chairs in St. James's-market, and +resign their throats to the victors. I am determined to see them +dead first, lest they should play me a trick, and be hobbling to +Buckingham-house, while I am shivering and waiting for them on +the banks of Lethe. Adieu! Yours, Horatius. + + + + +Letter 181 +To The Earl Of Hertford. +Arlington Street, Nov. 25, 1763. (page 251) + +You tell me, my dear lord, in a letter I have this moment +received from you, that you have had a comfortable one from me; I +fear it was not the last: you will not have been fond of your +brother's voting against the court. Since that, he has been told +by different channels that they think of taking away regiments +from opposers. He heard it, as he would the wind whistle: while +in the shape of a threat, he treats it with contempt; if put into +execution his scorn would subside into indifference. You know he +has but one object--doing what is right; the rest may betide as +it will. One or two of the ministers,(366) who are honest men, +would, I have reason to believe, be heartily concerned to have +such measures adopted; but they are not directors. The little +favour they possess, and the desperateness of their situation +oblige them to swallow many things they disapprove, and which +ruin their character with the nation; while others, who have no +character to lose, and whose situation is no less desperate, care +not what inconveniences they bring on their master, nor what +confusion on their country, in which they can never prosper, +except when it is convulsed. The nation, indeed, seems +thoroughly sensible of this truth. They are unpopular beyond +conception: even of those that vote with them there are numbers +that express their aversion without reserve. Indeed, on +Wednesday, the 23d, this went farther: we were to debate the +great point of privilege: Wilbraham(367) +objected, that Wilkes was involved in it, and ought to be +present. On this, though, as you see, a question of slight +moment, fifty-seven left them at once: they were but 243 to +166.(368) As we had sat, however, till eight at night, the +debate was postponed to next day. Mr. Pitt, who had a fever and +the gout, came on crutches, and wrapped in flannels: so he did +yesterday, but was obliged to retire at ten at night, after +making a speech of an hour and fifty minutes; the worst, I think, +I ever heard him make in my life. For our parts, we sat till +within ten minutes of two in the morning: yet we had but few +speeches, all were so long. Hussey,(369) solicitor to the +Princess of Wales, was against the court, and spoke with great +spirit, and true Whig spirit. Charles Yorke(370) shone +exceedingly. He had spoke and voted with us the night before; +but now maintained his opinion against Pratt's.(371) It was a +most able and learned performance, and the latter part, which was +oratoric, uncommonly beautiful and eloquent. You find I don't +let partiality to the Whig cause blind my judgment. That speech +was certainly the masterpiece of the day. Norton would not have +made a figure, even if Charles Yorke had not appeared; but giving +way to his natural brutality, he got into an ugly scrape. Having +so little delicacy or decency as to mention a cause in which he +had prosecuted Sir John Rushout(372) (Who sat just under him) for +perjury, the tough old knight (who had been honourably acquitted +of the charge) gave the House an account of the affair; and then +added, "I was assured the prosecution was set on foot by that +Honest gentleman; I hope I don't Call him out of his name--and +that it was in revenge for my having opposed him in an election." +Norton denied the charge upon his honour, which did not seem to +persuade every body. Immediately after this we had another +episode. Rigby,(373) totally unprovoked either by any thing said +or by the complexion of the day, which was grave and +argumentative, fell Upon Lord Temple, and described his behaviour +on the commitment of Wilkes. James Grenville,(374) who sat +beside him, rose in all the acrimony of resentment: drew a very +favourable picture of his brother, and then one of Rigby, +conjuring up the bitterest words, epithet, and circumstances that +he could amass together: told him how interested he was, and how +ignorant: painted his Journey to Ireland to get a law-place, for +which he was so unqualified; and concluded with affirming he had +fled from thence to avoid the vengeance of the people. The +passive Speaker suffered both painters to finish their words, and +would have let them carry their colours and brushes into +Hyde-park the next morning, if other people had not represented +the necessity of demanding their paroles that it should go no +farther. They were both unwilling to rise: Rigby did at last, +and put an end to it with humour(375) and good-humour. The +numbers were 258 to 133. The best speech of +all those that were not spoken was Charles Townshend's.(376) He +has for some time been informing the world that for the last +three months he had constantly employed six clerks to search and +transcribe records, journals, precedents, etc. The production of +all this mountain of matter was a mouse, and that mouse +stillborn: he has voted with us but never uttered a word. + +We shall now repose for some time; at least I am sure I shall. +It has been hard service; and nothing but a Whig point of this +magnitude could easily have carried me to the House at all, of +which I have so long been sick. Wilkes will live, but is not +likely to be in a situation to come forth for some time. The +blasphemous book has fallen ten times heavier on Sandwich's own +head than on Wilkes's: it has brought forth such a catalogue of +anecdotes as is incredible! Lord Hardwicke fluctuates between +life and death. Lord Effingham is dead suddenly, and Lord +Cantelupe(377) has got his troop. + +These are all our news; I am glad yours go on so smoothly. I +take care to do you justice at M. de Guerchy's for all the +justice you do to France, and particularly to the house of +Nivernois. D'Eon(378) is here still: I know nothing more of him +but that the honour of having a hand in the peace overset his +poor brain. This was evident on the fatal night(379) at Lord +Halifax's: when they told him his behaviour was a breach of the +peace, he was quite distracted, thinking it was the peace between +his country and this. + +Our operas begin to-morrow. The Duchess of Grafton is come for a +fortnight only. My compliments to the ambassadress, and all your +court. + +(366) There is reason to think that at this moment Mr. Grenville +and Lord Halifax were those to whom Mr. Walpole gave credit for +honest intentions and a disposition to moderate and conciliate. +This opinion, though probably correct, Walpole soon changed, as +to Mr. Grenville.-C. + +(367) Randle Wilbraham, LL.D. a barrister, deputy steward of the +University of Oxford, and member for Newton, in Lancashire.-E. + +(368) The question was, "That Privilege of Parliament does not +extend to the case of writing and publishing seditious libels, +nor ought to be allowed to obstruct the ordinary course of the +laws in the speedy and effectual prosecution of so heinous and +dangerous an offence."-C. + +(369) Richard Hussey, member for St. Mawes. He was counsel to +the navy, as well as solicitor to the Queen, not, as Mr. Walpole +says, to the Princess. He was afterwards her majesty's +attorney-general.-C. + +(370) Charles Yorke, second son of Lord Chancellor Hardwicke. He +had been attorney-general, but resigned on the 31st of October. +He agreed with the ministry on the question of privilege, but +differed from them on general warrants. This last difference may +have accelerated his resignation; but the event itself had been +determined on, ever since the failure of a negotiation which took +place towards the end of the preceding August, through Mr. Pitt +and Lord Hardwicke, to form a new administration on a Whig +basis.-C. + + +(371) Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, afterwards Lord Camden. +He had discharged Wilkes out of confinement on the ground of +privilege.-E. + +(372) Sir John Rushout, of Northwick, the fourth baronet. He had +sat in ten Parliaments; in the three first for Malmsbury, and in +the rest for Evesham. He had been a violent politician in Sir +Robert Walpole's administration. See vol. i. p. 222, letter +53.-E. + +(373) The Right Hon. Richard Rigby, master of the rolls in +Ireland, afterwards paymaster of the forces; a statesman of the +second class, and a bon vivant of the first. Mr. Rigby was at one +time a chief friend and favourite of Mr. Walpole's, but became +involved in Mr. Walpole's dislike to the Duke of Bedford, to whom +Mr. Rigby was sincerely and constantly attached, and over whom he +was supposed to have great influence.-C. + +(374) Fourth brother of Lord Temple and Mr. George Grenville; +father of Lord Glastonbury.-E. + +(375) Lady Suffolk, in a letter to the Earl of Buckingham, of the +29th of November, says, "Jemmy Grenville and Mr. Rigby were + so violent against each other, one in his manner of treating +Lord Temple, who was in the House, and the brother in his +justification of his brother, that the House was obliged to +interfere to prevent mischief. Lord Temple comes to me; but +politics is the bane of friendship, and when personal resentments +join, the man becomes another creature."-E. + +(376) As Mr. Walpole seems to impute Mr. Charles Townshend's +silence on the question of privilege to fickleness, or some worse +cause, it is but just to state that he never quite approved that +question. This will be seen from the following extract from some +of his confidential letters to Dr. Brocklesby, written two months +before Parliament met:--"You know I never approved of No. 45, or +engaged in any of the consequential measures. As to the question +of privilege, it is an intricate matter; The authorities are +contradictory, and the distinctions to be reasonably made on the +precedents are plausible and endless." Mr. Townshend gave a good +deal of further consideration to the subject, and his silence in +the debate only proves that his first impressions were confirmed. +Mr. Burke's beautiful, but, perhaps, too favourable character of +Charles Townshend will immortalize the writer and the subject.-C. + +(377) John, afterwards second Earl of Delawarr, vice-chamberlain +to the Queen.-E. + +(378) This singular person had been secretary to the Duke de +Nivernois's embassy, and in the interval between that +ambassador's departure and the arrival of M. de Guerchy, the +French mission to our court devolved upon him. This honour, as +Mr. Walpole intimates, seems to have turned his head, and he was +so absurdly exasperated at being superseded by M. de Guerchy, +that he refused to deliver his letters of recall, set his court +at defiance, and published a volume of libels on M. de Guerchy +and the French ministers. As he persisted in withholding the +letters of recall, the two courts were obliged to notify in the +London Gazette that his mission was at an end; and the French +government desired that he be given up to them. This, of course, +could not be done: but he was proceeded against by criminal +information, and finally convicted of the libels against M. de +Guerchy. D'Eon asserted, that the French ministry had a design +to carry him off privately; and it has been said that he was +apprised of this scheme by Louis XV. who, it seems, had +entertained some kind of secret and extra- official communication +with this adventurer. He afterwards continued in obscurity until +1777, when the public was astonished by the trial of an action +before Lord Mansfield, for money lost on +a wager respecting his sex. On that trial it seemed proved +beyond all doubt, that the person was a female. Proceedings in +the Parliament of Paris had a similar result, and the soldier and +the minister was condemned to wear woman's attire, which d'Eon +did for many years. He emigrated at the revolution, and died in +London in May, 1810. On examination, after death, the body +proved to be that of a male. This circumstance, attested by the +most respectable authorities, is so strongly it variance with all +the former evidence, that the French biographers have been +induced to doubt whether the original Chevalier D'Eon and the +person who died in 1810 were the same, and they even endeavour to +show that the real person, the Chevali`ere, as they term it, died +in 1790; but we cannot admit this solution of the difficulty, for +one, at least, of the surgeons who examined the body in 1810, had +known D'Eon in his habiliments, and he had for ten years lived +unquestioned under the name of D'Eon.-C. + +(379) On the 26th of October, D'Eon, meeting M. de Guerchy and a +M. de Vergy at Lord Halifax's, in Great George-street, burst out +into such violence on some observation made by De Vergy, that it +became necessary to call in the guard. His whole behaviour in +this affair looks like insanity.-C. + + + +Letter 182 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Arlington Street, Dec. 2, 1763. (page 254) + +I have been expecting a letter all day, as Friday is the day I +have generally received a letter from you, but it is not yet +arrived and I begin mine without it. M. de Guerchy has given us +a prosperous account of my Lady Hertford's audience still I am +impatient to hear it from yourselves. I want to know, too, what +you say to your brother's being in the minority. I have already +told you that unless they use him ill, I do not think him likely +to take any warm part. With regard to dismission of officers, I +hear no more of it: such a violent step would but spread the +flames. which are already fierce enough. I will give you an +instance: last' Saturday, Lord Cornwallis(380) and Lord +Allen,(381) came drunk to the Opera: the former went up to Rigby +in the pit, and told him in direct words that Lord Sandwich was a +pickpocket. Then Lord Allen, with looks and gestures no less +expressive, advanced close to him, and repeating this again in +the passage, would have provoked a quarrel, if George West(382) +had not carried him away by force. Lord (Cornwallis, the next +morning in Hyde-park, made an apology to Rigby for his behaviour, +but the rest of the world is not so complaisant. His pride, +insolence, and over-bearingness, have made him so many enemies, +that they are glad to tear him to pieces for his attack on Lord +Temple, so unprovoked, and so poorly performed. It was well that +with his spirit and warmth he had the sense not to resent the +behaviour of those two drunken young fellows. + +On Tuesday your Lordship's House sat till ten at night, on the +resolutions we had communicated to you; and you agreed to them by +114 to 35: a puny minority indeed, considering of what great +names it was composed! Even the Duke of Cumberland voted in it; +but Mr. Yorke's speech in our House, and Lord Mansfield's in +yours, for two hours, carried away many of the opposition, +particularly Lord Lyttelton, and the greater part of the Duke of +Newcastle's Bishops.(383) The Duke of Grafton is much commended. +The Duke of Portland commenced, but was too much frightened. +There was no warmth nor event; but Lord Shelburne, who they say +spoke well, and against the court, and as his friends had voted +in our House, has produced one, the great Mr. Calcraft(384) being +turned out yesterday, from some muster-mastership; I don't know +what. Lord Sandwich is canvassing to succeed Lord +Hardwicke, as High Steward of Cambridge; another egg of +animosity. We shall, however, I believe, be tolerably quiet till +after Christmas, as Mr. Wilkes Will not be able to act before the +holidays. I rejoice at it: I am heartily sick of all this folly, +and shall be glad to get to Strawberry again, and hear nothing of +it. The ministry have bought off Lord Clive(385) with a bribe +that would frighten the King of France himself: they have given +him back his 25,000 a year. +Walsh(386) has behaved nobly: he said he could not in conscience +vote with the administration, and would not Vote against Lord +Clive, who chose him: he has therefore offered to resign his +seat. Lady Augusta's(387) fortune was to be voted to-day and +Lord Strange talked of opposing it; but I had not the curiosity +to go down. This is all our politics, and indeed all our news; +we have none of any other kind. So far you will not regret +England. For my part, I wish myself with you. Being perfectly +indifferent who is minister and Who is not, and weary of +laughing(388) at both, I shall take hold of the first spring to +make you my visit. + +Our operas do not succeed. Girardini, now become minister and +having no exchequer to buy an audience, is grown unpopular. The +Mingotti, whom he has forced upon the town, is as much disliked +as if he had insisted on her being first lord of the treasury. +The first man, though with sweet notes, has so weak a voice that +he might as well hold his tongue like Charles Townshend. The +figurantes are very pretty, but can dance no more than Tommy +Pelham.(389) The first man dancer is handsome, well made, and +strong enough to make his fortune any where: but you know, +fortunes made in private are seldom agreeable to the public.(390) +In short, it will not do; there was not a soul in the pit the +second night. + +Lady Mary Coke has received her gown by the Prince de Masseran, +and is exceedingly obliged to you, though much disappointed; this +being a slight gown made up, and not the one she expected, which +is a fine one bought for her by Lady Holland,(391) and which you +must send somehow or other: if you cannot, you must despatch an +ambassador on purpose. I dined with the Prince de Masseran, at +Guerchy's, the day after his arrival; and if faces speak truth, +he will not be our ruin. Oh! but there is a ten times more +delightful man--the Austrian minister:(392) he is so stiff and +upright, that you would think all his mistress's diadems were +upon his head, and that he was afraid of their dropping off. + +I know so little of Irish politics, that I am afraid of +misinforming you: but I hear that Hamilton, who has come off with +honour in a squabble with Lord Newton,(393) about the latter's +wife, speaks and votes with the opposition against the +Castle.(394) I don't know the meaning of it, nor, except it had +been to tell you, should I have remembered it. + +Well! your letter will not come, and I must send away mine. +Remember, the holidays are coming, and that I shall be a good +deal out of town. I have been charming hitherto, but I cannot +make brick without straw. Encore, you are almost the only person +I ever write a line to. I grow so old and so indolent that I +hate the sight of a pen and ink. + +(380) Charles, first Marquis of Cornwallis: born in 1738, +succeeded his father, the first Earl, in 1762, and died in India +in 1805.-E. + +(381) Joshua, fifth Viscount Allen, of Ireland, born in 1738.-E. + +(382) George, second son of the first Earl of Delawarr.-E. + +(383) Bishops made during the Duke of Newcastle's administration, +and who were therefore supposed likely to be of his opinion. The +Duke of Newcastle after being nearly half a century in office, +was now in opposition.-C. + +(384) John Calcraft, Esq. was deputy commissary-general of +musters: he was particularly attached to Mr. Fox; which is, +perhaps, one reason why Mr. Walpole, who had now quarrelled with +Mr. Fox, speaks so slightingly of Mr. Calcraft.-C. + +(385) Robert Clive, who, for his extraordinary services and +success in India, was, at the age of thirty-five, created an +Irish peer. It was of him that Mr. Pitt said, that he was "a +heaven-born general, who without any experience in military +affairs, had surpassed all the officers of his time." The wealth +which this great man accumulated in India was, during his whole +subsequent life, a subject of popular jealousy and party +attack.-C. + +(386) John Walsh, Esq. member for Worcester.-E. + +(387) Princess Augusta, eldest sister of George III.; married in +January 1764 to the Duke of Brunswick, killed at Jena, in 1806. +Her Royal Highness died in London in 1810.-E. + +(388) Mr. Walpole affected indifference to politics, but the tone +of his correspondence does not quite justify the expression of +laughing at either party; he was warmly interested in the one, +and bitterly hostile to the other, and for a considerable period +took a deep and active interest in political party.-C. + +(389) Thomas Pelham, member for Sussex, afterwards comptroller of +the household, and first Earl of Chichester.-E. + +(390) The reader will observe, in this description of the Opera, +an amusing allusion to public affairs; the last sentence refers, +no doubt, to Lord Bute.-C. + +(391) Lady Georgina Caroline Lenox, eldest daughter of Charles, +second Duke of Richmond. She had been, in 1762, created Baroness +Holland in her own right.-C. + +(392) Probably the Count de Seleirn, minister from the +Empress-Queen, Maria Theresa. + +(393) Brinsley Lord Newton, afterwards second Earl of +Lanesborough, married Lady Jane Rochfort, eldest daughter of the +first Earl of Belvidere. In the affair here alluded to Lord +Newton exhibited at first an extreme jealousy, and subsequently +what was thought an extreme facility in admitting Mr. hamilton's +exculpatory assurances.-C. + +(394) This is not quite true; but Mr. Hamilton was on very bad +terms with the Lord Lieutenant, and certainly did not take that +prominent part in the House of Commons of Ireland which his +station as chief secretary seemed to require,.-C. + + + +Letter 183 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Arlington Street, Dec. 6, 1763. (page 256) + +Dear sir, +According to custom I am excessively obliged to you: you are +continually giving me proofs of your kindness. I have now three +packets to thank you for, full of information, and have only +lamented the trouble you have given yourself. + +I am glad for the tomb's sake and my own, that Sir Giles +Allington's monument is restored. The draught you have sent is +very perfect. The account of your ancestor Tuer(395) shall not +be forgotten in my next edition. The pedigree of Allington I had +from Collins before his death, but I think not as perfect as +yours. You have made one little slip in it: my mother was +granddaughter, not daughter of Sir John Shorter, and was not +heiress, having three brothers, who all died after her, and we +only quarter the arms of Shorter, which I fancy occasioned the +mistake, by their leaving no children. The verses by Sir Edward +Walpole, and the translation by Bland, are published in my +description of Houghton. + +I am come late from the House of Lords, and am just going to the +Opera; so you will excuse me saying more than that I have a print +of Archbishop Hutton for you (it @is Dr. Ducarel's), and a +little plate of Strawberry; but I do not send them by the post, +as it would crease them: if you will tell me how to convey them +otherwise, I will. I repeat many thanks to you. + +(395) Herbert Tuer, the painter. After the death of Charles 1. +he withdrew into Holland, and it is believed that he died at +Utrecht.-E. + + + +Letter 184 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Friday, Dec. 9, 1763. (page 257) + +Your brother has sent you such a full account of his transaction +with Mr. Grenville(396) that it is not necessary for me to add a +syllable, except, what your brother will not have said himself, +that he has acted as usual with the strictest honour and +firmness, and has turned this negotiation entirely to his own +credit. He has learned the ill wishes of his enemies, and what +is more, knows who they are: he has laughed at them, and found at +last that their malice was much bigger than their power. Mr. +Grenville, as you would wish, has proved how much he disliked the +violence of his associates, as I trust he will, whenever he has +an opportunity, and has at last contented himself with so little +or nothing, that I am sure you will feel yourself obliged to him. +For the measure itself, of turning out the officers in general +who oppose, it has been much pressed, and what is still sillier, +openly threatened by one set; but they dare not do it, and having +notified it without effect, are ridiculed by the whole town, as +well as by the persons threatened, particularly by Lord +Albermarle, who has treated their menaces with the utmost +contempt and spirit. This mighty storm, like another I shall +tell you of, has vented itself on Lord Shelburne and Colonel +Barr`e,(397) who were yesterday turned out; the first from +aide-de-camp to the King, the latter from adjutant-general and +governor of Stirling. Campbell,(398) to Whom it was promised +before, has got the last; Ned Harvey,(399) the +former. My present expectation is an oration from Barr`e(400 in +honour of Mr. Pitt; for those are scenes that make the world so +entertaining. After that, I shall demand a satire on Mr. Pitt, +from Mr. Wilkes; and I do not believe I shall be balked, for +Wilkes has already expressed his resentment on being given up by +Pitt, who, says Wilkes, ought to be expelled for an +impostor.(401) I do not know whether the Duke of Newcastle does +not expect a palinodia from me(402) T'other morning at the Duke's +lev`ee he embraced me, +and hoped I would come and eat a bit of Sussex mutton With him. +I had such difficulty to avoid laughing in his face that I got +from him as fast as I could. Do you think me very likely to +forget that I have been laughing at him these twenty years? + +Well! but we have had a prodigious riot: are not you impatient to +know the particulars? It was so prodigious a tumult, that I +verily thought half the administration would have run away to +Harrowgate. The north Briton was ordered to be burned by the +hangman at Cheapside, on Saturday last. The mob rose; the +greatest mob, says Mr. Sheriff Blunt, that he has known in forty +years. They were armed with that most bloody instrument, the mud +out of the kennels: they hissed in the most murderous manner: +broke Mr. Sheriff Harley's coach-glass in the most frangent +manner; scratched his forehead, so that he is forced to wear a +little patch in the most becoming manner; and obliged the hangman +to burn the paper with a link, though fagots were prepared to +execute it in a more solemn manner. Numbers of gentlemen, from +windows and balconies, encouraged the mob, who, in about an hour +and a half, were so undutiful to the ministry, as to retire +without doing any mischief, or giving Mr. Carteret Webb(403) the +opportunity of a single information, except against an ignorant +lad, who had been in town but ten days. + +This terrible uproar has employed us four days. The sheriffs +were called before your House on Monday, and made their +narrative. My brother Cholmondeley,(404) in the most pathetic +manner, and suitably to the occasion, recommended it to your +lordships, to search for precedents of what he believed never +happened since the world began. Lord Egmont,(405) who knows of a +plot, which he keeps to himself, though It has been carrying on +these twenty years, thought more vigorous measures ought to be +taken on such a crisis, and moved to summon the mistress of the +Union Coffee-house. The Duke of Bedford thought all this but +piddling, and at once attacked Lord Mayor, common council, and +charter of the city, whom, if he had been supported, I believe he +would have ordered to be all burned by the hangman next Saturday. +Unfortunately for such national justice, Lord Mansfield, who +delights in every opportunity of exposing and mortifying the Duke +of Bedford, and Sandwich, interposed for the magistracy of +London, and after much squabbling, saved them from immediate +execution. The Duke of Grafton, with infinite shrewdness and +coolness, drew from the witnesses that the whole mob was of one +mind; and the day ended in a vote of general +censure on the rioters. This was communicated to us at a +conference, and yesterday we acted the same farce; when Rigby +trying to revive the imputation on the Lord Mayor, etc. (who, by +the by, did sit most tranquilly at Guildhall during the whole +tumult) the ministry disavowed and abandoned him to a man, +vindicating the magistracy, and plainly discovering their own +fear and awe of the city, who feel the insult, and will from +hence feel their own strength. In short, to finish this foolish +story, I never saw a transaction in which appeared so little +parts, abilities, or conduct; nor do I think there can be any +thing weaker than the administration except it is the opposition: +but an opposition, bedrid and tonguetied, is a most ridiculous +body. Mr. Pitt is laid up with the gout; Lord Hardwicke, though +much relieved by a quack medicine, is still very ill; and Mr. +Charles Townshend is as silent as my Lord Abercorn(406--that they +too should ever be alike! + + +This is not all our political news; Wilkes is an inexhaustible +fund: on Monday was heard, in the common Pleas, his suit against +Mr. Wood,(407) when, after a trial of fourteen hours, the jury +gave him damages of one thousand pounds; but this was not the +heaviest part of the blow. The Solicitor-general(408) tried to +prove Wilkes author of the North Briton, and failed in the proof. +You may judge how much this miscarriage adds to the defeat. +Wilkes is not yet out of danger: they think there is still a +piece of coat or lining to come Out of the wound. The campaign +is over for the present, and the troops going into country +quarters. In the mean time, the house of Hamilton has supplied +us with new matter of talk. My lord was robbed about three +o'clock in the night between Saturday and Sunday, of money, +bills, watches, and snuff-boxes, to the amount of three thousand +pounds. Nothing is yet discovered, but that the +guard in the stable yard saw a man in a great coat and white +stockings come from thereabouts, at the time I have named. The +servants have all been examined over and over to no purpose. +Fielding(409) is all day in the house, and a guard of his at +night. The bureau in my lord's dressing-room (the little red +room where the pictures are) was forced open. I fear you can +guess who was at first suspected.(410) + + +I have received yours, my dear lord, of Nov. 30th, and am pleased +that my Lady Hertford is so well reconciled to her ministry. You +forgot to give me an account of her audience, but I have heard of +the Queen's good-natured attention to her. + +The anecdotes about Lord Sandwich are numerous; but I do not +repeat them to you, because I know nothing how true they are, and +because he has, in several instances, been very obliging to me, +and I have no reason to abuse him. Lord Hardwicke's illness, I +think, is a rupture and consequences. + +I hope to hear that your little boy is recovered. Adieu! I have +filled my gazette, and exhausted my memory. I am glad such +gazettes please you - I can have no other excuse for sending such +tittle-tattle. + +(396) This transaction was an endeavour on the part of Mr. +Grenville to obtain from General Conway a declaration that "his +disposition was not averse from a general support of the persons +and measures of those now employed," and permission " to say so +much when he might have occasion to speak to him." This +declaration General Conway declined to give, although Mr. +Grenville seemed to ask it only to enable him to save Conway from +dismissal on account of his late vote. There is reason to +believe that at this conference (at which the Duke of Richmond +was present, as Conway's friend) some overtures of a more +intimate connexion with the administration were made; but Conway +declared his determination to adhere to the politics of his +friends, the Dukes of Devonshire and Grafton. "At least," he +said, "if he should hereafter happen to differ from them, he +should so steer his conduct as not to be, in any way of office or +emolument, the better for it."-C. + +(397) Isaac Barr`e was a native of Ireland, and born in 1726: he +entered the army early in life, and rose, gradually to the rank +of colonel. He was in 1763 made adjutant-general and the +governor of Stirling Castle, but was turned out on this occasion, +and even resigned his half-pay. He continued to make a +considerable figure in the House of Commons: in 1782 he became a +privy-councillor and treasurer of the navy, which latter office +he soon exchanged for paymaster of the forces; but on the change +of government he retired on a pension of 3200 pounds, which his +political friends had previously secured for him. From this time +his sight failed him, and he was quite blind for many years +previous to his death, which took place in 1802.-C. + +(398) Captain James, afterwards Sir James Campbell, of +Ardkinglass: a captain in the army, and member for the county of +Stirling.-E. + +(399) Major-General Edward Harvey, lieutenant-general in 1772.-E. + +(400) Colonel Barr`e, previous to his dismissal, had +distinguished himself by an attack on Mr. Pitt, which is not +reported in the Parliamentary Debates.-C. [In the Chatham +Correspondence, vol. ii. p. 171, will be found the following +passage, in a letter from Mr. Symmers to Sir Andrew Mitchell, +dated January 29, 1762:--"Would you know a little of the humour +of Parliament, and particularly with regard to Mr. Pitt?' I must +tell you that Colonel Barr`e, a soldier of fortune, a young man +born in Dublin, of a mean condition, his father and mother from +France, and established in a little grocer's shop by the +patronage of the Bishop of Clogher; a child of whom the mother +nursed; this young man (a man of address and parts), found +out, pushed, and brought into Parliament by Lord Shelburne, had +not sat two days in the House of Commons before he attacked Mr. +Pitt. I shall give you a specimen of his philippics. Talking in +the manner of Mr. Pitt's speaking, he said, 'There he would +stand, turning up his eyes to heaven, that witnessed his +perjuries, and laying his hand in a solemn manner upon the table, +that sacrilegious hand, that hand that had been employed in +tearing out the bowels of his mother country!' Would you think +that Mr. Pitt would bear this and be silent; or would you think +that the House would suffer a respectable member to be so +treated? Yet so it Was."] + +(401) In the House of Commons, a few days before, Mr. Pitt had +condemned the whole series of North Britons, and called them +illiberal, unmanly, and detestable: "he abhorred," he said, "all +national reflections: the King's subjects were one people; +whoever divided them was guilty of sedition: his Majesty's +complaint was well-founded; it was just; it was necessary: the +author did not deserve to be ranked among the human species; he +was the blasphemer of his God and the libeller of the King."-E. + +(402) This improbable event a few weeks brought about. We shall +see that Mr. Walpole did sing his Palinodia, and went down to +Claremont to eat a bit of mutton with the man in the world whom +(as all his writings, but especially his lately published +Memoires, show) he had most heartily hated and despised.-C. + +(403) Philip Carteret Webb, Esq. solicitor to the treasury and +member for Haslemere.-E. + +(404) George third Earl of Cholmondeley; born in 1703: married +Mr. Walpole's only legitimate sister, who died at Aix in 1731; +and as all Sir Robert Walpole's sons died without issue, Lord +Cholmondeley's family succeeded to Houghton, and the rest of the +Walpole property, as heirs-at-law of Sir Robert.-C. + +(405) John, second Earl of Egmont, at this time first lord of the +admiralty. Lord Egmont had been in the House of Commons what +Coxe calls "a fluent and plausible debater;" but he had some +peculiarities of mind, to which Walpole here and elsewhere +alludes.-C. + +(406) James, eighth Earl of Abercorn, "a nobleman," says his +panegyrist, "whose character was but little known, or rather but +little understood; but who possessed singular vigour of mind, +integrity of conduct, and patriotic views." Mr. Walpole elsewhere +laughs at his lordship's dignified aversion to throwing away his +words.-C. + +(407) An action brought by Wilkes against Robert Wood, Esq. late +under-secretary of State for seizing Wilkes's papers, etc. It +was tried before Chief Justice Pratt, and under his direction the +jury found for the plaintiff.-C. + +(408) Sir Fletcher Norton was not made attorney-general till +after this trial.-E. + +(409) Mr. John Fielding, chief police magistrate.-E. + +(410) The robbery was committed by one Bradley, a discharged +footman, and one John Wisket. The former was admitted a witness +for the crown, and the latter was hanged on his evidence, in Dec. +1764.-C. + + + +Letter 185 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Arlington Street, Dec. 16, 1763. (page 261) + +On the very day I wrote to you last, my dear lord, an +extraordinary event happened, which I did not then know. A +motion was made in the common council, to thank the sheriffs for +their behaviour at the riot, and to prosecute the man who was +apprehended for it. This was opposed, and the previous question +being put, the numbers were equal; but the casting vote of the +Lord Mayor(411) was given against putting the first +question--pretty strong proceeding; for though, in consequence +and in resentment of the Duke of Bedford's speech, it seemed to +justify his grace, who had accused the mayor and magistracy of +not trying to suppress the tumult; if they will not prosecute the +rioters, it is not very unfair to surmise that they did not +dislike the riot. Indeed, the city is so inflamed, and the +ministry so obnoxious, that I am very apprehensive of some +violent commotion. The court have lost the Essex election(412) +merely from Lord Sandwich interfering in it, and from the Duke of +Bedford's speech; a great number of votes going from the city on +that account to vote for Luther. Sir John Griffin,(413) who was +disobliged by Sandwich's espousing Conyers, went to Chelmsford, +at the head of five hundred voters. + +One of the latest acts of the ministry will not please my Lady +Hertford: they have turned out her brother, Colonel Fitzroy:(414 +Fitzherbert,(415) too, is removed; and, they say, Sir Joseph +Yorke recalled.(416) I must do Lord Halifax and Mr. Grenville +the justice to say that these violences are not imputed to them. +It is certain that the former was the warmest opposer of the +measure for breaking the officers; and Mr. Grenville's friends +take every opportunity of throwing the blame on the Duke of +Bedford and Lord Sandwich. The Duchess of Bedford, who is too +fond a Wife not to partake in all her husband's fortunes, has +contributed her portion of indiscretion. At a great dinner, +lately, at Lord Halifax's, all the servants present, mention +being made of the Archbishop of Canterbury,(417) M. de Guerchy +asked the Duchess, "Est-il de famille?" She replied, "Oh! mon +Dieu, non, il a `et`e sage-femme." The mistake of sage-femme for +accoucheur, and the strangeness of the proposition, confounded +Guerchy so much, that it was necessary to explain it: but think +of a minister's wife telling a foreigner, and a Catholic, that +the primate of her own church had been bred a man-midwife! + +The day after my last, another verdict was given in the common +Pleas, of four hundred pounds to the printers; and another +episode happened, relating to Wilkes; one Dunn, a mad Scotchman, +was seized in Wilkes's house, whither he had gone intending to +assassinate him. This was complained of in the House of Commons, +but the man's phrensy was verified; it was even proved that he +had notified his design in a coffee-house, some days before. The +mob, however, who are determined that Lord Sandwich shall answer +for every body's faults, as well as his own, believe that he +employed Dunn. I wish the recess, which begins next Monday, may +cool matters a little, for indeed it grows very serious. + +Nothing is discovered of Lord Harrington's robbery, nor do I know +any other news, but that George West(418) is to marry lady Mary +Grey. The Hereditary Prince's wound is broken out again, and +will defer his arrival. We have had a new comedy,(419) written +by Mrs. Sheridan, and admirably acted; but there was no wit in +it, and it was so vulgar that it ran but three nights. + +Poor Lady Hervey desires you will tell Mr. Hume how incapable she +is of answering his letter. She has been terribly afflicted for +these six weeks with a complication of gout, rheumatism, and a +nervous complaint. She cannot lie down in her bed, nor rest two +minutes in her chair. I never saw such continued suffering. + +You say in your last, of the 7th, that you have omitted to invite +no Englishman of rank or name. This gives me an opportunity, my +dear lord, of mentioning one Englishman, not of great rank, but +who is very unhappy that you have taken no notice of him. You +know how utterly averse I am to meddle, or give impertinent +advice; but the letter I saw was expressed with so much respect +and esteem for you, that you would love the person. It is Mr. +Selwyn, the banker. He says, he expected no favour; but the +great regard he has for the amiableness of your character, makes +him miserable at being totally undistinguished by you. He has so +good a character himself and is so much beloved by many persons +here that you know, that I think you will not dislike my putting +you in mind of him. The letter was not to me, nor to any friend +of mine; therefore, I am sure, unaffected. I saw the whole +letter, and he did not even hint at its being communicated to me. + +I have not mentioned Lady Holdernesse's presentation, though I by +no means approve it, nor a Dutch woman's lowering the peerage of +England. Nothing of that sort could make me more angry, except a +commoner's wife taking such a step; for you know I have all the +pride of A citizen of Rome, while Rome survives: In that respect +my name is thoroughly Horatius. + +(411) William Bridgen, Esq.-E. + +(412) John Luther, Esq. was returned for Essex, on the popular +interest, after a severe and most expensive contest.-C. + +(413) Sir john Griffin Griffin, K. B., major-general and colonel +of the 33d regiment; member for Andover. He established, in +1784, a claim to the barony of Howard de Walden, and was created, +in 1788, +Baron Braybrook, with remainder to A. A. Neville, Esq. He died +in 1797.-C. + +(414) Colonel Charles Fitzroy, member for Bury, afterwards Lord +Southampton. It seems strange that Mr. Walpole should be +mistaken in such a point; but Colonel Fitzroy was not Lady +Hertford's brother, but her brother's son.-C. + +(415) William Fitzherbert, Esq. member for Derby: a lord of +trade.-C. + +(416) the rumour mentioned in the text was unfounded, Sir Joseph +continued at the Hague till 1783.-C. + +(417) Archbishop Secker. The Grounds for this strange story +(which Walpole was fond of repeating) was, that the Archbishop +had, in early youth, been intended for the medical profession, +and had attended some hospitals.-C. + +(418) Mr. West married, in February 1764, Lady Mary Grey, +daughter of the Earl of Stamford: he died without issue, in +1776.-E. + +(419) "The Dupe," by Mrs. Sheridan, mother of Richard Brinsley +Sheridan. The Biographia Dramatica says it was condemned, "on +account of a few passages, which the audience thought two +indelicate."-E. + + + +Letter 186 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Arlington Street, Dec. 29, 1763. (page 263) + +You are sensible, my dear lord, that any amusement from my +letters must depend upon times and seasons. We are a very absurd +nation (though the French are so good at present as to think us a +very wise one, only because they themselves, are now a very weak +one); but then that absurdity depends upon the almanac. +Posterity, who will know nothing of our intervals, wilt conclude +that this age was a succession of events. I could tell them that +we know as well when an event, as when Easter will happen. Do +but recollect these last ten years. The beginning of October, +one is certain that every body will be at Newmarket, and the Duke +of Cumberland will lose', and Shafto(420) win, two or three +thousand pounds. After that, while people are preparing to come +to town for the winter, the ministry is suddenly changed, and all +the world comes to learn how it happened, a fortnight sooner than +they intended; and fully persuaded that the new arrangement +cannot last a month. The Parliament opens; every body is bribed; +and the new establishment is perceived to be composed of adamant. +November passes, with two or three self-murders, and a new play. +Christmas arrives; every body goes out of town; and a riot +happens in one of the theatres. The Parliament meets again; +taxes are warmly opposed; and some citizen makes a fortune by a +subscription.(421) The opposition languishes; balls and +assemblies begin; some master and miss begin to get together, are +talked of, and give occasion to forty more matches being +invented; an unexpected debate starts up at the end of the +session, that makes more noise than any thing that was designed +to make a noise, and subsides again in a new peerage or two. +Ranelagh opens and Vauxhall; one produces scandal, and t'other a +drunken quarrel. People separate, some to Tunbridge, and some to +all the horseraces in England; and so the year comes again to +October. I dare to prophesy, that if you keep this letter, YOU +Will find that my future correspondence will be but an +illustration of this text; at least, it is an excuse for my +having very little to tell you at present, and was the reason of +My not writing to you last week. + +Before the Parliament adjourned, there was nothing but a trifling +debate in an empty House, occasioned by a motion from the +ministry, to order another physician and surgeon to attend +Wilkes; it was carried by about seventy to thirty, and was only +memorable by producing Mr. Charles Townshend, who having sat +silent through the question of privilege, found himself +interested in the defence of Dr. Brocklesby!(422) Charles +ridiculed Lord North extremely, and had warm words with George +Grenville. I do not look upon this as productive of +consequential speaking for the opposition; on the contrary, I +should expect him sooner in place, if the ministry could be fools +enough to restore weight to him and could be ignorant that he can +never hurt them so much as by being with them. Wilkes refused to +see Heberden and Hawkins, whom the House commissioned to visit +him; and to laugh at us more, sent for two Scotchmen, Duncan and +Middleton. Well! but since that, he is gone off himself: +however, as I (lid in D'Eon's case, I can now only ask news of +him from you, and not tell you any; for You have got him. I do +not believe you will invite him, and make so much of him, as +the Duke of Bedford did. Both sides pretend joy at his being +gone; and for once I can believe both. You will be diverted, as +I was, at the cordial esteem the ministers have for one another; +Lord Waldegrave(423) told my niece, this morning, that he had +offered a shilling, to receive an hundred pounds when-@Sandwich +shall lose his head! What a good opinion they have of one +another! apropos to losing heads, is Lally beheaded? + +The East India Company have come to an unanimous resolution of +not paying Lord Clive the three hundred thousand pounds, which +the ministry had promised him in lieu of his nabobical annuity. +Just after the bargain was made, his old rustic of a father was +at the King's lev`ee; the King asked where his son was; he +replied, "Sire, he is coming to town, and their your Majesty will +have another vote." If you like these franknesses, I can tell +you another. The Chancellor(424) is chosen a governor of St. +Bartholomew's Hospital; a smart gentleman, who was sent with the +staff, carried it in the evening, when the Chancellor happened to +be drunk. "Well, Mr. Bartlemy," said his lordship, snuffling, +"what have you to say?" The man, who had prepared a formal +harangue, was transported to have so fair opportunity given him +of uttering it, and with much dapper gesticulation congratulated +his lordship on his health, and the nation on enjoying such great +abilities. The Chancellor stopped him short, crying, "By God, it +is a lie! I have neither health nor abilities my bad health has +destroyed my abilities." The late Chancellor(425) is much +better. + +The last time the King was at Drury-lane, the play given out for +the next night was "All in the Wrong:" the Galleries clapped, and +then cried out. "Let us be all in the right! Wilkes and Liberty!" +When the King comes to a theatre, or goes out, or goes to the +House, there is not a single applause; to the Queen there is a +little: in short, Louis le bien-aim`e is not French at present +for King George. + +The town, you may be sure, is very empty; the greatest party is +at Woburn, whither the Comte de Guerchy and the Duc de Pecquigny +are going. I have been three days at Strawberry, and had George +Selwyn, Williams, and Lord Ashburnham;(426) but the weather was +intolerably bad. We have scarce had a moment's drought since you +went, no more than for so many months before. The towns and the +roads are beyond measure dirty, and every thing else under water. +I was not well neither, nor am yet, with pains in my stomach: +however, if I ever used one, I could afford to pay a physician. +T'other day, coming from my Lady Townshend's, it came into my +head to stop at one of the lottery offices, to inquire after a +single ticket I had, expecting to find it a blank, but it was +five hundred pounds--Thank you! I know you wish me joy. It will +buy twenty pretty things when I come to Paris. + +I read last night, your new French play, Le Comte de Warwick(427) +which we hear has succeeded much. I must say, it does but +confirm the cheap idea I have of you French: not to mention the +preposterous perversion of history in so known a story, the +Queen's ridiculous preference of old Warwick to a young King; the +omission of the only thing she ever said or did in her whole life +worth recording, which was thinking herself too low for his wife, +and too high for his mistress;(428) the romantic honour bestowed +on two such savages as Edward and Warwick: besides these, and +forty such glaring absurdities, there is but one scene that has +any merit, that between Edward and Warwick in the third act. +Indeed, indeed, I don't honour the modern French: it is making +your son but a slender compliment, with his knowledge, for them +to say it is extraordinary. The best proof I think they give of +their taste, is liking you all three. I rejoice that your little +boy is recovered. Your brother has been at Park-place this week, +and stays a week longer: his hill is too high to be drowned. + +Thank you for your kindness to Mr. Selwyn: if he had too much +impatience, I am sure it proceeded only from his great esteem for +you. + +I will endeavour to learn what you desire; and will answer, in +another letter, that and some other passages in your last. Dr. +Hunter is very good, and calls on me sometimes. You may guess +whether we talk you over or not. Adieu! + +P. S. There has not been a death, but Sir William Maynard's, who +is come to life again: or a marriage, but Admiral Knollys's who +has married his divorced wife again. + +(420) Robert Shafto, Esq. of Whitworth, member of Durham, well +known on the turf.-C. + +(421) To a loan.-C. + +(422) Dr. Richard Brocklesby, an eminent physician. He had been +examined before the House of Commons, as to Mr. Wilkes's +incapacity to attend in his place. His Whig politics, which +probably induced Mr. Wilkes to sen@ for him, induced the majority +of the House to distrust his report, and to order two other +medical men to visit the patient. This proceeding implied a +doubt of Dr. Brocklesby's veracity, which certainly called for,@ +the interference of Mr. Charles Townshend, who was a private as +well as a political friend of the doctor's. Dr. Brocklesby, +besides being one of the first physicians of his time, was a man +of literature and taste, and did not confine his society nor his +beneficence to those who agreed with him in politics. He was the +friend and physician of Dr. Johnson, and when, towards the close +of this great man's life, it was supposed that his circumstances +were not quite easy, Dr. Brocklesby generously pressed him to +accept an annuity of one hundred pounds, and he attended him to +his death with unremitted affection and care.-C. + +(423) John, third Earl of Waldegrave, a general in the army: in +1770 master of the horse to the Queen.-E. + +(424) Lord Henley; afterwards Earl of Northington. + +(425) Lord Hardwicke. + +(426) John, second Earl of Ashburnham; one of the lords of the +bedchamber, and keeper of the parks.-E. + +(427) By La Harpe. This play, written when the author was only +twenty-three years old, raised him into great celebrity; and is, +in the opinion of the French critics, his first work in merit as +well as date.-C. + +(428) This phrase has been also attributed to Mademoiselle de +Montmorency, afterwards Princess de Cond`e, in reply to the +solicitations of Henry IV.; and is told also of Mademoiselle de +Rohan, afterwards Duchess of Deux Ponts.-C. + + + +Letter 187 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Jan. 11, 1764. (page 266) + +It is an age, I own, since I wrote to you; but except politics, +what was there to send you? and for politics, the present are too +contemptible to be recorded by any body but journalists, +gazetteers, and such historians! The ordinary of Newgate, or Mr. +* * * * who write for their monthly half-crown, and who are +indifferent whether Lord Bute, Lord Melcombe, or Maclean is their +hero, may swear they find diamonds on dunghills; but you will +excuse me, if I let our correspondence lie dormant rather than +deal in such trash. I am forced to send Lord Hertford and Sir +Horace Mann such garbage, because they are out of England, and +the sea softens and makes palatable any potion, as it does +claret; but unless I can divert you, I had rather wait till we +can laugh together; the best employment for friends, who do not +mean to pick one another's pocket, nor make a property of +either's frankness. Instead of politics, therefore, I shall +amuse you to-day with a fairy tale. + +I was desired to be at my Lady Suffolk's on New-year's morn, +where I found Lady Temple and others. On the toilet Miss Hotham +spied a small round box. She seized it with all the eagerness +and curiosity of eleven years. In it was wrapped up a +heart-diamond ring and a paper in which, in a hand as small as +Buckinger's, who used to write the Lord's Prayer in the compass +of a silver penny, were the following lines:-- + +Sent by a sylph, unheard, unseen +A new-year's gift from Mab our queen: +But tell it not, for if you do, +You will be pinch'd all black and blue. +Consider well, what a disgrace, +To show abroad your mottled face +Then seal your lips, put on the ring, +And sometimes think of Ob., the king. + +You will easily guess that Lady Temple(429) was the poetess, and +that we were delighted with the genteelness of the thought and +execution. The child, you may imagine, was less transported with +the poetry than the present. Her attention, however, was hurried +backwards and forwards from the ring to a new coat, that she had +been trying on when sent for down; impatient to revisit her coat, +and to show the ring to her maid, she whisked up stairs; when she +came down again, she found a letter sealed, and lying on the +floor--new exclamations! Lady Suffolk bade her open it: here it +is:-- + +Your tongue, too nimble for your sense, +Is guilty of a high offence; +Hath introduced unkind debate, +And topsy-turvy turned our state. +In gallantry I sent the ring, +The token of a lovesick king: +Under fair Mab's auspicious name +>From me the trifling present came. +You blabb'd the news in Suffolk's ear; +The tattling zephyrs brought it here; +As Mab was indolently laid +Under a poppy's spreading shade. +The jealous queen started in rage; +She kick'd her crown and beat her page: +"Bring me my magic wand," she cries; +"Under that primrose there it lies; +I'll change the silly, saucy chit, +Into a flea, a louse, a nit, +A worm, a grasshopper, a rat, +An owl, a monkey, hedge-hog, bat. +Ixion once a cloud embraced, +By Jove and jealousy well placed; +What sport to see proud Oberon stare, +And flirt it with a pet-en Pair!" +Then thrice she stamped the trembling ground, +And thrice she waved her wand around; +When I endowed with greater skill, +And less inclined to do you ill, +Mutter'd some words, withheld her arm +And kindly stoppld the unfinish'd charm +But though not changed to owl or bat, +Or something more indelicate; +Yet, as your tongue has run too fast, +Your boasted beauty must not last, +No more shall frolic Cupid lie +In ambuscade in either eye, +>From thence to aim his keenest dart +To captivate each youthful heart: +No more shall envious misses pine +At charms now flown, that once were thine: +No more, since you so ill behave, +Shall injured Oberon be your slave. + +The next day my Lady Suffolk desired I would write her a patent +for appointing Lady Temple poet laureate to the fairies. I was +excessively out of order with a pain in my stomach, which I had +had for ten days, and was fitter to write verses like a poet +laureate, than for making one: however, I was going home to +dinner alone, and at six I sent her some lines, which you ought +to have seen how sick I was, to excuse; but first, I must tell +you my tale methodically. The next morning by nine o'clock Miss +Hotham (she must forgive me twenty years hence for saying she was +eleven, for I recollect she is but ten,) arrived at Lady +Temple's, her face and neck all spotted with saffron, and +limping. "Oh, Madam!" said she, "I am undone for ever if you do +not assist me!" "Lord, child," cried my Lady Temple, "what is +the matter?" thinking she had hurt herself, or lost the ring, and +that she was stolen out before her aunt was up. "Oh, Madam," +said the girl. "nobody but you can assist me!" My Lady Temple +protests the 'child acted her part so well as to deceive her. +"What can I do for you?" "Dear Madam, take this load from my +back; nobody but you can." Lady Temple turned her round, and +upon her back was tied a child's waggon. In it were three tiny +purses of blue velvet; in one of them a silver cup, in another a +crown of laurel, and in the third four new silver pennies, with +the patent, signed at top, Oberon Imperator; and two sheets of +warrants strung together with blue silk according to form; and at +top an office seal of wax and a chaplet of cut paper on it. The +warrants were these:-- + +>From the Royal Mews: +A waggon with the draught horses, delivered by command without +fee. + +>From the Lord Chamberlain's Office: +A warrant with the royal sign manual, delivered by command +without fee, being first entered in the office books. + +>From the Lord Steward's Office: +A butt of sack, delivered without fee or gratuity, with an order +for returning the cask for the use of the office, by command. + +>From the Great Wardrobe: +Three velvet bags, delivered without fee, by command. + +>From the Treasurer of the Household's Office: +A year's salary paid free from land-tax, poundage, or any other +deduction whatever, by command. + +>From the Jewel Office: +A silver butt, a silver cup, a wreath of bays, by command without +fee. + +Then came the patent: + +By these presents be it known, +To all who bend before your throne, +Fays and fairies, elves and sprites, +Beauteous dames and gallant knights, +That we, Oberon the grand, +Emperor of fairy land, +King of moonshine, prince of dreams, +Lord of Aganippe's streams, +Baron of the dimpled isles +That lie in pretty maidans' smiles, +Arch-treasurer of all the graces +Dispersed through fifty lovely faces, +Sovereign of the slipper's order, +With all the rites thereon that border, +Defender of the sylphic faith, +Declare--and thus your monarch saith: +Whereas there is a noble dame, +Whom mortals Countess Temple name, +To whom ourself did erst impart +The choicest secrets of our art, +Taught her to tune the harmonious line +To our own melody divine, +Taught her the graceful negligence, +Which, scorning art and veiling sense, +Achieves that conquest o'er the heart +Sense seldom gains, and never art; +This lady, 'tis our royal will +Our laureate's vacant seat should fill: +A chaplet of immortal bays +Shall crown her brow and guard her lays; +Of nectar sack an acorn cup +Be at her board each year fill'd up; +And as each quarter feast comes round +A silver penny shall be found +Within the compass of her shoe; +And so we bid you all adieu! + +Given at our palace of Cowslip-castle, the shortest night of the +year. Oberon. And underneath, +Hothamina. + +How shall I tell you the greatest curiosity of the story? The +whole plan and execution of the second act was laid and adjusted +by my Lady Suffolk herself and Will. Chetwynd, master of the +mint, Lord Bolingbroke's Oroonoko-Chetwynd; he fourscore, she +past seventy-six; and, what is more, much worse than I was, for, +added to her deafness, she has been confined these three weeks +with the gout in her eyes, was actually then in misery, and had +been without sleep. What spirits, and cleverness, and +imagination, at that age, and under those afflicting +circumstances! You reconnoitre her old court knowledge, how +charmingly she has applied it! Do you wonder I pass so many +hours and evenings with her? Alas! I had like to +have lost her this morning! They had poulticed her feet to draw +the gout downwards, and began to succeed yesterday, but to-day it +flew up into the head, and she was almost in convulsions with the +agony, and screamed dreadfully; proof enough how ill she was, for +her patience and good breeding makes her for ever sink and +conceal what she feels. This evening the gout has been driven +back to her foot, and I trust she is out of' danger. Her loss +would be irreparable to me at Twickenham, where she is by far the +most rational and agreeable company I have. + +I don't tell you that the Hereditary Prince(430) is still +expected and not arrived. A royal wedding would be a flat +episode after a re(il fairy tale, though the bridegroom is a +hero. I have not seen your brother General yet, but have called +on him. When come you yourself? Never mind the town and its +filthy politics; we can go to the gallery at Strawberry--stay, I +don't know whether we can or not, my hill is almost drowned, I +don't know how your mountain is--well, we can take a boat, and +always be gay there; I wish we may be so at seventy-six and +eighty! I abominate politics more and more; we had glories, and +would not keep them: well! content, that there was an end of +blood; then perks prerogative its ass's ears up; we are always to +be saving our liberties, and then staking them +again! 'Tis wearisome! I hate the discussion, and yet One cannot +always sit at a gaming-table and never make a bet. I wish for +nothing, I care not a straw for the ins or the outs; I determine +never to think of them, yet the contagion catches one; can you +tell any thing that will prevent infection? Well then, here I +swear,-no I won't swear, one always breaks one's oath. Oh, that +I had been born to love a court like Sir William Breton! I should +have lived and died with the comfort of thinking that courts +there will be to all eternity, and the liberty of my country +would never once have ruffled my smile, or spoiled my bow. I +envy Sir William. Good night! + +(429) Anne, one of the daughters and coheirs of Thomas Chambers, +of Hanworth, in the county of Middlesex, Esq. wife of Earl +Temple. This lady was a woman of genius: it will hereafter be +seen, that a small volume of her poems was printed at the +Strawberry Hill press.-E. + +(430) Of Brunswick. + + + +Letter 188 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Arlington Street, Jan. 22, 1764. (page 270) + +Monsieur Monin, who will deliver this to you, my dear lord, is +the particular friend I mentioned in my last,(431) and is, +indeed, no particular friend of mine at all, but I had a mind to +mislead my Lord Sandwich, and send you one letter which he should +not open. This I write in peculiar confidence to you, and insist +upon your keeping it entirely to yourself from every living +creature. It will be an answer to several passages in your +letters, to which I did not care to reply by the post. + +Your brother was not pleased with your laying the stopping your +bills to his charge.(432) To tell you the truth, he thinks you +are too much inclined to courts and ministers, as you think him +too little so. So far from upbraiding him on that head, give me +leave to say you have no reason to be concerned at it. You must +be sensible, my dear lord, that you are far from standing well +with the opposition, and should any change happen, your brother's +being well with them, would prevent any appearance that might be +disagreeable to you. In truth, I cannot think you have abundant +reason to be fond of the administration. Lord Bute(433) never +gave you the least real mark of friendship. The Bedfords +certainly do not wish you well: Lord Holland has amply proved +himself your enemy: for a man of your morals, it would be a +disgrace to you to be connected with Lord Sandwich; and for +George Grenville,(434) he has shown himself the falsest and most +contemptible of mankind. He is now the intimate tool of the +Bedfords, and reconciled to Lord Bute, whom he has served and +disserved just as occasion or interest directed. In this +situation of things, can you wonder that particular marks of +favour are withheld from you, or that the expenses of your +journey are not granted to you as they were to the +Duke of Bedford! + +You ask me how your letters please; it is impossible for me to +learn, now I am so disconnected with every thing ministerial. I +wish YOU not to make them please too much. The negotiations with +France must be the great point on which the nation will fix its +eyes: with France we must break sooner or later. Your letters +will be strictly canvassed: I hope and firmly believe that +nothing will appear in them but attention to the honour and +interest of the nation; points, I doubt, little at the heart of +the present administration, who have gone too far not to be in +the power of France, and who must bear any thing rather than +quarrel. I would not take the liberty of saying so much to you, +if, by being on the spot, I was not a judge how very serious +affairs grow, and how necessary it is for you to be upon your +guard. + +Another question you ask is, whether it is true that the +opposition is disunited. I will give you one very necessary +direction, which is, not to credit any court stories. Sandwich +is the father of lies,(435) and every report is tinctured by him. +The administration give it out, and trust to this disunion. I +will tell you very nearly what truth there is or is not in this. +The party in general is as firmly and cordially united as ever +party was. Consider, that without any heads or leaders at all, +102(436) men stuck to Wilkes, the worst cause they could have +had, and with all the weight of the Yorkes against them. With +regard to the leaders there is a difference. The old Chancellor +is violent against the court: but, I believe, displeased that his +son was sacrificed(437) to Pratt, in the case of privilege. +Charles Yorke(438) resigned, against his own and Lord +Royston,S(439) inclination, is particularly angry with Newcastle +for complying with Pitt in the affair of privilege, and not less +displeased that Pitt prefers Pratt to him for the seals; but then +Norton is attorney-general, and it would not be graceful to +return to court, which he has quitted, while the present +ministers remain there. In short, as soon as the affair of +Wilkes and privilege is at an end, it is much expected that the +Yorkes will take part in the opposition. It is for that +declaration that Charles Townshend says he waits. He again broke +out strongly on Friday last against the ministry, attacking +George Grenville, who seems his object. However, the childish +fluctuation of his temper, and the vehemence of his brother +George(440) for the court, that is for himself, will for ever +make Charles little to be depended on. For Mr. Pitt, you know, +he never will act like any other man in the opposition, and +to that George Grenville trusts: however, here are such +materials, that if they could once be put in operation for a +fortnight together, the present administration would be blown up. +To this you may throw in dissensions among themselves: Lord +Halifax and Lord Talbot are greatly dissatisfied. Lord Bute is +reconciled to the rest; sees the King continually; and will soon +want more power, or will have more jealousy than is consistent +with their union. Many single men are ill disposed to them, +particularly Lord George Sackville: indeed, nobody is with them, +but as it is farther off from, or nearer to, quarter-day: the +nation is unanimous against them: a disposition, which their own +foolish conduct during the episode of the Prince of +Brunswick,(441) to which I am now coming, has sufficiently +manifested. The fourth question put to him on his arrival was, +"When do you go?" The servants of the King and Queen were forbid +to put on their new clothes for the wedding, or drawing-room, +next day, and ordered to keep them for the Queen's birth-day. +Such pains were taken to keep the Prince from any intercourse +with any of the opposition, that he has done nothing but take +notice of them. He not only wrote to the Duke of Newcastle and +Mr. Pitt, but has been at Hayes to see the latter, and has dined +twice with the Duke of Cumberland; the first time on Friday last, +when he was appointed to be at St. James's at half an hour after +seven, to a concert. As the time drew near, F`e6ronce(442) +pulled out his watch; the Duke took the hint, and said, "I am +sorry to part with you, but I fear your time is come." He +replied "N'importe;" sat on, drank coffee, and it was half an +hour after eight before he set out from Upper-Grosvenor street +for St. James's. He and Princess Augusta have felt and shown +their disgusts so strongly, and his suite have complained so much +of the neglect and disregard of him, and of the very quick +dismission of him, that the people have caught it, and on +Thursday, at the play, received the King and Queen without the +least symptom of applause, but repeated such outrageous +acclamations to the Prince, as operated very visibly on the +King's countenance. Not a gun was fired for the marriage, and +Princess Augusta asking Lord Gower(443) about some ceremony, to +which he replied, it could not be, as no such thing had been done +for the Prince of Orange;(444) she said, it was extraordinary to +quote that precedent to her in one case, which had been followed +in no other. I could tell you ten more of these stories, but one +shall suffice. The Royal Family went to the Opera on Saturday: +the crowd not to be described: the Duchess of Leeds, ]lady +Denbigh, Lady Scarborough, and others, sat on chairs between the +scenes; the doors of the front boxes were thrown open, and the +passages were all filled to the back of the stoves; nay, women of +fashion stood on the very stairs till eight at night. In the +middle of the second act, the Hereditary Prince, who sat with his +wife and her brothers in their box, got up, turned his back to +the King and Queen, pretending to offer his place to Lady +Tankerville(445) and then to Lady Susan. You know enough of +Germans and their stiffness to etiquette, to be sure that this +could not be done inadvertently: especially as he repeated this, +only without standing up, with one of his own gentlemen, in the +third act. I saw him, without any difficulty, from the Duchess +of Grafton's box. He is extremely slender, and looks many years +older than he is: in short, I suppose it is his manner with which +every mortal is captivated, for though he is well enough for a +man, he is far from having any thing striking in his person. +To-day (this is Tuesday) there was a drawing-room at +Leicester-house, and to-night there is a subscription ball for +him at Carlisle-house, Soho, made chiefly by the Dukes of +Devonshire and Grafton. I was invited to be of it, but not +having been to wait on him, did not think it Civil to meet him +there. The Court, by accident or design, had forgot to have a +bill passed for naturalizing him. The Duke of Grafton Undertook +it, on which they adopted it, and the Duke of Bedford moved it; +but the Prince sent word to the Duke of Grafton, that he should +not have liked the compliment half so well, if he had not owed it +to his grace. You may judge how he will report of us at his +return! + +With regard to your behaviour to Wilkes,(446) I think you +observed the just medium: I have not heard it mentioned: if they +should choose to blame it, it will not be to me, known as your +friend and no friend of theirs. They very likely may say that +you did too much, though the Duke of Bedford did ten times more. +Churchill has published a new satire, called "The Duellist,"(447) +the finest and bitterest of his works. The poetry is glorious; +some lines on Lord Holland, hemlock: charming abuse on that +scurrilous mortal, Bishop Warburton: an ill-drawn, though +deserved, character of Sandwich; and one, as much deserved, and +better, of Norton. + +Wednesday, after dinner. + +The Lord knows when this letter will be finished; I have been +writing it this week, and believe I shall continue it till old +Monin sets out. Encore, the Prince of Brunswick. At the ball, +at Buckingham house, on Monday: it had begun two hours before he +arrived. Except the King's and Queen's servants, nobody was +there but the dukes of Marlborough and Ancaster, and Lord Bute's +two daughters. No supper. On Sunday evening the Prince had been +to Newcastle-house, to visit the Duchess. His speech to the Duke +of Bedford, at first, was by no means so strong as they gave it +out; he only said, "Milord, nous avons fait deux m`etiers bien +diff`erens; le v`otre a `et`e le plus agr`eable: j'ai fait couler +du sang, vous l'avez fait cesser." His whole behaviour, so much +`a la minorit`e, makes this much more probable. His Princess +thoroughly, agrees with him. When Mr. Grenville objected to the +greatness of her fortune, the King said, "Oh! it will not be +opposed, for Augusta is in the opposition." + +The ball, last night, at Carlisle-house, Soho, was most +magnificent: one hundred and fifty men subscribed, and five +guineas each, and had each three tickets. All the beauties in +town were there, that is, of rank, for there was no bad company. +The Duke of Cumberland was there too; and the Hereditary Prince +so pleased, and in such spirits, that he stayed till five in the +morning. He is gone to-day, heartily sorry to leave every thing +but St. James's and Leicester-house. They lie to-night at Lord +Abercorn's,(448) at Witham, who does not step from his pedestal +to meet them. Lady Strafford said to him, "Soh! my lord, I hear +your house is to be royal] v filled on Wednesday."--"And +serenely,"(449) he replied, and closed his mouth again till next +day. + +Our politics have been as follow. Last Friday the opposition +moved for Wilkes's complaint of breach of privilege to be heard +to-day: Grenville objected to it, and at last yielded, after +receiving some smart raps from Charles Townshend and Sir George +Saville. On Tuesday the latter, and Sir William Meredith, +proposed to put it off to the 13th of February, that Wilkes's +servant, the most material evidence might be here. George +Grenville again opposed it, was not supported, and yielded. +Afterwards Dowdeswell moved for a committee on the Cider-bill; +and, at last, a committee was appointed for Tuesday next, with +powers to report the grievances of the bill, and suggest +amendments and redress, but with no authority to repeal it. This +the administration carried but by 167 to 125. +Indeed, many of their people were in the House of Lords, where +the court triumphed still less. They were upon the "Essay on +Woman." Sandwich proposed two questions; 1st, that Wilkes was +the author of it;(450) 2dly, to order the Black Rod to attach +him. It was much objected by the Dukes of Devonshire, Grafton, +Newcastle, and even Richmond, that the first was not proved, and +might affect him in the courts below. Lord Mansfield tried to +explain this away, and Lord Marchmont and Lord Temple had warm +words. At last Sandwich, artfully, to get something, if not all, +agreed to melt both questions into one, which was accepted; and +the vote passed, that it appearing Wilkes was the author, he +should be taken into custody by the usher. It appearing, was +allowed to mean as far as appears. Then a committee was +appointed to search for precedents how to proceed on his being +withdrawn. That dirty dog Kidgel(451) had been summoned by the +Duke of Grafton, but as they only went on the breach of +privilege, he was not called. The new club,(452) at the +house that was the late Lord Waldegrave's, in Albermarle-street, +makes the ministry very uneasy; but they have worse grievances to +apprehend! + +Sir Robert Rich(453) is extremely angry with my nephew, the +Bishop of Exeter, who, like his own and wife's family, is +tolerably warm. They were talking together at St. James's, when +A'Court(454) came in, "There's poor A'Court," said the Bishop. +"Poor A,Court!" replied the Marshal, "I wish all those fellows +that oppose the King were to be turned out of the army!" "I +hope," said the Bishop, "they will first turn all the old women +out of it!" + +The Duc de Pecquigny was on the point of a duel with Lord +Garlies,(455) at Lord Milton's(456) ball, the former handing the +latter's partner down to supper. I wish you had this Duke again, +lest you should have trouble with him from hence: he seems a +genius of the wrong sort. His behaviour on the visit to Woburn +was very wrong-headed, though their treatment of him was not more +right. Lord Sandwich flung him down in one of their horse-plays, +and almost put his shoulder out. He said the next day there, at +dinner, that for the rest of his life he should fear nothing so +much as a lettre de cachet from a French secretary of state, or a +coup d'`epaule from an English one. After this he had a pique +with the Duchess, with whom he had been playing at whisk. A +shilling and sixpence were left on the table, which nobody +claimed. He was asked if it was his, and said no. Then they +said, let us put it to the cards: there was already a guinea. +The Duchess, in an air of grandeur said, as there was gold for +the groom of the chambers, the sweeper of the room might have the +silver, and brushed it off the table. The Pecquigny took this to +himself, though I don't believe meaned; and complained to the +whole town of it, with large comments, at his return. It is +silly to tell you Such silly stories, but in your situation it +may grow necessary for you to know the truth, if you should hear +them repeated. I am content to have you call me gossip, if I +prove but of the least use to you. + +Here have I tapped the ninth page! Well! I am this moment going +to M. de Guerchy's, to know when Monin sets out, that I may +finish this eternal letter. If I tire you, tell me so: I am sure +I do myself. If I speak with too much freedom to you, tell me +so: I have done it in consequence of your questions, and mean it +most kindly. In short, I am ready to amend any thing you +disapprove; so don't take any thing ill, my dear lord, unless I +continue after you have reprimanded me. The safe manner in which +this goes, has made me, too, more explicit than you know I have +been on any other occasion. Adieu! + +Wednesday-night, late. + + +Well, my letter will be finished at last. M. Monin sets out on +Friday. so does my Lord Holland: but I affect not to know it, for +he is not just the person that you or I should choose to be the +bearer of this. You will be diverted with a story they told me +to-night at the French Ambassador's. When they went to supper, +at Soho, last night, the Duke of Cumberland placed himself at the +head of the table. One of the waiters tapped him on the +shoulder, and said, "Sir, your Royal Highness can't sit there; +that place is designed for the Hereditary Prince." You ought to +have seen how every body's head has been turned with this Prince, +to make this story credible to you. My Lady Rockingham, at +Leicester-house, yesterday, cried great sobs for his departure. +Yours ever, page the ninth. + +(431) This letter does not appear. + +(432) Lord Hertford had claimed certain expenses of his journey +to Paris which had been allowed to his predecessors, but which +were refused to him; he therefore may have expressed a suspicion +that his brother's opposition in Parliament rendered the +ministers at home less favourable to him; but there never was any +difference or coldness between the brothers in their private +relations. This appears from their private letters at this +period.-C. + +(433) In April 1763, Lord Bute surprised both his friends and his +opponents by a sudden resignation. The motive of this resolution +is still a mystery. Some have said, that having concluded the +peace, his patriotic views and ambition were satisfied; others +that he resigned in disgust at the falsehood and ingratitude of +public men; others that he was driven from his station by libels +and unpopularity. None of these reasons seem consistent with a +desire which Lord Bute appears to have entertained, to return to +office with a new administration. A clamour was long kept up +against Lord Bute's secret and irresponsible influence; but it is +now generally admitted that no such influence existed, and that +Lord Bute soon ceased to have any weight in public affairs.-C. + +(434) Mr. Walpole was so vehement in his party feelings, that all +his characters of political enemies must be read with great +distrust.-C. + +(435) Lord Sandwich was an able minister, and so important a +member of the administration to which Mr. Walpole was now +opposed, that we must read all that he says of this lord with +some "grains of allowance."-C. + +(436) On the 19th of January, when the ministers were about to +proceed to vote Wilkes in contempt, and expel him, a motion was +made by Wilkes's friends to postpone the consideration of the +affair till next day; this was lost by 239 to 102.-C. + +(437) He means that the opposition had adopted Pratt's view +instead of Mr. Yorke's.-C. + +(438) This is not true; the real cause of his resignation is +stated ant`e, p. 251, letter 181; he certainly disagreed from the +Duke of Newcastle and others of his friends, who made the matter +of privilege a party question instead of treating it as a legal +one, as Mr. Yorke did. + +(439) Philip Lord Royston, afterwards second Earl of Hardwicke, +elder brother of Mr. Charles Yorke.-E. + +(440) George, first Marquis of Townshend, at this time a +major-general in the army. In the divisions on branches of the +Wilkes question, we sometimes find General Townshend a teller on +one side, and Mr. Townshend on the other.-C. + +(441) The Hereditary Prince, who came to England to marry the +Princess Augusta, eldest sister of George III. He landed at +Harwich on the 12th of January, and arrived the same evening at +Somerset-house, where he was lodged. Lady Chatham, in a letter +to Mr. Pitt, relates the following anecdotes Mrs. Boscawen tells +me, that while the Prince was at Harwich, the people almost +pulled down the house in which he was, in order to see him. A +substantial Quaker insisted so strongly upon seeing him, that he +was allowed to come into the room: he pulled off his hat to him, +and said, 'Noble friend, give me thy hand!' which was given, and +he kissed it; 'although I do not fight myself, I love a brave man +that will fight: thou art a valiant Prince, and art to be married +to a lovely Princess: love her, make her a good husband, and the +Lord bless you both!'" See Chatham Correspondence, vol. ii. p. +272.-E. + + (442) The Prince's chief secretary.-E. + +(443) Granville, second Earl Gower, afterwards first Marquis: +groom of the stole.-E. + +(444) William Charles Henry, Prince of Orange, who, in 1734, +married Anne, eldest daughter of George II.-E. + +(445) Alicia Ashley, wife of Charles, third Earl of Tankerville, +lady of the bedchamber to Princess Augusta. Nothing but Mr. +Walpole's facetious ingenuity could have tortured the Prince's +little attention to Lady Tankerville into a desire to insult the +King.-C. + +(446) Mr. Wilkes had thought it prudent to retire to Paris, under +circumstances which certainly rendered it unlikely that the +King's ambassador should pay him any kind of civil attention.-C. + +(447) Again Mr. Walpole's partiality blinds him. "The Duellist" +is surely far from being the finest of Churchill's works. Mr. +Walpole's own feelings are strongly marked by the glee with which +he sees hemlock administered to his old friend Lord Holland, and +by being charmed with the abuse of Bishop Warburton.-C. + +(448) Mr. Walpole, by one of those happy expressions which make +the chief charm of his writings, characterizes the stately +formality of this noble lord. His house at Witham is close to +the great road, a little beyond the town of Witham. Her late +Majesty, Queen Charlotte, slept there on her way to London, in +1761.-C. + +(449) Mr. Walpole probably understood his lordship to mean that a +Serene Highness was not sufficiently important to require his +attendance at Witham.-C. + +(450) Wilkes was convicted, in the Court of King's Bench, on the +21st of January, the day before this letter was begun, of having +written the Essay on Woman.-C. + +(451) Mr. Kidgel, a clergyman, had obtained from a printer a copy +of the Essay on Woman, which he said he felt it his duty to +denounce. His own personal character turned out to be far from +respectable.-C. + +(452) The opposition club was in Albemarle-street, and the +ministerial at the Cocoa-tree; and the papers of the day had +several political letters addressed to and from these clubs.-C. + +(453) The oldest field-marshal in the army. + +(454) Major-general A,Court had a little before resigned, or +rather been dismissed, for his parliamentary opposition, from the +command of the second regiment of foot-guards.-C. + +(455) John, afterwards seventh Earl of galloway. + +(456) Joseph Damer, first Lord Milton. + + + +Letter 189 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Arlington Street, Jan. 31, 1764. (page 277) + +Dear Sir, +Several weeks ago I begged you to tell me how to convey to you a +print of Strawberry Hill, and another of Archbishop Hutton. I +must now repeat the same request for two more volumes of my +Anecdotes of Painting, which are on the point of being published. +I hope no illness prevented my hearing from you. + +To The Rev. Mr. Cole. + +Dear Sir, +I am impatient for your manuscript, but have not yet received it. +You may depend on my keeping it to myself, and returning it +safely. + +I do not know that history of my father, which you mention, by +the name of Musgrave. If it is the critical history of his +administration, I have it; if not, I shall be obliged to you for +it. + +Your kindness to your tenants is like yourself, and most humane. +I am glad Your prize rewards you, and wish your fortune had been +as good as mine, who with a single ticket in this last lottery +got five hundred pounds. + +I have nothing new, that is, nothing old to tell you. You care +not about the present world, and are the only real philosopher, I +know. + +I this winter met with a very large lot of English heads, chiefly +of the reign of James I., which very nearly perfects my +collection. There were several which I had in vain hunted for +these ten years. I have bought too, some very scarce, but more +modern ones out of Sir Charles Cotterell's collection. Except a +few of Faithorne's, there are scarce any now that I much wish +for. + +With my Anecdotes I packed up for you the head of Archbishop +Hutton, and a new little print of Strawberry. If the volumes, as +I understand by your letter, stay in town to be bound, I hope +your bookseller will take care not to lose those trifles. + + +Letter 190 To Sir David Dalrymple.(457) +Arlington Street, Jan. 31, 1764. (page 278) + +I am very sorry, Sir, that your obliging corrections of my +Anecdotes of Painting have come so late, that the first volume is +actually reprinted. The second shall be the better for them. I +am now publishing the third volume, and another of Engravers. I +wish you would be so kind as to tell me how I may convey them +speedily to you: you waited too long the last time for things +that have little merit but novelty. These volumes are of still +less worth than the preceding; our latter painters not +compensating by excellence for the charms that antiquity has +bestowed on their antecessors. + +I wish I had known in time what heads of Nanteuil you want. +There has been a very valuable sale of Sir Clement Cotterell's +prints, the impressions most beautiful, and of which Nanteuil +made the capital part. I do not know who particularly collects +his works now, but I have ordered my bookseller Bathoe,(458) who +is much versed in those things, to inquire; and if I hear of any +purchaser, Sir, I will let you know. + +I have not bought the Anecdotes of Polite literature,(459) +suspecting them for a bookseller's compilation, and confirmed in +it by never hearing them mentioned. Our booksellers here at +London disgrace literature, by the trash they bespeak to be +written, and at the same time prevent every thing else from being +sold. They are little more or less than upholsters, who sell +sets or bodies of arts and sciences for furniture; and the +purchasers, for I am sure they are not readers, buy only in that +view.(460) I never thought there was much merit in reading: but +yet it is too good a thing to be put upon no better footing than +In damask and mahogany. + +Whenever I can be of the least use to your studies or +collections, you know, Sir, that you may command me freely. + +(457) Now first collected. + +(458) This very intelligent bookseller, who lived near Exeter +'Change, in the Strand, died in 1768.-E. + +(459) This was a very amusing and judicious selection, in five +small volumes, very neatly printed.-E. + +(460 "I once said to Dr. Johnson, 'I am sorry, Sir, you did not +get more for your Dictionary.' His answer was, 'I am sorry too; +but it was very well: the booksellers are generous liberal-minded +men.' He, upon all occasions, did ample justice to their +character in this respect. He considered them as the patrons of +literature and, indeed, although they have eventually been +considerable gainers by his Dictionary, it is to them that we owe +its having been undertaken and carried out at the risk of great +expense for they were not absolutely sure of being indemnified." +Boswell's Johnson, vol. ii. p. 58.-E. + + + +Letter 191 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Arlington Street, Feb. 6, 1764. (page 279) + +You have, I hope, long before this, my dear lord, received the +immense letter that I sent you by old Monin. It explained much, +and announced most part of which has already happened; for you +will observe that when I tell you any thing, very positively, it +is on good intelligence. I have another much bigger secret for +you, but that will be delivered to you by word of mouth. I am +not a little impatient for the long letter you promised me. In +the mean time thank you for the account you give me of the King's +extreme civility to you. It is like yourself, to dwell on that, +and to say little of M. de Chaulnes's dirty behaviour; but +Monsieur and Madame de Guerchy have told your brother and me all +the particulars. + +I was but too good a prophet when I warned you to expect new +extravagances from the Due de Chaulnes's son. Some weeks ago he +lost five hundred pounds to one Virette, an equivocal being, that +you remember here. Paolucci, the Modenese minister, who is not +in the odour of honesty, was of the party. The Duc de Pecquigny +said to the latter, "Monsieur, ne jouez plus avec lui, si vous +n'`etes pas de moiti`e." So far was very well. On Saturday at +the Maccaroni Club(461) (which is composed of all the travelled +young men, men who wear long curls and spying-glasses,) they +played again: the Duc lost, but not Much. In the passage at the +Opera, the Duc saw Mr. Stuart talking to Virette, and told the +former that Virette was a coquin, a fripon, etc. etc. Virette +retired, saying only, "Voil`a un fou." The Duc then desired Lord +Tavistock to come and see him fight Virette, but the Marquis +desired to be excused. After the Opera, Virette went to the +Duc's lodgings, but found him gone to make his complaint to +Monsieur de Guerchy, whither he followed him; and farther this +deponent knoweth not. I pity the Count (de Guerchy,) who is one +of the best-natured amiable men in the world, for having this +absurd boy upon his hands! + +Well! now for a little politics. The Cider-bill(462) has not +answered to the minority, though they ran the ministry hard;(463) +but last Friday was extraordinary. George Grenville was pushed +upon some Navy bills; I don't understand a syllable, you know of +money and accounts; but whatever was the matter,(464) he was +driven from entrenchment to entrenchment by Baker,(465) and +Charles Townshend. After that affair was over, and many gone +away, Sir W. Meredith moved for the depositions on which the +warrant against Wilkes had been granted. The ministers +complained of the motion being made so late In the day; called it +a surprise; and Rigby moved to adjourn, which was carried but by +73 to 60. Had a surprise been intended, one may imagine the +minority would have been better provided with numbers; but it +certainly had not been concerted: however, a majority, shrunk to +thirteen, frightened them out of the small senses they possess. +heaven, earth, and the treasury, were moved to recover their +ground to-day, when the question was renewed. For about two +hours the debate hobbled on very lamely, when on a sudden your +brother rose, and made such a speech(466)--but I wish any body +was to give you the account except me, whom you will think +partial: but you will hear enough of it, to confirm any thing I +can say. Imagine fire, rapidity, argument, knowledge, wit, +ridicule, grave, spirit; all pouring like a torrent, but without +clashing. Imagine the House in a tumult of continued applause +imagine the ministers thunderstruck; lawyers abashed and almost +blushing, for it was on their quibbles and evasions he fell most +heavily, at the same time answering a whole session of arguments +on the side of the court. No, it was unique; you can neither +conceive it, nor the exclamations it occasioned. Ellis, the +forlorn hope, Ellis presented himself in the gap, till the +ministers could recover themselves, when on a sudden Lord George +Sackville led up the Blues;(467) spoke with as much warmth as +your brother had, and with great force continued the attack which +he had begun. Did not I tell you he would take this part? I was +made privy to it; but this is far from all you are to expect. +Lord North in vain rumbled about his mustard-bowl, and +endeavoured alone to outroar a whole party: him and Forrester, +Charles Townshend took up, but less well than usual. His +jealousy of your brother's success, which was very evident, did +not help him to shine. There were several other speeches, and, +upon the whole, it was a capital debate; but Plutus is so much +more persuasive an orator than your brother or Lord George, that +we divided but 122 against 217. Lord Strange, who had agreed to +the question, did not dare to vote for it, and declared off; and +George Townshend who had actually voted for it on Friday, now +voted against it. well! upon the whole, I heartily wish this +administration may last: both their characters and abilities are +so contemptible, @at I am sure we can be in no danger from +prerogative when trusted to such hands! + +Before I have done with Charles Townshend, I must tell you one of +his admirable bon-mots. Miss Draycote,(468) the great fortune, +is grown very fat: he says her tonnage is become equal to her +poundage. + +There is the devil to pay in Nabob-land, but I understand Indian +histories no better than stocks. The council rebelled against +the governors and sent a deputation, the Lord knows why, to the +Nabob, who cut off the said deputies' heads, and then, I think, +was disnabob'd himself, and Clive's old friend reinstated. There +is another rebellion in Minorca, where Johnson [has renounced his +allegiance to viceroy Dick Lyttelton, and set up for himself. +Sir Richard has laid the affair before the King and council; +Charles Townshend first, and then your brother, (you know why I +am sorry they should appear together in that cause,) have tried +to deprecate Sir Richard's wrath: but it was then too late. The +silly fellow has brought himself' to a precipice. + +I forgot to tell you that Lord George Sackville carried into the +minority with him his own brother(469) Lord Middlesex; Lord +Milton's brother;(470) young Beauclerc; Sir Thomas Hales; and +Colonel Irwine. + +We have not heard a word of the Hereditary Prince and Princess. +They were sent away in a tempest, and I believe the best one can +hope is, that they are driven to Norway.(471) + +Good night, my dear lord; it is time to finish, for it is half an +hour after one in the morning - I am forced to purloin such hours +to Write to you, for I get up so late, and then have such a +perpetual succession Of nothings to do, such auctions, politics, +visits, dinners, suppers, books to publish or revise, etc. that I +have not a quarter of an hour without a call upon it: but I need +not tell you, who know my life, that I am forced to create new +time, if I will keep up my correspondence with you. You seem to +like I should, and I wish to give you every satisfaction in my +power. + +Tuesday, February 7, four o'clock. + +I tremble whilst I continue my letter, having just heard such a +dreadful story! A captain of a vessel has made oath before the +Lord Mayor, this morning, that he saw one of the yachts sunk on +the coast of Holland; and it is believed to be the one in which +the Prince was. The city is in an uproar; nor need one point out +all such an accident may produce, if true; which I most fervently +hope it is not. My long letter will help you to comments enough, +which will be made on this occasion. I wish you may know, at +this moment, that our fears are ill placed. The Princess was not +in the same yacht with her husband. Poor Fanshawe,(472) as clerk +of the green cloth, with his wife and sister, was in one of them. + +Here is more of the Duc de Pecquigny's episode. An officer was +sent yesterday to put Virette under arrest. His servant disputed +with the officer on his orders, till his master made his escape. +Virette sent a friend, whom he ordered to deliver his letter in +person, and see it read, with a challenge, appointing the Duc to +meet him at an hour after seven this morning, at Buckingham-gate, +where he waited till ten to no purpose, though the Duc had not +been put under arrest. Virette absconds, and has sent M. de +Pecquigny word, that he shall abscond till he can find a proper +opportunity of fighting him. Your discretion will naturally +prevent your talking of this; but I thought you would like to be +prepared, if this affair should any how happen to become your +business, though your late discussion With the Duc de Chaulnes +will add to your disinclination from meddling with it. + +I must send this to the post before I go to the Opera, and +therefore shall not be able to tell you more of the Prince of +Brunswick by this post. + +(461) The "Maccaroni" of 1764 was nearly synonymous with the term +"dandy" at present in vogue, and even become classical by the use +of it by Lord Byron; who, in his story of Beppo, written in 1817, +speaks of + + +----"the dynasty of Dandies, now +Perchance succeeded by some other class +Of imitated imitators:--how +Irreparably soon decline, alas! +The demagogues of fashion: all below +Is frail; how easily the world is lost +By love, or war, and now and then by frost!"-E. + +(462) A bill, passed in the last session, for an additional duty +on cider and perry, which was violently opposed by the cider +counties, and taken up as a general opposition question. This +measure was considered as a great error on the part of Lord Bute, +and the unpopularity consequent upon it is said to have +contributed to his resignation. + +(463) On a motion for a committee on the Cider-bill on the 24th +of January. Mr. James Grenville, in a letter to his sister, Lady +Chatham, speaking of this debate says, "I should make you as old +a woman as either Sandys or Rushout, if I were to state all the +jargon that arose in this debate. It was plain the Court meant +to preclude any repeal of the bill; the cider people coldly +wished to obtain it. Sir Richard Bamfylde, at the head of them, +spoke, not his own sentiments, as he declared, but those which +the instructions and petitions of his constituents forced him to +maintain. We divided 127 with us: against us, 167." Chatham +Correspondence, vol. ii. p. 282.-E. + +(464) It was a proposal for converting certain outstanding +navy-bills into annuities at four per cent.-C. + +(465) Sir William Baker, member for Plympton; an alderman of +London. He married the eldest daughter of the second Jacob +Tonson, the bookseller.-E. + +(466) There is no other account of this remarkable speech to be +found; and indeed we have little notice of General Conway's +parliamentary efforts, except Mr. Burke's general and brilliant +description of his conduct as leader of the House of Commons in +the Rockingham administration. As General Conway's reputation in +the House of Commons has been in some degree forgotten, it may be +as well to cite the passage from Mr. Burke's speech, in 1774, on +American taxation, in support of what Mr. Walpole says of the +General's powers in debate:--"I will likewise do justice, I ought +to do it, to the honourable gentleman who led us in this House. +Far from the duplicity wickedly charged on him, he acted his part +with alacrity and resolution. We all felt inspired by the +example he gave us, down even to myself, the weakest in that +phalanx. I declare for one, I knew well enough (it could not be +concealed from any body) the true state of things; but, in my +life I never came with so much spirits into this House. It was a +time for a man to act in. We had powerful enemies; but we had +faithful and determined friends and a glorious cause. We had a +great battle to fight, but we had the means of fighting; not as +now, when our arms are tied behind us. We did fight that day, +and conquer. I remember, Sir, with a melancholy pleasure, the +situation of the Honourable gentleman (General Conway) who made +the motion for the repeal; in that crisis, when the whole trading +interest of this empire, crammed into your lobbies with a +trembling, and anxious expectation, waited, ,almost to a winter's +return of light, their fate from your resolution. When, at +length, you had determined in their favour, and your doors thrown +open, showed them the figure of their deliverer in the +well-earned triumph of his important victory, from the whole of +that grave multitude there arose an involuntary burst of +gratitude and transport, They jumped upon him like children on a +long absent father. They clung about him like captives about the +redeemer. All England, all America, joined in his applause. Nor +did he seem insensible to the best of all earthly regards--the +love and admiration of his fellow-citizens. Hope elevated, and +joy brightened his crest. I stood near him; and his face, to use +the expression of the Scripture of the first martyr, 'his face +was as if it had been the face of an angel.' I do not know how +others feel; but if I had Stood in that situation, I never would +have exchanged it for all that kings, in their profusion, could +bestow. I did hope, that that day's danger and honour would have +been a bond to hold us all together for ever. But alas! that, +with other pleasing visions, is long since vanished."-C. + +(467) Mr. Walpole tinges his approbation of Lord George's +politics by this allusion to Minden, where his lordship had not +"led up the Blues."-C. + +(468) Miss Anna Maria Draycote, married in April, 17()3, to Earl +Pomfret. To taste Mr. Townshend's jest, one must recollect, that +in the finance of that day the duties of tonnage and poundage +held a principal place.-C. + +(469) Governor Vansittart, contrary to the advice of his council, +had deposed the Nabob Meer Jaffier, and transferred the +sovereignty to his son-in-law, Cossim Ali Cawn. The latter, +however, soon forgot his obligations to the English; and in +consequence of some aggressions on his part, a deputation, +consisting of Mesrs Amyatt and Hay, members of council, attended +by half a dozen other gentlemen, was sent to the new Nabob. +While this deputation was on its return, hostilities broke out, +and these gentlemen were put to death as they were passing the +city of Mor", Moreshedabad. About the same here the English +council at Patna and their attendants were made prisoners, and +afterwards cruelly massacred. These events necessitated the +deposition of Cossim, and Jaffier was accordingly, after a short +campaign, restored.-C. (468) Charles, afterwards second Duke of +Dorset.-E. + +(470) John Damer, member for Dorchester. Lord Milton had married +Lord George's youngest sister, Lady Caroline.-E. + +(471) The Prince and Princess landed safely at Helvoet on the 2d +of February.-E. + +(472) Simon Fanshawe, Esq. member for Grampound. He had married +a lady of his own name. + + + +Letter 192 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Arlington Street, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 1764. (page 283) + +My dear lord, +You ought to be Witness to the fatigue I am suffering, before you +can estimate the merit I have in being writing to you at this +moment. Cast up eleven hours in the House of Commons on Monday, +and above seventeen hours yesterday--ay, seventeen at length,- +-and then you may guess if I am tired! nay, you must add +seventeen hours that I may possibly be there on Friday, and then +calculate if I am weary.(473) In short, yesterday was the +longest day ever known in the House of Commons--why, on the +Westminster election at the end of my father's reign,(474) I was +at home by six. On Alexander Murray's(475) affair, I believe, by +five--on the militia, twenty people, I think, sat till six, but +then they were only among themselves, no heat, no noise, no +roaring. It was half an hour after seven this morning before I +was at home. Think of that, and then brag of your French +parliaments!(476) + +What is ten times greater, Leonidas and the Spartan minority did +not make such a stand at Thermopylae, as we did. Do you know, we +had like to have been the majority? Xerxes(477) is frightened +out of his senses; Sysigambis(478) has sent an express to Luton +to forbid Phrates(479) coming to town to-morrow: Norton's(480) +impudence has forsaken him; Bishop Warburton is at this moment +reinstating Mr. Pitt's name in the dedication to his sermons, +which he had expunged for Sandwich's;(481) and Sandwich himself +is--at Paris, perhaps, by this time, for the first thing I expect +to hear to-morrow is, that he is gone off. + +Now are you mortally angry with me for trifling with you, and not +telling you at once the particulars of this almost-revolution. +You may be angry, but I shall take my own time, and shall give +myself what airs I please both to you, my Lord Ambassador, and to +you, my Lord Secretary of State, who will, I suppose, open this +letter--if you have courage enough left. In the first place, I +assume all the impertinence of a prophet, aye, of that great +curiosity, a prophet, who really prophesied before the event, and +whose predictions have been accomplished. Have I, or have I not, +announced to you the unexpected blows that would be given to the +administration?--come, I will lay aside my dignity, and satisfy +your impatience. There's moderation. + +We sat all Monday hearing evidence against Mr. Wood,(482) that +dirty wretch Webb,(483) and the messengers, for their illegal +proceedings against Mr. Wilkes. At midnight, Mr. Grenville +offered us to adjourn or proceed. Mr. Pitt humbly begged not to +eat or sleep till so great a point should be decided. On a +division, in which though many said aye to adjourning, nobody +would go out for fear of losing their seats, it was carried by +379 to 31, for proceeding--and then--half the House went away. +The ministers representing the indecency of this, and Fitzherbert +saying that many were within call, Stanley observed, that after +voting against adjournment, a third part had adjourned +themselves, when, instead of being within call, they ought to +have been within hearing: this was unanswerable, and we +adjourned. + +Yesterday we fell to again. It was one in the morning before the +evidence was closed. CarringTon, the messenger, was alone +examined for seven hours. This old man, the cleverest of all +ministerial terriers, was pleased with recounting his +achievements, yet guarded and betraying nothing. However, the +arcana imperia have been wofully laid open. + +I have heard Garrick, and other players, give themselves airs of +fatigue after a long part--think of the Speaker, nay, think of +the clerks taking most correct minutes for sixteen hours, and +reading them over to every witness; and then let me hear of +fatigue! Do you know, not only my Lord Temple,(484)--who you may +swear never budged as spectator, but old Will Chetwynd,(485) now +past eighty, and who had walked to the House, did not stir a +single moment out of his place, from three in the afternoon till +the division at seven in the morning. Nay, we had patriotesses, +too, who stayed out the whole: Lady Rockingham and Lady Sondes +the first day; both again the second day, with Miss Mary Pelham, +Mrs. Fitzroy,(486) and the Duchess of Richmond, as patriot as any +of us. Lady Mary Coke, Mrs. George Pitt,(487) and Lady +Pembroke(488) came after the Opera, but I think did not stay +above seven or eight hours at most. + +At one, Sir W. Meredith(489) moved a resolution of the illegality +of the warrant, and opened it well. He was seconded by old +Darlington's brother,(490) a convert to us. Mr. Wood, who had +shone the preceding day by great modesty, decency, and ingenuity, +forfeited these merits a good deal by starting up (according to a +ministerial plan,) and very arrogantly, and repeatedly in the +night, demanding justice and a previous acquittal, and telling +the House he scorned to accept being merely excused; to which Mr. +Pitt replied, that if he disdained to be excused, he would +deserve to be censured. Mr. Charles Yorke (who, with his family, +have come roundly to us for support against the Duke of Bedford +on the Marriage-bill(491)) proposed to adjourn. Grenville and +the Ministry would have agreed to adjourn the debate on the great +question itself, but declared they would push this acquittal. +This they announced haughtily enough--for as yet, they did not +doubt of their strength. Lord Frederick Campbell(492) was the +most impetuous of all, so little he foresaw how much wiser it +would be to follow your brother. Pitt made a short speech, +excellently argumentative, and not bombast, nor tedious. nor +deviating from the question. He was supported by your brother, +and Charles Townshend, and Lord George;(493) the two last of whom +are strangely firm, now they are got under the cannon of your +brother Charles, who, as he must be extraordinary, is now so in +romantic nicety of honour. His father,(494) who is dying, or +dead, at Bath, and from whom he hopes two thousand a year, has +sent for him. He has refused to go--lest his steadiness should +be questioned. At a quarter after four we divided. Our cry was +so loud, that both we and the ministers thought we had carried +it. It is not to be painted, the dismay of the latter--in good +truth not without reason, for we were 197, they but 207. Your +experience can tell you, that a majority of but ten is a defeat. +Amidst a great defection from them, was even a white staff, Lord +Charles Spencer(495)--now you know still more of what I told you +was preparing for them! + +Crestfallen, the ministers then proposed simply to discharge the +complaint; but the plumes which they had dropped, Pitt soon +placed in his own beaver. He broke out on liberty, and, indeed, +on whatever he pleased, uninterrupted. Rigby sat feeling the +vice-treasurership slipping from under him. Nugent was now less +pensive--Lord Strange,(496) though not interested, did not like +it. Every body was too much taken up with his own concerns or +too much daunted, to give the least disturbance to the Pindaric. +Grenville, however, dropped a few words, which did but heighten +the flame. Pitt, with less modesty than ever he showed, +pronounced a panegyric, on his own administration, and from +thence broke out on the dismission of officers. This increased +the roar from us. Grenville replied, and very finely, very +pathetically, very animated. he painted Wilkes and faction, and, +with very little truth, denied the charge of menaces to officers. +At that moment, General A'Court(497) walked up the House --think +what an impression such an incident must make, when passions, +hopes, and fears, were all afloat--think, too, how your brother +and I, had we been ungenerous, could have added to these +sensations! There was a man not so delicate. Colonel Barr`e +rose--and this attended with a striking circumstance; Sir Edward +Deering, one of our noisy fools, called out, "Mr. Barr`e,"(498) +The latter seized the thought with admirable quickness, and said +to the Speaker, who, in pointing to him, had called him Colonel, +"I beg your pardon, Sir, you have pointed to me by a title I have +no right to," and then made a very artful and pathetic speech on +his own services and dismission; with nothing bad but an awkward +attempt towards an excuse to Mr. Pitt for his former behaviour. +Lord North, who will not lose his bellow, though he may lose his +place, endeavoured to roar up the courage of his comrades, but it +would not do--the House grew tired, and we again divided at seven +for adjournment; some of our people were gone, and we remained +but 184, they 208; however, you will allow our affairs are +mended, when we say, but 184. We then came away, and left the +ministers to satisfy Wood, Webb, and themselves, as well as they +could. It was eight in the morning before I was in bed; and +considering that this is no very short letter, Mr. Pitt bore the +fatigue with his usual spirit(499)--and even old Onslow, the late +Speaker, was sitting up, anxious for the event. + +On Friday we are to have the great question, which would prevent +my writing; and to-morrow I dine with Guerchy, at the Duke of +Grafton's, besides twenty other engagements. To-day I have shut +myself up; for with writing this, and taking notes yesterday all +day, and all night, I have not an eye left to see out of--nay, +for once in my life, I shall go to bed at ten o'clock. + +I am glad to be able to contradict two or three passages in my +last letter. The Prince and Princess of Brunswick are safely +landed, though they were in extreme danger. The Duc de Pecquigny +had not only been put in arrest late on the Sunday night, which I +did not know, but has retrieved his honour. Monsieur de Guerchy +sent him away, and at Dover Virette found him, and whispered him +to steal from D'Allonville(500) and fight. The Duc first begged +his pardon, owned himself in the wrong, and then fought him, and +was wounded, though slightly, in four places in the arm; and both +are returned to London with their honours as white as snow. + +Sir Jacob Downing(501) is dead, and has left every shilling to +his wife; id est, not sixpence to my Lord Holland;(502) a mishap +which, being followed by a minority of 197, will not make a +pleasant week to him. + +now would you believe how I feel and how I wish? I wish we may +continue the minority. The desires of some of my associates, +perhaps, may not be satisfied, but mine are. Here is an +opposition formidable enough to keep abler ministers than +Messieurs the present gentlemen in awe. They may pick pockets, +but they will pick no more locks. While we continue a minority, +we preserve our characters, and we have some too good to part +with. I hate to have a camp to plunder; at least, I am so Which +I am so whig, I hate spoils but the opima spolia. I think it, +too, much more creditable to control ministers, than to be +ministers--and much more creditable than to become mere ministers +ourselves. I have several other excellent reasons against our +success, though I could combat them with as many drawn from the +insufficience of the present folk, and the propriety of Mr. Pitt +being minister; but I am too tired, and very likely so are you, +my dear lord, by this time, and therefore good night! + +Friday noon. + +I had sealed my letter, and break it open again on receiving +yours of the 13th, by the messenger. Though I am very sorry you +had not then got mine from Monin, which would have prepared you +for much of what has happened, I do not fear its miscarriage, as +I think I can account for the delay. I had, for more security, +put it into the parcel with two more volumes of my Anecdotes of +Painting; which, I suppose, remained in M. Monin's baggage; and +he might not have taken it when he delivered the single letters. +If he has not yet sent you the parcel, you may ask for it, as the +same delicacy is not necessary as for a letter. + +I thank Lord Beauchamp much for the paper, but should thank him +much more for a letter from himself. I am going this minute to +the House, where I have already been to prayers,(503) to take a +place. It was very near full then, so critical a day it is! I +expect we shall be beaten-but we shall not be so many times more. +Lord Granby(504) I hear, is to move the previous question--they +are reduced to their heavy cannon. + +Sunday evening, 19th. + +Happening to hear of a gentleman who sets out for Paris in two or +three days, I stopped my letter, both out of prudence (pray +admire me!) and from thinking that it was as well to send you at +once the complete history of our Great Week. By the time you +have read the preceding pages, you may, perhaps, expect to find a +change in the ministry in what I am going to say. You must have +a little patience; our parliamentary war, like the last war in +Germany, produces very considerable battles, that are not +decisive. Marshal Pitt has given another great blow to the +subsidiary army, but they remained masters of the field, and both +sides sing te Deum. I am not talking figuratively, when I assure +you that bells, bonfires, and an illumination from the Monument, +were prepared in the city, in case we had the majority. Lord +Temple was so indiscreet and indecent as to have fagots ready for +two bonfires, but was persuaded to lay aside the design, even +before it was abortive. + +It is impossible to give you the detail of so long a debate as +Friday's. You will regret it the less when I tell you it was a +very dull one. I never knew a day of expectation answer. The +impromptus and the unexpected are ever the most shining. We love +to hear ourselves talk, and yet we must be formed of adamant to +be able to talk day and night on the same question for a week +together. If you had seen how ill we looked, you would not have +wondered we did not speak well. A company of colliers emerging +from damps and darkness could not have appeared more ghastly and +dirty than we did on Wednesday morning; and we had not recovered +much bloom on Friday. We spent two or three hours on corrections +of, and additions to, the question of pronouncing the warrant +illegal, till the ministry had contracted it to fit scarce any +thing but the individual case of Wilkes, Pitt not opposing the +amendments because Charles Yorke gave into them; for it is +wonderful(505) what deference is paid by both sides to that +house. The debate then began by Norton's moving to adjourn the +consideration of the question for four months, and holding out a +promise of a bill, which neither they mean nor, for my part, +should I like: I would not give prerogative so much as a +definition. You are a peer, and, therefore, perhaps, will hear +it with patience--but think how our ears must have tingled, when +he told us, that should we pass the resolution, and he were a +judge, he would mind it no more than the resolution of a drunken +porter! Had old Onslow been in the chair, I believe he would +have knocked him down with the mace. He did hear of it during +the debate, though not severely enough; but the town rings with +it. Charles Yorke replied, and was much admired. Me he did not +please; I require a little more than palliatives and sophistries. +He excused the part he has taken by pleading that he had never +seen the warrant, till after Wilkes was taken up--yet he then +pronounced the No. 45 a libel, and advised the commitment of +Wilkes to the Tower. If you advised me to knock a man down, +would you excuse yourself by saying you had never seen the stick +with which I gave the blow Other speeches we had without end, but +none good, except from Lord George Sackville, a short one from +Elliot, and one from Charles Townshend, so fine that it amazed, +even from him. Your brother had spoken with excellent sense +against the corrections, and began well again in the debate, but +with so much rapidity that he confounded himself first, and then +was seized with such a hoarseness that he could not proceed. +Pitt and George Grenville ran a match of silence, striving which +should reply to the other. At last, Pitt, who had three times in +the debate retired with pain,(506) rose about three in the +morning, but so languid, so exhausted, that, in his life, he +never made less figure. Grenville answered him; and at five in +the morning we divided. The Noes were so loud, as it admits a +deeper sound than Aye, that the Speaker, who has got a bit of +nose(507) since the opposition got numbers, gave it for us. They +went forth; and when I heard our side counted to the amount of +218, I did conclude we were victorious; but they returned 232. +It is true we were beaten by fourteen, but we were increased by +twenty-one; and no ministry could stand on so slight an +advantage, if we could continue above two hundred.(508) + +We may, and probably shall, fall off: this was our strongest +question--but our troops will stand fast: their hopes and views +depend upon it, and their spirits are raised. But for the other +side it will not be the same. The lookers-on will be stayers +away, and their very subsidies will undo them. They bought two +single votes that day with two peerages;(509) Sir R. +Bampfylde(510) and Sir Charles Tynte(511)--and so are going to +light up the flame of two more county elections--and that in the +west, where surely nothing was wanting but a tinder-box! + +You would have almost laughed to see the spectres produced by +both sides; one would have thought that they had sent a +search-warrant for members of parliament into every hospital. +Votes were brought down in flannels and blankets, till the floor +of the House looked like the pool of Bethesda. 'Tis wonderful +that half of us are not dead--I should not say us; Herculean I +have not suffered the least, except that from being a Hercules of +ten grains, I don't believe I now weigh above eight. I felt from +nothing so much as the noise, which made me as drunk as an owl- +-you may imagine the clamours of two parties so nearly matched, +and so impatient to come to a decision. + +The Duchess of Richmond has got a fever with the attendance of +Tuesday--but on Friday we were forced to be unpolite. The +Amazons came down in such squadrons, that we were forced to be +denied. However, eight or nine of the patriotesses dined in one +of the Speaker's rooms, and stayed there till twelve--nay, worse, +while their dear country was at stake, I am afraid they were +playing at loo! + +The Townshends, you perceive by this account, are returned; their +father not dead.(512) Lord Howe(513) and the Colonel voted with +us; so did Lord Newnham,(514) and is likely to be turned out of +doors for it. A warrant to take up Lord Charles Spenser was sent +to Blenheim from Bedford-house,(515) and signed by his brother, +and returned for him; so he went thither--not a very kind office +in the Duke of Marlborough to Lord Charles's character. Lord +Granby refused to make the motion, but spoke for it. Lord +Hardwicke is relapsed; but we do not now fear any consequences +from his death. The Yorkes, who abandoned a triumphant +administration, are not so tender as to return and comfort them +in their depression. + +The chief business now, I suppose, will lie in souterreins and +intrigues. Lord Bute's panic will, probably, direct him to make +application to us. Sandwich will be manufacturing lies, and +Rigby, negotiations. Some change or other, whether partial or +extensive, must arrive. The best that can happen for the +ministers, is to be able to ward off the blow till the recess, +and they have time to treat at leisure; but in just the present +state it is impossible things should remain. The opposition is +too strong, and their leaders too able to make no impression. + +Adieu! pray tell Mr. Hume that I am ashamed to be thus writing +the history of England, when he is with you! + +P. S. The new baronies are contradicted, but may recover truth at +the end of the session.(516) + +(473) the important debate on the question of General Warrants, +which is the subject of the following able and interesting +letter, has never been reported. There are, indeed, in the +parliamentary history, a letter from Sir George Yonge, and two +statements by Sir William Meredith and Charles Townshend, on the +subject, but they relate chiefly to their own motives and +reasonings, and give neither the names nor the arguments of the +debater,-, and fall very short indeed of the vigour and vivacity +of Mr. Walpole's animated sketch.-C. + +(474) On the 22d December, 1741. This was one of the debates +that terminated Sir Robert Walpole's administration: the numbers +on the division were 220 against 216.-C. + +(475) The proceedings of the 6th of February, 1751, against the +Honourable A. Murray, for impeding the Westminster election; but +Walpole, in his Memoires, states that the House adjourned at two +in the morning.-C. + +(476) The disputes between Louis XV. and his parliaments, which +prepared the revolution, were at this period assuming a serious +appearance.-C. + +(477) The King. + +(478) The Princess Dowager. + +(479) Lord Bute. Luton was his seat in Bedfordshire. + +(480) Mr. Walpole was too sanguine: Sir Fletcher had not even +lost his boldness; for in the further progress of the adjourned +debate, we shall find that he told the House that he would regard +their resolution of no more value (in point of law, must be +understood) than the vociferations of so many drunken porters.-C. + +(481) Lord Sandwich was an agreeable companion and an able +minister; but One whose moral character did not point him out as +exactly the fittest patron for a volume of sermons; and he was at +this moment so unpopular, that Mr. Walpole affects to think he +may have been intimidated to fly.-C. + +(482) Robert Wood, Esq. under-secretary of state; against whom, +for his official share in the affair of the general warrants, Mr. +Wilkes's complaint was made.-C. + +(483) Philip Carteret Webb, Esq. solicitor to the treasury, +complained on the same ground. Mr. Walpole probably applies +these injurious terms to Mr. Webb, on account of a supposed error +in his evidence on the trial in the Common Pleas, for which he +was afterwards indicted for perjury, but he was fully acquitted. +The point was of little importance --whether he had or had not a +key in his hand.-C. + +(484) Lord Temple was, as every one knows, a very keen +politician, and took in all this matter a most prominent part; +indeed, he was the prime mover of the whole affair, and bore the +expense of all Wilkes's law proceedings out of his own pocket.-C. + +(485) William Chetwynd, brother of Lord Chetwynd: at this time +master of the mint. He was in early life a friend of Lord +Bolingbroke, and called, from the darkness of his complexion, +Oroonoko Chetwynd: he sat out these debates with impunity, for he +survived to succeed his brother as Lord Chetwynd, in 1767, and +did not die for some years after.-C. + +(486) Probably Anne, daughter of Admiral Sir Peter Warren; +married, in 1758, to Colonel Charles Fitzroy, afterwards first +Lord Southampton.-C. + +(487) Penelope, daughter of Sir H. Atkins, married, in 1746, to +George Pitt, first Lord Rivers.-C. + +(488) Elizabeth. daughter of Charles Spenser, first Duke of +Marlborough of the Spenser branch, married, in 1756, to Henry, +tenth Earl of Pembroke; she was celebrated for her beauty, which +had even, it was said, captivated George III. When General +Conway was dismissed for the vote of this very night, Lord +Pembroke succeeded to his regiment.-C. + +(489) Sir William Meredith's motion was, "That a general warrant +for apprehending and securing the authors, printers, and +publishers of a seditious libel, together with their papers, is +not warranted by law." This proposition the administration did +not venture to deny, but they attached to it an exculpatory +amendment to the Following effect:--"although such warrant has +been issued according to the usage of office, and has been +frequently produced to, and never condemned by, courts of +justice."-C. + +(490) Gilbert, youngest brother of henry, first Earl of +Darlington, who was so well known in Sir Robert Walpole's and Mr. +Pelham's time as " Harry Vane." Mr. Gilbert Vane was deputy +treasurer of Chelsea Hospital, but on this occasion abandoned the +ministerial side of the House, with which he had hitherto voted: +he died in 1772.-C. + +(491) The Marriage act was not an original measure of Lord +Hardwicke; but as he, on the failure of one or two previous +attempts at a bill on that subject, was requested by the House of +Lords to prepare one, he, and of course his sons, must have +continued interested in its maintenance; but Mr. Walpole's +suspicion of a bargain and sale of sentiments between there and +the opposition is quite absurd. Even from Mr. Walpole's own +statement, it would seem, that, on the subject of general +warrants, mr. Charles Yorke acted with sincerity and +moderation,-anxious to have a great legal question properly +decided, and unwilling to prostitute its success to the purposes +of party.-C. + +(492) Fourth son of John, third Duke of Argyle; afterwards keeper +of the privy seal in Scotland, secretary to the Lord Lieutenant +of Ireland, and finally, lord register of Scotland. As He was +the brother-in-law of General Conway, Mr. Walpole seems to have +expected him to have followed Conway's politics.-C. + +(493) Lord George Sackville. + +(494) Charles, third Lord Townshend, a peer, whose reputation is +lost between that of his father and his sons.-C. + +(495) Second son of the Duke of Marlborough; his white staff was +that of comptroller of the household. He was, it seems, in Mr. +Walpole's sense of the word, wiser than Lord Frederick Campbell; +but we shall see presently, that this wisdom grew ashamed of +itself in a day or two, and in 1765, when the party which he had +this night assisted came into power, he was turned out.-C. + +(496) James, eldest son of the Earl of Derby, born in 1717; he +died in 1771, before his father. I know not why Walpole says he +was not interested; he was a very respectable man, but he was +also chancellor of the duchy, and might naturally have felt as +much interested as the other placemen-C. + +(497) Lately dismissed. See ant`e, p. 276, letter 188.-E. + +(498) Colonel Barr`e had been dismissed from the office of +adjutant-general. See ant`e, p. 258, letter 184.-E. + +(499) The Duke of Newcastle in a letter to Mr. Pitt of the 15th, +says, "Mr. West and honest George Onslow came to my bedside this +morning, to give me an account of the glorious day we had +yesterday, and of the great obligations which every true lover of +the liberties of his country and our present constitution owe to +you, for the superior ability, firmness, and resolution which you +showed during the longest attention that ever was known. God +forbid that your health should suffer by your zeal for your +country." Chatham Correspondence, vol. ii. p. 287.-E. + +(500) Probably the gentleman in whose charge M. de Guerchy had +sent away the giddy Duke.-C. + +(501) Sir Jacob Gerrard Downing, Bart., member for Dunwich: he +died the 6th of February, and left his estate, as Mr. Walpole +says, to his wife; but only for her life, and afterwards to build +and endow Downing College at Cambridge.(502) The grounds of any +expectation which Lord Holland may have entertained from Sir +Jacob Downing have not reached us; but it is right to say, that +Mr. Walpole had quarrelled with Lord Holland, and was glad on any +occasion, just or otherwise, to sneer at him.-C. + +(503) It may be necessary to remark, that any member who attends +at the daily prayers of the House has a right, for that evening, +to the place he occupies at prayers. On nights of great +interest, when the House is expected to be crowded, there is +consequently a considerable attendance at prayers.-C. + +(504) Eldest son of the third Duke of Rutland, well known for his +gallant conduct at Minden, and still remembered for his +popularity with the army and the public. He was at this time +commander-in-chief and master-general of the ordnance. He died +before his father, in 1770.-C. + +(505) Wonderful to Mr. Walpole only, who had a private pique +against the Yorkes; no one else could wonder that deference +should be paid to long services, high stations, great abilities, +and unimpeached integrity.-C. + +(506) Mr. Pitt's frequent fits of the gout are well known: he was +even suspected of sometimes acting a fit of the gout in the House +of Commons. (A reference to the Chatham Correspondence will, it +is believed, remove the illiberal suspicion, that Mr. Pitt, on +this, or any other occasion, was in the practice of "acting a fit +of the gout." On the morning after the debate, the Duke of +Newcastle thus wrote to Mr. Pitt "I shall not be easy till I hear +you have not increased your pain and disorder, by your attendance +and the great service you did yesterday to the public. I could +not omit thanking you and congratulating you upon your great and +glorious minority, before I went to Claremont. Such a minority, +with such a leader, composed of gentlemen of the Greatest and +most independent fortunes in the kingdom, against a majority of +fourteen only, influenced by power and force, and fetched from +all corners of the kingdom, must have its weight, and produce the +most happy consequences to the public." Chatham Correspondence, +vol. ii. p. 288.-E.] + +(507) Sir John Cust's nose was rather short, as his picture by +Reynolds, as well as by Walpole, testify.-C. + +(508) In reference to this defeat of the ministry, Gray, in a +letter to Dr. Wharton, says, "Their crests are much fallen and +countenances lengthened by the transactions of last week; for the +ministry, on Thursday last (after sitting till near eight in the +morning), carried a small point by a majority of only forty, and +on another previous division by one of ten only; and on Friday +last, at five in the morning, there were 220 to 232; and by this +the court only obtained to adjourn the debate for four months, +and not to get a declaration in favour of their measures. If +they hold their ground many weeks after this, I shall wonder; but +the new reign has already produced many wonders." Works, vol. iv. +p. 30.-E. + +(509) Not correct. See afterwards.-E. + +(510) sir Richard Warwick Bampfylde, fourth baronet; member for +Devonshire.-E. + +(511) Sir Charles Kemeys Tynte, fifth baronet; member for +Somersetshire.-E. + +(512) He died on the 13th of the ensuing month.-E. + +(513) Richard, fourth Viscount, and first Earl Howe, the hero of +the 1st of June; and his brother, Colonel, afterwards General Sir +William, who succeeded him as fifth Viscount Howe.-C. + +(514) George Simon, Viscount Newnham, afterwards second Earl of +Harcourt, remarkable for a somewhat exaggerated imitation of +French fashions. His father, the first Earl, was at this time +chamberlain to the Queen.-C. + +(515) See ant`e, p. 286. The meaning of this passage is, that +the Duke of Bedford (who was president of the council) wrote a +letter, which he sent to Blenheim for the Duke of Marlborough to +sign, desiring his brother, Lord Charles, to abstain from again +voting against the government. The Duke of Marlborough (who was +privy seal) signed, as Walpole intimates, the letter; and Lord +Charles, instead of attending the House, and voting, as he had +done on the former night, against ministers, went down to +Blenheim.-C. + +(516) They never took place, and probably never were in +contemplation.-E. + + + +Letter 193 To Sir David Dalrymple.(517) +Arlington Street, Feb. 23, 1764. (page 292) + +Dear Sir, +I am much in your debt, but have had but too much excuse for +being so. Men who go to bed at six and seven in the morning, and +who rise but to return to the same fatigue, have little leisure +for other most necessary duties. The severe attendance we have +had lately in the House of Commons cannot be unknown to you, and +will already, I trust, have pleaded my pardon. + +Mr. Bathoe has got the two volumes for you, and will send them by +the conveyance you prescribe. You will find in them much, I +fear, that will want your indulgence; and not only dryness, +trifles, and, I conclude, many mistakes, but perhaps opinions +different from your own. I can only plead my natural and +constant frankness, which always speaks indifferently, as it +thinks, on all sides and subjects. I am bigoted to none: Charles +or Cromwell, Whigs or Tories, are all alike to me, but in what I +think they deserve, applause or censure; and therefore, if' I +sometimes commend, sometimes blame them, it is not for being +inconsistent, but from considering them in the single light in +which I then speak of them: at the same time meaning to give only +my private opinion, and not at all expecting to have it adopted +by any other man. Thus much, perhaps, it was necessary for @ne +to say, and I will trouble you no further about myself. + +Single portraits by Vandyck I shall avoid particularizing any +farther, and also separate pieces by other masters, for a reason +I may trust you with. Many persons possess pictures which they +believe or call originals, without their being so, and have +wished to have them inserted in my lists. This I certainly do +not care to do, nor, on the other hand, to assume the +impertinence of deciding from my own judgment. I shall, +therefore, stop where I have stopped. The portraits which you +mention, of the Earl of Warwick, Sir, is very famous and +indubitable; but I believe you will assent to my prudence, which +does not trouble me too often. I have heard as much fame of the +Earl of Denbigh. + +You will see in my next edition, that I have been so lucky as to +find and purchase both the drawings that were at +Buckingham-house, of the Triumphs of Riches and Poverty. They +have raised even my ideas of Holbein. Could I afford it, and we +had engravers equal to the task, the public should be acquainted +with their merit; but I am disgusted with paying great sums for +wretched performances. I am ashamed of the prints in my books, +which were extravagantly paid for, and are wretchedly executed. + +Your zeal for reviving the publication of Illustrious Heads +accords, Sir, extremely with my own sentiments; but I own I +despair of that, and every work. Our artists get so much money +by hasty, slovenly performances, that they will undertake nothing +that requires labour and time. I have never been able to +persuade any one of them to engrave the beauties at Windsor, +which are daily perishing for want of fires in that palace. Most +of them entered into a plan I had undertaken, of an edition of +Grammont with portraits. I had three executed; but after the +first, which was well done, the others were so wretchedly +performed, though even the best was much too dear, that I was +forced to drop the design. Walker, who has done much the best +heads in my new volumes, told me, when I pressed him to consider +his reputation, that , "he had got fame enough!" What hopes, +Sir, can one entertain after so shameful an answer? I have had +numerous schemes, but never could bring any to bear, but what +depended solely on myself; and how little is it that a private +man, with a moderate fortune, and who has many other avocations, +can accomplish alone? I flattered myself that this reign would +have given new life and views to the artists and the curious. I +am disappointed: Politics on one hand, and want of taste in those +about his Majesty on the other, have prevented my expectations +from being answered. + +The letters you tell me of, Sir, are indeed curious, both those +of Atterbury and the rest; but I cannot flatter myself that I +shall be able to contribute to publication. My press, from the +narrowness of its extent, and having but one man and a boy, goes +very slow; nor have I room or fortune to carry it farther. What +I have already in hand, or promised, will take me up a long time. +The London Booksellers play me all manner of tricks. If I do not +allow them ridiculous profit,(518) they will do nothing to +promote the sale; and when I do, they buy up the impression, and +sell it for an advanced price before my face. This is the case +of my two first volumes of Anecdotes, for which people have been +made to pay half a guinea, and more than the advertised price. +In truth, the plague I have had in every shape with my own +printers, engravers, the booksellers, besides my own trouble, +have almost discouraged me from what I took up at first as an +amusement, but which has produced very little of it. + +I am sorry, upon the whole, Sir, to be forced to confess to you, +that I have met with so many discouragements in virt`u and +literature. If an independent gentleman, though a private one, +finds such obstacles, what must an ingenious man do, who is +obliged to couple views of profit with zeal for the public? Or, +do our artists and booksellers, cheat me the more because I am a +gentleman? Whatever is the cause, I am almost as sick of the +profession of editor, as of author. If I touch upon either more, +it will be more idly, though chiefly because I never can be quite +idle. + +(517) Now first collected. + +(518) The following just and candid vindication of the London +booksellers from the charge of rapacity on the score of +"ridiculous profit," is contained in a letter written by Dr. +Johnson, in March, 1776, to the Rev. Dr. Wetherell:--"It is, +perhaps, not considered through how many hands a book often +passes, before it comes into those of the reader; or what part of +the profit each hand must retain, as a motive for transmitting it +to the next, We will call our primary agent in London, Mr. +Cadell, who receives our books from us, gives them room in his +warehouse, and issues them on demand; by him they are sold to Mr. +Dilly, a wholesale bookseller, who sends them into the country; +and the last seller is the country bookseller. Here are three +profits to be paid between the printer and the reader, or, in the +style of commerce, between the manufacturer and the consumer; and +if any of these profits is too penuriously distributed, the +process of commerce is interrupted."-E. + + + +Letter 194 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Arlington Street, Feb. 24, 1764. (page 294) + +As I had an opportunity, on Tuesday last, of sending you a letter +of eleven pages, by a very safe conveyance, I shall say but a few +words to-day; indeed, I have left nothing to say, but to thank +you for the answer I received from you this morning to mine by +Monsieur Monin. I am very happy that you take so kindly the +freedom I used: the circumstances made me think it necessary; and +I flatter myself, that you are persuaded I was not to blame in +speaking so openly, when two persons so dear to me were +concerned.(519) Your 'Indulgence will not lead me to abuse it. +What you say on the caution I mentioned, convinces me that I was +right, by finding your judgment correspond with my own-but enough +of that. + +My long letter, which, perhaps, you will not receive till after +this (you will receive it from a lady), will give you a full +detail of the last extraordinary week. Since that, there has +been an accidental suspension of arms. Not only Mr. Pitt is laid +up with the gout, but the Speaker has it too. We have been +adjourned till to-day, and as he is not recovered, have again +adjourned till next Wednesday. The events of the week have been, +a complaint made by Lord Lyttelton in your House, of a book +called "Droit le Roy;"(520) a tract written in the highest strain +of prerogative, and drawn from all the old obsolete law-books on +that question.(521) The ministers met this complaint with much +affected indignation, and even on the complaint being +communicated to us, took it up themselves; and both Houses have +ordered the book to be burned by the hangman. To comfort +themselves for this forced zeal for liberty, the North Briton, +and the Essay on Woman have both been condemned(522) by Juries in +the King's Bench; but that triumph has been more than balanced +again, by the city giving their freedom to Lord Chief-Justice +Pratt,(523) ordering his picture to be placed in the King's +Bench, thanking their members for their behaviour in Parliament +on the warrant, and giving orders for instructions to be drawn +for their future conduct. + +Lord Granby is made lord lieutenant of Derbyshire; but the vigour +of this affront was wofully weakened by excuses to the Duke of +Devonshire, and by its being known that the measure was +determined two months ago. + +All this sounds very hostile; yet, don't be surprised if you hear +of some sudden treaty. Don't you know a little busy squadron +that had the chief hand in the negotiation(524) last autumn? +Well, I have reason to think that Phraates(525 is negotiating +with Leonidas(526) by the same intervention. All the world sees +that the present ministers are between two fires. Would it be +extraordinary if the artillery of' both should be discharged on +them at once? But this is not proper for the post: I grow +prudent the less prudence is necessary. + +We are in pain for the Duchess of Richmond, who, instead of the +jaundice, has relapsed into a fever. She has blooded twice last +night, and vet had a very bad night. I called at the door at +three o'clock, when they thought the fever rather diminished, but +spoke of her as very ill. I have not seen your brother or Lady +Aylesbury to-day, but found they had been very much alarmed +yesterday evening.(527) Lord Suffolk,(528) they say, is going to +be married to Miss Trevor Hampden. + +Your brother has told me, that among Lady Hertford's things +seized at Dover, was a packet for me from you. Mr. Bowman has +undertaken to make strict inquiry for it. Adieu, my dear lord. + +P. S. We had, last Monday, the prettiest ball that ever was seen, +at Mrs. Ann Pitt's,(529) in the compass of a silver penny. There +were one hundred and four persons, of which number fifty-five +supped. The supper-room was disposed with tables and benches +back to back in the manner of an alehouse. The idea sounds ill; +but the fairies had so improved upon it, had so be-garlanded, so +sweetmeated, and so desserted it, that it looked like a vision. +I told her she Could only have fed and stowed so much company by +a miracle, and that, when we were gone, she would take up twelve +basketsfull of people. The Duchess of Bedford asked me before +Madame de Guerchy, if I would not give them a ball at Strawberry? +Not for the universe! What! turn a ball, and dust, and dirt, and +a million of candles, into my charming new gallery! I said, I +could not flatter myself that people would give themselves the +trouble of going eleven miles for a ball--(though I believe they +would go fifty)--"Well, then," says she, "it shall be a dinner."- +-"With all my heart, I have no objection; but no ball shall set +its foot within my doors." + +(519) It related, as we have seen, to General Conway's vote in +opposition to the government.-C. + +(520) "Droit le Roy, or the Rights and Prerogatives of the +Imperial Crown of Great Britain." In the examination of Griffin, +the printer, before the Peers, he stated that Timothy Becknock +afterwards hanged in Ireland as an accomplice of George Robert +Fitzgerald, had sent the pamphlet to the press, and was, Griffin +believed, the author of it.-C. + +(521) Gray writes to Dr. Wharton, on the 21st of February:--"The +House of Lords, I hear, will soon take in hand a book lately +published, by some scoundrel lawyer, on the prerogative; in which +is scraped together all the flattery and blasphemy of our old +law-books in honour of kings. I presume it is understood, that +the court will support the cause of this impudent scribbler." +Works, vol. iv. p. 30.-E. + +(522) Mr. Wilkes was tried on the 21st of February, for +republishing the North Briton, No. 45, and for printing the Essay +on Woman, and found guilty of both.-E. + +(523) The preamble of these resolutions is worthy of +observation:--"Whereas the independency and uprightness of judges +is essential to the impartial administration of justice, etc. +this court, in manifestation of their just sense of the +inflexible firmness and integrity of the Right Honourable Sir C. +Pratt, lord chief justice, etc. gives him the freedom of the +city, and orders his picture to be placed in Guildhall;" as if +impartiality could only be assailed from one side, and as if gold +boxes and pictures, and addresses from the corporation of London, +were not as likely to have influence on the human mind as the +favours from the crown. Their applause was either worth nothing, +or it was an attempt on the impartiality of the judge.-C. + +(524) The negotiation in August, 1763, already alluded to, for +Mr. Pitt's coming into power. There is some reason to suppose +that Mr. Calcraft was employed in the first steps of this +negotiation, and this may be what Mr. Walpole here refers to.-C. + +(525) Lord Bute. + +(526) Mr. Pitt. + +(527) The Duchess was the sister of Lady Aylesbury's first +husband.-E. + +(528) Henry, twelfth Earl of Suffolk, married, May 1764, Miss +Trevor, who had been on the point of marriage with Mr. Child of +Osterley, where he suddenly died in September, 1763. See ant`e, +p. 237, letter 175.-E. + +(529) Sister of the great Lord Chatham, whom she resembled in +some qualities of her mind. See ant`e, p. 220, letter 157. Mr. +Walpole, when some foreigner, who could not see Pitt himself, had +asked him if he was like his sister, answered, in his usual happy +style of giving a portrait at a touch, "Ils se ressemblent comme +deux gouttes de feu!" She was privy purse to the Princess +Dowager.-C. + + + +Letter 195 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Arlington Street, March 3, 1764. (page 296) + +Dear Sir, +Just as I was going to the Opera, I received your manuscript. I +would not defer telling you so, that you may know it is safe. +But I have additional reason to write to you immediately; for on +opening the book, the first thing I saw was a new obligation to +You, the charming Faithorne of Sir Orlando Bridgman, which +according to your constantly obliging manner you have sent me, +and I almost fear you think I begged it; but I can disculpate +myself, for I had discovered that it belongs to Dugdale's +Origines -Judiciales, and had ordered my bookseller to try to get +me that book, which when I accomplish, you shall command your own +print again; for it is too fine an impression to rob you of. + +I have been so entertained with your book, that I have stayed at +home on purpose, and gone through three parts of it. It makes me +wish earnestly some time or other to go through all your +collections, for I have already found twenty things of great +moment to me. One Is particularly satisfactory to me; it is in +Mr. Baker's MSS. at Cambridge; the title of Eglesham's book +against the Duke of Bucks,(530) mentioned by me in the account of +Gerbier, from Vertue, who fished out every thing, and always +proves in the right. This piece I must get transcribed by Mr. +Gray's assistance. I fear I shall detain your manuscript +prisoner a little, for the notices I have found, but I will take +infinite care of it, as it deserves. I have got among my new old +prints a most curious one of one Toole. It seems to be a +burlesque. He lived in temp. Jac. I. and appears to have been an +adventurer, like Sir Ant. Sherley:(531) can you tell me any thing +of him? + +I must repeat how infinitely I think myself obliged to you both +for the print and the use of your manuscript, which is of the +greatest use and entertainment to me; but you frighten me about +Mr. Baker's MSS. from the neglect of them. I should lose all +patience if yours were to be treated so. Bind them in iron, and +leave them in a chest of cedar. They are, I am sure, most +valuable, from what I have found already. + +(530) This libellous book, written by a Scotch physician, and +which is reprinted in the second volume of the Harleian +Miscellany, and in the fifth volume of the Somers' Collection of +Tracts, was considered by Sir Henry Wotton "as one of the alleged +incentives which hurried Felton to become an assassin."-E. + +(531) Sherley's various embassies will be found in the +collections of Hakluyt and Purchas. An article upon his travels, +which were published in 1601, occurs likewise in the second +volume of the Retrospective Review. The travels of the three +brothers, Sir Thomas, Sir Anthony, and Master Robert Sherley, +were published from the original manuscripts in 1825.-E. + + + +Letter 196 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Strawberry Hill, March 11, 1764. (page 297) + +My dear lord, +the last was so busy a week with me, that I had not a minute's +time to tell you of Lord Hardwicke's(532) death. I had so many +auctions, dinners, loo-parties, so many sick acquaintance, with +the addition of a long day in the House of Commons, (which, by +the way, I quitted for a sale of books,) and a ball, that I left +the common newspapers to inform you of an event, which two months +ago would have been of much consequence. The Yorkes are fixed, +and the contest(533) at Cambridge will but make them strike +deeper root in opposition. I have not heard how their father has +portioned out his immense treasures. The election at Cambridge +is to be on Tuesday, 24th; Charles Townshend is gone thither, and +I suppose, by this time, has ranted, and romanced, and turned +every one of their ideas topsyturvy. + +Our long day was Friday, the opening of the budget. mr. +Grenville spoke for two hours and forty minutes; much of it well, +but too long, too many repetitions, and too evident marks of +being galled by reports, which he answered with more art than +sincerity. There were a few more speeches, till nine o'clock, +but no division. Our armistice, you see, continues. Lord Bute +is, I believe, negotiating with both sides; I know he is with the +opposition, and has a prospect of making very good terms for +himself, for patriots seldom have the gift of perseverance. It +is wonderful how soon their virtue thaws! + +Last Thursday, the Duchess of Queensbury(534) gave a ball, opened +it herself with a minuet, and danced two country dances; as she +had enjoined every body to be with her by six, to sup at twelve, +and go away directly. Of the Campbell-sisters, all were left out +but, Lady Strafford,(535) Lady Rockingham and Lady Sondes, who, +having had colds, deferred sending answers, received notice that +their places were filled up, and that they must not come; but +were pardoned on submission. A card was sent to invite Lord and +Lady Cardigan, and Lord Beaulieu instead of Lord Montagu.(536) +This, her grace protested, was by accident. Lady Cardigan was +very angry, and yet went. Except these flights, the only +extraordinary thing the Duchess did, was to do nothing +extraordinary, for I do not call it very mad that some pique +happening between her and the Duchess of Bedford, the latter had +this distich sent to her-- + +Come with a whistle, and come with a call, +Come with a good will, or come not at all. + +I do not know whether what I am going to tell you did not border +a little upon Moorfields.(537) The gallery where they danced was +very cold. Lord Lorn,(538) George Selwyn, and I, retired into a +little room, and sat (Comfortably by the fire. The Duchess +looked in, said nothing, and sent a smith to take the hinges of +the door off We understood the hint, and left the room, and so +did the smith the door. This was pretty legible. + +My niece Waldegrave talks of accompanying me to Paris, but ten or +twelve weeks may make great alteration in a handsome young +widow's plan: I even think I see Some(539) who will--not forbid +banns, but propose them. Indeed, I am almost afraid of coming to +you myself. The air of Paris works such miracles, that it is not +safe to trust oneself there. I hear of nothing but my Lady +Hertford's rakery, and Mr. Wilkes's religious deportment, and +constant attendance at your chapel. Lady Anne,(540) I conclude, +chatters as fast as my Lady Essex(541) and her four daughters. + +Princess Amelia told me t'other night, and bade me tell you, that +she has seen Lady Massarene(542) at Bath, who is warm in praise +of you, and said that you had spent two thousand pounds out of +friendship, to support her son in an election. She told the +Princess too, that she had found a rent-roll of your estate in a +farmhouse, and that it is fourteen thousand a-year. This I was +ordered, I know not why, to tell you. The Duchess of Bedford has +not been asked to the loo-parties at Cavendish-house(543) this +winter, and only once to whisk there, and that was one Friday +when she is at home herself. We have nothing at the Princess's +but silver-loo, and her Bath and Tunbridge acquaintance. The +trade at our gold-loo is as contraband as ever. I cannot help +saying, that the Duchess of Bedford would mend our silver-loo, +and that I wish every body played like her at the gold. + +Arlington Street, Tuesday. + +You thank me, my dear lord, for my gazettes (in your letter of +the 8th) more than they deserve. There is no trouble in sending +you news; as you excuse the careless manner in which I write any +thing I hear. Don't think yourself obliged to be punctual in +answering me: it would be paying too dear for such idle and +trifling despatches. Your picture of the attention paid to +Madame Pompadour's illness, and of the ridicule attached to the +mission of that homage, is very striking. It would be still more +so by comparison. Think if the Duke of Cumberland was to set up +with my Lord Bute! + +The East India Company, yesterday, elected Lord Clive--Great +Mogul; that is, they have made him governor-general of Bengal, +and restored his Jaghire.(544) I dare say he will put it out of +their power ever to take it away again. We have had a deluge of +disputes and pamphlets on the late events in that distant +province of our empire, the Indies. The novelty of the manners +divert me: our governors there, I think, have learned more of +their treachery and injustice, than they have taught them of our +discipline. + +Monsieur Helvetius(545 arrived yesterday. I will take care to +inform the Princess, that you could not do otherwise than you did +about her trees. My compliments to all your hotel. + +(532) The event took place on the 6th of March.-E. + +(533) For High steward of the university, between Lord Sandwich +and the new Lord Hardwicke. Gray, in a letter of the 21st of +February, written from Cambridge, says, "This silly dirty place +has had all its thoughts taken up with choosing a new high +steward; and had not Lord Hardwicke surprisingly, and to the +shame of the faculty, recovered by a quack medicine, I believe in +my conscience the noble Earl of Sandwich had been chosen, though, +(let me do them the justice to say) not without a considerable +opposition." Works, vol. iv. p. 29.-E. + +(534) Catharine Hyde, the granddaughter of the great Lord +Clarendon; herself remarkable for some oddities of character, +dress, and manners, to which the world became less indulgent as +she ceased to be young and handsome.-C. + +(535) the sisters omitted were, Lady Dalkeith, Lady Elizabeth +Mackenzie, and Lady Mary Coke.-C. + +(536) John Duke of Montagu left two daughters; the eldest, +Isabella, married first the Duke of Manchester, and, secondly, +Mr. Hussey, an Irish gentleman, created in consequence of this +union, Lord Beaulieu. Mary, the younger sister, married Lord +Cardigan, who was, in 1776, created Duke of Montagu: their eldest +son having been in 1762, created Lord Montagu. The marriage of +the elder sister with Mr. Hussey was considered, by her family +and the world, as a m`esalliance; and, therefore, the mistake of +lord Beaulieu for Lord Montagu was likely to give offence.-C. + +(537) It is now almost necessary to remind the reader, that old +Bedlam stood in Moorfields.-C. + +(538) Afterwards fifth Duke of Argyle.-E. + +(539) He means, as subsequently appears, the Duke of Portland.-C. + +(540) Lord Hertford's eldest daughter, afterwards wife of Mr. +Stewart, subsequently created Earl and Marquis of Londonderry.-E. + +(541) Elizabeth Russell, daughter of the second Duke of Bedford. +She had four daughters; but the oldest died young.-E. + +(542) Elizabeth, daughter of Henry Eyre, Esq. of Derbyshire, +second wife of the first, and mother of the second, Earl of +Massarene; the latter being at this time a minor. The election +was probably for the county of Antrim, in which both Lord +Massarene and Lord Hertford had considerable property.-C. + +(543) Princess Amelia's, the corner of Harley Street; since the +residence of Mr. Hope, and of mr. Watson Taylor.-C. + +(544) A rent-charge which had been granted him by the late Nabob, +and which, on the seizure of the territory on which it was +charged by the East India Company, Lord Clive insisted that the +Company should continue to pay. It was about twenty-five +thousand pounds per annum.-C. + +(545) A French philosopher, the son of a Dutch Physician brought +into France by Louis XIV. He was the author of a dull book +mis-named "De l'Esprit." We cannot resist repeating a joke made +about this period on the occasion of a requisition made by the +French ministry to the government of Geneva, that it should seize +copies of this book "De l'Esprit," and Voltaire's "Pucelle +d'Orl`eans," which were supposed to be collected there in order +to be smuggled into France. The worthy magistrates were said to +have reported that, after the most diligent search, they could +find in their whole town no trace "de l'Esprit, et pas une +Pucelle."-C. [The following is Gibbon's character of Helvetius, +in a letter of the 12th of February, 1763:--"Amongst my +acquaintance I cannot help mentioning M. Helvetius, the author of +the famous book 'De l'Esprit.' I met him at dinner at Madame +Geoffrin's, where he took great notice of me, made me a visit +next day, has ever since treated me, not in a polite but a +friendly manner. Besides being a sensible man, an agreeable +companion, and the worthiest creature in the world, he has a very +pretty wife, an hundred thousand livres a-year, and one of the +best tables in Paris." He died in 1771, at the age of +fifty-six.-E.] + + + +Letter 197 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Sunday, March 18, 1764. (page 300) + +You will feel, my dear lord, for the loss I have had, and for the +much greater affliction of poor Lady Malpas. My nephew(546) went +to his regiment in Ireland before Christmas, and returned but +last Monday. He had, I suppose, heated himself in that +bacchanalian country, and was taken ill the very day he set out, +yet he came on, but grew much worse the night of his arrival; it +turned to an inflammation in his bowels, and he died last Friday. +You may imagine the distress where there was so much domestic +felicity, and where the deprivation is augmented by the very +slender circumstances in which he could but leave his family; as +his father--such an improvident father--is living! Lord Malpas +himself was very amiable, and I had always loved him--but this is +the cruel tax one pays for living, to see one's friends taken +away before one! It has been a week of mortality. The night I +wrote to you last, and had sent away my letter, came an account +of my Lord Townshend's death. He had been ill treated by a +surgeon in the country, then was carried improperly to the Bath, +and then again to Rainham, tho Hawkins, and other surgeons and +physicians represented his danger to him. But the woman he kept, +probably to prevent his seeing his family, persisted in these +extravagant journeys, and he died in exquisite torment the day +after his arrival in Norfolk. He mentions none of his children +in his will, but the present lord; to whom he gives 300 pounds +a-year that he had bought, adjoining to his estate. But there is +said, or supposed to be, 50,000 pounds in the funds in his +mistress's name, who was his housemaid. I do not aver this, for +truth is not the staple commodity of that family. Charles is +much disappointed and discontented--not so my lady, who has 2000 +pounds a-year already, another 1000 pounds in jointure, and 1500 +pounds her own estate in Hertfordshire.(547) We conclude, that +the Duke of Argyle will abandon Mrs. Villiers(548) for this +richer widow; who will only be inconsolable, as she is too +cunning, I believe, to let any body console her. Lord +Macclesfield(549) is dead too; a great windfall for Mr. +Grenville, who gets a teller's place for his son. + +There is no public news: there was a longish day on Friday in our +House, on a demand for money for the new bridge from the city. +It was refused, and into the accompt of contempt, Dr. Hay(550) +threw a good deal of abuse on the common council--a nest of +hornets, that I do not see the prudence of attacking. + +I leave to your brother to tell you the particulars of an +impertinent paragraph in the papers on you and your embassy; but +I must tell you how instantly, warmly, and zealously, he resented +it. He went directly to the Duke of Somerset, to beg of him to +complain of it to the Lords. His grace's bashfulness made him +choose rather to second the complaint, but he desired Lord +Marchmont to make it, who liked the office, and the printers are +to attend your House to-morrow.(551) + +I went a little too fast in my history of Lord Clive, and yet I +had it from Mr. Grenville himself. The Jaghire is to be decided +by law, that is in the year 1000. Nor is it certain that his +Omrahship goes; that will depend on his obtaining a board of +directors to his mind, at the approaching election.(552) I +forgot, too, to answer your question about Luther;(553) and now I +remember it, I cannot answer it. Some said his wife had been +gallant. Some, that he had been too gallant, and that she +suffered for it. Others laid it to his expenses at his election; +others again, to political squabbles on that subject between him +and his wife--but in short, as he sprung into the world by his +election, so he withered when it was over, and has not been +thought on since. + +George Selwyn has had a frightful accident, that ended in a great +escape. He was at dinner at Lord Coventry's, and just as he was +drinking a glass of wine, he was seized with a fit of coughing, +the liquor went wrong, and suffocated him: he got up for some +water at the sideboard, but being strangled, and losing his +senses, he fell against the corner of the marble table with such +violence, that they thought he had killed himself by a fracture +of his skull. He lay senseless for some time, and was recovered +with difficulty. He was immediately blooded, and had the chief +wound, which is just over the eye, sewed up--but you never saw so +battered a figure. All round his eye is as black as jet, and +besides the scar on his forehead, he has cut his nose at top and +bottom. He is well off with his life, and we with his wit. + +P. S. Lord Macclesfield has left his wife(554) threescore +thousand pounds. + +(546) George Viscount Malpas member for Corfe-Castle, and colonel +of the 65th regiment of foot, the son of George, third Earl of +Cholmondeley, and of Mary, only legitimate daughter of Sir Robert +Walpole. Lord Malpas had married, in 1747, Hester daughter and +heiress of Sir Francis Edwards, Bart. and by her was father of +the fourth Earl. + +(547) She was daughter and heiress of J. Harrison, Esq. of Balls, +in Herts.-E. + +(548) Probably Mary Fowke, widow of Mr. Henry Villiers, nephew of +the first Earl of Jersey.-C. + +(549) George, second Earl of Macclesfield, one of the tellers of +the exchequer, and president of the Royal Society.-E. + +(550) George Hay, LL. D. member for Sandwich, and one of the +lords of the admiralty.-E. + +(551) We find in the Journals, that the printers of two papers in +which the libellous paragraph appeared, were, after examination +at the bar, committed to Newgate. The libel itself is not +recorded. The proceedings in the House of Lords were notified to +Lord Hertford by the secretary of state, and the following is a +copy of his reply to this communication:--"Paris, March 27th, +1764. I am informed by my friend, of the insult that has been +offered to my character in two public papers, and of the zeal +shown by administration in seconding the resentment of the House +of Peers in my favour. Perhaps my own inclination might have led +me to despise such indignities; but if others, and particularly +my friends, take the matter more warmly, I am not insensible to +their attention, and receive with gratitude such pledges of their +regard. I had indeed flattered myself, that my course of life +had hitherto created me no enemy; but as I find that this +felicity is too great for any man, I am pleased, at least, to +find that he is a very low one: and I am so far obliged to him +for discovering to me the share I have in the friendship of so +many great persons, and for procuring me a testimony of esteem +from so honourable an assembly as that of the Peers of +England."-C. + +(552) Lord Clive made it a condition of his going to India, that +Mr. Sullivan should be deprived of the lead he had in the +direction at home.-C. [Soon after the election of the directors, +the court took the subject of the settlement of Lord Clive's +Jaghire into consideration; and a proposition, made by himself, +was, on the ]6th of May, agreed to, confirming his right for ten +years, if he lived so long, and provided the company continued, +during that period, in possession of the lands from which the +revenue was Paid.-E.] + +(553) John Luther, Esq. of Myless, near Ongar, in Essex, who, on +the death of Mr. Harvey, of Chigwell, stood on the popular +interest ,for that county against Mr. Conyers, and succeeded.-C. + +(554) Lord Macclesfield's second wife, whom he married in 1757, +was a Miss Dorothy Nesbit.-E. + + + +Letter 198 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Tuesday night, March 27, 1764. (page 302) + +Your brother has just told me, my dear lord, at the Opera, that +Colonel Keith, a friend of his, sets out for Paris on Thursday. +I take that opportunity of saying a few things to you, which +would be less proper than by the common post; and if I have not +time to write to Lord Beauchamp too, I will defer my answer to +him till Friday, as the post-office will be more welcome to read +that. + +Lord Bute is come to town, has been long with the King alone, and +goes publicly to court and the House of Lords, where the Barony +of Bottetourt((555) has engrossed them some days, and of which +the town thinks much, and I not at all, so I can tell you nothing +about it. The first two days, I hear, Lord Bute was little +noticed; but to-day much court was paid to him, even by the Duke +of Bedford. Why this difference, I don't know: that matters are +somehow adjusted between the favourite not minister, and the +ministers not favourites, I have no doubt. Pitt certainly has +been treating with him, and so threw away the great and +unexpected progress which the opposition had made. They, good +people, are either not angry with him for this, or have not found +it out. The Sandwiches and rigbys, who feel another half year +coming into their pockets, are not so blind. For my own part, I +rejoice that the opposition are only fools, and by thus missing +their treaty, will not appear knaves. In the mean time, I have +no doubt but the return of Lord Bute must produce confusion at +court. He and Grenville are both too fond of being ministers, +not to be jealous of one another. If what is said to be designed +proves true, that the King will go to Hanover, and take the Queen +with him, I shall expect that clamour (which you see depends on +very few men,(556) for it has subsided during these private +negotiations) will rise higher than ever. The Queen's absence +must be designed to leave the regency in the hands of another +lady:(557) connect that with Lord Bute's return, and judge what +will be the consequence! These are the present politics, at +least mine, who trouble myself little about them, and know less. +I have not been at the House this month; the great points which +interested me are over, and the very stand has shut the door. I +might like some folks out, but there are so few that I desire to +see in, that indifference is my present most predominating +principle. The busier world are attentive to the election at +Cambridge, which comes on next Friday; and I think, now, Lord +Sandwich's friends have little hopes. Had I a vote, it would not +be given for the new Lord Hardwicke. + +But we have a more extraordinary affair to engage us, and of +which you particularly will hear much more,-indeed, I fear must +be involved in. D'Eon has published (but to be sure you have +already heard so) a most scandalous quarto, abusing Monsieur de +Guerchy outrageously, and most offensive to Messieurs de Praslin +and Nivernois.(558) In truth, I think he will have made all +three irreconcilable enemies. The Duc de Praslin must be +outraged as to the Duke's carelessness and partiality to D'Eon, +and will certainly grow to hate Guerchy, concluding the latter +can never forgive him. D'Eon, even by his own account, is as +culpable as possible, mad with pride, insolent, abusive, +ungrateful, and dishonest, in short, a complication of +abominations, yet originally ill used by his court, afterwards +too well; above all, he has great malice, and great parts to put +the malice in play. Though there are even many bad puns in his +book, a very uncommon fault in a French book, yet there is much +wit too.(559) Monsieur de Guerchy is extremely hurt, though with +the least reason of the three; for his character for bravery and +good-nature is so established, that here, at least, he will not +suffer. I could write pages to you upon this Subject, for I am +full of it--but I will send you the book. The council have met +to-day to consider what to do upon it. Most people think it +difficult for them to do any thing. Lord Mansfield thinks they +can--but I fear he has a little alacrity on the severe side in +such cases. Yet I should be glad the law would allow severity in +the present case. I should be glad of it, as I was in your case +last week; and considering the present constitution of things, +would put the severity of the law in execution. You will wonder +at this sentence out of my mouth,(560) but not when you have +heard my reason. The liberty of the press has been so much +abused, that almost all men, especially such as have weight, I +mean, grave hypocrites and men of arbitrary principles, are ready +to demand a restraint. I would therefore show, that the law, as +it already stands, is efficacious enough to repress enormities. +I hope so, particularly in Monsieur de Guerchy's case, or I do +not see how a foreign minister can come hither; if, while their +persons are called sacred, their characters are at the mercy of +every servant that can pick a lock and pay for printing a letter. +It is an odd coincidence of accidents that has produced abuse on +you and your tally in the same week--but yours was a flea-bite. + +Thank you, my dear lord, for your anecdotes relative to Madame +Pompadour, her illness, and the pretenders to her succession. I +hope she may live till I see her; she is one of the greatest +curiosities of the age, and I am a pretty universal virtuoso. +The match Of My niece with the Duke of Portland(561) was, I own, +what I hinted at, and what I then believed likely to happen. It +is now quite off, and with very extraordinary circumstances; but +if I tell it you at all, it Must not be in a letter, especially +when D'Eons steal letters and print them. It is a secret, and so +little to the lover's advantage, that I, who have a great regard +for his family, shall not be the first to divulge it. + +We had last night, a magnificent ball at Lady Cardigan's;(562) +three sumptuous suppers in three rooms. The house, you know, is +crammed with fine things, pictures, china, japan, vases, and +every species of curiosities. These are much increased even +since I was in favour there, particularly by Lord Montagu's +importations. I was curious to see how many quarrels my lady +must have gulped before she could fill her house--truly, not +many, (though some,) for there were very few of her own +acquaintance, chiefly recruits of her son and daughter. There +was not the soup`con of a Bedford, though the town has married +Lord Tavistock and Lady Betty(563)--but he is coming to you to +France. The Duchess of Bedford told me how hard it was, that I, +who had personally offended my Lady Cardigan, should be invited, +and that she, who had done nothing, and yet had tried to be +reconciled, should not be asked. "Oh, Madam," said I, "be easy as +to that point, for though she has invited me, she will scarce +speak to me but I let all such quarrels come and go as they +please: if people, so indifferent to me, quarrel with me, it is +no reason why I should quarrel with them, and they have my full +leave to be reconciled when they please." + +I must trouble you once more to know to what merchant you +consigned the Princess's trees, and Lady Hervey's biblioth`eque-- +I mean for the latter. I did not see the Princess last week, as +the loss of my nephew kept me from public places. Of all public +places, guess the most unlikely one for the most unlikely person +to have been at. I had sent to know how Lady Macclesfield did: +Louis(564) brought me word that he could hardly get into St. +James's-square, there was so great a crowd to see my lord lie in +state. At night I met my Lady Milton(565) at the Duchess of +Argyle's, and said in joke, "Soh, to be sure, you have been to +see my Lord Macclesfield lie in state!" thinking it impossible-- +she burst out into a fit of laughter, and owned she had. She and +my Lady Temple had dined at Lady Betty's,(566) put on hats and +cloaks, and literally waited on the steps of the house in the +thick of the mob, while one posse was admitted and let out again +for a second to enter, before they got in. + +You will as little guess what a present I have had from Holland-- +only a treatise of mathematical metaphysics from an author I +never heard of, with great encomiums on my taste and knowledge. +To be sure, I am warranted to insert this certificate among the +testimonia authorum, before my next edition of the Painters. +Now, I assure you, I am much more just--I have sent the gentleman +word what a perfect ignoramus I am, and did not treat my vanity +with a moment's respite. Your brother has laughed at me, or +rather at the poor man who has so mistaken me, as much as ever I +did at his absence and flinging down every thing at breakfast. +Tom, your brother's man, told him to-day, that Mister +Helvoetsluys had been to wait on him--now you are guessing,--did +you find out this was Helvetius? + +It is piteous late, and I must go to bed, only telling you a +bon-mot of Lady Bell Finch.(567) Lord Bath owed her half a +crown; he sent it next day, with a wish that he could give her a +crown. She replied, that though he could not give her a crown, +he could give her a coronet, and she was very ready to accept +it.(568) I congratulate you on your new house; and am your very +sleepy humble servant. + +(555) The ancient Barony of Bottetourt had been considered as +extinct ever since the reign of Edward III. and was now claimed +by Mr. Norborne Berkeley, member for Gloucestershire, and a groom +of the bedchamber; the revival of a claim so long forgotten +created considerable interest.-C. + +(556) This is an important observation: it affords a clue to the +causes of the unpopularity of the early years of George III.-C. + +(557) The Princess Dowager. + +(558) M. de Praslin was secretary for foreign affairs, and M. de +Nivernois had been lately ambassador in England.-C. + +(559) At this distance of time, D,Eon's book seems to us the mere +ravings of insane vanity; the puns poor, and the wit rare and +forced.-C. + +(560) It certainly does not appear quite consistent, that Mr. +Walpole, who so much disapproves of an attack on his friends, +Lord Hertford and M. de Guerchy, should have been delighted, but +a few pages since, with the hemlock administered to Lord Holland, +and the scurrility against Bishop Warburton.-C. + +(561) See ant`e, p. 298), letter 196. + +(562) See ant`e, p. 298, letter 196. + +(563) Lady Cardigan's eldest daughter, married, in 1767, to the +third Duke of Buccleuzh. This amiable and venerable lady is +still living.-C. [She died in 1827.] + +(564) His valet. + +(565) Lady Caroline Sackville, wife of Joseph Damer, Lord Milton, +of Ireland.-C. + +(566) Lady Betty Germain.-C. + +(567) Lady Isabella Finch, daughter of Daniel, sixth Earl of +Winchelsea. She was lady of the bedchamber to Princess Amelia, +and died unmarried in 1771.-C. + +(568) It seems that Lord Bath's coronet, and perhaps still more +his great wealth, for which, after his son's death, he had no +direct heir, subjected his lordship to views of the nature +alluded to in Lady Bell's bon-mot. In the Suffolk Letters, +lately published, is a proposition to this effect from Mrs. Anne +Pitt, made with all appearance of seriousness.-C. (The following +is the passage alluded to. It is contained in a letter from Mrs. +Anne Pitt to Lady Suffolk, dated November 10, 1753:--"I hear my +Lord Bath is here very lively, but I have not seen him, which I +am very sorry for, because I want to offer myself to him. I am +quite in earnest, and have set my heart upon it; so I beg +seriously you will carry it in your mind, and think if you could +find any way to help me. Do not you think Lady Betty Germain and +Lord and Lady Vere would be ready to help me, if they knew how +willing I am? But I leave all this to your discretion, and repeat +seriously, that I am quite in earnest. he can want nothing but a +companion that would like his company; and in my situation I +should not desire to make the bargain without that circumstance. +And though all I have been saying Puts me in mind of some +advertisements I have seen in the newspapers from gentlewoman in +distress, I will not take that method; but I want to recollect +whether you did not tell me, as I think you did many years ago, +that he once spoke so well of me, that he got anger for it at +home, where I never was a favourite. I perceive that by thinking +aloud, as I am apt to do with you, this letter is grown very +improper for the post, so I design to send it with a tea-box my +sister left and does not want, directed to your house."-E.] + + + +Letter 199 To Charles Churchill, Esq.(569) +Arlington Street, March 27, 1764. (page 306) + +Dear sir, +I had just sent away a half-scolding letter to my sister, for not +telling me of Robert's(570) arrival, and to acquaint you both +with the loss of poor Lord Malpas, when I received your very +entertaining letter of the 19th. I had not then got the draught +of the Conqueror's kitchen, and the tiles you were so good as to +send me; and grew horribly afraid lest old Dr. Ducarel, who is an +ostrich of an antiquary, and can digest superannuated brickbats, +should have gobbled them up. At my return from Strawberry Hill +yesterday, I found the whole cargo safe, and am really much +obliged to you. I weep over the ruined kitchen,. but enjoy the +tiles. They are exactly like a few which I obtained from the +cathedral of Gloucester, when it was new paved; they are inlaid +in the floor of my china-room. I would have got enough to pave +it entirely; but the canons, who were flinging them away, had so +much devotion left, that they enjoined me not to pave a pagoda +with them, nor put them to any profane use. As scruples Increase +in a ratio to their decrease, I did not know but a china-room +might casuistically be interpreted a pagoda, and sued for no +more. My cloister is finished and consecrated but as I intend to +convert the old blue and white hall next to the china-room into a +Gothic columbarium, I should seriously be glad to finish the +floor with Norman tiles. However, as I shall certainly make you +a visit in about two months, I will wait till then, and bring the +dimensions with me. + +Depend upon it, I will pay some of your debts to M. de +Lislebonne; that is, I will make as great entertainments for him +as any one can, who almost always dines alone in his +dressing-room; I will show him every thing all the morning, as +much as any one can, who lies abed till noon, and never gets +dressed till two o'clock; and I will endeavour to amuse him with +variety of diversions every evening as much as any one can, who +does nothing but play at loo till midnight, or sit behind Lady +Mary Coke in a corner of a box at the Opera. Seriously, though. +I will try to show him that I think distinctions paid to you and +my sister favours to me, and will make a point of adding the few +civilities which his name, rank, and alliance with the Guerchys +can leave necessary. M. de Guerchy is adored here, and will find +so, particularly at this Juncture, when he has been most cruelly +and publicly insulted by a mad, but villanous fellow, one D'Eon, +left here by the Duc de Nivernois, who in effect is still worse +treated. This creature, who had been made minister +plenipotentiary, which turned his brain, as you have already +heard, had stolen Nivernois's private letters, and has published +them, and a thousand scandals on M. de Guerchy, in a very thick +quarto. The affair is much too long for a letter, makes a great +noise, and gives great offence. The council have met to-day to +consider how to avenge Guerchy and punish D'Eon. I hope a legal +remedy is in their power. + +I will say little on the subject of Robert; you know my opinion +of his capacity, and I dare say think as I do. He is worth +taking pains with. I heartily wish those pains may have success. +The cure performed by James's powder charms me more than +surprises me. I have long thought it could cure every thing but +physicians. + +Politics are all becalmed. Lord Bute's reappearance on the +scene, though his name is in no play-bill, may chance to revive +the hurly-burly. + +My Lord Townshend has not named Charles in his will, who is as +much disappointed as he has often disappointed others. We had +last night a magnificent ball at my Lady Cardigan's. + +Those fiddles play'd that never play'd before, +And we have danced, where we shall dance no more. + +He, that is, the totum pro parte,--you do not suspect me, I hope, +of any youthfullities--d'autant moins of dancing; that I have +rumours of gout flying about me, and would fain coax them into my +foot. I have almost tried to make them drunk, and inveigle them +thither in their cups; but as they are not at all familiar chez +moi, they formalize at wine, as much as a middle-aged woman who +is beginning to just drink in private. + +Adieu, my dear Sir! my best love to all of' you. As Horace Is +evidently descended from the Conqueror, I will desire him to +pluck up the pavement by the roots, when I want to transport it +hither. + +(569) Now first collected. The above letter was privately +printed, in 1833, by the Rev. Robert Walpole, with the following +introduction:--"The incomparable letters of Horace Walpole, as +they have been justly styled by Lord Byron, have long placed the +writer in the highest rank of those who have distinguished +themselves in this line of composition. The playful wit and +humour with which they abound; the liveliness of his +descriptions; the animation of his style; the shrewd and acute +observations on the different topics which form the subjects of +those letters, are not surpassed by any thing to be found in the +most perfect models of epistolary writing, either in England or +France. His correspondence extends over a period of more than +fifty years, and no subject of general interest seems to have +escaped his attention and curiosity. He not Only gives a +faithful portraiture of the manners of the times, particularly of +the highest circles of society in which he lived; but he presents +us with many striking sketches of various events and occurrences, +illustrating the political history of this country during the +latter part of the last century. If any proof were required of +the truth of this statement, in addition to what may be afforded +by an attentive examination of Mr. Walpole's Correspondence +already published, it may be found in the three volumes of +Letters addressed to Sir Horace Mann, and recently given to the +world under the superintendence of Lord Dover. The letter (now +printed for the first time with the consent of the possessor of +the original) was addressed to Charles Churchill, Esq., who +married Lady Mary, daughter of Sir Robert, and sister of Mr. +Walpole; and was written at the time when he was engaged in +completing the interior decorations of his villa, Strawberry +Hill." + +(570) Robert and Horace, both mentioned in this letter, were sons +of Mr. Churchill.-E. + + + +Letter 200 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Arlington Street, April 5, 1764. (page 308) + +Your idea, my dear lord, of the abusive paragraph on you being +conceived at Paris,(571) and transmitted hither, tallies exactly +with mine. I guessed that a satire on your whole establishment +must come from thence: I said so immediately to two or three +persons; but I did not tell you I thought so, because I did not +choose to fill you with suggestions for which I had no ground, +but in my own reasoning. Your arguments convince me I was in the +right. Yet, were you master of proofs, the wisest thing you can +do, is to act as if you had no suspicion; that is, to act as you +have done, civilly, but coolly. There are men whom one would, I +think, no more acknowledge for enemies than friends. One's +resentment distinguishes them, and the only Gratitude they can +pay for that distinction is, to double the abuse. Wilkes's mind, +you see, is sufficiently volatile, when he can already forget +Lord Sandwich and the Scotch, and can employ himself on you. He +will soon flit to other prey, when you disregard him. It is my +way: I never publish a sheet, but buzz! out fly a swarm of +hornets, insects that never settle upon you, if you don't strike +at them and whose venom is diverted to the next object that +presents itself. + +We have divine weather. The Bishop of Carlisle has been with me +two days at Strawberry, where we saw the eclipse(572) to +perfection: -not that there was much sight in it. The air was +very chill at the time, and the light singular; but there was not +a blackbird that left off singing for it. In the evening the +Duke of Devonshire came with the Straffords from t'other end of +Twickenham, and drank tea with us. They had none of them seen the +gallery since it was finished; even the chapel was new to the +Duke, and he was so struck with it that he desired to offer at +the shrine an incense-pot of silver philigrain.(573) + +The election at Cambridge has ended, for the present in strange +confusion.(574) The proctors, who were of different sides, +assumed each a majority; the votes, however, appear to have been +equal. The learned in university decision say, an equality is a +negative: if so Lord Hardwicke is excluded. Yet the novelty of +the case, it not having been very customary to solicit such a +trifling honour, and the antiquated forms of proceeding retained +in colleges, leave the matter wide open for further contention, +an advantage Lord Sandwich cherishes as much as success. The +grave are highly scandalized:--popularity was still warmer. The +under-graduates, who, having no votes had consequently been left +to their real opinions, were very near expressing their opinions +against Lord Sandwich's friends in the most Outrageous manner: +hissed they were; and after the election, the juniors burst into +the Senate-house, elected a fictitious Lord Hardwicke, and +chaired him. The indecent arts and applications which had been +used by the Twitcherites (as they are called, from Lord +Sandwich's nickname, Jemmy Twitcher,) had provoked this rage. I +will give you but one instance:-A voter, who was blooded on +purpose that morning, was brought out of a madhouse with his +keeper. This is the great and wise nation, which the philosopher +Helvetius is come to study! When he says of us C'est un furieux +pais! he does not know that the literal translation is the true +description of us. + +I don't know whether I did not tell you some lies in my last; +very likely: I tell you what I hear, and do not answer for truth +but when I tell you what I know. How should I know any thing? I +am in no confidence; I think of both sides alike; I care for +neither; I ask few questions. The King's journey to Hanover is +contradicted. The return of Lord Bute is still a mystery. The +zealous say, he declares for the administration; but some of the +latter do not trust too much to that security; and, perhaps, they +are in the right: I know what I think and why I think it; yet +some, who do not go on ill grounds, have a middle opinion, that +is not very reconcilable to mine. You will not wonder that there +is a mystery, doubt, or irresolotion. The scene will be opened +further before I get to Paris. + +Lord Lyttelton and Lord Temple have dined with each other, and +the reconciliation of the former with Mr. Pitt is concluded. It +is well that enmities are as frail as friendships. + +The Archbishops and Bishops, who -are so eager against Dr. +Pearse's divorce from his see, not as illegal, but improper, and +of bad example, have determined the King, who left it to them, +not to consent to it, though the Bishop himself still insists on +it. As this decision disappoints Bishop Newton, Lord Bath has +obtained a consolatory promise for him of the mitre of London, to +the great discomfort of Terrick and Warburton. You see Lord +Bath(575 does not hobble up the back-stairs for nothing. Oh, he +is an excellent courtier! The Prince of Wales shoots him with +plaything arrows, he falls down dead; and the child kisses him to +life again. Melancholy ambition I heard him, t'other night, +propose himself to Lady Townshend as a rich widow. Such spirits +at fourscore are pleasing; but when one has lost all one's +children, to be flattering those of Kings! + +The Bishop of Carlisle told me, that t'other day in the House of +Lords, Warburton said to another of the bench, "I was invited by +my Lord Mansfield to dine with that Helvetius, but he is a +professed patron of atheism, a rascal, and a scoundrel, and I +would not countenance him; besides, I should have worked him, and +that Lord Mansfield would not have liked." No, in good truth: +who can like such vulgarism! His French, too, I suppose, is +equal to his wit and his piety. + +I dined, on Tuesday, with the imperial minister; we were +two-and-twenty, collected from the four corners of the earth. +Since it is become the fashion to banquet whole kingdoms by +turns, I should pray, if I was minister to be sent to Lucca. +Have you received D'Eon's very curious book, which I sent by +Colonel Keith? I do not find that the administration can +discover any method of attacking him. Monsieur de Guerchy very +properly determines to take no notice Of it. +In the mean time, the wit of it gains ground, and palliates the +abomination, though it ought not. + +Princess Amelia asked me again about her trees. I gave her your +message. She does not blame you, but Madame de Boufflers, for +sending them so large. Mr. Legge is in a very bad way; but not +without hopes: his last night was better. Adieu! my dear lords +and ladies! + +(571) See ant`e, p. 301, letter 197. Lord Hertford suspected +this paragraph to have been written by Mr. Wilkes; which +certainly would have been ungrateful, as Lord Hertford showed Mr. +Wilkes more attention than most people thought proper to be shown +by the King's ambassador to a person in Mr. Wilkes's +circumstances.-C. + +(572) A considerable eclipse of the sun, which took place on the +1st of April. It was annular at Boulogne, in France, and of +course nearly so at Paris and London.-C. + +(573) Commonly called fillagree.-C. + +(574) The contest was between Lords Hardwicke and Sandwich; but +according to University forms, the poll was taken on the first +name; there appeared among the Blackhoods for Lord Hardwicke, +placet 103; non-placet 101: among the Whitehoods, the proctors' +accounts differed; one made placet 108, non-placet 107; the other +made placet 107, non-placet 101: on this a scrutiny was demanded, +and refused, and a great confusion ensuing, the Vice-Chancellor +adjourned the senate sine die.-E. + +(575) The once idolized patriot, William Pulteney. It must be +borne in mind, that Mr. Walpole cherished a filial aversion to +his father's great antagonist.-C. + + + +Letter 201 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Arlington Street, April 12, 1764. (page 310) + +Make yourself perfectly easy, my dear lord, about newspapers and +their tattle; they are not worth a moment's regard. In times of +party it is impossible to avoid abuse. If attached to one side, +one is pelted by the other; if to neither, by both. One can +place oneself above deserving invectives; and then it signifies +little whether they are escaped or not. But when one is +conscious that they are unmerited, it is noblest to scorn them- +-perhaps, I even think, that such a situation is not ineligible. +Character is the most precious of all blessings; but, pray allow +that it is too sacred to be hurt by any thing but itself: does it +depend on others, or on its own existence? That character must +be fictitious, and formed for man, which man can take away. Your +reputation does not depend on Mr. Wilkes,(576) like his own. It +is delightful to deserve popularity, and to despise it. + +You will have heard of the sad misfortune that has happened to +Lord Ilchester by his daughter's marriage(577) with O'Brien the +actor. But, perhaps, you do not know the circumstances, and how +much his grief must be aggravated by reflection on his own +credulity and negligence. The affair has been in train for +eighteen months. The swain had learned to counterfeit Lady Sarah +Bunbury's(578) hand so well that in the country Lord Ilchester +has himself delivered several of O'Brien's letters to Lady Susan; +but it was not till about a week before the catastrophe that the +family was apprised of the intrigue. Lord Cathcart went to Miss +Reade's, the paintress; she said softly to him, "My lord, there +is a couple in the next room that I am sure ought not to be +together; I wish your lordship would look in." He did, shut the +door again, and went directly and informed Lord Ilchester. Lady +Susan was examined, flung herself at her father's feet, confessed +all, vowed to break off but--what a but!--desired to see the +loved object, and take a last leave. You will be amazed-even +this was granted. The parting scene happened the beginning of +the week. On Friday she came of age, and on Saturday morning-- +instead of being under lock and key in the country--walked down +stairs, took her footman, said she was going to breakfast with +Lady Sarah, but would call at Miss Reade's; in the street, +pretended to recollect a particular cap in which she was to be +drawn, sent the footman back for it, whipped into a hackney +chair, was married at Covent-garden church, and set out for Mr. +O'Brien's villa at Dunstable. My Lady--my Lady Hertford! what +say you to permitting young ladies to act plays, and go to +painters by themselves? + +Poor Lord Ilchester is almost distracted; indeed, it is the +completion of disgrace,(579)--even a footman were preferable; the +publicity of the hero's profession perpetuates the Unification. +Il ne sera pas milord, tout comme un autre. I could not have +believed that Lady Susan would have stooped so low. She may, +however, still keep good company, and say, "nos numeri sumus"-- +Lady Mary Duncan,(580) Lady Caroline Adair,(581) Lady Betty +Gallini(582)--the shopkeepers of next age will be mighty well +born. If our genealogies had been so confused four hundred years +ago, Norborne Berkeley would have had still more difficulty with +his obsolete Barony of Bottelourt, which the House of Lords at +last has granted him. I have never attended the hearings, though +it has been much the fashion, but nobody cares less than I about +what they don't care for. I have been as indifferent about other +points, of which all the world is talking, as the restriction of +franking, and the great cause of Hamilton and Douglas. I am +almost as tired of what is still more in vogue, our East India +affairs. Mir Jaffeir(583) and Cossim Aly Cawn, and their +deputies Clive and Sullivan, or rather their principals, employ +the public attention, instead of Mogul Pitt and Nabob Bute; the +former of whom remains shut Up in Asiatic dignity at Hayes, while +the other is again mounting his elephant and levying troops. +What Lord Tavistock meaned of his invisible Haughtiness'S(584) +invective on Mr. Neville, I do not know. He has not been in the +House of Commons since the war of privilege. It must have been +something he dropped in private. + +I was diverted just now with some old rhymes that Mr. Wilkes +would have been glad to have North-Britonized for our little +bishop of Osnaburgh.(585) + +Eligimus puerum, puerorum testa colentes, +Non nostrum morem, sed Regis jussa sequentes. + +They were literally composed on the election of a juvenile +bishop. + +Young Dundas marries Lady Charlotte Fitzwilliam;(586) Sir +Lawrence(587) settles four thousand per annum in present, and six +more in future--compare these riches got in two years and a half, +with D'Eon's account of French economy! Lord Garlies remarries +himself with the Duchess of Manchester's(588) next sister, Miss +Dashwood. The youngest is to have Mr. Knightly--a-propos to +D'Eon, the foreign ministers had a meeting yesterday morning, at +the imperial minister's, and Monsieur de Guerchy went from thence +to the King, but on what result I do not know, nor can I find +that the lawyers agree that any thing can be done against him. +There has been a plan of some changes among the Dii Minores, your +Lord Norths, and Carysforts, and Ellises, and Frederick +Campbellsl(589) and such like; but the supposition that Lord +Holland would be willing to accommodate the present ministers +with the paymaster's place, being the axle on which this project +turned, and his lordship not being in the accommodating humour, +there are half a dozen abortions of new lords of the treasury and +admiralty--excuse me if I do not send you this list of embryos;(5 +I do not load my head with such fry. I am little more au fait of +the confusion that happened yesterday at the East India House; I +only know it was exactly like the jumble at Cambridge. +Sullivan's list was chosen, all but himself-his own election +turns on one disputed vote.(590) Every thing is intricate--a +presumption that we have few heads very clear. Good night, for I +am tired; since dinner I have been at an auction of prints, at +the Antiquarian Society in Chancery-lane, at Lady Dalkeith's(591) +in Grosvenor-square, and at loo at my niece's in Pall Mall; I +left them going to supper, that I might come home and finish this +letter; it is half @n hour after twelve, and now I am going to +supper myself. I suppose all this sounds very sober to you! + +(576) See ant`e, p. 301, letter 197.-E. + +(577) Lady Susan Fox, born in 1743, eldest daughter of the first +Lord Ilchester.-E. + +(578) Daughter of the Duke of Richmond, wife of Sir T. C. +Bunbury, and afterwards of Colonel Napier.-C. + +(579) It must be observed how little consistent this +aristocratical indignation is with the Roman sentiments expressed +in page 262, letter 185, and signed so emphatically Horatius.-C. + +(580) Daughter of the seventh Earl of Thanet, married, in +September 1763, to Doctor Duncan, M.D., soon after created a +baronet.-E. + +(581) Daughter of the second Earl of Albemarle, married, in 1759, +to Mr. Adair, a surgeon.-C. + +(582) Daughter of the third Earl of Abingdon, married to Sir John +Gallini. She died in 1804, at the age of eighty.-E. + +(583) See ante, p. 281, letter 191. + +(584) Mr. Pitt. + +(585) Frederick, Duke of York, born in August 1763, elected +Bishop of Osnaburgh, 27th of February, 1764.-E. + +(586) Second daughter of the third Earl Fitzwilliam, born in +1746.-E. + +(587) Sir Lawrence Dundas, father of the first Lord Dundas, is +said to have made his fortune in the commissariat, during the +Scotch rebellion of 1745.-C. + +(588) Elizabeth, daughter of Sir James Dashwood, Bart. and wife +of the fourth Duke of Manchester.-E. + +(589) Second son of the fourth Duke of Argyle. He was +successively keeper of the privy seal in Scotland, secretary to +the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and lord register of' Scotland, +in which office he died.-C. + +(590) "On the 25th of April, a very warm contest took place. Mr. +Sullivan brought forward one list of twenty-five directors, and +Mr. Rous, who was supported by Lord Clive, produced another. +Notwithstanding his friend Lord Bute was no longer minister, Mr. +Sullivan succeeded in bringing in half his numbers; but the +attack of Lord Clive had so shaken the power of this lately +popular director, that his own election was only carried by one +vote." Malcolm's Memoirs of Lord Clive, vol. ii. p. 235.-E. + +(591) The eldest daughter of John Duke of Argyle and Greenwich, +the widow of Francis Earl of Dalkeith, son of the second Duke of +Buccleugh, and wife of Mr. Charles Townshend. She was, in 1767, +created Baroness Greenwich, with remainder to her sons by Mr. +Townshend. She, however, died leaving none.-C. + + + +Letter 202 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Arlington Street, April 12, 1764. (page 313) + +I shall send your MS. volume this week to Mr. Cartwright, and +with a thousand thanks. I ought to beg your pardon for having +detained it so long. The truth is, I had not time till last week +to copy two or three little things at most. Do not let this +delay discourage you from lending me more. If I have them in +summer I shall keep them much less time than in winter. I do not +send my print with it as you ordered me, because I find it is too +large to lie within the volume; and doubling a mezzotinto, you +know, spoils it. You shall have one more, if you please, +whenever I see you. + +I have lately made a few curious additions to my collections of +various sorts, and shall hope to show them to you at Strawberry +Hill. Adieu! + + + +Letter 203 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Arlington Street, April 19, 1764. (page 313) + +I am just come from the Duchess of Argyll's,(592) where I dined. +General Warburton was there, and said it was the report at the +House of Lords, that you are turned out--he imagined, of your +regiment--but that I suppose is a mistake for the +bedchamber.(593) I shall hear more to-night, and Lady Strafford, +who brings you this, will tell you; though to be sure You will +know earlier by the post to-morrow. My only reason for writing +is, to repeat to you, that whatever you do, I shall act with +you.(594) I resent any thing done to you as to myself. My +fortunes shall never be separated from yours--except that some +time or other I hope yours will be great, and I am content with +mine. + +The Manns go on with the business.(595) The letter you received +was from Mr. Edward Mann, not from Gal.'s widow. Adieu! I was +going to say, my disgraced friend--How delightful to have a +character so unspotted, that the word disgrace recoils on those +who displace you! Yours unalterably. + +(592) Widow of John Campbell, Duke of Argyle. She was sister to +General Warburton, and had been maid of Honour to Queen Anne.-E. + +(593) Mr. Conway was dismissed from all his employments, civil +and military, for having Opposed the ministry in the House of +Commons, on the question of the legality of warrants, at the time +of the prosecution of Mr. Wilkes for the publication of the North +Briton.-C. + +(594) Mr. Walpole was then in the House of Commons, member for +King's Lynn in Norfolk. + +(595) Of army-clothiers. + + + +Letter 204 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Arlington Street, April 20, 1764. (page 314) + +There has been a strong report about town for these two days that +your brother is dismissed, not only from the bedchamber, but from +his regiment, and that the latter is given to Lord Pembroke. I +do not believe it. Your brother went to Park-place but yesterday +morning at ten: he certainly knew nothing of it the night before +when we parted, after one, at Grafton-house: nor would he have +passed my door yesterday without stopping to tell me Of it: no +letter has been sent to his house since, nor were any orders +arrived at the War office at half an hour after three yesterday; +nay, though I can give the ministry credit for much folly, and +some of them credit for even violence and folly, I do not believe +they are so rash as this would amount to. For the bedchamber, +you know, your brother never liked it, and would be glad to get +rid of it. I should be sorry for his sake, and for yours too, if +it went farther;--gentle and indifferent as his nature is, his +resentment, if his profession were touched, would be as serious +as such spirit and such abilities could make it. I would not be +the man that advised provoking him; and one man(596) has put +himself wofully in his power! In my own opinion, this is one of +the lies of which the time is so fruitful; I would not even swear +that it has not the same parent with the legend I sent you last +week, relating to an intended disposition in consequence of Lord +Holland's resignation. The court confidently deny the whole +plan, and ascribe it to the fertility of Charles Townshend's +brain. However, as they have their Charles Townshends too, I do +not totally disbelieve it. + +The Parliament rose yesterday,-no new peers, not even Irish: Lord +Northumberland's list is sent back ungranted.(597) The Duke of +MecklenbUrgh(598) and Lord Halifax are to have the garters. +Bridgman(599) is turned out of the green cloth, which is given to +Dick Vernon; and his place of surveyor of the gardens, which +young Dickinson held for him, is bestowed on Cadogan.(600) +Dyson(601) is made a lord of trade. These are all the changes I +have heard--not of a complexion that indicates the removal of +your brother. + +The foreign ministers agreed, as to be sure you have been told, +to make Monsieur de Guerchy's cause commune; and the +Attorney-general has filed an information against D'Eon: the poor +lunatic was at the Opera on Saturday, looking like Bedlam. He +goes armed, and threatens, what I dare say he would perform, to +kill or be killed, if any attempt is made to seize him. + +The East Indian affairs have taken a new turn. Sullivan had +twelve votes to ten: Lord Clive bribed off one. When they came +to the election of chairman, Sullivan desired to be placed in the +chair, without the disgrace of a ballot; but it was denied. On +the scrutiny, the votes appeared eleven and eleven. Sullivan +understood the blow, and with three others left the room. Rous, +his great enemy, was placed in the chair; since that, I think +matters are a little compromised, and Sullivan does not abdicate +the direction; but Lord Clive, it is supposed, will go to Bengal +in the stead of Colonel Barr`e, as Sullivan and Lord Shelburne +had intended. + +Mr. Pitt is worse than ever with the gout. Legge's case is +thought very dangerous:--thus stand our politics, and probably +will not fluctuate much for some months. At least-I expect to +have little more to tell you before I see you at Paris, except +balls, weddings, and follies, of which, thank the moon! we never +have a dearth: for one of the latter class, we are obliged to the +Archbishop,(602) who, in remembrance, I suppose, of his original +profession of midwifery, has ordered some decent alterations to +be made in King Henry's figure in the Tower. Poor Lady Susan +O'Brien is in the most deplorable situation, for her Adonis is a +Roman Catholic, and cannot be provided for out of his calling. +Sir Francis Delaval, being touched with her calamity, has made +her a present--of what do you think?--of a rich gold stuff! The +delightful charity! O'Brien comforts himself, and says it will +make a shining passage in his little history. + +I will tell you but one more folly, and hasten to my signature. +Lady Beaulieu was complaining of being waked by a noise in the +night: my lord(603 replied, "Oh, for my Part, there is no +disturbing be; If they don't wake me before I go to sleep, there +is no waking me afterwards." + +Lady Hervey's table is at last arrived, and the Princess's trees, +which I sent her last night; but she wants nothing, for Lady +Barrymore(604) is arrived. + +I smiled when I read your account of Lord Tavistock's expedition. +Do you remember that I made seven days from Calais to Paris, by +laying out my journeys at the rate of travelling in England, +thirty miles a-day; and did not find but that I could have gone +in a third of the time! I shall not be such a snail the next +time. It is said that on Lord Tavistock's return, he is to +decide whom he will marry. Is it true that the Choiseuls totter, +and that the Broglios are to succeed; or is there a Charles +Townshend at Versailles? Adieu! my dear lord. + +(596) No doubt Mr. George Grenville is here meant. See ant`e, p. +257, letter 184.-E. + +(597) This list was, Sir Ralph Gore, Sir Richard King, and Mr. +Stephen MOOTE, all created peers in this summer by the respective +titles of Bellisle, Kingston, and Kilworth.-C. + +(598) Adolphus Frederick III. Duke of Mecklenburgh Strelitz, the +Queen's brother. He died in 1794.-C. + +(599) Mr. George Bridgman, brother of the first Lord Bradford. +He had been many years surveyor of the royal gardens, and was +celebrated for his taste in ornamental gardening. He died at +Lisbon, in 1767.-C. + +(600) Probably Charles Sloane Cadagan, son of the second Lord +Cadogan, who was treasurer to Edward Duke of York.-C. + +(601) Jeremiah Dyson, Esq. afterwards a privy-counsellor.-E. + +(602) See ant`e, p. 262, letter 185. + +(603) Mr. Hussey was an Irishman. See ant`e, p. 251.-E. + +(604) Margaret Davis, sister and Heiress of Edward, the last +Viscount Mountcashel of that family, and widow of James Earl of +Barrymore.-C. + + + +Letter 205 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Strawberry Hill, Saturday night, eight o'clock, April 21, 1764. +(page 316) + +I write to you with a very bad headache; I have Passed a night, +for which George Grenville and the Duke of bedford shall pass +many an uneasy one! Notwithstanding that I heard from every body +I met, that your regiment, as well as bedchamber, were taken +away, I would not believe it, till last night the Duchess of +Grafton told me, that the night before the Duchess of Bedford +said to her, "Are not you sorry for Poor Mr. Conway? He has lost +every thing." When the Witch of Endor pities, one knows she has +raised the devil. + +I am come hither alone to put my thoughts into some order, and to +avoid showing the first sallies of my resentment, which I know +you would disapprove; nor does it become your friend to rail. My +anger shall be a little more manly, and the plan of my revenge a +little deeper laid than in peevish bon-mots. You shall judge of +my indignation by its duration. + +In the mean time, let me beg you, in the most earnest and most +sincere of all professions, to suffer me to make your loss as +light as it is in my power to make it: I have six thousand pounds +in the funds; accept all, or what part you want. Do not imagine +I will be put off with a refusal. The retrenchment of my +expenses, which I shall from this hour commence, will convince +you that I mean to replace Your fortune as far as I can. When I +thought you did not want it, I had made another disposition. You +have ever been the dearest person to me in the world. You have +shown that you deserve to be so. You suffer for your spotless +integrity. Can I hesitate a moment to show that there is at +least one man who knows how to value you? The new will, which I +am going to make, will be a testimonial of my own sense of +virtue. + +One circumstance has heightened my resentment. If it was not an +accident, it deserves to heighten it. The very day on which your +dismission was notified, I received an order from the treasury +for the payment of what money was due to me there. Is it +possible that they could mean to make any distinction between us? +Have I separated myself from you? Is there that spot on earth +where I can be suspected of having paid court? Have I even left +my name at a minister's door since you took your part? If they +have dared to hint this, the pen that is now writing to you will +bitterly undeceive them. + +I am impatient to see the letters you have received, and the +answers you have sent. Do you come to town? If you do not, I +will come to you to-morrow se'nnight, that is, the 29th. I give +no advice on any thing, because you are cooler than I am--not so +cool, I hope, as to be insensible to this outrage, this villany, +this injustice You owe it to your country to labour the +extermination of such ministers! + +I am so bad a hypocrite, that I am afraid of showing how deeply I +feel this. Yet last night I received the account from the +Duchess of Grafton with more temper than you believe me 'capable +of: but the agitation of the night disordered me so much, that +Lord John Cavendish, who was with me two hours this morning, does +not, I believe, take me for a hero. As there are some who I know +would enjoy my mortification, and who probably desired I should +feel my share of it, I wish to command myself-but that struggle +shall be added to their bill. I saw nobody else before I came +away but Legge, who sent for me and wrote the enclosed for you. +He would have said more both to you and Lady Ailesbury, but I +would not let him, as he is so ill: however, he thinks himself +that he shall live. I hope be will! I would not lose a shadow +that can haunt these ministers. + +I feel for Lady Ailesbury, because I know she feels just as I do- +-and it is not a pleasant sensation. I will say no more, though +I could write volumes. Adieu! Yours, as I ever have been and +ever will be. + + + +Letter 206 The Hon. H. S. Conway To The Earl Of Hertford.(605) +Park Place, April 23, 1764. (page 317) + +Dear Brother, +You will, I think, be much surprised at the extraordinary news I +received yesterday, of my total dismission from his Majesty's +service, both as groom of the bedchamber and colonel of a +regiment. What makes it much stronger is, that I do not hear +that any of the many officers who voted with me on the same +questions in the minority, are turned out. It seems almost +impossible to conceive it should be so, and yet, so I suspect it +is; and if it be, it seems to me upon the coolest reflection I am +able to give it, the harshest and most unjust treatment ever +offered to any man on the like occasion. I never gave a single +vote(606) against the ministry , but in the questions on the +great constitutional point of the warrants. People are apt to +dignify with Such titles any question that serves their factious +purpose to maintain; but what proved this to be really so, was +the great number of persons who voted as I did, having no +connexion with the opposition, but determined friends of the +ministry in all their conduct, and in the government's service; +such as Lord Howe and his brother, and several more. As to the +rest, I never gave another vote against the ministry. I refused +being of the opposition club, or to attend any one meeting of the +kind, from a principle of not entering into a scheme of +opposition, but being free to follow my own sentiments upon any +question that should arise. On the Cider-act I even voted for +the court, in the only vote I gave on that subject; and in +another case, relative to the supposed assassination of Wilkes, I +even took a part warmly in preventing that silly thing from being +an object of clamour. So that, undoubtedly, my overt acts have +been only voting as any man might from judgment, only in a very +extraordinary and serious question of privilege and personal +liberty; the avowing my friendship and obligation to some few now +in opposition, and my neglecting to pay court to those in the +administration; that seemed to me, both an honest and an +honourable part in my situation, which was something delicate. +My poor judgment, at least, could point out no better for me to +take, and I enter into so much detail upon this old story, that +you may not think I have done any thing lightly or passionately +which might give just ground for this extraordinary usage; and I +must add to the account, that neither in nor out of the House can +I, I think, be charged with a single act or expression of offence +to any one of his Majesty's ministers. This was, at least, a +moderate part; and after this, what the ministry should find in +their judgment, their justice, or their prudence, from my +situation, my conduct, or my character, to single me out and +stigmatize me as the proper object of disgrace, or how the merit +of so many of my friends who are acting in their support, and +whom they might think it possible would feel hurt, did not, in +their prudential light, tend to soften the rigour of their +aversion towards me, does, I confess, puzzle me. I don't exactly +know from what particular quarter the blow comes; but I must +think Lord Bute has, at least, a share in it, as, since his +return, the countenance of the King, who used to speak to me +after all my votes, is visibly altered, and of late he has not +spoke to me at all. + +So much for my political history: I wish it was as easy to my +fortune as it is to my mind in most other respects; but that, +too, I' must make as easy as I can: it comes unluckily at the end +of two German campaigns, which I felt the expense of with a much +larger income, and have not yet recovered;(607) as, far from +having a reward, it was with great difficulty I got the +reimbursement of the extraordinary money my last command through +Holland cost me, though the States-General, had, by a public act, +represented my conduct so advantageously, to our court; so that +on the whole I think no man was ever more contemptuously used, +who was not a wretch lost in character and reputation. It +requires all the philosophy one can Master, not to show the +strongest resentment. I think I have as much as my neighbours, +and I shall endeavour to use it; yet not so as to betray quite an +unmanly insensibility to such extraordinary provocation. Horace +Walpole has, on this occasion, shown that warmth of friendship +that you know him capable of, so strongly that I want words to +express my sense of it. I have not yet had time to see or hear +from any of the rest of my friends who are in the way of this +bustle; many of them have, I believe, taken their part, for +different reasons, another way, and I am sure I shall never say a +word to make them abandon what they think their own interest for +my petty cause. Nor am I anxious enough in the object of my own +fortune to wish for their taking any step that may endanger +theirs in any degree. With retrenchments and economy I may be +able to go on, and this great political wheel, that is always in +motion, may one day or other turn me up, that am but the fly upon +it.(608) + +I shall go to town for ,i few days soon, and probably to court, I +suppose to be frowned upon, for I am not treated with the same +civility as others who are in determined opposition. Give my +best love and compliments to all with you, and believe me, dear +brother, ever most affectionately yours, H. S. C. + +(605) As two of Mr. Walpole's letters, relative to General +Conway's dismissal, are wanting, the Editor is glad to be able to +supply their place by two letters on the subject from the General +himself; and as his dismissal was, both in its principle and +consequences, a very important political event, as well as a +principal topic in Mr. Walpole's succeeding letters, it is +thought that General Conway's own view of it cannot fail to be +acceptable. + +(606) General Conway and Mr. Walpole seem to have taken the +argument on too low a scale. Their anxiety seems to have been, +to show that the General was not in decided opposition; thereby +appearing to admit, that if he had been so, the dismissal would +have been justifiable. It is however clear from Mr. Walpole's +own accounts, that Conway was considered as not only in +opposition, but as one of the most distinguished leaders of the +party, --and so the public thought: witness the following extract +from "a letter" from Albemarle-street to the Cocoa-tree, +published about this period:--"Amongst the foremost stands a +gallant general, pointed out for supreme command by the unanimous +voice of his grateful country: England has a Conway, the powers +of whose eloquence, Inspired by his zeal for liberty, animated by +the fire of true genius, and furnished with a sound knowledge of +the constitution, at once entertain, ravish, convince, conquer:-- +such noble examples are the riches of the present age, the +treasures of posterity."-C. + +(607) On this occasion, Lord Hertford, the Duke of Devonshire, +and Mr. Horace Walpole (each without the knowledge of the others) +pressed General Conway to accept from them an income equivalent +to what he had lost.-C. + +(608) Within little more than a year Mr. Conway was secretary of +state, and leader of the House of Commons.-E. + + + +Letter 207 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Arlington Street, April 24, 1764. (page 320) + +I rejoice that you feel your loss so little. That you act with +dignity and propriety does not surprise me. To have you behave +in character, and with character, is my first of all wishes; for +then it will not be in the power of man to make you unhappy. Ask +yourself--is there a man in England with whom you would change +character? Is there a man in England who would not change with +you? Then think how little they have taken away! + +For me, I shall certainly conduct myself as you prescribe. Your +friend shall say and do nothing unworthy of your friend. You +govern me in every thing but one: I mean, the disposition I have +told you I shall make. Nothing can alter that but a great change +in your fortune. In another point, you partly misunderstood me. +That I shall explain hereafter. + +I shall certainly meet you here on Sunday, and very cheerfully. +We may laugh at a world in which nothing of us will remain long +but our characters. Yours eternally. + + + +Letter 208 The Hon. H. S. Conway To The Earl Of Hertford. +London, May 1, 1764. (page 320) + +I wrote a letter some days ago from the country, which. I am +sorry to find, does not set out till to-,day, having been given +to M. des Ardrets by Horace Walpole, as it was one I did not +choose to send by the post just at this time, though God knows +there was less in it, I think, than almost any but myself would +have said on such an occasion. I am sorry it did not go, as it +must seem very strange to you to hear on that subject from any +body before me: had it been possible, at the same time, I should +have wished not to write to you upon it at all. It is a +satisfaction, in most situations, certainly, to communicate even +one's griefs to those friends to whom one can do it in +confidence, but it is a pain where one thinks it must give them +any; and I assure you, I feel this sincerely from the share I +know your goodness will take in this, upon my account; as well as +that which, in some respects, it may give you on your own: as +'the particular distinction with which I am honoured beyond so +many of my brother officers who have so much more directly, +declaredly, and long been in real opposition to the ministry, has +great unkindness in it to all those friends of mine who have been +acting in their support. However, I would not, on any account, +that you or any of them should, for my sake, be drove a single +step beyond what is for their actual interest and inclination. +Nay, I Would not have the latter operate by itself, as I know, +from their goodness how bad a guide that might be. I do not +exactly know the grounds upon which the ministry made choice of +me as the object of their vengeance for a crime so general, The +only one I have heard, has certainly no weight; it was, that if I +was turned out of the bedchamber, and not my regiment, it would +be a sanction given for military men to oppose--that distinction +had before been destroyed by the dismission of three military +men; nor did my remaining in the army afterwards any more +establish it, than any other man's; it was a paltry excuse for a +thing they had a mind to do: the real motives or authors I cannot +yet quite ascertain. I hope, though they turned me out, they +cannot disgrace me, as I presume they wish; at least, so (my +friends flatter me) the language of the world goes, and I have at +least the satisfaction of being really ignorant myself, by what +part of the civil or military behaviour I could deserve so very +unkind a treatment. I am sure it was not for want of any +respect, duty, or attachment to his Majesty. I shall at present +say no more on the subject. + +I have heard from two or three different quarters, of a +disagreeable accident you have had in your chaise, and calling by +chance at the Duke of Grafton's this morning, he read me a +postscript in a letter of yours, wherein you describe it as a +thing of no consequence. I was rejoiced to hear @it, and should +have been obliged for a line from any of your family to tell me +so; for one often hears those things so disagreeably represented, +that it is pleasant to know the truth. + +You are delightful in writing me a long letter the other day, and +never mentioning M. de Pompadour's death; so that I flatly +contradicted it at first, to those that told me of it. I am +obliged to you for your intention of showing civility to my +friend Colonel Keith; I think you will like him. + +I hear in town, that we have some little disputes stirring up +with our new friends on your side the water, about the limits of +their fishery on Newfoundland, and a fort building On St. Pierre: +but I speak from no authority. + +We are all sorry here at a surmise, that M. de Guerchy does not +intend to return among us, being too much hurt at the behaviour +of his friends of the ministry in those letters so infamously +published by D'Eon. I hope it is only report. Adieu! dear +brother: give my love and compliments to all your family, as also +Lady Aylesbury's; and believe me ever sincerely and +affectionately yours, H. S. C. + +I am here only for a few days, having, as you will imagine, not +many temptations to keep me from the country at this time. + +I hope, by this time, your pheasants, etc., are safe at the end +of their journey,. + + + +Letter 209 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, May 10, 1764. (page 322) + +I hope I have done well for you, and that you will be content +with the execution of your commission. I have bought you two +pictures. No. 14, which is by no means a good picture, but it +went so cheap and looked so old-fashionably, that I ventured to +give eighteen shillings for it. The other is very pretty, no, +17; two sweet children, undoubtedly by Sir Peter Lely. This +costs you four pounds ten shillings; what shall I do with them-- +how convey them to you? The picture of Lord Romney, which you +are so fond of, was not in this sale, but I suppose remains with +Lady Sidney. I bought for myself much the best picture in the +auction, a fine Vandyke of the famous Lady Carlisle and her +sister Leicester in one piece: it cost me nine-and-twenty +guineas. + +In general the pictures did not go high, which I was glad of; +that the vulture, who sells them, may not be more enriched than +could be helped. There was a whole-length of Sir Henry Sidney, +which I should have liked, but it went for fifteen guineas. Thus +ends half the glory of Penshurst! Not one of the miniatures was +sold. + +I go to Strawberry to-morrow for a week. When do you come to +Frogmore? I wish to know, because I shall go soon to Park-place, +and would not miss the visit you have promised me. Adieu! Yours +ever, H.W. + + + +Letter 210 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Arlington Street, May 27, 1764. Very late. (page 322) + +My dear lord, +I am just come home, and find a letter from you, which gives me +too much pain(609) to let me resist answering it directly though +past one in the morning, as I go out of town early to-morrow. + +I must begin with telling You, let me feel what I will from it, +how much I admire it. It is equal to the difficulty of your +situation, and expressed with all the feeling which must possess +you. I will show it your brother, as there is nothing I would +not and will not, do to preserve the harmony and friendship which +has so much distinguished your whole lives. + +You have guessed, give me leave to say, at my wishes, rather than +answered to any thing I have really expressed. The truth was, I +had no right to deliver any opinion on so important a step as you +have taken, without being asked. Had you consulted me, which +certainly was not proper for you to do, it would have been with +the utmost reluctance that I should have brought myself to utter +my sentiments, and only then, if I had been persuaded that +friendship exacted it from me; for it would have been a great +deal for me to have taken upon myself: it would have been a step, +either way, liable to subject me to reproach from you in your own +mind, though you would have been too generous to have blamed me +in any other way. Now, my dear lord, do me the justice to say, +that the part I have acted was the most proper and most +honourable one I could take. Did I, have I dropped a syllable, +endeavouring to bias your judgment one way or the other? My +constant language has been, that I could not think, when a +younger brother had taken a part disagreeable to his elder, and +totally opposite, even without consulting him, that the elder, +was under any obligation to relinquish his own opinion, and adopt +the younger's. In my heart I undoubtedly wished, that even in +party your union should not be dissolved; for that Union would be +the strength of both. + +This is the summary of a text on which I have infinitely more to +say; but the post is so far from being a proper conveyance, that +I think the most private letter transmitted in the most secure +manner is scarcely to be trusted. Should I resolve, if you +require it, to be more explicit, (and I certainly shall not think +of saying a word more, unless I know that it is strongly your +desire I should,) it must only be upon the most positive +assurance on your honour (and on their honour as strictly given +too) that not a syllable of what I shall say shall be +communicated to any person living. I except nobody, except my +Lady and Lord Beauchamp. What I should say now is now Of no +consequence, but for your information. It can tend to nothing +else. It therefore does not signify, whether said now, or at any +distant time hereafter, or when we meet. If, as perhaps you may +at first suppose, it had the least view towards making you quit +your embassy, you should not know it at all; for I think that +would be the idlest and most unwise step you could take; and +believe me, my affection for your brother will never make me +sacrifice your honour to his interest . I have loved you both +unalterably, and without the smallest cloud between us, from +children. It is true, as you observe, that party, with many +other mischiefs, produces dissensions in families. I can by no +means agree with you, that all party is founded in interest-- +surely, you cannot think that your brother's conduct was not the +result of the most unshaken honour and conscience, and as surely +the result of no interested motive? You are not less mistaken, +if you believe that the present state of party in this country is +not of a most serious nature, and not a mere contention for power +and employments.(610) That topic, however, I shall pass over; +the discussion, perhaps, would end where it began. As you know I +never tried to bring you to my opinion before, I am very unlikely +to aim at it now. Let this and the rest of this subject sleep +for the present. I trust I have convinced you that my behaviour +has been both honourable and respectful towards you: and that, +though I think with your brother and am naturally very warm, I +have acted in the most dispassionate manner, and had recourse to +nothing but silence, when I was not so happy as to meet you in +opinion. + +This subject has kept me so long, and it is so very late, that +you will forgive me if I only skim over the gazette part of my +letter--my next shall be more in my old gossiping style. + +Dr. Terrick and Dr. Lambe are made Bishops of London and +Peterborough, without the nomination or approbation of the +ministers. The Duke of Bedford declared this warmly, for you +know his own administration(611) always allow him to declare his +genuine opinion, that they may have the credit of making him +alter it. He was still more surprised at the Chancellor's being +made an earl(612) without his knowledge, after he had gone out of +town, blaming the Chancellor's coldness on D'Eon's affair, which +is now dropped. Three marquisates going to be given to Lords +Cardigan, Northumberland, and Townshend, may not please his grace +more, though they may his minister,(613) who may be glad his +master is angry, as it may produce a good quieting draught for +himself. + +The Northumberlands are returned; Hamilton is dismissed,(614) and +the Earl of Drogheda(615) made secretary in his room. + +Michell(616) is recalled by desire of this court, who requested +to have it done without giving their reasons, as Sir Charles +Williams(617) had been sent from Berlin in the same manner. + +Colonel Johnson is also recalled from Minorca. He had been very +wrongheaded with his governors Sir Richard;(618) that wound was +closed, when the judicious deputy chose to turn out a +brother-in-law of Lord Bute. Lady Falkener's daughter is to be +married to a young rich Mr. Crewe,(619) a maccarone, and of our +loo. Mr. Skreene has married Miss Sumner, and her brother gives +her 10,000 pounds. Good night! The watchman cries three! + +(609) It seems that Mr. Walpole, in one of the letters not found, +had expressed a desire that Lord Hertford should resent, in some +decided manner, the dismissal of his brother: but he, in the +course of this letter, recollects that as the younger brother had +acted not only without concert with Lord Hertford, but in direct +opposition to his opinion and advice, there was no kind of reason +why his lordship should take any extreme steps.-C. + +(610) Yet, in frequent preceding passages, Mr. Walpole represents +the conflicts of parties as only a contention for power and +place.-C. + +(611) He means the Duke's political friends, Mr. Rigby, etc.-C. + +(612) The Earl of Northington. + +(613) Mr. Rigby. + +(614) See ant`e, p. 256, Letter 182. + +(615) Charles, Earl and first Marquis of Drogheda, Who married +Lord Hertford's sister; he died in 1823, at a great age.-E. + +(616) Minister from the court of Prussia to London.-E. + +(617) Sir C. H. Williams had been minister, both at Berlin and +St. Petersburgh.-E. + +(618) Sir Richard Lyttelton.-E. + +(618) John Crewe, Esq. married, 17th May, 1764, to Miss Fawkener, +the daughter of sir Everard Fawkener, who died in 1758, one of +the postmasters-general.-E. + + + +Letter 211 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Arlington Street, June 5, 1764. (page 325) + +You will wonder that I have been so long without giving you any +signs of life; yet, though not writing to you, I have been +employed about you, as I have ever since the 21st of April; a day +your enemies shall have some cause to remember. I had writ nine +or ten sheets of an answer to the "Address to the Public," when I +received the enclosed mandate.(620) You will see my masters +order me, as a subaltern of the exchequer, to drop you and defend +them--but you will see too, that, instead of obeying, I have +given warning. I would not communicate any part of this +transaction to you, till it was out of my hands, because I knew +your affection for me would not approve of in going so far--but +it was necessary. My honour required that I should declare my +adherence to you in the most authentic manner. I found that some +persons had dared to doubt whether I would risk every thing for +you. You see by these letters that Mr. Grenville himself had +presumed so. Even a change in the administration, however +unlikely, might happen before I had any opportunity of declaring +myself; and then those who should choose to put the worst +construction, either on my actions or my silence, might say what +they pleased. I was waiting for some opportunity: they have put +it into my hands, and I took care not to let It slip. Indeed +they have put more into my hands, which I have not let slip +neither. Could I expect they would give me so absurd an account +of Mr. Grenville's conduct, and give it to me in writing? They +can only add to this obligation that of provocation to print my +letter, which, however strong in facts, I have taken care to make +very decent in terms, because it imports us to have the candid +(that is,. I fear, the mercenary) on our side;--no, that we must +not expect, but at least disarmed. + +Lord Tavistock has flung his handkerchief to Lady Elizabeth +Keppel. They all go to Woburn on Thursday, and the ceremony is +to be performed as soon as her brother, the bishop, can arrive +from Exeter. I am heartily glad the Duchess of Bedford does not +set her heart on marrying me to any body; I am sure she would +bring it about. She has some small intention Of coupling my +niece and Dick Vernon, but I have forbidden the banns. + +The birthday, I hear, was lamentably empty. We had a loo last +night in the great chamber at Lady Bel Finch's: the Duke, +Princess Emily, and the Duchess of Bedford were there. The +Princess entertained her grace with the joy the Duke of Bedford +will have in being a grandfather; in which reflection, I believe, +the grandmotherhood was not forgotten. Adieu! + +(620) The paper here alluded to does not appear. + + + +Letter 212To The Earl Of Hertford. +Strawberry Hill, June 8, 1764. (page 326) + +To be sure, you have heard the event of' this last week? Lord +Tavistock has flung his handkerchief, and except a few jealous +sultanas, and some sultanas valides who had marketable daughters, +every body is pleased that the lot is fallen on Lady Elizabeth +Keppel.(621) + +The house of Bedford came to town last Friday. I supped with +them that night at the Spanish Ambassador's, who has made Powis- +house magnificent. Lady Elizabeth was not there nor mentioned. +On the contrary, by the Duchess's conversation, which turned on +Lady Betty Montagu,(622) there were suspicions in her favour. +The next morning Lady Elizabeth received a note from the Duchess +of Marlborough,(623) insisting on seeing her that evening. When +she arrived at Marlborough-house, she found nobody but the +Duchess and Lord Tavistock. The Duchess cried, "Lord! they have +left the window open in the next room!"--went to shut it, and +shut the lovers in too, where they remained for three hours. The +same night all the town was at the Duchess of Richmond's. Lady +Albemarle(624) was at tredille; the Duke of Bedford came up to +the table, and told her he must speak to her as soon as the pool +was over. You may guess whether she knew a card more that she +played. When she had finished, the Duke told her he should wait +on her the next morning, to make the demand in form. She told it +directly to me and my niece Waldegrave, who was in such transport +for her friend, that she promised the Duke of Bedford to kiss +him, and hurried home directly to write to her sisters.(625) The +Duke asked no questions about fortune, but has since slipped a +bit of paper into Lady Elizabeth's hand, telling her, he hoped +his son would live, but if he did not, there was something for +her; it was a jointure of three thousand pounds a-year, and six +hundred pounds pin-money. I dined with her the next day, at +Monsieur de Guerchy's, and as I hindered the company from wishing +her joy, and yet joked with her myself, Madame de Guerchy said, +she perceived I would let nobody else tease her, that I might +have all the teasing to myself She has behaved in the prettiest +manner, in the world, and would not appear at a vast assembly at +Northumberland-house on Tuesday, nor at a great haymaking at Mrs. +Pitt's on Wednesday. Yesterday they all went to Woburn, and +tomorrow the ceremony is to be performed; for the Duke has not a +moment's patience till she is breeding. + +You would have been diverted at Northumberland-house; Besides the +sumptuous liveries, the illuminations in the garden, the pages, +the two chaplains in waiting in their gowns and scarves, `a +l'Irlandaise,(626) and Dr. Hill and his wife, there was a most +delightful Countess, who has Just imported herself from +Mecklenburgh. She is an absolute princess of Monomotapa; but I +fancy you have seen her. for her hideousness and frantic +accoutrements are so extraordinary, that they tell us she was +hissed in the Tuileries. She crossed the drawing-room on the +birthday to speak to the Queen en amie, after standing with her +back to Princess Amelia. The queen was so ashamed of her, that +she said cleverly, "This is not the dress at Strelitz; but this +woman always dressed herself as capriciously there, as your +Duchess of Queensberry does here." + +The haymaking at Wandsworth-hill(627) did not succeed from the +excessive cold of the night; I proposed to bring one of the cocks +into the great room, and make a bonfire. All the beauties were +disappointed, and all the macaronies afraid of getting the +toothache. + +The Guerchys are gone to Goodwood, and were to have been carried +to Portsmouth, but Lord Egmont(628) refused to let the ambassador +see the place. The Duke of Richmond was in a rage, and I do not +know how it has ended, for the Duke of Bedford defends the +refusal, and says, they certainly would not let you see Brest. +The Comte d'Ayen is going a longer tour. he is liked here. The +three great ambassadors danced at court--the Prince of Masserano +they say well; he is extremely in fashion, and is a sensible very +good-humoured man, though his appearance is so deceitful. They +have given me the honour of a bon-mot, which, I assure you, does +not belong to me, that I never saw a man so full of orders and +disorders. He and his suite, and the Guerchys and theirs, are to +dine here next week. Poor little Strawberry never thought of +such f`etes. I did invite them to breakfast, but they confounded +it, and understood that they were asked to dinner, so I must do +as well as I can. Both the ambassadors are in love with my +niece;(629) therefore, I trust they will not have unsentimental +stomachs. + +Shall I trouble you with a little commission? It is to send me a +book that I cannot get here, nor am I quite sure of the exact +title, but it is called "Origine des Moeurs,"(630) or something +to that import. It is in three volumes, and has not been written +above two or three years. Adieu, my dear lord, from my fireside. + +P. S. Do you know that Madame de Yertzin, The Mecklenburgh +Countess, has had the honour of giving the King of Prussia a box +of the ear?--I am sure he deserved it, if he could take liberties +with such a chimpanzee. Colonel Elliot died on Thursday. + +(621) the Daughter of the second Earl of Albemarle; she was born +in 1739.-E. + +(622) See ant`e, p. 304, letter 198. + +(623) Caroline Russel, sister of the Duke of Bedford.-E. + +(624) Anne, daughter of Charles, first Duke of Richmond.-E. + +(625) Lady Dysart and Mrs. Keppel; the latter was married to Lady +Elizabeth's brother.-E. + +(626) Lord Northumberland was still lord-lieutenant of +Ireland.-E. + +(627) Mrs. Pitt's villa. + +(628) First lord of the admiralty. + +(629) Lady Waldegrave. + +(630) In a subsequent letter, he calls this work "Essais les +Moeurs." I find a work of the latter title published in 1756 +anonymously, and under the date of Bruxelles. It was written by +a M. Soret, but it seems to have been in only one volume. Can +Mr. Walpole have meant Duclos's celebrated "Considerations sur +les Moeurs," published anonymously in 1750, but subsequently +under his name?--C. + + + +Letter 213 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, June 18, 1764. (page 328) + +I trust that you have thought I was dead, it is so long since you +heard of me. In truth I had nothing to talk of but cold and hot +weather, of rain and want Of rain, subjects that have been our +summer conversation for these twenty years. I am pleased that +you was content with your pictures, and shall be glad if you have +ancestors out of them. You may tell your uncle Algernon that I +go to-morrow, where he would not be ashamed to see me; as there +are not many such spots at present, you and he will guess it is +to Park-place. + +Strawberry, whose glories perhaps verge towards their setting-, +have been more sumptuous to-day than ordinary, and banquetted +their representative majesties of France and Spain. I had +Monsieur and Madame de Guerchy, Mademoiselle de Nangis their +daughter, two other French gentlemen, the Prince of Masserano, +his brother and secretary, Lord March, George Selwyn, Mrs. ADD +Pitt, and my niece Waldegrave. The refectory never was so +crowded; nor have any foreigners been here before that +comprehended Strawberry. Indeed, every thing succeeded to a +hair. A violent shower in the morning laid the dust, brightened +the green, refreshed the roses, pinks, orange-flowers, and the +blossoms with which the acacias are covered. A rich storm of +thunder and lightning gave a dignity of colouring to the heavens; +and the sun appeared enough to illuminate the landscape, without +basking himself over it at his length. During dinner there were +French horns and clarionets in the cloister, and after coffee I +treated them with an English, and to them a very new collation, a +syllabub milked Under the cows that were brought to the brow of +the terrace. Thence they went to the printing-house, and saw a +new fashionable French song printed. They drank tea in the +gallery, and at eight went away to Vauxhall. + +They really seemed quite pleased with the place and the day; but +I must tell you, the treasury of the abbey will feel it, for +without magnificence, all was handsomely done. I must keep +maigre; at least till the interdict is taken off from my convent. +I have kings and queens, I hear, in my neighbourhood, but this is +no royal foundation. Adieu; your poor beadsman, The Abbot Of +Strawberry. + +P. S. Mr. T***'s servile poem is rewarded with one hundred and +sixty pounds a ),ear in the post-office. + + + +Letter 214 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, July 16, 1764. (page 329) + +mr. chute says you are peremptory that you will not cast a look +southwards. Do you know that in that case you will not set eyes +on me the Lord knows when? My mind is pretty much fixed on going +to Paris the beginning of September. I think I shall go, if it +is only to scold my Lord and Lady Hertford for sending me their +cousins, the Duke and Duchess of Berwick, who say they are come +to see their relations. By their appearance, you would imagine +they were come to beg money of their family. He has just the +sort of capacity which you would expect in a Stuart engrafted on +a Spaniard. He asked me which way he was to come to Twickenham? +I told him through Kensington, to which I supposed his geography +might reach. He replied, "Oh! du cot`e de la mer." She, who is +sister of the Duke of Alva, is a decent kind of a body: but they +talk wicked French. I gave them a dinner here t'other day, with +the Marquis of Jamaica, their only child, and a fat tutor, and +the few Fitzroys I could amass at this season. They were very +civil, and seemed much pleased. To-day they arc gone to Blenheim +by invitation. I want to send you something from the Strawberry +press; tell me how I shall convey it; it is nothing less than the +most curious book that ever set its foot into the world. I +expect to hear you scream hither: if you don't I shall be +disappointed, for I have kept it as a most profound secret from +you, till I was ready to surprise you with it: I knew your +impatience, and would not let you have it piecemeal. It is the +Life of the great philosopher, Lord Herbert, written by +himself.(631) Now are you disappointed? Well, read it--not the +first forty pages, of which you will be sick--I will not +anticipate it, but I will tell you the history. I found it a +year ago at Lady Hertford's, to whom Lady Powis had lent it. I +took it up, and soon threw it down again, as the dullest thing I +ever saw. She persuaded me to take it home. My Lady Waldegrave +was here in all her grief; Gray and I read it to amuse her. We +could not get on for laughing, and screaming. I begged to have +it to print: Lord Powis, sensible of the extravagance, refused--I +persisted--he persisted. I told my Lady Hertford, it was no +matter, I would print it, I was determined. I sat down and wrote +a flattering dedication to Lord Powis, which I knew he would +swallow: he did, and gave up his ancestor. But this was not +enough; I was resolved the world should not think I admired it +seriously, though there are really fine passages in it, and good +sense too: I drew up an equivocal preface, in which you will +discover my opinion, and sent it with the dedication. The Earl +gulped down the one under the palliative of the other, and here +you will have all. Pray take notice Of the pedigree, of which I +am exceedingly proud; observe how I have clearly arranged so +involved a descent: one may boast at one's heraldry. I shall +send you too Lady Temple's poems.(632) Pray keep both under lock +and key, for there are but two hundred copies of Lord Herbert, +and but one hundred of the poems suffered to be printed. + +I am almost crying to find the glorious morsel of summer, that we +have had, turned into just such a watery season as the last. +Even my excess of verdure, which used to comfort me for every +thing, does not satisfy me now, as I live entirely alone. I am +heartily tired of my large neighbourhood, who do not furnish me +two or three rational beings at most, and the best of them have +no vivacity. London, Whither I go at least once a fortnight for +a night, is a perfect desert. As the court is gone into a +convent at Richmond, the town is more abandoned than ever. I +cannot, as you do, bring myself to be content without variety, +without events; my mind is always wanting new food; summer does +not suit me; but I will grow old some time or other. Adieu! + +(631) Printed in quarto, This was the first edition of this +celebrated piece of autobiography. It was reprinted at Edinburgh +in 1807, with a prefatory notice, understood to be by Sir Walter +Scott; and a third edition, which also contained his letters +written during his residence at the French court, was published +in 1826.-E. + +(632) Poems by Anna Chambers, Countess Temple.-E. + + + +Letter 215 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Strawberry Hill, July 16, 1764. (page 330) + +Dear Sir, +You must think me a brute to have been so long without taking any +notice of your obliging offer of coming hither. The truth is, I +have not been at all settled here for three days together: nay, +nor do I know when I shall be. I go tomorrow into Sussex; in +August into Yorkshire, and in September into France. If, in any +interval of these jaunts, I Can be sure of remaining here a week, +which I literally have not been this whole summer, I will +certainly let you know, and will claim your promise. + +Another reason for my writing now is, I want to know how I may +send you Lord Herbert's Life, which I have just printed. Did I +remember the favour you did me of asking for my own print? if I +did not, it shall accompany this book. + + + +Letter 216 To The Rev. Henry Zouch. +Arlington Street, July 21, 1764. (page 330) + +Sir, +You will have heard of the severe attendance which we have had +for this last week in the House of Commons. It will, I trust, +have excused me to you for not having answered sooner your very +kind letter. My books, I fear, have no merit over Mr. Harte's +Gustavus, but by being much shorter. I read his work, and was +sorry so much curious matter should be so ill and so tediously, +put together. His anecdotes are much more interesting than mine; +luckily I was aware that mine were very trifling, and did not +dwell upon them. To answer the demand, I am printing them with +additions, but must wait a little for assistance and corrections +to the two latter, as I have had for the former. + +You are exceedingly obliging, Sir, to offer me one of your +Fergussons. I thank you for it, as I ought; but, in truth, I +have more pictures than room to place them; both my houses are +full, and I have even been thinking of getting rid of some I +have. That this is no declension of your civility, Sir, you will +see, when I gladly accept either of your medals of King Charles. +I shall be proud to keep it as a mark of your friendship; but +then I will undoubtedly rob you of but one. + +I condole with you, Sir, for the loss of your friend and +relation, as I heartily take my share in whatever concerns you. +The great and unmerited kindness I have received from you will +ever make me your most obliged, etc. + + + +Letter 217To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Arlington Street, July 21, 1764. (page 331) + +Dear Sir, +I must never send you trifles; for you always make me real +presents in return. The beauty of the coin surprises me. Mr. +White must be rich, when such are his duplicates. I am +acquainted with him, and have often intended to visit his +collection; but it is one of those things one never does, because +one always may. I give you a thousand thanks in return, and what +are not worth more, my own print, Lord Herbert's Life, (this is +curious, though it cost me little,) and some orange flowers. I +wish you had mentioned the latter sooner: I have had an amazing +profusion this year, and given them away to the right and left by +handfuls. These are all I could collect to-day, as I was coming +to town; but you shall have more if you want them. + +I consign these things as you ordered - I wish the print may +arrive without being rumpled: it is difficult to convey +mezzotintos; but if this is spoiled you shall have another. + +If I make any stay in France, which I do not think I shall, above +six weeks at most, you shall certainly hear from me but I am a +bad commissioner for searching you out a hermitage. It is too +much against my interest- and I had much rather find you one in +the neighbourhood of Strawberry. Adieu! + + + +Letter 218 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Strawberry Hill, August 3, 1764. (page 332) + +As my letters are seldom proper for the post now, I begin them at +any time, and am forced to trust to chance for a conveyance. +This difficulty renders my news very stale: but what can I do? +There does not happen enough at this season of' the year to fill +a mere gazette. I should be more sorry to have you think me +silent too long. You must be so good as to recollect, when there +is a large interval between my letters, that I have certainly one +ready in my writing-box, and only wait for a messenger. I hope +to send this by Lord Coventry. For the next three weeks, indeed, +I shall not be able to write, as I go in a few days with your +brother to Chatsworth and Wentworth Castle. + +I am under more distress about my visit to you--but I will tell +you the truth. As I think the Parliament Will not meet before +Christmas, though they now talk of it for November, I would quit +our Politics for a few weeks; but the expense frightens me, which +did not use to be one of my fears. I cannot but expect, knowing +the enemies I have, that the treasury may distress me.(633) I +had laid by a little sum which I intended to bawble away at +Paris; but I may have very serious occasion for it. The recent +example of Lord Holderness,(634) Who has had every rag seized at +the Custom-house, alarms my present prudence. I cannot afford to +buy even clothes, which I may lose in six weeks. These +considerations dispose me to wait till I see a little farther +into this chaos. You know enough of the present actors in the +political drama to believe that the present system is not a +permanent one, nor likely to roll on till Christmas without some +change. The first moment that I can quit party with honour, I +shall seize. It neither suits my inclination nor the years I +have lived in the world; for though I am not old, I have been in +the world so long, and seen so much of those who figure in it, +that I am heartily sick of its commerce. My attachment to your +brother, and the apprehension that fear of my own interest would +be thought the cause if I took no part for him, determined me to +risk every thing rather than abandon him. I have done it, and +cannot repent, whatever distresses may follow. One's good name +is of more consequence than all the rest, my dear lord. Do not +think I say this with the least disrespect to you; it is only to +convince you that I did not recommend any thing to you that I +would avoid myself; nor engaged myself, nor wished to engage you, +in party from pique, resentment, caprice, or choice. I am dipped +in it much against my inclination. I can suffer by it infinitely +more than you could. But there are moments when one must take +one's part like a man. This I speak solely with regard to +myself. I allow fairly and honestly that you was not +circumstanced as I was. You had not voted with your brother as I +did; the world knew your inclinations were different. All this +certainly composed serious reasons for you not to follow him, if +you did not choose it. My motives for thinking you had better +have espoused his cause were for your own sake - I detailed those +motives to you in my last long letter; that opinion is as strong +within me as ever. + +The affront to you, the malice that aimed that affront, the +importance that it gives one, upon the long-run to act steadily +and uniformly with one's friends, the enemies you make in the +opposition, composed of so many great families, and of your own +principal allies,(635) and the little merit you gain with the +ministry by the contrary conduct,--all these were, to me, +unanswerable reasons, and remain so, for what I advised; yet, as +I told you before, I think the season is passed, and that you +must wait for an opportunity of disengaging yourself with credit. +I am persuaded that occasion will be given you, from one or other +of the causes I mentioned in my last; and if the fairest is, I +entreat you by the good wishes which I am sure you know from my +soul I bear you, to seize it. Excuse me: I know I go too far, +but my heart is set on your making a great figure, and your +letters are so kind, that they encourage me to speak with a +friendship which I am sensible is not discreet:--but you know you +and your brother have ever been the objects of my warmest +affection and however partial you may think me to him, I must +labour to have the world think as highly of you, and to unite you +firmly for your lives. If this was not my motive, you must be +sure I should not be earnest. It is not one vote in the House of +Lords that imports us. Party is grown so Serious,(636) and will, +I doubt, become every day more so, that one must make one's +option; and it will go to my soul to see you embarked against all +your friends, against the Whig principles you have ever +professed, and with men, amongst whom you have not one +well-wisher, and with whom you will not even be able to remain +upon tolerable terms, unless you take a vigorous part against all +you love and esteem. + +In warm times lukewarmness is a crime with those on whose side +you are ranged. Your good sense and experience will judge +whether what I say is not strictly the case. It is not your +brother or I that have occasioned these circumstances. Lord Bute +has thrown this country into a confusion which will not easily be +dissipated without serious hours. Changes may, and, as I said in +the beginning of my letter, will probably happen but the seeds +that have been sown will not be rooted up by one or two +revolutions in the cabinet. It had taken an hundred and fifty +years(637) to quiet the animosities of Whig and Tory; that +contest is again set on foot, and though a struggle for places +may be now, as has often been, the secret purpose of principals, +the court and the nation are engaging on much deeper springs of +action. I wish I could elucidate this truth, as I have the rest, +but that is not fit for paper, nor to be comprised within the +compass of a letter;--I have said enough to furnish you with +ample reflections. I submit all to your own judgment:--I have +even acted rightly by YOU, in laying before you what it was not +easy for you, my dear lord, to see or know at a distance. I +trust all to your indulgence, and your acquaintance with my +character, which surely is not artful or mysterious, and which, +to you, has ever been, as it ever shall be, most cordial and +well-intentioned. I come to my gazette. + +There is nothing new, but the resignation of Lord Carnarvon,(638) +who has thrown up the bedchamber, and they say, the lieutenancy +of Hampshire on Stanley being made governor of the Isle of Wight. + +I have been much distressed this morning. The royal family +reside chiefly at Richmond, whither scarce necessary servants +attend them, and no mortal else but Lord Bute. The King and +Queen have taken to going about to see places; they have been at +Oatlands and Wanstead. A quarter before ten to-day, I heard the +bell at the gate ring,--that is, I was not up, for my hours are +not reformed, either at night or in the morning,--I inquired who +it was? the Prince of Mecklenburgh and De Witz had called to +know if they could see the house; my two Swiss, Favre and Louis, +told them I was in bed, but if they would call again in an hour, +they might see it. I shuddered at this report,--and would it +were the worst part! The Queen herself was behind, in a coach: I +am shocked to death, and know not what to do! It is ten times +worse just now than ever at any other time: it will certainly be +said, that I refused to let the Queen see my house. See what it +is to have republican servants! When I made a tempest about it, +Favre said, with the utmost sang froid, "Why could not he tell me +he was the Prince of Mecklenburgh?" I shall go this evening and +consult my oracle, Lady Suffolk. If she approves it, I will +write to De Witz, and pretend I know nothing of any body but the +Prince, and beg a thousand pardons, and assure him how proud I +should be to have his master visit my castle at Thundertentronk. + +August 4th. + +I have dined to-day at Claremont, where I little thought I should +dine,(639) but whither our affairs have pretty naturally +conducted me. It turned out a very melancholy day. Before I got +into the house, I heard that letters were just arrived there, +with accounts of the Duke of Devonshire having had two more fits. +When I came to see Lord John's(640) and Lord Frederick's letters, +I found these two fits had been but one, and that very slight, +much less than the former, and certainly nervous by all the +symptoms, as Sir Edward Wilmot, who has been at Chatsworth, +pronounces it. The Duke perceived it coming, and directed what +to have done, and it was over in four minutes. The next event +was much more real. I had been half round the garden with the +Duke in his one-horse chair; we were passing to the other side of +the house, when George Onslow met us, arrived on purpose to +advertise the Duke of the sudden death of the Duchess of +Leeds,(641) who expired yesterday at dinner in a moment: he +called it apoplectic; but as the Bishop of Oxford,(642) who is at +Claremont, concluded, it was the gout flown up into the head. +The Duke received the news as men do at seventy-one: but the +terrible part was to break it to the Duchess, who is ill. George +Onslow would have taken me away to dinner with him, but the Duke +thought that would alarm the Duchess too abruptly, and she is not +to know it yet: with her very low spirits it is likely to make a +deep impression. It is a heavy stroke too for her father, poor +old Lord Godolphin, who is eighty-six. For the Duke, his +spirits, under so many mortifications and calamities, are +surprising: the only effect they and his years seem to have made +on him is to have abated his ridicules.(643) Our first meeting +to be sure was awkward, yet I never saw a man conduct any thing +with more sense than he did. There were no notices of what is +passed; nothing fulsome, no ceremony, civility enough, confidence +enough, and the greatest ease. You would only have thought that +I had been long abroad, and was treated like an old friend's son +with whom he might make free. In truth, I never saw more +rational behaviour: I expected a great deal of flattery, but we +had nothing but business while we were alone, and common +conversation while the Bishop and the Chaplain were present. The +Duke mentioned to me his having heard Lord Holland's inclination +to your embassy. He spoke very obligingly of you, and said that, +next to his own children, he believed there was nobody the late +Lord Hardwicke loved so much as you. I cannot say that the Duke +spoke very affectionately of Sir Joseph Yorke. who has never +written a single line to him since he was out. I told him that +did not surprise me, for Sir Joseph has treated your brother in +the same manner, though the latter has written two letters to him +since his dismission. + +Arlington Street, Tuesday night, 10 o'clock. + +I am here alone in the most desolate of all towns. I came to-day +to visit my sovereign Duchess(644) in her lying-in, and have been +there till this moment, not a sole else but Lady Jane Scott.(645) +Lady Waldegrave came from Tunbridge yesterday en passant, and +reported a new woful history of a fracas there--don't my Lady +Hertford's ears tingle? but she will not be surprised. A +footman--a very homely footman--to a Mrs. Craster, had been most +extremely impertinent to Lord Clanbrazil, Frederick Vane, and a +son of Lady Anne Pope; they threatened to have him turned away-- +he replied, if he was, he knew where he should be protected. +Tunbridge is a quiet private place, where one does not imagine +that every thing one does in one's private family will be known:- +-yet so it happened that the morning after the fellow's +dismission, it was reported that he was hired by another lady, +the Lord knows who. At night, that lady was playing at loo in +the rooms. Lord Clanbrazil told her of the report, and hoped she +would contradict it: she grew as angry as a fine lady could grow, +told him it was no business of his, and--and I am afraid, still +more. Vane whispered her--One should have thought that name +would have some weight--oh! worse and worse! the poor English +language was ransacked for terms that came up to her resentment:- +-the party broke up, and, I suppose, nobody went home to write an +account of what happened to their acquaintance. + +O'Brien and Lady Susan are to be transported to the Ohio, and +have a grant of forty thousand acres. The Duchess of Grafton +says sixty thousand were bestowed; but a friend of yours, and a +relation of Lady Susan, nibbled away twenty thousand for a Mr. +Upton. + +By a letter from your brother to-day, I find our northern journey +is laid aside; the Duke of Devonshire is coming to town; the +physicians want him to go to Spa. This derangement makes me turn +my eyes eagerly towards Paris; though I shall be ashamed to come +thither after the wise reasons I have given you against it in the +beginning of this letter; nous verrons--the temptation is strong, +but patriots must resist temptations; it is not the etiquette to +yield to them till a change happens. + +I enclose a letter, which your brother has sent me to convey to +you, and two pamphlets.(646) The former is said to be written by +Shebbeare, under George Grenville's direction: the latter, which +makes rather more noise, is certainly composed by somebody who +does not hate your brother--I even fancy you will guess the same +person for the author that every body else does. I shall be able +to send you soon another pamphlet, written by Charles Townshend, +on the subject of the warrants:-you see, at least, we do not +ransack Newgate and the pillory(647) for writers. We leave those +to the administration. + +I wish you would be so kind as to tell me, what is become of my +sister and Mr. Churchill. I received a letter from Lady Mary +to-day, telling me she was that instant setting out from Paris, +but does not say whither. + +The first storm that is likely to burst in politics, seems to be +threatened from the Bedford quarter. The Duke and Duchess have +been in town but for two days the whole summer, and are now going +to Trentham, whither Lord Gower, qui se donnoit pour favori, is +retired for three months. This is very unlike the declaration in +spring, that the Duke must reside at Streatham,(648) because the +King could not spare him for a day. + +The memorial(649) left by Guerchy at his departure, and the late +arr`ets in France on our American histories, make much noise, and +seem to say that I have not been a false prophet! If our +ministers can stand so many difficulties from abroad, and so much +odium at home, they are abler men than I take them for. Adieu, +the whole H`otel de Lassay!(650) I verily think I shall see it +soon. + +(633) He had the lucrative office of usher of the exchequer, and +a couple of other less considerable sinecures.-C. + +(634) Robert, last Earl of Holderness, grandson of the great Duke +Schomberg; he had been secretary of state at the accession.-C. + +(635) Lady Hertford was daughter of the late, and cousin of the +existing Duke of Grafton, who was one of the leaders of the +opposition.-C. + +(636) The state of the public mind at this time is thus described +by Gray:--"Grumble, indeed, every one does; but, since Wilkes's +affair, they fall off their metal, and seem to shrink under the +brazen hand of Norton and his colleagues. I hear there will be +no Parliament till after Christmas. If the French should be so +unwise as to suffer the Spanish court to go on in their present +measures (for they refuse to pay the ransom of Manilla, and have +driven away our logwood cutters already,) down go their friends +in the ministry, and all the schemes of right divine and +prerogative; and this is perhaps the best chance we have. Are +you not struck with the great similarity there is between the +first years of Charles the First and the present times? Who +would have thought it possible five years ago?" Works, vol. iv. +p. 34.-E. + +(637) It is not easy to say what hundred and fifty years he +alludes to; the contests of Whig and Tory were never so violent +as in the last years of Queen Anne, just fifty years before this +time.-C. + +(638) The Marquis of Carnarvon, eldest son of the second Duke of +Chandos.-E. + + +(639) See ant`e, p. 258, letter 184. + +(640) Lord John and Lord Frederick Cavendish, his grace's +brothers.-E. + +(641) Lady Mary, daughter of the second Lord Godolphin, +granddaughter of the great Duke of Marlborough, and sister of the +Duchess of Newcastle.-E. + +(642) Dr. John Hume.-E. + +(643) The reader will not fail to observe the sudden effect of +Mr. Walpole's conversion to the Duke of Newcastle's politics, how +it abates all ridicules and sweetens all acerbities. As no +writer has contributed so much as Mr. Walpole to depreciate the +character of the Duke of Newcastle, this kind of palinode is not +unimportant. See ant`e, p. 258, letter 184.-C. + +(644) The Duchess of Grafton lay-in, on the 17th July 1764, of +her youngest son, Lord Charles.-E. + +(645) Eldest daughter of Francis, second Duke of Buccleugh, born +1723, died in 1777, unmarried.-E. + +(646) They were called "An Address to the Public on the late +dismission of a General Officer," and "A Counter Address." The +latter was written by Mr. Walpole himself.-C. + +(647) Dr. Shebbeare had been convicted of a libel, and, I +believe, punished in the pillory-C. [By the indulgence of the +under-sheriff of Midllesex, the Doctor was allowed to stand on, +and not in, the pillory; for which indulgence he was prosecuted.) + +(648) A villa of the Duke's at Streatham, derived from Mr. +Howland, his maternal grandfather, from whom Howland-street is +named.-C. + +(649) The points in dispute between France and England at this +period arose out of the non-performance of certain articles of +the treaty-the payment of the Canada bills, and the expense of +the prisoners of war, and certain claims for compensation for +effects taken at Bellisle.-C. + +(650) The house which Lord Hertford hired in Paris.-E. + + + +Letter 219 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Aug. 16, 1764. (page 337) + +I am not gone north, so pray write to me. I am not going south, +so pray come to me. The Duke of Devonshire's journey to Spa has +prevented the first, and twenty reasons the second; whenever +therefore you are disposed to make a visit to Strawberry, it will +rejoice to receive you in its old ruffs and fardingales, and +without rouge, blonde, and run silks. + +You have not said a word to me, ingrate as you are, about Lord +Herbert; does not he deserve one line? Tell me when I shall see +you, that I may make no appointments to interfere with it. Mr. +Conway, Lady Ailesbury, and Lady Lyttelton, have been at +Strawberry with me for four or five days, so I am come to town to +have my house washed, for you know I am a very Hollander in point +of cleanliness. + +This town is a deplorable solitude; one meets nothing but Mrs. +Holman, like the pelican in the wilderness. Adieu! + + + +Letter 220 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Strawberry Hill, Aug. 27, 1764. (page 338) + +I hope you received safe a parcel and a very long letter that I +sent you, above a fortnight ago, by Mr. Strange the engraver. +Scarce any thing has happened since worth repeating, but what you +know already, the death of poor Legge, and the seizure of Turk +Island:(651) the latter event very consonant to all ideas. It +makes much noise here especially in the city, where the ministry +grow every day more and more unpopular. Indeed, I think there is +not much probability of their standing their ground, even till +Christmas. Several defections are already known, and others are +ripe which they do not apprehend. + +Doctor Hunter, I conclude, has sent you Charles Townshend's +pamphlet: it is well written, but does not sell much, as a notion +prevails that it has been much altered and softened. + +The Duke of Devonshire is gone to Spa; he was stopped for a week +by a rash, which those who wished it so, called a miliary fever, +but was so far from it that if he does not find immediate benefit +from Spa, he is to go to Aix-la-Chapelle, in hopes that the warm +baths will supple his skin, and promote another eruption. + +I have been this evening to Sion, which is becoming another Mount +Palatine. Adam has displayed great taste, and the Earl matches +it with magnificence. The gallery is converting into a museum in +the style of a columbarium, according to an idea that I proposed +to my Lord Northumberland. Mr. Boulby(652) and Lady Mary are +there, and the Primate,(653) who looks old and broken enough to +aspire to the papacy. Lord Holland, I hear, advises what Lord +Bute much wishes, the removal of George Grenville, to make room +for Lord Northumberland at the head of the treasury. The Duchess +of Grafton is gone to her father. I wish you may hear no more of +this journey! If you should, this time, the Complaints will come +from her side. + +You have got the Sposo(654) Coventry with you, have not you? And +you are going to have the Duke of York. You will not want such a +nobody as me. When I have a good opportunity, I will tell you +some very sensible advice that has been given me on that head, +which I am sure you will approve. + +It is well for me I am not a Russian. I should certainly be +knouted. The murder of the young Czar Ivan has sluiced again all +my abhorrence of the czarina. What a devil in a diadem! I +wonder they can spare such a principal performer from hell! + +September 9th. + +I had left this letter unfinished, from want of common materials, +if I should send it by the post; and from want of private +conveyance, if I said more than was fit for the post. being Just +returned from Park-place, where I have been for three days, I not +only find your extremely kind letter of August 21st, but a card +from Madame de Chabot, who tells me she sets out for Paris in a +day or two. and offers to carry a letter to you, which gives me +the opportunity I wished for. + +I must begin with what you conclude-your most friendly +offer,(655) if I should be distressed by the treasury. I can +never thank you enough for this, nor the tender manner in which +you clothe it: though, believe me, my dear lord, I could never +blush to be obliged to you. In truth, though I do not doubt +their disposition to hurt me, I have had prudence enough to make +it much longer than their reign Can last, before it could be in +their power to make me feel want. With all my extravagance, I am +much beforehand, and having perfected and paid for what I wished +to do here, my common expenses are trifling, and nobody can live +more frugally than I, when I have a mind to it. What I said of +fearing temptations at Paris, was barely serious: I thought it +imprudent, just now, to throw away my money; but that +consideration, singly, would not keep me here. I am eager to be +with you, and my chief reason for delaying is, that I wish to +make a longer stay than I could just now. The advice I hinted +at, in the former part of this letter, was Lady Suffolk's, and I +am sure you will think it very sensible. She told me, should I +now go to Paris, all the world would say I went to try to +persuade you to resign; that even the report would be impertinent +to you, to whom she knew and saw I wished so well; and that when +I should return, it would be said I had failed in MY errand. +Added to this, which was surely very prudent and friendly advice, +I will own to you fairly, that I think I shall soon have it in my +power to come to you on the foot I wish,--I mean, having done +with politics, which I have told you all along, and with great +truth, are as much my abhorrence as yours. I think this +administration cannot last till Christmas, and I believe they +themselves think so. I am cautious when I say this, because I +promise you faithfully, the last thing I will do shall be to give +you any false lights knowingly. I am clear, I repeat it, against +your resigning now; and there is no meaning in all I have taken +the liberty to say to you, and which you receive with so much +goodness and sense, but to put you on your guard in such ticklish +times, and to pave imperceptibly to the world the way to your +reunion with your friends. In your brother, I am persuaded, you +will never find any alteration; and whenever you find an +opportunity proper, his credit with particular persons will +remove any coldness that may have happened. I admire the force +and reasoning with which you have stated your own situation; and +I think there are but two points in which we differ at all. I do +not see how your brother could avoid the part he chose. It was +the administration that made it--no inclination of his. The +other is a trifle; it regards Elliot, nor is it my opinion alone +that he is at Paris on business: every body believes it, and +considering his abilities, and the present difficulties of Lord +Bute, Elliot's absence would be very extraordinary, if merely +occasioned by idleness or amusement, or even to place his +children, when it lasts so long. + +The affair of Turk Island, and the late promotion of Colonel +Fletcher(656) over thirty-seven older officers, are the chief +causes, added to the Canada bills, Logwood, and the Manilla +affairs, Which have ripened our heats to such a height. Lord +Mansfield's violence against the press has contributed much--but +the great distress of all to the ministers, is the behaviour of +the Duke of Bedford, who has twice or thrice peremptorily refused +to attend council. He has been at Trentham, and crossed the +country back to Woburn, without coming to town.(657) Lord Gower +has been in town but one day. Many causes are assigned for all +this; the refusal of making Lord Waldegrave of the bedchamber; +Lord Tavistocl('s inclination to the minority; and above all, a +reversion, which it is believed Lord Bute has been so weak as to +obtain, of Ampthill, a royal grant, in which the Duke has but +sixteen years to come. You know enough of that court, to know +that, in the article of Bedfordshire, no influence has any weight +with his grace. At present, indeed, I believe little is tried. +The Duchess and Lady Bute are as hostile as possible. Rigby's +journey convinces me of what I have long suspected, that his +reign is at an end. I have even heard, though I am far from +trusting to the quarter from which I had my intelligence, that +the Duke has been making overtures to Mr. Pitt,(658) which have +not been received unfavourably; I shall know more of this soon, +as I am to go to Stowe in three or four days. Mr. Pitt is +exceedingly well-disposed to your brother, talks highly of him, +and of the injustice done to him, and they are to meet on the +first convenient opportunity. Thus much for politics, which, +however, I cannot quit, without again telling you how sensible I +am of all your goodness and friendly offers. + +The Court, independent of politics, makes a strange figure. The +recluse life led here at Richmond, which is carried to such an +excess of privacy and economy, that the Queen's friseur waits on +them at dinner, and that four pounds only of beef are allowed for +their soup, disgusts all sorts of people. The drawing-rooms are +abandoned: Lady Buckingham(659) was the only woman there on +Sunday se'nnight. The Duke of York was commanded home. They +stopped his remittances,(660) and then were alarmed on finding he +still was somehow or other supplied with money. The two next +Princes(661) are at the Pavilions at Hampton Court, in very +private circumstances indeed; no household is to be established +for Prince William, who accedes nearer to the malcontents every +day. In short, one hears of nothing but dissatisfaction, which +in the city rises almost to treason. + +Mrs. Cornwallis(662) has found that her husband has been +dismissed from the bedchamber this twelvemonth with no notice: +his appointments were even paid; but on this discovery they are +stopped. + +You ask about what I had mentioned in the beginning of my letter, +the dissensions in the house of Grafton. The world says they are +actually parted: I do not believe that; but I will tell you +exactly all I know. His grace, it seems, for many months has +kept one Nancy Parsons,(663) one of the commonest creatures in +London, one much liked, but out of date. He is certainly grown +immoderately attached to her, so much, that it has put an end to +all his decorum. She was publicly with him at Ascot races, and +is now in the forest;(664) I do not know if actually in the +house. At first, I concluded this was merely stratagem to pique +the Duchess; but it certainly goes further. Before the Duchess +laid in, she had a little house on Richmond-Hill, whither the +Duke sometimes, though seldom, came to dine. During her month of +confinement, he was scarcely in town at all, nor did he even come +up to see the Duke of Devonshire. The Duchess is certainly gone +to her father. She affected to talk of the Duke familiarly, and +said she would call in the forest as she went to Lord +Ravensworth's. I suspect she is gone thither to recriminate and +complain. She did not talk of returning till October. It was +said the Duke was going to France, but I hear no more of it. +Thus the affair stands, as far as I or your brother, or the +Cavendishes, know; nor have we heard one word from either Duke or +Duchess of any rupture. I hope she will not be so weak as to +part, and that her father and mother will prevent it. It is not +unlucky that she has seen none of the Bedfords lately, who would +be glad to blow the coals. Lady Waldegrave was with her one day, +but I believe not alone. + +There was nobody at Park-place but Lord and Lady William +Campbell.(665) Old Sir John Barnard(666) is dead; for other +news, I have none. I beg you will always say a great deal for me +to my lady. As I trouble you with such long letters, it would be +unreasonable to overwhelm her too. You know my attachment to +every thing that is yours. My warmest wish is to see an end of +the present unhappy posture of public affairs, which operate so +shockingly even on our private. If I can once get quit of them, +it will be no easy matter to involve me in them again, however +difficult it may be, as you have found, to escape them. Nobody +is more criminal in my eyes than George Grenville, who had it in +his power to prevent what has happened to your brother. Nothing +could be more repugnant to all the principles he has ever most +avowedly and publicly professed--but he has opened my eyes--such +a mixture of vanity and meanness, of falsehood(667) and +hypocrisy, is not common even in this country! It is a +ridiculous embarras after all the rest, and yet you may conceive +the distress I am under about Lady Blandford,(668) and the +negotiations I am forced to employ to avoid meeting him there, +which I am determined not to do. + +I shall be able, when I see you, to divert you with some +excellent stories of a principal figure on our side; but they are +too long and too many for a letter, especially of a letter so +prolix as this. Adieu, my dear lord! + +(651) A small island, also called Tortuga, near St. Domingo, of +which a French squadron had dispossessed some English settlers. +This proceeding was, however, immediately disavowed by the +French, and orders were immediately despatched for restitution +and compensation to the sufferers. We can easily gather from Mr. +Walpole's own expressions why this affair was raised into such +momentary importance.-C. + +(652) Thomas Bouldby, Esq. and his lady, sister of the first Duke +of Montagu, of the second creation.-E. + +(653) Dr. George Stone. + +(654) see ant`e, p. 332, letter 218. + +(655) This affair is creditable to all the parties. When General +Conway was turned out, Mr Walpole placed all his fortune at his +disposal, in a very generous letter (p. 316, letter 205). This +induced Mr. Walpole to think of economy, and to state in a former +letter (p. 332, letter 218) some apprehension as to his +circumstances; in reply to which, Lord Hertford, who had already +made a similar proposition to General Conway, now offers to place +Mr. Walpole above the pecuniary difficulties which he +apprehended.-C. + +(656) Colonel Fletcher of the 35th foot.-E. + +(657) Not very surprising, however, as London would have been +about eighty miles round.-C. + +(658) The following is a passage from a letter written by Mr. +Pitt to the Duke of Newcastle, in October, in reply to one of +these overtures:--"As for my single self, I purpose to continue +acting through life upon the best convictions I am able to form, +and Under the obligation of principles, not by the force of any +particular bargains. I presume not to judge for those who think +they see daylight to serve their country by such means: but shall +continue myself, as often as I think it worth the while to go to +the House of Commons, to go there free from stipulation-, about +every question under consideration, as well as to come out of the +House as free as I entered it. Having seen the close of last +session, and the system of that great war, in which my share of +the ministry was so largely arraigned, given up by silence in a +full House, I have little thoughts of beginning the world again +upon a new centre of union. Your grace will not, I trust, wonder +if, after so recent and so strange a phenomenon in politics, I +have no disposition to quit the free condition of a man standing +single, and daring to appeal to his country at large, upon the +soundness of his principles and the rectitude of his conduct." +See Chatham Correspondence, vol. ii. p. 296.-E. + +(659) Mary Anne Drury, wife Of John, second Earl of +Buckinghamshire.-E. + +(660) Mr. Walpole gives an unfair turn to this circumstance. The +stopping the Duke of York's remittances, and ordering him home, +was a measure of prudence, not to say of necessity, for that +young Prince's extravagance abroad had made a public clamour; so +much so, that a popular preacher delivered, about this time, a +sermon on the following text:--"The younger son gathered all +together, and took his journey into a far country, and there +wasted his substance with riotous living." St. Luke, xv. 13. The +letters and even the publications of the day allude to this +extravagance, and surely it was the duty of his brother and +sovereign to repress an indiscretion which occasioned such +observations.-C. + +(661) William, created, in November, 1764, Duke of Gloucester; +and Henry created, in 1766, Duke of cumberland. The injustice of +mr. Walpole's insinuations will be evident, when it is +remembered that, at the date of this letter, the eldest of these +Princes was but twenty, and the other eighteen years of age, and +that they were both created Dukes, and had households established +for them as soon as they respectively came of age-C. + +(662) Mary, daughter of Charles, second Viscount Townshend, wife +of Edward, sixth son of the third Lord Cornwallis. I suspect +that here again Mr. Walpole's accusation is not correct. General +Cornwallis had been groom of the bedchamber to George II., and +was continued in the same office by the successor, till he was +appointed Governor of Gibraltar, when Mr. Henry Seymour was +appointed in his room.-C. + +(663) This scandal has been immortalized by Junius.-C. + +(664) At Wakefield Lodge, in Whittlebury Forest, +Northamptonshire.-E. + +(665) Lord William, brother of General Conway's lady, and third +brother of the fifth Duke of Argyle; his wife was Sarah, daughter +of W. Teard, Esq. of Charleston.-E. + +(666) Father of the city, which he had represented in six +parliaments. He had been a very leading member of the House of +Commons, and was much deferred to on all matters of commerce.-C. + +(667) See ant`e, p. 272, letter 188. + +(668) Maria Catherine de Jonge, a Dutch Lady, widow of William +Godolphin, Marquis of Blandford, and sister of Isabella Countess +of Denbigh; they were near neighbours and intimate acquaintances +of Mr. Walpole's.@. + + + +Letter 221 To The Right Hon. William Pitt.(669) +Arlington Street, Aug. 29, 1764. (page 343) + +Sir, +As you have always permitted me to offer you the trifles printed +at my press, I am glad to have one to send you of a little more +consequence than some in which I have had myself too great a +share. The singularity of the work I now trouble you with is +greater merit than its rarity; though there are but two hundred +copies, of which only half are mine.(670) If it amuses an hour +or two of your idle time, I am overpaid. My greatest ambition is +to pay that respect which every Englishman owes to your character +and services; and therefore you must not wonder if an +inconsiderable man seizes every opportunity, however awkwardly, +of assuring you, Sir, that he is Your most devoted, etc. + +(669) Now first collected. + +(670) The Life of Lord Herbert of Cherbury. See ant`e, p. 329, +letter 214.-E. + + + +Letter 222 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Strawberry Hill, Aug. 29, 1764. (page 343) + +Dear sir, +Among the multitude of my papers I have mislaid, though not lost, +the account you was so good as to give me of your ancestor Toer, +as a painter. I have been hunting for it to insert it in the new +edition of my Anecdotes. It is not very reasonable to save +myself trouble at the expense of yours; but perhaps you can much +sooner turn to your notes, than I find your letter. Will you be +so good as to send me soon all the particulars you recollect of +him. I have a print of Sir Lionel Jenkins from his painting. + +I did not send you any more orange flowers, as you desired; for +the continued rains rotted all the latter blow: but I had made a +vast potpourri, from whence you shall have as much as you please, +when I have the pleasure of seeing you here, which I should be +glad might be in the beginning of October, if it suits your +convenience. At the same time you shall have a print of Lord +Herbert, which I think I did not send you. + +P. S. I trust you will bring me a volume or two of your MSS. of +which I am most thirsty. + + + +Letter 223 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +September 1, 1764. (page 344) + +I send you the reply to the Counter-address;(671) it is the +lowest of all Grub-street, and I hear is treated so. They have +nothing better to say, than that I am in love with you, have been +so these twenty years, and am no giant. I am a very constant old +swain: they might have made the years above thirty; it is so long +I have the same unalterable friendship for you, independent of +being near relations and bred up together. For arguments, so far +from any new ones, the man gives up or denies most of the former. +I own I am rejoiced not only to see how little they can defend +themselves, but to know the extent of their malice and revenge. +They must be sorely hurt, to be reduced to such scurrility. Yet +there is one paragraph, however, which I think is of George +Grenville's own inditing. It says, "I flattered, solicited, and +then basely deserted him." I no more expected to hear myself +accused of flattery, than of being in love with you; but I shall +not laugh at the former as I do at the latter. Nothing but his +own consummate vanity could suppose I had ever stooped to flatter +him! or that any man was connected with him, but who was low +enough to be paid for it. Where has he one such attachment? + + +You have your share too. The miscarriage at Rochfort now +directly laid at your door! repeated insinuations against your +courage. But I trust you will mind them no more than I do, +excepting the flattery, which I shall not forget, I promise them. + +I came to town yesterday on some business, and found a case. +When I opened it, what was there but my Lady Ailesbury's most +beautiful of all pictures!(672) Don't imagine I can think it +intended for me: or that, if it could be so, I would hear of such +a thing. It is far above what can be parted with, or accepted. +I am serious--there is no letting such a picture, when one has +accomplished it, go from where one can see it every day. I +should take the thought equally kind and friendly, but she must +let me bring it back, if I am not to do any thing else with it, +and it came by mistake. I am not so selfish as to deprive her of +what she must have such pleasure in seeing. I shall have more +satisfaction in seeing it at Park-place; where, in spite of the +worst kind of malice, I shall persist in saying my heart is +fixed. They may ruin me, but no calumny shall make me desert +you. Indeed your case would be completely cruel, if it was more +honourable for your relations and friends to abandon you than to +stick to you. My option is made, and I scorn their abuse as much +as I despise their power. + +I think of coming to you on Thursday next for a day or two, +unless your house is full, or you hear from me to the contrary. +Adieu! Yours ever. + +(671) A pamphlet written by Mr. Walpole, in answer to another, +called ,An Address to the Public on the late Dismissal of a +General Officer." + +(672) A landscape executed in worsteds by Lady Ailesbury. It is +now at Strawberry Hill. + + + +Letter 224 To The Rev. Dr. Birch. +September 3, 1764. (page 345) + +Sir, +I am extremely obliged to you for the favour of your letter, and +the enclosed curious one of Sir William Herbert. It would have +made a very valuable addition to Lord Herbert's Life, which is +now too late; as I have no hope that Lord Powis will permit any +more to be printed. There were indeed so very few, and but half +of those for my share, that I have not it in my power to offer +you a copy, having disposed of my part. It is really a pity that +so singular a curiosity should not be public; but I must not +complain, as Lord Powis has been so good as to indulge my request +thus far. I am, Sir, Your much obliged humble servant, H. W. + + + +Letter 225 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Strawberry Hill, Oct. 5, 1764. (page 345) + +My dear lord, +Though I wrote to you but a few days ago, I must trouble you with +another line now. Dr. Blanchard, a Cambridge divine, and who has +a good paternal estate in Yorkshire, is on his travels, which he +performs as a gentleman; and, therefore, wishes not to have his +profession noticed. He is very desirous of paying his respects +to you, and of being countenanced by you while he stays at Paris. +It will much oblige a particular friend of mine, and consequently +me, if you will favour him with your attention. Every body +experiences your goodness, but in the present case I wish to +attribute it a little to my request. + +I asked you about two books, ascribed to Madame de Boufflers. if +they are hers, I should be glad to know where she found, that +Oliver Cromwell took orders and went over to Holland to fight the +Dutch. As she has been on the spot where he reigned (which is +generally very strong evidence), her countrymen will believe her +in spite of our teeth; and Voltaire, who loves all anecdotes that +never happened, because they prove the manners of the times, will +hurry it into the first history he publishes. I, therefore, +enter my caveat against it; not as interested for Oliver's +character, but to save the world from one more fable. I know +Madame de Boufflers will attribute this scruple to my partiality +to Cromwell (and, to be sure, if we must be ridden, there is some +satisfaction when the man knows how to ride). I remember one +night at the Duke of Grafton's, a bust of Cromwell was produced: +Madame de Boufflers, without uttering a syllable, gave me the +most speaking look imaginable, as much as to Say, Is it possible +you can admire this man! Apropos: I am sorry to say the reports +do not cease about the separation,(673) and yet I have heard +nothing that confirms it. + +I once begged you to send me a book in three volumes, called +"Essais sur les Moeurs;" forgive me if I put you in mind of it, +and request you to send me that, or any other new book. I am +wofully in want of reading, and sick to death of all our +political stuff; which, as the Parliament is happily at the +distance of three months, I would fain forget till I cannot help +hearing of it. I am reduced to Guicciardin, and though the +evenings are so long, I cannot get through one of his periods +between dinner and supper. They tell me Mr. Hume has had sight +of King James's journal:(674) I Wish I could see all the trifling +passages that he will not deign to admit into history. I do not +love great folks till they have pulled off their buskins and put +on their slippers, because I do not care sixpence for what they +would be thought, but for what they are. + +Mr. Elliot brings us woful accounts of the French ladies, of the +decency of their conversation, and the nastiness of their +behaviour. + +Nobody is dead, married, or gone mad, since my last. Adieu! + +P. S. I enclose an epitaph on Lord Waldegrave, written by my +brother,(675) which I think you will like, both for the +composition and the strict truth of it. + +Arlington Street, Friday evening. + +I was getting into my postchaise this morning with this letter in +my pocket, and Coming to town for a day or two, when I heard the +Duke of Cumberland was dead: I find it is not so. he had two +fits yesterday at Newmarket, whither he would go. The Princess +Amelia, who had observed great alteration in his speech, +entreated him against it. He has had too some touches of the +gout, but they were gone off, or might have prevented this +attack. I hear since the fits yesterday, which are said to have +been but slight, that his leg is broken out, and they hope will +save him. Still, I think, one cannot but expect the worst. + +The letters yesterday, from Spa, give a melancholy account of the +poor Duke of Devonshire as he cannot drink the waters they think +of removing him; I suppose, to the baths at Aix-la-Chapelle; but +I look on his case as a lost one. There's a chapter for +moralizing! but five-and-forty, with forty thousand pounds +a-year and happiness wherever he turned him! My reflection is, +that it is folly to be unhappy at any thing, when felicity itself +is such a phantom. + +(673) Of the Duke and Duchess of Grafton.-E. + +(674) Since published, under the generous patronage of George the +Third, by Dr. Clarke, his Majesty's librarian. The work is, +however, not what Mr. Walpole contemplated: it is not a journal +of private feelings, interests, and actions, but a relation +rather of public affairs; and though the notes of James II. were +undoubtedly the foundation of the work, it was, in truth, written +by another hand, and that too a hand the least likely to have +given us the kind of memoirs which Mr. Walpole justly thinks +would have been so valuable. When an eminent person writes his +own memoirs, we have, at least, the motives which he thinks it +creditable to assign to his conduct--he has, generally the +candour of vanity, and even when he has not that candour, he is +sometimes blinded into discovering truth unawares; but nothing +can be more futile and fastidious than the meagre notes of the +original actor, fresh woven and discoloured by the hands of an +obsequious servant, who conceals all the facts he cannot explain, +and all the motives he cannot justify. Such memoirs resemble the +real life as the skeleton does the living man.-C. + +(675) Sir Edward Walpole, K.B., second son of Sir Robert, and the +father of Ladies Dysart and Waldegrave, and Mrs. Keppel.-E. + + + +Letter 226 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Strawberry Hill, Oct. 5, 1764. (page 347) + +It is over with us!--if I did not know your firmness, I would +have prepared you by degrees; but you are a man, and can hear the +worst at once. The Duke of Cumberland is dead. I have heard it +but this instant. The Duke of Newcastle was come to breakfast +with me, and pulled out a letter from Lord Frederick, with a +hopeless account of the poor Duke of Devonshire. Ere I could +read it, Colonel Schutz called at the door and told my servant +this fatal news! I know no more--it must be at Newmarket, and +very sudden; for the Duke of Newcastle had a letter from Hodgson, +dated on Monday, which said the Duke was perfectly well, and his +gout gone:--Yes, to be sure, into his head. Princess Amelia had +endeavoured to prevent his going to Newmarket, having perceived +great alteration in his speech, as the Duke of Newcastle had. +Well! it will not be. Every thing fights against this country! +Mr. Pitt must save it himself--or, what I do not know whether he +will not like as well, share in overturning its liberty--if they +will admit him; -which I question now if they will be fools +enough to do. + +You see I write in despair. I am for the whole, but perfectly +tranquil. We have acted with honour, and have nothing to +reproach ourselves with. We cannot combat fate. We shall be +left almost alone; but I think you will no more go with the +torrent than I will. Could I have foreseen this tide of ill +fortune, I would have done just as I have done; and my conduct +shall show I am satisfied I have done right. For the rest, come +what come may, I am perfectly prepared and while there is a free +spot of earth upon the globe, that shall be my country. I am +sorry it will not be this, but to-morrow I shall be able to laugh +as usual. What signifies what happens when one is +seven-and-forty, as I am to-day! + +"They tell me 'tis my birthday"--but I will not go on with +Antony, and say + +----"and I'll keep it +With double pomp of sadness." + +No. when they can smile, who ruin a great country'. sure those +who would have saved it may indulge themselves in that +cheerfulness which conscious integrity bestows. I think I shall +come to you next week; and since we have no longer any plan of +operations to settle, we will look over the map of Europe, and +fix upon a pleasant corner for our exile--for take notice, I do +not design to fall upon my dagger, in hopes that some Mr. Addison +a thousand years hence may write a dull tragedy about me. I will +write my own story a little more cheerfully than he would; but I +fear now I must not print it at my own press. Adieu! You was a +philosopher before you had any occasion to be so: pray continue +so; you have ample occasion! Yours ever, H. W. + + + + +Letter 227 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Strawberry Hill, Oct. 13, 1764. (page 348) + +Lord John Cavendish has been so kind as to send me word of the +Duke of Devonshire's(676) legacy to you.(677) You cannot doubt +of the great joy this gives me; and yet it serves to aggravate +the loss of so worthy a man! And when I feel it thus, I am +sensible how much more it will add to your concern, instead of +diminishing it. Yet do not wholly reflect on your misfortune. +You might despise the acquisition of five thousand pounds simply; +but when that sum is a public testimonial to your virtue, and +bequeathed by a man so virtuous, it is a million. Measure it +with the riches of those who have basely injured you, and it is +still more! Why, it is glory, it is conscious innocence, it is +satisfaction--it is affluence without guilt--Oh! the comfortable +sound! It is a good name in the history of these corrupt days. +There it will exist, when the wealth of your and their country's +enemies will be wasted, or will be an indelible blemish on their +descendants. + +My heart is full, and yet I will say no more. My best loves to +all your opulent family. Who says virtue is not rewarded in this +world? It is rewarded by virtue, and it is persecuted by the +bad. Can greater honour be paid to it? + +(676) William, fourth Duke of Devonshire. During his +administration in Ireland, Mr. Conway had been secretary of state +there. He died at Spa on the 2d of October.-E. + +(677) The legacy was contained in the following codicil, written +in the Duke's own hand. "I give to General Conway five thousand +pounds as a testimony of my friendship to him, and of my sense of +his Honourable conduct and friendship for me."-E. + + + +Letter 228 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Strawberry Hill, Oct. 29, 1764. (page 348) + +I am glad you mentioned it: I would not have had you appear +without your close mourning for the Duke of Devonshire upon any +account. I was once going to tell you of it, knowing your +inaccuracy in such matters; but thought it still impossible you +should be ignorant how necessary it is. Lord Strafford, who has +a legacy of only two hundred pounds, wrote to consult Lady +Suffolk. She told him, for such a sum, which only implies a +ring,, it was sometimes not done but yet advised him to mourn. +In your case it is indispensable; nor can you see any of his +family without it. Besides it is much better on such an occasion +to over, than under do. I answer this paragraph first, because I +am so earnest not to have you blamed. + +Besides wishing to see you all, I have wanted exceedingly to come +to you, having much to say to you; but I am confined here, that +is, Mr. Chute is: he was seized with the gout last Wednesday +se'nnight, the day he came hither to meet George Montagu, and +this is the first day he has been out of his bedchamber. I must +therefore put off our meeting till Saturday, when you shall +certainly find me in town. + +We have a report here, but the authority bitter bad, that Lord +March is going to be married to Lady Conway. I don't believe it +the less for our knowing nothing of it; for unless their daughter +were breeding, and it were to save her character, neither your +brother nor Lady Hertford would disclose a tittle about it. Yet +in charity they should advertise it, that parents and relations, +if it is so, may lock up all knives, ropes, laudanum, and rivers, +lest it should occasion a violent mortality among his fair +admirers. + +I am charmed with an answer I have just read in the papers of a +man in Bedlam, who was ill-used by -,in apprentice because he +Would not tell him why he was confined there. The unhappy +creature said at last, "Because God has deprived me of a blessing +which you never enjoyed." There never was any thing finer or more +moving! Your sensibility will not be quite so much affected by a +story I heard t'other day of Sir Fletcher Norton. He has a +mother--yes, a mother: perhaps you thought that, like that tender +urchin Love, + +----duris in cotibus illum +Ismarus, aut Rhodope, aut extremi Garamantes, +Nec nostri generis puerum nec sanguinis edunt. + +Well, Mrs. Rhodope lives in a mighty shabby hovel at Preston, +which the dutiful and affectionate Sir Fletcher began to think +not suitable to the dignity of one who has the honour of being +his parent. He cheapened a better, in which were two pictures +which the proprietor valued at threescore pounds. The +attorney(678) insisted on having them for nothing, as fixtures- +-the landlord refused, the bargain was broken off, and the +dowager Madam Norton remains in her original hut. I could tell +you another story which you would not dislike; but as it might +hurt the person concerned, if it was known, I shall not send it +by the post; but will tell you when I see you. Adieu! + +(678) Sir Fletcher Norton, afterwards Lord Grantley, had been +appointed attorney-general in the preceding December.-E. + + + +Letter 229 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Strawberry Hill, Nov. 1, 1764. (page 350) + +I am not only pleased, my dear lord, to have been the first to +announce your brother's legacy to you, but I am glad whenever my +news reach you without being quite stale. I see but few persons +here. I begin my letters without knowing when I shall be able to +fill them, and then am to winnow a little what I hear, that I may +not send you absolute secondhand fables: for though I cannot +warrant all I tell you, I hate to send you every improbable tale +that is vented. You like, as one always does in absence, to hear +the common occurrences of your own country; and you see I am very +glad to be your gazetteer, provided you do not rank my letters +upon any higher foot. I should be ashamed of such gossiping, if +I did not consider it as chatting with you en famille, as we used +to do at supper in Grosvenor-street. + +The Duke of Devonshire has made splendid provision for his +younger children; to Lady Dorothy,(679) 30,000 pounds; Lord +Richard and Lord George will have about 4,000 pounds a-year +apiece: for, besides landed estates, he has left them his whole +personal estate without exception, only obliging the present Duke +to redeem Devonshire-house, and the entire collection in it, for +20,000 pounds: he gives 500 pounds to each of his brothers, and +200 pounds to Lord Strafford, with some other inconsiderable +legacies. Lord Frederick carried the garter, and was treated by +the King with very gracious speeches of concern. + +The Duke of Cumberland is quite recovered, after an incision of +many inches in his knee. Ranby(680) did not dare to propose that +a hero should be tied, but was frightened out of his senses when +the hero would hold the candle himself, which none of his +generals could bear to do: in the middle of the operation, the +Duke said, "Hold!" Ranby said, "For God's sake, Sir, let me +proceed now--it will be worse to renew it." The Duke repeated, "I +say hold!" and then calmly bade them give Ranby a clean waistcoat +and cap; for, said he, the poor man has sweated through these. +It was true; but the Duke did not utter a groan. + +Have you heard that Lady Susan O'Brien's is not the last romance +of the sort? Lord Rockingham's youngest sister, Lady +Harriot,(681) has stooped even lower than a theatric swain, and +married her footman; but still it is you Irish(682) that commit +all the havoc. Lady Harriot, however, has mixed a wonderful +degree of prudence with her potion, and considering how plain she +is, has not, I think, sweetened the draught too much for her +lover: she settles a single hundred pound a-year upon him for his +life; entails her whole fortune on their children, if they have +any; and, if not, on her own family; nay, in the height of the +novel, provides for a separation, and insures the same pin-money +to Damon, in case they part. This deed she has vested out of her +power, by sending it to Lord Mansfield,(683) whom she makes her +trustee; it is drawn up in her own hand, and Lord Mansfield says +is as binding as any lawyer could make it. Did one ever hear of +more reflection in a delirium! Well, but hear more: she has +given away all her clothes, nay, and her ladyship, and says, +linen gowns are properest for a footman's wife, and is gone to +his family in Ireland, plain Mrs. Henrietta Surgeon. I think it +is not clear that she is mad, but I have no doubt but Lady +Bel(684) will be so who could not digest Dr. Duncan, nor even Mr. +Milbank. + +My last told you of my sister's promotion.(685) I hear she is to +be succeeded at Kensington by Miss Floyd, who lives with Lady +Bolingbroke; but I beg you not to report this till you see it in +a Gazette of better authority than mine, who have it only from +fame and Mrs. A. Pitt. + +I have not seen M. de Guerchy yet, having been in town but one +night since his return. You are very kind in accepting, on your +own account, his obliging expressions about me: I know no +foundation on which I should like better to receive them,: the +truth is he has distinguished me extremely, and when a person in +his situation shows much attention to a person so very +insignificant as I am, one is apt to believe it exceeds common +compliment: at least, I attribute it to the esteem which he could +not but see I conceived for him. His civility is so natural, and +his good nature so strongly marked, that I connected much more +with him than I am apt to do with new acquaintances. I pitied +the various disgusts he received, and I believe he saw I did. If +I felt for him, you may judge how much I am concerned that you +have your share. I foresaw it was unavoidable, from the swarms +of your countrymen that flock to Paris, and generally the worst +part; boys and governors are woful exports. I saw a great deal +of it when I lived with poor Sir Horace Mann at Florence-but you +have the whole market. We are a wonderful people-I would not be +our King,(686) our minister, or our ambassador, for the Indies. +One comfort, however, I can truly give you; I have heard their +complaints, if they have any, from nobody but yourself. Jesus! +if they are not content now, I wish they knew how the English +were received at Paris twenty years ago--why, you and I know they +were not received at all. Ay, and when the fashion of admiring +English is past, it will be just so again; and very reasonably- +-who would open their house to every staring booby from another +country? + +Arlington Street, Nov. 3. + +I came to town to-day to meet your brother, who is going to +Euston and Thetford,(687) and hope he will bring back a good +account of the domestic history,(688) of which we can learn +nothing authentic. Fitzroy(689) knows nothing. The town says +the Duchess is going thither. + +We have been this evening with Duchess Hamilton,(690) who is +arrived from Scotland, visibly promising another Lord Campbell. +I shall take this opportunity of seeing M. de Guerchy, and that +opportunity, of sending this letter, and one from your brother. +Our politics are all at a stand. The Duke of Devonshire's death, +I concluded, would make the ministry all powerful, all +triumphant, and all insolent. It does not appear to have done +so. They are, I believe, extremely ill among themselves, and not +better in their affairs foreign or domestic. The cider counties +have instructed their members to join the minority. The house of +Yorke seems to have laid aside their coldness and irresolution, +and to look towards opposition. The unpopularity of the court is +very great indeed--still I shall not be surprised if they +maintain their ground a little longer. + +There is nothing new in the way of publication: the town itself' +is still a desert. I have twice passed by Arthur's(691) to-day, +and not seen a chariot. + +Hogarth is dead, and Mrs. Spence, who lived with the Duchess of +Newcastle.(692) She had saved 20,000 pounds which she leaves to +her sister for life, and after her, to Tommy Pelham. Ned +Finch(693) has got an estate from an old Mrs. Hatton of 1500 +pounds a year, and takes her name. + +Adieu! my lord and lady, and your whole et cetera. + +(679) Lady Dorothy married, in 1766, the Duke of Portland.-E. + +(680) A celebrated surgeon of the day. He was serjeant-surgeon +to the King, and F. R. S.-E. + +(681) Lady Henrietta Alicia Wentworth, born in 1737; married Mr. +William Surgeon.-E. + +(682) Lord Hertford was an Irish peer; he had besides so large a +fortune there, and paid so much attention to the interests of +that country,, that Mr. Walpole calls him Irish.-C. + +(683) Lord Mansfield had married Lady Harriot's aunt.-E. + +(684) Lady Isibella Finch, lady of the bedchamber to Princess +Amelia, was Lady Harriot's aunt. The Mr. Milbank here mentioned +had married Lady Mary Wentworth, the elder sister of Lady +Harriot.-C. + +(685) From being housekeeper at Kensington Palace, to the same +office at Windsor Castle; but Mr. Walpole is mistaken as to the +name of her successor: it was Miss Roche loyd.-C. + +(686) It is due to the character of the King and the ministers, +whom Mr. Walpole so often and so wantonly depreciates, to solicit +the reader's attention to such passages as this, in which he +imputes to others, and therefore implies in himself, an unfair +disposition to criticise and censure.-C. + +(687) He was member for Thetford.-E. + +(688) Of the Grafton family.-E. + +(689) Colonel Charles Fitzroy. See ant`e, p. 261, Letter 185.-E. + +(690) Elizabeth Gunning, widow of James, sixth Duke of Hamilton, +and wife, in 1759, of John, fifth Duke of Argyle.-E. + +(691) The fashionable club in St. James's Street.-E. + +(692) The Duke of Newcastle, in a letter to Mr. Pitt of the 19th +of October, says, "The many great losses, both public and +private, which we have had this summer, have very greatly +affected the Duchess; and the last of all, of her old friend and +companion of above forty-five years, poor Mrs. Spence, has added +much to the melancholy situation in which she was before." +Chatham Correspondence, vol, ii. p. 295.-E. + +(693) Edward, fifth son of the sixth Earl of Winchelsea. Mrs. +Hatton was his maternal aunt, sister of the last Viscount +Hatton.-C. + + + +Letter 230 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Strawberry Hill, Nov. 8, 1764. (page 352) + +I am much disappointed, I own, dear Sir, at not seeing you: more +so, as I fear it will be long before I shall, for I think of +going to paris early in February. I ought indeed to go directly, +as the winter does not agree with me here. Without being +positively ill, I am positively not well: about this time of +year, I have little fevers every night, and pains in my breast +and stomach, which bid me repair to a more flannel climate. +These little complaints are already begun, and as soon as affairs +will permit me, I mean to transport them southward. + +I am sorry it is out of my power to make the addition you wish to +Mr. Tuer's article: many of the following sheets are printed off, +and there is no inserting any thing now, without shoving the +whole text forward, which you see is impossible. You promised to +bring me a portrait of him: as I shall have four or five new +plates, I can get his head into one of them: will you send it as +soon as you can possibly to my house in Arlington-street; I will +take great care of it-, and return it to you safe. + + + +Letter 231 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Strawberry Hill, Nov. 9, 1764. (page 353) + +I don't know whether this letter will not reach you, my dear +lord, before one that I sent to you last week by a private hand, +along with one from your brother. I write this by my Lord +Chamberlain's order--you may interpret it as you please, either +as by some new connexion of the Bedford squadron with the +opposition, or as a commission to you, my lord ambassador. As +yet, I believe you had better take it upon the latter foundation, +though the Duke of Bedford has crossed the country from Bath to +Woburn, without coming to town. Be that as it may, here is the +negotiation intrusted to you. You are desired by my Lord Gower +to apply to the gentilhomme de la chambre for leave for +Doberval(694) the dancer, who was here last year, to return and +dance at our Opera forthwith. If the court of France -will +comply with this request, we will send them a discharge in full, +for the Canada bills and the ransom of their prisoners, and we +will permit Monsieur D'Estain to command in the West Indies, +whether we will or not. The city of London must not know a word +of this treaty, for they hate any mortal should be diverted but +themselves, especially by any thing relative to harmony. It is, +I own, betraying my country and my patriotism to be concerned in +a job of this kind. I am sensible that there is not a weaver in +Spitalfields but can dance better than the first performer in the +French Opera; and yet, how could I refuse this commission? Mrs. +George Pitt delivered it to me just now, at Lord Holderness's at +Sion, and as my virtue has not yet been able to root out all my +good-breeding--though I trust it will in time--I could not help +promising that I would write to you--nay, and engaged that you +would undertake it. When I venture, sure you may, who are out of +the reach of a mob! + +I believe this letter will go by Monsieur Beaumont. He +breakfasted here t'other morning, and pleased me exceedingly: he +has great spirit and good-humour. It is incredible what pains he +has taken to see. He has seen Oxford, Bath, Blenheim, Stowe, +Jews, Quakers, Mr. Pitt, the Royal Society, the Robinhood, Lord +Chief-Justice Pratt, the Arts-and-Sciences, has dined at +Wildman's, and, I think, with my Lord Mayor, or is to do. +Monsieur de Guerchy is full of your praises; I am to go to +Park-place with him next week, to make your brother a visit. + +You know how I hate telling you false news: all I can do, is to +retract as fast as I can. I fear I was too hasty in an article I +sent you in my last, though I then mentioned it only as a report. +I doubt, what we wish in a private family(695) will not be +exactly the event. + +The Duke of Cumberland has had a dangerous sore-throat, but is +recovered. In one of the bitterest days that could be felt, he +would go upon the course at Newmarket with the windows of his +landau down. Newmarket-heath, at no time of the year, is placed +under the torrid zone. I can conceive a hero welcoming death, or +at least despising it; but if I was covered with more laurels +than a boar's head at Christmas, I should hate pain, and Ranby, +and an operation. His nephew of York has been at Blenheim, where +they gave him a ball, but did not put themselves to much expense +in dancers; the figurantes were the maid-servants. You will not +doubt my authority, when I tell you my Lady Bute was my +intelligence. I heard to-day, at Sion, of some bitter verses +made at Bath, on both their graces of Bedford. I have not seen +them, nor, if I had them, would I send them to you before they +are in print, which I conclude they will be, for I am sorry to +say, scandalous abuse is not the commodity which either side is +sparing of. You can conceive nothing beyond the epigrams which +have been in the papers, on a pair of doves and a parrot that +Lord Bute has sent to the Princess.(696) + +I hear-but this is another of my paragraphs that I am far from +giving you for sterling--that Lord Sandwich is to have the Duke +of Devonshire's garter; Lord Northumberland stands against Lord +Morton,(697) for president of the Royal Society, in the room of +Lord Macclesfield. As this latter article will have no bad +consequences if it should prove true, you may believe it. Earl +Poulet is dead, and Soame, who married Mrs. Naylor's sister. + +You will wonder more at what I am going to tell you in the last +place: I am preparing, in earnest, to make you a visit-not next +week, but seriously in February. After postponing it for seven +idle months, you will stare at my thinking of it just after the +meeting Of the Parliament. Why, that is just one of my principal +reasons. I will stay and see the opening and one or two +divisions; the minority will be able to be the majority, or they +will not: if they can, they will not want me, who want nothing of +them: if they cannot, I am sure I can do them no good, and shall +take my leave of them;--I mean always, to be sure, if things do +not turn on a few votes: they shall not call me a deserter. In +every other case, I am so sick of politics, which I have long +detested, that I must bid adieu to them. I have acted the part +by your brother that I thought right. He approves what I have +done, and what I mean to do; so do the few I esteem, for I have +notified my intention; and for the rest of the world, they may +think what they please. In truth, I have a better reason, which +would prescribe my setting out directly, if it was consistent +with my honour. I have a return of those nightly fevers and +pains in my breast, which have come for the three last years -,it +this season: change of air and a better climate are certainly +necessary to me in winter. I shall thus indulge my inclinations +every way. I long to see you and my Lady Hertford, and am +wofully sick of the follies and distractions of this country, to +which I see no end, come what changes will! Now, do you wonder +any longer at my resolution? In the mean time adieu for the +present! + +(694) D'Auberval was not only a celebrated dancer, but a composer +of ballets.@. + +(695) The reconciliation of the Duke and Duchess of Grafton.-E. + +(696) The Princess Dowager of Wales. + +(697) Lord Morton was elected. + + + +Letter 232 To The Right Hon. Lady Hervey. +November 10, 1764. (page 355) + +Soh! madam, you expect to be thanked, because you have done a +very obliging thing.(698) But I won't thank you, and I won't be +obliged. It is very hard one can't come into your house and +commend any thing, but you must recollect it and send it after +one! I will never dine in your house again; and, when I do, I +will like nothing; and when I do, I will commend nothing; and +when I do, you shan't remember it. You are very grateful indeed +to Providence that give you so good a memory, to stuff it with +nothing but bills of fare of what every body likes to eat and +drink! I wonder you are not ashamed! Do you think there is no +such thing as gluttony of the memory?--You a Christian! A pretty +account you will be able to give of yourself!-Your fine folks in +France may call this friendship and attention, perhaps--but sure, +if I was to go to the devil, it should be for thinking of nothing +but myself, not of others, from morning to night. I would send +back your temptations; but, as I will not be obliged to you for +them, verily I shall retain them to punish you; ingratitude being +a proper chastisement for sinful friendliness. Thine in the +spirit, Pilchard Whitfield. + +(698) Lady Hervey, it is supposed, had sent Mr. Walpole some +potted pilchards. + + + +Letter 233 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Strawberry Hill, Nov. 25, 1764. (page 356) + +Could you be so kind, my dear lord, as to recollect Dr. +Blanchard, after so long an interval. It will make me still more +cautious of giving recommendations to you, instead of drawing +upon the credit you give me. I saw Mr. Stanley last night at the +Opera, who made his court extremely to me by what he said of you. +It was our first opera, and I went to town to hear Manzoli,(699) +who did not quite answer my expectation, though a very fine +singer, but his voice has been younger, and wants the touching +tones of Elisi.(700) However, the audience was not so nice, but +applauded him immoderately, and encored three of his songs. The +first woman was advertised for a perfect beauty, with no voice; +but her beauty and voice are by no means so unequally balanced: +she has a pretty little small pipe, and only a pretty little +small person, and share of beauty, and does not act ill. There +is Tenducci, a moderate tenor, and all the rest intolerable. If +you don't make haste and send us Doberval, I don't know what we +shall do. The dances were not only hissed, as truly they +deserved to be, but the gallery, `a la Drury-lane, cried out, , +Off! off!" The boxes were empty, for so is the town, to a degree. +The person,(701) who ordered me to write to you for Dobeval, was +reduced to languish in the Duchess of Hamilton's box. My +Duchess(702) does not appear yet--I fear. + +Shall I tell you any thing about D'Eon? it is sending coals to +Paris: you must know his story better than me; so in two words +Vergy, his antagonist, is become his convert:(703) has wrote for +him and sworn for him,--nay, has made an affidavit before Judge +Wilmot, that Monsieur de Guerchy had hired him to stab or poison +D'Eon. Did you ever see a man who had less of an assassin than +your pendant, as Nivernois calls it! In short, the story is as +clumsy, as abominable. The King's Bench cited D'Eon to receive +his sentence: he absconds: that court issued a warrant to search +for him and a house in Scotland-yard, where he lodged, was broken +open, but in vain. If there is any thing more, you know it +yourself. This law transaction is buried in another. The Master +of the Rolls, Sir Thomas Clarke, is dead, and Norton succeeds. +Who do you think succeeds him? his predecessor.(704) The house +of York is returned to the house of Lancaster: they could not +keep their white roses pure. I have not a little suspicion that +disappointment has contributed to this faux-pas. Sir Thomas made +a new will the day before he died, and gave his vast fortune, not +to Mr. Yorke, as was expected, but to Lord Macclesfield, to whom, +it is come out, he was natural brother. Norton, besides the +Rolls, which are for lite, and near 3,000 pounds a-year, has a +pension of 1,200 pounds. Mrs. Anne Pitt, too, has got a third +pension: so you see we are not quite such beggars as you +imagined! + +Prince William, you know, is Duke of Gloucester, with the same +appanage as the Duke of York. Legrand(705) is his Cadogan; +Clinton(706) and Ligonier(707) his grooms. + +Colonel Crawford is dead at Minorca, and Colonel Burton has his +regiment; the Primate (Stone) is better, but I suppose, from his +distemper, which is a dropsy in his breast, irrecoverable. Your +Irish queen(708) exceeds the English Queen, and follows her with +seven footmen before her chair--well! what trumperies I tell you! +but I cannot help it--Wilkes is outlawed, D'Eon run away, and +Churchill dead--till some new genius arises, you must take up +with the operas, and pensions, and seven footmen. But patience! +your country is seldom sterile long. + +George Selwyn has written hither his lamentations about that +Cossack Princess. I am glad of it, for I did but hint it to my +Lady Rervey, (though I give you my word, without quoting you, +which I never do upon the most trifling occurrences,) and I was +cut very short, and told it was impossible. A la bonne heure! +Pray, who is Lord March(709) going to marry? We hear so, but +nobody named. I had not heard of your losses at whisk; but if I +had, should not have been terrified: you know whisk gives no +fatal ideas to any body that has been at Arthur's and seen +hazard, Quinze, and Trente-et-Quarante. I beg you will prevail +on the King of France to let Monsieur de Richelieu give as many +balls and f`etes as he pleases, if it is only for my diversion. +This journey to Paris is the last colt's tooth I intend ever to +cut, and I insist upon being prodigiously entertained, like a +Sposa Monacha, whom they cram with this world for a twelvemonth, +before she bids adieu to it for ever. I think, when I shut +myself up in my convent here, it will not be with the same +regret. I have for some time been glutted with the world, and +regret the friends that drop away every day; those, at least, +with whom I came into the world, already begin to make it appear +a great void. Lord Edgecumbe, Lord Waldegrave, and the Duke of +Devonshire leave a very perceptible chasm. At the Opera last +night, I felt almost ashamed to be there. Except Lady Townshend, +Lady Schaub, Lady Albemarle, and Lady Northumberland, I scarce +saw a creature whose debut there I could not remember: nay, the +greater part were maccaronies. You see I am not likely, like my +brother Cholmondeley (who, by the way, was there too), to totter +into a solitaire at threescore. The Duke de Richelieu(710) is +one of the persons I am curious to see--oh! am I to find Madame +de Boufflers, Princess of Conti? Your brother and Lady Aylesbury +are to be in town the day after to-morrow to hear Manzoli, and on +their way to Mrs. Cornwallis, who is acting l'agonisante; but +that would be treason to Lady Ailesbury. I was at Park-place +last week: the bridge is finished, and a noble object. + +I shall come to you as soon as ever I have my cong`e, which I +trust will be early in February. I will let you know the moment +I can fix my time, because I shall beg you to order a small +lodging to be taken for me at no great distance from your palace, +and only for a short time, because, if I should like France +enough to stay some months I can afterwards accommodate myself to +my mind. I should like to be so near you that I could see you +whenever it would not be inconvenient to you, and without being +obliged to that intercourse with my countrymen, which I by no +means design to cultivate. If I leave the best company here, it +shall not be for the worst. I am getting out of the world, not +coming into it, and shall therefore be most indifferent about +their acquaintance, or what they think of my avoiding it. I come +to see you and my Lady Hertford, to escape from politics, and to +amuse myself with seeing, which I intend to do with all my eyes. +I abhor show, am not passionately fond of literati, don't want to +know people for a few months, and really think of nothing but +some comfortable hours with you, and indulging my curiosity. +Excuse almost a page about myself, but it was to tell you how +little trouble I hope to give you. + +(699) "Manzoli's voice was the most powerful and voluminous +soprano that had been heard on our stage since the time of +Farinelli; and his manner of singing was grand and full of taste +and dignity. The lovers of music in London were more unanimous +in approving his voice and talents, than those of any other +singer within my memory." Burney.--E. + +(700) Elisi, though a great singer, was a still greater actor: +his figure was large and majestic, and he had a great compass of +voice." Ibid.-E. + +(701) Probably Mrs. George Pitt.-C. + +(702) Of Grafton. + +(703) This is altogether a very mysterious affair: M. de Vergy +was the cause of D'Eon's violent behaviour at Lord Halifax's (see +ant`e, p. 254, letter 181,); he afterwards took D'Eon's part, and +had the effrontery and the infamy to say, that he was suborned by +the French ministry to quarrel with and ruin D'Eon.-C. + +(704) Mr. Charles Yorke; but we shall see, in the next letter, +that the fact on which all this imputation was built was +false.-C. + +(705) Edward Legrand, Esq., treasurer to the Duke of Gloucester; +as the Hon. C. S. Cadogan was to the Duke of York.-E. + +(706) Colonel Henry Clinton, afterwards commander-in-chief in +America, and K. B.-E. + +(707) Colonel Edward Ligonier, aide-de-camp to the King.-E. + +(708) The Countess of Northumberland.-E. + +(709) James, third Earl of March, a lord of the bedchamber, who +subsequently, in 1778, succeeded to the dukedom of queensberry, +and was the last of that title.-E. + +(710) The celebrated Mareschal Duc de Richelieu: he was born in +1696, and died in 1788. The whole of his long life was full of +adventures so extraordinary as to justify Mr. Walpole's +curiosity. The most remarkable, however, of all, had not at this +period occurred. In the year 1780, and at the age of +eighty-four, he married his third wife, and was severely +afflicted that a miscarriage of the Duchess destroyed his hopes +of another Cardinal de Richelieu; for to that eminence he +destined the child of his age. His biographer adds, that the +Duchess was an affectionate and attentive wife, notwithstanding +that her octogenarian husband tried her patience by reiterated +infidelities.-C. + + + +Letter 234 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Arlington Street, Dec. 3, 1764. (page 358) + +I love to contradict myself as fast as I can when I have told you +a lie, lest you should take me for a chambermaid, or Charles +Townshend. But how can I help it? Is this a consistent age? +How should I know people's minds, if they don't know them +themselves? In short, Charles Yorke is not attorney-general, nor +Norton master of the rolls. A qualm came across the first, and +my Lord lorn across the second, who would not have Norton in his +court. I cannot imagine why; it is so gentle, amiable, honest a +being! But I think the Chancellor says, Norton does not +understand equity, so he remains prosecutor-general. Yorke would +have taken the rolls, if they would have made it much more +considerable; but as they would not, he has recollected that it +will be clever for one Yorke to have the air of being +disinterested, so he only disgraces himself,(711) and takes a +patent of precedence over the Solicitor-General:--but do not +depend upon this--he was to have kissed hands on Friday, but has +put it off till Wednesday next--between this and that, his Virtue +may have another fit. The court ridicule him even more than the +opposition. What diverts me most, is, that the pious and dutiful +house of Yorke, who cried and roared over their father's memory, +now throw all the blame on him, and say, he forced them into +opposition--amorent nummi expellas furc`a, licet usque +recurret.(712) Sewell(713) is master of the rolls. + +Well! I may grow a little more explicit to you; besides, this +letter goes to you by a private hand. I gave you little hints, +to prepare you for the separation of the house of Grafton. It is +so, and I am heartily sorry for it. Your brother is chosen by +the Duke, and General Ellison by the Duchess, to adjust the +terms, which are not yet settled. The Duke takes all on himself, +and assigns no reason but disagreement of tempers. He leaves +Lady Georgina' with her mother, who, he says, is the properest +person to educate her, and Lord Charles, till he is old enough to +be taken from the women. This behaviour is noble and generous-- +still I wish they could have agreed! + +This is not the only parting that makes a noise. His grace of +Kingston(714) has taken a pretty milliner from Cranborn-alley, +and carried her to Thoresby. Miss Chudleigh, at the Princess's +birthday on Friday, beat her side till she could not help having +a real pain in it, that people might inquire what was the matter; +on which she notified a pleurisy, and that she is going to the +baths of Carlsbad, in Bohemia. I hope she will not meet with the +Bulgares that demolished the Castle of Thundertentronck.(715 +y) My Lady Harrington's robbery is at last come to light, and +was committed by the porter,(716) who is in Newgate. + +Lady Northumberland (who, by the way, has added an eighth footman +since I wrote to you last) told Me this Morning that the Queen is +very impatient to receive an answer from Lady Hertford, about +Prince George's letters coming through your hands, as she desired +they might. + +A correspondence between Legge and Lord Bute about the Hampshire +election is published to-day, by the express desire of the +former, When he was dying.(717) He showed the letters to me in +the spring, and I then did not-think them so strong or important +as he did. I am very clear it does no honour to his memory to +have them printed now. It implies want of resolution to publish +them in his lifetime, and that he died with more resentment than +I think one should care to own. I would Send them to you, but I +know Dr. Hunter takes care of such things. I hope he will send +you, too, the finest piece that I think has been written for +liberty since Lord Somers. It is called an Inquiry into the late +Doctrine on Libels, and is said to be written by one +Dunning,(718) a lawyer lately started up, who makes a great +noise. He is a sharp thorn in the sides of Lord Mansfield and +Norton, and, in truth, this book is no plaster to their pain. It +is bitter, has much unaffected wit, and is the Only tract that +ever made me understand law.(719) If Dr. Hunter does not send +you these things, I suppose he will convey them himself, as I +hear there will be a fourteenth occasion for him. Charles +Fitzroy says, Lord Halifax told Mrs. Crosby that you are to go to +Ireland. I said he l(nows you are not the most communicative +person in the world, and that you had not mentioned it--nor do I +now, by way of asking impertinent questions; but I thought you +would like to know what was said. + +I return to Strawberry Hill to-morrow, but must return on +Thursday, as there is to be something at the Duke of York's that +evening, for which I have received a card. He and his brother +are most exceedingly civil and good-humoured--but I assure you +every place is like one of Shakspeare's plays:--Flourish, enter +the Duke of York, Gloucester, and attendants. Lady Irwin(720) +died yesterday. + +Past eleven. + +I have just come from a little impromptu ball at Mrs. Ann Pitt's. +I told you she had a new pension, but did I tell you it was five +hundred pounds a year? It was entertaining to see the Duchess of +Bedford and Lady Bute with their respective forces, drawn up on +different sides of the room; the latter's were most numerous. My +Lord Gower seemed very willing to promote a parley between the +two armies. It would have made you shrug up your shoulders at +dirty humanity, to see the two Miss Pelhams sit neglected, +without being asked to dance. You may imagine this could not +escape me, who have passed through the several grradations in +which Lady Jane Stuart and Miss Pelham are and have been; but I +fear poor Miss Pelham feels hers a little more than ever I +did.(721) The Duke of York's is to be a dinner and a ball for +Princess Amelia. + +Lady Mary Bowlby(722) gave me a commission, a genealogical one, +from my Lady Hertford, which I will execute to the best of my +power. I am glad my part is not to prove eighteen generations Of +nobility for the Bruces. I fear they have made some +mes-alliances since the days of King Robert-at least, the present +Scotch nobility are not less apt to go into Lombard-street than +the English. + +My Lady Suffolk was at the ball; I asked the Prince of Masserano +whom he thought the oldest woman in the room, as I concluded he +would not guess she was. He did not know my reason for asking, +and would not tell me. At last, he said very cleverly, his own +wife. + +Mr. Sarjent has sent me this evening from Les Consid`erations sur +les Moeurs," and "Le Testament Politique,"(723) for which I give +you, my dear lord, a thousand thanks. Good night! + +P.S. Manzoli(724) has come a little too late, or I think he would +have as many diamond watches and snuff-boxes as Farinelli. + +(711) We can venture to state, that there never was any idea of +Mr. Yorke's accepting the rolls; and it is believed that they +never were offered to him; certainly, be himself never thought of +taking that office. The patent of precedence which he did +accept, was an arrangement, which, though convenient for the +conduct of the business in court, could give no addition of +either rank or profit to a person in Mr. Yorke's circumstances. +The facts were as follow: when Mr. Yorke, in 1756, was made +solicitor-general, he was not a King's counsel; he succeeded to +be attorney-general, but on his resignation in October 1763, he +lost the precedence which his offices had given him, and he +returned to the outer bar and a stuff gown. It was a novel and +anomalous sight to see a man who had led the Chancery bar so +long, and filled the greatest office of the law, retire to +comparatively, so humble a rank in the court in which he might be +every day expected to preside; and accordingly, on his first +appearance after his resignation, the Chancellor, with the +concurrence (indeed, it has been said on the suggestion) of the +bar, called to Mr. Yorke, out of his turn, next after the King's +counsel: this irregular pre-audience had lasted above a year, +when it was thought more proper and more convenient for the +business of the court to give Mr. Yorke that formal patent of +precedence, the value and circumstances of which Mr Walpole so +much misunderstands. We have heard from old lawyers, that Mr. +Yorke's business at this period was more extensive and less +lucrative than any other man ever possessed in Chancery, and we +find no less than four other barristers had at this time patents +of precedence.-C. + +(712) The reader is requested to look back to p. 272, letter 188, +where he will find Mr. Walpole himself stating--long before Lord +Hardwickc's death, and even before his illness--that "the old +Chancellor was violent against the court, and that Mr. Charles +Yorke had resigned, contrary to his own; and Lord Royston's +inclination." The fact was in no way true; for it is well known +that there never was the slightest difference of opinion between +the old Lord Hardwicke and his son Charles upon their political +conduct.-C. + +(713) Sir Thomas Sewell, Knight.-E. + +(714) Evelyn, last Duke of Kingston: he soon after married Miss +Chudleigh, who was supposed to have been already married to Mr. +Augustus Hervey, afterwards Earl of Bristol.-C. + +(715) An allusion to a loose incident in Voltaire's Candide. + +(716) See ant`e, p. 260, letter 184. + +(717) Mr. Legge had, in 1759, while chancellor of the exchequer +to George II. been requested by Lord Bute, in the name of the +Prince of Wales, to pledge himself to support a Mr. Stuart at the +next election for Hampshire: this Mr. Legge, for very sufficient +reasons, refused to do; and for this refusal (as he thought, and +wished to persuade the public) he was turned out of office at the +accession of the young King.-C. + +(718) Mr. Dunning soon rose into great practice and eminence; in +1767 he was made solicitor-general, which office he held till +1770. He then made a considerable figure in the opposition, till +the accession to the ministry, in 1782, of his friend Lord +Shelburne, when he was created Lord Ashburton; he died next +year.-C. + +(719) Mr. Dunning's pamphlet was intituled "Inquiry into the +Doctrine lately propagated concerning Juries, Libels, etc. upon +the principles of the Law and the Constitution." Gray, in a +letter to Walpole of the 30th, thus characterizes it:--"Your +canonical book I have been reading with great satisfaction. He +speaketh as one having authority. If Englishmen have any +feeling, methinks they must feel now; and if the ministry have +any feeling (Whom nobody will suspect of insensibility) they must +cut off the author's ears; for if is in all the forms a most +wicked libel. Is the old man and the lawyer put on, or is it +real? or has some real lawyer furnished a good part of the +materials, and another person employed them? This I guess." +Works, vol. iv. p. 40.-E. + +(720) Anne Howard, daughter of the third Earl of Carlisle, and +widow of the third Viscount Irwin. She was lady of the +bedchamber to the Princess Dowager. Mr. Park has introduced her +into his edition of the Noble Authors.-C. + +(721) Mr. Walpole means that he was courted during his father's +power, and neglected after his fall, as the daughters of a +succeeding prime minister, Mr. Henry Pelham, now were; but as +Lady Jane Stuart was but two-and-twenty years old, and Miss +Pelham was thirty-six, we may account for the preference given to +her ladyship at a ball, without any reference to the meanness and +political time-serving of mankind. Both the Misses Pelham died +unmarried.-C. + +(722) Sister of the Duke of Montagu. + +(723) A French forgery called "Le Testament Politique du +Chevalier Robert Walpole," of which Mr. Walpole drew up an +exposure, which is to be found in the second volume of his +works.-C. + +(724) The enthusiasm, however, ran pretty high, as we learn from +the following passage, in one of the periodical papers of the +day:--"Signor Manzoli, the Italian singer at the Haymarket, got +no less, after paying all charges of every kind, by his benefit +last week (March, 1765), than 1000 guineas. This added to a sum +of 1,500 which he has already saved, and the remaining profits of +the season, is surely an undoubted proof of British generosity. +One particular lady complimented the singer with a 200 pound bill +for a ticket on that occasion."-C.'' + + + +Letter 235 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Dec. 16, 1764. (page 362) + +As I have not read in the paper that you died lately at +Greatworth, in Northamptonshire, nor have met with any Montagu or +Trevor in mourning, I conclude you are living: I send this, +however, to inquire, and if you should happen to be departed, +hope your executor will be so kind as to burn it. Though you do +not seem to have the same curiosity about my existence, you may +gather from my handwriting that I am still in being; which being +perhaps full as much as you want to know of me, I will trouble +you with no farther particulars about myself--nay, nor about any +body else; your curiosity seeming to be pretty much the same +about all the world. News there are certainly none; nobody is +even dead, as the Bishop of Carlisle told me to-day, which I +repeat to you in general, though I apprehend in his own mind he +meant no possessor of a better bishopric. + +If you like to know the state of the town, here it is. In the +first place, it is very empty; in the next, there are more +diversions than the week will hold. A charming Italian opera, +with no dances and no company, at least on Tuesdays; to supply +which defect, the subscribers are to have a ball and supper--a +plan that in my humble opinion will fill the Tuesdays and empty +the Saturdays. At both playhouses are woful English operas; +which, however, fill better than the Italian, patriotism being +entirely confined to our ears: how long the sages of the law may +leave us those I cannot say. Mrs Cornelis, apprehending the +future assembly at Almack's, has enlarged her vast room, and hung +it with blue satin, and another with yellow satin; but Almack's +room, which is to be ninety feet long, proposes to swallow up +both hers, as easy as Moses's rod gobbled down those Of the +magicians. Well, but there are more joys; a dinner and assembly +every Tuesday at the Austrian minister's; ditto on Thursdays at +the Spaniard's; ditto on Wednesdays and Sundays at the French +ambassador's; besides Madame de Welderen's on Wednesdays, Lady +Harrington's Sundays, and occasional private mobs at my lady +Northumberland's. Then for the mornings, there are lev`ees and +drawing-rooms without end. Not to mention the maccaroni-club, +which has quite absorbed Arthur's; for you know old fools will +hobble after young ones. Of all these pleasures, I prescribe +myself a very small pittance,--my dark corner in my own box at +the Opera, and now and then an ambassador, to keep my French +going till my journey to Paris. Politics are gone to sleep, like +a paroli at pharaoh, though there is the finest tract lately +published that ever was written, called an Inquiry into the +Doctrine of Libels. It would warm your old Algernon blood; but +for what any body cares, might as well have been written about +the wars of York and Lancaster. The thing most in fashion is my +edition of Lord Herbert's Life; people are mad after it, I +believe because only two hundred were printed; and, by the +numbers that admire it, I am convinced that if I had kept his +lordship's counsel, very few would have found out the absurdity +of it. The caution with which I hinted at its extravagance, has +passed with several for approbation, and drawn on theirs. This +is nothing new to me; it is when one laughs out at their idols +that one angers people. I do not wonder now that Sir Philip +Sydney was the darling hero, when Lord Herbert, who followed him +so close and trod in his steps, is at this time of day within an +ace of rivalling him. I wish I had let him; it was contradicting +one of my own maxims, which I hold to be very just; that it is +idle to endeavour to cure the world of any folly, unless We Could +cure it of being foolish. + +Tell me whether I am likely to see you before I go to Paris, +which will be early in February. I hate you for being so +indifferent about me. I live in the world, and yet love nothing, +care a straw for nothing, but two or three old friends, that I +have loved these thirty years. You have buried yourself with +half a dozen parsons and isquires, and Yet never cast a thought +upon those you have always lived with. You come to town for two +Months, grow tired in six weeks, hurry away, and then one hears +no more of you till next winter. I don't want you to like the +world, I like it no more than you; but I stay awhile in it, +because while one sees it one laughs at it, but when one gives it +up one grows angry with it; and I hold it to be much wiser to +laugh than to be out of humour. You cannot imagine how much ill +blood this perseverance has cured me of; I used to say to myself, +"Lord! this person is so bad, that person is so bad, I hate +them." I have now found out that they are all pretty much alike, +and I hate nobody. Having never found you out, but for integrity +and sincerity, I am much disposed to persist in a friendship with +you; but if I am to be at all the pains of keeping it up, I shall +imitate my neighbours (I don't mean those at next door, but in +the Scripture sense of my neighbour, any body,) and say "That is +a very good man, but I don't care a farthing for him." Till I +have taken my final resolution on that head, I am yours most +cordially. + + + +Letter 236 To George Montagu, Esq. +Christmas-eve, 1764. (page 364) + +You are grown so good, and I delight so much in your letters when +you please to write them, that though it is past midnight, and I +am to go out of town tomorrow morning, I must thank you. + +I shall put your letter to Rheims into the foreign post with a +proper penny, and it will go much safer and quicker than if I +sent it to Lord Hertford, for his letters lie very often till +enough are assembled to compose a jolly caravan. I love your +good brother John, as I always do, for keeping your birthday; I, +who hate ceremonious customs, approve of what I know comes so +much from the heart as all he and you do and say. The General +surely need not ask leave to enclose letters to me. + +There is neither news, nor any body to make it, but the clergy, +who are all gaping after or about the Irish mitre,(725) which +your old antagonist has quitted. Keene has refused it; Newton +hesitates, and they think will not accept it; Ewer pants for it, +and many of the bench I believe do every thing but pray for it. +Goody Carlisle hopes for Worcester if it should be vacated, but I +believe would not dislike to be her Grace. + +This comes with your muff, my Anecdotes of Painting, the fine +pamphlet on libels, and the Castle of Otranto, which came out +to-day. All this will make some food for your fireside. Since +you will not come and see me before I go, I hope not to be gone +before you come, though I am not quite in charity with you about +it. Oh! I had forgot; don't lend your Lord Herbert, it will grow +as dirty as the street; and as there are so few, and They have +been so lent about, and so dirtied, the few clean copies will be +very valuable. What signifies whether they read it or not? +there will be a new bishop, or a new separation, or a new +something or other, that will do just as well, before you can +convey your copy to them; and seriously, if you lose it, I have +not another to give you; and I would fain have you keep my +editions together, as you had the complete set. As I want to +make you an economist of my books, I will inform you that this +second' set of Anecdotes sells for three guineas. Adieu! + +P. S. I send you a decent smallish muff, that you may put in your +pocket, and it costs but fourteen shillings. + +(7250 Dr. John Stone, Archbishop of Armagh and primate of all +Ireland, died on the 19th of December 1764.-E. + + + +Letter 237 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Arlington Street, Jan. 10, 1765. (page 364) + +I should prove a miserable prophet or almanac maker, for my +predictions are seldom verified. I thought the present session +likely to be a very supine one, but unless the evening varies +extremely from the morning, it will be a tempestuous day--and yet +it was a very southerly and calm wind that began the hurricane. +The King's Speech was so tame, that, as George Montagu said of +the earthquake, you might have stroked it.(726) Beckford (whom I +certainly did not mean by the gentle gale) touched on +Draper'S(727) Letter about the Manilla money. George Grenville +took up the defence of the Spaniards, though he said he only +stated their arguments. This roused your brother, who told +Grenville he had adopted the reasoning of Spain; and showed the +fallacy of their pretensions. He exhorted every body to support +the King's government, "which I," said he, "ill-used as I have +been, wish and mean to support-not that of ministers, when I see +the laws and independence of Parliament struck at in the most +profligate manner." You may guess how deeply this wounded. +Grenville took it to himself, and asserted that his own life and +character were as pure, uniform, and little profligate as your +brother's. The silence of the House did not seem to ratify this +declaration. Your brother replied with infinite spirit, that he +certainly could not have meant Mr. Grenville, for he did not take +him for the minister-(I do not believe this was the least +mortifying part)--that he spoke of public acts that were in every +body's mouth, as the warrants, and the disgrace thrown on the +army by dismissions for parliamentary reasons; that for himself +he was an open enemy, and detested men who smiled in his face and +stabbed him I do not believe he meant this personally, but +unfortunately the whole House applied it to Mr. Grenville's +grimace); that for his own disgrace, he did not know where to +impute it, for every minister had disavowed it. It was to the +warrants, he said, he owed what had happened; he had fallen for +voting against them, but had he had ten regiments, he would have +parted with them all to obey his conscience; that he now could +fall no lower, and would speak as he did then, and would not be +hindered nor intimidated from speaking the language of +Parliament. Grenville answered, that he had never avowed nor +disavowed the measure of dismissing Mr. Conway--(he disavowed it +to Mr. Harris,)(728) that he himself had been turned out for +voting against German connexions; that he had never approved +inquiring into the King's prerogative on that head-(I can name a +person who can repeat volumes of what he has said on the +subject,) and that the King had as much right to dismiss military +as civil officers, and then drew a ridiculous parallel betwixt +the two, in which he seemed to give himself the rank of a civil +lieutenant-general. This warmth was stopped by Augustus Hervey, +who spoke to order, and called for the question; but young T. +Townshend confirmed, that the term profligacy was applied by all +mankind to the conduct on the warrants. It was not the most +agreeable circumstance to Grenville, that Lord Granby closed the +debate, by declaring how much he disapproved the dismission of +officers for civil reasons, and the more, as he was persuaded it +would not prevent officers from acting according to their +consciences; and he spoke of your brother with many encomiums. +Sir W. Meredith then notified his intention of taking up the +affair of the warrants on Monday se'nnight. Mr. Pitt was not +there, nor Lord Temple in the House of Lords; but the latter is +ill. I should have told you that Lord Warkworth(729) and Thomas +Pitt(730) moved our addresses; as Lord Townshend and Lord +Botetourt did those of the Lords. Lord Townshend said, though it +was grown unpopular to praise the King, yet he should, and he was +violent against libels; forgetting that the most ill-natured +branch of them, caricatures, his own invention, are left off. +Nobody thought it worth while to answer him, at which he was much +offended. + +So much for the opening of Parliament, which does not promise +serenity. Your brother is likely to make a very great figure: +they have given him the warmth he wanted, and may thank +Themselves for it. Had Mr. Grenville taken my advice, @e had +avoided an opponent that he will find a tough one, and must +already repent having drawn upon him. + +With regard to yourself, my dear lord, you may be sure I did not +intend to ask you any impertinent question. You requested me to +tell you whatever I heard said about you; you was talked of for +Ireland, and are still; and Lord Holland within this week told +me, that you had solicited it warmly. Don't think yourself under +any obligation to reply to me on these occasions. It is to +comply with your desires that I repeat any thing I hear of you, +not to make use of them to draw any explanation from you, to +which I have no title; nor have I, you know, any troublesome +curiosity. I mentioned Ireland with the same indifference that I +tell you that the town here has bestowed Lady Anne,(731) first on +Lord March, and now on Stephen Fox(732)--tattle not worth your +answering. + +You have lost another of your Lords Justices, Lord Shannon, of +whose death an account came yesterday. + +Lady Harrington's porter was executed yesterday, and went to +Tyburn with a white cockade in his hat, as an emblem of his +innocence. + +All the rest Of My news I exhausted in my letter to Lady Hertford +three days ago. The King's Speech, as I told her it was to do, +announced the contract between Princess Caroline(733) and the +Prince Royal of Denmark. I don't think the tone the session has +taken will expedite my visit to you; however, I shall be able to +judge when a few of the great questions are over. The American +affairs are expected to occasion much discussion; but as I +understand them no more than Hebrew, they will throw no +impediment in my way. Adieu! my dear lord; you will probably +hear no more politics these ten days. Yours ever, Horace +Walpole. + +Friday. + +The debate on the warrants is put off to the Tuesday; therefore, +as it will probably be so long a day, I shall not be able to give +you an account of it till this day fortnight. + +(726) Gray, in a letter to Dr. Wharton, written in July 1764, in +giving an account of an illness, says, "Towards the end of my +confinement, during which I lived on nothing, came, the gout in +one foot, but so tame you might have stroked it." To this +passage, the learned editor of the last edition of his works has +sub-joined this note:--"I have mentioned several coincidences of +thought and expression of this kind in the letters of Gray and +Walpole, which I conceived to be a kind of common property; the +reader, indeed, will recognise much of that species of humour +which distinguishes Gray's correspondence in the letters of +Walpole, inferior, I think, in its comic force; sometimes +deviating too far from propriety in search of subjects for the +display of its talent, and not altogether free from affectation." +Vol. iv. p. 33.-E. + +(727) Sir William Draper, K.B. best known by his controversy with +Junius. The letter here alluded to was entitled, "An Answer to +the Spanish Arguments for Refusing the Payment of the Ransom +Bills."-E. + +(728) General Conway's brother-in-law.-E. + +(729) Afterwards Duke of Northumberland-E. + +(730) Afterwards Lord Camelford.-E. + +(731) ant`e, p. 299, letter 196. + +(732) Second son of the first Earl of Ilchester-E. + +(733) The unhappy Queen of Denmark, who was afterwards divorced +and exiled.-E. + + + +Letter 238 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Sunday, Jan. 20, 1765. (page 367) + +Do you forgive me, if I write to you two or three days sooner +than I said I would. Our important day on the warrants is put +off for a week, in compliment to Mr. Pitt's gout--can it resist +such attention I shall expect in it a prodigious quantity of +black ribands. You have heard, to be sure, of the great fortune +that is bequeathed to him by a Sir William Pynsent, an old man of +near ninety, who quitted the world on the peace of Utrecht; and, +luckily for Mr. Pitt, lived to be as angry with its pendant, the +treaty of Paris. I did not send you the first report, which +mounted it to an enormous sum: I think the medium account is two +thousand pounds a-year, and thirty thousand pounds in money. +This Sir William Pynsent, whose fame, like an aloe, did not blow +till near an hundred, was a singularity. The scandalous +chronicle of Somersetshire talks terribly of his morals(734) +*****. Lady North was nearly related to Lady Pynsent, which +encouraged Lord North to flatter himself that Sir William's +extreme propensity to him would recommend even his wife's +parentage for heirs; but the uncomeliness of Lady North, and a +vote my lord gave against the Cider-bill, offended the old +gentleman so much, that he burnt his would-be heir in effigy. +How will all these strange histories sound at Paris! + +This post, I suppose, will rain letters to my Lady Hertford. on +her death and revival. I was dreadfully alarmed at it for a +moment; my servant was so absurd as to wake me, and bid me not be +frightened--an excellent precaution! Of all moments, that between +sleeping and waking is the most subject to terror. I started up, +and my first thought was to send for Dr. Hunter; but, in two +minutes, I recollected that it was impossible to be true, as your +porter had the very day before been with me to tell me a courier +was arrived from you, was to return that evening. Your poor son +Henry, whom you will doat upon for it, was not tranquillized so +soon. He instantly sent away a courier to your brother, who +arrived in the middle of the night. Lady Milton,(735) Lady +George SackVille,(736) and I, agreed this evening to tell my Lady +Hertford, that we ought to have believed the news, and to have +imputed it to the gaming rakehelly life my lady leads at Paris, +which scandalizes all us prudes, her old friends. In truth, I +have not much right to rail at any body to.- living in a +hurricane. I found myself with a violent cold on Wednesday, and +till then had not once reflected on all the hot and cold climates +I have passed through the day before: I had been at the Duke of +Cumberland's levee; then at the Princess Amelia's drawing-room; +from thence to a crowded House of Commons; to dinner at your +brother's; to the Opera; to Madame Seillern's; to Arthur's; and +to supper at Mrs. George Pitt's;--it is scandalous; but, who does +less? The Duke looked much better than I expected; is gone to +Windsor, and mends daily. + +It was Lady Harcourt's(737) death that occasioned the confusion, +and our dismay. She died at a Colonel Oughton's; such a small +house, that Lord Harcourt has been forced to take their family +into his own house. Poor Lady Digby(738) is dead too, of a +fever, and was with child. They were extremely happy, and -her +own family adored her. My sister has begged me to ask a favour, +that will put you to a little trouble, though only for a moment. +It is, if you will be so good to order one of your servants when +you have done with the English newspapers, to put them in a +cover, and send them to Mr. Churchill, au Chateau de Nubecourt, +pr`es de Clermont, en Argone; they cannot get a gazette that does +not cost them six livres. + +Monday evening. + +We have had a sort of a day in the House of Commons. The +proposition for accepting the six hundred and seventy thousand +pounds for the French prisoners passed easily. Then came the +Navy: Dowdeswell, in a long and very sensible speech, proposed to +reduce the number of sailors to ten thousand. He was answered +by--Charles Townshend--oh! yes!--are you surprised? Nobody here +was: no, not even at his assertion, that he had always applauded +the peace, though the whole House and the whole town knew that, +on the Preliminaries, he came down prepared to speak against +them; but that on Mr. Pitt's retiring, he plucked up courage, and +spoke for them. Well, you want to know what place he is to have- +-so does he too. I don't want to know what place, but that he +has some one; for I am sure he will always do most hurt to the +side on which he professes to be; consequently, I wish him with +the administration, and I wish so well to both sides, that I +would have him more decried, if that be possible, than he is. +Colonel Barr`e spoke against Dowdeswell's proposal, though not +setting himself up at auction, like Charles, nor friendly to the +ministry, but temperately and sensibly. There was no division. +You know my opinion of Charles Townshend is neither new nor +singular. When Charles Yorke left us,(739) I hoped for this +event, and my wish then slid into this couplet: + + To The Administration. + +One Charles, who ne'er was ours, you've got-'tis true: +To make the grace complete, take t'other too. + +The favours I ask of them, are not difficult to grant. Adieu! my +dear lord. Yours ever, H. W. + +Tuesday, 4 o'clock. + +I had sealed my letter and given it to my sister, who sets out +to-morrow, and will put it into the post at Calais; but having +received yours by the courier from Spain, I must add a few words. +You may be sure I shall not mention a tittle of what you say to +me. Indeed, if you think it necessary to explain to me, I shall +be more cautious Of telling you what I hear. If I had any +curiosity, I should have nothing to do but to pretend I had heard +some report, and so draw from you what you might not have a mind +to mention: I do tell you when I hear any, for your information, +but insist on your not replying. The vice-admiral of America is +a mere feather; but there is more substance in the notion of the +Viceroy's quitting Ireland. Lord Bute and George Grenville are +so ill together, that decency is scarce observed between their +adherents: and the moment the former has an opportunity or +resolution enough, he will remove the latter, and place his +son-in-law(740) in the treasury. This goes so far, that Charles +Townshend, who is openly dedicated to Grenville, may possibly +find himself disappointed, and get no place at last. However, I +rejoice that we have got rid of him. It will tear up all +connexion between him and your brother, root and branch: a +circumstance you will not be more sorry for than I am. In the +mean time, the opposition is so staunch that, I think, after the +three questions on Warrants, DismisSion of officers, and the +Manilla-money, I shall be at liberty to come to you, when I shall +have a great deal to tell you. If Charles Townshend gets a +place, Lord George Sackville expects another, by the same +channel, interest, and connexion; but if Charles may be +disappointed himself, what may a man be who trusts to him? +Adieu! + +(734) The original contains an imputation against Sir W. Pynsent, +which, if true, would induce us to suspect him of a disordered +mind.-C. + +(735) Lady Caroline Sackville, daughter of the Duke of Dorset, +married, in 1742, to the first Lord Milton.-E. + +(736) Diana, second daughter of J. Sambrook, Esq.-E. + +(737) Rebecca, daughter of Charles Le Bas, Esq., wife of the +first Earl of Harcourt.-E. + +(738) Elizabeth Fielding, niece to the fourth Earl of Denbigh, +and wife of Henry, first Lord Digby.-E. + +(739) It is remarkable enough, that the epigram which Mr. Walpole +thus introduces, admits that Charles Yorke had never joined them, +and therefore could not be said to have left them.-C. + +(740) There is some obscurity here: Lord Warkworth (afterwards +Duke of Northumberland), who had lately married Lord Bute's third +daughter, was, at this period, a very young man, little known but +for his attachment to his profession--the army, and the idea of +his being placed at the head of the treasury must have been +absurd. His father, Lord Northumberland, indeed, had been spoken +of for that office: and, perhaps, Mr. Walpole, in his +epigrammatic way, has taken this mode of explaining the motive +which might have induced Lord Bute to advance his son-in-law's +father.-C. + + + +Letter 239 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Arlington Street, Jan. 27, 1765. (page 370) + +The brother of your brother's neighbour, Mr. Freeman, who is +going to Paris, and I believe will not be sorry to be introduced +to you, gives me an opportunity which I cannot resist, of sending +you a private line or two, though I wrote you a long letter, +which my sister was to put into the post at Calais two or three +days ago. + +We had a very remarkable day on Wednesday in the House of +Commons--very glorious for us, and very mortifying to the +administration, especially to the principal performer, who was +severely galled by our troops, and abandoned by his own. The +business of the day was the Army, and, as nothing was expected, +the House was not full. The very circumstance of nothing being +expected, had encouraged Charles Townshend to soften a little +what had passed on Monday; he grew profuse of' his whispers and +promises to us, and offered your brother to move the question on +the Dismission of officers: the debate began; Beckford fell foul +on the dismissions, and dropped some words on America. Charles, +who had placed himself again under the wing of Grenville, replied +on American affairs; but totally forgot your brother. Beckford, +in his boisterous Indian style, told Charles, that on a single +idea he had poured forth a diarrhoea of words. He could not +stand it, and in two minutes fairly stole out of the House. This +battery being dismounted, the whole attack fell on Grenville, and +would have put you in mind of former days. You never heard any +minister worse treated than he was for two hours together, by +Tommy Townshend, Sir George Saville, and George Onslow--and what +was worse, no soul stepped forth in his defence, but Rigby and +Lord Strange, the latter of whom was almost as much abashed as +Charles Townshend; conscience flew in his black face, and almost +turned it red. T. Townshend was still more bitter on Lord +Sandwich, whom he called a profligate fellow--hoped he was +present,(741) and added, if he is not, I am ready to call him so +to his face in any private company: even Rigby, his accomplice, +said not a word in behalf of his brother culprit. You will +wonder how all this ended--what would be the most ridiculous +conclusion to such a scene'! as you cannot imagine, I will tell +you. Lord Harry Paulet(742) telling Grenville, that if Lord +Cobham was to rise from the dead, he would, if he could be +ashamed of any thing, be ashamed of him; by the way, every body +believes he meant the apostrophe stronger than he expressed it: +Grenville rose in a rage, like a basket-woman, and told Lord +harry that if he chose to use such language, he knew where to +find him. Did you ever hear of a prime minister, even soi-disant +tel, challenging an opponent, when he could not answer him? Poor +Lord Harry, too, was an unfortunate subject to exercise his +valour upon! The House interposed; Lord Harry declared he should +have expected Grenville to breakfast with him next morning; +Grenville explained off and on two or three times, the Scotch +laughed, the opposition roared, and the treasury-bench sat as +mute as fishes. Thus ended that wise Hudibrastic encounter. +Grenville however, attended by every bad omen, provoked your +brother, who had not intended to speak, by saying that some +people had a good opinion of the dismissed officers, others had +not. Your brother rose, and surpassed himself: he was very warm, +though less so than on the first day; very decent in terms, but +most severe in effect; he more than hinted at the threats that +had been used to him--said he would not reveal what was improper; +yet left no mortal in the dark on that head. He called on the +officers to assert their own freedom and independence. In short, +made such a speech as silenced all his adversaries, but has +filled the whole town with his praises: I believe, as soon as his +speech reaches Hayes, it will contribute extremely to expel the +gout, and bring Mr. Pitt to town, lest his presence should be no +longer missed. Princess Amelia told Me the next night, that if +she had heard nothing of Mr. Conway's speech, she should have +known how well he had done by my spirits. I was not sorry she +made this reflection, as I knew she would repeat it to Lady +(Betty) Waldegrave; and as I was willing that the Duchess of +Bedford, who, when your brother was dismissed, asked the Duchess +of Grafton if she was not sorry for poor Mr. Conway, who has lost +every thing, should recollect that it is they who have cause to +lament that dismission, not we. + +There was a paragraph in Rigby's speech, and taken up, and +adopted by Goody Grenville, which makes much noise, and, I +suppose, has not given less offence; they talked of "arbitrary +Stuart principles," which are supposed to have been aimed at the +Stuart favourite: that breach is wider than ever: not one of Lord +Bute's adherents have opened their lips this session. I conclude +a few of them will be ordered to speak on Friday; but unless we +go on too triumphantly and reconcile them, I think this session +will terminate Mr. Grenville's reign, and that of the Bedfords +too, unless they make great submissions. + +Do you know that Sir W. Pynsent had your brother in his eye! He +said to his lawyer, "I know Mr. Pitt is much younger than I but +he has very bad health: as you will hear it before me, if he dies +first, draw up another will with mr. Conway's name instead of Mr. +Pitt's, and bring it down to me directly." I beg Britannia's +pardon, but I fear I could have supported the loss on these +grounds. + +A very unhappy affair happened last night at the Star and Garter; +Lord Byron(743) killed a Mr. Chaworth there in a duel. I know +none of the particulars, and never believe the first reports. + +My Lady Townshend was arrested two days ago in the street, at the +suit of a house painter, who, having brought her a bill double +the estimate he had given in, she would not pay it. As this is a +breach of Privilege, I should think the man would hear of it. + +There is no date set for our intended motion on the Dismission of +officers; but, I believe, Lord John Cavendish and Fitzroy will be +the movers and seconders. Charles Townshend, we conclude, Will +be very ill that day; if one could pity the poor toad, one +should: there is jealousy of your brother,--fear of your +brother,--fear of Mr. Pitt,--influence of his own brother,-- +connexions entered into both with Lord Bute and Mr. Grenville, +and a trimming plan concerted with Lord George Sackville and +Charles Yorke, all tearing him or impelling him a thousand ways, +with the addition of his own vanity and irresolution, and the +contempt of every body else. I dined with him yesterday at Mr. +Mackinsy's, where his whole discourse was in ridicule of George +Grenville. + +The enclosed novel(744) is much in vogue; the author is not +known, but if you should not happen to like it, I could give you +a reason why you need not say so. There is nothing else now, but +a play called the Matonic Wife, written by an Irish Mrs. +Griffiths, Which in charity to her was suffered to run three +nights.(745) + +Since I wrote my letter, the following, is the account nearest +the truth that I can learn of the fatal duel last night: a club +of Nottinghamshire gentlemen had dined at the Star and Garter, +and there had been a dispute between the combatants, whether Lord +Byron, who took no care of his game, or Mr. Chaworth, who was +active in the association, had most game on their manor. The +company, however, had apprehended no consequences, and parted at +eight o'clock; but Lord Byron stepping into an empty chamber, and +sending the drawer for Mr. Chaworth, or calling him hither +himself, took the candle from the waiter, and bidding Mr. +Chaworth defend himself, drew his sword. Mr. Chaworth, who was +an excellent fencer, ran Lord Byron through the sleeve of his +coat, and then received a wound fourteen inches deep into his +body. He was carried to his house in Berkeley-street,--made his +will with the greatest composure, and dictated a paper, which +they say, allows it was a fair duel, and died at nine this +morning. Lord Byron is not gone off, but says he will take his +trial, which, if the Coroner brings in a verdict of manslaughter, +may, according to precedent, be in the House of Lords, and +without the ceremonial of Westminster Hall. George Selwyn is +much missed on this occasion, but we conclude it will bring him +over.(746) I feel for both families, though I know none of +either, but poor Lady Carlisle,(747) Whom I am sure you will +pity. + +Our last three Saturdays at the Opera have been prodigious. and a +new opera by Bach(748) last night, was so crowded, that there +were ladies standing behind the scenes during the whole +performance. Adieu! my dear lord: as this goes by a private +hand, you may possibly receive its successor before it. + +(741) It seems, from a subsequent letter, that Lord Sandwich was +present. See post, p. 375, letter 240. + +(742) Lord Henry Paulet, member for Hampshire, vice-admiral of +the White, brother of the Duke of Bolton; to which dignity he +himself succeeded on the 5th July, 1764.-E. + +(743) William, fifth Lord Byron, born in 1722, died in 1798. The +Star and Garter was a tavern in Pall Mall.-C. + +(744) His own Castle of Otranto.-E. + +(745) It came out at Drury-lane, and was acted six nights. The +hint of it was taken from Marmontel's "Heureux Divorce." + +(746) Mr. Selwyn's morbid curiosity after trials and executions +is well known.-C. + +(747) Isabella, only sister of Lord Byron, wife of the fourth +Earl of Carlisle.-E. + +(748) Adriano in Siria." The expectations of the public the first +night this drama was performed occasioned such a crowd at the +King's theatre as has seldom been seen there before; but whether +from heat or inconvenience, the unreasonableness of expectation, +the composer being Out Of fancy, or too anxious to please, Dr. +Burney says the opera failed, and that every one came out of the +theatre disappointed.-E. + + + +Letter 240 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Arlington Street, Feb. 12, 1765. (page 373) + +A great many letters pass between us, my dear lord, but I think +they are almost all of my writing. I have not heard from you +this age. I sent you two packets together by Mr. Freeman, with +an account of our chief debates. Since the long day, I have been +much out of order with a cold and cough, that turned to a fever: +I am now taking James's powder, not without apprehensions of the +gout, which it gave me two or three years ago. + +There has been nothing of note in Parliament but one slight day +on the American taxes,(749) which Charles Townshend supporting, +received a pretty heavy thump from Barr`e, who is the present +Pitt, and the dread of all the vociferous Norths and Rigbys, on +whose lungs depended so much of Mr. Grenville's power. Do you +never hear them to Paris? + +The operations of the opposition are suspended in compliment to +Mr. Pitt, who has declared himself so warmly for the question on +the Dismission of officers, that that motion waits for his +recovery. A call of the house is appointed for next Wednesday, +but as he has had a relapse, the motion will probably be +deferred. I should be very glad if it was to be dropped entirely +for this session, but the young men are warm and not easily +bridled. + +If it was not too long to transcribe, I would send you an +entertaining petition(750) of the periwig-makers to the King, in +which they complain that men will wear their own hair. Should +one almost wonder if carpenters were to remonstrate, that since +the peace their trade decays, and that there is no demand for +wooden legs Apropos, my Lady Hertford's friend, Lady Harriot +Vernon,(751) has quarrelled with me for smiling at the enormous +head-gear of her daughter, Lady Grosvenor. She came one night to +Northumberland-house with such a display of friz, that it +literally spread beyond her shoulders. I happened to say it +looked as if her parents had stinted her in hair before marriage, +and that she was determined to indulge her fancy now. This, +among ten thousand things said by all the world, was reported to +Lady Harriot, and has occasioned my disgrace. As she never found +fault with any body herself, I excuse her! You will be less +surprised to hear that the Duchess of Queensberry has not yet +done dressing herself marvellously: she was at court on Sunday in +a gown and petticoat of red flannel. The same day the Guerchys +made a dinner for her, and invited Lord and Lady Hyde,(752) the +Forbes's and her other particular friends: in the morning she +sent word she was to go out of town, but as soon as dinner was +over, arrived at Madame de Guerchy's, and said she had been at +court. + +Poor Madame de Seillern, the imperial ambassadress, has lost her +only daughter and favourite child, a young widow of twenty-two, +whom she was expecting from Vienna. The news Came this day +se'nnight; and the ambassador, who is as brutal as she is gentle +and amiable, has insisted on her having company at dinner to-day, +and her assembly as usual. The town says that Lord and Lady +Abergavenny(753) are parted, and that he has not been much milder +than Monsieur de Seillern on the chapter of a mistress he has +taken. I don't know the truth of this; but his lordship's heart, +I believe, is more inflammable than tender. + +Lady Sophia Thomas,(754) has begged me to trouble you with a +small commission. It is to send me for her twelve little bottles +of "le Baume de Vie, compos`e par le Sieur Lievre, apoticaire +distillateur du Roi." If George Selwyn or Lord March are not set +out, they would bring it with pleasure, especially as she lives +at the Duke of Queensberry's. + +We have not a new book, play, intrigue, marriage, elopement, or +quarrel; in short, we are very dull. For politics, unless the +ministers wantonly thrust their hands into some fire, I think +there will not even be a smoke. I am glad of it, for my heart is +set on my journey to Paris, and I hate every thing that stops me. +Lord Byron's foolish trial is likely to protract the session a +little; but unless there is any particular business, I shall not +stay for a puppet-show. Indeed, I can defend my staying here by +nothing but my ties to your brother. My health, I am sure, would +be better in another climate in winter. Long days in the House +kill me, and weary me into the bargain. The individuals of each +party are alike indifferent to me; nor can I at this time of day +grow to love men whom I have laughed at all my lifetime--no, I +cannot alter;--Charles Yorke or Charles Townshend are alike to +me, whether ministers or patriots. Men do not change in my eyes, +because they quit a black livery for a white one. When one has +seen the whole scene shifted round and round so often, one only +smiles, whoever is the present Polonius or the grave digger, +whether they jeer the Prince, or flatter his frenzy. + +Thursday night, 14th. + +The new assembly-room at Almack's was opened the night before +last, and they say is very magnificent, but it was empty; half +the town is ill With colds, and many were afraid to go, as the +house is scarcely built yet. Almack advertised that it was built +with hot brick and boiling water--think what a rage there must be +for public places, If this notice, instead of terrifying, could +draw any body thither. They tell me the ceilings were dropping +with wet--but can you believe me, when I assure you the Duke of +Cumberland was there?--Nay, had had a levee in the morning, and +went to the Opera before the assembly! There is a vast flight of +steps, and he was forced to rest two or three times. If he dies +of it--and how should he not?--it will sound very silly when +Hercules or Theseus ask him what he died of, to reply, "I caught +my death on a damp staircase at a new club-room." + +Williams, the reprinter of the North Briton, stood in the pillory +to-day in Palace-yard. He went in a hackney-coach, the number of +which was 45. The mob erected a gallows opposite to him, on +which they hung a boot(755) with a bonnet of straw. Then a +collection was made for Williams, which amounted to near 200 +pounds.(756) In short, every event informs the administration +how thoroughly they are detested, and that they have not a friend +whom they do not buy. Who can wonder, when every man of virtue +is proscribed, and they have neither parts nor characters to +impose even upon the mob! think to what a government is sunk, +when a Secretary of State is called in Parliament to his face +"the most profligate sad dog in the kingdom,"(757) and not a man +can open his lips in his defence. Sure power must have some +strange unknown charm, when it can compensate for such contempt! +I see many who triumph in these bitter pills which the ministry +are so often forced to swallow; I own I do not; it is more +mortifying to me to reflect how great and respectable we were +three years ago, than satisfactory to see those insulted who have +brought such shame upon us. 'Tis moor amends to national honour +to know, that if a printer is set in the pillory, his country +wishes it was my Lord This, or Mr. That. They will be gathered +to the Oxfords, and Bolingbrokes, and ignominious(758) of former +days; but the wound they have inflicted is perhaps indelible. +That goes to my heart, who had felt all the Roman pride of being +one of the first nations upon earth!--Good night!--I will go to +bed, and dream of Kings drawn in triumph; and then I will go to +paris, and dream I am proconsul there; pray, take care not to let +me be wakened with an account of an invasion having taken place +from Dunkirk!(759) Yours ever, H. W. + +(749) The resolutions which were the foundation of the famous +Stamp-act.-E. + +(750) The substance of this petition, and the grave answer which +the King was advised to give to such a ludicrous appeal, are +preserved in the Gentleman's Magazine for 1765, p. 95; where also +we learn that Mr. Walpole's idea of the Carpenters' petition was +put in practice, and his Majesty was humbly entreated to wear a +wooden leg himself, and to enjoin all his servants to do the +same. It may, therefore, be presumed that this jeu d'esprit was +from the pen of Mr. Walpole.-C. + +(751) Lady Hirriot Wentworth, sister of the last Lord Strafford, +wife of Henry Vernon, Esq., and mother of Lady Grosvenor, whose +intrigue with the Duke of Cumberland made so much noise.-C. + +(752) Thomas Villers, second son of Lord Jersey, first Lord Hyde +of his family: his lady was Charlotte, daughter of Lady Jane +Hyde, wife of William Earl of Essex, daughter of Henry, second +Earl of clarendon, and sister of the Duchess of Queensberry.-C. + +(753) George, fifteenth Lord Abergavenny; and his lady, Henrieta +Pelham, sister of the first Earl of Chichester: she died in +1768.-E. + +(754) Lady Sophia Keppel, daughter of the first Earl of +Albemarle, and wife of Colonel Thomas.-E. + +(755) A Jack-boot, in allusion to the Christian name and title of +Lord Bute.-C. + +(756) In a blue purse trimmed with orange, the colour of the +revolution, in opposition to the Stuart.-C. + +(757) ant`e, p. 370, letter 239. + +(758) We might be surprised at finding a person of Mr. Walpole's +taste and judgment, describing Harley and St. John as +ignominious, if we did not recollect, that during their +administration his father had been sent to the Tower, and +expelled the House of commons for alleged official corruptions. +It were to be wished that Mr. Walpole's personal prejudices could +always be traced to so amiable a source.-C. + +(759) The demolition of Dunkirk was one of the articles of the +late treaty of peace, on which discussions were still +depending.-C. + + + +Letter 241 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Feb. 19, 1765. (page 376) + +Your health and spirits and youth delight me; yet I think you +make but a bad use of them, when you destine them to a triste +house in a country solitude. If you were condemned to +retirement, It would be fortunate to have spirits to support it; +but great vivacity is not a cause for making it one's option. + +Why waste your sweetness on the desert air! at least, why bestow +so little of your cheerfulness on your friends? I do not wish +you to parade your rubicundity and gray hairs through the mobs +and assemblies of London; I should think you bestowed them as ill +as on Greatworth; but you might find a few rational creatures +here, who are heartily tired of what are called our pleasures, +and who would be glad to have you in their chimney-corner. There +you might have found me any time this fortnight; I have been +dying of the worst and longest cold I ever had in my days, and +have been blooded, and taken James's powder to no purpose. I +look almost like the skeleton that Frederick found in the +oratory;(760) my only comfort was, that I should have owed my +death to the long day in the House of Commons, and have perished +with Our liberties; but I think I am getting the better of my +martyrdom, and shall live to See you; nay, I shall not be gone to +Paris. As I design that journey for the term of my figuring in +the world, I would fain wind up my politics too, and quit all +public ties together. As I am not old yet, and have an excellent +though delicate constitution, I may promise myself some agreeable +years, if I could detach myself from all connexions, but with a +very few persons that I value. Oh, with what joy I could bid +adieu to loving and hating; to crowds, public places, great +dinners, visits; and above all, to the House of Commons; but pray +mind when I retire, it shall only be to London and Strawberry +Hill--in London one can live as one will, and at Strawberry I +will live as I will. Apropos, my good old tenant Franklin is +dead, and I am in possession of his cottage, which will be a +delightfully additional plaything at Strawberry. I shall be +violently tempted to stick in a few cypresses and lilacs there +before I go to Paris. I don't know a jot of news: I have been a +perfect hermit this fortnight, and buried in Runic poetry and +Danish wars. In short, I have been deep in a late history of +Denmark, written by one Mallet, a Frenchman,(761) a sensible man, +but I cannot say he has the art of making a very tiresome subject +agreeable. There are six volumes, and I am stuck fast in the +fourth. + +Lord Byron's trial I hear is to be in May. If you are curious +about it, I can secure you a ticket for Lord Lincoln's gallery. +The Antiquarian Society have got Goody Carlisle(762) for their +president, and I suppose she will sit upon a Saxon chalkstone +till the return of King Arthur. Adieu! + +(760) An allusion to the scene in the last chapter of his Castle +of Otranto.- E. + +(761) Paul Henry Mallet was born at Geneva in 1731, and was for +some time professor of history in his native city. He afterwards +became professor royal of the belles lettres at Copenhagen. The +introduction to his History of Denmark was afterwards translated +by Dr. Percy, under the title of Northern Antiquities, including +the Edda.-E. + +(762) Dr. Charles Lyttelton, Bishop of Carlisle. See ant`e, p. +207, letter 149. On his death, in 1768, he made a very valuable +bequest of manuscripts and printed books to the Society.-E. + + + +Letter 242 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Strawberry Hill, Feb. 28, 1765. (page 377) + +Dear sir, +As you do not deal with newspapers, nor trouble Yourselves with +occurrences of modern times, you may perhaps conclude from what I +have told you, and from my silence, that I am in France. This +will tell you that I am not; though I have been long thinking of +it, and still intend it, though not exactly yet. My silence I +must lay on this uncertainty, and from having been much out of +order above a month with a very bad cold and cough, for which I +am come hither to try change of air. Your brother Apthorpe, who +was so good as to call upon me about a fortnight ago in town, +found me too hoarse to speak to him. We both asked one another +the same question--news of you? + +I have lately had an accession to my territory here, by the death +of good old Franklin, to whom I had given for his life the lease +of the cottage and garden cross the road. Besides a little +pleasure in planting, and in crowding it with flowers, I intend +to make, what I am sure you are antiquarian enough to approve, a +bower, though your friends the abbots did not indulge in such +retreats, at least not under that appellation: but though we love +the same ages, you must excuse worldly me for preferring the +romantic scenes of antiquity. If you will tell me how to send +it, and are partial enough to me to read a profane work in the +style of former centuries, I shall convey to you a little +story-book, which I published some time ago, though not boldly +with my own name: but it has succeeded so well, that I do not any +longer entirely keep the secret. Does the title, The Castle of +Otranto(763) tempt you? I shall be glad to hear you are well and +happy. + +(763) In the first edition of this work, of which but very few +copies were printed, the title ran thus:--"The Castle of Otranto, +a Story, translated by William Marshal, Gent., from the original +Italian of onuphrio Muralto, Canon of the church of St. Nicholas +at Otranto. London: printed for Thomas Lownds, in Fleet Street, +1765."-E. + + + +Letter 243 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Strawberry Hill, March 9, 1765. (page 378) + +Dear sir, +I had time to write but a short note with the Castle of Otranto, +as your messenger called on me at four o'clock, as I was going to +go abroad. Your partiality to me and Strawberry have, I hope, +inclined you to excuse the wildness of the story. You will even +have found some traits to put you in mind of this +place.(764)--When you read of the Picture quitting its +panel,(765) did not you recollect the portrait of Lord Falkland, +all in white, in my gallery? Shall I even confess to you, what +was the origin of this romance! I waked one morning, in the +beginning of last June, from a dream, of which, all I could +recover was, that I had thought myself in an ancient castle, (a +very natural dream for a head filled like mine with Gothic +story,) and that on the uppermost bannister of a great staircase +I saw a gigantic hand in armour. In the evening I sat down, and +began to write, without knowing in the least what I intended to +say or relate. The work grew on my hands, and I grew fond of +it--add, that. I was very glad to think of any thing, rather +than politics. In short, I was so engrossed with my tale, which +I completed in less than two months, that one evening, I wrote +from the time I had drunk my tea, about six o'clock, till after +one in the morning when my hand and fingers were so weary, that +I- could not hold my pen to finish the sentence, but left Matilda +and Isabella talking, in the middle of a paragraph. You will +laugh at my earnestness; but if I have amused you by retracing +with any fidelity the manners of ancient days, I am content, and +give you leave to think me as idle as you please. + +You are, as you have long been to me, exceedingly kind, and I +should, with great satisfaction, embrace your offer of visiting +the solitude of Bleckely, though my cold is in a manner gone, and +my cough quite, if I was at liberty: but as I am preparing for my +French journey, and have forty businesses upon my hands, and can +only now and then purloin a day, or half a day, to come hither. +You know I am not cordially disposed to your French journey, +which is much more serious, as it is to be much more lasting. +However, though I may suffer by your absence, I would not +dissuade what may suit your inclination and circumstances. One +thing, however, has struck me, which I must mention, though it +would depend on a circumstance, that would give me the most real +concern. It was suggested to me by that real fondness I have for +your MSS. for your kindness about which I feel the utmost +gratitude. You would not, I think, leave them behind you: and +are you aware of the danger you would run, If, you settled +entirely in France? Do You know that the King of France is heir +to all strangers who die in his dominions, by what they call the +Droit d'Aubaine. Sometimes by great interest and favour, persons +have obtained a remission of this right in their lifetime: and +yet that, even that, has not secured their effects from being +embezzled. Old Lady Sandwich(766) had obtained this remission, +and yet, though she left every thing to the present lord, her +grandson, a man for whose rank one should have thought they would +have had regard, the King's officers forced themselves into her +house, after her death, and plundered. You see, if you go, I +shall expect to have your MSS. deposited with me. Seriously, you +must leave them in safe custody behind you. + +Lord Essex's trial is printed with the State Trials. In return +for your obliging offer, I can acquaint you with a delightful +publication of this winter, a Collection of Old Ballads and +Poetry, in three volumes, many from Pepys's Collection at +Cambridge.(767) There were three such published between thirty +and forty years ago, but very carelessly, and wanting many in +this set: indeed, there were others, a looser sort,(768) which +the present editor, who is a clergyman, thought it decent to +omit. + +When you go into Cheshire, and upon your ramble, may I trouble +you with a commission? but about which you must promise me not to +go a Step Out of your way. Mr. Bateman has got a cloister at Old +Windsor, furnished with ancient wooden chairs, most of them +triangular, but all of various patterns, and carved and turned in +the most uncouth and whimsical forms. He picked them up one by +one, for two, three, five, or six shillings apiece from different +farmhouses in Herefordshire. I have long envied and coveted +them. There may be such in poor cottages, in so neighbouring a +county as Cheshire. I should not grudge any expense for purchase +or carriage; and should be glad even of a couple such for my +cloister here. When you are copying inscriptions in a churchyard +in any village, think of me, and step into the first cottage you +see--but don't take further trouble than that. + +I long to know what your bundle of manuscripts from Cheshire +contains. + +My bower is determined, but not at all what it is to be. Though +I write romances, I cannot tell how to build all that belongs to +them. Madame Danois, in the Fairy Tales, used to tapestry them +with jonquils; but as that furniture will not last above a +fortnight in the year, I shall prefer something more huckaback. +I have decided that the outside shall be of treillage, which, +however, I shall not commence, till I have again seen some of old +Louis's old-fashioned Galanteries at Versailles. Rosamond's +bower, you, and I, and Tom Hearne know, was a labyrinth:(769) but +as my territory will admit of a very short clew, I lay aside all +thoughts of a mazy habitation: though a bower is very different +from an arbour, and must have more chambers than one. In short, +I both know, and don't know, what it should be. I am almost +afraid I must go and read Spenser, and wade through his +allegories, and drawling stanzas, to get at a picture. But, good +night! you see how one gossips, when one is alone, and at quiet +on one's own dunghill!--Well! it may be trifling; yet it is such +trifling as Ambition never is happy enough to know! Ambition +orders palaces, but it is Content that chats for a page or two +over a bower. Yours ever. + + +(764) "As, in his model of a Gothic modern mansion, Mr. Walpole +had studiously endeavoured to fit to the purpose of modern +convenience or luxury the rich, varied, and complicated tracery +and carving of the ancient cathedral, so, in the Castle of +Otranto, it was his object to unite the marvellous turn of +incident and imposing tone of chivalry exhibited in the ancient +romance, with that accurate display of human character and +contrast of feelings and passions, which is, or ought to be, +delineated in the modern novel." Sir Walter Scott; Prose Works, +vol. iii. p. 307.-E. + +(765) The forms of the grim knight and pictured saint +Look living in the moon; and as you turn +Backward and forward, to the echoes faint +Of your own footsteps--voices from the urn +Appear to wake, and shadows wild and quaint +Start from the frames which fence their aspects stern, +As if to ask how you can dare to keep +A vigil there, where all but death should sleep." +Don Juan, c. xvi. st. 18.-E. + +(766) Elizabeth, second daughter of John Wilmot Earl of +Rochester, and sister and co-heiress of Charles third Earl, and +widow of Edward Montagu third Earl of Sandwich, who died 20th of +October, 1729.-E. + +(767) Edited by the Rev. Thomas Percy, fellow of St. John's +College, Oxford, and afterwards Bishop of Dromore. "The reviver +of minstrel poetry in Scotland was the venerable Bishop of +Dromore, who, in 1765, published his elegant collection of heroic +ballads, songs, and pieces of early poetry under the title of +'Reliques Of Ancient English Poetry.' The plan of the work was +adjusted in concert with Mr. Shenstone, but we own we cannot +regret that the execution of it devolved upon Dr. Percy alone; of +whose labours, as an editor, it might be said, 'Nihil quod +tetigit non ornavit.'" Sir W. Scott. Prose Works, vol. xvii. P. +120.-E. + +(768) The work was entitled "A Collection of Old Ballads, +corrected from the best and most ancient copies extant, with +Introductions, historical, critical, or humorous." Sir Walter +Scott observes, that the editor was an enthusiast in the cause of +old poetry, and selected his matter without much regard to +decency, as will appear from the following singular preface to +one or two indelicate pieces of humour:--"One of the greatest +complaints made by the ladies against the first volume of our +collection, and, indeed, the only one which has reached my ears, +is the want of merry songs. I believe I may give a pretty good +guess at what they call mirth in such pieces as These, and shall +endeavour to satisfy them." Prose Works, vol. xvii. p. 122.-E. + +(769) The Bower of Rosamond is said, or rather fabled, to have +been a retreat built at Woodstock by Henry II. for the safe +residence of his mistress, Rosamond Clifford; the approaches of +which were so intricate, that it could not be entered without the +guidance of a thread, which the King always kept in his own +possession. His Queen, Eleanor, having, however, gained +possession of the thread, obtained access to, and speedily +destroyed her fair rival.-E. + + + +Letter 244 To Monsieur Elie De Beaumont.(770) +Strawberry Hill, March 18, 1765. (page 381) + +Sir, +When I had the honour of seeing you here, I believe I told you +that I had written a novel, in which I was flattered to find that +I had touched an effusion of the heart in a manner similar to a +passage in the charming letters of the Marquis de Roselle.(771) I +have since that time published my little story, but was so +diffident of its merit, that I gave it as a translation from the +Italian. Still I should not have ventured to offer it to so +great a mistress of the passions as Madame de Beaumont, if the +approbation of London, that is, of a country to which she and +you, Sir, are so good as to be partial, had not encouraged me to +send it to you. After I have talked of the passions, and the +natural effusion-, of the heart, how will you be surprised to +find a narrative of the most improbable and absurd adventures! +How will you be amazed to hear that a country of whose good sense +you have an opinion should have applauded so wild a tale! But +you must remember, Sir, that whatever good sense we have, we are +not yet in any light chained down to precepts and inviolable +laws. All that Aristotle or his superior commentators, your +authors, have taught us, has not yet subdued us to regularity: we +still prefer the extravagant beauties of Shakspeare and Milton to +the cold and well-disciplined merit of Addison, and even to the +sober and correct march of Pope. Nay, it was but t'other day +that we were transported to hear Churchill rave in numbers less +chastised than Dryden's, but still in numbers like Dryden's.(772) +You will not, I hope, think I apply these mighty names to my own +case with any vanity, when it is only their enormities that I +quote, and that in defence, not of myself' but of my countrymen, +who have good-humour enough to approve the visionary scenes and +actors in the Castle of Otranto. + +To tell you the truth, it was not so much my intention to recall +the exploded marvels of ancient romance, as to blend the +wonderful of old stories with the natural of modern novels. The +world is apt to wear out any plan whatever; and if the Marquis de +Roselle had not appeared, I should have been inclined to say, +that that species had been exhausted. Madame de Beaumont must +forgive me if I add, that Richardson had, to me at least, made +that kind of writing insupportable. I thought the nodus was +become dignus vindice, and that a god, at least a ghost, was +absolutely necessary to frighten us out of too much senses. When +I had so wicked a design, no wonder if the execution was +answerable. If I make you laugh, for I cannot flatter myself +that I shall make you cry, I shall be content; at least I shall +be satisfied, till I have the pleasure of seeing you, with +putting you in mind of, Sir, your, etc. + +P. S. The passage I alluded to in the beginning of my letter is +where Matilda owns her passion to Hippolita. I mention it, as I +fear so unequal a similitude would not strike Madame de Beaumont. + +(770) M. Elie de Beaumont was +admitted an advocate at the French bar in 1762. The weakness of +his voice militated against his success as a pleader, but the +beauty and eloquence with which he drew up his M`emoires, and +especially the one in favour of the unfortunate Calas family, +gained him great reputation. He was born in 1732, and died in +1786.-E. + +(771) A French epistolary novel written by Madame Elie de +Beaumont. She also wrote the third part of "Anecdotes de la Cour +et du R`egne de Edouard II." She was born at Caen in 1729, and +died in 1783.-E. + +(772) "Churchill," observes Mr. Campbell, in his Specimens of the +British Poets, " may be ranked as a satirist immediately after +Pope and Dryden, with perhaps a greater share of humour than +either. He has the bitterness of Pope, with less wit to atone +for it; but no mean share of the free manner and energetic +plainness of Dryden," Vol. vi. P. 5.-E. + + + +Letter 245 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Arlington Street, March 28, 1765. (page 382) + +Three weeks are a great while, my dear lord, for me to have been +without writing to you; but besides that I have passed many days +at Strawberry, to cure my cold (which it has done), there has +nothing happened worth sending across the sea. Politics have +dozed, and common events been fast asleep. Of Guerchy's +affair,(773) you probably know more than I do; it is now +forgotten. I told him I had absolute proof of his innocence, for +I was sure, that if he had offered money for assassination, the +men who swear against him would have taken it. + +The King has been very seriously ill,; and in great danger. I +would not alarm you, as there were hopes when he was at the +worst. I doubt he is not free yet from his complaint, as the +humour fallen on his breast still oppresses him. They talk of +his having a levee next week, but he has not appeared in public, +and the bills are passed by commission; but he rides out. The +Royal Family have suffered like us mortals; the Duke of +Gloucester has had a fever, but I believe his chief complaint is +of a youthful kind. Prince Frederick is thought to be in a deep +consumption; and for the Duke of Cumberland, next post will +probably certify you of his death, as he is relapsed, and there +are no hopes Of him. He fell into his lethargy again, and when +they waked him, he said he did not know whether he could call +himself obliged to them. + +I dined two days ago at Monsieur de Guerchy's, with the Comte de +Caraman,(774) who brought me your letter. He seems a very +agreeable Man, and you may be sure, for Your sake, and Madame de +Mirepoix's, no civilities in my power shall be wanting. I have +not yet seen Schouvaloff,(775) about whom one has more +curiosity--it is an opportunity of gratifying that passion which +one can so seldom do in Personages of his historic nature, +especially remote foreigners. I wish M. de Caraman had brought +the "Siege of Calais,"(776) which he tells me is printed, though +your account has a little abated my impatience. They tell us the +French comedians are to act at Calais this summer--is it possible +they can be so absurd, or think us so absurd as to go thither, if +we would not go further? I remember, at Rheims, they believed +that English ladies went to Calais to drink champagne!--is this +the suite of that belief? I was mightily pleased with the Duc de +Choiseul's answer to the Clairon;(777) but when I hear of the +French admiration of Garrick, it takes off something of my wonder +at the prodigious admiration of him at home. I never could +conceive the marvellous merit of repeating the words of other's +in one's own language with propriety, however well delivered. +Shakspeare is not more admired for writing his plays, than +Garrick for acting them. I think him a very good and very +various player--but several have pleased me more, though I allow +not in so many parts. Quin in Falstaff, was as excellent as +Garrick in Lear. Old Johnson far more natural in every thing he +attempted. Mrs. Porter and your Dumesnil surpassed him in +passionate tragedy; Cibber and O'Brien were what Garrick could +never reach, coxcombs, and men of fashion.(778) Mrs. Clive is at +least as perfect in low comedy--and Yet to me, Ranger was the +part that suited Garrick the best of all he ever performed. He +was a poor Lothario, a ridiculous Othello, inferior to Quin(779) +in Sir John Brute and Macbeth, and to Cibber in Bayes, and a +woful Lord Hastings and Lord Townley. Indeed, his Bayes was +original, but not the true part: Cibber was the burlesque of a +great poet, as the part was designed, but Garrick made it a +Garretteer. The town did not like him in Hotspur, and yet I don't +know whether he did not succeed in it beyond all the rest. Sir +Charles Williams and Lord Holland thought so too, and they were +no bad judges. I am impatient to see the Clairon, and certainly +will, as I have promised, though I have not fixed my day. But do +you know you alarm me! There was a time when I was a match for +Madame de Mirepoix at pharaoh, to any hour of the night, and +believe did play, with her five nights in a week till three and +four in the morning--but till eleven o'clock to-morrow morning- +-Oh! that is a little too much even at loo. Besides, I shall not +go to Paris for pharaoh--if I play all night, how shall I see +every thing all day? + +Lady Sophia Thomas has received the Baume de vie, for she gives +you a thousand thanks, and I ten thousand. + +We are extremely amused with the wonderful histories of your +hyena(780) in the Gevaudan: but our fox-hunters despise you: it +is exactly the enchanted monster of old romances. If I had known +its history a few months ago, I believe it would have appeared in +the Castle of Otranto,--the success of which has, at last, +brought me to own it, though the wildness of it made me terribly +afraid: but it was comfortable to have it please so much, before +any mortal suspected the author: indeed, it met with too much +honour far, for at first it was universally believed to be Mr. +Gray's. As all the first impression is sold, I am hurrying out +another, with a new preface, which I will send you. + +There is not so much delicacy of wit as in M. de Choiseul's +speech to the Clairon, but I think the story I am going to tell +you in return, will divert you as much: there was a vast assembly +at Marlborough-house, and a throng in the doorway. My Lady +Talbot said, "Bless me! I think this is like the Straits of +Thermopylae!" My Lady Northumberland replied, "I don't know what +Street that is, but I wish I could get my - through." I hope you +admire the contrast. Adieu! my dear lord! Yours ever. + +(773) This alludes, it is presumed, to a bill of indictment which +was found in the beginning of March, at the sessions at Hick's +Hall, against the Count de Guerchy, for the absurd charge of a +conspiracy to murder D'Eon.-C. + +(774) Probably fran`cois Joseph, Count de Caraman, who married a +Princess de Chimay, heiress of the house of Benin, niece of +Madame de Mirepoix.-C. + +(775) He had been favourite to the Empress Catherine; and, as Mr. +Walpole elsewhere says, "a favourite without an enemy."-C. + +(776) A tragedy by M. du Belloy, which, with little other merit +than its anti-Anglicism, (which, in all times, has passed in +France for patriotism,) "faisait fureur" at this time.-C. + +(777) Mademoiselle Clairon was at this moment in such vogue on +the French stage, that her admirers struck a medal in honour of +her, and wore it as a kind of order. A critic of the name of +Fr`eron, however, did not partake these sentiments, and drew, in +his journal, an injurious character of Mademoiselle Clairon. +This insult so outraged the tragedy queen, that she and her +admirers moved heaven and earth to have Fr`ron sent to the +Bastile, and, failing in her solicitation to the inferior +departments, she at last had recourse to the prime-minister, the +Duke of Choiseul, himself. His answer, which Lord Hertford, no +doubt, had communicated to Mr. Walpole, was admired for its +polite persiflage of her theatric Majesty. "I am," said the Duke, +"like yourself, a public performer, with this difference in your +favour, that you choose the parts you please, and are sure to be +crowned with the applause of the public (for I reckon as nothing +the bad taste of one or two wretched individuals who have the +misfortune of not admiring you). I, on the other hand, am +obliged to act the parts imposed on me by necessity. I am sure to +please nobody; I am satirized, criticised, libelled, hissed,--yet +I continue to do my best. Let us both, then, sacrifice our +little resentments and enmities to the public service, and serve +our country each in our own station. Besides," he added, "the +Queen has condescended to forgive Fr`eron, and you may, +therefore, without compromising your dignity, imitate her +Majesty's clemency." M`emoires de Bachaumont, t. i. p. 61. Such +were the miserable intrigues and squabbles, and such the examples +of ministerial pleasantry and prudence which occupied and amused +the Parisian public!--this; is but a straw to show which way the +wind blew; but such instances moderate our surprise and our +sorrow at the storm which followed.-C. + +(778) There was some little personal pique in Mr. Walpole's +opinion of Garrick; yet it would be difficult to imagine a more +forcible eulogium on that great actor than is here inadvertently +pronounced, when, in order to find an equivalent for him, Mr. +Walpole is obliged to bring together old Johnson and Colley +Cibber, Quin and Clive, Porter and Dumesnil--two nations, two +generations, and both sexes.-C. + +(779) "In Brute he shone unequalled; all agree +Garrick's not half so great a brute as he." Rosciad.-E. + +(780) A wolf of enormous size, and, in some respects, irregular +conformation, which for a long time ravaged the Gevaudan; it was, +soon after the date of this letter, killed, and Mr. Walpole saw +it in Paris.-C. + + + + Letter 246 To George Montagu, Esq. + +Arlington Street, April 5, 1765. (page 384) + +I sent you two letters t'other day from your kin, and might as +well have written then as now, for I have nothing to tell you. +Mr. Chute has quitted his bed to-day the first time for above +five weeks, but is still swathed like a mummy. He was near +relapsing; for old Mildmay, whose lungs, and memory, and tongue, +will never wear out, talked to him t'other night from eight till +half an hour after ten, on the Poor-bill; but he has been more +comfortable with Lord Dacre and me this evening. + +I have read the Siege of Calais, and dislike it extremely, though +there are fine lines, but the conduct is woful. The outrageous +applause it has received ,it Paris was certainly Political, and +intended to stir up their spirit and animosity against us, their +good, merciful, and forgiving allies. they will have no occasion +for this ardour; they may smite one cheek, and we shall turn +t'other. + +Though I have little to say, it is worth while to write, only to +tell you two bon-mots of Quin, to that turncoat hypocrite +infidel, Bishop Warburton. That saucy priest was haranguing at +Bath in behalf of prerogative: Quin said, "Pray, my lord, spare +me, you are not acquainted with my principles, I am a republican; +and perhaps I even think that the execution of Charles the First +might be justified." "AY!" said Warburton, "by what law?" Quin +replied, "By all the laws he had left them." The Bishop(781) +would have got off upon judgments, and bade the player remember, +that all the regicides came to violent ends; a lie, but no +matter. "I would not advise your lordship," said Quin, "to make +use of that inference; for, if I am not mistaken, that was the +case of the twelve apostles." There was great wit ad hominem in +the latter reply, but I think the former equal to any thing I +ever heard. It is the sum of the whole controversy couched in +eight monosyllables, and comprehends at once the King's guilt and +the justice of punishing it. The more one examines it, the finer +it proves. One can say nothing after it: so good night! Yours +ever. + +(781) Gray, in a letter of the 29th, relates the following +anecdote:--"Now I am talking of bishops, I must tell you that, +not long ago, Bishop Warburton, in a sermon at court, asserted +that all preferments were bestowed on the most illiterate and +worthless objects; and, in speaking, turned himself about and +stared at the Bishop of London: he added, that if any one arose +distinguished for merit and learning, there was a combination of +dunces to keep him down. I need not tell you that he expected +the bishopric of London when Terrick got it: so ends my +ecclesiastical history." Works, vol. iv. p. 40.-E. + + + +Letter 247 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Strawberry Hill, Easter Sunday, April 7, 1765. (page 385) + +Your first wish -will be to know how the King does: he came to +Richmond last Monday for a week; but appeared suddenly and +unexpected at his lev`ee at St. James's last Wednesday; this was +managed to prevent a crowd. Next day he was at the drawing-room, +and at chapel on Good Friday. They say, he looks pale; but it is +the fashion to call him very well:--I wish it may be true.(782) +The Duke of Cumberland is actually set out for Newmarket to-day: +he too is called much better; but it is often as true of the +health of princes as of their prisons, that there is little +distance between each and their graves.(783) There has been a +fire at Gunnersbury, which burned four rooms: her servants +announced it to Princess Amalie with that wise precaution of " +Madam, don't be frightened!"--accordingly, she was terrified. +When they told her the truth, she said, "I am very glad; I had +concluded my brother was dead."--So much for royalties! + +Lord March and George Selwyn are arrived, after being wind-bound +for nine days, at Calais. George is so charmed with my Lady +Hertford, that I believe it was she detained him at Paris, not +Lord March. I am full as much transported with Schouvaloff--I +never saw so amiable a man! so much good breeding, humility, and +modesty, with sense and dignity! an air of melancholy, without +any thing abject. Monsieur de Caraman is agreeable too, informed +and intelligent; he supped at your brother's t'other night, after +being at Mrs. Anne Pitt's. As the first curiosity of foreigners +is to see Mr. Pitt, and as that curiosity is one of the most +difficult points in the world to satisfy, he asked me if Mr. Pitt +was like his sister? I told him, "Qu'ils se ressembloient comme +deux gouttes de feu." + +The Parliament is adjourned till after the holidays, and the +trial.(784) There have been two very long days in our own House, +on a complaint from Newfoundland merchants on French +encroachments. The ministry made a woful piece of work of it the +first day, and we the second. Your brother, Sir George Savile, +and Barr`e shone; but on the second night, they popped a sudden +division upon us about nothing; some went out, and some stayed +in; they were 161, we but 44, and then they flung pillows upon +the question, and stifled it,--and so the French have not +encroached. + +There has been more serious work in the Lords, upon much less +important matter; a bill for regulating the poor,--(don't ask me +how, for you know I am a perfect goose about details of +business,) formed by one Gilbert,(785) a member, and steward to +the Duke of Bridgewater, or Lord Gower, or both,--had passed +pacifically through the Commons, but Lord Egmont set fire to it +in the Lords. On the second reading, he opposed it again, and +made a most admired speech; however it passed on. But again, +last Tuesday, when it was to be in the committee, such forces +were mustered against the bill, that behold all the world +regarded it as a pitched battle between Lord Bute and Lord +Holland on One side, and the Bedfords and Grenville on the other. +You may guess if it grew a day of expectation. When it arrived, +Lord Bute was not present, Lord Northumberland voted for the +bill, and Lord Holland went away. Still politicians do not give +up the mystery. Lord Denbigh and Lord Pomfret, especially the +latter, were the most personal against his Grace of Bedford. He +and his friends, they say, (for I was not there, as you will find +presently,) kept their temper well. At ten at night the House +divided, and, to be sure, the minority was dignified; it +consisted of the Dukes of York and Gloucester, the Chancellor, +Chief Justice, Lord President, Privy Seal, Lord Chamberlain, +Chamberlain to the Queen, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and a +Secretary of State. Lord Halifax, the other Secretary, was ill. +The numbers were 44 to 58. Lord Pomfret then moved to put off +the bill for four months; but the cabinet rallied, and rejected +the motion by a majority of one. So it is to come on again after +the holidays. The Duke of Newcastle, Lord Temple, and the +opposition, had once more the pleasure, which, I believe, they +don't dislike, of being in a majority. + +Now, for my disaster; you will laugh at it, though it was woful +to me. I was to dine at Northumberland-house, and went a little +after four: there I found the Countess, Lady Betty Mekinsy, Lady +Strafford; my Lady Finlater,(787) who was never out of Scotland +before; a tall lad of fifteen, her son; Lord Drogheda, and Mr. +Worseley.(788) At five,(789) arrived Mr. Mitchell,(790) who said +the Lords had begun to read the Poor-bill, which would take at +least two hours, and perhaps would debate it afterwards. We +concluded dinner would be called for, it not being Very +precedented for ladies to wait for gentlemen:--no such thing. +Six o'clock came,--seven o'clock came,--our coaches came,--well! +we sent them away, and excuses were we were engaged. Still the +Countess's heart did not relent, nor uttered a syllable of +apology. We wore out the wind and the weather, the opera and the +play, Mrs. Cornelys's and Almack's, and every topic that would do +in a formal circle. We hinted, represented--in vain. The clock +struck eight: my lady, at last, said, she would go and order +dinner; but it was a good half hour before it appeared. We then +sat down to a table for fourteen covers; but instead of +substantials, there was nothing but a profusion of plates striped +red, green, and yellow, gilt plate, blacks and uniforms! My Lady +Finlater, who had never seen these embroidered dinners, nor dined +after three, was famished. The first course stayed as long as +possible, in hopes of the lords: so did the second. The dessert +at last arrived, and the middle dish was actually set on when +Lord Finlater and Mr. Mackay(791) arrived!--would you believe +it?--the dessert was remanded, and the whole first course brought +back again!--Stay, I have not done:--just as this second first +course had done its duty, Lord Northumberland, Lord Strafford, +and Mekinsy came in, and the whole began a third time! Then the +second course, and the dessert! I thought we should have dropped +from our chairs with fatigue and fumes! When the clock struck +eleven, we were asked to return to the drawing-room, and drink +tea and coffee, but I said I was engaged to supper, and came home +to bed. My dear lord, think of four hours and a half in a circle +of mixed company, and three great dinners, one after another, +without interruption;--no, it exceeded our day at Lord Archer's! +Mrs. Armiger,(792) and Mrs. Southwell,(793) Lady Gower's(794) +niece, are dead, and old Dr. Young, the poet.(795) Good night! + +(782) "In April 1765," says the Quarterly Review for June 1840, +"his Majesty had a serious illness: its particular character was +then unknown, but we have the best authority for believing that +it was of the nature of those which thrice after afflicted his +Majesty, and finally incapacitated him for the duties of +government."-E. + +(783) The French express this thought very dramatically; +"Monseigneur est malade--Monscigneur est mieux--Monseigneur est +mort!"-C. + +(784) See ant`e, p. 296, letter 194.-E. + +(785) Of Lord Byron. + +(786) Thomas Gilbert, Esq. At this time member for +Newcastle-under-Line, and comptroller of the King's wardrobe.-E. + +(787) Lady Mary Murray, daughter of John first Duke of Athol, and +wife of James sixth Earl of Finlater: her son, afterwards seventh +Earl, was born in 1750.-E. + +(788) Probably Thomas Worseley, Esq. member for Oxford, and +surveyor-general of the board of works.-C. + +(789) This was probably the hour of extreme fashion at this +time.-C. + +(790) Afterwards Sir Andrew Mitchell, K. B. He was at this time +our minister at Berlin, and also member for the burghs of Elgin, +etc.-E. + +(791) Probably J. Ross Mackie, member for Kirkcudbright, +treasurer of the ordnance.-C. + +(792) The lady of Major-General Robert Armiger, who had been +aide-de-camp to George II.-E. + +(793) Catherine, heiress of Edward Watson, Viscount Sondes, by +Lady Catherine Tufton, coheiress of the sixth Earl of Thanet, the +son of Lady margaret Sackville, the heiress of the De Cliffords: +she was the mother of Edward Southwell, Esq., member for +Gloucestershire, who, on the death of the great-aunt, Margaret +Tufton, Baroness de Clifford, was confirmed in that barony.-C. + +(794) Mary, another daughter and coheiress of the sixth Earl +Thanet, widow of Anthony Grey, Earl of harold, and third wife of +John first Earl Gower.-C. + +(795) Dr. Young died on the 5th of April, in his eighty-fourth +year.-E. + + + +Letter 248 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Arlington Street, April 18, 1765. (page 388) + +Lady Holland carries this, which enables me to write a little +more explicitly than I have been able to do lately. The King has +been in the utmost danger; the humour in his face having fallen +upon his breast. He now appears constantly; yet, I fear, his +life is very precarious, and that there is even apprehension of a +consumption. After many difficulties from different quarters, a +Regency-bill is determined; the King named it first to the +ministers, who said, they intended to mention it to him as soon +as he was well; yet they are not thought to be fond of it. The +King is to come to the House on Tuesday, and recommend the +provision to the Parliament.(796) Yet, if what is whispered +proves true, that the nomination of the Regent is to be reserved +to the King's will, it is likely to cause great uneasiness. If +the ministers propose such a clause, it is strong evidence of +their own instability, and, I should think, would not save them, +at least, some of them. The world expects changes Soon, though +not a thorough alteration; yet, if any takes place shortly, I +should think It would be a material One than not. The enmity +between Lord Bute and Mr. Grenville is not denied on either side. +There is a notion, and I am inclined to think not ill founded, +that the former and Mr. Pitt are treating. It is certain that +the last has expressed wishes that the opposition may lie still +for the remainder of the session. This, at least, puts an end to +the question on your brother,(797) of which I am glad for the +present. The common town-talk is, that Lord Northumberland does +not care to return to Ireland,--that you are to succeed him +there, Lord Rochford you, and that Sandwich is to go to Spain. +My belief is, that there will be no change, except, perhaps, a +single one for Lord Northumberland, unless there are capital +removals indeed. + +The Chancellor, Grenville, the Bedfords, and the two Secretaries +are one body; at least, they pass for such: yet it is very +lately, if one of them has dropped his prudent management with +Lord Bute. There seems an unwillingness to discard the Bedfords, +though their graces themselves keep little terms of civility to +Lord Bute, none to the Princess (Dowager). Lord Gower is a +better courtier, and Rigby would do any thing to save his place. + +This is the present state, which every day may alter: even +to-morrow is a day of expectation, as the last struggle of the +Poor-bill. If the Bedfords carry it, either by force or +sufferance, (though Lord Bute has constantly denied being the +author of the opposition to it,) I shall less expect any great +change soon. In those less important, I shall not wonder to find +the Duke of Richmond come upon the scene, perhaps for Ireland, +though he is not talked of. + +Your brother is out of town, not troubling himself, though the +time seems so critical. I am not so philosophic; as I almost +wish for any thing that may put an end to my being concerned in +the m`el`ee--for any end to a most gloomy prospect for the +country: alas! I see it not. + +Lord Byron's trial lasted two days, and he was acquitted totally +by four lords, Beaulieu, Falmouth, Despenser,(798) and +Orford,(799) and found guilty of manslaughter by one hundred and +twenty. The Dukes of York and Gloucester were present in their +places. The prisoner behaved with great decorum, and seemed +thoroughly shocked and mortified. Indeed, the bitterness of the +world against him has been great, and the stories they have +revived or invented to load him, very grievous. The Chancellor +has behaved with his usual, or, rather greater vulgarness and +blunders. Lord Pomfret(800) kept away decently, from the +similitude of his own story. + +I have been to wait on Messrs. Choiseul(801) and De +Lauragais,(802) as you desired, but have not seen then yet. The +former is lodged with my Lord Pembroke, and the Guerchys are in +terrible apprehensions of his exhibiting some scene. + +The Duke of Cumberland bore the journey to Newmarket extremely +well, but has been lethargic Since,; yet they have found out that +Daffy's Elixir agrees with, and does him good. Prince Frederick +is very bad. There is no private news at all. As I shall not +deliver this till the day after to-morrow, I shall be able to +give you an account of the fate of the Poor-bill. + +The medals that came for me from Geneva, I forgot to mention to +you, and to beg you to be troubled with them till I see you. I +had desired Lord Stanhope(803) to send them; and will beg you +too, if any bill is sent, to pay it for me, and I will repay it. +you. I say nothing of my journey, which the unsettled state of +my affairs makes it impossible for me to fix. I long for every +reason upon earth to be with you. + +April 20th, Saturday. + +The Poor-bill is put off till Monday; is then to be amended, and +then dropped: a confession of weakness, in a set of people not +famous for being moderate! I was assured, last night, that +Ireland had been twice offered to you, and that it hung on their +insisting upon giving you a secretary, either Wood or Bunbury. I +replied very truly that I knew nothing of it, that you had never +mentioned it to me and I believed not even to your brother. The +answer was, Oh! his particular friends are always the last that +know any thing about him. Princess Amalie loves this topic, and +is for ever teasing us about your mystery. I defend myself by +pleading that I have desired you never to tell me any thing till +it was in the gazette. + +They say there is to be a new alliance in the house of Montagu: +that Lord Hinchinbrook(804) is to marry the sole remaining +daughter of Lord Halifax; that her fortune is to be divided into +three shares, of which each father is to take one, and the third +is to be the provision for the victims. I don't think this the +most unlikely part of the story. Adieu! my dear lord. + +(796) In a letter to his son, of the 22d of April, Chesterfield +says:--"Apropos of a minority: the King is to come to the House +tomorrow, to recommend a bill to settle a regency, in case of his +demise while his successor is a minor. Upon his late illness, +which was no trifling one, the whole nation cried out aloud for +such a bill, for reasons which will readily occur to you, who +know situations, persons, and characters here. I do not know the +provisions of this intended bill; but I wish it may b(@ copied +exactly from that which was passed in the late King's reign, when +the present King was a minor. I am sure there cannot be a +better."-E. + +(797) As to his dismissal.-C. + +(798) Sir Francis Dashwood, lately confirmed in this barony, as +the heir of the Fanes by his mother. He had been chancellor of +the exchequer in Lord Bute's administration.-E. + +(799) George, third Earl of Orford, Mr. Walpole's nephew; on +whose death, in 1791, he succeeded to the title.-E. + +(800) George, second Earl of Pomfret, while Lord Lempster, had +the misfortune to kill Captain Grey, of the Guards, in a duel: he +was tried at the Old Bailey in April 1752, and found guilty of +manslaughter only. See vol. ii. p. 124, letter 54.-E. + +(801) The son, it is supposed, of the Duc de Praslin.-C. + +(802) Louis L`eon de Brancas, the eldest son of the Duc de +Villars Brancas: he was, during his father's life, known as the +Comte, and afterwards Duc, de Lauragais, and was a very singular +and eccentric person. He was a great Anglomane, and was the +first introducer into France of horseraces `a l'Anglaise; it was +to him that Louis XV.--not pleased at his insolent Anglomanie-- +made so excellent a retort. The King had asked him after one of +his journeys, what he had learned in England? Lauragais +answered, with a kind of republican dignity, "A panser" +(penser).--"Les chavaux?" inquired the King. On the other hand, +he was one of the first promoters of the practice of inoculation. +stories about him, both in England and France, are endless: "He +was," says M. de Segur, who knew him well, "one of the most +singular men of the long period in which he lived; he united in +his person a combination of great qualities and great faults, the +smallest portion of which would have marked any other man with a +striking originality." He died in 1823, at the age of +ninety-one--his youthful name and follies forgotten in the +respectable old age of the Duc de Brancas.-C. + +(803) Philip, second Earl Stanhope; for a character of whom, by +his great-grandson, Lord Mahon, see vol. i. p. 308, letter 96, +note 771.-E. + +(804) Afterwards fifth Earl of sandwich. The match with lady +Eliza Savile took place on the 1st of march 1766.-E. + + + +Letter 249 To Sir David Dalrymple.(805) +Strawberry Hill, April 21, 1765. (page 391) + +Sir, +Except the mass of Conway papers, on which I have not yet had +time to enter seriously, I am sorry I have nothing at present +that would answer your purpose. Lately, indeed, I have had +little leisure, to attend to literary pursuits. I have been much +out of order with a violent cold and cough for great part of the +winter; and the distractions of this country, which reach even +those who mean the least to profit by their country, have not +left even me, who hate politics, without some share in them. Yet +as what one does not love, cannot engross one entirely, I have +amused myself a little with writing. Our friend Lord Finlater +will perhaps show you the fruit of that trifling, though I had +not the confidence to trouble you with such a strange thing as a +miraculous story, of which I fear the greatest merit is the +novelty. + +I have lately perused with much pleasure a collection of old +ballads, to which I see, Sir, you have contributed with your +usual benevolence. Continue this kindness to the public, and +smile as I do, when the pains you take for them are misunderstood +or perverted. Authors must content themselves with hoping that +two or three Intelligent persons in an age will understand the +merit of their writings, and those authors are bound in good +breeding to Suppose that the public in general is enlightened. +They who arc in the secret know how few of that public they have +any reason to wish should read their works. I beg pardon of my +masters the public, and am confident, Sir, YOU Will not betray +me; but let me beg you not to defraud the few that deserve your +information, in compliment to those who are not capable of +receiving it. Do as I do about my small house here. Every body +that comes to see it or me, are so good as to wonder that I don't +make this or that alteration. I never haggle with them; but +always say I intend it. They are satisfied with the attention +and themselves, and I remain with the enjoyment of my house as I +like it. Adieu! dear Sir. + +(805) Now first collected. + + + +Letter 250 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Arlington Street, May 5, 1765. (page 391) + +The plot thickens; at least, it does not clear up. I don't know +how to tell you in the compass of a letter, what is matter for a +history, and it is the more difficult, as we are but just in the +middle. + +During the recess, the King acquainted the ministry that he would +have a Bill of Regency, and told them the particulars of his +intention. The town gives Lord Holland the honour of the +measure;(806) certain it is, the ministry, who are not the court, +did not taste some of the items: such as the Regent to be in +petto, the Princes(807) to be omitted, and four secret +nominations to which the Princes might be applied. However, +thinking it was better to lose their share of future power than +their present places, the ministers gave a gulp and swallowed the +whole potion; still it lay so heavy at their stomachs, that they +brought up part of it again, and obtained the Queen's name to be +placed, as one that might be regent. Mankind laughed, and +proclaimed their Wisdoms bit. Upon this, their Wisdoms beat up +for opponents, and set fire to the old stubble(808) of the +Princess and Lord Bute. Every body took the alarm; and such +uneasiness was raised, that after the King had notified the bill +to both Houses, a new message was sent, and instead of four +secret nominations, the five Princes were named, with power to +the crown of supplying their places if they died off. + +Last Tuesday the bill was read a second time in the Lords. Lord +Lyttelton opposed an unknown Regent, Lord Temple the whole bill, +seconded by Lord Shelburne. The first +division came on the commitment of the whole bill. The Duke of +Newcastle and almost all The opposition were with the majority, +for his grace could not decently oppose so great a likeness of +his own child, the former bill, and so they were one hundred and +twenty. Lord Temple, Lord Shelburne, the Duke of Grafton, and +six more, composed the minority; the Slenderness of which so +enraged Lord Temple, though he had declared himself of no party, +and connected with no party, that he and the Duke of Bolton came +no more to the House. Next day Lord Lyttelton moved an address +to the King, to name the person he would recommend for Regent. +In the midst of this debate, the Duke of Richmond started two +questions; whether the Queen was naturalized, and if not, whether +capable of being Regent: and he added a third much more puzzling; +who are the Royal Family? Lord Denbigh answered +flippantly, all who are prayed for: the Duke of Bedford, more +significantly, those, only who are in the order of +succession--a direct exclusion of the Princess; for the Queen is +named in the bill. The Duke of Richmond moved to consult the +judges; Lord Mansfield fought this off, declared he had his +opinion, but would not tell it--and stayed away next day! They +then proceeded on Lord Lyttelton's motion, which was rejected by +eighty-nine to thirty-one; after which, the Duke of Newcastle +came no more; and Grafton, Rockingham, and many others, went to +Newmarket: for that rage is so strong, that I cease to wonder at +the gentleman who was going out to hunt as the battle of Edgehill +began. + +The third day was a scene of folly and confusion, for when Lord +Mansfield is absent, + +"Lost is the nation's sense, nor can be found." + +The Duke of Richmond moved an amendment, that the persons capable +of the Regency should be the +Queen, the Princess Dowager, and all the +descendants of the late King usually resident in England. Lord +Halifax endeavoured to jockey this, by a previous amendment of +now for usually. The Duke persisted with great firmness and +cleverness; Lord Halifax, with as much peevishness and absurdity; +in truth, he made a woful figure. The Duke of Bedford supported +t'other Duke against the Secretary, but would not yield to name +the Princess, though the Chancellor declared her of the Royal +Family.(809) This droll personage is exactly what Woodward would +be, if there was such a farce as Trappolin Chancellor. You will +want a key to all this, but who has a key to chaos? After +puzzling on for two hours how to adjust these motions, while the +spectators stood laughing around, Lord Folkestone rose, and said, +why not say now and usually? They adopted this amendment at once, +and then rejected the Duke of Richmond's motion, but ordered the +judges to attend next day on the questions of naturalization. + +Now comes the marvellous transaction, and I defy Mr. Hume, an +historian as he is, to parallel it. The judges had decided for +the Queen's capability, when Lord Halifax rose, by the King's +permission, desired to have the bill recommitted, and then moved +the Duke of Richmond's own words, with the single omission of the +Princess Dowager's name, and thus she alone is rendered incapable +of the Regency--and stigmatized by act of parliament! The +astonishment of the world is not to be described. Lord Bute's +friends are thunderstruck. The Duke of Bedford almost danced +about the House for joy. Comments there are, various; and some +palliate it, by saying it was done at the Princess's desire; but +the most inquisitive say, the King was taken by surprise, that +Lord Halifax proposed the amendment to him, and hurried with it +to the House of Lords, before it could be recalled; and they even +surmise that he did not observe to the King the omission of his +mother's name. Be that as it may, open war seems to be declared +between the court and the administration, and men are gazing to +see which side will be victorious. + +To-morrow the bill comes to us, and Mr. Pitt, too, violent +against the whole bill, unless this wonderful event has altered +his tone.- For my part I shall not be surprised, if he affects to +be in astonishment at missing "a great and most respectable +man!"(810) This is the sum total--but what a sum total! It is +the worst of North Britons published by act of parliament! + +I took the liberty, in my last, of telling you what I heard about +your going to Ireland. It was from one you know very well, and +one I thought well informed, or I should not have mentioned it. +Positive as the information was, I find nothing to confirm it. +On the contrary, Lord Harcourt(811) seems the most probable, if +any thing is probable at this strange juncture. You will scarce +believe me when I tell you, what I know is true, that the +Bedfords pressed strongly for Lord Weymouth--Yes, for Lord +Weymouth. Is any thing extraordinary in them? + +Will it be presuming, too much upon your friendship and +indulgence, if I hint another point to you, which, I own, seems +to me right to mention to you? You know how eagerly the ministry +have laboured to deprive Mr. Thomas Walpole of the French +commerce of tobacco. His correspondent sends him word, that you +was so persuaded it was taken away, that you had recommended +another person. You know enough, my dear lord, of the little +connexion I have With that part of my family,(812) though we do +visit again; and therefore will, I hope, be convinced, that it is +for your sake I principally mention it. If Mr. Walpole loses +this vast branch of trade, he and sir Joshua Vanneck must shut up +shop. Judge the noise that would make in the city! Mr. +Walpole's(813) alliance with the Cavendishes (for I will say +nothing of our family) would interest them deeply in his cause, +and I think you would be sorry to have them think you +instrumental to his ruin. Your brother knows of my writing to +you and giving this information, and we are both solicitous that +your name should not appear in this transaction. This letter +goes to you by a private hand, or I would not have spoken so +plainly throughout. Whenever you please to recall your positive +order, that I should always tell you whatever I hear that relates +to you, I shall willingly forbear, for I am sensible this is not +the most agreeable province of friendship; yet, as it is +certainly due whenever demanded, I +don't consider myself, but sacrifice the more agreeable task of +pleasing you to that of serving you, that I may show myself Yours +most sincerely, H. W. + +(806) It was certainly the result of his Majesty's own good +sense, directed to the subject by his late serious indisposition; +but the details, and the mismanagement of these details, were, no +doubt, the acts of the ministers.-C. + +(807) The King,'s uncle and brothers.-E. + +(808) These hints as to the modes by which the extraordinary +prejudices and clamours which disturbed the first years of the +reign of George III. were excited and maintained at the pleasure +of a faction, are very valuable: and the spirit of the times was +in nothing more evident than in the intrigues and violence which +marked the progress of so simple and necessary a measure as the +Regency-bill.-C. + +(809) This opinion of the Chancellor's appears to have been +considered by Mr. Walpole as very absurd, and he seems inclined +to come to the same conclusion which Sterne has treated with such +admirable ridicule in the case of the Duchess of Suffolk, viz. +that "the mother was not of kin to her own child." See Tristram +Shandy, part 4. Nothing in the debate of Didius and Triptolemus +at the visitation dinner, is more absurd than this grave +discussion in the House of Lords, whether the King's mother is +one of the Royal Family.-C. + +(810) This was Mr. Pitt's expression on not finding Lord Anson's +name in the list of the ministry formed in 1757. Mr. Walpole, +disliked Lord Anson, and on more than one occasion amuses himself +with allusions to this phrase.-C. + +(811) Simon, first Earl of Harcourt: he was, in 1768, ambassador +to Paris, and in 1769, lord-lieutenant of Ireland.-C. + +(812) This coolness between Mr. Walpole and his uncle should be +remembered, when we read that portion of the Memoires which +relates to Lord Walpole.-C. + +(813) Mr. Thomas Walpole's elder brother (second Lord Walpole, +and first Lord Orford of his branch) married the youngest +daughter of the third Duke of Devonshire.-C. + + + +Letter 251 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Arlington Street, Sunday, May 12, 1765. (page 395) + +The clouds and mists that I raise by my last letter will not be +dispersed by this; nor will the Bill of Regency, as long as it +has a day's breath left (and it has but one to come) cease, I +suppose, to produce extraordinary events. For agreeable events, +it has not produced one to any Set Or side, except in gratifying +malice; every other passion has received, or probably will +receive, a box on the ear. + +In my last I left the Princess Dowager in the mire. The next +incident was of a negative kind. Mr. Pitt, who, if he had been +wise, would have come to help her out, chose to wait to see if +she was to be left there, and gave himself a terrible fit of the +gout. As nobody was ready to read his part to the audience, +(though I assure you we do not want a genius or two who think +themselves born to dictate,) the first day in our House did not +last two minutes. The next, which was Tuesday, we rallied our +understandings (mine, indeed, did not go beyond being quiet, when +the administration had done for us what we could not do for +ourselves), and combated the bill till nine at night. Barr`e, +who will very soon be our first orator, especially as some(814) +are a little afraid to dispute with him, attacked it admirably, +and your brother ridiculed the House of Lords delightfully, who, +he said, had deliberated without concluding, and concluded +without deliberating. However, we broke up without a division. + +Can you devise what happened next? A buzz spread itself, that the +Tories would move to reinstate the Princess. You will perhaps be +so absurd as to think with me, that when the +administration had excluded her, it was our business to pay her a +compliment. Alas! that was my opinion, but I was soon given to +understand that +patriots must be men of virtue, must be pharisees, and not +countenance naughty women; and that when the Duchess of Bedford +had thrown the first stone, we had nothing to do but continue +pelting. Unluckily I was not convinced; I could neither see the +morality nor prudence of branding the King's mother upon no other +authority than public fame: yet, willing to get something when I +could not get all, I endeavoured to obtain that we should stay +away. Even this was warmly contested with me, and, though I +persuaded several, particularly the two oldest Cavendishes,(815) +the Townshends,(816) and your nephew Fitzroy,(817) whom I trust +you will thank me for saving, I could not convince Lord John, +[Cavendish,] who, I am sorry to say, is the most obstinate, +conceited young man I ever saw; George Onslow, and that old +simpleton the Duke of Newcastle, who had the impudence to talk to +me of character, and that we should be ruined with the public if +we did not divide against the Princess. You will be impatient, +and wonder I do not name your brother. You know how much he +respects virtue and honour, even in their names; Lord John, who, +I really believe, respects them too, has got cunning enough to +see their empire over your +brother, and had fascinated him to agree to this outrageous, +provoking, and most unjustifiable of all acts. Still Mr. Conway +was so good as to yield to my earnest and vehement entreaties, +and it was at last agreed to propose the name of the Queen; when +we did not carry it, as we did not expect to do, to retire before +the question came on the Princess. But even this measure was not +strictly observed. We divided 67 for the nomination of the +Queen, against 157. Then Morton(818) moved to reinstate the +Princess. Martin, her treasurer, made a most indiscreet and +offensive speech in her behalf; said she had been stigmatized by +the House of Lords, and had lived long enough in this country to +know the hearts and falsehood of those who had professed the most +to her. Grenville vows publicly he will never forgive this, and +was not more discreet, declaring, though he agreed to the +restoration of her name, that he thought the omission would have +been universally acceptable. George Onslow and all the +Cavendishes, gained over by Lord John, and the most attached of +the Newcastle band, opposed the motion; but your brother, Sir +William Meredith, and I, and others, came away, which reduced the +numbers so much that there was no division;(819) but now to +unfold all this black scene;(820) it comes out as I had guessed, +and very plainly told them, that the Bedfords had stirred up our +fools to do what they did not dare to do themselves. Old +Newcastle had even told me, that unless we opposed the Princess, +the Duke of Bedford would not. It was +sedulously given out. that Forrester,(821) the latter duke's +lawyer, would speak against her; and after the question had +passed, he told our people that we had given up the game when it +was in our hands, for there had been many more noes than ayes. +It was Very true, many did not wish well enough to the Princess +to roar for her; and many will say no when the question is put, +who will vote ay if it comes to a division. and of' this I do not +doubt but the Bedfords had taken care--well! duped by these gross +arts, the Cavendishes and Pelhams determined to divide the next +day on the report. I did not learn this mad resolution till four +o'clock, when it was too late, and your brother in the House, and +the report actually made; so I turned back and came away, +learning +afterwards to my great mortification, that he had voted with +them. If any thing could comfort me, it would be, that even so +early as last night, and only this happened on Friday night, it +was generally allowed how much I had been in the right, and +foretold exactly all that had happened. They had vaunted to me +how strong they should be. I had replied, "When you were but 76 +on the most inoffensive question, do you think you will be half +that number on the most personal and indecent that can be +devised?" Accordingly, they were but 37 to 167; and to show how +much the Bedfords were at the bottom of all, Rigby, they +Forrester, and Lord Charles Spencer, went up into the Speaker's +chamber, and would not vote for the Princess! At first I was not +quite so well treated. Sir William Meredith, who, by the way, +voted in the second question against his opinion, told me Onslow +had said that he, Sir William, your +brother, and Lord Townshend, had stayed away from conscience, but +all the others from interest. I replied, "Then I am included in +the latter predicament.(822) but you may tell Mr. Onslow that he +will take a place before I shall, and that I had rather be +suspected of being +mercenary, than stand up in my place and call God to witness that +I meant nothing personal, when I was doing the most personal +thing in the world." I beg your pardon, my dear lord, for +talking so much about myself, but the detail was necessary and +important to you; who I wish should see that I can act with a +little common sense, and will not be governed by all the frenzy +of party. + +The rest of the bill was contested inch by inch, and by division +on division, till eleven at night, after our wise leaders had +whittled down the minority to twenty-four.(823) Charles +Townshend, they say, surpassed all he had ever done, in a wrangle +with Onslow, and was so lucky as to have Barr`e absent, who has +long lain in wait for him. When they told me how well Charles +had spoken on himself, I replied, "That is conformable to what I +always thought of his parts, that he speaks best on what he +understands the least." + +We have done with the bill, and to-morrow our correction goes to +the Lords. It will be a day of wonderful expectation.. to see in +what manner they will swallow their vomit. The Duke of Bedford, +it is conjectured, will stay away:--but what will that +scape-goose, Lord Halifax, do, who is already convicted of having +told the King a most notorious lie, that if the Princess was not +given up by the Lords, she would be +unanimously excluded by the Commons! The Duke of Bedford, who +had broke the ground, is little less blamable; but Sandwich, who +was present, has, with his usual address, contrived not to be +talked of, since the first hour. + +When the bill shall be passed, the eyes of mankind will turn to +see what will be the consequence. The Princess, and Lord Bute, +and the Scotch, do not affect to conceal their indignation. If +Lord Halifax is even reprieved, the King is more +enslaved to a cabal than ever his grandfather was: yet how +replace them! Newcastle and the most desirable of the +opposition have rendered themselves more obnoxious than ever, and +even seem, or must seem to Lord Bute, in league with those he +wishes to remove. The want of a proper person for chancellor of +the exchequer is another difficulty, though I think easily +removable by clapping a tied wig on Ellis, Barrington, or any +other block, and calling it George +Grenville. One remedy is obvious, and at which, after such +insults and provocations, were I Lord Bute, I should not stick; I +would deliver myself up, bound hand and foot, to Mr. Pitt, rather +than not punish such traitors and wretches, who murmur, submit, +affront, and swallow in the most +ignominious manner,--"Oh! il faudra qu'il y vienne,"--as L`eonor +says in the Marquis de Roselle,--"il y viendra." For myself, I +have another little comfort, which is seeing that when the +ministry encourage the Opposition, they do but +lessen our numbers. + +You may be easy about this letter, for Monsieur de Guerchy sends +it for me by a private hand, as I did the last. I wish, by some +Such conveyance, you would tell me a little of your mind on all +this embroil, and whether you approve or disapprove my conduct. +After the liberties you have permitted me to take with you, my +dear lord, and without them, as you know my openness, and how +much I am accustomed to hear of my faults, I think you cannot +hesitate. Indeed, I must, I have done, or tried to do, just what +you would have wished. Could I, who have at least some +experience and knowledge of the world, have directed, our party +had not been in the contemptible and ridiculous +situation it is. Had I had more weight, things still more +agreeable to you had happened. Now, I could almost despair; but +I have still perseverance, and some resources left. Whenever I +can get to you, I will unfold a great deal; but in this critical +situation, I cannot trust what I can leave to no management but +my own. + +Your brother would have writ, if I had not: he is gone to +Park-place to-day, with his usual phlegm, but returns tomorrow. +What would I give you were here yourself; perhaps you do not +thank me for the wish. + +Do not wonder if, except thanking you for D'Alembert's book,(824) +I say not a word of any thing but politics. I have not had a +single other thought these three weeks. Though in all the bloom +of my passion, lilac-tide, I have not been at Strawberry this +fortnight. I saw things arrive at the point(825) I wished, and +to which I had singularly contributed to bring them, as you shall +know hereafter, and then I saw all my Work kicked down by two or +three frantic boys, and I see what I most dread, likely to +happen, unless I can prevent it,--but I have said enough for you +to understand me. I think we agree. However, this is for no ear +or breast but your own. Remember Monsieur de Nivernois,(826) and +take care of the letters you receive. Adieu! + +(814) It seems from the next letter, that this alludes to Charles +Townshend.-C. + +(815) Lord George and Lord Frederick.-E. + +(816) Probably Messrs. Thomas Townshend, senior and junior, and +Charles Townshend, a cousin of the great Charles Townshend's, who +sat with Sir Edward Walpole for North Yarmouth.-C. + +(817) Colonel Charles Fitzroy, afterwards Lord Southampton.-E. + +(818) John Morton, Esq. member for Abingdon, and chief-justice of +Chester.-E. + +(819) The following is Lord Temple's account of this debate, in a +letter of the 10th, to his sister, Lady Chatham: "Inability and +meanness are the characteristics of this whole proceeding,. I +shall pass over the very uninteresting parts of this matter, and +relate only the phenomenon of Morton's motion yesterday, seconded +by Kynaston, without a speech, and thirded by the illustrious Sam +Martin. The speech of the first was dull, and of the latter very +injudicious; saying that the House of Lords had passed a stigma +on the Princess of Wales; disclaiming all knowledge of her +wishes, but concluding, with a strong affirmative. George Onslow +opposed the motion, with very bad reasons; Lord Palmerston, with +much better. George Grenville seemed to convey, that the +alteration made in the Lords was not without the King's +knowledge; but that, to be sure, in his opinion, such a testimony +of zeal and affection which now manifested itself in the House of +Commons in favour of his royal mother, could not but prove +agreeable to his Majesty, and that therefore he should concur in +it. The Cocoa-tree have thus her Royal Highness to be regent; it +is well they have not given us a king, if they have not; for many +think Lord Bute is king. No division: many noes." Chatham +Correspondence, vol. ii. p. 309.-E. + +(820) It was, indeed, a black and scandalous intrigue, by which +the character of the Sovereign's mother, and the peace and +comfort of the Royal Family, were thus made the counters with +which contending factions played their game; and if we may +believe Mr. Walpole himself, the motives which actuated those who +attacked, and those who seemed to defend the Princess +Dowager, were equally selfish and unworthy.-C. + +(821) Probably Brook Forrester, Esq. of Lincoln's Inn, member for +Great Wenlock, a barrister-at-law. See ante, p. 281, letter +191.-C. + +(822) It certainly does seem, from the foregoing account of his +own motives, that conscience had little to do with Mr. Walpole's +conduct on this affair: as to his pledge, that Mr. Onslow would +take a place before him, we must observe that it is not quite so +generous as it may seem; for Mr. Walpole was already, by the +provident care of his father, supplied with three sinecure +places, and two rent-charges on two others, producing him +altogether about 6300 pounds per annum. See Quarterly Review, +Vol. xxvii. P. 198.-C. + +(823) On the question for the third reading of the bill, the +numbers were 150 and 24.-E. + +(824) De la Destruction des +J`esuites."-E. + +(825 This seems to imply that Mr. Walpole thought, that if the +Opposition had taken up the cause of the Princess Dowager when +she had been abandoned by the ministers, the latter might have +been removed, and the former brought into power.-C. + +(826) He alludes to the infidelity of D'Eon to the Duke of +Nivernois. See ant`e, p. 253, letter 181.-C. + + + +Letter 252 To The Earl Of Hertford. +Arlington Street, Monday evening, May 20, 1765. (page 399) + +I scarce know where to begin, and I am sure not where I shall +end. I had comforted myself with getting over all my +difficulties: my friends opened their eyes, and were ready, nay, +some of them eager, to list under Mr. Pitt; for I must tell you, +that by a fatal precipitation,(827) the King,--when his ministers +went to him last Thursday, 16th, to receive his commands for his +speech at the end of the sessions which was to have been the day +after to-morrow, the 22d,--forbid the Parliament to be prorogued, +which he said he would only have adjourned: they were +thunderstruck, and asked if he intended to make any change in his +administration? he replied, certainly; he could not bear it as +it was. His uncle(828) was sent for, was ordered to form a new +administration, and treat with Mr. Pitt. This negotiation +proceeded for four days, and got wind in two. The town, more +accommodating than Mr. Pitt, settled the whole list of +employments. The facilities, however, were so few. that +yesterday the hero of Culloden went down in person to the +Conqueror of +America, at Hayes, and though tendering almost carte blanche,-- +blanchissime for the constitution, and little short of it for the +whole red-book of places,--brought back nothing but a flat +refusal. Words cannot paint the confusion into which every thing +is thrown. The four ministers, I mean the Duke of Bedford, +Grenville, and the two Secretaries, acquainted their master +yesterday, that they adhere to one another, and shall all resign +to-morrow, and, perhaps, must be recalled on Wednesday,--must +have a carte noire, not blanche, and will certainly not expect +any stipulations to be offered for the constitution, by no means +the object of their care! + +You are not likely to tell in Gath, nor publish in Ascalon, the +alternative of humiliation to which the crown is reduced. But +alas! this is far from being the lightest evil to which we are at +the eve of being exposed. I mentioned the mob of weavers which +had besieged the Parliament, and attacked the Duke of Bedford, +and I thought no more of it; but on Friday, a well +disciplined, and, I fear too well conducted a +multitude, repaired again to Westminster with red and black +flags; the House of Lords, where not thirty were present, acted +with no spirit;--examined Justice Fielding, and the magistrates, +and adjourned till to-day. At seven that evening, a prodigious +multitude assaulted Bedford-house, and began to pull down the +walls, and another party surrounded the garden, where there were +but fifty men on guard, and had forced their way, if another +party of Guards that had been sent for had arrived five minutes +later. At last, after reading the +proclamation, the gates of the court were thrown open, and sixty +foot-soldiers marched out; the mob fled, but, being met by a +party of horse, were much cut and +trampled, but no lives lost. Lady Tavistock, and every thing +valuable in the house, have been sent out of town. On Saturday, +all was pretty quiet; the Duchess +was blooded, and every body went to visit them. I hesitated, +being afraid of an air of triumph: -however, lest it should be +construed the other way, I went last night at eight o'clock; in +the square I found a great multitude, not of weavers, but +seemingly of Sunday-passengers. At the gate, guarded by +grenadiers, I found so large a throng, that I had not only +difficulty to make my way, though in my chariot, but was hissed +and pelted; and in two minutes after, the glass of Lady +Grosvenor's coach was broken, as those of Lady Cork's chair were +entirely demolished afterwards. I found Bedford-house a perfect +garrison, sustaining a siege, the court full of horse-guards, +constables, and gentlemen. I told the Duke that however I might +happen to differ with him in politics, this was a common cause, +and that every body must feel equal indignation at it. In the +mean time the mob grew so riotous, that they were forced to make +both horse and foot parade the square before the tumult was +dispersed. + +To-morrow we expect much worse. The weavers have declared they +will come down to the House of Lords for redress, which they say +they have been promised. A body of five hundred sailors were on +the road from Portsmouth to join them, but luckily the admiralty +had notice of their intention, and stopped them.(829) A large +body of weavers are on the road from Norwich, and it is said have +been joined by numbers in Essex; guards are posted to prevent, if +possible, their +approaching the city. Another troop of manufacturers are coming +from Manchester; and what is worst of' all, there is such a +general spirit of mutiny and dissatisfaction in the lower people, +that I think we are in danger of a rebellion in the heart of the +capital in a week. In the mean time, there is neither +administration nor government. The King is out of town, and this +is the crisis in which Mr. Pitt, who could stop every evil, +chooses to be more unreasonable than ever.(830) + +Mr. Craufurd, whom you have seen at the Duchess of Grafton's, +carries this, or I should not venture being so explicit. +Wherever the storm may break out at first, I think Lord Bute +cannot escape his share of it. The Bedfords may triumph over +him, the Princess, and still higher, if they are fortunate enough +to avoid the present ugly appearances; and yet how the load of +odium will be increased, if they return to power! One can name +many in whose situation one would not be,-not one who is not +situated unpleasantly. + +Adieu my dear lord; you shall hear as often as I can find a +conveyance but these are not topics for the post! Poor Mrs. +Fitzroy has lost her eldest girl. I forgot to tell you that the +young Duke of Devonshire goes to court to-morrow. Yours ever. + +Wednesday evening. + +I am forced to send you journals rather than letters. Mr. +Craufurd, who was to carry this, has put off his journey till +Saturday, and I choose rather to defer my despatch than trust it +to Guerchy's courier, though he offered me that conveyance +yesterday, but it is too serious to venture to their inspection. + +Such precautions have been taken, and so many troops brought into +town, that there has been no rising, though the sheriffs of +London acquainted the Lords on Monday that a very +formidable one was preparing for five o'clock the next morning. +There was another tumult, indeed, at three o'clock yesterday, at +Bedford-house, but it was dispersed by reading the Riot-act. In +the mean time, the revolution has turned round again. The +ministers desired the King to commission Lord Granby, the Duke of +Richmond, and Lord Waldegrave, to suppress the riots, which, in +truth, was little short of asking for the power of the sword +against himself. On this, his Majesty determined to name the +Duke of Cumberland captain-general but the tranquillity of the +rioters happily gave H. R. H. occasion to persuade the King to +suspend that resolution. Thank God! From eleven o'clock +yesterday, when I heard it, till nine at night, when I learned +that the resolution had dropped, I think I never passed such +anxious hours! nay, I heard it was done, and looked upon the +civil war as commenced. During these events, the Duke was +endeavouring to form a ministry, but, luckily, nobody would +undertake it when Mr. Pitt had refused so the King is reduced to +the mortification, and it is extreme, of taking his old ministers +again. They are insolent enough, you may believe. Grenville has +treated his master in the most impertinent manner, and they are +now actually digesting the terms that they mean to impose on +their captive, and Lord Bute is the chief object of their rage; +though I think Lord Holland will not escape, nor Lord +Northumberland, whom they treat as an encourager of the rioters. +Both he and my lady went on Monday night to Bedford-house, and +were received with every mark of insult.(831) The Duke turned +his back on the Earl, without speaking to him, and he was kept +standing an hour exposed to all their railery. Still I have a +more extraordinary event to tell you than all I have related. +Lord Temple and George Grenville were reconciled yesterday +morning, by the intervention of Augustus Hervey; and, perhaps, +the next thing you wilt hear, may be that Lord Temple is sent by +this ministry to Ireland, though Lord Weymouth is again much +talked of for it. + +The report of Norwich and Manchester weavers on the road is now +doubted. If Lord Bute is banished, I suppose the Duke of Bedford +will become the hero of this very mob, and every act of power +which they (the ministers] have executed, let who will have been +the adviser, will be forgotten. It will be entertaining to see +Lord Temple supporting Lord Halifax on general warrants! + +You have more than once seen your old master(832) reduced to +surrender up his closet to a cabal--but never with such +circumstances of insult, indignity, and humiliation! For our +little party, it is more humbled than ever. Still I prefer that +state to what I dread; I mean, seeing your brother embarked in a +desperate administration. It was proposed first to make him +secretary at war, then secretary of state, but he declined both. +Yet I trembled, lest he should think bound in honour to obey the +commands of the King and Duke of Cumberland; but, to my great +joy, that alarm is over, unless the triumphant faction exact more +than the King can possibly suffer. It will rejoice you, however, +my dear lord, to hear that Mr. Conway is perfectly restored to +the King's favour; and that if he continues in opposition, it +will not be against the King, but a most abominable faction, who, +having raged against the constitution and their country to pay +court to Lord Bute, have even thrown off that paltry mask, and +avowedly hoisted the standard of their own power. Till the King +has signed their demands, one cannot look upon this scene as +closed. + +Friday evening. + +You will think, my dear lord, and it is natural you should, that +I write my letters at once, and compose one part with my +prophecies, and the other with the completion of them; but you +must recollect that I understand this country pretty well,-- +attend closely to what passes,--have very good intelligence,--and +know the characters of the actors thoroughly. A little sagacity +added to such foundation, easily carries one's sight a good way; +but you will care for my narrative more than my reflections, so I +proceed. + +On Wednesday, the ministers dictated their terms; you will not +expect much moderation, and, accordingly, there was not a grain: +they demanded a royal promise of never consulting Lord Bute, +Secondly, the dismission of Mr. Mckinsy from the direction of +Scotland; thirdly, and lastly, for they could go no further, the +crown itself--or, in their words the immediate nomination of Lord +Granby to be captain-general. You may figure the King's +indignation--for himself, for his favourite, for his uncle. In +my own opinion, the proposal of grounds for taxing his majesty +himself hereafter with breaking his word,(833) was the bitterest +affront of all. He expressed his anger and astonishment, and +bade them return at ten at night for his answer; but, before +that, he sent the Chancellor to the junta, consenting to displace +Mekinsy,(834) refusing to promise not to consult Lord Bute, +though acquiescing to his not interfering in business, but with a +peremptory refusal to the article of Lord Granby. The rebels +took till next morning to advise on their answer; when they gave +up the point of Lord Granby, and contented themselves with the +modification on the chapter of Lord Bute. However, not to be too +complimentary, they demanded Mekinsy's place for Lord Lorn,(835) +and the instant removal of Lord Holland; both of which have been +granted. Charles Townshend is paymaster, and Lord Weymouth +viceroy of Ireland; so Lord Northumberland remains on the pav`e, +which, as there is no place vacant for him, it was not necessary +to stipulate. The Duchess of bedford, with colours flying, +issued out of her garrison yesterday, and took possession of the +drawing-room. To-day their majesties are gone to Woburn; but as +the Duchess is a perfect Methodist against all suspicious +characters, it is said, to-day, that Lord Talbot is to be added +to the list of proscriptions, and now they think themselves +established for ever.--Do they so? Lord Temple declares himself +the warmest friend of the present administration;--there is a +mystery still to be cleared up,--and, perhaps, a little to the +mortification of Bedford-house.--We shall see. + +The Duke of Cumberland is retired to Windsor: your brother gone +to Park-place: I go to Strawberry to-morrow, lest people should +not think me a great man too. I don't know whether I shall not +even think it necessary to order myself a fit of the gout.(836) +I have received your short letter of the 16th, with the memorial +of the family of Brebeuf;--now my head will have a little +leisure, I will examine it,. and see if I can do any thing in the +affair. In that letter you say, you have been a month without +hearing from any of your friends. I little expected to be taxed +on that head: I have written you volumes almost every day; my +last dates have been of April 11th, 20th, May 5th, 12th, and +16th. I beg you will look over them, and send me word exactly, +and I beg you not to omit it, whether any of these are missing. +Three of them I trusted to Guerchy, but took care they should +contain nothing which it signified whether seen or not on t'other +side of the water, though I did not care they should be perused +on this. I had the caution not to let him have this, though by +the eagerness with which he proffered both to-day and yesterday, +to send any thing by his couriers, I suspected he wished to help +them to better intelligence than he could give them himself. He +even told me he should have another courier depart on Tuesday +next; but I excused myself, on the pretence of having too much to +write at once, and shall send this, and a letter your brother has +left me, by mr. Craufurd, though he does not set out till Sunday; +but you had better wait for it from him, than from the Duc de +Choiseul. Pray commend my discretion--you see I grow a +consummate politician; but don't approve of it too much, lest I +only send you letters as prudent as your own. + +You may acquaint Lady Holland with the dismission of her lord, if +she has not heard it, he being at Kingsgate. Your secretary(837) +is likely to be prime minister in Ireland. Two months ago the +new Viceroy himself was going to France for debt, leaving his +wife and children to be maintained by her mother.(838) + +I will be much obliged to you, my dear lord, if you will contrive +to pay Lady Stanhope for the medals; they cost, I think, but 4 +pounds 7 shillings or thereabout--but I have lost the note. + +Adieu! here ends volume the first. Omnia mutantur, sed non +mutamur in illis. Princess Amelia, who has a little veered round +to northwest, and by Bedford, does not speak tenderly of her +brother--but if some families are reconciled, others are +disunited. The Keppels are at open war with the Keppels, and +Lady Mary Coke weeps with one eye over Lady Betty Mackinsy, and +smiles with t'other on Lady Dalkeith;(839) but the first eye is +the sincerest. The Duke of Richmond, in exactly the same +proportion, is divided between his sisters, Holland and Bunbury. + +Thank you much for your kindness about Mr. T. Walpole-I have not +had a moment's time to see him, but will do full justice to your +goodness. Yours ever, H. W. + +Pray remember the dates of my letters--you will be strangely +puzzled for a clue, if one of them has miscarried. Sir Charles +Bunbury is not to be secretary for Ireland, but Thurlow the +lawyer:(840) they are to stay five years without returning. Lord +Lorn has declined, and Lord Frederic Campbell is to be lord privy +seal for Scotland. Lord Waldegrave, they say, chamberlain to the +Queen.(841) + +(831) From the family, not from the rioters.-C. + +(832) George the Second. + +(833) This alludes to the required promise not to consult Lord +Bute. + +(834) The Following is from Mr. Stuart Mackenzie's own account of +his removal, in the Mitchell MSS:--"They demanded certain terms, +without which they declined coming in; the principal of which +was, that I should be dismissed from the administration of the +affairs of Scotland, and likewise from the office of privy seal. +His Majesty answered, that as to the first, it would be no great +punishment, he believed, to me, as I had never been very fond of +the employment; but as to the second, I had his promise to +continue it for life. Grenville replied to this purpose: 'In +that case, Sir, we must decline coming in.'--'No,' says the King, +'I will not, on that account, put the whole kingdom in confusion, +and leave it without a government at all; but I will tell you how +that matter stands --that he has my royal word to continue in the +office; and if you force me, from the situation of things, to +violate my royal word, remember you are responsible for it, and +not I.' Upon that very solemn charge, Grenville answered, 'Sir, +we must make some arrangement for Mr. Mackenzie.' The King +answered, 'If I know any thing of him, he will give himself very +little trouble about your arrangements for him.' His Majesty +afterwards sent for me to his closet, where I was a very +considerable time with him; and if it were possible for me to +love my excellent prince now better than I ever did before, I +should certainly do it; for I have every reason that can induce a +generous mind to feel his goodness for me; but such was his +Majesty's situation at this time, that, had he absolutely +rejected my dismission, he would have put me in the most +disagreeable situation in the world; and, what was of much higher +consequence, he would leave greatly distressed his affairs."-E. + +(835) John Marquis of Lorn, afterwards fifth Duke of Argyle; a +lieutenant-general in the army: he was brother of (General +Conway's lady.-C. + +(836) An allusion to Mr. Pitt.-C. + +(837) Sir Charles Bunbury, secretary of embassy at Paris, was +nominated secretary to Lord Weymouth, and held that office for +about two months.-E. + +(838) The straitened circumstances of Lord Weymouth made his +nomination very unpopular in Ireland: he never went over.-C. + +(839) In the recent arrangement, Lady Betty's husband was, as we +have seen, dismissed from, and Lady Dalkeith's (Charles +Townshend) acceded to, office.-C. + +(840) This was a mistake.-E. + +(841) This is the last of the series of letters written by +Walpole to Lord Hertford: to the publication is subjoined the +following postscript:-"The state of the administration, as +described in the foregoing letters, could evidently not last; and +after the failure of several attempts to induce Mr. Pitt to take +the government on terms which the King could grant, the Duke of +Cumberland, at his Majesty's desire, succeeded in forming the +Rockingham administration, in which General Conway was secretary +of state and leader of the House of Commons, and Lord Hertford, +lord lieutenant of Ireland. There can be little doubt, that +during these transactions, Mr. Walpole (although he had in the +interval a severe fit Of the gout) wrote to Lord Hertford, but no +other letter of this series has been discovered; which is the +more to be regretted, as the state of parties was it that moment +particularly interesting. The refusal of Mr. Pitt raised the +ministers to a pitch of confidence, (perhaps@, we might say, +-arrogance,) which, as Mr. Walpole foresaw, accelerated their +fall. So blind were they to their true situation, that Mr. +Rigby, who was as deep as any man in the ministerial councils, +writes to a private friend "I never thought, to tell you the +truth, that we were in any danger from this last political cloud. +The Duke of Cumberland's political system, grafted upon the Earl +of Bute's stock, seems, of all others, the least capable of +succeeding.' This letter was written on the 7th of July, and on +the 10th the new ministry was formed."-C. + + + + +Letter 253 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, May 26, 1765. (page 405) + +If one of the one hundred events, and one hundredth part of the +one hundred thousand reports that have passed, and been spread in +this last month, have reached your solitary hill, you must be +surprised at not a single word from me during that period. The +number of events is my excuse. Though mine is the pen of a +pretty ready writer, I could not keep pace with the revolution of +each day, each hour. I had not time to begin the narrative, much +less to finish it: no, I Must keep the whole to tell you at once, +or to read it to you, for I think I shall write the history, +which, let me tell you, Buckinger himself could not have crowded +into a nutshell. + +For your part, you will be content though the house of Montagu +has not made an advantageous figure in this political warfare; +yet it is crowned with victory, and laurels you know compensate +for every scar. You went out of town frightened out of your +senses at the giant prerogative: alack! he is grown so tame, +that, as you said of our earthquake, you may stroke him.(842) The +Regency-bill, not quite calculated with that intent, has produced +four regents, King Bedford, king Grenville, King Halifax, and +king Twitcher.(843) Lord Holland is turned out, and Stuart +Mackenzie. Charles Townshend is paymaster, and Lord Bute +annihilated; and all done without the help of the Whigs. You +love to guess what one is going to say. Now you may what I am +not going to say. your newspapers perhaps have given you a long +roll of opposition names, who were coming into place, and so all +the world thought; but the Wind turned quite round, and left them +on the strand, and just where they were, except in opposition +which is declared to be at an end. Enigma as all this may sound, +the key would open it all to you in the twinkling of an +administration. In the mean time we have family reconciliations +without end. The King and the Duke of Cumberland have been shut +up together day and night; Lord Temple and George Grenville are +sworn brothers; well, but Mr. Pitt, where is he? In the clouds, +for aught I know; in one of which he may descend like the kings +of Bantam, and take quiet possession of the throne again. + +As a thorough-bass to these squabbles, we have had an +insurrection and a siege. Bedford-house, though garrisoned by +horse and foot guards, was on the point of being taken. The +besieged are in their turn triumphant; and, if any body now was +to publish "Droit le Duc,"(844) I do not think the House of Lords +would censure his book. Indeed the regents may do what they +please, and turn out whom they will; I see nothing to resist +them. Lord Bute will not easily be tempted to rebel when the +last struggle has cost him so dear. + +I am sorry for some of my friends, to whom I wished more fortune. +For myself, I am but just where I should have been had they +succeeded. It is satisfaction enough to me to be delivered from +politics; which you know I have long detested. When I was +tranquil enough to write Castles of Otranto in the midst of grave +nonsense and foolish councils of war, I am not likely to disturb +myself with the diversions of the court where I am not connected +with a soul. As it has proved to be the interest of the present +ministers, however contrary to their torturer views, to lower the +crown, they will scarce be in a hurry to aggrandize it again. +That will satisfy you; and I, you know, am satisfied if I have +any thing to laugh at--'tis a lucky age for a man who is so +easily contented! + +The poor Chute has had another relapse, but is out of bed again. +I am thinking of my journey to France; but, as Mr. Conway has a +mind I should wait for him, I don't know whether it will take +place before the autumn. I will by no means release you from +your promise of making me a visit here before I go. + +Poor Mr. Bentley, I doubt, is under the greatest difficulties of +any body. His poem, which he modestly delivered over to +immortality, must be cut and turned; for Lord Halifax and Lord +Bute cannot sit in the same canto together; then the horns and +hoofs that he had bestowed on Lord Temple must be pared away, and +beams of glory distributed over his whole person. 'Tis a +dangerous thing to write political panegyrics or satires; it +draws the unhappy bard into a thousand scrapes and +contradictions. The edifices and inscriptions at Stowe should be +a lesson not to erect monuments to the living. I will not place +an ossuarium in my garden for my cat, before her bones are ready +to be placed in it. I hold contradictions to be as essential to +the definition of a political man, as any visible or featherless +quality can be to man in general. Good night! + +28th. + +I shall send this by the coach; so whatever comes with it is only +to make bundle. Here are some lines that came into my head +yesterday in the postchaise, as I was reading in the Annual +Register an account of a fountain-tree in one of the Canary +Islands, which never dies, and supplies the inhabitants with +water. I don't warrant the longevity though the hypostatic union +of a fountain may eternize the tree. + +"In climes adust, where rivers never flow, +Where constant suns repel approaching snow, +How Nature's various and inventive hand +Can pour unheard-of moisture o'er the land! +immortal plants she bids on rocks arise, +And from the dropping branches streams supplies, +The thirsty native sucks the falling shower, +Nor asks for juicy fruit or blooming flower; +But haply doubts when travellers maintain, +That Europe's forests melt not into rain." + +(842) See ant`e, p. 365, letter 237.-E. + +(843) Wilkes, in the North Briton, had applied to the Earl of +Sandwich the sobriquet of jemmy Twitcher.-E. + +(844) ant`e, p. 294, letter 194.-E. + + + +Letter 254 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, June 10, 1765, Eleven at night. (page 407) + +I am just come out of the garden in the most oriental of all +evenings, and from breathing odours beyond those of Araby. The +acacias, which the Arabians have the sense to worship, are +covered with blossoms, the honeysuckles dangle from every tree in +festoons, the seringas are thickets of sweets, and the new-cut +hay in the field tempers the balmy gales with simple freshness; +while a thousand sky-rockets launched into the air at Ranelagh or +Marybone illuminate the scene, and give it an air of Haroun +Alraschid's paradise. I was not quite so content by daylight; +some foreigners dined here, and, though they admired our verdure, +it mortified me by its brownness--we have not had a drop of rain +this month to cool the tip of our daisies. My company was Lady +Lyttelton, Lady Schaub, a Madame de Juliac from the Pyreneans, +very handsome, not a girl, and of Lady Schaub's mould; the Comte +de Caraman, nephew of Madame de Mirepoix, a Monsieur de +Clausonnette, and General Schouallow,(845) the favourite of the +late Czarina; absolute favourite for a dozen years, without +making an enemy. In truth, he is very amiable, humble, and +modest. Had he been ambitious, he might have mounted the throne: +as he was not, you may imagine they have plucked his plumes a +good deal. There is a little air of melancholy about him, and, +if I am not mistaken, Some secret wishes for the fall of the +present Empress; which, if it were civil to suppose, I could +heartily join with him in hoping for. As we have still liberty +enough left to dazzle a Russian, he seems charmed with England, +and perhaps liked even this place the more as belonging to the +son of one that, like himself, had been prime minister. If he +has no more ambition left than I have, he must taste the felicity +of being a private man. What has Lord Bute gained, but the +knowledge of how many ungrateful sycophants favour and power can +create? + +If you have received the parcel that I consined to Richard Brown +for you, you will have found an explanation of my long silence. +Thank you for being alarmed for my health. + +The day after to-morrow I go to Park-place for four or five days, +and soon after to Goodwood. My French journey is still in +suspense; Lord Hertford talks of coming over for a fortnight; +perhaps I may go back with him; but I have determined nothing +yet, till I see farther into the present chase, that somehow or +other I may take my leave of politics for ever; for can any thing +be so wearisome as politics on the account of others? Good +night! shall I not see you here? Yours ever. + +(845) The Comte de Schouwaloff. See ant`e, p. 382, letter 245. +Walpole says, in a note to Madame du Deffand's letter to him of +the 19th of April, 1766, "Il fut IC favori, l'on croit le mari, +de la Czarine Elizabeth de Russie, et pendant douze ans de faveur +il ne se fit point un ennemi."-E. + + + +Letter 255 To The Right Hon. Lady Hervey. +Strawberry Hill, June 11, 1765. (page 408) + +I am almost as much ashamed, Madam, to plead the true cause of my +faults towards your ladyship, as to have been guilty of any +neglect. It is scandalous, at my age, to have been carried +backwards and forwards to balls and suppers and parties by very +young people, as I was all last week. My resolutions of growing +old and staid are admirable: I wake with a sober plan, and intend +to pass the day with my friends--then comes the Duke of Richmond, +and hurries me down to Whitehall to dinner-then the Duchess of +Grafton sends for me to loo in Upper Grosvenor-street--before I +can get thither, I am begged to step to Kensington, to give Mrs. +Anne Pitt my opinion about a bow-window--after the loo, I am to +march back to Whitehall to supper-and after that, am to walk with +Miss Pelham on the terrace till two in the morning, because it is +moonlight and her chair is not come. All this does not help my +morning laziness; and, by the time I have breakfasted, fed my +birds and my squirrels, and dressed, there is an auction ready. +In short, Madam, this was my life last week, and is I think every +week, with the addition of forty episodes. Yet, ridiculous as it +is, I send it your ladyship, because I had rather you should +laugh at me than be angry. I cannot offend you in intention, but +I fear my sins of omission are equal to many a good Christian's. +Pray forgive me. I really will begin to be between forty and +fifty by the time I am fourscore; and I truly believe I shall +bring my resolutions within compass; for I have not chalked out +any particular business that will take me above forty years more; +so that, if I do not get acquainted with the grandchildren of all +the present age, I shall lead a quiet sober life yet before I +die. + +As Mr. Bateman's is the kingdom of flowers, I must not wish to +send you any; else, Madam, I should load wagons with acacias, +honeysuckles, and seringas. Madame de Juliac, who dined here +owned that the climate and odours equalled Languedoc. I fear the +want of rain made the turf put her in mind of it, too. Monsieur +de Caraman entered into the gothic spirit of the place, and +really seemed pleased, which was more than I expected; for, +between you and me, Madam, our friends the French have seldom +eyes for any thing they have not been used to see all their +lives. I beg my warmest compliments to your host and Lord +Ilchester. I wish your ladyship all pleasure and health, and am, +notwithstanding my idleness, your most faithful and devoted +humble servant. + + + +Letter 256 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Saturday night. (page 409) + +I must scrawl a line to you, though with the utmost difficulty, +for I am in my bed; but I see they have foolishly put it into the +Chronicle that I am dangerously ill; and as I know you take in +that paper, and are one of the very, very few, of whose +tenderness and friendship I have not the smallest doubt, I give +myself pain, rather than let you feel a moment's unnecessarily. +It is true, I have had a terrible attack of the gout in my +stomach, head, and both feet, but have truly never been in danger +any more than one must be in such a situation. My head and +stomach are perfectly well; my feet far from it. I have kept my +room since this day se'nnight, and my bed these three days, but +hope to get up to-morrow. You know my writing and my veracity, +and that I would not deceive you. As to my person, it will not +be so easy to reconnoitre it, for I question whether any of it +will remain; it was easy to annihilate so airy a substance. +Adieu! + + + +Letter 257 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Wednesday noon, July 3, 1765. (page 410) + +The footing part of my dance with my shocking partner the gout is +almost over. I had little pain there this last night, and got, +at twice, about three hours' sleep; but, whenever I waked, found +my head very bad, which Mr. Graham thinks gouty too. The fever +is still very high: but the same sage is of opinion, with my Lady +LOndonderry, that if it was a fever from death, I should die; but +as it is only a fever from the gout, I shall live. I think so +too, and hope that, like the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough., +they are so inseparable, that when one goes t'other will. + +Tell Lady Ailesbury, I fear it will be long before I shall be +able to compass all your terraces again. The weather is very +hot, and I have the (comfort of a window open all day. I have +got a bushel of roses too, and a new scarlet nightingale, which +does not sing Nancy Dawson from morning to night. Perhaps you +think all these poor pleasures; but you are ignorant what a +provocative the gout is, and what charms it can bestow on a +moment's amusement! Oh! it beats all the refinements of a Roman +sensualist. It has made even my watch a darling plaything; I +strike it as often as a child does. Then the disorder of my +sleep diverts me when I am awake. I dreamt that I went to see +Madame de Bentheim at Paris, and that she had the prettiest +palace in the world, built like a pavilion, of yellow laced with +blue; that I made love to her daughter, whom I called +Mademoiselle Bleue et Jaune, and thought it very clever. + +My next reverie was very serious, and lasted half an hour after I +was awake; which you will perhaps think a little light-headed, +and so do I. I thought Mr. Pitt had had a conference with Madame +de Bentheim, and granted all her demands. I rung for Louis at +six in the morning, and wanted to get up and inform myself of +what had been kept so secret from me. You must know, that all +these visions of Madame de Bentheim flowed from George Selwyn +telling me last night, that she had carried most of her points, +and was returning. What stuff I tell you! But alas! I have +nothing better to do, sitting on my bed, and wishing to forget +how brightly the sun shines, when I cannot be at Strawberry. +Yours ever. + + + +Letter 258 To The Countess Of Suffolk.(846) +London, July 3, 1765. (page 411) + +Your ladyship's goodness to me on all occasions makes me flatter +myself that I am not doing an impertinence in telling you I am +alive; though, after what I have suffered, you may be sure there +cannot be much of me left. The gout has been a little in my +stomach, much more in my head, but luckily never out of my right +foot, and for twelve, thirteen, and seventeen hours together, +insisting upon having its way as absolutely as ever my Lady +Blandford(847) did. The extremity of pain seems to be over, +though I sometimes think my tyrant puts in his claim to t'other +foot; and surely he is, like most tyrants, mean as well as cruel, +or he could never have thought the leg of a lark such a prize. +The fever, the tyrant's first minister, has been as vexatious as +his master, and makes use of this hot day to plague me more; yet, +as I was sending a servant to Twickenham, I could not help +scrawling out a few lines to ask how your ladyship does, to tell +you how I am, and to lament the roses, strawberries, and banks of +the river. I know nothing, Madam, of ,any kings or ministers but +those I have mentioned; and this administration I fervently hope +will be changed soon, and for all others I shall be very +indifferent. had a (,real prince come to my bedside yesterday, I +should have begged that the honour might last a very few minutes. +I am, etc. + +(846) Now first collected. + +(847) lady Blandford was somewhat impatient in her temper. See +ant`e, p. 342, letter 220.-E. + + + +letter 259 To The Countess Of Suffolk.(848) +Arlington Street, July 9, 1765. (page 411) + +Madam, +though instead of getting better, as I flattered myself I should, +I have gone through two very painful and sleepless nights, yet as +I give audience here in my bed to new ministers and foreign +ministers, I think it full as much my duty to give an account of +myself to those who are so good as to wish me well. I am reduced +to nothing but bones and spirits; but the latter make me bear the +inconvenience of the former, though they (I mean my bones) lie in +a heap over one another like the bits of ivory at the game of +straws. + +It is very melancholy, at the instant I was getting quit of +politics, to be visited with the only thing that is still more +plaguing. However, I believe the fit of politics going off makes +me support the new-comer better. Neither of them indeed will +leave me plumper;(849) but if they will both leave me at peace, +your ladyship knows it is all I have ever desired. The chiefs +of' the new ministry were to have kissed hands to-day; but Mr. +Charles Townshend, who, besides not knowing either of his own +minds, has his brother's minds to know too, could not determine +last night. Both brothers are gone to the King to-day. I was +much concerned to hear so bad an account of your ladyship's +health. Other people would wish you a severe fit, which is a +very cheap wish to them who do not feel it: I, who do, advise you +to be content with it in detail. Adieu! Madam. Pray keep a +little summer for me. I will give You a bushel of politics, when +I come to Marble Hill, for a teacup of strawberries and cream. + +Mr. Chetwynd,(851) I suppose, is making the utmost advantage of +any absence, frisking and cutting capers before Miss Hotham, and +advising her not to throw herself away on a decrepit old man.- +-Well, fifty years hence he may begin to be an old man too; and +then I shall not pity him, though I own he is the best-humoured +lad in the world now. Yours, etc. + +(848) Now first collected. + +(849) Walpole was too fond of this boast of disinterestedness. +What was it but politics that made his fortune so plump? His +fortune from his father, we know from himself, was very +inconsiderable;-but from his childhood he held sinecure offices +which, during the greater part of his life, produced him between +six and seven thousand pounds per annum.-C. + +(851) William Chetwynd, brother of the two first Viscounts, and +himself, in 1767, third Viscount Chetwynd. He was at this time +nearly eighty years of age.-E. + + + +Letter 260 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, July 11, 1765. (page 412) + +You are so good, I must write you a few lines, and you will +excuse My not writing many, my posture is so uncomfortable, lying +on a couch by the side of my bed, and writing on the bed. I have +in this manner been what they call out of bed for two days, but I +mend very slowly, and get no strength in my feet at all; however, +I must have patience. + +Thank you for your kind offer; but, my dear Sir, you can do me no +good but what you always do me, in coming to see me. I +should hope that would be before I go to France, whither I +certainly go the beginning of September, if not sooner. The +great and happy change-happy, I hope, for this country--is +actually begun. The Duke of Bedford, George Grenville, and the +two Secretaries are discarded. Lord Rockingham is first lord of +the treasury, Dowdeswell chancellor of the exchequer, the Duke of +Grafton and Mr. Conway secretaries of state. You need not wish +me joy, for I know you do. There is a good deal more to +come,(852) and what is better, regulation of general warrants, +and of undoing at least some of the mischiefs these - have been +committing; some, indeed, is past recovery! I long to talk it +all over with you; though it is hard that when I may write what I +will, I am not able. The poor Chute is relapsed again, and we +are no comfort to one another but by messages. An offer from +Ireland was sent to Lord Hertford last night from his brother's +office. Adieu! + +(852) "There has been pretty clean sweeping already," wrote Lord +Chesterfield on the 15th; and I do not remember, in my time, to +have seen so much at once, as an entire new board of treasury, +and two new secretaries, etc. Here is a new political arch +built; but of materials of so different a nature, and without a +keystone, that it does not, in my opinion, indicate either +strength or duration. It will certainly require repairs and a +keystone next winter, and that keystone will and must necessarily +be Mr. Pitt."-E. + + + +Letter 262 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, August 23, 1765. (page 414) + +As I know that when you love people, you love them, I feel for +the concern that the death of Lady Bab. Montagu(854) Will give +you. Though you have long lived out of the way of seeing her, +you are not a man to forget by absence, or all your friends would +have still more reason to complain of your retirement. Your +solitude prevents your filling up the places of those that are +gone. In the world, new acquaintances slide into our habits, but +you keep so strict a separation between your old friends and new +faces, that the loss of any of the former must be more Sensible +to you than to most people. I heartily condole with you, and yet +I must make you smile. The second Miss Jefferies was to go to a +ball yesterday at Hampton-court with Lady Sophia Thomas's +daughters. The news came, and your aunt Cosby said the girl must +not go to it. The poor child then cried in earnest. Lady Sophia +went to intercede for her, and found her grandmother at +backgammon, who would hear no entreaties. Lady Sophia +represented that Miss Jefferies was but a second cousin, and +could not have been acquainted. "Oh! Madam, if there is no +tenderness left in the world-cinq ace--Sir, you are to throw." + +We have a strange story come from London. Lord Fortescue was +dead suddenly; there was a great mob about his house in +Grosvenor-square, and a buzz that my lady had thrown up the sash +and cried murder, and that he then shot himself. How true all +this I don't know: at least it is not so false as if it was in +the newspapers. However, these sultry summers do not suit English +heads: this last month puts even the month of November's nose out +of joint for self-murders. If it was not for the Queen the +peerage would be extinct: she has given us another Duke.(855) + +My two months are up, and yet I recover my feet very slowly. I +have crawled once round my garden; but it sent me to my couch for +the rest of the day. This duration of weakness makes me very +impatient, as I wish much to be at Paris before the fine season +is quite gone. This will probably be the last time I shall +travel to finish my education, and I should be glad to look once +more at their gardens and villas: nay, churches and palaces are +but uncomfortable sights in cold weather, and I have much more +curiosity for their habitations than their company. They have +scarce a man or a woman of note that one wants to see; and, for +their authors, their style is grown so dull in imitation of us, +they are si philosophes, si g`eom`etres, si moraux, that I +certainly should not cross the sea in search of ennui, that I can +have in such perfection at home. However, the change of scene is +my chief inducement, and to get out of politics. There is no +going through another course of patriotism in your cousin +Sandwich and George Grenville. I think of setting out by the +middle of September; have I any chance of seeing you here before +that? Won't you come and commission me to offer up your +devotions to Notre Dame de Livry?(8 or chez nos filles de Sainte +Marie. If I don't make haste, the reformation in France will +demolish half that I want to see. I tremble for the Val de Grace +and St. Cyr. The devil take Luther for putting it into the heads +of his methodists to pull down the churches! I believe in twenty +years there Will not be a convent left in Europe but this at +Strawberry. I wished for you to-day; Mr. Chute and Cowslade +dined here; the day was divine: the sun gleamed down into the +chapel in all the glory of popery; the gallery was all radiance; +we drank our coffee on the bench under the great ash-tree; the +verdure was delicious; our tea in the Holbein room, by which a +thousand chaises and barges passed; and I showed them my new +cottage and garden over the way, which they had never seen, and +with which they were enchanted. It is so retired, so modest, and +yet so cheerful and trim, that I expect you to fall in love with +it. I intend to bring it a handful of treillage and agr`emens +from Paris; for being cross the road, and quite detached, it is +to have nothing gothic about it, nor pretend to call cousins with +the mansion-house. + +I know no more of the big world at London, than if I had not a +relation in the ministry. To be free from pain and politics is +such a relief to me, that I enjoy my little comforts and +amusements here beyond expression. No mortal ever entered the +gate of ambition with such transport as I took leave of them all +at the threshold. Oh! if my Lord Temple knew what pleasures he +could create for himself at Stowe, he would not harass a +shattered carcass, and sigh to be insolent at St. James's! For my +part, I say with the bastard in King John, though with a little +more reverence, and only as touching his ambition, +Oh! old Sir Robert, father, on my knee +I give Heaven thanks I was not like to thee. + +Adieu! Yours most cordially. + +(854) Lady Barbara Montagu, daughter of George second Earl of +Halifax.-E. + +(855) The Duke of Clarence, born on the 21st of August; +afterwards King William the Fourth.-'E. + +(856) Madame de S`evign`e, whom Walpole frequently alludes to +under this title.-E. + + + +Letter 261 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, July 28, 1765. (page 413) + +The less one is disposed, if one has any sense, to talk of +oneself to people that inquire only out of compliment, and do not +listen to the answer, the more satisfaction one feels in +indulging a self-complacency, by Sighing to those that really +sympathize with our griefs. Do not think it is pain that makes +me give this low-spirited air to my letter. No, it is the +prospect of what is to come, not the sensation of what is +passing, that affects me. The loss of youth is melancholy +enough; but to enter into old age through the gate of infirmity +is most disheartening. My health and spirits make me take but +slight notice of the transition, and under the persuasion of +temperance being a talisman, I marched boldly on towards the +descent of the hill, knowing I must fall at last, but not +suspecting that I should stumble by the way. This confession +explains the mortification I feel. A month's confinement to one +who never kept his bed a day is a stinging lesson, and has +humbled my insolence to almost indifference. Judge, then, how +little I interest myself about public events. I know nothing of +them since I came hither, where I had not only the disappointment +of not growing better, but a bad return In one of my feet, so +that I am still wrapped up and upon a couch. It was the more +unlucky as Lord Hertford is come to England for a few days. He +has offered to come to me; but as I then should see him only for +some minutes, I propose being carried to town tomorrow. It will +be SO long before I can expect to be able to travel, that my +French journey will certainly not take place so soon as I +intended, and if Lord Hertford goes to Ireland, I shall be still +more fluctuating; for though the Duke and Duchess of Richmond +will replace them at Paris, and are as eager to have me with +them, I have had so many more years heaped upon me within this +month, that I have not the conscience to trouble young people, +when I can no longer be as juvenile as they are. Indeed I shall +think myself decrepit till I again saunter into the garden in my +slippers and without my hat in all weathers--a point I am +determined to regain, if possible; for even this experience +cannot make me resign my temperance and my hardiness. I am tired +of the world, its politics, its pursuits, and its pleasures; but +it will cost me some struggles before I submit to be tender and +careful. Christ! can I ever stoop to the regimen of old age? I +do not wish to dress up a withered person, nor drag it about to +public places; but to sit in one's room, clothed warmly, +expecting visits from folk-, I don't wish to see, and tended and +flattered by relations impatient for one's death let the gout do +its worst as expeditiously as it can; it would be more welcome in +my stomach than in my limbs. I am not made to bear a course of +nonsense and advice, but must play the fool in my own way to the +last, alone with all my heart, if I cannot be with the very few I +wish to see: but, to depend for comfort on others, who would be +no comfort to me; this surely is not a state to be preferred to +death: and nobody can have truly enjoyed the advantages of youth, +health, and spirits, who is content to exist without the two +last, which alone bear any resemblance to the first.(853) + +You see how difficult it is to conquer my proud spirit: low and +weak as I am, I think my resolution and perseverance will get me +better, and that I shall still be a gay shadow; at least, I will +impose any severity upon myself, rather than humour the gout, and +sink into that indulgence with which most people treat it. +Bodily liberty is as dear to me as mental, and I would as soon +flatter any other tyrant as the gout, my Whiggism extending as +much to my health as to my principles, and being as willing to +part with life, when I cannot preserve it, as your uncle Algernon +when his freedom was at stake. Adieu! + +(853) Upon this passage the Quarterly Review observes: "Walpole's +reflections on human life are marked by strong sense and +knowledge of mankind; but our most useful lesson will perhaps be +derived from considering this man of the world, full of +information and sparkling with vivacity, stretched on a sick bed, +and apprehending all the tedious languor of helpless decrepitude +and deserted solitude." Vol. xix. p. 129.-E. + + + +Letter 263 To George Montagu, Esq. +Saturday, Aug. 31, 1765, Strawberry Hill. (page 416) + +I thought it would happen so; that I should not see you before I +left England! Indeed, I may as well give you quite up, for every +year reduces our Intercourse. I am prepared, because it must +happen, if I live, to see my friends drop off; but my mind was +not turned to see them entirely separated from me while they +live. This is very uncomfortable, but so are many things!--well! +I will go and try to forget you all--all! God knows that all that +I have left to forget is small enough; but the warm heart, that +gave me affections, is not so easily laid aside. If I could +divest myself of that, I should not, I think, find much for +friendship remaining; you, against whom I have no complaint, but +that you satisfy yourself with loving me without any desire of +seeing me, are one of the very last that I wish to preserve; but +I will say no more on a subject that my heart is too full of. + +I shall set out on Monday se'nnight, and force myself to believe +that I am glad to go, and yet this will be my chief joy, for I +promise myself little pleasure in arriving. Can you think me boy +enough to be fond of a new world at my time of life! If I did not +hate the world I know, I should not seek another. My greatest +amusement will be in reviving old ideas. The memory of what made +impressions on one's youth is ten times dearer than any new +pleasure can be. I shall probably write to you often, for I am +not disposed to communicate myself' to any thing that I have not +known these thirty years. My mind is such a compound from the +vast variety that I have seen, acted, pursued, that it would cost +me too much pains to be intelligible to young persons, if I had a +mind to open myself to them. They certainly do not desire I +should. You like my gossiping to you, though you seldom gossip +with me. The trifles that amuse my mind are the only points I +value now. I have seen the vanity of every thing serious, and +the falsehood of every thing that pretended to be serious. I go +to see French plays and buy French china, not to know their +ministers, to look into their government, or think of the +interests of nations--in short, unlike most people that are +growing old, I am convinced that nothing is charming but what +appeared important in one's youth, which afterwards passes for +follies. Oh! but those follies were sincere; if the pursuits of +age are so, they are sincere alone to self-interest. Thus I +think, and have no other care but not to think aloud. I would +not have respectable youth think me an old fool. For the old +knaves, they may suppose me one of their number if they please; I +shall not be so--but neither the one nor the other shall know +what I am. I have done with them all, shall amuse myself as well +as I can, and think as little as I can; a pretty hard task for an +active mind! + +Direct your letters to Arlington-street, whence Favre will take +care to convey them to me. I leave him to manage all my affairs, +and take no soul but Louis. I am glad I don't know your Mrs. +Anne; her partiality would make me love her; and it is entirely +incompatible with my present system to leave even a postern-door +open to any feeling which would steal in if I did not double-bolt +every avenue. + +If you send me any parcel to Arlington-street before Monday +.se'nnight I will take care of it. Many English books I conclude +are to be bought at Paris. I am sure Richardson's works are, for +they have stupefied the whole French nation:(857) I will not +answer for our best authors. You may send me your list, and, if +I do not find them, I can send you word, and you may convey them +to me by Favre's means, who will know of messengers, etc., coming +to Paris. + +I have fixed no precise time for my absence. My wish is to like +it enough to stay till February, which may happen, if I can +support the first launching into new society. I know four or +five very agreeable and sensible people there, as the Guerchys, +Madame de Mirepoix, Madame de Boufflers, and Lady Mary Chabot,- +-these intimately; besides the Duc de Nivernois, and several +others that have been here. Then the Richmonds will follow me in +a fortnight or three weeks, and their house will be a sort of +home. I actually go into it at first, till I can suit myself +with an -,apartment; but I shall take care to quit it before they +come, for, though they are in a manner my children, I do not +intend to adopt the rest of my countrymen; nor, when I quit the +best company here, to live in the worst there; such @are young +travelling boys, and, what is still worse, old travelling boys, +governors. + +Adieu! remember you have defrauded me of this summer; I will be +amply repaid the next, so make your arrangements accordingly. + +(857) "High as Richardson's reputation stood in his own country, +it was even more exalted in those of France and Germany, whose +imaginations are more easily excited, and their passions more +easily moved, by tales of fictitious distress, than are the cold- +blooded English. Foreigners of distinction have been known to +visit Hampstead, and to inquire for the Flask Walk, distinguished +as a scene in Clarissa's history, just as travellers visit the +rocks of Meillerie to view the localities of Rousseau's tale of +passion. Diderot vied with Rousseau in heaping incense upon the +shrine of the English author. The former compares him to Homer, +and predicts for his memory the same honours which are rendered +to the father of epic poetry; and the last, besides his +well-known burst of eloquent panegyric, records his opinion in a +letter to D'Alembert:--'On n'a jamais fait encore, en quelque +langue que ce soit, de roman `egal `a Clarisse, ni m`eme +approchant.'" Sir Walter Scott; Prose Works, Vol. iii. p. 49.-E. + + + +Letter 264 To The Earl Of Strafford. +Arlington Street, Sept. 3, 1765. (page 418) + +My dear lord, +I cannot quit a country where I leave any thing that I honour so +much as your lordship and Lady Strafford, without taking a sort +of leave of you. I shall set out for Paris on Monday next the +9th, and shall be happy if I can execute any commission for you +there. + +A journey to Paris Sounds youthful and healthy. I have certainly +mended much this last week, though with no pretensions to a +recovery of youth. Half the view of my journey is to +re-establish my health--the other half, to wash my hands of +politics, which I have long determined to do whenever a change +should happen. I would not abandon my friends while they were +martyrs; but, now they have gained their crown of glory, they are +well able to shift for themselves; and it was no part of my +compact to go to that heaven, St. James's, with them. Unless I +dislike Paris very much, I shall stay some time; but I make no +declarations, lest I should be soon tired of it, and coming back +again. At first, I must like it, for Lady Mary Coke will be +there, as if by assignation. The Countesses of Carlisle and +Berkeley, too, I hear, will set up their staves there for some +time; but as my heart is faithful to Lady Mary, they would not +charm me if they were forty times more Disposed to it. + +The Emperor' is dead,(858)--but so are all the Maximilians and +Leopolds his predecessors, and with no more influence on the +present state of things. The EmpressQueen will still be +master-Dowager unless she marries an Irishman, as I wish with all +my soul she may. + +The Duke and Duchess of Richmond will follow me in about a +fortnight: Lord and Lady George Lennox go with them; and Sir +Charles Banbury and Lady Sarah are to be at Paris, too, for some +time: so the English court there will be very juvenile and +blooming. This set is rather younger than the dowagers with whom +I pass so much of my summers and autumns; but this is to be my +last sally into the world and when I return, I intend to be as +sober as my cat, and purr quietly in my own chimney corner. + +Adieu, my dear lord! May every happiness attend you both, and may +I pass some agreeable days next summer with you at Wentworth +Castle! + +(858) Francis the First, Emperor of Germany, died at Inspruck, on +Sunday the 18th of August. He was in good health the greater part +of the day, and assisted at divine service; but, between nine and +ten in the evening, he was attacked by a fit of apoplexy, and +expired in a few minutes afterwards in the arms of his son, the +King of the Romans.-E. + + + +Letter 265 To The Right Hon. Lady Hervey. +Arlington Street, Sept. 3, 1765. (page 419) + +The trouble your ladyship has given yourself so immediately, +makes me, as I always am, ashamed of putting you to any. There +is no persuading you to oblige moderately. Do you know, Madam, +that I shall tremble to deliver the letters you have been so good +as to send me? If you have said half so much of me, as you are, +so partial as to think of me, I shall be undone. Limited as I +know myself, and hampered in bad French, how shall I keep up to +any character at all? Madame d'Aiguillon and Madame Geoffrin +will never believe that I am the true messenger, but will +conclude that I have picked Mr. Walpole's portmanteau's pocket. +I wish only to present myself to them as one devoted to your +ladyship; that character I am sure I can support in any language, +and it is the one to which they would pay the most regard. Well! +I don't care, Madam-it is your reputation that is at stake more +than mine; and, if they find me a simpleton that don't know how +to express myself, it will all fall upon you at last.' If your +ladyship will risk that, I will, if you please, thank you for a +letter to Madame d'Egmont, too: I long to know your friends, +though at the hazard of their knowing yours. Would I were a +jolly old man, to match, at least, in that respect, your jolly +old woman!(859)--But, alas! I am nothing but a poor worn-out rag, +and fear, when I come to Paris, that I shall be forced to pretend +that I have had the gout in my understanding. My spirits, such +as they are, will not bear translating; and I don't know whether +I shall not find it the wisest part I can take to fling myself +into geometry, or commerce, or agriculture, which the French now +esteem, don't understand, and think we do. They took George +Selwyn for a poet, and a judge of planting and dancing-. why may +I not pass for a learned man and a philosopher? If the worst +comes to the worst, I will admire Clarissa and Sir Charles +Grandison; and declare I have not a friend in the world that is +not like my Lord Edward Bomston, though I never knew a character +like it in my days, and hope I never shall; nor do I think +Rousseau need to have gone so far out of his way to paint a +disagreeable Englishman. + +If you think, Madam, this sally is not very favourable to the +country I am going to, recollect, that all I object to them is +their quitting their own agreeable style, to take up the worst of +ours. Heaven knows, we are unpleasing enough; but, in the first +place, they don't understand us; and in the next, if they did, so +much the worse for them. What have they gained by leaving +Moli`ere, Boileau, Corneille, Racine, La Rochefucault, Crebillon, +Marivaux, Voltaire, etc.? No nation can be another nation. We +have been clumsily copying them for these hundred years, and are +not we grown wonderfully like them? Come, madam, you like what I +like of them? I am going thither, and you have no aversion to +going thither--but own the truth; had not we both rather go +thither fourscore years ago? Had you rather be acquainted with +the charming madame Scarron, or the canting Madame de Maintenon? +with Louis XIV. when the Montespan governed him, or when P`ere le +Tellier? I am very glad when folks go to heaven, though it is +after another body's fashion; but I 'wish to converse with them +when they are themselves. I abominate a conqueror; but I do not +think he makes the world much compensation, by cutting the +throats of his Protestant subjects to atone for the massacres +caused by his ambition. + +The result of all this dissertation, Madam--for I don't know how +to call it a letter--is, that I shall look for Paris in the midst +of Paris, and shall think more of the French that have been than +the French that are, except of a few of your friends and mine. +Those I know, I admire and honour, and I am sure I will trust to +your ladyship's taste for the others; and if they had no other +merit, I can but like those that will talk to me of you. They +will find more sentiment in me on that chapter, than they can +miss parts; and I flatter myself that the one will atone for the +other. + +(859) la Duchesse Douairi`ere d'Aiguillon, n`ee Chabot, mother of +the Duc d'Aiguillon, who succeeded the Duc de Choiseul as +minister for foreign affairs. She was a correspondent of Lady +Hervey's. In a letter to Walpole, of the 20th of November 1766, +madame du Deffand says:--"Je soupai Iiier chez Madame +d'Aiguillon: elle nous lut la traduction de la Lettre d'H`eloyse +de Pope, et d'un chant du po`eme de Salomon, de Prior; elle +`ecrit admirablement bien; j'en `etais r`eellement dans +l'enthousiasme: dites-le `a Milady Hervey." She died in 1772.-E. + + + +Letter 266 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Strawberry Hill, Sept. 5, 1765. (page 420) + +Dear sir, +You cannot think how agreeable your letter was to me, and how +luckily it was timed. I thought you in Cheshire, and did not +know how to direct; I now sit down to answer it instantly. + +I have been extremely ill indeed with the gout all over; in head, +stomach, both feet, both wrists, and both shoulders. I kept my +bed a fortnight in the most sultry part of this summer; and for +nine weeks could not say I was recovered. Though I am still +weak, and very soon tired with the least walk, I am in other +respects quite well. However, to promote my entire +reestablishment, I shall set out for Paris next Monday. Thus +your letter came luckily. To hear you talk of going thither, +too, made it most agreeable. Why should you not advance your +journey? Why defer it till the winter is coming on? It would +make me quite happy to visit churches and convents with you: but +they are not comfortable in cold weather. Do, I beseech you, +follow me as soon as possible. The thought of your being there +at the same time makes me much more pleased with my journey; you +will not, I hope, like it the less; and, if our meeting there +should tempt you to stay longer, it will make me still more +happy. + +If, in the mean time, I can be of any use to you, I shall be glad +either in taking a lodging for you, Or any thing else. Let me +know, and direct to me in Arlington-street, whence my servant +Will convey it to me. Tell me above all things that you will set +out sooner. + +If I have any money left when I return, and can find a place for +it, I shall be very glad to purchase the ebony cabinet you +mention, and will make it a visit with you next summer if you +please--but first let us go to Paris. I don't give up my passion +for ebony; but, since the destruction of the Jesuits, I hear one +can pick up so many of their spoils that I am impatient for the +opportunity. + +I must finish, as I have so much business before I set out; but I +must repeat, how lucky the arrival of your letter was, how glad I +was to hear of your intended journey, and how much I wish it may +take place directly. I will only add that the court goes to +Fontainbleau, the last week in September, or first in October, +and therefore it is the season in the world for seeing all +Versailles quietly, and at one's ease. Adieu! dear sir, yours +most cordially. + + + +Letter 267 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Amiens, Wednesday, Sept. 11, 1765. (page 421) + +Beau Cousin, +I have had a very prosperous journey till just at entering this +city. I escaped a Prince of Nassau at Dover, and sickness at +sea, though the voyage lasted seven hours and a half. I have +recovered my strength surprisingly in the time; though almost +famished for want of clean victuals, and comfortable tea and +bread and butter. half a mile from hence I met a coach and four +with an equipage of French, and a lady in pea-green and silver, a +smart hat and feather., and two suivantes. My reason told me it +was the Archbishop's concubine; but luckily my heart whispered +that it was Lady Mary Coke. I Jumped out of my chaise--yes, +jumped, as Mrs. Nugent said of herself, fell on my knees, and +said my first ave Maria, grati`a plena. We just shot a few +politics flying--heard that Madame de Mirepoix had toasted me +t'other day in tea--shook hands, forgot to weep, and parted; she +to the Hereditary Princess, I to this inn, where is actually +resident the Duchess of Douglas. We are not likely to have an +intercourse, or I would declare myself' a Hamilton.(860) + +I find this country wonderfully enriched since I saw it +four-and-twenty years ago. Boulogne is grown quite a plump snug +town, with a number Of new houses. The worst villages are tight, +and wooden shoes have disappeared. Mr. Pitt and the city of +London may fancy what they will, but France will not come +a-begging to the Mansion-house this year or two. In truth. I +impute this air of opulence a little to ourselves. The crumbs +that fall from the chaises of the swarms of English that visit +Paris, must have contributed to fatten this province. It is +plain I must have little to do when I turn my hand to +calculating: but here is my observation. From Boulogne to Paris +it will cost me near ten guineas; but then consider, I travel +alone, and carry Louis most part of the way in the chaise with +me. Nous autres milords Anglais are not often so frugal. Your +brother, last year, had ninety-nine English to dinner on the +King's birthday. How many of them do you think dropped so little +as ten guineas on this road? In short, there are the seeds of a +calculation for you, and if you will water them with a torrent of +words, they will produce such a dissertation, that you will be +able to vie with George Grenville next session in plans of +national economy-only be sure not to tax travelling till I come +back, loaded with purchases; nor, till then, propagate my ideas. +It will be time enough for me to be thrifty of the nation's +money, when I have spent all my own. + +Clermont, 12th. + +While they are getting my dinner, I continue my journal. The +Duchess of Douglas (for English are generally the most +extraordinary persons that we meet with even out of England) left +Amiens before me, on her way home. You will not guess what she +carries with her--Oh! nothing that will hurt our manufactures; +nor what George Grenville himself would seize. One of her +servants died at Paris: she had him embalmed, and the body is +tied before her chaise: a droll way of being chief mourner. + +For a French absurdity, I have observed that along the great +roads they plant walnut-trees, but strip them up for firing. It +is like the owl that bit off the feet of mice, that they might +lie still and fatten. + +At the foot of this hill is an old-fashioned ch`ateau belonging +to the Duke of Fitz-James, with a parc en quincunx and clipped +hedges. We saw him walking in his waistcoat and riband, very +well powdered; a figure like Guerchy. I cannot say his seat +rivals Goodwood or Euston.(861) I shall lie at Chantilly +to-night, for I did not Set Out till ten this morning--not +because I could not, as you will suspect, get up sooner--but +because all the horses in the country have attended the Queen to +Nancy.(862) Besides, I have a little Underplot of seeing +Chantilly and St. Denis in my way: which you know one could not +do in the dark to-night, nor in winter, if I return then. + +H`otel de feue Madame l'Ambassadrice d'Angleterre, +Sept. 13, seven o'clock. + +I am Just arrived. My Lady Hertford is not at home, and Lady +Anne(863) will not come out of her burrow: so I have just time to +finish this before Madame returns; and Brian sets out to-night +and will carry it. I find I shall have a great deal to say: +formerly I observed nothing, and now remark every thing minutely. +I have already fallen in love with twenty things, and in hate +with forty. Adieu! yours ever. + +(860) The memorable cause between the houses of Douglas and +Hamilton was then pending.-E. + +(861) The Duc de Fitzjames's father, Mareschal Berwick, was a +natural son of James II. Mr. Walpole therefore compares his +country-seat with those of the Dukes of Richmond and Grafton, +similar descendants from his brother, Charles II.-E. + +(862) Stanislaus King of Poland, father to the Queen of Louis XV. +lived at Nancy.-E. + +(863) Lady Anne Seymour Conway, afterwards married to the Earl of +Drogheda.-E. + + + +Letter 268 To the Right Hon. Lady Hervey. +Paris, Sept. 14, 1765. (page 423) + +I am but two days old here, Madam, and I doubt I wish I was +really so, and had my life to begin, to live it here. You see +how just I am, and ready to make amende honorable to your +ladyship. Yet I have seen very little. My Lady Hertford has cut +me to pieces, and thrown me into a caldron with tailors, +periwig-makers, snuff-box-wrights, milliners, etc. which really +took up but little time; and I am come out quite new, with every +thing but youth. The journey recovered me with magic expedition. +My strength, if mine could ever be called strength, is returned; +and the gout going off in a minuet step. I will say nothing of +my spirits, which are indecently juvenile, and not less improper +for my age than for the country where I am; which, if you will +give me leave to say it, has a thought too much gravity. I don't +venture to laugh Or talk nonsense, but in English. + +Madame Geoffrin came to town but last night, and is not visible +on Sundays; but I hope to deliver your ladyship's letter and +packet to-morrow. Mesdames d'Aiguillon, d'Egmont, and Chabot, +and the Duc de Nivernois are all in the country. Madame de +Bouttlers is at l'Isle Adam, whither my Lady Hertford is gone +to-night to sup, for the first time, being no longer chained down +to the incivility of an ambassadress. She returns after supper; +an irregularity that frightens me, who have not got rid of all my +barbarisms. There is one, alas! I never shall get over--the dirt +of this country: it is melancholy, after the purity of +Strawberry! The narrowness of the streets, trees clipped to +resemble brooms, and planted on pedestals of chalk, and a few +other points, do not edify me. The French Opera, which I have +heard to-night, disgusted me as much as ever; and the more for +being followed by the Devin de Village, which shows that they can +sing without cracking the drum of one's ear. The scenes and +dances are delightful; the Italian comedy charming. Then I am in +love with treillage and fountains, and will prove it at +Strawberry. Chantilly is so exactly what it was when I saw it +above twenty years ago, that I recollected the very position of +Monsieur le Duc's chair and the gallery. The latter gave me the +first idea of mine; but, presumption apart, mine is a thousand +times prettier. I gave my Lord Herbert's compliments to the +statue of his friend the Constable -,(864) and, waiting some time +for the concierge, I called out, O`u est Vatel?(865) + +In short, Madam, being as tired as one can be of one's own +country,--I don't say whether that is much or little,--I find +myself wonderfully disposed to like this. Indeed I wish I Could +wash it. Madame de Guerchy is all goodness to me; but that is +not new. I have already been prevented by great civilities from +Madame de Bentheim and my old friend Madame de Mirepoix; but am +not likely to see the latter much, who is grown a most particular +favourite of the King, and seldom from him. The Dauphin is ill, +and thought in a very bad way. I hope he will live, lest the +theatres should be shut up. Your ladyship knows I never trouble +my head about royalties, farther than it affects my own interest. +In truth, the way that princes affect my interest is not the +common way. + +I have not yet tapped the chapter of baubles, being desirous of +making my revenues maintain me here as long as possible, It will +be time enough to return to my Parliament when I want money. + +Mr. Hume that is the Mode,(866) asked much about your ladyship. +I have seen Madame de Monaco(867) and think her very handsome, +and extremely pleasing. The younger Madame d'Egmont,(868) I +hear, disputes the palm with her: and Madame de Brionne(869) is +not left without partisans. The nymphs of the theatres are +laides `a faire peur which at my age is a piece of luck, like +going into a shop of curiosities, and finding nothing to tempt +one to throw away one's money. + +There are several English here, whether I will or not. I +certainly did not come for them, and shall connect with them as +little as possible. The few I value, I hope sometimes to hear +of. Your ladyship guesses how far that wish extends. Consider +too, Madam, that one of my unworthinesses is washed and done +away, by the confession I made in the beginning of my letter. + +(864) The Constable de Montmorency.-E. + +(865) The ma`itre-d'h`otel, who, during the visit which Louis +XIV. made to the grand Cond`e at Chantilly, put an end to his +existence, because he feared the sea-fish would not arrive in +time for one day's repast. + +(866) "Hume's conversation to strangers," says Lord Charlemont, +"and still more particularly, one would suppose, to French women, +could be little delightful; and yet no lady's toilette was +complete without his attendance. At the Opera, his broad, +unmeaning face was usually seen entre deux jolis minois: the +ladies in France gave the ton, and the ton was deism."-E. + +(867) Madame de Monaco, afterwards Princess de Cond`e.-E. + +(868) Daughter of the celebrated Marshal Duc de Richelieu. See +vol. iii. p. 358, letter 233, note 710. She was one of the +handsomest women in France.-E. + + +(869) Madame de Brionne, n`ee Rohan Rochefort, wife of M. de +Brionne of the house of Lorraine, and mother of the Prince de +Lambesc; known by his imprudent conduct at the head of his +regiment in the garden of the Tuileries, at the commencement of +the revolution.-E. + + + + Letter 269 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. + +Paris, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 1765. (page 424) + +Dear sir, +I have this moment received your letter, and as a courier is just +setting out, I had rather take the opportunity of writing to you +a short letter than defer it for a longer. + +I had a very good passage, and pleasant journey, and find myself +surprisingly recovered for the time. Thank you for the good news +you tell me of your coming: it gives me great joy. + +To the end of this week I shall be in Lord Hertford's house; so +have not yet got a lodging: but when I do, you will easily find +me. I have no banker, but credit on a merchant who is a private +friend of ]lord Hertford; consequently, I cannot give you credit +on him: but you shall have the use of my credit, which will be +the same thing; and we can settle our accounts together. I +brought about a hundred pounds with me, as I would advise you to +do. Guineas you may change into louis or French crowns at Calais +and Boulogne; and even small bank-bills will be taken here. In +any shape I will assist you. Be careful on the road. My +portmanteau, with part of my linen, was stolen from before my +chaise at noon, while I went to see Chantilly. If you stir out +of your room, lock the door of it in the inn, or leave your man +in it. If you arrive near the time you propose, you will find me +here, and I hope much longer. + + + +Letter 270 To George Montagu, Esq. +Paris, Sept. 22, 1765. (page 425) + +The concern I felt at not seeing you before I left England, might +make me express myself warmly, but I assure you it was nothing +but concern, nor was mixed with a grain of pouting. I knew some +of your reasons, and guessed others. The latter grieve me +heartily; but I advise you to do as I do - when I meet with +ingratitude, I take a short leave both of it and its host. +Formerly I used to look out for indemnification somewhere else; +but having lived long enough to learn that the reparation +generally proved a second evil of the same sort, I am content now +to skin over such wounds with amusements, which at least have no +scars. It is true, amusements do not always amuse when we bid +them. I find it so here; nothing strikes me; every thing I do is +indifferent to me. I like the people very well, and their way of +life very well; but as neither were my object, I should not much +care if they were any other people, or it was any other way of +life. I am out of England and my purpose is answered. + +Nothing can be more obliging than the reception I meet with every +where. It may not be more sincere (and why should it?) than our +cold and bare civility; but it is better dressed, and looks +natural: one asks no more. I have begun to sup in French houses, +and as Lady Hertford has left Paris to-day, shall increase my +intimacies. There are swarms of English here, but most of them +are going, to my great satisfaction. As the greatest part are +very young, they can no more be entertaining to me than I to +them, and it certainly was not my countrymen that I came to live +with. Suppers please me extremely; I love to rise and breakfast +late, and to trifle away the day as I like. there are sights +enough to answer that end, and shops you know are an endless +field for me The city appears much worse to me than I thought I +remembered it. The French music as shocking as I knew it was. +The French stage is fallen off though in the only part I have +seen Le Kain(870) I admire him extremely. He is very ugly and +ill made,(871) and yet has an heroic dignity which Garrick wants, +and great fire. The Dumenil I have not seen yet, but shall in a +day or two. It is a mortification that I cannot compare her with +the Clairon,(872) who has left the stage. Grandval I saw through +a whole play without suspecting it was he. Alas! four-and-twenty +years make strange havoc with us mortals! You cannot imagine how +this struck me! The Italian comedy, now united with their Opera +comique, is their most perfect diversion; but alas! Harlequin, my +dear favourite harlequin, my passion, makes me more melancholy +than cheerful. Instead of laughing, I sit silently reflecting +how every thing loses charms when one's own youth does not lend. +its gilding! When we are divested of that eagerness and illusion +with which our youth presents objects to us, we are but the caput +mortuum of pleasure. + +Grave as these ideas are, they do not unfit me for French +company. The present tone is serious enough in conscience. +unluckily, the subjects of their conversation are duller to me +than my own thoughts, which may be tinged with melancholy +reflections, but I doubt from my constitution will never be +insipid. + +The French affect philosophy, literature, and freethinking: the +first never did, and never will possess me; of the two others I +have long been tired. Freethinking is for one's self, surely not +for society; besides one has settled one's way of thinking, or +knows it cannot be settled, and for others I do not see why there +is not as much bigotry in attempting conversions from any +religion as to it. I dined to-day with a dozen savans, and +though all the servants were waiting, the conversation was much +more unrestrained, even on the Old Testament, than I would suffer +at my own table in England, if a single footman was present. For +literature, it is very amusing when one has nothing else to do. +I think it rather pedantic in society; tiresome when displayed +professedly; and, besides, in this country one is sure, it is +only the fashion of the day. Their taste in it is worst of +all: could one believe that when they read our authors, +Richardson and Mr. Hume should be their favourites? The latter is +treated here with perfect veneration. His history, so falsified +in many points, so partial in as many, so very unequal in its +parts, is thought the standard of writing. + +In their dress and equipages they are grown very simple. We +English are living upon their old gods and goddesses; I roll +about in a chariot decorated with cupids, and look like the +grandfather of Adonis. + +Of their parliaments and clergy I hear a good deal, and attend +very little - I cannot take up any history in the middle, and was +too sick of politics at home to enter into them here. In short, +I have done with the world, and live in it rather than in a +desert, like you. Few men can bear absolute retirement, and we +English worst of all. We grow so humoursome, so obstinate and +capricious, and so prejudiced, that it requires a fund of +good-nature like yours not to grow morose. Company keeps our +rind from growing too coarse and rough; and though at my return I +design not to mix in public, I do not intend to be quite a +recluse. My absence will put it in my power to take up or drop +as much as I please. Adieu! I shall inquire about your +commission of books, but having been arrived but ten days, have +not yet had time. Need I say?--no I need not--that nobody can be +more affectionately yours than, etc. + +870) Le Kain was born at Paris in 1725, and died there in 1778. +He was originally brought up a surgical instrument maker; but his +dramatic talents having been made known to Voltaire, he took him +under his instructions, and secured him an engagement at the +Fran`cais, where he performed for the first time in 1750.-E. + +(871) "Cet acteur," says Baron de Grimm, "n'est presque jamais +faux, mais malheureusement il a voix, figure, tout, contre lui. +Une sensibilit`e forte et profonde, qui faisait disparaitre la +laideur de ses traits sous le charme de l'expression dont elle +les rendait susceptible, et ne laissait aper`cevoir que lea +caract`ere et la passion dont son `ame `etait remplie, et lui +donnait @ chaque instant de nouvelles formes et nouvel `etre."-E. + +(872) See ant`e, p. 383, letter 245. Mademoiselle Clairon was +born in 1723, and made her first appearance at Paris in 1743, in +the character of Ph`edre. She died at Paris in 1803. Several of +her letters to the British Roscius will be found in the Garrick +Correspondence. On her acting, when in the Zenith of her +reputation, Dr. Grimm passes the following judgment:--"Belle +Clairon, vous avez beaucoup d'esprit: votre jeu est profond`ement +raisonn`e; mais la passion a-t-elle le temps de raisoner? Vous +n'avez ni naturel ni entrailles; vous ne d`echirez jamais les +miennes; vous ne faites jamais couler mes pleurs; vous mettez des +silences `a tout; vous voulez faire sentir chaque hemistiche; et +lorsque tout fait effet dans votre jeu, je vois que la totalit`e +de la sc`ene n'en fait plus aucun."-E. + + + +Letter 271 To The Right Hon. Lady Hervey. +Paris, Oct. 3, 1765. (page 427) + +Still, I have seen neither Madame d'Egmont nor the Duchess +d'Aiguillon, who are in the country; but the latter comes to +Paris to-morrow. Madame Chabot I called on last night. She Was +not at home, but the H`otel de Carnavalet;(873) was; and I +stopped on purpose to say an ave-maria before it. It is a very +singular building, not at all in the French style, and looks like +an ex voto raised to her honour by some of her foreign votaries. +I don't think her honoured half enough in her own country. I +shall burn a little incense before your Cardinal's heart,(874) +Madam, `a votre intention. + +I have been with Madame Geoffrin several times, and think she has +one of the best understandings I ever met, and more knowledge of +the world. I may be charmed with the French, but your ladyship +must not expect that they will fall in love with me. Without +affecting to lower myself, the disadvantage of speaking a +language worse than any idiot one meets, is insurmountable: the +silliest Frenchman is eloquent to me, and leaves me embarrassed +and obscure. I could name twenty other reasons, if this one was +not sufficient. As it is, my own defects are the sole cause of +my not liking Paris entirely: the constraint I am under from not +being perfectly master of their language, and from being so much +in the dark, as one necessarily must be, on half the subjects of +their conversation, prevents me enjoying that ease for which +their society is calculated. I am much amused, but not +comfortable. + +The Duc de Nivernois is extremely good to me; he inquired much +after your ladyship. So does Colonel Drumgold.(875) The latter +complains; but both of them, especially the Duc, seem better than +when in England. I met the Duchesse de COSS`e,(876) this evening +at Madame Geoffrin's. She is pretty, with a great resemblance to +her father; lively and good-humoured, not genteel. + +Yesterday I went through all my presentations at Versailles. +'Tis very convenient to gobble up a whole royal family in an +hour's time, instead of being sacrificed one week at +Leicester-house, another in Grosvenor-street, a third in +Cavendish-square, etc. etc. etc. La Reine is le plus grand roi +du monde,(877) and talked much to me, and would have said more if +I would have let her; but I was awkward and shrunk back into the +crowd. None of the rest spoke to me. The King is still much +handsomer than his pictures, and has great sweetness in his +countenance, instead of that farouche look which they give him. +The Mesdames are not beauties, and yet have something Bourbon in +their faces. The Dauphiness I approve the least of all: with +nothing good-humoured in her countenance, she has a look and +accent that made me dread lest I should be invited to a private +party at loo with her.(878) The poor Dauphin is ghastly, and +perishing before one's eyes. + +Fortune bestowed on me a much more curious sight than a set of +princes; the wild beast of the Govaudan,(879) which is killed, +and actually is in the Queen's antechamber. It is a thought less +than a leviathan, and the beast in the Revelations, and has not +half so many wings, and yes, and talons, as I believe they have, +or will have some time or other; this being possessed but of two +eyes, four feet, and no wings at all. It is as fine a wolf' as a +commissary in the late war, except, notwithstanding all the +stories, that it has not devoured near so many persons. In +short, Madam, now it is dead and come, a wolf it certainly was, +and not more above the common size than Mrs. Cavendish is. It has +left a dowager and four young princes. + +Mr. Stanley, who I hope will trouble himself with this, has been +most exceedingly kind and obliging to me. I wish that, instead +of my being so much in your ladyship's debt, you were a little in +Mine, and then I would beg you to thank him for me. Well, but as +it is, why should not you, Madam? He will be charmed to be so +paid, and you will not dislike to please him. In short, I would +fain have him know my gratitude; and it is hearing it in the most +agreeable way, if expressed by your ladyship. + +(873) Madame de S`evign`e's residence in Paris.-E. + +(874) The Cardinal de Richelieu's heart at the Sorbonne.-E. + +(875) Colonel Drumgold was born at Paris in 1730, and died there +in 1786. Dr. Johnson, in giving Boswell an account of his visit +to Paris in 1775, made the following mention of him: "I was just +beginning to creep into acquaintance, by means of Colonel +Drumgold, a very high man, Sir, head of l,'Ecole Militaire, and a +most complete character, for he had first been a professor of +rhetoric, and then became a soldier." He was The author of "La +Gaiet`e," a poem, and several other pieces.-E. + +(876) wife of the Duc de Coss`e Brisac, governor of Paris. She +was a daughter of the Duc de Nivernois.-E. + +(877) Madame de S`evign`e thus expresses herself of Louis XIV. +after his having taken much notice of her at Versailles.-E. + +(878) He means, that the Dauphiness had a resemblance to the +Princess Amelia.-E. + +(879) This enormous wolf, for wolf it proved to be, gave rise to +many extraordinary reports. The following account of it is from +the Gentleman's Magazine for 1764: "A very strange description is +given in the Paris Gazette of a wild beast that has appeared in +the neighbourhood of Langagne and the forest of Mercoire, and has +occasioned great consternation. It has already devoured twenty +persons, chiefly Children, and particularly young, girls; and +scarce a day passes without some accidents. the terror it +occasions prevents the woodcutters from working in the forest. +those who have seen him say he is much higher than a wolf, low +before, and his feet are armed with talons. His hair is reddish, +his head large, and the muzzle of it shaped like that of a +greyhound; his ears are small and straight, his breast wide and +of a gray colour; his back streaked with black; and his mouth +which is large, is provided with a set of teeth so very sharp +that they have taken off several heads as clean as a razor could +have done. He is of amazing swiftness; but when he aims at his +prey, he couches so close to the ground that he hardly appears to +be bigger than a large fox, and at the distance of one or two +fathoms he rises upon his hind legs and springs upon his prey, +which he always seizes by the neck or throat. The consternation +is universal throughout the districts where he commits his +ravages, and public prayers are offered up upon this occasion. +The Marquis de Morangis has sent out four hundred peasants to +destroy this fierce beast; but they have not been able to do it. +He has since been killed by a soldier, and appears to be a +hyena." E. + + + +Letter 272 To John Chute, Esq. +Paris, Oct. 3, 1765. (page 429) + +I don't know where you are, nor when I am likely to hear of you. +I write it random, and, as I talk, the first thing that comes +into my pen. + +I am, as you certainly conclude, much more amused than pleased. +At a certain time of life, sights and new objects may entertain +one, but new people cannot find any place in one's affection. +New faces with some name or other belonging to them, catch my +attention for a minute--I cannot say many preserve it. Five or +six of the women that I have seen already are very sensible. The +men are in general much inferior, and not even agreeable. They +sent us their best, I believe, at first, the Duc de Nivernois. +Their authors, who by the way are every where, are worse than +their own writings, which I don't mean as a compliment to either. +In general, the style of conversation is solemn, pedantic, and +seldom animated, but by a dispute. I was expressing my aversion +to disputes Mr. Hume, who very gratefully admires the tone of +Paris, having never known any other tone, said with great +surprise, "Why, what do you like, if you hate both disputes and +whisk?" What strikes me the most upon the whole is, the total +difference of manners between them and us, from the greatest +object to the least. There is not the smallest similitude in the +twenty-four hours. It is, obvious in every trifle. Servants +carry their lady's train, and put her into her coach with their +hat on. They walk about the streets in the rain with umbrellas +to avoid putting on their hats - driving themselves in open +chaises in the country without hats, in the rain too, and yet +often wear them in a chariot in Paris when it does not rain. The +very footmen are powdered from the break of day, and yet wait +behind their master, as I saw the Duc of Praslin's do, with a red +pocket handkerchief about their necks. Versailles, like every +thing else, is a mixture of parade and poverty, and in every +instance exhibits something most dissonant from our manners. In +the colonnades, upon the staircases, nay in the antechambers of +the royal family, there are people selling all sorts of wares. +While we were waiting in the Dauphin's sumptuous bedchamber, till +his dressing-room door should be opened, two fellows were +sweeping it, and dancing about in sabots to rub the floor. + +You perceive that I have been presented. The Queen took great +notice of me; none of the rest said a syllable. You are let into +the King's bedchamber just as he has put on his shirt; he dresses +and talks good-humouredly to a few, glares at strangers, goes to +mass--to dinner, and a-hunting. The good old Queen, who is like +Lady Primrose in the face, and Queen Caroline in the immensity of +her cap, is at her dressing-table, attended by two or three old +ladies, who are languishing to be in Abraham's bosom, as the only +man's bosom to whom they can hope for admittance. Thence you go +to the Dauphin, for all is done in an hour. He scarce stays a +minute; indeed, poor creature, he is a ghost, and cannot possibly +last three months. The Dauphiness is in her bedchamber, but +dressed and standing; looks cross, is not civil, and has the true +Westphalian grace and accents. The four Mesdames, who are clumsy +plump old wenches, with a bad likeness to their father, stand in +a bedchamber in a row, with black cloaks and knotting-bags, +looking good-humoured, not knowing what to say, and wriggling as +if they wanted to make water. This ceremony too is very short: +then you are carried to the Dauphin's three boys, who you may be +sure only bow and stare. The Duke of Berry(880) looks weak, and +weak-eyed: the Count de ProvenCe(881) is a fine boy; the Count +d'Artois(882) well enough. The whole concludes with seeing the +Dauphin's little girl dine, who is as round and as fat as a +pudding. + +the Queen's antechamber we foreigners and the foreign ministers +were shown the famous beast of the Govaudan, just arrived, and +covered with a cloth, which two chasseurs lifted up. It is an +absolute wolf, but uncommonly large, and the expression of agony +and fierceness remains strongly imprinted on its dead jaws. + +I dined at the Duc of Praslin's with four-and-twenty ambassadors +and envoys, who never go out but on Tuesdays to court. He does +the honours sadly, and I believe nothing else well, looking +important and empty. The Duc de Choiseul's face, which is quite +the reverse of gravity, does not promise much more. His wife is +gentle, pretty, and very agreeable. The Duchess of Praslin, +jolly, red-faced, looking very vulgar, and being very attentive +and civil. I saw the Duc de Richelieu in waiting, who is pale, +except his nose, which is red, much wrinkled, and exactly a +remnant of that age which produced General Churchill, Wilkes the +player, the Duke of Argyle, etc. Adieu! + +(880) Afterwards the unfortunate Louis XVI.-E. + +(881) Afterwards Louis XVIII.-E. + +(882) Afterwards Charles X.-E + + + +Letter 273 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Paris, Oct, 6, 1765. (page 431) + +I am glad to find that you grow just, and that you do conceive at +last, that I could do better than stay in England for politics. +"Tenez, mon enfant," as the Duchesse de la Fert`e said to Madame +Staal;(883) "comme il n'y a que moi au monde qui aie toujours +raison," I will be very reasonable; as you have made this +concession to me, who knew I was in the right I will not expect +you to answer all my reasonable letters. If you send a bullying +letter to the King of Spain,(884) or to Chose, my neighbour +here,(885) I will consider them as written to myself, and +subtract so much from your bill. Nay, I will accept a line from +Lady Ailesbury now and then in part of payment. I shall continue +to write as the wind sets in my pen; and do own my babble does +not demand much reply. + +For so reasonable a person as I am, I have changed my mind very +often about this country. The first five days I was in violent +spirits; then came a dismal cloud of whisk and literature, and I +could not bear it. At present I begin, very englishly indeed, to +establish a right to my own way. I laugh, and talk nonsense, and +make them hear me. There are two or three houses where I go +quite at my ease, am never asked to touch a card, nor hold +dissertations. Nay, I don't pay homage to their authors. Every +woman has one or two planted in her house, and God knows how they +water them. The old President HainaUlt(886) is the pagod at +Madame du Deffand's, an old blind debauch`ee of wit, where I +supped last night. The President is very near deaf, and much +nearer superannuated. He sits by the table: the mistress of the +house, who formerly was his, inquires after every dish on the +table, is told who has eaten of which, and then bawls the bill of +fare of every individual into the President's ears. In short, +every mouthful is proclaimed, and so is every blunder I make +against grammar. Some that I make on purpose, succeed: and one +of them is to be reported to the Queen to-day by Hainault, who is +her great favourite. I had been at Versailles and having been +much taken notice of by her Majesty, I said, alluding to madame +S`evign`e, La Reine est le plus grand roi du monde. You may +judge if I am in possession by a scene that passed after supper. +Sir James macdonald(887) had been mimicking Hume: I told the +women, who, besides the mistress, were the Duchess de la +Vali`ere,(888) Madame de Forcalquier,(889) a demoiselle, that to +be sure they would be glad to have a specimen of Mr. Pitt's +manner of speaking; and that nobody mimicked him so well as +Elliot.(890) They firmly believed it, teased him for an hour, +and at last said he was the rudest man in the world not to oblige +them. It appeared the more strange, because here every body +sings, reads their own works in public, or attempts any one thing +without hesitation or capacity. Elliot speaks miserable French; +which added to the diversion. + +I had had my share of distress in the morning, by going through +the operation of being presented to the royal family, down to the +little Madame's pap-dinner, and had behaved as sillily as you +will easily believe; hiding myself behind every mortal. The +Queen called me up to her dressing-table, and seemed mightily +disposed to gossip with me; but instead of enjoying my glory like +Madame de S`evign`e, I slunk back into the crowd after a few +questions. She told Monsieur de Guerchy of it afterwards, and +that I had run away from her, but said she would have her revenge +at Fontainbleau. So I must go thither, which I do not intend. +The King, Dauphin, Dauphiness, Mesdames, and the wild beasts did +not say a word to me. Yes, the wild beast, he of the Gevaudan. +He is killed, and actually in the Queen's antechamber, where he +was exhibited to us with as much parade as if it was Mr. Pitt. +It is an exceedingly large wolf, and, the connoisseurs say, has +twelve teeth more than any wolf ever had since the days of +Romulus's wet nurse. The critics deny it to be the true beast; +and I find most people think the beast's name is legion,--for +there are many. He was covered with a sheet, which two chasseurs +lifted up for the foreign ministers and strangers. I dined at +the Duke of Praslin's with five-and-twenty tomes of the corps +diplomatique; and after dinner was presented, by Monsieur de +Guerchy, to the Duc de Choiseul. The Duc de Praslin is as like +his own letters in D'Eon's book as he can stare; that is, I +believe a very silly fellow. His wisdom is of the grave kind. +His cousin, the first minister, is a little volatile being, whose +countenance and manner had nothing to frighten me for my country. +I saw him but for three seconds, which is as much as he allows to +any one body or thing. Monsieur de Guerchy, whose goodness to me +is inexpressible, took the trouble of walking every where with +me, and carried me particularly to see the new office for state +papers. I wish I could send it you. It is a large building, +disposed like an hospital, with the most admirable order and +method. Lodgings for every officer; his name and business +written over his door. In the body is a perspective of seven or +eight large chambers: each is painted with emblems, and +wainscoted with presses with wired doors and crimson curtains. +Over each press, in golden letters, the country to which the +pieces relate, as Angleterre, Allemagne, etc. Each room has a +large funnel of bronze with or moulu, like a column to air the +papers and preserve them. In short, it is as magnificent as +useful. + +Prom thence I went to see the reservoir of pictures at M. de +Marigny's. They are what are not disposed of in the palaces, +though sometimes changed with others. This refuse, which fills +many rooms from top to bottom, is composed of the most glorious +works of Raphael, L. da Vinci, Giorgione, Titian, Guido, +Correggio, etc. Many pictures, which I knew by their prints, +without an idea where they existed, I found there. + +The Duc de Nivernois is extremely obliging to me. I have supped +at Madame de Bentheim's, who has a very fine house and a woful +husband. She is much livelier than any Frenchwoman. The +liveliest I have seen is the Duc de Duras:(891) he is shorter and +plumper Lord Halifax, but very like him in the face. I am to sup +with the Dussons(892) on Sunday. In short, all that have been in +England are exceedingly disposed to repay any civilities they +received there. Monsieur de Caraman wrote from the country to +excuse his not coming to see me, as his Wife is On the point of +being brought to bed, but begged I would come to them. So I +would, if I was a man-midwife: but though they are easy On Such +heads, I am not used to it, and cannot make a party of pleasure +of a labour. + +Wilkes arrived here two days ago, and announced that he was going +minister to Constantinople.(893) To-day I hear he has lowered +his credentials, and talks of going to England, if he can make +his peace.(894) I thought by the manner in which this was +mentioned to me, that the person meant to Sound me: but I made no +answer: for, having given up politics in England, I certainly did +not come to transact them here. He has not been to make me the +first visit, which, as the last arrived, depends on him: so, +never having spoken to him in my life, I have no call to seek +him. I avoid all politics so much, that I had not heard one word +here about Spain. I suppose my silence passes for very artful +mystery, and puzzles the ministers who keep spies on the most +insignificant foreigner. It would have been lucky if I had been +as watchful. At Chantilly I lost my portmanteau with half my +linen; and the night before last I was robbed of a new frock, +waistcoat, and breeches, laced with gold, a white and silver +waistcoat, black velvet breeches, a knife, and a book. These are +expenses I did not expect, and by no means entering into my +system of extravagance. + +I am very sorry for the death of Lord Ophaly, and for his family. +I knew the poor young man himself but little, but he seemed +extremely good-natured. What the Duke of Richmond will do for a +hotel, I cannot conceive. Adieu! + +(883) See M`emoires de Madame de Staal (the first authoress of +that name) published with the rest of her works, in three small +volumes.-E. + +(884) Mr. Conway was now secretary of state for the foreign +department.-E. + +(885) Louis XV.-E. + +(886) Le Pr`esident Hainault, surintendant de la maison de +Mademoiselle la Dauphine, membre de l'Acad`emie Fran`caise et de +l'Acad`emie des Inscriptions, known by his celebrated work, the +Abr`eg`e Chronologique de l'Histoire, de France, and from the +excellent table which he kept, and which was the resort of all +the wits and savans of the day. His cook was considered the best +in Paris, and the master was worthy of his cook; a fact which +Voltaire celebrates in the opening lines of the epitaph which he +wrote for him-- + +"Hainault, fameux par vos soupers, +Et votre Chronologic," etc.-E. + +(887) Sir James Macdonald of Macdonald, the eighth baronet, who +died at Rome on the 26th of July 1766, in the twenty-fifth year +of his age, regretted by all who knew him. In the inscription on +his monument, executed at Rome and erected in the church of +Slate, his character is thus drawn by his friend Lord +Lyttelton:--"He had attained to so eminent a degree of knowledge +in mathematics, philosophy, languages, and in every branch of +useful and polite learning, as few have acquired in a long life +wholly devoted to study; yet to this erudition he joined, what +can rarely be found with it, great talents for business, great +propriety of behaviour, great politeness of manners: his +eloquence was sweet, correct and flowing; his memory vast and +exact; his judgment strong and acute." On visiting Slate, in +1773, Dr. Johnson observed to Boswell, that this inscription +"should have been in Latin, as every thing intended to be +universal and permanent should be." Upon this mr. Croker +remarks,--"What a strange Perversion of language!--universal! +Why, if it had been in Latin, so far from being universally +understood, it would have been an utter blank to one (the better) +half of the creation, and even of the men who might visit it, +ninety-nine will understand it in English for one who could in +Latin. Something may be said for epitaphs and inscriptions +addressed, as it were, to the world at large--a triumphal arch -- +the pillar at Blenheim--the monument on the field of Waterloo: +but a Latin epitaph in an English church, appears, in principle, +as absurd as the dinner, which the doctor gives in Peregrine +Pickle, 'after the manner of the ancients.' A mortal may surely +be well satisfied if his fame lasts as long as the language in +which he spoke or wrote."-E. + +(888) La Duchesse de la Vali`ere, daughter of the Duc d'Usez. +She was one of the handsomest women in France, and preserved her +beauty even to old age. She died about the year 1792, at the age +of eighty.-E. + +(889) The Comtesse de Forcalquier, n`ee Canizy. She had ben +first married to the Comte d'Antin, son to the Comtesse de +Toulouse, by a marriage previous to that with the Comte de +Toulouse, one of the natural children of Louis Quatorze, whom he +legitimated.-E. + +(890) Sir Gilbert Elliot Of Minto. He was appointed a lord of +the admiralty in 1756, treasurer of the chamber in 1762, keeper +of the signets for Scotland in 1767, and treasurer of the navy in +1770. He died in 1777.-E. + +(891) Le Duc de Duras, one of the gentlemen of the bedchamber at +the court of France.-E. + +(892) M. D'Usson, who had formerly been in England in a +diplomatic capacity; see ant`e p. 219, letter 157. He was +brother to the Marquis de Bonnac, the French ambassador at the +Hague.-E. + +(893) Wilkes's application for the embassy to Constantinople was +an unsuccessful one. It will be seen in the Chatham +Correspondence, that in February 1761, he had solicited of Mr. +Pitt a seat at the board of trade. "I wish," he says, "the board +of trade might be thought a place in which I could be of any +service: whatever the scene is, I shall endeavour to have the +reputation of acting in a manner worthy of the connexion I have +the honour to be in; and, among all the chances and changes of a +political world, I will never have an obligation in a +parliamentary way but to Mr. Pitt and his friends." Vol. ii. p. +94.-E. + +(894) After his outlawry. + + + +Letter 274 To The Right Hon. Lady Hervey. +Paris, Oct. 13, 1765. (page 434) + +How are the mighty fallen! Yes, yes, Madam, I am as like the Duc +de Richelieu as two peas; but then they are two old withered gray +peas. Do you remember the fable of Cupid and Death, and what a +piece of work they made with hustling their arrows together? +This is just my case: Love might shoot at me, but it was with a +gouty arrow. I have had a relapse in both feet, and kept my bed +six days but the fit seems to be going off; my heart can already +go alone, and my feet promise themselves the mighty luxury of a +cloth shoe in two or three days. Mr. and Mrs. Ramsay,(895) who +are here, and are, alas! to carry this, have been of great +comfort to me, and have brought their delightful little daughter, +who is as quick as Ariel. Mr. Ramsay could want no assistance +from me: what do we both exist upon here, Madam, but your bounty +and charity? When did you ever leave one of your friends in want +of another? Madame Geotrrin came and sat two hours last night by +my bedside: I could have sworn it had been my Lady Hervey,(896) +she was so good to me. It was with so much sense, information, +instruction, and correction! The manner of the latter charms me. +I never saw any body in my days that catches one's faults and +vanities and impositions so quick, that explains them to one so +clearly, and convinces one so easily. I never liked to be set +right before! You cannot imagine how I taste it! I make her both +my confessor and director, and beam to think I shall be a +reasonable creature at last, which I had never intended to be. +The next time I see her, I believe I shall say, "Oh! Common +Sense, sit down: I have been thinking so and so; is not it +absurd?" for t'other sense and wisdom, I never liked them; I +shall now hate them for her sake. If it was worth her while, I +assure your ladyship she might govern me like a child.(897) + +The Duc de Nivernois too is astonishingly good to me. In short, +Madam, I am going down hill, but the sun sets pleasingly. Your +two other friends have been in Paris; but I was confined, and +could not wait on them. I passed a whole evening with Lady Mary +Chabot most agreeably: she charged me over and over with a +thousand compliments to your ladyship. For sights, alas! and +pilgrimages, they have been cut short! I had destined the fine +days of October to excursions; but you know, Madam, what it is to +reckon without one's host, the gout. It makes such a coward of +me, that I shall be afraid almost of entering a church. I have +lost, too, the Dumenil in Ph`edre and Merope, two of her +principal parts, but I hope not irrecoverably. + +Thank you, Madam, for the Taliacotian extract: it diverted me +much. It is true, in general I neither see nor desire to see our +wretched political trash: I am sick of it up to the +fountain-head. It was my principal motive for coming hither; and +had long been my determination, the first moment I should be at +liberty, to abandon it all. I have acted from no views of +interest; I have shown I did not; I have not disgraced myself- +-and I must be free. My comfort is, that, if I am blamed, it +will be by all parties. A little peace of mind for the rest of +my days is all I ask, to balance the gout. + +I have writ to Madame de Guerchy about Your orange-flower water; +and I sent your ladyship two little French pieces that I hope you +received. The uncomfortable posture in which I write will excuse +my saying any more; but it is no excuse against my trying to do +any thing to please one, who always forgets pain when her friends +are in question. + +(895) Allan Ramsay, the painter. + +(896) Baron de Grimm, in speaking of Madame Geoffrin, says:-- +"This lady's religion seems to have always proceeded on two +principles: the one, to do the greatest quantity of good in her +power; the other, to respect scrupulously all established forms, +and even to lend herself, with great complaisance, to all the +different movements of public opinion."-E. + +(897) Gibbon, in a letter to his father, of the 24th of February +1763, says:--"Lady Hervey's recommendation to Madame Geoffrin was +a most excellent one: her house is a very good one; regular +dinners there every Wednesday, and the best company in Paris, in +men of letters and people of fashion. It was at her house I +connected myself with M. Helvetius, who, from his heart, his +head, and his fortune, is a most valuable man."-E. + + + +Letter 275 To George Montagu, Esq. +Paris, Oct. 16, 1765. (page 436) + +I am here, in this supposed metropolis of pleasure, triste +enough; hearing from nobody in England, and again confined with +the gout in both feet: yes, I caught cold, and it has returned; +but as I begin to be a little acquainted with the nature of its +caresses, I think the violence of its passion this time will be +wasted within the fortnight. Indeed, a stick and a great shoe do +not commonly compose the dress which the English come hither to +learn; but I shall content myself if I can limp about enough to +amuse my eyes; my ears have already had their fill, and are not +at all edified. My confinement preserves me from the journey to +Fontainbleau, to which I had no great appetite; but then I lose +the opportunity of seeing Versailles and St. Cloud at my leisure. + +I wrote to you soon after my arrival; did you receive it? All the +English books you named to me are to be had here at the following +prices. Shakspeare in eight volumes unbound for twenty-one +livres; in larger paper for twenty-seven. Congreve, in three +volumes for nine livres. Swift, in twelve volumes for twenty-four +livres, another edition for twenty-seven. So you see I do not +forget your commissions: if you have farther orders, let me know. + +Wilkes is here, and has been twice to see me in my illness. He +was very civil, but I cannot say entertained me much. I saw no +wit; his conversation shows how little he has lived in good +company, and the chief turn of it is the grossest bawdy.(898) He +has certainly one merit, notwithstanding the bitterness of his +pen, that is, he has no rancour; not even against Sandwich, of +whom he talked with the utmost temper. He showed me some of his +notes on Churchill's works, but they contain little more than one +note on each poem to explain the subject of it. + +The Dumenil is still the Dumenil, and nothing but curiosity could +make me want the Clairon. Grandval is grown so fat and old, that +I saw him through a whole play and did not guess him. Not one +other, that you remember on the stage, remains there. + +It is not a season for novelty in any way, as both the court and +the world are out of town. The few that I know are almost all +dispersed. The old president Henault made me a visit yesterday: +he is extremely amiable, but has the appearance of a +superannuated bacchanal; superannuated, poor soul! indeed he is! +The Duc de Richelieu is a lean old resemblance of old General +Churchill, and like him affects still to have his Boothbies. +Alas! poor Boothbies! + +I hope, by the time I am convalescent, to have the Richmonds +here. One of the miseries of chronical illnesses is, that you +are a prey to every fool, who, not knowing what to do with +himself, brings his ennui to you, and calls it charity. Tell me +a little the intended dates of your motions, that I may know +where to write at you. Commend me kindly to Mr. John, and wish +me a good night, of which I have had but one these ten days. + +(898) "I scarcely ever," says Gibbon, who happened to dine in the +company of Wilkes in September 1762, "met with a better +companion; he has inexhaustible spirits, infinite wit and humour, +and a great deal of knowledge; but a thorough profligate in +principle as in practice; his life stained with every vice, and +his conversation full of blasphemy and indecency."-E. + + + +Letter 276 To The Countess Of Suffolk.(899) +Paris, Oct. 16, 1765. (page 437) + +Though I begin my letter to-day, Madam, it may not be finished +and set out these four days; but serving a tyrant who does not +allow me many holiday-minutes, I am forced to seize the first +that offer. Even now when I am writing upon the table, he is +giving me malicious pinches under it. I was exceedingly obliged +to Miss Hotham for her letter, though it did not give me so good +an account of your ladyship as I wished. I will not advise you +to come to Paris, where, I assure you, one has not a nip less of +the gout than at London, and where it is rather more difficult to +keep one's chamber pure; water not being reckoned here one of the +elements of cleanliness. If ever my Lady Blandford and I make a +match, I shall insist on her coming hither for a month first, to +learn patience. I need have a great stock, who have only +travelled from one sick bed to another; who have seen nothing; +and who hear of nothing but the braveries of Fontainbleau, where +the Duc de Richelieu, whose year it is, has ordered seven new +operas besides other shows. However, if I cannot be diverted, my +ruin at least is protracted, as I cannot go to a single shop. + +Lady Mary Chabot has been so good as to make me a visit. She is +again gone into the country till November, but charged me over +and over to say a great deal for her to your ladyship, for whom +she expresses the highest regard. Lady Brown is still in the +country too; but as she loves laughing more than is fashionable +here, I expect her return with great impatience. As I neither +desire to change their religion or government, I am tired of +their perpetual dissertations on those subjects. As when I was +here last, which, alas! is four-and-twenty ears ago, I was much +at Mrs. Hayes's, I thought it but civil to wait on her now that +her situation is a little less brilliant. She was not at home, +but invited me to supper next night. The moment she saw me I +thought I had done very right not to neglect her; for she +overwhelmed me with professions of her fondness for me and all my +family. When the first torrent was over, she asked me if I was +son of the Horace Walpole who had been ambassador here. I said +no, he was my uncle. Oh! then you are he I used to call my +Neddy! No, Madam, I believe that is my brother. Your brother! +What is my Lord Walpole? My cousin, Madam. Your cousin! why, +then, who are you? I found that if I had omitted my visit, her +memory of me would not have reproached me much. + +Lord and Lady Fife are expected here every day from Spa; but we +hear nothing certain yet of their graces of Richmond, for whom I +am a little impatient; and for pam too, who I hope comes with +them. In French houses it is impossible to meet with any thing +but whist, which I am determined never to learn again. I sit by +and yawn; which, however, is better than sitting at it to yawn. +I hope to be able to take the air in a few days; for though I +have had sharp pain and terrible nights, this codicil to my gout +promises to be of much shorter duration than what I had in +England, and has kept entirely to my feet. My diet sounds like +an English farmer's, being nothing but beef and pudding; in truth +the beef' is bouilli, and the pudding bread. This last night has +been the first in which I have got a wink of sleep before six in +the morning: but skeletons can live very well without eating or +sleeping; nay, they can laugh too, when they meet with a jolly +mortal of this world. + +Mr. Chetwynd, I conclude, is dancing at country balls and +horseraces. It is charming to be so young;(900) but I do not +envy one whose youth is so good-humoured and good-natured. When +he gallops post to town, or swims his horse through a MillpODd In +November, pray make my compliments to him, and to Lady Blandford +and Lady Denbigh. The joys of the gout do not put one's old +friends out of one's head, even at this distance. I am, etc. + +(899) Now first collected. + +(900) See ant`e, p. 412, letter 259.-E. + + + +Letter 277 To Thomas Brand, Esq.(901) +Paris, Oct. 19, 1765. (page 438) + +Don't think I have forgot your commissions: I mentioned them to +old Mariette this evening, who says he has got one of them, but +never could meet with the other, and that it will be impossible +for me to find either at Paris. You know, I suppose, that he +would as soon part with an eye as with any thing in his own +collection. + +You may, if you please, suppose me extremely diverted here, Oh! +exceedingly. In the first place, I have seen nothing; in the +second, I have been confined this fortnight with a return of the +gout in both feet; and in the third, I have not laughed since my +Lady Hertford went away. I assure you, you may come hither very +safely, and be in no danger from mirth. Laughing is as much out +of fashion as pantins or bilboquets. Good folks, they have no +time to laugh. There is God and the King to be pulled down +first; and men and women, one and all, are devoutly employed in +the demolition. They think me quite profane, for having any +belief left. But this is not my only crime - I have told them, +and am undone by it, that they have taken from us to admire the +two dullest things we had, whisk and Richardson. It is very +true, and they -want nothing but George Grenville to make their +conversations, or rather dissertations, the most tiresome upon +earth. For Lord Lyttelton, if he would come hither, and turn +freethinker once more, he would be reckoned the most -,agreeable +man in France--next to Mr. Hume, who is the only thing in the +world that they believe implicitly; which they must do, for I +defy them to understand any language that he speaks. + +If I could divest myself of my wicked--and unphilosophic bent to +laughing, I should do very well. They are very civil and +obliging to me, and several of the women are very agreeable, and +some of the men. The Duc de Nivernois has been beyond measure +kind to me, and scarce missed a day without coming to see me +during my confinement. The Guerchys are. as usual, all +friendship. I had given entirely into supping, as I do not love +rising early, and still less meat breakfasts. The misfortune is, +that in several houses they dine, and at others sup. + +You will think it odd that I should want to laugh, when Wilkes, +Sterne, and Foote are here; but the first does not make me laugh, +the second never could, and for the third, I choose to pay five +shillings when I have a mind he should divert me. Besides, I +certainly did not come in search of English: and yet the man I +have liked the best in Paris is an Englishman, Lord Ossory, who +is one of the most sensible young men I ever saw, with a great +deal of Lord Tavistock in his manner. + +The joys of Fontainbleau I miss by my illness--Patienza! If the +gout deprived me of nothing better than a court. + +The papers say the Duke of Dorset(902) is dead; what has he done +for Lord George? You cannot be so unconscionable as not to +answer me. I don't ask who is to have his riband; nor how many +bushels of fruit the Duke of Newcastle's dessert for the +Hereditary Prince contained, nor how often he kissed him for the +sake of "the dear house of Brunswick"--No, keep your politics to +yourselves; I want to know none of them:-when I do, and +authentically, I will write to my Lady * * * * or Charles +Townshend. + +Mrs. Pit's friend, Madame de Rochefort, is one of my principal +attachments, and very agreeable indeed. Madame de Mirepoix +another. For my admiration, Madame de Monaco--but I believe you +don't doubt my Lord Hertford's taste in sensualities. March's +passion, Marechalle d'Estr`ees, is affected, cross, and not all +handsome. The Princes of the blood are pretty much retired, do +not go to Portsmouth and Salisbury once a week, nor furnish every +other paragraph to the newspapers. Their campaigns are confined +to killing boars and stags, two or three hundred in a year. +Adieu! Mr. Foley is my banker; or it is still more sure if you +send your letter to Mr. Conway's office. + +(901) Of the Hoo, in Hertfordshire. See vol. ii. p. 211, letter +103.-E. + +(902) Lionel Cranfield Sackville, seventh Earl and first Duke of +Dorset: he died on the 10th of October. Lord George Sackville +was his third son.-E. + + + +Letter 278 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Paris, Oct. 28, 1765. (page 440) + +Mr. Hume sends me word from Fontainbleau, that your brother, some +time in the spring of 1764, transmitted to the English ministry a +pretty exact and very authentic account of the French finances;" +these are his words: and "that it will be easily found among his +lordship's despatches of that period." To the other question I +have received no answer: I suppose he has not yet been able to +inform himself. + +This goes by an English coachman of Count Lauragais, sent over to +buy more horses; therefore I shall write a little ministerially, +and, perhaps, surprise you, if you are not already apprised of +things in the light I see them. + +The Dauphin will probably hold out very few days. His death, +that is, the near prospect of it, fills the philosophers with the +greatest joy, as it was feared he would endeavour the restoration +of the Jesuits. You will think the sentiments of the +philosophers very odd stale news --but do you know who the +philosophers are, or what the term means here? In the first +place, it comprehends almost every body; and in the next, means +men, who, avowing war against popery, aim, many of them, at a +subversion of all religion, and still many more, at the +destruction of regal power. How do you know this? you will say; +you, who have been but six weeks in France, three of which you +have been confined to your chamber? True: but in the first period +I went every where, and heard nothing else: in the latter, I have +been extremely visited, and have had long and explicit +conversations with many, who think as I tell you, and with a few +of the other side, who are no less persuaded that there are such +intentions. In particular. I had two officers here t'other +night, neither of them young, whom I had difficulty to keep from +a serious quarrel, and who, in the heat of the dispute, informed +me of much more than I could have learnt with great pains. + +As a proof that my ideas are not quite visions, I send you a most +curious paper;(903) such as I believe no magistrate would have +pronounced in the time of Charles 1. I should not like to have it +known to come from me, nor any part of the intelligence I send +you; with regard to which, if you think it necessary to +communicate it to particular persons, I desire my name may be +suppressed. I tell it for your satisfaction and information, but +would not have any body else think that I do any thing here but +amuse myself; my amusements indeed are triste enough, and consist +wholly in trying to get well; but my recovery moves very slowly. +I have not yet had any thing but cloth shoes on, live sometimes a +whole day on warm water, and am never tolerably well till twelve +or one o'clock. + +I have had another letter from Sir Horace Mann, who has much at +heart his riband and increase of character. Consequently you +know, as I love him so much, I must have them at heart too. +Count Lorenzi is recalled, because here they think it necessary +to send a Frenchman of higher rank to the new grand ducal court. +I wish Sir Horace could be raised on this occasion. For his +riband, his promise is so old and so positive, that it is quite a +hardship. + +Pray put the colonies in good-humour: I see they are violently +Disposed to the new administration. I have not time to say more, +nor more to say if I had time; so good night! Let me know if you +receive this, and how soon: it goes the day after to-morrow. +Various reports say the Duke of Richmond comes this week. I sent +you a letter by Monsieur de Guerchy. Dusson, I hear, goes +ambassador to Poland. Tell Lady Ailesbury that I have five or +six little parcels, though not above one for her, of laces and +ribands, which Lady Cecilic left Wit me: but how to convey them +the Lord knows. Yours ever. + +(903) This paper does not appear. + + + + +Letter 279 To Mr. Gray. +Paris, Nov. 19, 1765. (page 441) + +You are very kind to inquire so particularly after my gout. I +wish I may not be so circumstantial in my answer: but you have +tapped a dangerous topic; I can talk gout by the hour. It is my +great mortification, and has disappointed all the hopes that I +had built on temperance and hardiness. I have resisted like a +hermit, and exposed myself to all weathers and seasons like a +smuggler; and in vain. I have, however, still so much of the +obstinacy of both professions left, that I think I shall +continue, and cannot obey you in keeping myself warm. I have +gone through my second fit under one blanket, and already go +about in a silk waistcoat with my bosom unbuttoned. In short, I +am as prejudiced to try regimen, though so ineffectual, as I +could have been to all I expected from it. The truth is, I am +almost as willing to have the gout as to be liable to catch cold; +and must run up stairs and down, in and out of doors, when I +will, or I cannot have the least satisfaction. This will +convince you how readily I comply with another of your precepts, +walking as soon as am able.--For receipts, you may trust me for +making use of none; I would not see a physician at the worst, but +have quacked as boldly as quacks treat others. I laughed at your +idea of quality receipts, it came so apropos. There is not a man +or woman here that is not a perfect old nurse, and who does not +talk gruel and anatomy with equal fluency and ignorance. One +instance shall serve: Madame de Bouzols, Marshal Berwick's +daughter, assured me there was nothing so good for the gout, as +to preserve the parings of my nails in a bottle close stopped. +When I try any illustrious nostrum, I shall give the preference +to this. + +So much for the gout!(904) I told you what was coming. As to +the ministry, I know and care very little about them. I told you +and told them long ago, that if ever a change happened I would +bid adieu to politics for ever. Do me the Justice to allow that +I have not altered with the time. I was so impatient to put this +resolution in execution that I hurried out of England before I +was sufficiently recovered. I shall not run the same hazard again +in haste; but will stay here till I am perfectly well, and the +season of warm weather coming on or arrived; though the charms of +Paris have not the least attraction for me, nor would keep me an +hour on their own account. For the city itself, I cannot +conceive where my eyes were: it Is the ugliest beastliest town in +the universe. I have not seen a mouthful of verdure out of it, +nor have they any thing green but their treillage and +window-shutters. Trees cut into fire-shovels, and stuck into +pedestals of chalk, Compose their country. Their boasted +knowledge of society is reduced to talking of their suppers, and +every malady they have about them, or know of. The Dauphin is at +the point of death; every morning the physicians frame in account +of him; and happy is he or she who can produce a copy of this +lie, called a bulletin. The night before last, one of these was +produced at supper where I was; it was read, and said he had une +evacuation foetide. I beg your pardon, though you are not at +supper. The old lady of the house(905) (who by the way is quite +blind, was the Regent's mistress for a fortnight, and is very +agreeable) called out, "Oh! they have forgot to mention that he +threw down his chamber-pot, and was forced to change his bed." +There were present several women of the first rank; as Madame de +la Vali`ere, whom you remember Duchesse de Vaujour, and who is +still miraculously pretty, though fifty-three; a very handsome +Madame de Forcalquier, and others--nor was this conversation at +all particular to that evening. + +Their gaiety is not greater than their delicacy--but I will not +expatiate. In short, they are another people from what they +were. They may be growing wise, but the intermediate passage is +dulness. Several of the women are agreeable, and some of the +men; but the latter are in general vain and ignorant. The +savans--I beg their pardons, the philosophes--are insupportable, +superficial, overbearing, and fanatic: they preach incessantly, +and their avowed doctrine is atheism; you would not believe how +openly--Don't wonder, therefore, if I should return a Jesuit. +Voltaire himself does not satisfy them. One of their lady +devotees said of him, "Il est bigot, c'est un d`eiste." + +I am as little pleased with their taste in trifles. Cr`ebillon +is entirely out of fashion, and Marivaux a proverb: marivauder +and marivaudage are established terms for being prolix and +tiresome. I thought that we were fallen, but they are ten times +lower. + +Notwithstanding all I have said, I have found two or three +societies that please me; am amused with the novelty of the +whole, and should be sorry not to have come. The Dumenil is, if +possible, superior to what you remember. I am sorry not to see +the Clairon; but several persons whose judgments seem the +soundest prefer the former. Preville is admirable in low comedy. +The mixture of Italian comedy and comic operas, prettily written, +and set to Italian music, at the same theatre, is charming, and +gets the better both of their operas and French comedy; the +latter of which is seldom full, with all its merit. +Petit-maitres are obsolete, like our Lords Foppington--but le +monde est philosophe--When I grow very sick of this last +nonsense, I go and compose myself at the Chartreuse, where I am +almost tempted to prefer Le Soeur to every painter I know. Yet +what new old treasures are come to light, routed out of the +Louvre, and thrown into new lumber-rooms at Versailles!--But I +have not room to tell you what I have seen! I will keep this and +other chapters for Strawberry. Adieu! and thank you. + +Old Mariette has shown me a print by Diepenbecke of the Duke and +Duchess of Newcastle(906) at dinner with their family. You would +oblige me, if you would look into all their graces' folios, and +see if it is not a frontispiece to some one of them. Then he has +such a Petitot of Madame d'Olonne! The Pompadour offered him +fifty louis for it(907)--Alack, so would I! + + +(904) The following is Gray's reply, of the 13th of December:- +-"You have long built your hopes on temperance, you say, and +hardiness. On the first point we are agreed; the second has +totally disappointed you, and therefore you will persist in it by +all means. But then, be sure to persist too in being young, in +stopping the course of time, and making the shadow return back +upon your sun-dial. If you find this not so easy, acquiesce with +a good grace in my anilities; put on your understockings of yarn, +or woollen, even in the night-time. Don't provoke me, or I shall +order you two nightcaps, (which, by the way, would do your eyes +good,) and put a little of any French liqueur into your water; +they are nothing but brandy and sugar; and among their various +flavours, some of them may surely be palatable enough, The pain +in your feet I can bear; but shudder at the sickness of your +stomach and the weakness that still continues. I conjure you, as +you love yourself--I conjure you by Strawberry, not to trifle +with these edge-tools. There is no cure for the gout, when in +the stomach, but to throw it into the limbs; There is no relief +for gout in the limbs, but in gentle warmth and gradual +perspiration." Works, vol. iv. p. 68.-E. + +(905) Madame du Deffand.-E. + +(906) Prefixed to some copies of the Duchess's work, entitled +"The World's Olio,--Nature's Pictures drawn by Fancy's Pencil to +the life," (folio, London, 1653,) is a print, Diepenbeck, del., +P. Clouvet sc., half sheet, containing portraits of William +Cavendish, Duke of Newcastle, (celebrated as a Cavalier general +during the civil wars, and commonly styled the loyal Duke of +Newcastle,) his Duchess, and their family.-E. + +(907) This miniature eventually became his property. In a letter +from madame du Deffand of the 12th of December 1775, she says:- +-"J'ai Madame d'Olonne entre les mains; vous voil`a au comble de +la joie; mais moderez-en la, en apprenant que ses galans ne la +payaient pas plus cher de son vivant que vous ne la payez apr`es +sa mort; (@lle vous coute trois mille deux cents livres."-E. + + + +Letter 280 To The Right Hon. Lady Hervey. +Paris, Nov. 21, 1765. (page 444) + +Madame Geoffrin has given me a parcel for your ladyship with two +knotting-bags, which I will send by the first opportunity that +seems safe:'--but I hear of nothing but difficulties; and shall, +I believe, be saved from ruin myself, from not being able to +convey any purchases into England. Thus I shall have made an +almost fruitless journey to France, if I can neither fling away +my money, nor preserve my health. At present, indeed, the gout +is gone. I have had my house swept, and made as clean as I +could-no very easy matter in this country; but I live in dread of +seven worse spirits entering in. The terror I am under of a new +fit has kept me from almost seeing any thing. The damps and fogs +are full as great and frequent here as in London; but there is a +little frost to-day, and I shall begin my devotions tomorrow. It +is not being fashionable to visit churches: but I am de la +vieille cour; and I beg your ladyship to believe that I have no +youthful pretensions. The Duchess of Richmond tells me that they +have made twenty foolish stories about me in England; and say +that my person is admired here. I cannot help what is said +without foundation; but the French have neither lost their eyes, +nor I my senses. A skeleton I was born--skeleton I am--and death +will have no trouble in making me one. I have not made any +alteration in my dress, and certainly did not study it In +England. Had I had any such ridiculous thoughts, the gout is too +sincere a monitor to leave one under any such error. Pray, +Madam, tell Lord and Lady Holland what I say: they have heard +these idle tales; and they know so many of my follies, that I +should be sorry they believed more of me than are true. If all +arose from madame Geoffrin calling me in Joke le nouveau +Richelieu, I give it under my hand that I resemble him in nothing +but wrinkles. + +Your ladyship is much in the right to forbear reading politics. +I never look at the political letters that come hither in the +Chronicles. I was sick to death of them before I set out; and +perhaps should not have stirred from home, if I had not been sick +of them and all they relate to. If any body could write ballads +and epigrams, `a la bonne heure! But dull personal abuse in prose +is tiresome indeed. A serious invective against a pickpocket, or +written by a pickpocket, who has so little to do as to read? + +The Dauphin continues languishing to his exit, and keeps every +body at Fontainbleau. There is a little bustle now about the +parliament of Bretagne; but you may believe, Madam, that when I +was tired of the squabbles at London, I did not propose to +interest myself in quarrels at Hull or Liverpool. Indeed, if the +Duc de Chaulnes(908) commanded at Rennes, or Pomenars(909) was +sent to prison, I might have a little curiosity. You wrong me in +thinking I quoted a text from my Saint(910) ludicrously. On the +contrary I am so true a bigot, that if she could have talked +nonsense, I should, like any other bigot, believe she was +inspired. + +The season and the emptiness of Paris, prevent any thing new from +appearing. All I can send your ladyship is a very pretty +logogriphe, made by the old blind Madame du Deffand, whom perhaps +you know--certainly must have heard of. I sup there very +often;(911) and she gave me this last night-you must guess it. + +Quoique je forme un corps, je ne suis qu'une id`ee; +Plus ma beaut`e vieillit, plus elle est decid`ee: +Il faut, pour me trouver, ignorer d'o`u je viens; +Je tiens tout de lui, qui reduit tout `a rien.(912) + +Lady Mary Chabot inquires often after your ladyship. Your other +two friends are not yet returned to Paris; but I have had several +obliging messages from the Duchess d'Aiguillon. + +It pleased me extremely, Madam, to find no mention of your own +gout in your letter. I always apprehend it for you, as you try +its temper to the utmost, especially by staying late in the +country, which you know it hates. Lord! it has broken my spirit +so, that I believe it might make me leave Strawberry at a +minute's warning. It has forbidden me tea, and been obeyed; and +I thought that one of the most difficult points to carry with me. +Do let us be well, Madam, and have no gouty notes to compare! I +am your ladyship's most faithful, humble servant. + +(908) Governor of Britany in the time of Madame de S`evign`e. + +(909) See Madame de S`evign`e's Letters. + +(910) Madame de S`evign`e. + +(911) Madame du Deffand had, at this time, a supper at her house +every Sunday evening, at which Walpole, during his stay at Paris, +constantly made one of the company.-E. + +(912) The word is noblesse. + + + +Letter 281 To George Montagu, Esq. +Paris, Nov. 21, 1765. (page 445) + +You must not be surprised when my letters arrive long after their +date. I write them at my leisure, and send them when I find any +Englishman going to London, that I may not be kept in check, if +they were to pass through both French and English posts. Your +letter to Madame Roland, and the books for her, will Set Out very +securely in a day or two. My bookseller here happens to be of +Rheims, and knows Madame Roland, comme deux gouttes d'eau. This +perhaps is not a well-placed simile, but the French always use +one, and when they are once established, and one knows the tune, +it does not signify sixpence for the sense. + +My gout and my stick have entirely left me. I totter still, it +is true, but I trust shall be able to whisk about at Strawberry +as well almost as ever. When that hour strikes, to be sure I +shall not be very sorry. The sameness of the life here is worse +than any thing but English politics and the House of Commons. +Indeed, I have a mind still to see more people here, more sights, +and more of the Dumenil. The Dauphin, who is not dead yet, +detains the whole court at Fontainbleau, whither I dare not +venture, as the situation is very damp, and the lodgings +abominable. Sights, too, I have scarce seen any yet; and I must +satisfy my curiosity; for hither, I think, I shall never come +again. No, let us sit down quietly and comfortably, and enjoy +our coming old age. Oh! if you are in earnest, and will +transplant yourself to Roehampton, how happy I shall be! You +know, if you believe an experience of above thirty years, that +you are one of the very, very few, for whom I really care a +straw. You know how long I have been vexed at seeing so little +of you. What has one to do, when one grows tired of the world, +as we both do, but to draw nearer and nearer, and gently waste +the remains of life with the friends with whom one began it! +Young and happy people will have no regard for us and our old +stories, and they are in the right: but we shall not tire one +another; we shall laugh together when nobody is by to laugh at +us, and we may think ourselves young enough when we see nobody +younger. Roehampton is a delightful spot, at once cheerful and +retired. You will amble in your chaise about Richmond-park: we +shall see one another as often as we like; I shall frequently +peep at London, and bring you tales of it, and we shall sometimes +touch a card with the Clive, and laugh our fill; for I must tell +you, I desire to die when I have nobody left to laugh with me. I +have never yet seen or heard any thing serious, that was not +ridiculous. Jesuits, Methodists, philosophers, politicians, the +hypocrite Rousseau, the scoffer Voltaire, the encyclopedists, the +Humes, the Lytteltons, the Grenvilles, the atheist tyrant of +Prussia, and the mountebank of history, Mr. Pitt, all are to me +but impostors in their various ways. Fame or interest is their +object; and after all their parade, I think a ploughman who sows, +reads his almanack, and believes the stars but so many farthing +candles, created to prevent his falling into a ditch as he goes +home at night, a wiser and more rational being, and I am sure an +honester than any of them. Oh! I am sick of visions and systems, +that shove one another aside, and come over again, like the +figures in a moving picture. Rabelais brightens up to me as I +see more of the world; he treated it as it deserved, laughed at +it all, and, as I judge from myself, ceased to hate it; for I +find hatred an unjust preference. Adieu! + + + +Letter 282 To The Right Hon. Lady Hervey. +Paris, Nov. 28, 1765. (page 447) + +What, another letter! Yes, Madam; though I must whip and spur, I +must try to make my thanks keep up with your favours: for any +other return, you have quite distanced me. This is to +acknowledge the receipt of the Duchess d'Aiguillon--you may set +what sum you please against the debt. She is delightful, and has +much the most of a woman of quality of any I have seen, and more +cheerfulness too: for, to show your ladyship that I am sincere, +that my head is not turned, and that I retain some of my +prejudices still, I avow that gaiety, whatever it was formerly, +is no longer the growth of this country, and I will own too that +Paris can produce women of quality that I should not call women +of fashion; I will not use so ungentle a term as vulgar; but from +their indelicacy, I could call it still worse. Yet with these +faults, and the latter is an enormous one in my English eyes, +many of the women are exceedingly agreeable. I cannot say so +much for the men--always excepting the Duc de Nivernois. You +would be entertained, for a quarter of an hour, with his +Duchess--she is the Duke of Newcastle properly placed, that is, +chattering incessantly out of devotion, and making interest +against the devil, that she may dispose of bishoprics in the next +world. + +Madame d'Egmont is expected to-day, which will run me again into +arrears. I don't l(now how it is. Yes, I do: it is natural to +impose on bounty, and I am like the rest of the world; I am going +to abuse your goodness because I know nobody's so great. Besides +being the best friend in the world, you are the best +commissionnaire in the world, Madam - you understand from +friendship to scissors. The enclosed model was trusted to me, to +have two pair made as well as possible--but I really blush at my +impertinence. However, all the trouble I mean to give your +ladyship is, to send your groom of the chambers to bespeak them; +and a pair besides of the common size for a lady, as well made as +possible, for the honour of England's steel. + +The two knotting-bags from Madame Geoffrin went away by a +clergyman two days ago; and I concerted all the tricks the doctor +and I could think of, to elude the vigilance of the customhouse +officers. + +With this, I send your ladyship the Orpheline Legu`ee: its +intended name was the Anglomanie, my only reason for sending it; +for it has little merit, and had as slender success, being acted +but five times. However, there is nothing else new. + +The Dauphin continues in the same languishing and hopeless state, +but with great coolness and firmness. Somebody gave him t'other +day "The Preparation for Death:"(913) he said, "C'est la nouvelle +du jour." + +I have nothing more to say, but what I have always to say, Madam, +from the beginning of my letters to the end, that I am your +ladyship's most obliged and most devoted humble servant. + +Nov. 28, three o'clock. + +Oh, Madam, Madam, Madam, what do you think I have found since I +wrote my letter this morning? I am out of my wits! Never was +any thing like my luck; it never forsakes me! I have found Count +Grammont's picture! I believe I shall see company upon it, +certainly keep the day holy. I went to the Grand Augustins to +see the pictures of the reception of' the knights of the Holy +Ghost: they carried me into a chamber full of their portraits; I +was looking for Bassompierre; my laquais de louage opened a door, +and said, "Here are more." One of the first that struck me was +Philibert Comte de Grammont!(914) It is old, not at all +handsome, but has a great deal of finesse in the countenance. I +shall think of nothing now but having it copied. If I had seen +or done nothing else, I should be content with my journey hither. + +(913) The title of a French book of devotion. + +(914) The witty Count de Grammont, who married Elizabeth, +daughter of Sir George Hamilton, fourth son of James first Earl +of Abercorn, by Mary, third sister of James first Duke of Ormond. +Tradition reports, that Grammont, who is not recorded to have +been a men of personal courage, having attached, if not engaged +himself to Hamilton, went off abruptly for France: the Count +George Hamilton pursued and overtook him at Dover, when he thus +addressed him: "My dear friend, I believe you have forgot a +circumstance that should take place before you return to France." +To which Grammont answered, "True, my dear friend; what a memory +I have! I quite forgot that I was to marry your sister; but I +will instantly accompany you back to London and rectify that +forgetfulness." His celebrated Memoirs were written by his +brother-in-law, Anthony, generally called Count Hamilton, who +followed the fortunes of James the Second, and afterwards entered +the French service.-E. + + + +Letter 283 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Paris, Nov. 29, 1765. (page 448) + +As I answered your short letter with a very long one, I shall be +shorter in answer to your long, which I received late last night +from Fontainbleau: it is not very necessary: but as Lord William +Gordon sets out for England on Monday, I take that opportunity. + +The Duke of' Richmond tells me that Choiseul has promised every +thing. I wish it may be performed, and speedily, as it will give +you an opportunity of opening the Parliament with great `eclat. +My opinion you know is, that this is the moment for pushing them +and obtaining. + +Thank you for all you say about my gout. We have had a week of +very hard frost, that has done me great good, and rebraced me. +The swelling of my legs is quite gone. What has done me more +good, is having entirely left off tea, to which I believe the +weakness of my stomach was owing, having had no sickness since. +In short, I think I am cured of every thing but my fears. You +talk coolly of going as far as Naples, and propose my going with +you. I would not go so far, if Naples was the direct road to the +new Jerusalem. I have no thought or wish but to get home, and be +quiet for the rest of my days, which I shall most certainly do +the first moment the season will let me; and if I once get to +London again, shall be scarce tempted ever to lie in an inn more. +I have refused to go to Aubign`e, though I should lie but one +night on the road. You may guess what I have suffered, when I am +grown so timorous about my health, However, I am again reverted +to my system of water, and trying to recover my hardiness--but +nothing has at all softened me towards physicians. + +You see I have given you a serious answer, though I am rather +disposed to smile at your proposal. Go to Italy! for what?--Oh! +to quit--do you know, I think that as idle a thought as the +other. Pray stay where you are, and do some good to your +country, or retire when you cannot--but don't put your finger in +your eye and cry after the holidays and sugar-plums of +Park-place. You have engaged and must go through or be hindered. +Could you tell the world the reason? Would not all men say you +had found yourself incapable of what you had undertaken? I have +no patience with your thinking so idly. It would be a reflection +on your understanding and character, and a want of resolution +unworthy of you. + +My advice is, to ask for the first great government that falls, +if you will not take your regiment again; to continue acting +vigorously and honestly where you are. Things are never stable +enough in our country to give you a prospect of a long slavery. +Your defect is irresolution. When you have taken your post, act +up to it; and if you are driven from it, your retirement will +then be as Honourable, and more satisfactory than your +administration. I speak frankly, as my friendship for you +directs. My way of acting (though a private instance) is +agreeable to my doctrine. I determined, whenever our opposition +should be over, to have done with politics; and you see I have +adhered to my resolution by coming hither; and therefore you may +be convinced that I speak my thoughts. I don't ask your pardon, +because I should be forced to ask my own, if I did not tell you +what I think the best for you. You have life and Park-place +enough to come, and you have not had five months of gout. Make +yourself independent honourably, which you may do by a +government. but if you will take my advice, don't accept a +ministerial place when you cease to be a minister. The former is +a reward due to your profession and services; the latter is a +degradation. You know the haughtiness of my spirit; I give you +no advice but what I would follow. + +I sent Lady Ailesbury the "Orpheline Legu`ee:" a poor +performance; but the subject made me think she would like to see +it. I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and +have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater +felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a +portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one +these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing. +Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here +that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are +bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as +Hudson to Vandyck. I had rather stay till my return. Adieu! + +(915) The Count de Caylus, member of the Royal Academy of +Inscriptions and Belles-lettre, honorary member of the Royal +Academy of Painting and Sculpture, and author of the "Recueil +d'Antiquit`es Egyptiennes, Etrusques, Grecques, Romaines, et +Gauloises," in seven volumes, 4to., died at Paris in September +1765, in the sixty-third year of his age. He was said to be the +protector of the arts and the torment of the artists; for though +he assisted them with his advice, and, better still, with his +purse, he exacted from them, in return, the greatest deference to +his opinion. Gibbon, in his Journal for May, 1763, thus speaks +of the Count:--"Je le vis trois ou quatre fois, et je vis un +homme simple, uni, bon, et qui me temoignoit une bont`e Extreme. +Si je n'en ai point profits, je l'attribue moins `a son +charact`ere qu'`a son genre de vie. Il se l`eve de grand matin, +court les atteliers des artistes pendant tout le jour, et rentre +chez lui `a six heures du soir pour se mettre en robe de chambre, +et s'enfermer dans son cabinet. Le moyen de voir ses amis?"-E. + + + +Letter 284 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Paris, Dec. 5, 1765. (page 450) + +I have not above a note's worth to say; but as Lord Ossory sets +out to-morrow, I just send you a line. The Dauphin, if he is +still alive, which some folks doubt, is kept so only by cordials; +though the Bishop of Glandeve has assured the Queen that he had +God's own word for his recovery, which she still believes, +whether her son is dead or not. + +The remonstrance of the Parliament of Paris, on the dissolution +of that of Bretagne, is very decent; they are to have an audience +next week. They do not touch on Chalotais, because the +accusation against him is for treason. What do you think that +treason Is? A correspondence with Mr. Pitt, to whom he is made +to say, that "Rennes is nearer to London than Paris." It is now +believed that the anonymous letters, supposed to be written by +Chalotais, were forged by a Jesuit--those to Mr. Pitt could not +have even so good an author. + +The Duke of Richmond is still at Aubign`e: I wonder he stays, for +it is the hardest frost alive. Mr. Hume does not go to Ireland; +where your brother finds he would by no means be welcome. I have +a notion he will stay here till Your brother's return. + +The Duc de Praslin, it is said, will retire at Christmas. As La +Borde, the great banker of the court, is trying to retire too, my +consul, who is much connected with La Borde, suspects that +Choiseul is not very firm himself. I have supped with Monsieur +de Maurepas, and another night, with Marshal Richelieu: the first +is extremely agreeable and sensible; and, I am glad, not +minister. The other is an old piece of tawdry, worn out, but +endeavouring to brush itself up; and put me in mind of Lord +Chesterfield, for they laugh before they know what he has said-- +and are in the right, for I think they would not laugh +afterwards. + +I send Lady Ailesbury the words and music of the prettiest opera +comique in the world. I wish I could send her the actors too. +Adieu! + +December 9. + +Lord Ossory put off his journey; which stopped this letter, and +it will now go by Mr. Andrew Stuart. + +The face of things is changed here; which I am impatient to tell +you, that you may see it is truth, not system, which I pique +myself on sending you. The vigour of the court has frightened +the Parliaments. That of Pau has submitted. The procureurs, etc +of Rennes, who, it was said, would not plead before the new +commission, were told, that if they did not plead the next day +they should be hanged without a trial. No bribe ever operated +faster! I heard t'other day, that some Spanish minister, I +forget his name, being dead, Squillace would take his department, +and Grimaldi have that of the West Indies. He is the worst that +could have it, as we have no greater enemy. + +The Dauphin is certainly alive, but in the most shocking way +possible; his bones worn through his skin, a great swelling +behind, and so relaxed, that his intestines appear from that +part; and yesterday the mortification was suspected. + +I have received a long letter from Lady Ailesbury, for which I +give her a thousand thanks; and would answer it directly, if I +had not told you every thing I know. The Duke and Duchess of +Richmond are, I hear, at Fontainbleau: the moment they return, I +will give the Duchess Lady Ailesbury's commission. + + + +Letter 285 To The Countess Of Suffolk.(916) +Paris, Dec. 5, 1765; but does not set out till the 11th. +(page 451) + +Madam, +Miss Hotham need not be in pain for what to say when she gives me +an account of your ladyship; which is all the trouble I thought +of giving her. If she could make those accounts more favourable, +I should be better pleased; but I know what an untractable brute +the gout is, and the joy it takes in plaguing every body that is +connected with it. We have the sharpest frost here that ever +lived; it has done me great good; and, if it has the same effect +on your ladyship, I hope you are starved to death. Since Paris +has begun to fill in spite of Fontainbleau, I am much reconciled +to it, and, have seen several people I like. I am established in +two or three societies, where I sup every night; though I have +still resisted whist, and am more constant to my old flame loo +during its absence than I doubt I have been to my other passion. +There is a young Comtesse d'Egmont, daughter of Marshal +Richelieu, so pretty and pleasing, that, if I thought it would +break any body's heart in England, I would be in love with her. +Nay, Madam, I might be so within all rules here. I am twenty +years the right side of red-heels, which her father wears still, +and he has still a wrinkle to come before he leaves them off. + +The Dauphin is still alive, but kept so only by cordials. The +Queen and Dauphiness have no doubt of his recovery, having the +Bishop of Glandeve's word for it, who got a promise from a vision +under its own hand and seal. The Dauphin has certainly behaved +with great courage and tranquillity, but is so touched with the +tenderness and attention of his family, that he now expresses a +wish to live. + +If there is no talk in England of politics and parliaments, I can +send your ladyship as much as you please from hence; or If you +want English themselves, I can send you about fifty head; and I +assure you, we shall still be well stocked. There were three +card-tables at Lady Berkeley's. + +(916) Now first collected. + + + + Letter 286 To the Right Hon. Lady Hervey. +Paris, Jan. 2, 1766. (page 452) + +When I came to Paris, Madam, I did not know that by New year's-- +day I should find myself in Siberia; at least as cold. There +have not been two good days together since the middle of October; +however, I do not complain, as I am both well and pleased, though +I wish for a little of your sultry English weather, all French as +I am. I have entirely left off dinners, and the life I always +liked, of lying late in bed, and sitting up late. I am told of +nothing but how contradictory this is to your ladyship's orders; +but as I shall have dull dinners and triste evenings enough when +I return to England, all your kindness cannot persuade me to +sacrifice my pleasures here, too. Many of my opinions are +fantastic; perhaps this is one, that nothing produces gout like +doing any thing one dislikes. I believe the gouts like a near +relation, always visits one when one has some other plague. Your +ladyship's dependence on the waters of Sunning-hill is, I hope, +better founded; but in the mean time my system is full as +pleasant. + +Madame d'Aiguillon's goodness to me does not abate, nor Madame +Geoffrin's. I have seen but little of Madame d'Egmont, who seems +very good, and is universally in esteem. She is now in great +affliction, having lost suddenly Monsieur Pignatelli, the +minister at Parma, whom she bred up, and whom she and her family +had generously destined for her grand-daughter, an immense +heiress. It was very delicate and touching what Madame d'Egmont +said to her daughter-in-law on this occasion:--"Vous voyez, ma +ch`ere, combien j'aime mes enfans d'adoption!" This +daughter-in-law is delightfully pretty, and civil, and gay, and +conversable, though not a regular beauty like Madame de Monaco. + +The bitterness of the frost deters me, Madam, from all sights; I +console myself with good company, and still more, with being +absent from bad. Negative as this satisfaction is, it is +incredibly great, to me in a town like this, and to be sure every +day of not meeting one face one hates! I never know a positive +pleasure equal to it. + +Your ladyship and Lord Holland shall laugh at me as Much as you +please for by dread of being thought charming; yet I shall not +deny my panic, for surely nothing is so formidable as to have +one's limbs on crutches and one's understanding in +leading-strings. The Prince of Conti laughed at me t'other day +on the same account. I was complaining to the old blind charming +Madame du Deffand, that she preferred Mr. Crawford to me: "What," +said the Prince, "does not she love you?" "No, Sir," I replied, +"she likes me no better than if she had seen me." + +Mr. Hume carries this letter and Rousseau to England.(917) I +wish the former may not repent having engaged with the latter, +who contradicts and quarrels with all mankind, in order to obtain +their admiration. I think both his means and his end below such +a genius. If I had talents like his, I should despise any +suffrage below my own standard, and should blush to owe any part +of my fame to singularities and affectations. But great parts +seem like high towers erected on high mountains, the more +expose(] to every wind, and readier to tumble. Charles Townshend +is blown round the compass; Rousseau insists that the north and +South blow at the same time; and Voltaire demolishes the Bible to +erect fatalism in its stead:--so compatible are the greatest +abilities and greatest absurdities! + +Madame d'Aiguillon gave me the enclosed letter for your ladyship. +I wish I had any thing else to send you; but there are no new +books, and the theatres are shut up for the Dauphin's death; who, +I believe, is the greatest loss they have had since Harry 1V. + +(917) The Parliament of Paris having issued an arr`et against +Rousseau, on account of his opinions, Mr. Hume was applied to by +a friend in Paris to discover for him a retreat in England, +whither he accompanied him. The plan finally concluded on was, +that he should be comfortably boarded in the mansion of Mr. +Davenport, at Wooton, in the county of Derby; and Mr. Hume, by +his interest with the Government, obtained for him a pension of +one hundred pounds a-year. On his arrival in London, he appeared +in public in his Armenian dress, and excited much general +notice.-E + + + +Letter 287 To John Chute, Esq. +Paris, Jan. 1766. (page 453) + +It is in vain, I know, my dear Sir, to scold you, though I have +Such a mind to it--nay, I must. Yes, You that will not lie a +night at Strawberry in autumn for fear of the gout, to stay in +the country till this time, and till you caught it! I know you +will tell me, it did not come till you were two days in town. +Do, and I shall have no more pity for you this if I was your +wife, and had wanted to come to town two months ago. + +I am perfectly well, though to be sure Lapland is the torrid zone +in comparison of Paris. We have had such a frost for this +fortnight, that I went nine miles to dine in the country to-day, +in a villa exactly like a green-house, except that there was no +fire but in one room. We were four in a coach, and all our +chinks stopped with furs, and yet all the glasses were frozen. +We dined in a paved hall painted in fresco, with a fountain at +one end; for in this country they live in a perpetual opera, and +persist in being young when they are old, and hot when they are +frozen. At the end of the hall sat shivering three glorious +maccaws, a vast cockatoo, and two poor parroquets, who squalled +like the children in the wood after their nursery-fire! I am +come home, and blowing my billets between every paragraph, but +can scarce move my fingers. However, I must be dressed +presently, and go to the Comtesse de la Marche,(918) who has +appointed nine at night for my audience. It seems a little odd +to us to be presented to a princess of the blood at that hour-- +but I told you, there is not a tittle In which our manners +resemble one another; I was presented to her father-in-law the +Prince of Conti last Friday. In the middle of the lev`ee entered +a young woman, too plain I thought to be any thing but his near +relation. I was confirmed in my opinion, by seeing her, after he +had talked to her, go round the circle and do the honours of it. +I asked a gentleman near me if that was the Comtesse de la +Marche? He burst into a violent laughter, and then told me it +was Mademoiselle Auguste, a dancer!--Now, who was in the wrong? + +I give you these as samples of many scenes that have amused me, +and which will be charming food at Strawberry. At the same time +that I see all their ridicules, there is a douceur in the society +of the women of fashion that captivates me. I like the way of +life, though not lively; though the men are posts, and apt to be +arrogant, and though there are twenty ingredients wanting to make +the style perfect. I have totally washed my hands of their +savans and Philosophers, and do not even envy you Rousseau, who +has all the charlatanerie of Count St. Germain(919 to make +himself singular and talked of. I suppose Mrs. Montagu, my Lord +Lyttelton, and a certain lady friend of mine, will be in raptures +with him, especially as conducted by Mr. Hume. But, however I +admire his parts, neither he nor any genius I have known has had +common sense enough to balance the impertinence of their +pretensions. They hate priests, but love dearly to have an altar +at their feet; for which reason it is much pleasanter to read +them than to know them. Adieu! my dear Sir! + +Jan. 15. + +This has been writ this week, and waiting for a conveyance, and +as yet has got none. Favre tells me you are recovered, but you +don't tell me so yourself. I enclose a trifle that I wrote +lately,(920) which got about and has made enormous noise in a +city where they run and cackle after an event, like a parcel of +hens after an accidental husk of a grape. It has made me the +fashion, and made Madame de Boufflers and the Prince of Conti +very angry with me; the former intending to be rapt to the Temple +of Fame by clinging to Rousseau's Armenian robe. I am peevish +that with his parts he should be such a mountebank: but what made +me more peevish was, that after receiving Wilkes with the +greatest civilities, he paid court to Mr. Hume by complaining of +Wilkes's visit and intrusion.(921) Upon the whole, I would not +but have come hither; for, since I am doomed to live in England, +it is some comfort to have seen that the French are ten times +more contemptible than we are. I am a little ungrateful; but I +cannot help seeing with my eyes, though I find other people make +nothing of seeing without theirs. I have endless histories to +amuse you with when we meet, which shall be at the end of March. +It is much more tiresome to be fashionable than unpopular; I am +used to the latter, and know how to behave under it: but I cannot +stand for member of parliament of Paris. Adieu! + +(918) La Comtesse de la Marche, princess of Modena, married to +the only son of the Prince de Conti. Le Comte de la Marche was +the only one of the princes of the blood who uniformly sided with +the court in the disputes with the Parliament of Paris.-E. + +(919) The Comte de St. Germain had acquired a considerable +military reputation in France by his conduct at Corbach in 1760; +when he commanded the reserve, and saved the army by supporting +the rear-guard and allowing the whole body to retire upon Cassel. +Considering himself ill-used by the Marshal de Broglio, his +commander-in-chief, he obtained leave to retire from the French +service, and entered that of Denmark, from which he retired into +private life in 1774. From this retirement he was summoned by +Louis XVI. upon the death of the Comte de Muy, +minister-at-war.-E. + +(920) The letter from the King of Prussia to Rousseau.-E. + +(921) "One evening, at the Mitre, Johnson said sarcastically to +me, 'It seems, Sir, you have kept very good company abroad-- +Rousseau and Wilkes!' I answered with a smile, 'My dear Sir, you +don't call Rousseau bad company: do you r(@ally think him a f bad +man?' Johnson. 'Sir, if you are talking jestingly of this, I +don't talk with you. If you mean to be serious, I think him one +of the worst of men; a rascal, who ought to be hunted out of +society, as he has been. Three or four nations have expelled +him, and it is a shame that he is protected in this country. +Rousseau, Sir, is a very bad man. I would sooner sign a sentence +for his transportation than that of any felon who has gone from +the Old Bailey these many years. Yes, I should like to have him +work in the plantations.' " Boswell, vol. ii. p. 314, ed. +1835.-E. + + + +Letter 288 To George Montagu, Esq. +Paris, Jan. 5, 1766. (page 455) + +Lady beaulieu acts like herself, and so do you in being persuaded +that nobody will feel any satisfaction that comes to you with +more transport than I do; you deserve her friendship, because you +are more sensible to the grace of the action than to the thing +itself; of which, besides approving the sentiment, I am glad, for +if my Lady Cardigan(922) is as happy in drawing a straw, as in +picking straws, you will certainly miss your green coat. Yet +methinks you would make an excellent Robin Hood reform`e, with +little John your brother. How you would carol Mr. Percy's old +ballads under the greenwood tree! I had rather have you in my +merry Sherwood than at Greatworth, and should delight in your +picture drawn as a bold forester, in a green frock, with your +rosy hue, gray locks, and comely belly. In short, the favour +itself, and the manner are so agreeable, that I shall be at least +as much disappointed as you can be, if it fails. One is not +ashamed to wear a feather from the hand of a friend. We both +scorn to ask or accept boons; but it is pleasing to have life +painted with images by the pencil of friendship. Visions you +know have always been my pasture; and so far from growing old +enough to quarrel with their emptiness, I almost think there is +no wisdom comparable to that of exchanging what is called the +realities of life for dreams. Old castles, old pictures, old +histories, and the babble of old people, make one live back into +centuries, that cannot disappoint one. One holds fast and surely +what is past. The dead have exhausted their power of deceiving; +one can trust Catherine of Medicis now. In short, you have +opened a new landscape to my fancy; and my Lady Beaulieu will +oblige me as much as you, if she puts the long bow into your +hands. I don't know but the idea may produce some other Castle +of Otranto. + +The victorious arms of the present ministry in Parliament will +make me protract my stay here, lest it should be thought I +awaited the decision of the event; next to successful enemies, I +dread triumphant friends. To be sure, Lord Temple and George +Grenville are very proper to be tied to a conqueror's car, and to +drag then, slow lengths along;" but it is too ridiculous to see +Goody Newcastle exulting like old Marius in a seventh consulship. +Don't tell it, but as far as I can calculate my own intention, I +shall not set out before the twenty-fifth of March. That will +meet your abode in London; and I shall get a day or two out of +you for some chat at Strawberry on all I have seen and done here. +For this reason I will anticipate nothing now, but bid you +good-morrow, after telling you a little story. The canton of +Berne ordered all the impressions of Helvetius's Esprit and +Voltaire's Pucelle to be seized. The officer of justice employed +by them came into the council and said, "Magnifiques seigneurs, +apr`es toutes les recherches possibles, on n'a p`u trouver dans +toute la ville que tr`es peu de l'Esprit, et pas une Pucelle." +Adieu! Robin and John. + +January 9th. + +I had not sent away my letter, being so disappointed of a +messenger, and now receive yours of December the thirtieth. My +house is most heartily at your service, and I shall write to +Favre to have it ready for You. You will see by the former part +of this letter, that I do not think of being in England before +the end of March. All I dislike in this contract is the fear, +that if I drive you out of my house, I shall drive you out of +town; and as you will find, I have not a bed to offer you but my +own, and Favre's, in which your servant will lie, for I have +stripped Arlington-street to furnish Strawberry. In the mean +time you will be comfortable in my bed, and need have no trouble +about Favre, as he lodges at his wife's while I am absent. Let +them know in time to have the beds aired. + +I don't understand one syllable of your paragraph about Miss +Talbot, Admiral Cornish, and Mr. Hampden's son. I thought she +was married, and I forget to whom. + +(922) Lady Mary Montagu, third daughter and coheiress of John +second Duke of Montagu, and last of that creation; married, 7th +July 1730, George Montagu, fourth Earl of Cardigan.-E. + + + +Letter 289 To The Right Hon. Lady Hervey. +Paris, Saturday night, Jan. 11, 1766. (page 457) + +I have just now, Madam, received the scissors, by General Vernon, +from Mr. Conway's office. Unluckily, I had not received your +ladyship's notification of them sooner, for want of a conveyance, +and I wrote to my servant to inquire of yours how they had been +sent; which I fear may have added a little trouble to all you had +been so good as to take, and for which I give you ten thousand +thanks: but your ladyship is so exact and friendly, that it +almost discourages rather than encourages me. I cannot bring +myself to think that ten thousand obligations are new letters of +credit. I have -seen Mrs. F *****, and her husband may be as +happy as he will: I cannot help pitying him. She told me it is +coulder here than in England; and in truth I believe so: I blow +the fire between every paragraph, and am quite cut off from all +sights. The agreeableness of the evenings makes me some amends. +I am just going to sup at Madame d'Aiguillon's with Madame +d'Egmont, and I hope Madame de Brionne, whom I have not yet seen; +but she is not very well, and it is doubtful. My last new +passion, and I think the strongest, is the Duchesse de Choiseul. +Her face is pretty, not very pretty; her person a little model. +Cheerful, modest, full of attentions, with the happiest propriety +of expression, and greatest quickness of reason and judgment, you +would take her for the queen of an allegory: one dreads its +finishing, as much as a lover, if she would admit one, would wish +it should finish. In short, Madam, though you are the last +person that will believe it, France is so agreeable, and England +so much the reverse, that I don't know when I shall return. The +civilities, the kindnesses, the honours I receive, are so many +and so great, that I am continually forced to put myself in mind +how little I am entitled to them, and how many of them I owe to +your ladyship. I shall talk you to death at my return. Shall +you bear to hear me tell you a thousand times over, that Madame +Geoffrin is the most rational woman in the world, and Madame +d'Aiguillon the most animated and most obliging? I think you +will. Your ladyship can endure the panegyric of your friends. +If you should grow impatient to hear them commended, you have +nothing to do but to come over. The best air in the world is +that where one is pleased: Sunning waters are nothing to it. The +frost is so hard, it is impossible to have the gout; and though +the fountain of youth is not here, the fountain of age is, which +comes to just the same thing. One is never old here, or never +thought so. One makes verses as if one was but seventccn-for +example:- + +ON MADAME DE FORCALQUIER SPEAKING ENGLISH. + +Soft sounds that steal from fair Forcalquier's lips, +Like bee that murmuring the jasmin sips! +Are these my native accents? None so sweet, +So gracious, yet my ravish'd ears did meet. +O power of beauty! thy enchanting look +Can melodize each note in Nature's book. +The roughest wrath of Russians, when they swear, +Pronounced by thee, flows soft as Indian air; +And dulcet breath, attemper'd by thine eyes, +Gives British prose o'er Tuscan verse the prize. + +You must not look, Madam, for much meaning in these lines; they +were intended only to run smoothly, and to be easily comprehended +by the fair scholar who is learning our language. Still less +must you show them: they are not calculated for the meridian of +London, where you know I dread being represented as a shepherd. +Pray let them think that I am wrapped up in Canada bills, and +have all the pamphlets sent over about the colonies and the +stamp-act. + +I am very sorry for the accounts your ladyship gives me of Lord +Holland. He talks, I am told, of going to Naples: one would do a +great deal for health, but I question if I could buy it at that +expense. If Paris would answer his purpose, I should not wonder +if he came hither; but to live with Italians must be woful, and +would ipso facto make me ill. It is true I am a bad judge: I +never tasted illness but the gout, which, tormenting as it is, I +prefer to all other distempers: one knows the fit will end, will +leave one quite well, and dispenses with the nonsense of +physicians, and absurdity is more painful than pain: at least the +pain of the gout never takes away my spirits, which the other +does. + +I have never heard from Mr. Chute this century, but am glad the +gout is rather his excuse than the cause, and that it lies only +in his pen. I am in too good humour to quarrel with any body, +and consequently cannot be in haste to see England, where at +least one is sure of being quarrelled with. If they vex me, I +will come back hither directly; and I shall have the satisfaction +of knowing that your ladyship will not blame me. + + + +Letter 290 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Paris, Jan. 12, 1766. (page 458) + +I have received your letter by General Vernon, and another. to +which I have writ an answer, but was disappointed of a conveyance +I expected. You shall have it with additions, by the first +messenger that goes; but I cannot send it by the post, as I have +spoken very freely of some persons you name, in which we agree +thoroughly. These few lines are only to tell you that I am not +idle in writing to you. + +I almost repent having come hither: for I like the way of life +and many of the people so well, that I doubt I shall feel more +regret at leaving Paris than I expected. It would sound vain to +tell you the honours and distinctions I receive, and how much I +am in fashion; yet when they come from the handsomest women in +France, and the most respectable in point of character, can one +help being a little proud? If I was twenty years younger, I +should wish they were not quite so respectable. Madame de +Brionne, whom I have never seen, and who was to have met me at +supper last night at the charming Madame d'Egmont's, sent me an +invitation by the latter for Wednesday next. I was engaged, and +hesitated. I was told, "Comment! savez-vous que c'est qu'elle +ne feroit pas pour toute la France?" However, lest you should +dread my returning a perfect old swain, I study my wrinkles, +compare myself and my limbs to every plate of larks I see, and +treat my understanding with at least as little mercy. Yet, do +you know, my present fame is owing to a very trifling +composition, but which has made incredible noise. I was one +evening at Madame Geoffrin's joking on Rousseau's affectations +and contradictions, and said some things that diverted them. +When I came home, I Put them into a letter, and showed it next +day to Helvetius and the Duc de Nivernois-, who were so pleased +with it, that, after telling me some faults in the language, +which you may be sure there were, they encouraged me to let it be +seen. As you know I willingly laugh at mountebanks, political or +literary, let their talents be ever so great, I was not averse. +The copies have spread like wildfire; et me voici `a la mode! I +expect the end of my reign at the end of the week with great +composure. Here is the letter:-- + +LE ROI DE PRUSSE, A MONSIEUR ROUSSEAU.(923) + +Mon ch`ere Jean Jacques, +Vous avez renonc`e `a G`en`eve votre patrie; vous vous `etes fait +chasser de la Suisse, pays tant vant`e dans vos `ecrits; la +France vous a d`ecret`e. Venez done chez moi; j'admire vos +talens; je m'amuse de vos r`everies, qui (soit dit en passant) +vous occupent trop, et trop long tems. Il faut `a la fin `etre +sage et heureux. Vous avez fait assez parler de vous par des +singularit`es peu convenables `a un v`eritable grand homme. +D`emontrez `a vos ennemis que vous pouvez avoir quelquefois le +sens commun: cela les fachera, sans vous faire- tort. Mes `etats +vous offrent Une retraite paisible; je vous veux du bien, et je +vous en ferai, si vous le trouvez bon. Mais si vous vous +obstiniez `a rejetter mon secours, attendez-vous que je ne le +dirai `a personne. Si vous persistez @ vous creuser l'esprit +pour trouver de nouveaux malheurs, choisissez les tels que vous +voudrez. Je suis roi, je puis vous en procurer au gr`e de vos +souhaits: et ce qui s`urement ne vous arrivera pas vis `a vis de +vos ennemis, je cesserai de vous pers`ecuter quand vous cesserez +de mettre votre gloire `a l'`etre. Votre bon ami, Frederic. + +The Princesse de Ligne,(924) whose mother was an Englishwoman +made a good observation to me last night. She said, "Je suis +roi, je puis vous procurer de malheurs," was plainly the stroke +of an English pen. I said, then I had certainly not well +imitated the character in which I wrote. You will say I am an +old man to attack both Voltaire and Rousseau. It is true; but I +shoot at their heel, at their vulnerable part. + +I beg your pardon for taking up your time with these trifles. +The day after to-morrow we go in cavalcade with the Duchess of +Richmond to her audience;(925) I have got my cravat and shammy +shoes. Adieu! + +(923) How much Rousseau, who was naturally disposed to believe in +plots and conspiracies against him, was annoyed by this jeu +d'esprit, the reader will readily learn from the following +letter, which he addressed to the editor of the London Chronicle +shortly after his arrival in England:-- + +Wootton, 3d March 1766. + +You have failed, Sir, in the respect which every private person +owes to a crowned head, in attributing publicly to the King of +Prussia a letter full of extravagance and malignity, of which, +for these very reasons, you ought to have known be could not be +the author. You have even dared to transcribe his signature, as +if you had seen it written with his own hand. I inform you, Sir, +this letter was fabricated at Paris; and what rends my heart is, +that the impostor has accomplices in England. You owe to the +King of Prussia, to truth, and to me, to print the letter which I +write to you, and which I sign, as an atonement for a fault with +which you would doubtless reproach yourself severely, if you knew +to what a dark transaction you have rendered yourself accessory. +I salute you Sir, very sincerely. Rousseau. + +(924) The Princess de Ligne was a daughter of the Marquis de +Megi`eres, by Miss Oglethorpe, sister of general Oglethorpe.-E. + +(925) At Versailles, as ambassadress. + + + +Letter 291 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Paris, Jan. 18, 1766. (page 460) + +Dear sir, +I had extreme satisfaction in receiving your letter, having been +in great pain about you, and not knowing where to direct a +letter. Favre(926) told me, you had had an accident, did not say +what it was, but that you was not come to town.(927) He received +all the letters and parcels safe; for which I give you many +thanks, and a thousand more for your kindness in thinking of +them, when you was suffering so much. It was a dreadful +conclusion of your travels; but I trust will leave no +consequences behind it. The weather is by no means favourable +for a recovery, if it is as severe in England as at Paris. We +have had two or three days of fog, rather than thaw; but the +frost is set in again as sharp as ever. I persisted in going +about to churches and convents, till I thought I should have lost +my nose and fingers. I have submitted at last to the season, and +lie a-bed all the morning; but I hope in February and March to +recover the time I have lost. I shall not return to England +before the end of March, being determined not to hazard any +thing. I continue perfectly well, and few things could tempt me +to risk five months more of gout. + +I will certainly bring you some pastils, and have them better +packed, if it is possible. You know how happy I should be if you +would send me any other commission. As you say nothing of the +Eton living, I fear that prospect has failed you; which gives me +great regret, as it would give me very sensible pleasure to have +you fixed somewhere (and not far from me) for your ease and +satisfaction. + +I am glad the cathedral of Amiens answered your expectation; so +has the Sainte Chapelle mine; you did not tell me what charming +enamels I should find in the ante-chapel. I have seen another +vast piece, and very fine, of the Constable Montmorenci, at the +Mar`echale Duchesse de Luxembourg's. Rousseau is gone to England +with Mr. Hume. You will very probably see a letter to Rousseau, +in the name of the King of Prussia, writ to laugh at his +affectations. It has made excessive noise here, and I believe +quite ruined the author with many philosophers. When I tell you +I was the author, it is telling you how cheap I hold their anger. +If it does not reach you, you shall see it at Strawberry, where I +flatter myself I shall see you this summer, and quite well. +Adieu! + +(926) A servant of Mr. Walpole's left in London. + +(927) In disembarking at Dover, Mr. Cole met with an accident, +that had confined him there three weeks to his bed. + + + +Letter 292 To Mr. Gray. +Paris, Jan. 25, 1766. (461) + +I am much indebted to you for your kind letter and advice; and +though it is late to thank you for it, it is at least a stronger +proof that I do not forget it. However, I am a little obstinate, +as you know, on the chapter of health, and have persisted through +this Siberian winter in not adding a grain to my clothes, and in +going open-breasted without an under waistcoat. In short, though +I like extremely to live, it must be in my own way, as long as I +can: it is not youth I court, but liberty; and I think making +oneself tender is issuing a general warrant against one's own +person. I suppose I shall submit to confinement when I cannot +help it; but I am indifferent enough to life not to care if it +ends soon after my prison begins. I have not delayed so long to +answer your letter, from not thinking of you, or from want of +matter, but from want of time. I am constantly occupied, +engaged, amused, till I cannot bring a hundredth part of what I +have to say into the compass of a letter. You will lose nothing +by this: you know my volubility, when I am full of new subjects; +and I have at least many hours of conversation for you at my +return. One does not learn a whole nation in four or five +months; but, for the time, few, I believe, have seen, studied, or +got so much acquainted with the French as I have. + +By what I said of their religious or rather irreligious opinions, +you must not conclude their people of quality atheists--at least, +not the men. Happily for them, poor souls! they are not capable +of going so far into thinking. They assent to a great deal, +because it is the fashion, and because they don't know how to +contradict. they are ashamed to defend the Roman Catholic +religion, because it is quite exploded; but I am convinced they +believe it in their hearts. They hate the Parliaments and the +philosophers, and are rejoiced that they may still idolize +royalty. At present, too, they are a little triumphant: the +court has shown a little spirit, and the Parliament much less: +but as the Duc de Choiseul, who is very fluttering, unsettled, +and inclined to the philosophers, has made a compromise with the +Parliament of Bretagne, the Parliaments might venture out again, +if, as I fancy will be the case, they are not glad to drop a +cause, of which they began to be a little weary of the +inconvenience. + +The generality of the men, and more than the generality, are dull +and empty. They have taken up gravity, thinking it was +philosophy and English, and so have acquired nothing in the room +of their natural levity and cheerfulness. However, as their high +opinion of their own country remains, for which they can no +longer assign any reason, they are contemptuous and reserved, +instead of being ridiculously, consequently pardonably, +impertinent. I have wondered, knowing my own countrymen, that we +had attained such a superiority. I wonder no longer, and have a +little more respect for English heads than I had. + +The women do not seem of the same country: if they are less gay +than they were, they are more informed, enough to make them very +conversable. I know six or seven with very superior +understandings. some of them with wit, or with softness, or very +good sense. + +Madame Geoffrin, of whom you have heard much, is an extraordinary +woman, with more common sense than I almost ever met with. Great +quickness in discovering characters, penetration in going to the +bottom of them, and a pencil that never fails in a likeness-- +seldom a favourable One. She exacts and preserves, spite of her +birth and their nonsensical prejudices about nobility, great +court and attention. This she acquires by a thousand little arts +and offices of friendship: and by a freedom and severity, which +seem to be her sole end of drawing a concourse to her; for she +insists on scolding those she inveigles to her. She has little +taste and less knowledge, but protects artisans and authors, and +courts a few people to have the credit of serving her dependents. +She was bred under the famous Madame Tencin, who advised her +never to refuse any man; for, said her mistress, though nine in +ten should not care a farthing for you, the tenth may live to be +a useful friend. She did not adopt or reject the whole plan, but +fully retained the purport of the maxim. In short, she is an +epitome' of empire, subsisting by rewards and punishments. Her +great enemy, Madame du Deffand, was for a short time mistress of +the Regent, is now very old and stoneblind, but retains all her +vivacity, wit, memory, judgment, passions, and agreeableness. +She goes to operas, plays, suppers, and Versailles; gives suppers +twice a-week; has every thing new read to her; makes new songs +and epigrams, admirably, and remembers every one that has been +made these fourscore years. She corresponds with Voltaire, +dictates charming letters to him, contradicts him, is no bigot to +him or any body, and laughs both at the clergy and the +philosophers. In a Dispute, into which she easily falls, she is +very warm, and yet scarce ever in the wrong: her judgment on +every subject, is as just as possible; on every point of conduct +as wrong as possible: for she is all love and hatred, passionate +for her friends to enthusiasm, still anxious to be loved, I don't +mean by lovers, and a vehement enemy, but openly. As she can +have no amusement but conversation, the least solitude and ennui +are insupportable to her, and put her into the power of several +worthless people, who eat her suppers when they can eat nobody's +of higher rank; wink to one another and laugh at her; hate her +because she has forty times more parts--and venture to hate her +because she is not rich.(928) She has an old friend whom I must +mention, a Monsieur Pondeveyle,(929) author of the Fat puni, and +the Complaisant, and of those pretty novels, the Comte de +Cominge, the Siege of Calais, and Les Malheurs de l'Amour.(930) +Would not you expect this old man to be very agreeable? He can +be so, but seldom is yet he has another very different and very +amusing talent, the art of parody, and is unique in his kind. He +composes tales to the tunes of long dances -. for instance, he +has adapted the Regent's Daphnis and Chloe to one, and made it +ten times more indecent; but is so old, and sings it so well, +that it is permitted in all companies. He has succeeded still +better in les caract`eres de la danse, to which he has adapted +words that express all the characters of love. With all this he +has not the least idea of cheerfulness in conversation; seldom +speaks but on grave subjects, and not often on them; is a +humourist, very supercilious, and wrapt up in admiration of his +own country, as the only judge of his merit. His air and look +are cold and forbidding; but ask him to sing, or praise his +works, his eyes and smiles open, and brighten up. In short, I +can show him to you: the self-applauding poet in Hogarth's Rake's +Progress, the second print, is so like his very features and very +wig, that you would know him by it, if you came hither--for he +certainly will not go to you. + +Madame de Mirepoix's understanding is excellent of the useful +kind, and can be so when she pleases of the agreeable kind. She +has read, but seldom shows it, and has perfect taste. Her manner +is cold, but very civil; and she conceals even the blood of +Lorrain, without ever forgetting it. Nobody in France knows the +world better, and nobody is personally so well with the King. +She is false, artful, and insinuating beyond measure when it is +her interest,(931) but indolent and a coward. She never had any +passion but gaming, and always loses. For ever paying court, the +sole produce of a life of art is to get money from the King to +carry on a course of paying debts or contracting new ones, which +she discharges as fast as she is able. She advertised devotion, +to get made dame du palais to the Queen; and the very next day +this Princess of Lorrain was seen riding backwards with Madame +Pompadour in the latter's coach. When the King was stabbed, and +heartily frightened, the mistress took a panic too, and consulted +D'Argenson,(932) whether she had not best make off in time. He +hated her, and said, By all means. Madame de Mirepoix advised +her to stay. The King recovered his spirits, D'Argenson was +banished, and La Mar`echale inherited part of the mistress's +credit. I must interrupt my history of illustrious women with an +anecdote of Monsieur de Maurepas, with whom I am much acquainted, +and who has one of the few heads which approach to good ones, and +who luckily for us was disgraced, and the marine dropped, because +it was his favourite object and province. He employed Pondeveyle +to make a song on the Pompadour:(933) it was clever and bitter, +and did not spare Majesty. This was Maurepas absurd enough to +sing at supper at Versailles.(934) Banishment ensued; and lest +he should ever be restored, the mistress persuaded the King that +he had poisoned her predecessor Madame de Chateauroux. Maurepas +is very agreeable, and exceedingly cheerful; yet I have seen a +transient silent cloud when politics are talked of. + +Madame de Boufflers, who was in England(935) is a savants +mistress of the Prince of Conti, and very desirous of being his +wife. She is two women, the upper and the lower. I need not +tell you that the lower is gallant, and still has pretensions. +The upper is very sensible, too, and has a measured eloquence +that is just and pleasing--but all is spoiled by an unrelaxed +attention to applause. You would think she was always sitting +for her picture to her biographer. Madame de Rochfort(936) is +different from all the rest. Her understanding is just and +delicate; with a finesse of wit that is the result of reflection. +Her manner is soft and feminine, and though a savants, without +any declared pretensions. She is the decent friend of Monsieur +de Nivernois; for you must not believe a syllable of what you +read in their novels. It requires the greatest curiosity, or the +greatest habitude, to discover the smallest connexion between the +sexes here. No familiarity, but under the veil of friendship, is +permitted, and love's dictionary is as much prohibited, as at +first sight one should think his ritual was. All you hear, and +that pronounced with nonchalance, is, that Monsieur un tel has +had Madame un telle. The Duc de Nivernois has parts, and writes +at the top of the mediocre, but, as Madame Geoffrin says, is +manqu`e par tout; guerrier manqu`e, ambassadeur manqu`e, homme +d'affaires manqu`e and auteur manqu`e--no, he is not homme de +naissance manqu`e. He would think freely, but has some ambition +of being governor to the Dauphin, and is more afraid of his wife +and daughter, who are ecclesiastic fagots. The former +outchatters the Duke of Newcastle; and the latter Madame de +Gisors, exhausts Mr. Pitt's eloquence in defense of the +Archbishop of Paris. Monsieur de Nivernois lives in a small +circle of dependent admirers, and Madame de Rochfort is +high-priestess for a small salary of credit. + +The Duchess of Choiseul,(937) the only young one of these +heroines, is not very pretty, but has fine eyes, and is a little +model in wax-work, which not being allowed to speak for some time +as incapable, has a hesitation and modesty, the latter of which +the court has not cured, and the former of which is atoned for by +the most interesting sound of voice, and forgotten in the most +elegant turn and propriety of expression. Oh! it is the +gentlest, amiable, civil little creature that ever came out of a +fairy egg! So just in its phrases and thoughts, so attentive and +good-natured! Every body loves it but its husband, who prefers +his own sister the Duchess de Grammont,(938) an Amazonian, +fierce, haughty dame, who loves and hates arbitrarily, and is +detested. Madame de Choiseul, passionately fond of her husband, +was the martyr of this union, but at last submitted with a good +grace; has gained a little credit with him, and is still believed +to idolize him. But I doubt it--she takes too much pains to +profess it. + +I cannot finish my list without adding a much more common +character--but more complete in its kind than any of the +foregoing, the Mar`echale de Luxembourg.(939) She has been very +handsome, very abandoned, and very mischievous. Her beauty is +gone, her lovers are gone, and she thinks the devil is coming. +This dejection has softened her into being rather agreeable, for +she has wit and good-breeding; but you would swear, by the +restlessness of her person and the horrors she cannot conceal, +that she had signed the compact, and expected to be called upon +in a week for the performance. + +I could add many pictures, but none so remarkable. In those I +send you, there is not a feature bestowed gratis or exaggerated. +For the beauties, of which there are a few considerable, as +Mesdames de Brionne, de Monaco, et d'Egmont, they have not yet +lost their characters, nor got any. + +You must not attribute my intimacy with Paris to curiosity alone. +An accident unlocked the doors for me. That passe-partout, +called the fashion, has made them fly open-and what do you think +was that fashion? I myself. Yes, like Queen Elinor in the +ballad, I sunk at Charing-cross, and have risen in the Fauxbourg +St. Germain. A plaisanterie on Rousseau, whose arrival here in +his way to you brought me acquainted with many anecdotes +conformable to the idea I had conceived of him, got about, was +liked much more than it deserved, spread like wildfire, and made +me the subject of conversation. Rousseau's devotees were +offended. Madame de Boufflers, with a tone of sentiment, and the +accents of lamenting humanity, abused me heartily, and then +complained to myself with the utmost softness. I acted +contrition, but had like to have spoiled all, by growing +dreadfully tired of a second lecture from the Prince of Conti, +who took up the ball, and made himself the hero of a history +wherein he had nothing to do. I listened, did not understand +half he said (nor he neither), forgot the rest, said Yes when I +should have said No, yawned when I should have smiled, and was +very penitent when I should have rejoiced at my pardon. Madame +de Boufflers was more distressed, for he owned twenty times more +than I had said: she frowned and made him signs: but she had +wound up his clack, and there was no stopping it. -The moment she +grew angry, the lord of the house grew charmed, and it has been +my fault if I am not at the head of a numerous sect:--but, when I +left a triumphant party in England, I did not come hither to be +at the head of a fashion. However, I have been sent for about +like an African prince or a learned canary-bird, and was, in +particular, carried by force to the Princess of Talmond,(940) the +Queen's cousin, who lives in a charitable apartment in the +Luxembourg, and was sitting on a small bed hung with saints and +Sobieskis, in a corner of one of those vast chambers, by two +blinking tapers. I stumbled over a cat, a footstool, and a +chamber-pot in my journey to her presence. She could not find a +syllable to say to me, and the visit ended with her begging a +lap-dog. Thank the Lord! though this is the first month, it is +the last week, of my reign; and I shall resign my crown with +great satisfaction to a bouillie of chestnuts, which is just +invented and whose annals will be illustrated by so many +indigestions, that Paris will not want any thing else for three +weeks. I will enclose the fatal letter after I have finished +this enormous one; to which I will only add, that nothing has +interrupted my S`evign`e researches but the frost. The Abb`e de +Malherbes has given me full power to ransack I did not tell you, +that by great accident, when I thought on nothing less, I +stumbled on an original picture of the Comte de Grammont, Adieu! +You are generally in London in March: I shall be there by the end +of it.(941) + + +(928) To the above portrait of Madame du Deffand it may be useful +to subjoin the able development of her character which appeared +in the Quarterly Review for May 1811, in its critique on her +Letters to Walpole:--"This lady seems to have united the +lightness of the French character with the +solidity of the English. She was easy and volatile, yet +judicious and acute; sometimes profound and sometimes +superficial. She had a wit playful, abundant, and well-toned; an +admirable conception of the ridiculous, and great skill in +exposing it; a turn for satire, which she indulged, not always in +the best-natured manner, yet with irresistible effect; powers of +expression varied, appropriate, flowing from the source, and +curious without research; a refined taste for letters, and a +judgment both of men and books in a high degree: enlightened and +accurate. As her parts had been happily thrown together by +nature, they were no less happy in the circumstances which +attended their progress and development. They were refined, not +by a course of solitary study, but by desultory reading, and +chiefly by living intercourse with the brightest geniuses of her +age. Thus trained, they acquired a pliability of movement, which +gave to all their exertions a bewitching air of freedom and +negligence. and made even their last efforts seem only the +exuberances or flowering-off of a mind capable of higher +excellencies, but unambitious to attain them. There was nothing +to alarm or overpower. On whatever topic she touched, trivial or +severe, it was alike en badinant; but in the midst of this +sportiveness, her genius poured itself forth in a thousand +delightful fancies, and scattered new graces and ornaments on +every object within its sphere. In its wanderings from the +trifles of the day to grave questions of morals or philosophy, it +carelessly struck out, and as carelessly abandoned, the most +profound truths; and while it sought only to amuse, suddenly +astonished and electrified by rapid traits of illumination, which +opened the depths of difficult subjects, and roused the +researches of more systematic reasoners. To these qualifications +were added an independence in forming opinions, and a boldness in +avowing them, which wore at least the semblance of honesty; a +perfect knowledge of the world, and that facility of manners, +which in the commerce of society supplies the place of +benevolence."-E. + +(929) m. de Pontdeveyle, the younger brother of the Marquis +d'Argental, the friend of Voltaire and of the King of Prussia. +Their mother, Madame do Ferioles, was sister to the celebrated +madame de Tencin and to the Cardinal of the same name. He died +in 1774.-E. + +(930) Madame du Deffand, in a letter to Walpole of the 17th of +March 1776, states the Malheurs de l'Amour to be the production +of Madame de Tencin. She describes it as un roman bien `ecrit, +mais qui n'inspire que de la tristesse."-E. + +(931) La Mar`ecchale de Mirepoix was the first woman of +consequence who countenanced and appeared in public at Versailles +with Madame du Barri; while, on the other hand, her brother, the +Prince de Beauvau and his wife, gave great offence by refusing to +see her or be of any of her parties. Her person is thus +described by Madame du Deffand:--"Sa figure est charmante, son +teint est `eblouissant; ses traits, sans `etre parfaits, sont Si +bien assortis, que personne n'a l'air plus jeune et n'est plus +jolie."-E. + +(932) Le Comte d'Argenson was minister-at-war, and, after +Damien's attempt upon the life of the King of France in 1757, was +disgraced, and exiled to his country-house at Ormes in Poitou. +He was brother to the Marquis d'Argenson, who had been minister +of foreign affairs, and died in 1756. He it was who is said to +have addressed M. Bignon, his nephew, afterwards an academician, +on conferring upon him the appointment of librarian to the King, +"Mon neveu, voil`a une belle occasion pour apprendre `a lire."-E. + +(933) The following is the commencement of the song above alluded +to by Walpole:-- + +"Une petite bourgeoise, +Elev`ee `a la grivoise, +Mesurant tout k sa toise, +Fait de la cour un tandis. +Le Roi, malgr`e son scrupule, +Pour elle froidement br`ule. +Cette flamme ridicule Si +Excite dans tout Paris, ris, ris, ris." + +(934) Le Comte de Maurepas, who was married to a sister of the +Duc de la Valli`ere, had been minister of marine, and disgraced, +as Walpole says, at the instigation of the reigning mistress, +Madame de Pompadour. Upon the death of Louis Quinze, he was +immediately summoned to assist in the formation of the ministry +of his successor.-E. + +(935 See vol. iii. p. 218, letter 157.-E. + +(936) Madame de Rochefort, n`ee Brancas.-E. + +(937) La Duchesse de Choiseul, n`ee du Chatel. The husband +appears to have been more attached to her than Walpole supposed; +at least if we may judge from his will, in which he desires to be +buried in the same grave, and expresses his gratification at the +idea of reposing by the side of one whom he had, during his +lifetime, cherished and respected so highly.-E. + +(938) La Duchesse de Grammont, sister of the Duke of Choiseul, +does not appear to have deserved the character which Walpole has +here given of her. She was thus described, in 1761, by Mr. Hans +Stanley, in a letter to Mr. Pitt:--"The Duchess is the only +person who has any weight with her brother, the Duc de Choiseul. +She never dissembles her contempt or dislike of any man, in +whatever degree of elevation. It is said she might have supplied +the place of Madame de Pompadour, if she had pleased. She treats +the ceremonies and pageants of courts as things beneath her: she +possesses a most uncommon share of understanding, and has very +high notions of honour and reputation." The crowning act of her +life militates strongly against Walpole's views. When brought +before the Revolutionary tribunal, in April 1794, after having +been seized by order of Robespierre, she astonished her judges by +the grace and dignity of her demeanour; and pleaded, not for her +own life, but eloquently for that of her friend, the Duchesse du +Chatelet: "Que ma mmort soit d`ecid`ee," she said; "cela ne +m'`etonne pas; mais," pointing to her friend, "pour cet ange, en +quoi vous a-t-elle offens`e; elle qui n'a jamais fait tort `a +personne; et dont la vie enti`ere n'offre qu'un tableau de vertu +et de bienfaisance." Both suffered upon the same scaffold. It +was this lady who was selected to be made an example of, from +among many others who slighted Madame du Barri; and for this she +was exiled to the distance of fifteen leagues from Paris, or from +wheresoever the court was assembled.-E. + +(939) La Mar`echale Duchesse de Luxembourg, sister to the Duc de +Villeroi, Her first husband was the Duc de Boufflers, by whom she +had a son, the Duc de Boufflers, who died at Genoa of the +small-pox. She afterwards married the Mar`echal Duc de +Luxembourg, at whose country-seat, Montmorency, Jean Jacques +Rousseau was long an inmate.-E. + +(940) The Princess of Talmond was born in Poland, and said to be +allied to the Queen, Maria Leczinska, with whom she came to +France, and there married a prince of the house of Bouillon.-E. + +(941) Gray, in reference to this letter, writes thus to Dr. +Wharton, on the 5th of March:--"Mr. Walpole writes me now and +then a long and lively letter from Paris, to which place he went +the last summer, with the gout upon him; sometimes in his limbs; +often in his stomach and head. He has got somehow well, (not by +means of the climate, one would think,) goes to all public +places, sees all the best company, and is very much in fashion. +He says he sunk like Queen Eleanor, at Charing-cross, and has +risen again at Paris. He returns again in April; but his health +is certainly in a deplorable state." Works, vol. iv. p. 79.-E. + + + +Letter 293 To The Right Hon. Lady Hervey. +Paris, Feb. 3, 1766. )page 468) + +I had the honour of writing to your ladyship on the 4th and 12th +of last month, which I only mention, because the latter went by +the post, which I have found is not always a safe conveyance. + +I am sorry to inform you, Madam, that you will not see Madame +Geoffrin this year, as she goes to Poland in May. The King has +invited her, promised her an apartment exactly in her own way, +and that she shall see nobody but whom) she chooses to see. This +will not surprise you, Madam; but what I shall add, will: though +I must beg your ladyship not to mention it even to her, as it is +an absolute secret here, as she does not know that I know it, and +as it was trusted to me by a friend of yours. In short, there +are thoughts of sending her with a public character, or at least +with a commission from hence--a very extraordinary honour, and I +think never bestowed but on the Mar`echale de Gu`ebriant. As the +Dussons have been talked of, and as Madame Geoffrin has enemies, +its being known might make her uneasy that it was known. I +should have told it to no mortal but your ladyship; but I could +not resist giving you such a pleasure. In your answer, Madam, I +need not warn YOU not to specify what I have told you. + +My favour here continues ; and favour never displeases. To me, +too, it is a novelty, and I naturally love curiosities. However, +I must be looking towards home, and have perhaps only been +treasuring up regret. At worst I have filled my mind with a new +set of ideas; some resource to a man who was heartily tired of +his old ones. When I tell your ladyship that I play at whisk, +and bear even French music, you will not wonder at any change in +me. Yet I am far from pretending to like every body, or every +thing I see. There are some chapters on which I still fear we +shall not agree; but I will do your ladyship the justice to own, +that you have never said a syllable too much in behalf of the +friends to whom you was so good as to recommend me. Madame +d'Egmont, whom I have mentioned but little, is one of the best +women in the world, and, though not at all striking at first, +_fair)s upon one much. Colonel Gordon, with this letter, brings +you, Madam, some more seeds from her. I have a box of pomatums +for you from Madame de Boufflers, which shall go by the next +conveyance that offers. As he waits for my parcel, I can only +repeat how much I am your ladyship's most obliged and faithful +humble servant. + + + +Letter 294 To George Montagu, Esq. +Paris, Feb. 4, 1766. (page 469) + +I write on small paper, that the nothing I have to say may look +like a letter, Paris, that supplies tine with diversions, affords +me no news. England sends me none, on which I care to talk by +the post. All seems in confusion; but I have done with politics! + +The marriage of your cousin puts me in mind of the two owls, whom +the Vizier in some Eastern tale told the Sultan were treating on +a match between their children, on whom they were to settle I +don't know how many ruined villages. Trouble not your head about +it. Our ancestors were rogues, and so will our posterity be. + +Madame Roland has sent to me, by Lady Jerningham,(942) to beg my +works. She shall certainly have them when I return to England; +but how comes she to forget that you and I are friends? or does +she think that all Englishmen quarrel on party? If she does, +methinks she is a good deal in the right, and it is one of the +reasons why I have bid adieu to politics, that I may not be +expected to love those I hate, and hate those I love. I supped +last night with the Duchess de Choiseul, and saw a magnificent +robe she is to wear to-day for a great wedding between a +Biron(943) and a Boufflers. It is of blue satin, embroidered all +over in mosaic, diamond-wise, with gold: in every diamond is a +silver star edged with gold, and surrounded with spangles in the +same way; it is trimmed with double sables, crossed with frogs +and tassels of gold; her head, neck, breast, and arms, covered +with diamonds. She will be quite the fairy queen, for it is the +prettiest little reasonable amiable Titania you ever saw; but +Oberon does not love it. He prefers a great mortal Hermione his +sister. I long to hear that you are lodged in Arlington-street, +and invested with your green livery; and I love Lord Beaulieu for +his cudom. Adieu! + +(942) Mary, eldest daughter, and eventually heiress, of Francis +Plowden, Esq. by Mary eldest daughter of the Hon. John Stafford +Howard, younger son of the unfortunate Lord Stafford, wife of sir +George Jerningham.-E. + +(943) The Duc de Lauzun, who upon the death of his uncle, the +Mar`echal de Biron, became Duc de Biron, married the heiress and +only child of the Duc de Boufflers, who died at Genoa. The +marriage proved an unhappy one, and the Duchess twice took refuge +in England at the breaking out of the French revolution; but +having, in 1793, unadvisedly returned to Paris, she perished on +the scaffold in one of the bloody proscriptions of Robespierre. +At the beginning of that revolution, the Duke espoused the +popular cause, and even commanded an army under the orders of the +legislative assembly; but in the storms that succeeded, being +altogether unequal to stem the torrent of popular fury or direct +its course, he fell by the guillotine early in 1794.-E. + + + +Letter 295 To George Montagu, Esq. +Paris, Sunday, Feb. 23. (page 470) + +I cannot know that you are in my house, and not say, you are +welcome. Indeed you are, and I am heartily glad you are pleased +there. I have neither matter nor time for more, as I have heard +of an opportunity of sending this away immediately with some +other letters. News do not happen here as in London; the +Parliaments meet, draw up a remonstrance, ask a day for +presenting it, have the day named a week after, and so forth. At +their rate of going on, if Methusalem was first president, he +would not see the end of a single question. As your histories +are somewhat more precipitate, I wait for their coming to some +settlement, and then will return; but, if the old ministers are +to be replaced, Bastille for Bastille, I think I had rather stay +where I am. I am not half so much afraid of any power, as the +French are of Mr. Pitt. Adieu! + + + +Letter 296 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Paris, Feb. 28, 1766. (page 470) + +Dear sir, +As you cannot, I believe, get a copy of the letter to Rousseau, +and are impatient for it, I send it you: though the brevity of it +will not answer your expectation. It is no answer to any of his +works, and is only a laugh at his affectations. I hear he does +not succeed in England, where his singularities are no curiosity. +Yet he must stay there, or give up all his pretensions. To quit +a country where he may live at ease, and unpersecuted, will be +owning that tranquillity is not what he seeks. If he again seeks +persecution, who will pity him? I should think even bigots would +let him alone out of contempt. + +I have executed your commission in a way that I hope will please +you. As you tell me you have a blue cup and saucer, and a red +one, and would have them completed to six, without being all +alike, I have bought one other blue, one other red, and two +sprigged, in the same manner, with colours; so you will have just +three pair, which seems preferable to six odd ones; and which, +indeed, at nineteen livres a-piece, I think I could not have +found. + +I shall keep very near the time I proposed returning; though I am +a little tempted to wait for the appearance of' leaves. As I may +never come hither again, I am disposed to see a little of their +villas and gardens, though it will vex me to lose spring and +lilac-tide at Strawberry. The weather has been so bad, and +continues so cold, that I have not yet seen all I intended in +Paris. To-day, I have been to the Plaine de Sablon, by the Bois +de Boulogne, to see a horserace rid in person by the Count +Lauragais and Lord Forbes.(944) All Paris was in motion by nine +o'clock this morning, and the coaches and crowds were innumerable +at so novel a sight. Would you believe it, that there was an +Englishman to whom it was quite as new? That Englishman was I: +though I live within two miles of Hounslow, have been fifty times +in my life at Newmarket, and have passed through it at the time +of the races, I never before saw a complete one. I once went +from Cambridge on purpose; saw the beginning, was tired, and went +away. If there was to be a review in Lapland, perhaps I might +see a review, too; which yet I have never seen. Lauragais was +distanced at the second circuit. What added to the singularity +was, that at the same instant his brother was gone to church to +be married. But, as Lauragais is at variance with his father and +wife, he chose this expedient to show he was not at the wedding. +Adieu! + +(944) James, sixteenth Baron, who married, in 1760, Catherine, +only daughter of Sir Robert Innes, Bart. of orton. He was +Deputy-governor of Fort William, and died there in 1804.-E. + + + +Letter 297 To George Montagu, Esq. +Paris, March 3, 1766. (page 471) + +I write, because I ought, and because I have promised you I +would, and because I have an opportunity by Monsieur de +Lillebonne, and in spite of a better reason for being silent, +which is, that I have nothing to say. People marry, die, and are +promoted here about whom neither you nor I care a straw. No, +truly, and I am heartily tired of them, as you may believe when I +am preparing to return. There is a man in the next room actually +nailing my boxes; yet it will be the beginning of April before I +am at home. I have not had so much as a cold in all this +Siberian winter, and I will not venture the tempting the gout by +lying in a bad inn, till the weather is warmer. I wish, too, to +see a few leaves out at Versailles, etc. If I stayed till August +I could not see many; for there is not a tree for twenty miles, +that is not hacked and hewed, till it looks like the stumps that +beggars thrust into coaches to excite charity and miscarriages. + +I am going this evening in search of Madame Roland; I doubt we +shall both miss each other's lilies and roses: she may have got +some pionies in their room, but mine are replaced with crocuses. + +I love Lord Harcourt for his civility, to you; and I would fain +see you situated under the greenwood-tree, even by a compromise. +You may imagine I am pleased with the defeat, hisses, and +mortification of George Grenville, and The more by the +disappointment it has occasioned here. If you have a mind to vex +them thoroughly, you must make Mr. Pitt minister.(945) They have +not forgot him, whatever we have done. + +The King has suddenly been here this morning to hold a lit de +justice: I don't yet know the particulars, except that it was +occasioned by some bold remonstrances of the Parliament on the +subject of That of Bretagne. Louis told me when I waked, that +the Duke de Chevreuil, the governor of Paris, was just gone by in +great state. I long to chat with Mr. Chute and you in the blue +room at Strawberry: though I have little to write, I have a great +deal to say. How do you like his new house? has he no gout? +Are your cousins Cortez and Pizarro heartily mortified that they +are not to roast and plunder the Americans? Is Goody Carlisle +Disappointed at not being appointed grand inquisitor? Adieu! I +will not seal this till I have seen or missed Madame Roland. +Yours ever. + +P. S. I have been prevented going to madame Roland, and defer +giving an account of her by this letter. + +(945) Mr. Gerard Hamilton, in a letter to Mr. Calcraft, of the +7th, says:--"Grenville and the Duke of Bedford's people continue +to oppose, in every stage, the passage of the bill for the repeal +of the Stamp-act. The reports of the day are, that Mr. Pitt will +go into the House of lords, and form an arrangement, which he +will countenance."-E. + + + +Letter 298 To The Right Hon. Lady Hervey. +Paris, March 10, 1766. (page 472) + +There are two points, Madam, on which I must write to your +ladyship, though I have been confined these three or four Days +with an inflammation in my eyes. My watchings and revellings +had, I doubt, heated my blood, and prepared it to receive a +stroke of cold, which in truth was amply administered. We were +two-and-twenty at Mar`echale du Luxembourg's, and supped in a +temple rather than in a hall. It is vaulted at top with gods and +goddesses, and paved with marble; but the god of fire was not of +the number. HOWever, as this is neither of my points, I shall +say no more of it. + +I send your ladyship Lady Albemarle's box, which Madame Geoffrin +brought to me herself yesterday. I think it very neat and +charming, and it exceeds the commission but by a guinea and a +half. It is lined with wood between the two golds, as the price +and necessary size would not admit metal enough without, to leave +it of any solidity. + +The other point I am indeed ashamed to mention so late. I am +more guilty than even about the scissors. Lord Hertford sent me +word a fortnight ago, that an ensigncy was vacant, to which he +should recommend Mr. Fitzgerald. I forgot both to thank him and +to acquaint your ladyship, who probably know it without my +communication. I have certainly lost my memory! This is so idle +and young, that I begin to fear I have acquired something of the +Fashionable man, which I so much dreaded. It is to England then +that I must return to recover friendship and attention? I +literally wrote to Lord Hertford, and forgot to thank him. Sure +I did not use to be so abominable! I cannot account for it; I am +as black as ink, and must turn Methodist, to fancy that +repentance can wash me white again. No, I will not; for then I +may sin again, and trust to the same nostrum. + +I had the honour of sending your ladyship the funeral sermon on +the Dauphin, and a tract to laugh at sermons: "Your bane and +antidote are both before you." The first is by the Archbishop of +Toulouse,(946) who is thought the first man of the clergy. It +has some sense, no pathetic, no eloquence, and, I think, clearly +no belief in his own doctrine. The latter is by the Abb`e +Coyer,(947) written livelily, upon a single idea; and, though I +agree upon the inutility of the remedy he rejects, I have no +better opinion of that he would substitute. Preaching has not +failed from the beginning of the world till to-day, not because +inadequate to the disease, but because the disease is incurable. +If one preached to lions and tigers, would it cure them of +thirsting for blood, and sucking it when they have an opportunity +No; but when they are whelped in the Tower, and both caressed and +beaten, do they turn out a jot more tame when they are grown up? +So far from it, all the kindness in the world, all the attention, +cannot make even a monkey (that is no beast of prey) remember a +pair of scissors or an ensigncy. + +Adieu, Madam! and pray don't forgive me, till I have forgiven +myself. I dare not close my letter with any professions; for +could you believe them in one that had so much reason to think +himself Your most obedient humble servant? + +(946) Brionne de Lomenie, Archbishop of Toulouse, and afterwards +Cardinal de Lomenie or as he was nicknamed by the populace of +Paris, "Cardinal de l'Ignominie," was great-nephew to Madame du +Deffand. The spirit of political intrigue raised him to the +administration of affairs during the last struggles of the old +r`egime, and exposed him to the contempt he deserved for aspiring +to such a situation at such a moment. He was arrested at the +commencement of the Revolution, and escaped the guillotine by +dying in one of the prisons at Paris in 1794.-E. + +(947) This pamphlet of the Abb`e Coyer, which was entitled "On +Preaching," produced a great sensation in Paris at the time of +its publication. Its object is to prove, that those who have +occupied themselves in preaching to others, ever since the world +began, whether poets, priests, or philosophers, have been but a +parcel of prattlers, listened to if eloquent, laughed at if dull; +but who have never corrected any body: the true preacher being +the government, which joins to the moral maxims which it +inculcates the force of example and the power of execution. +Baron de Grimm characterizes the Abb`e as being "l'homme du monde +le plus lourd, l'ennui personnifi`e," and relates the following +anecdote of him during his visit to Voltaire at the Chateau de +Ferney:-" "The first day, the philosopher bore his company with +tolerable politeness; but the next morning he interrupted him in +a long prosing narrative of his travels, by this question: +'Savez-vous bien, M. l'Abb`e, la difference qu'il y a entre Don +Quichotte et vous? c'est que Don Quichotte prenait toutes les +auberges pour des chateaux; et vous, vous prenez tous les +ch`ateaux pour des auberges.'" The Abb`e died in 1782.-E. + + + +Letter 299 To George Montagu, Esq. +Paris, March 12, 1766. (page 474) + +I can write but two lines, for I have been confined these four or +five days with a violent inflammation in my eyes, and which has +prevented my returning to Madame Roland. I did not find her at +home, but left your letter. My right eye is well again, and I +have been to take air. + +How can you ask leave to carry any body to Strawberry? May not +you do what you please with me and mine? Does not +Arlington-street comprehend Strawberry? why don't you go and lie +there if you like it'? It will be, I think, the middle of April, +before I return; I have lost a week by this confinement, and +would fain satisfy my curiosity entirely, now I am here. I have +seen enough, and too much, of the people. I am glad you are upon +civil terms with Habiculeo. The less I esteem folks, the less I +would quarrel with them. + +I don't wonder that Colman and Garrick write ill In concert,(948) +when they write ill separately; however, I am heartily glad the +Clive shines. Adieu! Commend me to Charles-street. Kiss Fanny, +and Mufti, and Ponto for me, when you go to Strawberry: dear +souls, I long to kiss them myself. + +(948) The popular comedy of The Clandestine Marriage, the joint +production of Garrick and Colman, had just been brought out at +Drury-lane theatre.-E. + + + +Letter 300 To George Montagu, Esq. +Paris, March 21, 1766. (page 474) + +You make me very happy, in telling me you have been so +comfortable in my house. If you would set up a bed there, you +need never go out of it. I want to invite you, not to expel you. +April the tenth my pilgrimage will end, and the fifteenth, or +sixteenth, you may expect to see me, not much fattened with the +flesh-pots of Egypt, but almost as glad to come amongst you again +as I was to leave you. + +Your Madame Roland is not half so fond of me as she tells me; I +have been twice at her door, left your letter and my own +direction, but have not received so much as a message to tell me +she is sorry she was not at home. Perhaps this is her first +vision of Paris, and it is natural for a Frenchwoman to have her +head turned with it; though what she takes for rivers of emerald, +and hotels of ruby and topaz, are to my eyes, that have been +purged with euphrasy and rue, a filthy stream, in which every +thing is washed without being cleaned, and dirty houses, ugly +streets, worse shops, and churches loaded with bad pictures.(949) +Such is the material part of this paradise; for the corporeal,,if +Madame Roland admires it, I have nothing to say; however, I shall +not be sorry to make one at Lady Frances Elliot's. Thank you for +admiring my deaf old woman; if I could bring my old blind one +with me, I should resign this paradise as willingly as if it was +built of opal, and designed by a fisherman, who thought that what +makes a fine necklace would make a finer habitation. + +We did not want your sun; it has shone here for a fortnight with +all its lustre but yesterday a north wind, blown by the Czarina +herself I believe, arrived, and declared a month of March of full +age. This morning it snowed; and now, clouds of dust are +whisking about the streets and quays, edged with an east wind, +that gets under one's very shirt. I should not be quite sorry if +a little of it tapped my lilacs on their green noses, and bade +them wait for their master. + +The Princess of Talmond sent me this morning a picture of two +pup-dogs, and a black and white greyhound, wretchedly painted. I +could not conceive what I was to do with this daub, but in her +note she warned me not to hope to keep it. It was only to +imprint on my memory the size, and features, and spots of Diana, +her departed greyhound, in order that I might get her exactly +such another. Don't you think my memory will return well stored, +if it is littered with defunct lapdogs. She is so devout, that I +did not dare send her word, that I am not possessed of a twig of +Jacob's broom, with which he streaked cattle as he pleased + +T'other day, in the street, I saw a child in a leading-string, +whose nurse gave it a farthing for a beggar; the babe delivered +its mite with a grace, and a twirl of the hand. I don't think +your cousin's first grandson will be so well bred. Adieu! Yours +ever. + + +(949) Walpole's picture of Paris, in 1766, is not much more +favourable than that of Peter Heylin, who visited that city in +the preceding century:--"This I am confident of," says Peter, +"that the nastiest lane in London is frankincense and juniper to +the sweetest street in this city. The ancient by-word was (and +there is good reason for it) 'il destaient comme la fange de +Paris:' had I the power of making proverbs, I would only change +destaient' into 'il put,' and make the by-word ten times more +orthodox. That which most amazed me is, that in such a +perpetuated constancy of stinks, there should yet be variety--a +variety so special and distinct, that my chemical nose (I dare +lay my life on it), after two or three perambulations, would hunt +out blindfold each several street by the smell, as perfectly as +another by the eye."-E. + + + +Letter 301 To George Montagu, Esq. +Paris, April 3, 1766. (page 475) + +One must be just to all the world; Madame Roland, I find, has +been in the country, and at Versailles, and was so obliging as to +call on me this morning, but I was so disobliging as not to be +awake. I was dreaming dreams; in short, I had dined at Livry; +yes, yes, at Livry, with a Langlade and De la Rochefoucaulds. +The abbey is now possessed by an Abb`e de Malherbe, with whom I +am acquainted, and who had given me a general invitation. I put +it off to the last moment, that the bois and all`ees might set +off the scene a little, and contribute to the vision; but it did +not want it. Livry is situated in the For`et de Bondi, very +agreeably on a flat, but with hills near it, and in prospect. +There is a great air of simplicity and rural about it, more +regular than our taste, but with an old-fashioned tranquillity, +and nothing of coligichet. Not a tree exists that remembers the +charming woman, because in this country an old tree is a traitor, +and forfeits its head to the crown; but the plantations are not +young, and might very well be as they were in her time. The +Abb`e's house is decent and snug; a few paces from it is the +sacred pavilion built for Madame de S`evign`e by her uncle, and +much as it was in her day; a small saloon below for dinner, then +an arcade, but the niches now closed, and painted in fresco with +medallions of her, the Grignan, the Fayette, and the +Rochefoucauld. Above, a handsome large room, with a +chimney-piece in the best taste of Louis the Fourteenth's time; a +holy family in good relief over it, and the cipher of her uncle +Coulanges; a neat little bedchamber within, and two or three +clean little chambers over them. On one side of the garden, +leading to the great road, is a little bridge of wood, on which +the dear woman used to wait for the courier that brought her +daughter's letters. Judge with what veneration and satisfaction +I set my foot upon it! If you will come to France with Me next +year, we will go and sacrifice on that sacred spot together. + +On the road to Livry I passed a new house on the pilasters of the +gate to which were two sphinxes in stone, with their heads +coquetly reclined, straw hats, and French cloaks slightly pinned, +and not hiding their bosoms. I don't know whether I or Memphis +would have been more diverted. I shall set out this day +se'nnight, the tenth, and be in London about the fifteenth or +sixteenth, if the wind is fair. Adieu! Yours ever. + +P. S. I need not say, I suppose, that this letter is to Mr. +Chute, too. + + + +Letter 302 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Paris, April 6, 1766. (page 476) + +In a certain city of Europe(950) it is the custom to wear +slouched hats, long cloaks, and high capes. Scandal and the +government called this dress going in mask, and pretended that it +contributed to assassination. An ordonnance was published, +commanding free-born hats to be cocked, cloaks to be shortened, +and capes laid aside. All the world obeyed for the first day: +but the next, every thing returned into its old channel. In the +evening a tumult arose, and cries of,, "God bless the King! God +bless the kingdom! but confusion to Squillaci, the prime +minister."(951) The word was no sooner given, but his house was +beset, the windows broken, and the gates attempted. The guards +came and fired on the weavers(952) of cloaks. The weavers +returned the fire, and many fell on each side. As the hour of +supper approached and the mob grew hungry, they recollected a tax +upon bread, and demanded the repeal. the King yielded to both +requests, and hats and loaves were set at liberty. The people +were not contented, and still insisted on the permission of +murdering the first minister; though his Majesty assured his +faithful commons that the minister was never consulted on acts of +government, and was only his private friend, who sometimes called +upon him in an evening to drink a glass of wine and talk botany. +The people were incredulous, and continued in mutiny when the +last letters came away. If you should happen to suppose, as I +did, that this history arrived in London, do not be alarmed; for +it was at Madrid; and a nation who has borne the Inquisition +cannot support a cocked hat. So necessary it is for governors to +know when lead or a feather will turn the balance of human +understandings, or will not! + +I should not have entrenched on Lord George's(953) province of +sending you news of revolutions, but he is at Aubign`e; and I +thought it right to advertise you in time, in case you should +have a mind to send a bale of slouched hats to the support of the +mutineers. As I have worn a flapped hat all my life, when I have +worn any at all, I think myself qualified, and would offer my +service to command them; but, being persuaded that you are a +faithful observer of treaties, though a friend to repeals, I +shall come and receive your commands in person. In the mean time +I cannot help figuring what a pompous protest my Lord Lyttelton +might draw up in the character of an old grandee against the +revocation of the act for cocked hats. + +Lady Ailesbury forgot to send me word of your recovery, as she +promised; but I was so lucky as to hear it from other hands. +Pray take care of yourself, and do not imagine that you are as +weak as I am, and can escape the scythe, as I do, by being low: +your life is of more consequence. If you don't believe me, step +into the street and ask the first man you meet. + +This is Sunday, and Thursday is fixed for my departure, unless +the Clairon should return to the stage on Tuesday se'nnight, as +it is said; and I do not know whether I should not be tempted to +borrow two or three days more, having never seen her; yet my +lilacs pull hard, and I have not a farthing left in the world. +Be sure you do not leave a cranny open for George Grenville to +wriggle it), till I have got all my things out of the +customhouse. Adieu! Yours ever. + +(950) This account alludes to the insurrection at Madrid, on the +attempt of the court to introduce the French dress in Spain. + +(951) Squillace, an Italian, whom the King was obliged to banish. + +(952) Alluding to the mobs of silk-weavers which had taken place +in London. + +(953) Lord George Lenox, only brother to the Duke of Richmond. + + + +Letter 303 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Paris, April 8, 1766. (page 478) + +I sent you a few lines by the post yesterday with the first of +the insurrection at Madrid. I have since seen Stahremberg,(954) +the imperial minister, who has had a courier from thence; and if +Lord Rochford(955) has not sent one, you will not be sorry to +know more particulars. The mob disarmed the Invalids; stopped +all coaches, to prevent Squillaci's flight; and meeting the Duke +de Medina Celi, forced him and the Duke d'Arcos to carry their +demands to the King. His most frightened Majesty granted them +directly; on which his highness the people despatched a monk with +their demands in writing, couched in four articles; the +diminution of the gabel on bread and oil; the revocation of the +ordonnance on hats and cloaks; the banishment of Squillaci; and +the abolition of some other tax, I don't know what. The King +signed all; yet was still forced to appear at a balcony, and +promise to observe what he had granted. Squillaci was sent with +an escort to Carthagena, to embark for Naples, and the first +commissioner of the treasury appointed to succeed him; which does +not look much like observation of the conditions. Some say +Ensenada is recalled, and that Grimaldi is in no good odour with +the people. If the latter and Squillaci are dismissed, we get +rid of two enemies. + +The tumult ceased on the grant of the demands; but the King +retiring that night to Aranjuez, the insurrection was renewed the +next morning on pretence that this flight was a breach of the +capitulation The people seized the gates of the capital, and +permitted nobody to go out. In this state were things when the +courier came away. the ordonnance against going in disguise +looks as if some suspicions had been conceived; and yet their +confidence was so great as not to have two thousand guards in the +town. The pitiful behaviour of the court makes one think that +the Italians were frightened, and that the Spanish part of the +ministry were not sorry it took that turn. As I suppose there is +no great city in Spain which has not at least a bigger bundle of +grievances than the capital, one shall not wonder if the +pusillanimous behaviour of the King encourages them to redress +themselves too. + +There is what is called a change of the ministry here; but it is +only a crossing over and figuring in. The Duc de Praslin has +wished to retire for some time; and for this last fortnight there +has been talk of his being replaced by the Duc d'Aiguillon. the +Duc de Nivernois, etc.; but it is plain, though not believed till +now, that the Duc de Choiseul is all-powerful. To purchase the +stay of his cousin Praslin, on whom he can depend, and to leave +no cranny open, he has ceded the marine and colonies to the Due +de Praslin, and taken the foreign and military department +himself. His cousin is, besides, named chef du conseil des +finances; a very honourable, very dignified, and very idle place, +and never filled since the Duc de Bethune had it. Praslin's +hopeful cub, the Viscount, whom you saw in England last year, +goes to Naples; and the Marquis de Durfort to Vienna--a cold, +dry, proud man, with the figure and manner of Lord Cornbury. + +Great matters are expected to-day from the Parliament, which +re-assembles. A mousquetaire, his piece loaded with a lettre de +cachet, went about a fortnight ago to the notary who keeps the +parliamentary registers, and demanded them. They were refused-- +but given up, on the lettre de cachet being produced. The +Parliament intends to try the notary for breach of trust, which I +suppose will make his fortune; though he has not the merit of +perjury, like Carteret Webb. + +There have been insurrections at Bordeaux and Tailless, on the +militia, and twenty-seven persons were killed at the latter: but +both are appeased. These things are so much in vogue, that I +wonder the French do not dress `a la r`evolte. The Queen is in a +very dangerous way. This will be my last letter; but I am not +sure I shall set out before the middle of next week. Yours ever. + +(954) Prince Stahremberg: he had married a daughter of the Duc +d'Arembert, by his Duchess, nee la Marche. + +(955) William Henry Zuleistein de Nassau, Earl of Rochford, who +was at this time the English ambassador extraordinary at the +court of Spain. + + + +Letter 304 To The Rev. Mr. COLE. +Arlington Street, May 10, 1766. (page 479) + +At last I am come back, dear Sir, and in good health. I have +brought you four cups and saucers, one red and white, one blue +and white, and two coloured; and a little box of pastils. Tell +me whether and how I shall convey them to you; or whether you +will, as I hope, come to Strawberry this summer, and fetch them +yourself; but if you are in the least hurry, I will send them. + +I flatter myself you have quite recovered your accident, and have +no remains of lameness. The spring is very wet and cold, but +Strawberry alone contains more verdure than all France. + +I scrambled very well through the custom-house at Dover, and have +got all my china safe from that here in town. You will see the +fruits when you come to Strawberry Hill. Adieu! + + + +Letter 305 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Arlington Street, May 13, 1766. (page 479) + +Dear sir, +I am forced to do a very awkward thing, and send you back one of +your letters, and, what is still worse, opened. The case was +this: I received your two at dinner, opened one and laid the +other in my lap; but forgetting that I had taken one out of the +first, I took up the wrong 'Hand broke it open,. without +perceiving my mistake, till I saw the words, Dear Sister. I give +you my honour I read no farther, but had torn it too much to send +it away. Pray excuse me; and another time I beg you will put an +envelope, for you write just where the seal comes; and besides, +place the seals so together that though I did not quite open the +fourth letter, yet it stuck so to the outer seal, that I could +not help tearing it a little. Adieu! + + + +Letter 306 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, May 25, 1766. (page 480) + +When the weather will please to be in a little better temper, I +will call upon you to perform your promise; but I cannot in +conscience invite you to a fireside. The Guerchys and French +dined here last Monday, and it rained so that we could no more +walk in the garden than Noah could. I came again, to-day, but +shall return to town to-morrow, as I hate to have no sun in May, +but what I can make with a peck of coals. + +I know no news, but that the Duke of Richmond is secretary of +state,(956) and that your cousin North has refused the +vice-treasurer of Ireland. It cost him bitter pangs, not to +preserve his virtue, but his vicious connexions. He goggled his +eyes, and groped in his money-pocket; more than half consented; +nay, so much more, that when he got home he wrote an excuse to +Lord Rockingham, which made it plain that he thought he had +accepted. As nobody was dipped deeper in the warrants and +prosecution of Wilkes, there is no condoling with the ministers +on missing so foul a bargain. They are only to be pitied, that +they can purchase nothing but damaged goods. + +So, my Lord Grandison(957) is dead! Does the General inherit +much? Have you heard the great loss the church of England has +had? It is not avowed; but hear the evidence and judge. On +Sunday last, George Selwyn was strolling home to dinner at half +an hour after four. He saw my Lady Townshend's coach stop at +Caraccioli's(958) chapel. He watched, saw her go in; her footman +laughed; he followed. She Went up to the altar, a woman brought +her a cushion; she knelt, crossed herself, and prayed. He stole +up, and knelt by her. Conceive her face, if you can, when she +turned and found his close to her. In his demure voice, he said, +"Pray, Madam, how long has your ladyship left the pale of our +church!" She looked furies, and made no answer. Next day he +went to her, and she turned it off upon curiosity; but is any +thing more natural? No, she certainly means to go armed with +every viaticum, the church of England in one hand, Methodism in +the other, and the Host in her mouth. + +Have you ranged your forest, and seen your lodge yourself? I +could almost wish it may not answer, and that you may cast an eye +towards our neighbourhood. My Lady Shelburne(959) has taken a +house here, and it has produced a bon-mot from Mrs. Clive. You +know my Lady Suffolk is deaf, and I have talked much of a +charming old passion I have at Paris, who is blind; "Well," said +the Clive, "if the new Countess is but lame, I shall have no +chance of ever seeing you." Good night! + +(956) When the Duke of Grafton quitted the seals, they were +offered first to Lord Egmont, then to Lord Hardwicke, who both +declined them; "but, after their going a-begging for some time," +says Lord Chesterfield, " the Duke of Richmond begged them, and +has them, faute de mieux."-E. + +(957) John Villiers, fifth Viscount Grandison. He had bee +n elevated to the earldom in 1721; which title became extinct, +and the viscounty devolved upon William third Earl of Jersey.-E. + +(958) The Marquis de Carraccioli, ambassador from the court of +Naples.-E + +(959) Mary Countess of Shelburne, widow of the Hon. John +Fitzmaurice, first Earl of Shelburne. She was likewise his first +cousin, being the daughter of the Hon. William Fitzmaurice, of +Gailane, in the county of Kerry.-E. + + + +Letter 307 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, June 20, 1766. (page 481) + +I don't know when I shall see you, but therefore must not I write +to you? Yet I have as little to say as may be. I could cry +through a whole page over the bad weather. I have but a lock of +hay, you know; and I cannot get it dry, unless I bring it to the +fire. I would give half-a-crown for a pennyworth of sun. It is +abominable to be ruined in coals in the middle of June. + +What pleasure have you to come! there is a new thing published, +that will make you split your cheeks with laughing. It is called +the New Bath Guide.(960) It stole into the world, and for a +fortnight no soul looked into it, concluding its name was the +true name. No such thing. It is a set of letters in verse, in +all kind of verses, describing the life at Bath, and incidentally +every thing else; but so much wit, so much humour, fun, and +poetry, so much originality, never met together before. Then the +man has a better ear than Dryden or Handel. Apropos to Dryden, +he has burlesqued his St. Cecilia, that you will never read it +again without laughing. There is a description of a milliner's +box in all the terms of landscape, painted lawns and chequered +shades, a Moravian ode, and a Methodist ditty, that are +incomparable, and the best names that ever were composed. I can +say it by heart, though a quarto, and if I had time would write +it you down; for it is not yet reprinted, and not one to be had. + +There are two volumes, too, of Swift's Correspondence, that will +not amuse you less in another way, though abominable, for there +are letters of twenty persons now alive; fifty of Lady Betty +Germain, one that does her great honour in which she defends her +friend Lady Suffolk, with all the spirit in the world,(961) +against that brute, who hated every body that he hoped would get +him a mitre, and did not. His own Journal sent to Stella during +the four last years of the Queen, is a fund of entertainment. +You will see his insolence in full colours, and, at the same +time, how daily vain he was of being noticed by the ministers he +affected to treat arrogantly. His panic, at the Mohocks is +comical; but what strikes one, is bringing before one's eyes the +incidents of a curious period. He goes to the rehearsal of Cato, +and says the drab that acted Cato's daughter could not say her +part. This was only Mrs. Oldfield. I was saying before George +Selwyn, that this journal put me in mind of the present time, +there was the same indecision, irresolution, and want of system; +but I added, "There is nothing new under the sun." "No," said +Selwyn, "nor under the grandson." + +My Lord Chesterfield has done me much honour: he told Mrs. Anne +Pitt that he would subscribe to any politics that I should lay +down. When she repeated this to me, I said, "Pray tell him I +have laid down politics." + +I am got into puns and will tell you an excellent one of the King +of France, though it does not spell any better than Selwyn's. +You must have heard of Count Lauragais, and his horserace, and +his quacking his horse till he killed it. At his return the King +asked him what he had been doing in England? "Sire, j'ai appris +`a Penser"--"Des chevaux?" replied the King.(962) Good night! I +am tired, and going to bed. Yours ever. + +(960) By Christopher Anstey. This production became highly +popular for its pointed and original humour, and led to numerous +imitations. Gray, in a letter to Dr. Wharton, says--"Have you +read the New Bath Guide? It is the only thing in fashion, and is +a new and original kind of humour. Miss Prue's conversation I +doubt you will paste down, as Sir W. St. Quintyn did before he +carried it to his daughter; yet I remember you all read Crazy +Tales without pasting." Works, vol. iv. p. 84.-E. + +(961) The letter in question is dated Feb. 8, 1732-3, and the +following is the passage to which Walpole refers;--"Those out of +power and place always see the faults of those in, with dreadful +large spectacles. The strongest in my memory is Sir Robert +Walpole, being first pulled to pieces in the year 1720, because +the South Sea did not rise high enough; and since that, he has +been to the full as well banged about, because it did rise too +high. I am determined never wholly to believe any side or party +against@ the other; so my house receives them altogether, and +those people meet here that have, and would fight in any other +place. Those of them that have great and good qualities and +virtues, I love and admire; in which number is Lady Suffolk, +because I know her to be a wise, discreet, honest, and sincere +courtier."-E. + +(962) See ant`e, p. 389, letter 248, note 802.-E. + + + +Letter 308 To The Right Hon. Lady Hervey. +Strawberry Hill, June 28, 1766. (page 482) + +It is consonant to your ladyship's long experienced goodness, to +remove my error as soon as you could. In fact, the same post +that brought Madame d'Aiguillon's letter to you, brought me a +confession from Madame du Deffand of her guilt.(963) I am not +the less obliged to your ladyship for informing against the true +criminal. It is well for +me, however, that I hesitated, and did not, as Monsieur Guerchy +pressed me to do, constitute myself prisoner. What a ridiculous +vainglorious figure I should have made at Versailles, with a +laboured letter and my present! I still shudder when I think of +it, and have scolded(9 +64) Madame du Deffand black and blue. However, I feel very +comfortable; and though it will be imputed to my own vanity, that +I showed the box as Madam de Choiseul's present, I resign the +glory, and submit to the Shame with great satisfaction. I have +no pain in receiving this present from Madame du Deffand; and +must own have great pleasure that nobody but she could write that +most charming of all letters. Did not Lord Chesterfield think it +so, Madam? I doubt our friend Mr. Hume must allow that not only +Madame de Boufflers, but Voltaire himself, could not have written +so well. When I give up Madame de S`evign`e herself, I think his +sacrifices will be trifling. + +Pray, Madam, continue your waters; and, if possible, wash away +that original sin, the gout. What would one give for a little +rainbow to tell one one should never have it again! Well, but +then one should have a burning fever--for I think the greatest +comfort that good-natured divines give us IS, that we are not to +be drowned any more, in order that we may be burned. It will not +at least be this summer. here is nothing but haycocks swimming +round me. If it should cease raining by Monday se'nnight, I +think of' dining with your ladyship at Old Windsor; and if Mr. +Bateman presses me mightily, I may take a bed there. + +As I have a waste of paper before me, and nothing more to say, I +have a mind to fill it with a translation of a tale that I found +lately in the Dictionnaire d'Anecdotes, taken from a German +author. The novelty of it struck me, and I put it into verse-- +ill enough; but as the old Duchess of Rutland used to say of a +lie, it will do for news into the country. + +"From Time's usurping power, I see, +Not Acheron itself is free. +His wasting hand my subjects feel, +Grow old, and wrinkle though in Hell. +Decrepit is Alecto grown, +Megaera worn to skin and bone; +And t'other beldam is so old, +She has not spirits left to scold. +Go, Hermes, bid my brother Jove +Send three new Furies from above." +To Mercury thus Pluto said: +The winged deity obey'd. + +It was about the self same season +That Juno, with as little reason, +Rung for her abigail; and, you know, +Iris is chambermaid to Juno. +"Iris, d'ye hear? Mind what I say; +I want three maids--inquire--No, stay! +Three virgins--Yes, unspotted all; +No characters equivocal. +Go find me three, whose manners pure +Can Envy's sharpest tooth endure." +The goddess curtsey'd, and retired; +>From London to Pekin inquired; +Search'd huts and palaces in vain; +And tired, to Heaven came back again. +"Alone! are you return'd alone? +How wicked must the world be grown! +What has my profligate been doing? +On earth has he been spreading ruin? +Come, tell me all."--Fair Iris sigh'd, +And thus disconsolate replied:-- +"'Tis true, O Queen! three maids I found-- +The like are not on Christian ground-- +So chaste, severe, immaculate, +The very name of man they hate: +These--but, alas! I came too late; +For Hermes had been there before-- +In triumph off to Pluto bore +Three sisters, whom yourself would own +The true supports of Virtue's throne." +"To Pluto!--Mercy!" cried the Queen, +"What can my brother Pluto mean? +Poor man! he doats, or mad he sure is! +What can he want them for?"--"Three Furies." + +You will say I am an infernal poet; but every body cannot write +as they do aux Champs Elys`ees. Adieu, Madam! + +(963) Madame du Deffand had sent Mr. Walpole a snuff-box, on the +lid of which was a portrait of Madame de S`evign`e, accompanied +by a letter written in her name from the Elysian Fields, and +addressed to Mr. Walpole; who did not at first suspect Madame du +Deffand as the author, but thought both the present and the +letter had come from the Duchess of Choiseul. ("One of the +principal features, and it must be called, when carried to such +excess, one of the principal weaknesses of Mr. Walpole's +character, was a fear of ridicule--a fear which, , like most +others, often leads to greater dangers than that which it seeks +to avoid. At the commencement of his acquaintance with madame du +Deffand, he was near fifty, and she above seventy years of age, +and entirely blind. She had already long passed the first epoch +in the life of a Frenchwoman, that of gallantry, and had as long +been established as a bel esprit; and it is to be remembered +that, in the ante-revolutionary world of paris, these epochs in +life were as determined, and as strictly observed, as the changes +of dress on a particular day of the different seasons; and that a +woman endeavouring to attract lovers after she ceased to be +galante, would have been not less ridiculous as her wearing +velvet when the rest of the world were in demi-soisons. Madame +du Deffand, therefore, old and blind, had no more idea of +attracting Mr. Walpole to her as a lover than she had of the +possibility of any one suspecting her of such an intention; and +indeed her lively feelings, and the violent fancy she had taken +for his conversation and character, in every expression of +admiration and attachment which she really felt, and which she +never supposed capable of misinterpretation. By himself they +were not misinterpreted; but he seems to have had ever before his +eyes a very unnecessary dread of that being so by others--a fear +lest madame du Deffand's extreme partiality and high opinion +should expose him to suspicions of entertaining the same opinion +of himself, or of its leading her to some extravagant mark of +attachment; and all this, he persuaded himself, was to be exposed +in their letters to all the clerks of the post-office at paris +and all the idlers at Versailles. This accounts for the +ungracious language in which he often replied to the +importunities of her anxious affection; a language so foreign to +his heart, and so contrary to his own habits in friendship: this +too accounts for his constantly repressing on her part all +effusions of sentiment, all disquisitions on the human heart, and +all communications of its vexations, weaknesses, and pains." +Preface to "Letters of Madame du Deffand to Mr. Walpole."-E. + +(964) Vous avez si bien fait," replied Madame du Deffand, "par vo +le`cons, vos pr`eceptes, vos gronderies, et, le pis do tous, par +vos ironies, que vous `etes presque parvenu `a me rendre fausse, +ou, pour le moins, fort dissimul`ee."-E. + + + +Letter 309 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, July 10, 1766. (page 485) + +Don't you think a complete year enough for any administration to +last? One, who at least can remove them, though he cannot make +them, thinks so; and, accordingly, yesterday notified that he had +sent for Mr. Pitt.(965) Not a jot more is known; but as this set +is sacrificed to their resolution to have nothing to do with Lord +Bute, the new list will probably not be composed Of such hostile +ingredients. The arrangement I believe settled in the outlines; +if it is not, it may still never take place: it will not be the +first time this egg has been addled. One is very sure that many +people on all sides will be displeased, and I think no side quite +contented. Your cousins, the house of Yorke, Lord George +Sackville, Newcastle, and Lord Rockingham, will certainly not be +of the elect. What Lord Temple will do, or if any thing will be +done for George Grenville, are great points of curiosity. The +plan will probably be, to pick and cull from all quarters, and +break all parties as much as possible.(966) From this moment I +date the wane of Mr. Pitt's glory; he will want the thorough-bass +of drums and trumpets, and is not made for peace. The dismission +of a most popular administration, a leaven of Lord Bute, whom, +too, he can never trust, and the numbers he will discontent, will +be considerable objects against him. + +For my own part, I am much pleased, and much diverted. I have +nothing to do but to sit by and laugh; a humour you know I am apt +to indulge. You shall hear from me again soon. + +(965) On the 7th the King addressed a letter to Mr. Pitt, +expressing a desire to have his thoughts how an able and +dignified ministry might be formed, and requesting him to come to +town for that salutary purpose. The letter will be found in the +Chatham Correspondence, vol. ii. p. 436.-E. + +(966) "Here are great bustles at court," writes Lord +Chesterfield, on the 11th, "and a great change of persons is +certainly very near. My conjecture is, that, be the new +settlement what it will, Mr. Pitt will be at the head of it. If +he is, I presume, qu'il aura mis de l'eau dans son vin par +rapport `a My lord Bute: when that shall come to be known, as +known it certainly Will soon be, he may bid adieu to his +popularity."-E. + + + +Letter 310 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, July 21, 1766. (page 485) + +You may strike up your sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer; for Mr. +Pitt(967) comes in, and Lord Temple does not. Can I send you a +more welcome affirmative or negative? My sackbut is not very +sweet, and here is the ode I have made for it: + +When Britain heard the woful news, +That Temple was to be minister, +To look upon it could she choose +But as an omen most sinister? +But when she heard he did refuse, +In spite of Lady Chat. his sister, +What could she do but laugh, O Muse? +And so she did, till she ***** her. + +If that snake had wriggled in, he would have drawn after him the +whole herd of vipers; his brother Demogorcon and all. 'Tis a +blessed deliverance. + +The changes I should think now would be few. They are not yet +known; but I am content already, and shall go to Strawberry +to-morrow, where I shall be happy to receive you and Mr. John any +day after Sunday next, the twenty-seventh, and for as many days +as ever you will afford me. Let me know your mind by the return +of the post. Strawberry is in perfection: the verdure has all +the bloom of spring: the orange-trees are loaded with blossoms, +the gallery all sun and gold, Mrs. Clive all sun and vermilion-- +in short, come away to Yours ever. + +P. S. I forgot to tell you, and I hate to steal and not tell, +that my ode is imitated from Fontaine. + +(967) Mr. Pitt was gazetted, on the 30th of July, Viscount Pitt, +of Burton Pynsent, and Earl of Chatham. The same gazette +contained the notification of his appointment as lord privy seal +in the room of the Duke of Newcastle. "What shall I say to you +about the ministry?" writes Gray to Wharton: "I am as angry as a +common-councilman of London about my Lord Chatham, but a little +more patient, and will hold my tongue till the end of the year. +In the mean time, I do mutter in secret, and to you, that to quit +the House of Commons, his natural strength, to sap his own +popularity and grandeur, (which no man but himself could have +done,) by assuming a foolish title; and to hope that he could win +by it, and attach him to a court that hate him, and will dismiss +him as soon as ever they dare, was the weakest thing that ever +was done by so great a man. Had it not been for this, I should +have rejoiced at the breach between him and Lord Temple, and at +the union between him and the Duke of Grafton and Mr. Conway: but +patience! we shall see!" Works, vol. iv. p. 83.-E. + + + +Letter 311 To David Hume, Esq.(968) +Arlington Street, July 26, 1766. (page 486) + +Dear Sir, +Your set of literary friends are what a set of literary men are +apt to be, exceedingly absurd. They hold a consistory to consult +how to argue with a madman; and they think it very necessary for +your character to give them the pleasure of seeing Rousseau +exposed, not because he has provoked you, but them. If Rousseau +prints, you must; but I certainly would not till he does.(969) + +I cannot be precise as to the time of my writing the King of +Prussia's letter; but I do assure you with the utmost truth that +it was several days before you left Paris, and before Rousseau's +arrival there, of which I can give you a strong proof; for I not +only suppressed the letter while you stayed there, out of +delicacy to you, but it was the reason why, out of delicacy to +myself, I did not go to see him, as you often proposed to me, +thinking it wrong to go and make a cordial visit to a man, with a +letter in my pocket to laugh at him. You are at full liberty, +dear Sir, to make use of what I say in your justification, either +to Rousseau or any body else. I should be very sorry to have you +blamed on my account; I have a hearty contempt of Rousseau, and +am perfectly indifferent what the literati of Paris think of the +matter. If there is any fault, which I am far from thinking, let +it lie on me. No parts can hinder my laughing at their +possessor, if he is a mountebank. If he has a bad and most +ungrateful heart, as Rousseau has shown in your case, into the +bargain, he will have my scorn likewise, as he will of all good +and sensible men. You may trust your sentence to such who are as +respectable judges as any that have pored over ten thousand more +volumes. + +P. S. I will look out the letter and the dates as soon as I go to +Strawberry Hill. + +(968) On the celebrated quarrel between Hume and Rousseau, +D'Alembert, and the other literary friends of the former, met at +Paris, and were unanimous in advising him to publish the +particulars. This Hume at first refused, but determined to +collect them and for that purpose had written to Mr. Walpole +respecting the pretended letter from the King of Prussia. + +(969) "Your friend Rousseau, I doubt, grows tired of Mr. +Davenport and Derbyshire: he has picked up a quarrel with David +Hume, and writes him letters of fourteen pages folio, upbraiding +him with all his noirceurs; take one only as a specimen. He says +that at Calais they chanced to sleep in the same room together, +and that he overheard David talking in his sleep, and saying, +'Ah! je le tiens, ce Jean Jacques l`a.' In short, I fear, for +want of persecution and admiration (for these are his real +complaints), be will go back to the Continent." Gray to Wharton; +Works, vol. iv. P. 82.-E. + + + +Letter 312 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Arlington Street, Sept. 18, 1766. (page 487) + +Dear sir, +I am exceedingly obliged to you for your very friendly letter, +and hurt at the absurdity of the newspapers that occasioned the +alarm. Sure I am not of consequence enough to be lied about! It +is true I am ill, have been extremely so, and have been ill long, +but with nothing like paralytic, as they have reported me. It +has been this long disorder alone that has prevented my profiting +of your company at Strawberry, according to the leave you gave me +of asking it. I have lived upon the road between that place and +this, never settled there, and uncertain whether I should go to +Bath or abroad. Yesterday se'nnight I grew exceedingly ill +indeed, with what they say has been the gout in my stomach, +bowels, back, and kidneys. The worst seems over, and I have been +to take the air to-day for the first time, but bore it so ill +that I don't know how soon I shall be able to set out for Bath, +whither they want me to go immediately. As that journey makes it +very uncertain when I shall be at Strawberry again, and as you +must want your cups and pastils, will you tell me if I can convey +them to you any way safely? Excuse my saying more to-day, as I +am so faint and weak; but it was impossible not to acknowledge +your kindness the first minute I was able. Adieu! + + + +Letter 313 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, Sept. 18, 1766. (page 488) + +I am this moment come hither with Mr. Chute, who has showed me +your most kind and friendly letter, for which I give you a +thousand thanks. It did not surprise me, for you cannot alter. +I have been most extremely ill; indeed, never well since I saw +you. However, I think it is over, and that the gout is gone +without leaving a codicil in my foot. Weak I am to the greatest +degree, and no wonder. Such explosions make terrible havoc in a +body of paper. I shall go to the Bath in a few days. which they +tell me will make my quire of paper hold out a vast while! as to +that, I am neither credulous nor earnest. If it can keep me from +pain and preserve me the power of motion, I shall be content. +Mr. Chute, who has been good beyond measure, goes with me for a +few days. A thousand thanks and compliments to Mr. and Mrs. +Whetenhall and Mr. John, and excuse me writing more, as I am a +little fatigued with my little journey. + + + +Letter 314 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Bath, Oct. 2, 1766. (page 488) + +I arrived yesterday at noon, and bore my journey perfectly well, +except that I had the headache all yesterday; but it is gone +to-day, or at least made way for a little giddiness which the +water gave me this morning at first. If it does not do me good +very soon, I shall leave it; for I dislike the place exceedingly, +and am disappointed in it. Their new buildings that are so +admired, look like a collection of little hospitals; the rest is +detestable; and all crammed together, and surrounded with +perpendicular hills that have no beauty. The river is paltry +enough to be the Seine or Tiber. Oh! how unlike my lovely +Thames! + +I met my Lord Chatham's coach yesterday full of such +Grenville-looking children, that I shall not go to see him this +day or two; and to-day I spoke to Lady Rockingham in the street. +My Lords Chancellor and President are here, and Lord and Lady +Powis. Lady Malpas arrived yesterday. I shall visit Miss Rich +to-morrow. In the next apartment to [nine lodges *****. I have +not seen him some years; and he is grown either mad or +superannuated, and talks without cessation or coherence: you +would think all the articles in a dictionary were prating +together at once. The Bedfords are expected this week. There +are forty thousand others that I neither know nor intend to know. +In short, it is living in a fair, and I am heartily sick of it +already. Adieu! + + + +Letter 315 To George Montagu, Esq. +Bath, Oct. 5, 1766. (page 489) + +Yes, thank you, I am quite well again; and if I had not a mind to +continue so, I would not remain here a day longer, for I am tired +to death of the place. I sit down by the waters of Babylon and +weep, when I think of thee, oh Strawberry! The elements +certainly agree with me, but I shun the gnomes and salamanders, +and have not once been at the rooms. Mr. Chute stays with me +till Tuesday; when he is gone, I do not know what I shall do; for +I cannot play at cribbage by myself, and the alternative is to +see my Lady Vane open the ball, and glimmer at fifty-four. All +my comfort is, that I lodge close to the cross bath, by which +means I avoid the pump-room and all its works. We go to dine and +see Bristol to-morrow, which will terminate our sights, for we +are afraid of your noble cousins at Badminton; and, as Mrs. Allen +is dead and Warburton entered upon the premises, you may swear we +shall not go thither. + +Lord Chatham, the late and present Chancellors, and sundry more, +are here; and their graces of Bedford expected. I think I shall +make your Mrs. Trevor and Lady Lucy a visit; but it is such an +age since we met, that I suppose we shall not know one another by +sight. Adieu! These watering places, that mimic a capital, and +add vulgarisms and familiarities of their own, seem to me like +abigails in cast gowns, and I am not young enough to take up with +either. Yours ever. + + + +Letter 316 To John Chute, Esq. +Bath, Oct. 10, 1766. (page 489) + +I am impatient to hear that your charity to me has not ended in +the gout to yourself--all my comfort is, if you have it, that you +have good Lady Brown to nurse you. + +My health advances faster than my amusement. However, I have +been at one opera, Mr. Wesley's.(970) They have boys and girls +with charming voices, that sing hymns, in parts, to Scotch ballad +tunes but indeed so long, that one would think they were already +in eternity, and knew how much time they had before them. The +chapel is very neat, with true Gothic windows (yet I am not +converted); but I was glad to see that luxury is creeping in upon +them before persecution: they have very neat mahogany stands for +branches, and brackets of the same in taste. At the upper end is +a broad hautpas of four steps, advancing in the middle: at each +end of the broadest part are two of my eagles, with red cushions +for the parson and clerk. Behind them rise three more steps, in +the midst of which is a third eagle for pulpit. Scarlet armed +chairs to all three. On either hand, a balcony for elect ladies. +The rest of the congregation sit on forms. Behind the pit, in a +dark niche, is a plain table within rails; so you see the throne +is for the apostle. Wesley is a lean elderly man, +fresh-coloured, his hair smoothly combed, but with a soup`con of +curls at the ends. Wondrous clean, but as evidently an actor as +Garrick. He spoke his sermon, but so fast, and with so little +accent, that I am sure he has often uttered it, for it was like a +lesson. There were parts and eloquence in it; but towards the +end he exalted his voice, and acted very ugly enthusiasm; decried +learning, and told stories, like Latimer, of the fool of his +college, who said, "I thanks God for every thing." Except a few +from curiosity, and some honourable women, the congregation was +very mean. There was a Scotch Countess Of Buchan,(971) who is +carrying a pure rosy vulgar face to heaven, and who asked Miss +Rich, if that was the author of the poets. I believe she meant +me and the Noble Authors. + +The Bedfords came last night. Lord Chatham was with me yesterday +two hours; looks and walks well, and is in excellent political +spirits. Yours ever. + +(970) The idea of adapting the psalms of the church to secular +tunes had been put in practice long before Wesley's day. The +celebrated Clement Marot wrote a number of psalms to sing to the +popular airs of his time, for the accommodation of the ladies of +the French court who were devoutly inclined; but he left it to +Wesley to assign as a reason for doing so, that there were no +just grounds for letting the devil have all the best tunes +himself.-E. + +(971) Agnes, second daughter of Sir James Stewart of Goodtrees; +married, in January 1739, to Henry David, fifth Earl of Buchan. +She was the mother of the celebrated Lord Erskine.-E. + + + +Letter 317 To George Montagu, Esq. +Bath, Oct. 18, 1766. (page 490) + +Well, I went last night to see Lady Lucy and Mrs. Trevor, was let +in, and received with great kindness. I found them little +altered; Lady Lucy was much undressed, but looks better than when +I saw her last, and as well as one could expect; no shyness nor +singularity, but very easy and conversable. They have a very +pretty house, with two excellent rooms on a floor, and extremely +well furnished. You may be sure your name was much in request. +If I had not been engaged, I could have staved much longer with +satisfaction; and if I am doomed, as probably I shall be, to come +hither again, they would be a great resource to me; for I find +much more pleasure now in renewing old acquaintances than in +forming new. + +The waters do not benefit me so much as at firs,; the pains in my +stomach return almost every morning, but do not seem the least +allied to the gout. This decrease of their virtue is not near so +great a disappointment to me as you might imagine; for I am so +childish as not to think health itself a compensation for passing +my time very disagreeably. I can bear the loss of youth +heroically, provided I am comfortable, and can amuse myself as I +like. But health does not give one the sort of spirits that make +one like diversions, public places, and mixed company. Living +here is being a shopkeeper, who is glad of all kinds of +customers; but does not suit me, who am leaving Off trade. I +shall depart on Wednesday, even on the penalty of coming again. +To have lived three weeks in a fair appears to me a century! I +am not at all in love with their country, which so charms every +body. Mountains are very good frames to a prospect, but here +they run against one's nose, nor can one stir out of the town +without clambering. It is true one may live as retired as one +pleases, and may always have a small society. The place is +healthy, every thing is cheap, and the provisions better than +ever I tasted. Still I have taken an insupportable aversion to +it, which I feel rather than can account for; I do not think you +would dislike it: so you see I am just in general, though very +partial as to my own particular. + +You have raised my curiosity about Lord Scarsdale's, yet I +question whether I shall ever take the trouble of visiting it. I +grow every year more averse to stirring from home, and putting +myself out of my way. If I can but be tolerably well at +Strawberry, my wishes bounded. If I am to live at +watering-places, and keep what is called good hours, life itself +will be very indifferent to me. I do not talk very sensibly, but +I have a contempt for that fictitious character styled +philosophy; I feel what I feel, and say I feel what I do feel. +Adieu! Yours ever. + + + +Letter 318 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Bath, Oct. 18, 1766. (page 491) + +You have made me laugh, and somebody else makes me stare. How +can one wonder at any thing he does, when he knows so little of +the world? I suppose the next step will be to propose me for +groom of the bedchamber to the new Duke of Cumberland. But why +me? Here is that hopeful young fellow, Sir John Rushout, the +oldest member of the House, and, as extremes meet, very proper to +begin again; why overlook him? However, as the secret is kept +from me myself, I am perfectly easy about it. I shall call +to-day or to-morrow to ask his commands, but certainly shall not +obey those you mention.(972) + +The waters certainly are not so beneficial to me as at first: I +have almost every morning my pain in my stomach. I do not +pretend this to be the cause of my leaving Bath. The truth is, I +cannot bear it any longer. You laugh at my regularity; but the +contrary habit is so strong in me, that I cannot continue such +sobriety. The public rooms, and the loo, where we play in a +circle, like the hazard on Twelfth-night, are insupportable. +This coming into the world again, when I am so weary of it, is as +bad and ridiculous as moving an address would be. I have no +affectation; for affectation is a monster at nine-and-forty; but +if I cannot live quietly, privately, +and comfortably, I am perfectly indifferent about living at all. +I would not kill myself, for that is a philosopher's affectation, +and I will come hither again, if I must; but I shall always drive +very near, before I submit to do any thing I do not like. In +short, I must be as foolish as I please, as long as I can keep +without the limits of absurdity. What has an old man to do but +to preserve himself from parade on one hand, and ridicule on the +other?(973) Charming youth may indulge itself in either, may be +censured, will be envied, and has time to correct. Adieu + +Monday evening. + +You are a delightful manager of the House of Commons, to reckon +540, instead of 565! Sandwich was more accurate In lists, and +would not have miscounted 25, which are something in a division. + +(972) Mr. Conway had intimated to Walpole, that it was the wish +of Lord Chatham, that he should move the address on the King's +speech at the opening of the session.-E. + +(973) On the topic of ridicule, Walpole had, a few days before, +thus expressed himself in a letter to Madame du Deffand:--"Il y +avoit longtemps avant la date de notre connaissance, que cette +crainte de ridicule s'`etoit plant`ee dans mon esprit, et vous +devez assur`ement vous ressouvenir a quel point elle me +poss`edoit, et combien de fois je vous en ai entretenu. N'allez +pas lui chercher une naissance r`ecente. D`es le moment que je +cessais d'`etre jeune, j'ai eu une peur horrible de devenir un +veillard ridicule." To this the lady replied--"Vos craintes sur +le ridicule sont des terreurs paniques, mais on ne gu`erit point +de la peur; je n'ai point une semblable foiblesse; je sais qu'`a +mon age on est `a l'abri de donner du scandale: si l'on aime, on +n'a point `a s'en cacher; l'amiti`e ne sera jamais un sentiment +ridicule, quand elle ne fait pas faire des folies; mais +gardons-nous d'en prof`erer le nom, puisque vous avez de si +bonnes raisons de la vouloir proscrire."-E. + + + +Letter 319 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, Oct. 22, 1766. (page 492) + +They may say what they will, but it does one ten times more good +to leave Bath than to go to it. I may sometimes drink the +waters, as Mr. Bentley used to say I invited company hither that +I did not care for, that I might enjoy the pleasure of their +going away. My health is certainly amended, but I did not feel +the satisfaction of it till I got home. I have still a little +rheumatism in one shoulder, which was not dipped in Styx, and is +still mortal; but, while I went to the rooms, or stayed in my +chambers in a dull court, I thought I had twenty complaints. I +don't perceive one of them. + +Having no companion but such as the place afforded, and which I +did not accept, my excursions were very few; besides that the +city is so guarded with mountains, that I had not patience to be +jolted like a pea in a drum, in my chaise alone. I did go to +Bristol, the dirtiest great shop I ever saw, with so foul a +river, that, had I seen the least appearance of cleanliness, I +should have concluded they washed all their linen in it, as they +do at Paris. Going into the town, I was struck with a large +Gothic building, coal-black, and striped with white; I took it +for the devil's cathedral. When I came nearer, I found it was a +uniform castle, lately built, and serving for stables and offices +to a smart false Gothic house on the other side of the road. + +The real cathedral is very neat and has pretty tombs, besides the +two windows of painted glass, given by Mrs. Ellen Gwyn. There is +a new church besides of' St. Nicholas, neat and truly Gothic, +besides a charming old church at the other end of the town. The +cathedral, or abbey, at Bath, is glaring and crowded with modern +tablet-monuments; among others, I found two, of my cousin Sir +Erasmus Phillips, and of Colonel Madan. Your cousin Bishop +Montagu, decked it much. I dined one day with an agreeable +family, two miles from Bath, a Captain Miller(974) and his wife, +and her mother, Mrs. Riggs. They have a small new-built house, +with a bow-window, directly opposite to which the Avon falls in a +wide cascade, a church behind it in a vale, into which two +mountains descend, leaving an opening into the distant country. +A large village, with houses of gentry, is on one of the hills to +the left. Their garden is little, but pretty, and watered with +several small rivulets among the bushes. Meadows fall down to +the road; and above, the garden is terminated by another view of +the river, the city, and the mountains. 'Tis a very diminutive +principality, with large Pretensions. + +I must tell you a quotation I lighted upon t'other day from +Persius, the application of which has much diverted Mr. Chute. +You know my Lord Milton,(975) from nephew of the old usurer +Damer, of Dublin, has endeavoured to erect himself into the +representative of the ancient Barons Damory-- + +"----Momento turbinis exit +Marcus Dama." + +Apropos, or rather not `apropos, I wish you joy of the +restoration of the dukedom in your house, though I believe we +both think it very hard upon my Lady Beaulieu. + +I made a second visit to Lady Lucy and Mrs. Trevor, and saw the +latter One night at the rooms. She did not appear to me so +little altered as in the dusk of her own chamber. Adieu! Yours +ever. + +(974) Captain John Miller, of Ballicasy, in the county of Clare. +In the preceding year he had married Anne, the only daughter of +Edward Riggs, Esq. In 1778, he was created an Irish baronet, and +in 1784, chosen representative for Newport in parliament. See +post, Walpole's letter to General Conway, of the 15th of January +1775.-E. + +(975) Joseph Damer Lord Milton, of Shrone Hill, in the kingdom of +Ireland, was created a baron of Great Britain in May 1762, by the +title of Baron Milton of Milton Abbey, Dorsetshire.-E. + + + +Letter 320 To Sir David Dalrymple.(976) +Strawberry Hill, Nov. 5, 1766. (page 494) + +Sir, +On my return from Bath, I found your very kind and agreeable +present of the papers in King Charles's time;(977) for which and +all your other obliging favours I give you a thousand thanks. + +I was particularly pleased with your just and sensible preface +against the squeamish or bigoted persons who would bury in +oblivion the faults and follies of princes, and who thence +contribute to their guilt; for if princes, who living are above +control, should think that no censure is to attend them when +dead, it would be new encouragement to them to play the fool and +act the tyrant. When they are so kind as to specify their crimes +under their own hands, it would be foppish delicacy indeed to +suppress them. I hope you will proceed, Sir, and with the same +impartiality. It was justice due to Charles to publish the +extravagancies of his enemies too. The comparison can never be +fairly made, but when we see the evidence on both sides. I have +done so in the trifles I have published, and have as much +offended some by what I have said of the Presbyterians at the +beginning of my third volume of the Painters, as I had others by +condemnation of King Charles in my Noble Authors. In the second +volume of my Anecdotes I praised him where he deserved praise; +for truth is my sole object, and it is some proof, when one +offends both. I am, Sir, your most obliged and obedient servant. + +(976) Now first collected. In the March of this year, Sir David +Dalrymple was made a judge of the Court of session, when he +assumed the name of lord Hailes, by which he is best known.-E. + +(977) "The Memorials and Letters relating to the History of +Britain in the Reigns of James the First and Charles the First, +published from the originals in the Advocates' Library at +Edinburgh," had just appeared, in two volumes, octavo.-E. + + + +Letter 321 To David Hume, Esq. +Nov. 6, 1766. (page 494) + +Dear sir, +You have, I own, surprised me by suffering your quarrel with +Rousseau to be printed, contrary to your determination when you +left London, and against the advice of all your best friends +here; I may add, contrary to your own nature, which has always +inclined you to despise literary squabbles, the jest and scorn of +all men of sense. Indeed, I am sorry you have let yourself be +over-persuaded, and so are all that I have seen who wish you +well: I ought rather to use your own word extorted. You say your +Parisian friends extorted your consent to this publication. I +believe so. Your good sense would not approve what your good +heart could not refuse. You add, that they told you Rousseau had +sent letters of defiance against you all over Europe? Good God! +my dear Sir, could you pay any regard to such fustian? All +Europe laughs at being dragged every day into these idle +quarrels, with which Europe only ***. Your friends talk as +loftily as of a challenge between Charles the Fifth and Francis +the First. What are become of all the controversies since the +days of Scaliger and Scioppius, of Billingsgate memory? Why, +they sleep in oblivion, till some Bayle drags them out of their +dust, and takes mighty pains to ascertain the date of each +author's death, which is of no more consequence to the world than +the day of his birth. Many a country squire quarrels with his +neighbour about game and manors; yet they never print their +wrangles, though as much abuse passes between them as if they +could quote all the philippics of the learned. You have acted, +as i should have expected if you would print, with sense, temper, +and decency, and, what is still more uncommon, with your usual +modesty. I cannot say so much for your editors. But editors and +commentators are seldom modest. Even to this day that race ape +the dictatorial tone Of the commentators at the restoration of +learning, when the mob thought that Greek and Latin could give +men the sense which they wanted in their native languages. But +Europe is now grown a little wiser, and holds these magnificent +pretensions in proper contempt. + +What I have said is to explain why I am sorry my letter makes a +part of this controversy. When I sent it to you, it was for your +justification; and, had it been necessary, I could have added as +much more, having been witness to your anxious and boundless +friendship for Rousseau. I told you, you might make what use of +it you pleased. Indeed, at that time I did not-could not think +of its being printed, you seeming so averse to any publication on +that head. However, I by no means take it ill, nor regret my +part, if it tends to vindicate your honour. + +I must confess that I am more concerned that you have suffered my +letter to be curtailed; nor should I have consented to that if +you had asked me. I guessed that your friends consulted your +interest less than their own inclination to expose Rousseau; and +I think their omission of what I said on that subject proves I +was not mistaken in my guess. My letters hinted, too, my +contempt of learned men and their miserable conduct. Since I was +to appear in print, I should not have been sorry that that +opinion should have appeared at the same \time. In truth, there +is nothing I hold so cheap as the generality of learned men; and +I have often thought that young men ought to be made scholars, +lest they should grow to reverence learned blockheads, and think +there is any merit in having read more foolish books than other +folks; which, as there are a thousand nonsensical books for one +good one, must be the case of any man who has read much more than +other people. + +Your friend D'Alembert, who, I suppose, has read a vast deal, is, +it seems, offended with my letter to Rousseau.(978) He is +certainly as much at liberty to blame it, as I was to write it. +Unfortunately he does not convince me; nor can I think but that +if Rousseau may attack all governments and all religions, I might +attack him: especially on his affectation and affected +misfortunes; which you and your editors have proved are affected. +D'Alembert might be offended at Rousseau's ascribing my letter to +him; and he is in the right. I am a very indifferent author; and +there is nothing so vexatious to an indifferent author as to be +confounded with another of the same class. I should be sorry to +have his eloges and translations of scraps of Tacitus laid to me. +However, I can forgive him any thing, provided he never +translates me. Adieu! my dear Sir. I am apt to laugh, you know, +and therefore you will excuse me, though I do not treat your +friends up to the pomp of their claims. They may treat me as +freely: I shall not laugh the less, and I promise you I will +never enter into a controversy with them. Yours ever. + +(978) For writing the pretended letter from the King of Prussia +to Rousseau, Walpole was severely censured by Warburton, in a +letter to Hurd:--"As to Rousseau," says the Bishop, "I entirely +agree with you, that his long letter to his brother philosopher, +Hume, shows him to be a frank lunatic. His passion of tears, his +suspicion of his friends in the midst of their services, and his +incapacity of being set right, all consign him to Monro. +Walpole's pleasantry upon him had baseness in its very +conception. It was written when the poor man had determined to +seek an asylum in England; and is, therefore, justly and +generously condemned by D'Alembert. This considered, Hume failed +both in honour and friendship not to show his dislike; which +neglect seems to have kindled the first spark of combustion in +this madman's brain. However, the contestation is very amusing, +and I shall be very sorry if it stops, now it is in so good a +train. I should be well pleased, particularly, to see so +seraphic a madman attack so insufferable a coxcomb as Walpole; +and I think they are only fit for one another."-E. + + + +Letter 322 To David Hume, Esq. +Arlington Street, Nov. 11, 1766. (page 496) + +Indeed, dear Sir, it was not necessary to make me any apology. +D'Alembert is certainly at liberty to say what he pleases of me; +and undoubtedly you cannot think that it signifies a straw to me +what he says. But how can you be surprised at his printing a +thing that he sent you so long ago? All my surprise consists in +your suffering him to Curtail my letter to you, when you might be +sure be would print his own at length. I am glad, however, that +he has mangled mine: it not only shows his equity, but is the +strongest proof that he was conscious I guessed right, when I +supposed he urged you to publish, from his own private pique to +Rousseau. + +What you surmise of his censuring my letter because I am a friend +of Madame du Deffand, is astonishing indeed, and not to be +credited, unless you had suggested it. Having never thought him +any thing like a superior genius,(979) as you term him, I +concluded his vanity was hurt by Rousseau's ascribing my letter +to him; but, to carry resentment to a woman, to an old and blind +woman, so far as to hate a friend of hers qui ne lui avoit fait +de mal is strangely weak and lamentable. I thought he was a +philosopher, and that philosophers were virtuous, upright men, +who loved wisdom, and were above the little passions and foibles +of humanity. I thought they assumed that proud title as an +earnest to the world, that they intended to be something more +than mortal; that they engaged themselves to be patterns of +excellence, and would utter no opinion, would pronounce no +decision, but what they believed the quintessence of' truth; that +they always acted without prejudice and respect of persons. +Indeed, we know that the ancient philosophers were a ridiculous +composition of arrogance, disputation, and contradictions; that +some of them acted against all ideas of decency; that others +affected to doubt of their own senses; that some, for venting +unintelligible nonsense, pretended to think themselves superior +to kings; that they gave themselves airs of accounting for all +that we do and do not see-and yet, that no two of them agreed in +a single hypothesis; that one thought fire, another water, the +origin of all things; and that some were even so absurd and +impious, as to displace God, and enthrone matter in his place. I +do not mean to disparage such wise men, for we are really obliged +to them: they anticipated and helped us off with an exceeding +deal of nonsense, through which we might possibly have passed, if +they had not prevented us. But, when in this enlightened age, as +it is called, I saw the term philosophers revived, I concluded +the jargon would be omitted, and that we should be blessed with +only the cream of sapience; and one had more reason still to +expect this from any superior genius. But, alas! my dear Sir, +what a tumble is here! Your D'Alembert is a mere mortal oracle. +Who but would have laughed, if, when the buffoon Aristophanes +ridiculed Socrates, Plato had condemned the former, not for +making sport with a great man in distress, but because Plato +hated some blind old woman with whom Aristophanes was acquainted! + +D'Alembert's conduct is the More Unjust, as I never heard Madame +du Deffand talk of him above three times in the seven months that +I passed at Paris; and never, though she does not love him, with +any reflection to his prejudice. I remember the first time I +ever heard her mention his name, I said I have been told he was a +good man but could not think him a good writer. (Craufurd(980) +remembers this, and it is a proof that I always thought of +D'Alembert as I do now.) She took it up with warmth, defended +his parts, and said he was extremely amusing. For her quarrel +with him, I never troubled my head about it one way or other; +which you will not wonder at. You know in England we read their +works, but seldom or never take any notice of authors. We think +them sufficiently paid if their books sell, and of course leave +them to their colleges and obscurity, by which means we are not +troubled with their variety and impertinence. In France, they +spoil us; but that was no business of mine. I, who am an author +must own this conduct very sensible; for in truth we are a most +useless tribe. + +That D'Alembert should have omitted passages in which you was so +good as to mention me with approbation, agrees with his +peevishness, not with his philosophy. However, for God's sake, +do not state the passages. I do not love compliments, and will +never give my consent to receive any. I have no doubt of your +kind intentions to me, but beg they may rest there. I am much +more diverted with the philosopher D'Alembert's underhand +dealings, than I should have been pleased with panegyric even +from you. + +Allow me to make one more remark, and I have done with this +trifling business for ever. Your moral friend pronounces me +ill-natured for laughing at an unhappy man who had never offended +me. Rousseau certainly never did offend me. I believed, from +many symptoms in his writings, and from what I heard of him, that +his love of singularity made him choose to invite misfortunes, +and that he hung out many more than he felt. I, who affect no +philosophy, nor pretend to more virtue than my neighbours, +thought this ridiculous in a man who is really a superior genius, +and joked upon it in a few lines never certainly intended to +appear in print. The sage D'Alembert reprehends this--and where? +In a book published to expose Rousseau, and which confirms by +serious proofs what I had hinted at in jest. What! does a +philosopher condemn me, and in the very same, breath, only with +ten times more ill-nature, act exactly as I had done? Oh! but +you will say, Rousseau had offended D'Alembert by ascribing the +King of Prussia's letter to him. Worse and worse: if Rousseau is +unhappy, a philosopher should have pardoned. Revenge is so +unbecoming the rex regum, the man who is precipue sanus--nisi cum +pituita molesta est. If Rousseau's misfortunes are affected, +what becomes of my ill-nature? In short, my dear Sir, to +conclude as D'Alembert concludes his book, I do believe in the +virtue of Mr. Hume, but not much in that of philosophers. Adieu! +Yours ever. + +P. S. It occurs to me, that you may be apprehensive of my being +indiscreet enough to let D'Alembert learn your suspicions of him +on Madame du Deffand's account! but you may be perfectly easy on +that head. Though I like such an advantage over him, and should +be glad he saw this letter, and knew how little formidable I +think him, I shall certainly not make an ill use of a private +letter, and had much rather wave my triumph, than give a friend a +moment's pain. I love to laugh at an impertinent savant, but +respect learning when Joined to such goodness as yours, and never +confound ostentation and modesty. + +I wrote to you last Thursday and, by Lady Hertford's advice, +directed my letter to Nine-Wells: I hope you will receive it. +Yours ever. + +(979) "I believe I said he was a man of superior parts, not a +superior genius; words, if I mistake not, of a very different +import." Hume.-E. + +(981) John Craufurd, Esq. of Auchinames, in Scotland.-E. + + + + +Letter 323 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, Dec. 12, 1766. (page 499) + +Pray what are you doing? +Or reading or feeding? +Or drinking or thinking? +Or praying or playing? +Or walking or talking? +Or riding about to your neighbours?(982) + +I am sure you are not writing, for I have not had a word from you +this century; nay, nor you from me. In truth, we have had a busy +month, and many grumbles of a state-quake; but the session has +however ended very triumphantly for the great Earl. I mean, we +are adjourned for the holidays for above a month, after two +divisions of one hundred and sixty-six to forty-eight, and one +hundred and forty to fifty-six.(983) The Earl chaffered for the +Bedfords, and who so willing as they?(984) However, the bargain +went off, and they are forced to return to George Grenville. +Lord Rockingham and the Cavendishes have made a jaunt to the same +quarter, but could carry only eight along with them, which +swelled that little minority to fifty-six. I trust and I hope it +will not rise higher in haste. Your cousin, I hear, has been two +hours with the Earl, but to what purpose I know not. Nugent is +made Lord Clare, I think to no purpose at all.I came hither +to-day for two or three days, and to empty my head. The weather +is very warm and comfortable. When do you move your tents +southward? I left little news in town, except politics. That +pretty young woman, Lady Fortrose,(985) Lady Harrington's eldest +daughter, is at the point of death, killed, like Coventry and +others, by white lead, of which nothing could break her. Lord +Beauchamp is going to marry the second Miss Windsor.(986) It is +odd that those two ugly girls, though such great fortunes, should +get the two best figures in England, him and Lord Mount-Stuart. + +The Duke of York is erecting a theatre at his own palace, and is +to play Lothario in the Fair Penitent himself. Apropos, have you +seen that delightful paper composed out of scraps in the +newspapers! I laughed till I cried, and literally burst out so +loud, that I thought Favre, who was waiting in the next room, +would conclude I was in a fit; I mean the paper that says, + +"This day his Majesty will go in state to fifteen notorious," +etc. etc.(987) + +It is the newest piece of humour except the Bath Guide, that I +have seen of many years. Adieu! Do let me hear from you soon. +How does brother John? Yours ever. + +(982 Thus playfully imitated by Lord Byron, in December, 1816; + +"What are you doing now, oh Thomas Moore? +Sighing or suing now? +Rhyming or wooing now? +Billing or cooing now? +Which, Thomas Moore?"-E. + +(983) On the bill of indemnity for those concerned in the embargo +on the exportation of corn.-E. + +(984) The following is Lord Chesterfield's account of this +negotiation:--"No mortal can comprehend the present state of +affairs. Eight or nine persons, of some consequence, have +resigned their employments; upon which, Lord Chatham made +overtures to the Duke of Bedford and his people; but they could +by no means agree, and his grace went the next day, full of +wrath, to Woburn; so that negotiation is entirely at an end. +People wait to see who Lord Chatham will take in, for some he +must have; even he cannot be alone, contra mundum. Such a state +of things, to be sure, was never seen before, in this or in any +other country. When this ministry shall be settled, it will be +the sixth in six years' time."-E. + +(985) Caroline, eldest daughter of William second Earl of +Harrington; married, on the 7th of October 1765, to Kenneth +M'Kenzie, created Baron of Andelon, Viscount Fortrose and Earl of +Seaforth in the peerage of Ireland. Her ladyship died on the 9th +of February 1767.-E. + +(986) Francis Lord Beauchamp, son of the first Marquis of +Hertford. His first wife, by whom he had no issue, was Alice +Elizabeth, youngest daughter and coheiress of Herbert second +Viscount Windsor. This lady died in 1772; when his lordship +married, secondly, in 1776, Isabella Anne, daughter and heiress +of Charles Ingram, Viscount Irvine of Scotland.-E. + +(987) Cross-readings from the Public Advertiser, by Caleb +Whitefoord. [The paper was entitled, "A New Method of reading +the Newspapers," and was subscribed, "Papyrius Cursor;" a +signature which Dr. Johnson thought singularly happy, it being +the real name of an ancient Roman, and expressive of the thing +done in this lively conceit--of which the following may serve as +a specimen:-- + +"Yesterday Dr. Jones preached at St. James's and performed it +with ease in less than 15 minutes. +The sword of state was carried before Sir J. Fielding, and +committed to Newgate. +There was a numerous and brilliant court; a down look, and cast +with one eye. +Last night the Princess Royal was baptized; Mary, alias Moll +Hacket, alias Black Nell. +This morning the Right Hon. the Speaker--was convicted of keeping +a disorderly house. +This day his Majesty will go in state to fifteen notorious common +prostitutes. +Their R. H. the Dukes of York and Gloucester were bound over to +their good behaviour. +At noon her R. H. the Princess dowager was married to Mr. +Jenkins, an eminent tailor. +Several changes are talked of at court, consisting of 8040 triple +bob-majors. +At a very full meeting of common council, the greatest show of +horned cattle this season. +An indictment for murder is preferred against the worshipful +company of Apothecaries. +Yesterday the new Lord Mayor was sworn in, and afterwards tossed +and gored several persons. +This morning will be married the Lord Viscount and afterwards +hung in chains, pursuant to his sentence. +Escaped from the new gaol, Terence M'Dernan, if he will return, +he will be kindly received," + + + +Letter 324 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Dec. 16, 1766. (p-age 500) + +I wrote to You last post on the very day I ought to have received +yours; but being at Strawberry, did not get it in time. Thank +you for your offer of a doe; you know when I dine at home here, +it is quite alone, and venison frightens my little meal; yet, as +half of it is designed for dimidium animae meae Mrs. Clive (a +pretty round half), I must not refuse it; venison will make such +a figure at her Christmas gambols! only let me know when and how +I am to receive it, that she may prepare the rest of her banquet; +I will convey it to her. I don't like your wintering so late in +the country. Adieu! + + + +Letter 325 To George Montagu, Esq. +Tuesday, Jan. 13, 1767. (page 501 + +I am going to eat some of your venison, and dare to say it is +very good; I am sure you are, and thank you for it. Catherine, I +do not doubt, is up to the elbows in currant jelly and Gratitude. +I have lost poor Louis, who died last week at Strawberry. He had +no fault but what has fallen upon himself, poor. soul! drinking: +his honesty and good-nature were complete; and I am heartily +concerned for him, which I shall seldom say so sincerely. + +There has been printed a dull complimentary letter to me on the +quarrel of Hume and Rousseau. In one of the reviews they are so +obliging as to say I wrote it myself: it is so dull, that I +should think they wrote it themselves--a kind Of abuse I should +dislike much more than their criticism. + +Are not you frozen, perished? How do you keep yourself alive on +your mountain! I scarce stir from my fireside. I have scarce +been at Strawberry for a day this whole Christmas, and there is +less appearance of a thaw to-day than ever. There has been +dreadful havoc at Margate and Aldborough, and along the coast. +At Calais, the sea rose above sixty feet perpendicular, which +makes people conclude there has been an earthquake somewhere or +other. I shall not think of my journey to France yet; I suffered +too much with the cold last year at Paris, where they have not +the least idea of comfortable, but sup in stone halls, with all +the doors open. Adieu! I must go dress for the drawing-room of +the Princess of Wales. Yours ever. + + + +Letter 326 To Dr. Ducarel. +April 25, 1767. (page 501) + +Mr. Walpole has been out of town, Or should have thanked Dr. +Ducarel sooner for the obliging favour of his most curious and +valuable work,(988) which Mr. Walpole has read with the greatest +pleasure and satisfaction. He will be very much obliged to Dr. +Ducarel if he will favour him with a set of the prints separate; +which Mr. Walpole would be glad to put into his volumes of +English Heads; and shall be happy to have an opportunity of +returning these obligations. + +(988) Entitled "Anglo-Norman Antiquities considered, in a Tour +through part of Normandy."-E. + + + +Letter 327 To The Earl Of Strafford. +Strawberry Hill, July 29, 1767. (page 502) + +My dear lord, +I am very sorry that I must speak of a loss that will give you +and Lady Strafforct concern; an essential loss to me, who am +deprived of a most agreeable friend, with whom I passed here many +hours. I need not say I mean poor Lady Suffolk.(989) I was with +her two hours on Saturday night; and, indeed, found her much +changed, though I did not apprehend her in danger. I was going +to say she complained--but you know she never did complain--of +the gout and rheumatism all over her, particularly in her face. +It was a cold night, and she sat below stairs when she should +have been in bed; and I doubt this want of care was prejudicial. +I sent next morning. She had a bad night; but grew much better +in the evening. Lady Dalkeith came to her; and, when she was +gone, Lady Suffolk said to Lord Chetwynd, "She would eat her +supper in her bedchamber." He went up with her, and thought the +appearances promised a good night: but she was scarce sat down in +her chair, before she pressed her hand to her side, and died in +half an hour. + +I believe both your lordship and Lady Strafford will be surprised +to hear that she was by no means in the situation that most +people thought. Lord Chetwynd and myself were the only persons +at all acquainted with her affairs, and they were far from being +even easy to her. It is due to her memory to say, that I never +saw more strict honour and justice. She bore knowingly the +imputation of being covetous, at a time that the strictest +economy could by no means prevent her exceeding her income +considerably. The anguish of the last years of her life, though +concealed, flowed from the apprehension of not satisfying her few +wishes, which were, not to be in debt, and to make a provision +for Miss Hotham.(990) I can give your lordship strong instances +of the sacrifices she tried to make to her principles. I have +not yet heard if her will is opened; but it will surprise those +who thought her rich. Lord Chetwynd's friendship to her has been +unalterably kind and zealous, and has not ceased. He stays in +the house with Miss Hotham till some of her family come to take +her away. I have perhaps dwelt too long on this subject; but, as +it was not permitted me to do her justice when alive, I own I +cannot help wishing that those who had a regard for her, may at +least know how much more she deserved it than even they +suspected. In truth, I never knew a woman more respectable for +her honour and principles, and have lost few persons in my life +whom I shall miss so much. I am, etc. + +(989) Henrietta Hobart, Countess of Suffolk. She died at Marble +Hall, on the 24th of July.-E. + +(990) Her great-niece. + + + +Letter 328 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, July 31, 1767. (page 503) + +I find one must cast you into debt, if one has a mind to hear of +you. You would drop one with all your heart, if one would let +you alone. Did not you talk of passing by Strawberry in June, on +a visit to the Bishop? I did not summon you, because I have not +been sure of my own motions for two days together for these three +months. At last all is subsided; the administration will go on +pretty much as it was, with Mr. Conway for part of it. The fools +and the rogues, or, if you like proper names, the Rockinghams and +the Grenvilles, have bungled their own game, quarrelled, and +thrown it away. + +Where are you? What are you doing? Where are you going or +staying? I shall trip to Paris in about a fortnight, for a month +or six weeks. Indeed, I have had such a loss in poor Lady +Suffolk,(991) that my autumns at Strawberry will suffer +exceedingly, and will not be repaired by my Lord Buckingham. I +have been in pain, too, and am not quite easy about my brother, +who is in a bad state of health. Have you waded through or into +Lord Lyttelton?(992) How dull one may be, if one will but take +pains for six or seven-and-twenty years together! Except one +day's gout, which I cured with the boolikins, I have been quite +well since I saw you: nay, with a microscope you would perceive I +am fatter. Mr. Hawkins saw it with his naked eye, and told me +it was common for lean people to grow fat when they grow old. I +am afraid the latter is more certain than the former, I submit to +it with a good grace. There is no keeping off age by sticking +roses and sweet peas in one's hair, as Miss Chudleigh does still. + +If you are not totally abandoned, you will send me a line before +I go. The Clive has been desperately nervous; but I have +convinced her it did not become her, and she has recovered her +rubicundity. Adieu! + +(991) "Votre pauvre sourde!" writes Madame du Deffand to Walpole, +on the 3d of August. "Ah! mon Dieu! que j'en suis f`ach`ee; +c'est une veritable perte, et je la partage: j'aimais qu'elle +v`ecut; j'aimais son amiti`e pour vous; j'aimais votre +attachement pour elle: tout cela, ce me semble, m'`etait bon."-E. + +(992) His "History of the Life of King Henry the Second, and of +the Age in which he lived," in four volumes quarto.-E. + + + +Letter 329 To George Montagu, Esq. +Friday, Aug. 7, 1767. (page 503) + +As I am turned knight-errant, and going again in search of my old +fairy,(993) I will certainly transport your enchanted casket, and +will endeavour to procure some talisman, that may secrete it from +the eyes of those unheroic harpies, the officers of the +customhouse, YOU must take care to let me have it before +to-morrow se'nnight. + +The house at Twickenham with which you fell in love, is still +unmarried; but they ask a hundred and thirty pounds a-year for +it. If they asked one hundred and thirty thousand pounds for it, +perhaps my Lord Clive might snap it up; but that not being the +case, I don't doubt but it will fall, and I flatter myself, that +you and it may meet at last upon reasonable terms. That of +General Trapaud is to be had at fifty pounds a-year, but with a +fine on entrance of five hundred pounds. As I propose to return +by the beginning of October, perhaps I may see you, and then you +may review both. Since the loss of poor Lady Suffolk, I am more +desirous than ever of having you in my neighbourhood, as I have +not a rational acquaintance left. Adieu! + +(993) Madame du Deffand. The following passages from her letters +to Walpole will best explain the reasons which induced him to +undertake the journey:--"Paris, 5 Juillet. Je crois entrevoir +que votre s`ejour ici vous inqui`ete, et que la complaisance qui +vous am`ene vous coute beaucoup; mais, mon Tuteur, songez au +plaisir que vous me ferez, quelle sera ma reconnaissance. Je ne +vous dirai point combien cette visite m'est necessaire; vous +jugerez par vous-m`eme si je vous en ai impose sur rien, et si +vous pourrez jamais vous repentir des marques d'amiti`e que vous +m'avez donn`ees. Mon Dieu! que nous aurons de sujets de +conversations!"--"Dimanche, 23 Ao`ut. Enfin, enfin, il n'y a plus +de mer qui nous s`epare; j'ai l'esperance de vous voir d`ees +aujoqrd'hui. J'ai pri`e hier Madame Simonetti d'envoyer chez moi +au moment de votre arriv`ee; si vous voulez venir chez MOi, comme +j'esp`ere, vous aurez sur le champ mon carrosse. Je me flatte +que demain vous dinerez et souperez avec moi t`ete-`a-t`ete; nous +en aurons bien `a dire. Sans cette maudite compagnie que j'ai si +sottement rassembl`ee, vous m'auriez trouv`ee chez vous `a la +d`escente de votre chaise; cela vous auroit fort d`eplu, mais je +m'en serois mocqu`ee." Madame Simonetti kept the H`otel garni du +Parc Royal, Rue du Colombie. In a journal which Walpole kept of +this journey to Paris, is the following entry:--"August 23. +Arrived at Paris a quarter before seven; at eight, to Madame du +Deffand's; found the Clairon acting Agrippine and Ph`edre. Not +tall; but I liked her acting better than I expected. Supped +there with her, and the Duchesse de Villeroi, d'Aiguillon, etC. +etc."-E. + + + +Letter 330 To The Hon. H. S. Conway.(994) +Paris, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 1767. (page 504) + +Last night by Lord Rochford's courier, we heard of Townshend's +death;(995) for which indeed your letter had prepared me. As a +man of incomparable parts, and most entertaining to a spectator, +I regret his death. His good-humour prevented one from hating +him, and his levity from loving him; but, in a political light, I +own I cannot look upon it as a misfortune. His treachery alarmed +me, and I apprehended every thing from it. It was not advisable +to throw him into the arms of the Opposition. His death avoids +both kinds of mischief. I take for granted you will have Lord +North for chancellor of the exchequer.(996) He is very inferior +to Charles in parts; but what he wants in those, will be supplied +by firmness and spirit. + +With regard to my brother, I should apprehend nothing, were he +like other men; but I shall not be astonished, if he throws his +life away; and I have seen so much of the precariousness of it +lately, that I am prepared for the event, if it shall happen. I +will say nothing about Mr. Harris; he is an old man, and his +death will be natural. For Lord Chatham, he is really or +intentionally mad,--but I still doubt which of the two. Thomas +Walpole has writ to his brother here, that the day before Lord +Chatham set out for Pynsent, he executed a letter of attorney, +with full powers to his wife, and the moment it was signed he +began singing.(997) + +You may depend upon it I shall only stay here to the end of the +month: but if you should want me sooner, I will set out at a +moment's warning, on your sending me a line by Lord Rochf'ord's +courier. This goes by Lady Mary Coke, who sets out to-morrow +morning early, on notice of Mr. Townshend's death, or she would +have stayed ten days longer. I sent you a letter by Mr. +Fletcher, but I fear he did not go away till the day before +yesterday. + +I am just come from dining en famille with the Duke de Choiseul: +he was very civil--but much more civil to Mr. Wood,(998) who +dined there too. I imagine this gratitude to the peacemakers. I +must finish; for I am going to Lady Mary, and then return to sup +with the Duchess de Choiseul, who is not civiller to any body +than to me. Adieu! Yours ever. + +(994) Now first printed. + +(995) Mr. Charles Townshend died very unexpectedly, on the 4th of +September; he being then only in his forty-second year.-E. + +(996) "The chancellorship of the exchequer," says Adolphus, "was +filled up ad interim by Lord Mansfield. It was offered to Lord +North, who, for some reasons which are not precisely known, +declined accepting it. The offer was subsequently made to Lord +Barrington; who declared his readiness to undertake the office, +if a renewed application to Lord North should fail: a fresh +negotiation was attempted with the Duke of Bedford, but without +effect, and at length Lord North was prevailed on to accept the +office. Mr. Thomas Townshend succeeded Lord North as paymaster, +and Mr. Jenkinson was appointed a lord of the treasury; Lord +Northington and General Conway resigning, Lord Gower was made +president of the council; Lord Weymouth, secretary of state; and +Lord Sandwich, joint postmaster-general. These promotions +indicated an accommodation between the ministry and the Bedford +party; and the cabinet was further strengthened by the +appointment of Lord Hillsborough to the office of secretary of +state for America. The ministry, thus modelled, was called the +Duke of Grafton's administration; for, although Lord Chatham +still retained his place, he was incapable of transacting +business."-E. + +(997) Lord Chatham's enemies were constantly insinuating, that +his illness was a political one. For the real state of his +health at the time Walpole was penning this uncharitable passage, +see Lady Chatham's letter to Mr. Nuthall of the 17th of August, +and his lordship's own grateful and affectionate letter to Mr. +Thomas Walpole of the 30th of October. Correspondence, Vol. iii. +p. 282, 289.-E. + +(998) Mr. Robert Wood. He was under-secretary of state at the +time of the treaty of Paris.-E. + + + +Letter 331 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Arlington Street, Oct. 24, 1767. (page 505) + +Dear Sir, +It is an age since we have had any correspondence. My long and +dangerous illness last year, with my journey to Bath; my long +attendance in Parliament all winter, spring, and to the beginning +of summer: and my journey to France since, from whence I returned +but last week,(999) prevented my asking the pleasure Of Seeing +you at Strawberry Hill. + +I wish to hear that you have enjoyed your health, and shall be +glad of any news of you. The season is too late, and the +Parliament too near opening, for me to propose a winter journey +to you. if you should happen to think at all of London, I trust +you would do me the favour to call on me. In short, this is only +a letter of inquiry after YOU, and to show you that I am always +most truly yours. + +(999) Walpole left Paris the 9th of October; on the morning of +which Madame du Deffand thus resumes her correspondence with +him:--"Que de lachet`e, de faiblesse, et de ridicules je vous ai +laiss`e voir! Je m'`etais bien promis le contrire; mais, mais-- +oubliez tout cela, pardonnez-le moi, mon Tuteur, et ne pensez +plus `a votre Petite que pour vous dire qu'elle est raisonnable, +ob`eissante, et par-dessus tout reconnaissante; que son respect, +oui, je dis respect, que sa crainte, mais sa crainte filiale, son +tendre mais s`erieux attachement, feront jusqu'`a son dernier +moment le bonheur de sa vie. Qu'importe d'`etre vielle, d'`etre +aveugle; qu'importe le lieu qu'on habite; qu'importe que tout ce +qui environne soit sot ou Extravagant: quand l'`ame est fortement +occup`ee, il ne lui manque rien que l'objet qui l'occupe; et +quand cet objet repond `a ce qu'on sent pour lui, on n'a plus +rien desirer."-E. + + + +Letter 332 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, Sunday, Nov. 1, 1767. (page 506) + +The house is taken that you wot of, but I believe you may have +General Trapaud's for fifty pounds a-year, and a fine of two +hundred and fifty, which is less by half, look you, than you was +told at first. A jury of matrons, composed of Lady Frances, my +Dame Bramston, Lady Pembroke, and Lady Carberry, and the merry +Catholic Lady Brown, have sat upon it, and decide that you should +take it. But you must come and treat in person, and may hold the +congress here. I hear Lord Guildford is much better, so that the +exchequer will still find you in funds. You will not dislike to +hear, shall you, that Mr Conway does not take the appointments of +secretary of state. if it grows the fashion to give up above +five thousand pounds a-year, this ministry will last for ever; +for I do not think the Opposition will struggle for places +without salaries. If my Lord Ligonier does not go to heaven, or +Sir Robert Rich to the devil soon, our General will run +considerably in debt; but he had better be too poor than too +rich. I would not have him die like old Pulteney, loaded with +the spoils of other families and the crimes of his own. Adieu! I +will not write to you any more, so you may as well come. Yours +ever. + + + +Letter 333 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Strawberry Hill, Dec. 19, 1767. (page 506) + +You are now, I reckon, settled in your new habitation:(1000) I +would not interrupt you in your journeyings, dear Sir, but am not +at all pleased that you are seated so little to your mind; and +yet I think you will stay there. Cambridge and Ely are +neighbourhoods to your taste, and if you do not again shift your +quarters, I shall make them and you a visit: Ely I have never +seen. I Could have wished that you had preferred this part of the +world; and yet, I trust, I shall see you here oftener than I have +done of late. This, to my great satisfaction, is my last session +of Parliament; to which, and to politics, I shall ever bid adieu! + +I did not go to Paris for my health, though I found the journey +and the seasickness, which I had never experienced before, +contributed to it greatly. I have not been so well for some +years as I am at present, and if I continue to plump up as I do +at present, I do not know but by the time we may meet, whether +you may not discover, without a microscope, that I am really +fatter. I went to make a visit to my dear old blind woman, and +to see some things I could not see in winter. + +For the Catholic religion, I think it very consumptive. With a +little patience, if Whitfield, Wesley, my Lady Huntingdon, and +that rogue Madan(1001) live, I do not doubt but we shall have +something very like it here. And yet I had rather live at the +end of a tawdry religion, than at the beginning; which is always +more stern and hypocritic. + +I shall be very glad to see your laborious work of the maps; you +are indefatigable, I know: I think mapping would try my patience +more than any thing. + +My Richard the Third will go to press this week, and you shall +have one of the first copies, which I think will be in about a +month, if you will tell me how to convey it: direct to Arlington +street. Mr. Gray went to Cambridge yesterday se'nnight: I wait +for some papers from him for my purpose. I grieve for your +sufferings by the inundation; but you are not only an hermit, +but, what is better, a real philosopher. Let me hear from you +soon. Yours ever. + +(1000) Mr. Cole had lately removed from Bleckeley, Bucks, to +Waterbeach, near Cambridge. + +(1001) The Rev. Martin Madan, author of "Thelypthora," a defence +of a plurality of wives. In 1767, he subjected himself to much +obloquy, by dissuading a clerical friend from giving up a +benefice, which he had accepted under a solemn promise of +eventual resignation.-E. + + + +Letter 334 To Sir David Dalrymple.(1002) +Strawberry Hill, Jan. 17, 1768. (page 507) + +I will begin, Sir, with telling you that I have seen Mr. Sherriff +and his son. The father desired my opinion on sending his son to +Italy. I own I could by no means advise it. Where a genius is +indubitable and has already made much progress, the study of +antique and the works of the great masters may improve a young +man extremely, and open lights to him which he might never +discover of himself: but it is very different sending a young man +to Rome to try whether he has genius or not; which may be +ascertained with infinitely less trouble and expense at home. +Young Mr. Sherriff has certainly a disposition to drawing; but +that may not be genius. His misfortune may have made him embrace +it as a resource in his melancholy hours. Labouring under the +misfortune of deafness, his friends should consider to what +unhappiness they may expose him. His family have naturally +applied to alleviate his misfortune, and to cultivate the parts +they saw in him: but who, in so long a journey and at such a +distance, is to attend him in the same affectionate manner? Can +he shift for himself, especially without the language? who will +take the trouble at Rome of assisting him, instructing him, +pointing out to him what he should study? who will facilitate +the means to him of gaining access to palaces and churches, and +obtain permission for him to work there? I felt so much for the +distresses he must undergo, that I could not see the benefits to +accrue, and those eventual, as a compensation. Surely, Sir, it +were better to place him here with some painter for a year or +two. He does not seem to me to be grounded enough for such an +expedition. + +I will beg to know how I may convey my Richard to you, which will +be published to-morrow fortnight. I do not wonder you could not +guess the discovery I have made. It is one of the most +marvellous that ever was made. In short, it is the original +coronation roll of Richard the Third, by which it appears that +very magnificent robes were ordered for Edward the Fifth, and +that he did, or was to have walked at his uncle's coronation. +This most valuable monument is in the Great Wardrobe. It is not, +though the most extraordinary the only thing that will much +surprise you in my work. But I will not anticipate what little +amusement you may find there. I am, Sir, etc. + +(1002) Now first collected. + + + +Letter 335 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Arlington Street, Feb. 1, 1768. (page 508) + +Dear Sir, +I have waited for the impression of my Richard, to send you the +whole parcel together. This moment I have conveyed to Mr. +Cartwright a large bundle for you, containing Richard the +Third,(1003) the four volumes of the new edition of the +Anecdotes, and six prints of your relation Tuer. You will find +his head very small: but the original was too inconsiderable to +allow it to be larger. I have sent you no Patagon`eans;(1004) +for they are out of print: I have only my own copy, and could not + get another. Pray tell me how, or what you heard of it; and +tell me sincerely, for I did not know it had made any noise. + +I shall be much obliged to you for the extract relating to the +Academy of which a Walpole was president. I doubt if he was of +our branch; and rather think he was of the younger and Roman +Catholic branch. + +Are you reconciled to your new habitation? Don't you find it too +damp? and if you do, don't deceive yourself, and try to surmount +it, but remove immediately. Health is the most important of all +considerations. Adieu! dear Sir. + +(1003) "Historic Doubts on the Life and Reign of King Richard the +Third, by Mr. Horace Walpole;" London, 1768, 4to. Two editions +of this work, which occasioned a good deal of historical +controversy, were published during the year.-E. + +(1004) "An Account of the Giants lately discovered; in a letter +to a friend in the country." London, 1766, 8vo. It was +afterwards translated into French by the Chevalier Redmond, an +Irish officer in the French service.-E. + + + +Letter 336 To Sir David Dalrymple.(1005) +Arlington Street, Feb. 2, 1768. (page 509) + +I have sent to Mr. Cadell my Historic Doubts, Sir, for you. I +hope they may draw forth more materials, which I shall be very +ready either to subscribe to or to adopt. In this view I must +beg you, Sir, to look into Speed's History of England, and in his +account of Perkin Warbeck you will find Bishop Leslie often +quoted. May I trouble you to ask, to what work that alludes, and +whether in print or MS.? Bishop Leslie lived under Queen +Elizabeth, and though he could know nothing of Perkin Warbeck, +was yet near enough to the time to have had much better materials +than we have. May I ask, too, if Perkin Warbeck's Proclamation +exists any where authentically? You will see in my book the +reason of all these questions. + +I am so much hurried with it just now, that you will excuse my +being so brief. I can attribute to nothing but the curiosity of +the subject, the great demand for it; though it was sold publicly +but yesterday, and twelve hundred and fifty copies were printed, +Dodsley has been with me this morning to tell me he must prepare +another edition directly. I am, Sir, etc. + +(1005) Now first collected. + + + +Letter 337 To Mr. Gray. +Arlington Street, Feb. 18, 1768. (page 509) + +You have sent me a long and very obliging letter, and yet I am +extremely out of humour with you. I saw Poems by Mr. Gray +advertised: I called directly at Dodsley's to know if this was to +be more than a new edition? He was not at home himself, but his +foreman told me he thought there were some new pieces, and notes +to the whole. It was very unkind, not only to go out of town +without mentioning them to me, without showing them to me, but +not to say a word of them in this letter. Do you think I am +indifferent, or not curious, about what you write? I have ceased +to ask you, because you have so long refused to show me any +thing. You could not suppose I thought that you never write. +No; but I concluded you did not intend, at least yet, to publish +what you had written. As you did intend it, I might have +expected a month's preference. You will do me the Justice to own +that I had always rather have seen your writings than have shown +you mine; which you know are the most hasty trifles in the world, +and which, though I may be fond of the subject when fresh, I +constantly forget in a very short time after they are published. +This would sound like affectation to others, but will not to you. +It would be affected, even to you, to say I am indifferent to +fame. I certainly am not, but I am indifferent to almost any +thing I have done to acquire it. The greater part are mere +compilations; and no wonder they are, as you say, incorrect, when +they are commonly written with people in the room, as Richard and +the Noble Authors were. But I doubt there is a more intrinsic +fault in them: which is, that I cannot correct them. If I write +tolerably, it must be -,it once; I can neither mend nor add. The +articles of Lord Capel and Lord Peterborough, in the second +edition of the Noble Authors, cost me more trouble than all the +rest together: and you may perceive that the worst part of +Richard, in point of ease and style, is what relates to the +papers you gave me on Jane Shore, because it was taken on so long +afterwards, and when my impetus was chilled. If some time or +other you will take the trouble of pointing out the inaccuracies +of' 'It, I shall be much obliged to you: at present I shall +meddle no more with it. It has taken its fate; nor did I mean to +complain. I found it was Condemned indeed beforehand, which was +what I alluded to. Since publication (as has happened to me +before) the success has gone beyond my expectation. + +Not only at Cambridge, but here there have been people wise +enough to think me too free with the King of Prussia!(1006) A +newspaper has talked of my known inveteracy to him. Truly, I +love him as well as I do most kings. The greater offence is my +reflection on Lord Clarendon. It is forgotten that I had +overpraised him before. Pray turn to the new State Papers, from +which, it is said, he composed his history. You will find they +are the papers from which he did not compose his history. And +yet I admire my Lord Clarendon more than these pretended admirers +do. But I do not intend to justify myself. I can as little +satisfy those who complain that I do not let them know what +really did happen. If this inquiry can ferret out any truth, I +shall be glad. I have picked up a few more circumstances. I now +want to know what Perkin Warbeck's Proclamation was, which Speed +in his history says is preserved by Bishop Leslie. If you look +in Speed, perhaps you will be able to assist me. + +The Duke of Richmond and Lord Lyttelton agree with you, that I +have not disculpated Richard of the murder of Henry VI. I own to +you, it is the crime of which in my own mind I believe him most +guiltless. Had I thought he committed it, I should never have +taken the trouble to apologize-for the rest. I am not at all +positive or obstinate on your other objections, nor know exactly +what I believe on many points of this story. And I am so +sincere, that, except a few notes hereafter, I shall leave the +matter to be settled or discussed by others. As you have written +much too little, I have written a great deal too much, and think +only of finishing the two or three other things I have begun--and +of those, nothing but the last volume of Painters is designed for +the present public. What has one to do when turned fifty, but +really think of finishing?(1007) + +I am much obliged and flattered by Mr. Mason's approbation, and +particularly by having had almost the same thought with him. I +said, "People need not be angry at my excusing Richard; I have +not diminished their fund of hatred, I have only transferred it +from Richard to Henry." Well, but I have found you close with +Mason--No doubt, cry Prating I, something will come out.(1008)- +-Oh! no--leave us, both of you, to Annabellas and Epistles to +Ferney,(1009) that give Voltaire an account of his own tragedies, +to +Macarony fables that are more unintelligible than Pilpay's +are in the original, to Mr. Thornton's hurdy-gurdy poetry'(1010) +and to Mr. ***** who has imitated himself worse than any fop in +a magazine would have done. In truth, if you should abandon us, +I could not wonder--When Garrick's prologues and epilogues, his +own Cymons and farces, and the comedies of the fools that pay +court to him, are the delight of the age, it does not deserve any +thing better. Pray read the new account of Corsica. What +relates to Paoli will amuse you much. There is a deal about the +island and its divisions that one does not care a straw for. The +author, Boswell,(1011) is a strange being, and, like Cambridge, +has a rage of knowing any body that ever was talked of. He +forced himself upon me at Paris in spite of my teeth and my +doors, and I see has given a foolish account of all he could pick +up from me about King Theodore. He then took an antipathy to me +on Rousseau's account, abused me in the newspapers, and exhorted +Rousseau to do so too: but as he came to see me no more, I +forgave all the rest. I see he now is a little sick of Rousseau +himself; but I hope it will not cure him of his anger to me. +However, his book will I am sure entertain you.(1012) + +I will add but a word or two more. I am criticised for the +expression tinker up in the preface. Is this one of those that +you object to? I own I think such a low expression, placed to +ridicule an absurd instance of wise folly, very forcible. +Replace it with an elevated word or phrase, and to my conception +it becomes as flat as possible. + +George Selwyn says I may, if I please, write historic doubts on +the present Duke of Grafton too. Indeed, they would be doubts, +for I know nothing certainly. + +Will you be so kind as to look into Leslie De Rebus Scotorum, and +see if Perkin's Proclamation is there, and if there, how +authenticated. You will find in Speed my reason for asking this. +I have written in such a hurry, I believe you will scarce be able +to read my letter--and as I have just been writing French, +perhaps the sense may not be clearer than the writing. Adieu! + +(1006) Gray, in a letter to Mr. Walpole, of the 14th, had said-- +"I have heard it objected, that you raise doubts and +difficulties, and do not satisfy them by telling us what is +really the case. I have heard you charged with disrespect to the +King of Prussia; and above all, to King William and the +Revolution. My own objections are little more essential: they +relate chiefly to inaccuracies of style, which either debase the +expression or obscure the meaning. As to your argument@ most of +the principal parts are made out with a clearness and evidence +that no one would expect, where materials are so scarce. Yet I +still suspect Richard of the murder of Henry the Sixth." Works, +vol. iv. p. 105.-E. + +(1007) To this Gray, on the 25th, replied--"To what you say to me +so civilly, that I ought to write more, I answer in your own +words, (like the Pamphleteer, who is going to refute you out of +your own mouth,) what has one to do, when turned fifty, but +really to think of finishing? However, I will be candid (for you +seem to be so with me), and avow to you, that, till fourscore and +ten, whenever the humour takes me, I will write, because I like +it; and because I like myself better when I do so. If I do not +write much, it is because I cannot." Works, vol. iv. p. 111.-E. + +(1008) "I found him close with Swift."--"Indeed?"--"No doubt," +Cries prating Balbus, "something will come out." Pope. + +(1009) Keate's "Ferney; an Epistle to M. Voltaire."-E. + +(1010) His burlesque Ode on St. Cecilia's Day; with the humour of +which Dr. Johnson was much diverted, and used to repeat this +passage-- + +"In strains more exalted the salt-box shall join, +And clattering and battering and clapping combine, +With a rap and a tap, while the hollow side sounds, +Up and down leaps the flap, and with rattling rebounds.-E. + +(1011) "Your history," wrote Dr. Johnson to Boswell, "is like +other histories, but your journal is, in a very high degree, +curious and delightful: there is between them that difference +which there will always be found between notions borrowed from +without and notions generated within. Your history was copied +from books; your journal rose out of your own experience and +observation. I know not whether I could name any narrative by +which curiosity is better excited or better gratified."-E. + +(1012) To this Gray replies--,'Mr. Boswell's book has pleased and +moved me strangely; all, I mean, that relates to Paoli. He is a +man born two thousand years after his time! The pamphlet proves +what I have always maintained, that any fool may write a most +valuable book by chance, if he will only tell us what he heard +and saw with veracity. Of Mr. Boswell's truth I have not the +least suspicion, because I am sure be could invent nothing of +this kind. The true title of this part of his work is a Dialogue +between a Green Goose and a Hero." Works, vol. iv. p. 112.-E. + + + +Letter 338 To Mr. Gray. +Arlington Street, Friday night, Feb. 26, 1768. (page 512) + +I plague you to death, but I must reply a few more words. I +shall be very glad to see in print, and to have those that are +worthy, see your ancient Odes; but I was in hopes there were some +pieces. too, that I had not seen. I am sorry there are +not.(1013) + +I troubled you about Perkin's Proclamation. because Mr. Hume lays +great stress upon it, and insists, that if Perkin affirmed that +his brother was killed, it must have been true, if he was true +Duke of York. Mr. Hume would have persuaded me that the +Proclamation is in Stowe, but I can find no such thing there; +nor, what is more, in Casley's Catalogue, which I have twice +looked over carefully. I wrote to Sir David Dalrymple In +Scotland, to inquire after it; because I would produce it if I +could, though it should make against me: but he, I believe, +thinking I inquired with the contrary view, replied very drily, +that it was published at York, and was not to be found in +Scotland. Whether he is displeased that I have plucked a hair +from the tresses of their great historian; or whether, as I +suspect, he is offended for King William; this reply was all the +notice he took of my letter and book. I only smiled; as I must +do when I find one party is angry with me on King William's, and +the other on Lord Clarendon's account. + +The answer advertised is Guthrie's, who is furious that I have +taken no notice of his History. I shall take as little of his +pamphlet; but his end will be answered, if he sells that and one +or two copies of his History.(1014) Mr. Hume, I am told, has +drawn up an answer too, which I shall see, and, if I can, will +get him to publish; for, if I should ever choose to say any thing +more on this subject, I had rather reply to him than to +hackney-writers:--to the latter, indeed, I never will reply. A +few notes I have to add that will be very material; and I wish to +get some account of a book that was once sold at Osborn's, that +exists perhaps at Cambridge, and of which I found a memorandum +t'other day in my note-book. It is called A Paradox, or Apology +for Richard the Third, by Sir William Cornwallis.(1015) If you +could discover it, I should be much obliged to you. + +Lord Sandwich, with whom I have not exchanged a syllable since +the general warrants, very obligingly sent me an account of the +roll at Kimbolton; and has since, at my desire, borrowed it for +me and sent it to town.(1016) It is as long as my Lord +Lyttelton's History; but by what I can read of it (for it is both +ill written and much decayed), it is not a roll of kings, but of +all that have been possessed of, or been Earls of Warwick: or +have not--for one of the first earls is Aeneas. How, or +wherefore, I do not know, but amongst the first is Richard the +Third, in whose reign it was finished, and with whom it +concludes. He is there again with his wife and son, and Edward +the Fourth, and Clarence and his wife, and Edward their son (who +unluckily is a little old man), and Margaret Countess of +Salisbury, their daughter.--But why do I say with these? There +is every body else too and what is most meritorious, the habits +of all the times are admirably well observed from the most savage +ages. Each figure is tricked with a pen, well drawn, but neither +Coloured nor shaded. Richard is straight, but thinner than my +print; his hair short, and exactly curled in the same manner; not +so handsome as mine, but what one might really believe intended +for the same countenance, as drawn by a different painter, +especially when so small; for the figures in general are not so +long as one's finger. His queen is ugly, and with just such a +square forehead as in my print, but I cannot say like it. Nor, +indeed, where forty-five figures out of fifty (I have not counted +the number) must have been imaginary, can one lay great stress on +the five. I shall, however, have these figures copied, +especially as I know Of no other image of the son. Mr. Astle is +to come to Me tomorrow morning to explain the writing. + +I wish you had told me in what age your Franciscan friars lived; +and what the passage in Comines is. I am very ready to make +amende honorable. Thank you for the notes on the Noble Authors. +They shall be inserted when I make a new edition, for the sake of +the trouble the person has taken, though they are of little +consequence. Dodsley has asked me for a new edition; but I have +had little heart to undertake such work, no more than to mend my +old linen. It is pity one cannot be born an ancient, and have +commentators to do such jobs for one! Adieu! Yours ever. + +Saturday morning. + +On reading over your letter again this morning, I do find the age +in which the friars lived--I read and write in such a hurry, that +I think I neither know what I read or say. + +(1013) Gray, in his letter of the 25th, had said:--"The Long +Story was to be totally omitted, as its only use (that of +explaining the plates) was gone; but, to supply the place of it +in bulk, lest my works should be mistaken for the works of a flea +or a pismire I promised to send him an equal weight of poetry or +prose; so I put up about two ounces of stuff, viz. The Fatal +Sisters; The Descent of Odin; a bit of something from the Welch, +and certain little Notes, partly from justice-,, partly from ill- +temper, just to tell the gentle reader that Edward 1. was not +Oliver Cromwell, nor Queen Elizabeth the Witch of Endor. This is +literally all; and with all this, I shall be but a shrimp of an +author." Works, vol. iv. P. 110.-E. + +(1014) Gray, in his answer of the 6th of March, says--"Guthrie, +you see, has vented himself in the Critical Review. His History +I never saw, nor is it here, nor do I know any one that ever saw +it. He is a rascal; but rascals may chance to meet with curious +records." Works, vol. iv. p. 116.-E. + +(1015) "The Praise of King Richard the Third," which was +published by Sir William Cornwallis, Knight, the celebrated +"Essayist," in 1617, is reprinted in the third volume of the +Somers' Collection of Tracts.-E. + +(1016) From this roll were taken the two plates of portraits in +the Historic Doubts. + + + +Letter 339 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, March 12, 1768. (page 514) + +The house, etc. described in the enclosed advertisement I Should +think might suit you; I am sure its being in my neighbourhood +would make me glad, if it did. I know no more than what you will +find in this scrap of paper, nor what the rent is, nor whether it +has a chamber as big as Westminster-hall; but as you have flown +about the world, and are returned to your ark without finding a +place to rest your foot, I should think you might as well inquire +about the house I notify to you, as set out with your caravan to +Greatworth, like a Tartar chief; especially as the laws of this +country will not permit you to stop in the first meadow you like, +and turn your horses to grazing without saying by your leave. + +As my senatorial dignity is gone,(1017) and the sight of my name +is no longer worth threepence, I shall not put you to the expense +of a cover, and I hope the advertisement will not be taxed, as I +seal it to the paper. In short, I retain so much iniquity from +the last infamous Parliament that you see I would still cheat the +public. The comfort I feel in sitting peaceably here, instead of +being at Lynn in the high fever of a contested election, which at +best would end in my being carried about that large town like the +figure of a pope at a bonfire, is very great. I do not think, +when that function is over, that I shall repent my resolution. +What could I see but sons and grandsons playing over the same +knaveries, that I have seen their fathers and Grandfathers act? +Could I hear oratory beyond my Lord Chatham's? Will there ever +be parts equal to Charles Townshend's? Will George Grenville +cease to be the most tiresome of beings? Will he not be +constantly whining, and droning, and interrupting, like a +cigala(1018) in a sultry day in Italy. + +Guthrie has published two criticisms on my Richard;(1019) one +abusive in the Critical Review; t'other very civil and even +flattering in a pamphlet; both so stupid and contemptible, that I +rather prefer the first, as making some attempt at vivacity; but +in point of argument, nay, and of humour, at which he makes an +effort too, both things are below scorn. As an instance of the +former, he says, the Duke of Clarence might die of drinking sack, +and so be said to be drowned in a butt of malmsey; of the latter +sort, are his calling the Lady Bridget Lady Biddy, and the Duke +of York poor little fellow! I will weary you with no more such +stuff! + +The weather is so very March, that I cannot enjoy my new holidays +at Strawberry yet; I sit reading and writing close to the fire. + +Sterne has published two little volumes, called Sentimental +Travels. They are very pleasing, though too much dilated, and +infinitely preferable to his tiresome Tristram Shandy, of which I +never could get through three volumes. In these there is a great +good-nature and strokes of delicacy. Gray has added to his poems +three ancient Odes from Norway and Wales. The subjects of the +two first are grand and picturesque, and there is his genuine +vein in them; but they are not interesting, and do not, like his +other poems, touch any passion. Our human feelings, which he +masters at will in his former pieces, are here not +affected.(1020) Who can care through what horrors a Runic savage +arrived at all the joys and glories they could conceive, the +supreme felicity of boozing ale out of the skull of an enemy in +Odin's hall? Oh! yes, just now perhaps these odes would be +toasted at many a contested election. Adieu! Yours ever. + +(1017) Walpole had retired from Parliament at the general +election in the beginning of this year.-E. + +(1018) "The shrill cicalas, people of the pine, +Making their summer lives one ceaseless song, +Were the sole echoes, save my steed's and mine, +And vesper-bells that rose the boughs along." +Don Juan, c. iii. st. 106.-E. + +(1019) Walpole's work is thus characterized by Sir Walter Scott:- +-"The Historical Doubts are an acute and curious example how +minute antiquarian research may shake our faith in the facts most +pointedly averred by general history. It is remarkable also to +observe how, in defending a system, which was probably at first +adopted as a mere literary exercise, Mr. Walpole's doubts +acquired, in his own eyes, the respectability of certainties, in +which he could not brook controversy." Prose Works; vol. iii. p. +304.-E. + +(1020) "They strike, rather than please; the images are magnified +by affectation; the language is laboured into harshness. The +mind of the writer seems to work with unnatural violence. +Double, double, toil and trouble! There is too little appearance +of ease and nature." Johnson.-E. + + + +Letter 340 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, April 15, 1768. (page 516) + +Mr. Chute tells me that you have taken a new house in Squireland, +and have given yourself up for two years more to port and +parsons. I am very angry, and resign you to the works of the +devil or the church, I don't care which. You will get the gout, +turn Methodist, and expect to ride to heaven upon your own great +foe. I was happy with your telling me how well you love me, and +though I don't love loving, I could have poured out all the +fullness of my heart to such an old and true friend; but what am +I the better for it, if I am to see you but two or three days in +the year? I thought you would at last come and while away the +remainder of life on the banks of the Thames in gaiety and old +tales. I have quitted the stage, and the Clive is preparing to +leave it. We shall neither of us ever be grave: dowagers roost +all round us and you could never want cards or mirth. Will you +end like a fat farmer, repeating annually the price of oats, and +discussing stale newspapers? There have you got, I hear into an +old gallery that has not been glazed since Queen Elizabeth, and +under the nose of an infant Duke and Duchess, that will +understand you no more than if you wore a ruff and a coif, and +talked to them of a call of serjeants the year of the Spanish +armada! Your wit and humour will be as much lost upon them, as +if you talked the dialect of Chaucer; for with all the divinity +of wit, it grows out of fashion like a fardingale. I am +convinced that the young men at White's already laugh at George +Selwyn's bon-mots only by tradition. I avoid talking before the +youth of the age as I would dancing before them; for if one's +tongue don't move in the steps of the day, and thinks to please +by its old graces, it is only an object of ridicule, like Mrs. +Hobart in her cotilion. I tell you we should get together, and +comfort ourselves with reflecting on the brave days that we have +known--not that I think people were a jot more clever or wise in +our youth than now, are now; but as my system is always to live +in a vision as much as I can, and as visions don't increase with +years, there is nothing so natural as to think one remembers what +one does not remember. + +I have finished my tragedy,(1021) but as you would not bear the +subject, I will say no more of it, but that Mr. Chute, who is not +easily pleased, likes it, and Gray, who is still more difficult, +approves it.(1022) I am not yet intoxicated enough with it to +think it would do for the stage, though I wish to see it acted; +but, as Mrs. Pritchard(1023) leaves the stage next month, I know +nobody could play the Countess; nor am I disposed to expose +myself to the impertinent eyes of that jackanapes Garrick, who +lets nothing appear but his own wretched stuff, or that of +creatures still duller, who suffer him to alter their pieces as +he pleases. I have written an epilogue in character for the +Clive, which she would speak admirably; but I am not so sure that +she would like to speak it. Mr. Conway, Lady Aylesbury, Lady +Lyttelton, and Miss Rich, are to come hither the day after +to-morrow, and Mr. Conway and I are to read my play to them; for +I have not strength enough to go through the whole alone.(1024) + +My press is revived, and is printing a French play written by the +old President Henault.(1025) It was damned many years ago at +Paris, and yet I think it is better than some that have +succeeded, and much better than any of our modern tragedies. I +print it to please the old man, as he was exceedingly kind to me +at Paris; but I doubt whether he will live till it is +finished.(1026) He is to have a hundred copies, and there are to +be but a hundred more, Of Which You shall have one. + +Adieu! though I am very angry with you, I deserve all your +friendship, by that I have for you, witness my anger and +disappointment. Yours ever. + +P. S. Send me your new direction, and tell me when I must begin +to use it. + +(1021) The Mysterious Mother. See vol. i. p. 57.-E. + +(1022) Of this tragedy Lord Byron was also an approver: "It is +the fashion," he says, "to underrate Horace Walpole; firstly, +because he was a nobleman; and secondly, because he was a +gentleman; but, to say nothing of the composition of his +incomparable Letters, and of the Castle of Otranto, he is the +ultimus Romanorum, the author of the Mysterious Mother; a tragedy +of the highest order, and not a puling love.play."-E. + +(1023) This celebrated actress, who excelled alike in tragedy and +comedy, took leave of the stage in May, in the part of Lady +Macbeth, and died at Bath in the following August.-E. + +(1024) Walpole, in a letter to Madame du Deffand, of the 11th of +March, speaking of the "Honn`ete Criminel," a copy of which she +had sent him, gives her the following account of his own +tragedy:--"L'Honn`ete Criminel me paroit assez m`ediocre. Ma +propre trag`edie a de bien plus grands d`efauts, mais au moins +elle ne ressemble pas au toout compass`e tet r`egl`e du si`ecle. +Il ne vous plairoit pas assur`ement; il n'y a pas de beaux +Sentiments: il n'y a que des passions sans envelope, des crimes, +des repentis, et des horreurs. Je crois qu'il y a beaucoup plus +de mauvais que de bon, et je sais s`urement que depuis le premier +acte jusqu'a la derni`ere sc`ene l'int`er`et languit au lieu +d'augmenter: peut-il avoir on plus grand d`efaut?"-E. + +(1025) Corn`elie, a manuscript tragedy, written by the Pr`esident +Henault in early life. + +(1026) He died in Novembor 1770, at the age of eighty-six.-E. + + + +Letter 341 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Strawberry Hill, April 16, 1768. (page 517) + +Well, dear Sir, does your new habitation improve as the spring +advances? There has been dry weather and east wind enough to +parch the fens. We find that the severe beginning of this last +winter has made terrible havoc among the evergreens, though of +old standing. Half my cypresses have been bewitched, and turned +into brooms; and the laurustinus is every where perished. I am +Goth enough to choose now and then to believe in prognostics; and +I hope this destruction imports, that, though foreigners should +take root here, they cannot last in this climate. I would fain +persuade myself, that we are to be our own empire to eternity. + +The Duke of Manchester has lent me an invaluable curiosity; I +mean invaluable to us antiquaries: but perhaps I have already +mentioned it to you; I forgot whether I have or no. It is the +original roll of the Earls of Warwick, as long as my gallery, and +drawn by John Rous(1027) himself. Ay, and what is more, there +are portraits of Richard III., his Queen, and son; the two former +corresponding almost exactly with my print; and a panegyric on +the virtues of Richard, and a satire, upwards and downwards, on +the illegal marriage of Edward IV., and on the extortions of +Henry VII. I have had these and seven other portraits copied, +and shall, some time or other, give plates of them. But I wait +for an excuse; I mean till Mr. Hume shall publish a few remarks +he has made on my book: they are very far from substantial; yet +still better than any other trash that has been written against +it, nothing of which deserves an answer. + +I have long had thoughts of drawing up something for London like +St. Foix's Rues de Paris,(1028) and have made some collections. +I wish You Would be so good, in the course of your reading, to +mark down any passage to that end: as where any great houses of +nobility were situated; or in what street any memorable event +happened. I fear the subject will not furnish much till later +times, as our princes kept their courts up and down the country +in such a vagrant manner. + +I expect Mr. Gray and Mr. Mason to pass the day with me here +to-morrow. When I am more settled here I shall put you in mind +of your promise to bestow more than one day on me. + +I hope the Methodist, your neighbour, does not, like his +patriarch Whitfield, encourage the people to forge, murder, etc. +in order to have the benefit of being converted at the gallows. +That arch-rogue preached lately a funeral sermon on one Gibson, +hanged for forgery, and told his audience, that he could assure +them Gibson was now in heaven, and that another fellow, executed +at the same time, had the happiness of touching Gibson's coat as +he was turned off. As little as you and I agree about a hundred +years ago, I don't desire a reign of fanatics. Oxford has begun +with these rascals, and I hope Cambridge will wake. I don't mean +that I would have them persecuted, which is what they wish; but I +would have the clergy fight them and ridicule them. Adieu! dear +Sir. Yours ever. + +(1027) John Rous, the historian of Warwickshire, "who," according +to Walpole in his Anecdotes of Painting, "drew his own portrait, +and other semblances, but in too rude a style to be called +painting."-E. + +(1028) Essais Historiques sur Paris, par +Germain-Fran`cois-Poulain de Saint Foix; of which an English +translation was published in 1767.-E. + + + +Letter 342 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Strawberry Hill, June 6, 1768. (page 519) + +You have told me what makes me both sorry and glad.(1029) Long +have I expected the appearance of Ely, and thought it at the eve +of coming forth. Now you tell me it is not half written; but +then I am rejoiced you are to write it. Pray do; the author is +very much in the right to make you author for him. I cannot say +you have addressed yourself quite so judiciously as he has. I +never heard of Cardinal Lewis de Luxembourg in my days, nor have +a scrap of the history of Normandy, but Ducarel's tour to the +Conqueror's kitchen. But the best way will be to come and +rummage my library yourself: not to set me to writing the lives +of prelates: I shall strip them stark, and you will have them to +reconsecrate. Cardinal Morton is at your service: pray say for +him, and of me, what you please. I have very slender opinion of +his integrity; but as I am not spiteful, It would be hard to +exact from you a less favourable account of him than I conclude +your piety will bestow on all his predecessors and successors. +Seriously, you know how little I take contradiction to heart, and +beg you will have no scruples about defending Morton. When I +bestow but a momentary smile on the abuse of any answerers, I am +not likely to stint a friend in a fair and obliging remark. + +The man that you mention, who calls himself "Impartialis," is, I +suppose some hackney historian, I shall never inquire, whom, +angry at being censured in the jump, and not named. I foretold he +would drop his criticisms before he entered on Perkin Warbeck, +which I knew he could not answer; and so it happened. Good night +to him! + +Unfortunately, I am no culinary antiquary - the Bishop of +Carlisle, who is, I have oft heard talk of a sotelle, as an +ancient dish. He is rambling between London, flagley, and +Carlisle, that I do not know where to consult him: but, if the +book is not printed before winter, I am sure he could translate +your bill of fare into modern phrase. As I trust I shall see you +some time this summer, you might bring your papers with you, and +we will try what we can make of them. Tell me, do, when it will +be most convenient for you to come, from now to the end of +October. At the same time, I will beg to see the letters of the +university to King Richard; and shall be still more obliged to +you for the print of Jane Shore.(1030) I have a very bad +mezzotinto of her, either from the picture at Cambridge or Eton. +I wish I could return these favours by contributing to the +decoration of your new old house: but, as you know, I erected an +old house, not demolished one. I had no windows, or frames for +windows, but what I bespoke on purpose for the places where they +are. My painted glass was so exhausted, before I got through my +design, that I was forced to have the windows in the Battery +painted on purpose by Pecket. What scraps I have remaining are +so bad I cannot make you pay for the carriage of them, as I think +there is not one whole piece; but you shall see them when you +come hither, and I will search if I can find any thing for your +purpose. I am sure I owe it you. Adieu! Yours ever. + +(1029) This is in reply to one of Mr. Cole's letters, wherein he +had informed Mr. Walpole, that he had undertaken to write the +history of some of' the Bishops of Ely for the History of Ely +Cathedral, and requested some particulars relating to Cardinal +Lewis de Luxembourg; and to be informed the meaning of the French +word sotalle or sotelle. Mr. Cole also proposed to controvert an +opinion of Mr. Walpole's respecting Cardinal Morton. + +(1030) This appears, from the copy of Cole's previous letter, to +have been an engraving done by Mr. Tyson of Bennett's College, +from the picture in the Provost's lodge. + + + +Letter 343 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, June 15, 1768. (page 520) + +No, I cannot be so false as to say I am glad you are pleased with +your situation. You are so apt to take root, that it requires +ten years to dig you out again when you once begin to settle. As +you go pitching your tent up and down, I wish you were still more +a Tartar, and shifted your quarters perpetually. Yes, I will +come and see you, but tell me first, when do your Duke and +Duchess travel to the north? I know that he is a very amiable +lad, and I do not know that she is not as amiable a laddess, but +I had rather see their house comfortably when they are not there. + +I perceive the deluge fell upon you before it reached us. It +began here but on Monday last, and then rained near +eight-and-forty hours without intermission. My poor hay has not +a dry thread to its back. I have had a fire these three days. +In short, every summer one lives in a state of mutiny and murmur, +and I have found the reason: it is because we will affect to have +a summer, and we have no title to any such thing. Our poets +learnt their trade of the Romans, and so adopted the terms of +their masters. They talk of shady groves, purling streams, and +cooling breezes, and we get sore throats and agues with +attempting to realize these visions. Master Damon writes a song, +and invites Miss Chloe to enjoy the cool of the evening, and the +deuce a bit have we of any such thing as a cool evening. Zephyr +is a northeast wind, that makes Damon button up to the chin, and +pinches Chloe's nose till it is red and blue; and then they cry, +this is a bad summer! as if we ever had any other. The best sun +we have is made of Newcastle coal, and I am determined never to +reckon upon any other. We ruin ourselves with inviting over +foreign trees and make our houses clamber up hills to look at +prospects. How our ancestors would laugh at us, who knew there +was no being comfortable, unless you had a high hill before your +nose, and a thick warm wood at your back! Taste is too freezing +a commodity for us, and, depend upon it, will go out of fashion +again. + +There is indeed a natural warmth in this country, which, as you +say, I am very glad not to enjoy any longer; I mean the hothouse +in St. Stephen's chapel. My own sagacity makes me very vain, +though there was very little merit in it. I had seen so much of +all parties, that I had little esteem left for any; it is most +indifferent to me who is in or -who is out, or which is set in +the pillory, Mr. Wilkes or my Lord Mansfield. I see the country +going to ruin, and no man with brains enough to save it. That is +mortifying ; but what signifies who has the undoing it? I seldom +suffer myself to think on this subject: my patriotism could do no +good, and my philosophy can make me be at peace. + +I am sorry you are likely to lose your poor cousin Lady +Hinchinbrook;(1031) I heard a very bad account of her when I was +last in town. Your letter to Madame Roland shall be taken care +of; but as you are so scrupulous of making me pay postage, I must +remember not to overcharge you, as I can frank my idle letters no +longer; therefore, good night! + +P. S. I was in town last week, and found Mr. Chute still +confined. He had a return in his shoulder, but I think it more +rheumatism than gout. + +(1031) Elizabeth, wife of John Viscount Hinchinbroke, afterwards +fifth Earl of Sandwich, was the only surviving daughter of +George, second and last Earl of Halifax. Her ladyship died on +the 1st of July 1768, leaving a son, George Viscount +Hinchinbroke, who died sine prole, in 1790.-E. + + + +Letter 344 To The Hon. H. S. Conway.(1032) +Strawberry Hill, June 16, 1768. (page 521) + +I am glad you have writ to me, for I wanted to write to you, and +did not know what to say. I have been but two nights in town, +and then heard of nothing but Wilkes, of whom I am tired to +death, and of T. Townshend, the truth of whose story I did not +know; and indeed the tone of the age has made me so uncharitable, +that I concluded his ill-humour was put on, in order to be +mollified with the reversion of his father's place, which I know +he has long wanted; and the destination of the Pay-office has +been so long notified, that I had no notion of his not liking the +arrangement. For the new Paymaster,(1033) I could not think him +worth writing a letter on purpose. By your letter and the +enclosed I find Townshend has been very ill-treated, and I like +his spirit in not bearing such neglect and contempt, though +wrapped up in 2700 pounds a-year. + +What can one say of the Duke of Grafton, but that his whole +conduct is childish, insolent, inconstant, and absurd--nay, +ruinous? Because we are not in confusion enough, he makes every +thing as bad as possible, neglecting on one hand, and taking no +precaution on the other. I neither see how it is possible for +him to remain minister, nor whom to put in his place. No +government, no police, London and Middlesex distracted, the +colonies in rebellion, Ireland ready to be so, and France +arrogant, and on the point of being hostile! Lord Bute accused of +all and dying of a panic; George Grenville wanting to make rage +desperate; Lord Rockingham the Duke of Portland, and the +Cavendishes thinking we have no enemies but Lord Bute and Dyson, +and that four mutes and an epigram can set every thing to rights, +the Duke of Grafton like an apprentice, thinking the world should +be postponed to a whore and a horserace; and the Bedfords not +caring what disgraces we undergo, while each of them has 3000 +pounds a-year and three thousand bottles of claret and champagne! +Not but that I believe these last good folks are still not +satisfied with the satisfaction of their wishes. They have the +favour of the Duke of Grafton, but neither his confidence nor his +company; so that they can neither sell the places in his gift nor +his secrets. Indeed, they,' have not the same reasons to be +displeased with him as you have; for they were his enemies and +you his friend--and therefore he embraced them and dropped you, +and I believe would be puzzled to give a tolerable reason for +either. + +As this is the light in which I see our present situation, you +will not wonder that I am happy to have nothing to do with it. +Not that, were it more flourishing, I would ever meddle again. I +have no good opinion of any of our factions, nor think highly of +either their heads or their hearts. I can amuse myself much more +to my satisfaction; and, had I not lived to see my country at the +period of its greatest glory, I should bear our present state +much better. I cannot mend it, and therefore will think as +little of it as I can. The Duke of Northumberland asked me to +dine at Sion to-morrow; but, as his vanity of governing Middlesex +makes him absurdly meditate to contest the county, I concluded he +wanted my interest here, and therefore excused myself; for I will +have nothing to do with it. + +I shall like much to come to Park-place, if your present company +stays, or if the Fitzroys or the Richmonds are there; but I +desire to be excused from the Cavendishes, who have in a manner +left me off, because I am so unlucky as not to think Lord +Rockingham as great a man as my Lord Chatham, and Lord John more +able than either. If you will let me know when they leave you, +you shall see me: but they would not be glad of my company, nor I +of theirs. + +My hay and I are drowned; I comfort myself with a fire, but I +cannot treat the other with any sun, at least not with one that +has more warm than the sun in a harlequin-farce. + +I went this morning to see the Duchess of Grafton, who has got an +excellent house and fine prospect, but melancholy enough, and so +I thought was she herself: I did not ask wherefore. + +I go to town to-morrow to see the Devil upon Two Sticks,(1034) as +I did last week, but could not get in. I have now secured a +place in my niece Cholmondeley's box, and am to have the +additional entertainment of Mrs. Macauley in the same company; +who goes to see herself represented, and I suppose figures +herself very like Socrates. + +I shall send this letter by the coach, as it is rather free +spoken, and Sandwich may be prying. + +Mr. Chute has found the subject of my tragedy, which I thought +happened in Tillotson's time, in the Queen of Navarre's Tales; +and what is very remarkable, I had laid my plot at Narbonne and +about the beginning of the Reformation, and it really did happen +in Languedoc and in the time of Francis the First. Is not this +singular?(1035) + +I hope your canary hen was really with egg by the blue-bird, and +that he will not plead that they are none of his and sue for a +divorce. Adieu! + +(1032) Now first printed. In the preceding January Mr. Conway +had resigned his situation of secretary of state for the northern +department.-E. + +(1033) Mr. Rigby. + +(1034) Foote's successful comedy of The Devil upon Two Sticks was +first acted at the Haymarket on the 31st of May.-E. + +(1035) See vol. i. p. 57. + + + +Letter 345 To Monsieur De Voltaire. +Strawberry Hill, June 21, 1768. (page 523) + +Sir, +You read English with so much more facility than I can write +French, that I hope you will excuse my making use of my own +tongue to thank you for the honour of your letter. If I employed +your language, my ignorance in it might betray me into +expressions that would not do justice to the sentiments I feel at +being so distinguished. + +It is true, Sir, I have ventured to contest the history of +Richard the Third, as it has been delivered down to us; and I +shall obey your commands, and send it to you, though with fear +and trembling; for though I have given it to the world, as it is +called, yet, as you have justly observed, that world is comprised +within a very small circle of readers--and Undoubtedly I could +not expect that you would do me the Honour of being one of the +number. Nor do I fear you, Sir, only as the first genius in +Europe, who has illustrated every science; I have a more intimate +dependence on you than YOU Suspect. Without knowing it, you have +been my master, and perhaps the sole merit that may be found in +my writings is owing to my having studied yours; so far, Sir, am +I from living in that state of barbarism and ignorance with which +you tax me when you say que vous m'`etes peut-`etre inconnu. I +was not a stranger to your reputation very many years ago, but +remember to have then thought you honoured our house by dining +with my mother--though I was at school, and had not the happiness +of seeing you: and yet my father was in a situation that might +have dazzled eyes older than mine. The plain name of that +father, and the pride of having had so excellent a father, to +whose virtues truth at last does justice , is all I have to +boast. I am a very private man, distinguished by neither +dignities nor titles, which I have never done any thing to +deserve--but as I am certain that titles alone would not have +procured me the honour of your notice, I am content without +them.(1036) + +But, Sir, if I can tell you nothing good of myself, I can at +least tell you something bad; and, after the obligation you have +conferred on me by your letter, I should blush if you heard it +from any body but myself. I had rather incur your indignation +than deceive you. Some time ago I took the liberty to find fault +in print with the criticisms you had made on our Shakspeare. +This freedom, and no wonder, never came to your knowledge. It +was in a preface to a trifling romance, much unworthy of your +regard, but which I shall send you, because I cannot accept even +the honour of your correspondence, without making you judge +whether I deserve it. I might retract, I might beg your pardon; +but having said nothing but what I thought, nothing illiberal or +unbecoming a gentleman, it would be treating you with ingratitude +and impertinence, to suppose that you would either be offended +with my remarks, or pleased with my recantation. You are as much +above wanting flattery, as I am above offering it to you. You +would despise me, and I should despise myself--a sacrifice I +cannot make, Sir, even to you. + +Though it is impossible not to know you, Sir, I must confess my +ignorance on the other part of your letter. I know nothing of +the history of Monsieur de Jumonville, nor can tell whether it is +true or false, as this is the first time I ever heard of it. But +I will take care to inform myself as well as I can, and, if you +allow me to trouble you again, will send you the exact account as +far as I can obtain It. I love my country, but I do not love any +of my countrymen that have been capable, if they have been so, of +a foul assassination. I should have made this inquiry directly, +and informed you of the result of it in this letter, had I been +in London; but the respect I owe you, Sir, and my impatience to +thank you for so unexpected a mark of your favour, made me choose +not to delay my gratitude for a single post. I have the honour +to be, Sir, your most obliged and most obedient humble servant. + +(1036) Voltaire had said, "Vous pardonnerez encore plus `a mon +ignorance de vos titres; je n'en respecte pas moins votre +personne; je connais plus votre m`erite que les dignit`es dont il +doit `etre rev`etu."-E. + + + +Letter 346 To The Earl Of Strafford. +Strawberry Hill, June 25, 1768. (page 524) + +You ordered me, my dear Lord, to write to you, and I am ready to +obey you, and to give you every proof of attachment in my power: +but it is a very barren season for all but cabalists, who can +compound, divide, multiply No. 45 forty-five thousand different +ways. I saw in the papers to-day, that somehow or other this +famous number and the number of the beast in the Revelations is +the same--an observation from which different persons will draw +various conclusions. For my part, who have no ill wishes to +Wilkes, I wish he was in Patmos, or the New Jerusalem, for I am +exceedingly tired of his name. The only good thing I have heard +in all this Controversy was of a man who began his letter thus: +"I take the Wilkes-and-liberty to assure you," etc. + +I peeped at London last week, and found a tolerably full opera. +But now the birthday is over, I suppose every body will go to +waters and races till his Majesty of Denmark arrives. He is +extremely amorous; but stays so short a time, that the ladies who +Intended to be undone must not hagle. They must do their +business in the twinkling of an allemande, or he will be flown. +Don't you think he will be a little surprised, when he inquires +for the seriglio in Buckingham-house, to find, in full of all +accounts, two old Mecklenburgheresses? + +Is it true that Lady Rockingham is turned Methodist? It will be a +great acquisition to the sect to have their hymns set by +Giardini. I hope Joan Huntingdon will be deposed, if the husband +becomes first minister. I doubt, too, the saints will like to +call at Canterbury and Winchester in their way to heaven. My +charity is so small, that I do not think their virtue a jot more +obdurate than that of patriots. + +We have had some severe rain; but the season is now beautiful, +though scarce hot. The hay and the corn promise that we shall +have no riots on their account. Those black dogs the whiteboys +or coal-heavers are dispersed or taken; and I really- see no +reason to think we shall have another rebellion this fortnight. +The most comfortable event to me is, that we shall have no civil +war all the summer at Brentford. I dreaded two kings there; but +the writ for Middlesex will not be issued till the Parliament +meets; so there will be no pretender against King Glynn.(1037) +As I love peace, and have done with politics, I quietly +acknowledge the King de facto; and hope to pass and repass +unmolested through his Majesty's long, lazy, lousy capital.(1038) + +My humble duty to my Lady Strafford and all her pheasants. I +have just made two cascades; but my naiads are fools to Mrs. +Chetwynd or my Lady Sondes, and don't give me a gallon of water +in a week.--Well, this is a very silly letter! But you must take +the will for the deed. Adieu, my dear Lord! Your most faithful +servant. + +(1037) Serjeant Glynn, Member of Parliament for Middlesex. + +(1038) Brentford. + + + +Letter 347 To Monsieur De Voltaire. +Strawberry Hill, July 27, 1768. (page 525) + +One can never, Sir, be sorry to have been in the wrong, when +one's errors are pointed out to one in so obliging and masterly a +manner. Whatever opinion I may have of Shakspeare, I should +think him to blame, if he could have seen the letter you have +done me the honour to -write to me, and yet not conform to the +rules you have there laid down. When he lived, there had not +been a Voltaire both to give laws to the stage, and to show on +what good sense those laws were founded. Your art, Sir, goes +still farther: for you have supported your arguments, without +having recourse to the best authority, your own words. It was My +interest perhaps to defend barbarism and irregularity. A great +genius is in the right, on the contrary, to show that when +correctness, nay, when perfection is demanded, he can still +shine, and be himself, whatever fetters are imposed on him. But +I will say no more on this head; for I am neither so unpolished +as to tell you to your face how much I admire you, nor, though I +have taken the liberty to vindicate Shakspeare against your +criticisms, am I vain enough to think myself an adversary worthy +of you. I am much more proud of receiving laws from you, than of +contesting them. It was bold in me to dispute with you even +before I had the honour of your acquaintance; it would be +ungrateful now when you have not only taken notice of me, but +forgiven me. The admirable letter you have been so good as to +send me, is a proof that you are one of those truly great and +rare men who know at once how to conquer and to pardon. + +I have made all the inquiry I could into the story of M. de +Jumonville; and though your and our accounts disagree, I own I do +not think, Sir, that the strongest evidence is in our favour. I +am told we allow he was killed by a party of our men, going to +the Ohio. Your countrymen say he was going with a flag of truce. +The commanding officer of our party said M. de Jumonville was +going with hostile intentions; and that very hostile orders were +found after his death in his pocket. Unless that officer had +proved that he had previous intelligence of those orders, I doubt +he will not be justified by finding them afterwards; for I am not +at all disposed to believe that he had the foreknowledge of your +hermit,(1039) who pitched the old woman's nephew into the river, +because "ce jeune homme auroit assassin`e sa tante dans un an." + +I am grieved that such disputes should ever subsist between two +nations who have every thing in themselves to create happiness, +and who may find enough in each other to love and admire. It is +your benevolence, Sir, and your zeal for softening the manners of +mankind; it is the doctrine of peace and amity which You preach +which have raised my esteem for you even more than the brightness +of your genius. France may claim you in the latter light, but +all nations have a right to call you their countryman du c`ot`e +du coeur. it is on the strength of that connexion that I beg +you, Sir, to accept the homage of, Sir, your most obedient humble +servant.(1040) + + +(1039) An allusion to the fable in Zadig, which is said to have +been founded on Parnell's Hermit, but which was most probably +taken from one of the Contes Devots, "De l'Hermite qu'un ange +conduisit dans le Si`ecle," and of which a translation, or rather +modernization, is to be found in the fifth volume of Le Grand +d'Aussy, Fabliaux (p. 165, ed. 1829). The original old French +version has been printed by Meou, in his Nouveau Recueil de +Fabliaux et Contes, tom. ii. p. 916.-E. + +(1040) The letter of Voltaire, to which the above is a reply, +contained the following opinion of Walpole's Historical Doubts:- +-"Avant le d`epart de ma lettre, j'ai eu le tems, Monsieur, de +lire votre Richard Trois. Vous seriez un excellent attornei +general; vous pesez toutes les probabilit`es; mais il paroit que +vous avez une inclination secrette pour ce bossu. Vous voulez +qu'il ait `et`e beau gar`con, et m`eme galant homme. Le +b`en`edictin Calmet a fait une dissertation pour prouver que +Jesus Christ avait un fort beau visage. Je veux croire avec +vous, que Richard Trois n'`etait ni si laid, ni si m`echant, +qu'on le dit; mais je n'aurais pas voulu avoir affaire `a lui. +Votre rose blanche et votre rose rouge avaient de terribles +`epines pour la nation. + +"Those gracious kings are all a pack of rogues. En lisant +l'histoire des York et des Lancastre, et de bien d'autres, on +croit lire l'histoire des voleurs de grand chemin. Pour votre +Henri Sept, il n'`etait que coupeur de bourses. Be a minister or +an anti-minister, a lord or a philosopher, I will be, with an +equal respect, Sir, etc."-E. + + + +Letter 348 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Strawberry Hill, August 9, 1768. (page 527) + +You are very kind, or else you saw into my mind, and knew that I +have been thinking of writing to you, but had not a penfull of +matter. True, I have been in town, but I am more likely to learn +news here; where at least we have it like fish, that could not +find vent in London. I saw nothing there but the ruins of loo, +Lady Hertford's cribbage, and Lord Botetourt, like patience on a +monument, smiling in grief. He is totally ruined, and quite +charmed. Yet I heartily pity him. To Virginia he cannot be +indifferent: he must turn their heads somehow or other. If his +graces do not captivate them, he will enrage them to fury; for I +take all his douceur to be enamelled on iron. + +My life is most uniform and void of events, and has nothing worth +repeating. I have not had a soul with me, but accidental company +now and then at dinner. Lady Holderness,. Lady Ancram, Lady +Mary Coke, Mrs. Ann Pitt, and Mr. Hume, dined here the day before +yesterday. They were but just gone, when George Selwyn, Lord +Bolingbroke, and Sir William Musgrave, who had been at +Hampton-court, came in, at nine at night, to drink tea. They +told me, what I was very glad to hear, and what I could not +doubt, as they had it from the Duke of Grafton himself, that +Bishop Cornwallis(1041) goes to Canterbury. I feared it would be +****; but it seems he had secured all the backstairs, and not the +great stairs. As the last head of the church had been in the +midwife line, I supposed Goody Lyttelton(1042) had hopes; and as +he had been president of an atheistical club, to be Sure +Warburton did not despair. I was thinking it would make a good +article in the papers, that three bishops had supped with Nancy +Parsons at Vauxhall, in their way to Lambeth. I am sure ****, +would have been of the number; and **** who told the Duke of +Newcastle, that if his grace had commanded the Blues at Minden, +they would have behaved better, would make no scruple to cry up +her chastity. + +The King of Denmark comes on Thursday; and I go to-morrow to see +him. It has cost three thousand pounds to new furnish an +apartment for him at St. James's; and now he will not go thither, +supposing it would be a confinement. He is to lodge at his own +minister Dieden's. + +Augustus Hervey, thinking it the bel air, is going to sue for a +divorce from the Chudleigh.(1043) He asked Lord Bolingbroke +t'other day, who was his proctor'! as he would have asked for his +tailor. The nymph has sent him word, that if he proves her his +wife he must pay her debts; and she owes sixteen thousand pounds. +This obstacle thrown in the way, looks as if she was not sure of +being Duchess of Kingston. The lawyers say, it will be no valid +plea; it not appearing that she was Hervey's wife, and therefore +the tradesmen could not reckon on his paying them. + +Yes, it is my Gray, Gray the poet, who is made professor of +modern history, and I believe it is worth five hundred a-year. I +knew nothing of it till I saw it in the papers; but believe //it +was Stonehewer that obtained it for him.(1044) + +Yes, again; I use a bit of alum half as big as my nail, Once or +twice a-week, and let it dissolve in my mouth. I should not +think that using it oftener could be prejudicial. You should +inquire; but as you are in more hurry than I am, you should +certainly use it oftener than I do. I wish I could cure my Lady +Ailesbury too. Ice-water has astonishing effect on my stomach, +and removes all pain like a charm. Pray, though the one's teeth +may not be so white as formerly, nor t'other look in perfect +health, let the Danish King see such good specimens of the last +age--though, by what I hear, he likes nothing but the very +present age. However, sure you will both come and look at him: +not that I believe he is a jot better than the apprentices that +flirt to Epsom in a Tim-whisky; but I want to meet you in town. + +I don't very well know what I write, for I hear a caravan on my +stairs, that are come to see the house; Margaret is chattering, +and the dogs barking; and this I call retirement! and yet I think +it preferable to your visit at Becket. Adieu! Let me know +something more of your motions before you go to Ireland, which I +think a strange journey, and better compounded for: and when I +see you in town I will settle with you another visit to +Park-place. Yours ever. + +(1041) The Hon. Frederick Cornwallis, seventh son of Charles +fourth Baron Cornwallis, was translated from the see of Lichfield +and Coventry to that of Canterbury, on the death of Archbishop +Secker.-E. + +(1042) Bishop of Carlisle. He died in December following; upon +which event, Warburton wrote to Dr. Hurd--"A bishop, more or +less, in the world, is nothing; and perhaps of as small account +in the next. I used to despise him for his antiquarianism, but +of late, since I grow old and dull myself, I cultivated an +acquaintance with him for the sake of what formerly kept us +asunder."-E. + +(1043) On the 8th of March, 1769,, the lady publicly espoused +Evelyn Pierrepoint., Duke of Kingston; for which offence she was +impeached before the House of Peers, and the marriage declared +illegal. She subsequently retired to the continent, where she +died in 1788.-E. + +(1044) The following is Gray's own account, in a letter of the +1st of August:--"I write chiefly to tell you, that on Sunday +se'nnight Brocket died by a fall from his horse, being, as I +hear, drunk: that on the Wednesday following I received a letter +from the Duke of Grafton, saying he had the King's command to +offer me the vacant professorship; and he adds, that from private +as well as public considerations, he must take the warmest part +in approving so well-judged a measure, etc. There's for you!"-- +In a letter to Dr. Beattie, of the 31st of October, he says--"It +is the best thing the Crown has to bestow (on a layman) here; the +salary is four hundred pounds per annum; but what enhances the +value of it to me is, that it was bestowed without being asked. +Instances of a benefit so nobly conferred, I believe, are rare; +and therefore I tell you of it as a thing that does honour, not +only to me, but to the minister." Works, vol. IV. pp. 123, +127.-E. + + + +Letter 349 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Aug. 13, 1768. (page 529) + +indeed, what was become of you, as I had offered myself to you so +long ago, and you did not accept my bill; and now it is payable +at such short notice, that as I cannot find Mr. Chute, nor know +where he is, whether at your brother's or the Vine, I think I had +better defer my visit till the autumn, when you say you will be +less hurried, and more at leisure. I believe I shall go to +Ragley beginning of September, and possibly on to Lord +Strafford's, and therefore I may call on you, if it will not be +inconvenient to you, on my return. + +I came to town to see the Danish King. He is as diminutive as if +he came out of a kernel in the Fairy Tales. He is not ill made, +nor weakly made, though so small; and though his face is pale and +delicate, it is not at all ugly, yet has a strong cast of the +late King, and enough of the late Prince of Wales to put one upon +one's guard not to be prejudiced in his favour. Still he has +more royalty than folly in his air; and, considering he is not +twenty, is as well as one expects any king in a puppet-show to +be. He arrived on Thursday, supped and lay at St. James's. +Yesterday evening he was at the Queen's and Carlton-house, and at +night at Lady Hertford's assembly. He only takes the title of +altesse, an absurd mezzotermine, but acts king exceedingly; +struts in the circle like a cock-sparrow, and does the honours of +himself very civilly. There is a favourite too, who seems a +complete jackanapes; a young fellow called Holke, well enough in +his figure, and about three-and-twenty, but who will be tumbled +down long before he is prepared for it. Bernsdorff, a +Hanoverian, his first minister, is a decent sensible man; I pity +him, though I suppose he is envied. From Lady Hertford's they +went to Ranelagh, and to-night go to the opera. There had like +to have been an untoward circumstance: the last new opera in the +spring, which was exceedingly pretty, was called "I Viaggiatori +Ridicoli," and\ they were on the point of acting it for this +royal traveller. + +I am sure you are not sorry that Cornwallis is archbishop. He is +no hypocrite, time-server, nor high-priest. I little expected so +good a choice. Adieu! Yours ever. + + + + +Letter 350 To The Earl Of Strafford. +Strawberry Hill, Aug. 16, 1768. (page 529) + +As you have been so good, my dear lord, as twice to take notice +of my letter, I am bound in conscience and gratitude to try to +amuse you with any thing new. A royal visiter, quite fresh, is a +real curiosity--by the reception of him, I do not think many more +of the breed will come hither. He came from Dover in +hackney-chaises; for somehow or other the master of the horse +happened to be in Lincolnshire; and the King's coaches having +received no orders, were too good subjects to go and fetch a +stranger King of their own heads. However, as his Danish Majesty +travels to improve himself for the good of his people, he will go +back extremely enlightened in the arts of government and +morality, by having learned that crowned heads may be reduced to +ride in a hired chaise. + +By another mistake, King George happened to go to Richmond about +an hour before King Christiern arrived in London. An hour Is +exceedingly long; and the distance to Richmond Still longer: so +with all the despatch that could possibly be made, King George +could not get back to his capital till next day at noon. Then, +as the road from his closet at St. James's to the King of +Denmark's apartment on t'other side of the palace is about thirty +miles, which posterity, having no conception of the prodigious +extent and magnificence of St. James's, will never believe, it +was half an hour after three before his Danish Majesty's courier +could go, and return to let him know that his good brother and +ally was leaving the palace in which they both were, in order to +receive him at the Queen's palace, which you know is about a +million of snail's paces from St. James's. Notwithstanding these +difficulties and unavoidable delays, Woden, Thor, Fria, and all +the gods that watch over the Kings of the North, did bring these +two invincible monarchs to each other's embraces about half an +hour after five that same evening. They passed an hour in +projecting a family compact that will regulate the destiny of +Europe to latest posterity: and then, the Fates so willing it, +the British Prince departed for Richmond, and the Danish +potentate repaired to the widowed mansion of his royal +mother-in-law, where he poured forth the fulness of his heart in +praises on the lovely bride she had bestowed on him, from whom +nothing but the benefit of his subjects could ever have torn him. +And here let Calumny blush, who has aspersed so chaste and +faithful a monarch with low amours; pretending that he has raised +to the honour of a seat in his sublime council, an artisan of +Hamburgh, known only by repairing the soles of buskins, because +that mechanic would, on no other terms, consent to his fair +daughter's being honoured with majestic embraces. So victorious +over his passions is this young Scipio from the Pole, that though +on Shooter's-hill he fell into an ambush laid for him by an +illustrious Countess, of blood-royal herself, his Majesty, after +descending from his car, and courteously greeting her, again +mounted his vehicle, without being one moment eclipsed from the +eyes of the surrounding multitude. Oh! mercy on me! I am out of +breath--pray let me descend from my stilts, or I shall send you +as fustiin and tedious a history as that of Henry II. Well then, +this great King is a very little one; not ugly, nor ill-made. He +has the sublime strut of his grandfather, or of a cock-sparrow; +and the divine white eyes of all his family by the mother's side. +His curiosity seems to have consisted in the original plan of +travelling for I cannot say he takes notice of any thing in +particular. His manner is cold and dignified, but very civil and +gracious and proper. The mob adore him and huzza him; and so +they did the first instant. At Present they begin to know why-- +for he flings money to them out of his windows; and by the end of +the week I do not doubt but they will want to choose him for +Middlesex. His court is extremely well ordered; for they bow as +low to him at every word as if his name was Sultan Amurat. You +would take his first minister for only the first of his slaves. +I hope this example, which they have been so good as to exhibit +at the opera, will contribute to civilize us. There is indeed a +pert young gentleman, who a little discomposes this august +ceremonial. His name is Count Holke, his age three-and-twenty +and his post answers to one that we had formerly in England, many +ages ago, and which in our tongue was called the lord high +favourite. Before the Danish monarchs became absolute, the most +refractory of that country used to write libels, called North +Danes, against this great officer; but that practice has long +since ceased. Count Holke seems rather proud of his favour, than +shy of displaying it. + +I hope, my dear lord, you will be content with my Danish +politics, for I trouble myself with no other. There is a long +history about the Baron de Bottetourt and Sir Jeffery Amherst, +who has resigned his regiment but it is nothing to me, nor do I +care a straw about it. I am deep in the anecdotes of the new +court; and if you want to know more of Count Holke or Count +Molke, or the grand vizier Bernsdorff, or Mynheer Schimmelman, +apply to me, and you shall be satisfied. But what do I talk of? +You will see them yourself. Minerva in the shape of Count +Bernsdorff, or out of all shape in the person of the Duchess of +Northumberland, is to conduct Telemachus to York races; for can a +monarch be perfectly accomplished in the mysteries of king-craft, +as our Solomon James I. called it, unless he is initiated in the +arts of jockeyship? When this northern star travels towards its +own sphere, Lord Hertford will go to Ragley. I shall go with +him; and, if I can avoid running foul of the magi that will be +thronging from all parts to worship that star, I will endeavour +to call at Wentworth Castle for a day or two, if it will not be +inconvenient; I should think it would be about the second week in +September, but your lordship shall hear again, unless you should +forbid me, who am ever Lady Strafford's and your lordship's most +faithful humble servant. + + + +Letter 351To The Hon. H. S. Conway.(1045) +Arlington Street, Aug. 25, 1768. (page 531) + +heartily glad you do not go to Ireland; it is very well for the +Duke of Bedford, who, as George Selwyn says, is going to be made +a mamamouchi. Your brother sets out for Ragley on Wednesday +next, and that day I intend to be at Park--place, and from thence +shall go to Ragley on Friday. I shall stay three or four days, +and then go to Lord Strafford's for about as many; and shall call +on George Montagu on my return, so as to be at home in a +fortnight, an infinite absence in my account. I wish you could +join in with any part of this progress, before you go to worship +the treasures that are pouring in upon your daughter by the old +Damer's death.(1046) + +You ask me about the harvest--you might as well ask me about the +funds. I thought the land flowed with milk and honey. We have +had forty showers, but they have not lasted a minute each; and as +the weather continues warm and my lawn green, + +"I bless my stars, and call it luxury." + +They tell me there are very bad accounts from several colonies, +and the papers are full of their remonstrances; but I never read +such things. I am happy to have nothing to do with them, and +glad you have not much more. When one can do no good, I have no +notion of sorrowing oneself for every calamity that happens in +general. One should lead the life of a coffee-house politician, +the most real patriots that I know, who amble out every morning +to gather matter for lamenting over their country. I leave mine, +like the King of Denmark, to ministers and Providence; the latter +of which, like an able chancellor of the exchequer to an ignorant +or idle first lord, luckily does the business. That little King +has had the gripes, which have addled his journey to York. I +know nothing more of his motions. His favourite is fallen in +love with Lady Bel Stanhope,(1047) and the monarch himself +demanded her for him. The mother was not averse, but Lady Bel +very sensibly refused--so unfortunate are favourites the instant +they set their foot in England! He is jealous of +Sackville,(1048) and says, "ce gros noir n'est pas beau;" which +implies that he thinks his own whiteness and pertness charming. +Adieu! I shall see you on Wednesday. + +(1045) Now first printed. + +(1046) J. Damer, Esq., of carne in Dorsetshire, brother to the +first Lord Milton.-E. + +)1047) Afterwards Countess of Sefton.-E. + +(1048) Who afterwards succeeded to the Dukedom of Dorset.-E. + + + +Letter 352 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Strawberry Hill, Aug. 30, 1768. (page 532) + +You are always heaping so many kindnesses on me, dear Sir, I +think I must break off all acquaintance with you, unless I can +find some way of returning them. The print of the Countess of +Exeter Is the greatest present to me in the world. I have been +trying for years to no purpose to get one. Reynolds the painter +promised to beg one for me of a person he knows, but I have never +had it. I wanted it for four different purposes. 1. As a +grandmother (in law, by the Cranes and Allingtons): 2. for my +collection of heads: 3. for the volumes of prints after pieces in +my collection: and, above all, for my collection of Faithornes, +which though so fine, wanted such a capital print: and to this +last I have preferred it. I give you unbounded thanks for it: +and yet I feel exceedingly ashamed to rob you. The print of Jane +Shore I had: but as I have such various uses for prints I easily +bestowed it. It is inserted in my Anecdotes, where her picture +is mentioned. + +Thank you, too, for all your notices. I intend next summer to +set about the last volume of my Anecdotes, and to make still +further additions to my former volumes, in which these notes find +their place. I am going to reprint all my pieces together, and, +to my shame be it spoken, find they will at least make two large +quartos. You, I know, will be partial enough to give them a +place on a shelf, but as I doubt many persons will not be so +favourable, I Only think of leaving the edition behind me. + +Methinks I should like for your amusement and my own, that you +settled to Ely: yet I value your health so much beyond either, +that I must advise Milton, Ely being, I believe, a very damp, +and, consequently, a very unwholesome situation. Pray let me +know on which you fix; and if you do fix this summer, remember +the hopes you have given me of a visit. My summer, that is, my +fixed residence here, lasts till November. My gallery is not +only finished, but I am going on with the round chamber at the +end of it; and am besides playing with the little garden on the +other side of the road, which was old Franklin's, and by his +death came into my hands. When the round tower is finished, I +propose to draw up a description and catalogue of the whole house +and collection, and I think you will not dislike lending me your +assistance. + +Mr. Granger,(1049) of Shiplake, is printing his laborious and +curious Catalogue of English heads, with an accurate though +succinct account of almost all the persons. It will be a very +valuable and useful work, and I heartily wish may succeed; though +I have some fears. There are of late a small number of persons +who collect English heads but not enough to encourage such a +work: I hope the anecdotic part will make it more known and +tasted. It is essential to us, who shall love the performance, +that it should sell: for he prints no farther at first than to +the end of the first Charles: and, if this part does not sell +well, the bookseller will not purchase the remainder of the copy, +though he gives but a hundred pounds for this half'; and good Mr. +Granger is not in circumstances to afford printing it himself. I +do not compare it with Dr. Robertson's writings, who has an +excellent genius, with admirable style and manner; and yet I +cannot help thinking, that there is a good deal of Scotch puffing +and partiality, when the booksellers have given the Doctor three +thousand pounds for his Life of Charles V., for composing which +he does not pretend to have obtained any new materials. + +I am going into Warwickshire; and I think shall go on to Lord +Strafford's, but propose returning before the end of September. +Yours ever. + +(1049) The Rev. James Granger, Vicar of Shiplake in Oxfordshire; +where he died in 1776. See post, May 27, 1769.-E. + + + +Letter 353 To The Earl Of Strafford. +Strawberry Hill, Monday, Oct. 10, 1768. (page 534) + +I give you a thousand thanks, my dear Lord, for the account of +the ball at Welbeck. I shall not be able to repay it with a +relation of the masquerade to-night;(1050) for I have been +confined here this week with the gout in my foot, and have not +stirred off my bed or couch since Tuesday. I was to have gone to +the great ball at Sion on Friday, for which a new road, +paddock, and bridge were made, as other folks make a dessert. I +conclude Lady Mary Coke has, and will tell you of all these +pomps, which Health thinks so serious, and Sickness with her +grave face tells one are so idle. Sickness may make me moralize, +but I assure you she does not want humour. She has diverted me +extremely with drawing a comparison between the repose (to call +neglect by its dignified name) which I have enjoyed in this fit, +and the great anxiety in which the whole world was when I had the +last gout, three years ago--you remember my friends were then +coming into power. Lord Weymouth was so good as to call at least +once every day, and inquire after me; and the foreign ministers +insisted that I should give them the satisfaction of seeing me, +that they might tranquillize their sovereigns with the certainty +of My not being in any danger. The Duke and Duchess of Newcastle +were So kind, though very nervous themselves, as to send +messengers and long messages every day from Claremont. I cannot +say this fit has alarmed Europe quite so much. I heard the bell +ring at the gate, and asked with much majesty if it was the Duke +of Newcastle had sent? "No, Sir, it was only the butcher's boy." +The butcher's boy is, indeed, the only courier i have had. +Neither the King of France nor King of Spain appears to be under +the least concern about me. + +My dear Lord, I have had so many of these transitions in my life, +that you will not wonder they divert me more than a masquerade. +I am ready to say to most people, "Mask, I know you." I wish I +might choose their dresses! + +'When I have the honour of seeing Lady Strafford, I shall beseech +her to tell me all the news: for I am too nigh and too far to +know any. Adieu, my dear Lord! + +(1050) A masquerade given at the Opera-house by the King of +Denmark; one of the most magnificent which had ever been given in +England. The jewels worn on the occasion by the maskers were +estimated to be of the value of two millions.-E. + + + +Letter 354 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Nov. 10, 1768. (page 535) + +I have not received the cheese, but I thank you as much +beforehand. I have been laid up with a fit of the gout in both +feet and a knee; at Strawberry for an entire month, and eight +days here: I took the air for the first time the day before +yesterday, and am, considering, surprisingly recovered by the +assistance of the bootikins and my own perseverance in drinking +water. I moulted my stick to-day, and have no complaint but +weakness left. The fit came just in time to augment my felicity +in having quitted Parliament. I do not find it so uncomfortable +to grow old, when One is not obliged to expose oneself in public. + +I neither rejoice nor am sorry at your being accommodated in your +new habitation. It has long been plain to me that you choose to +bury yourself in the ugliest spot you can find, at a distance +from almost all your acquaintance; so I give it up; and then I am +glad you are pleased. + +Nothing is stirring but politics, and chiefly the worst kind of +politics, elections. I trouble myself with no sort, but seek to +pass what days the gout leaves me or bestows on me, as quietly as +I can. I do not wonder at others, because I doubt I am more +singular than they are; and what makes me happy would probably +not make them so. My best compliments to your brother; I shall +be glad to see you both when you come; though for you, you don't +care how little time you pass with your friends. Yet I am, and +ever shall be Yours most sincerely. + + + +Letter 355 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Nov. 15, 1768. (page 535) + +You cannot wonder when I receive such kind letters from you, that +I am vexed our intimacy should be reduced almost to those +letters. It is selfish to complain, when you give me such good +reasons for your system: but I grow old; and the less time we +have to live together, the more I feel a separation from a person +I love so well; and that reflection furnishes me with arguments +in vindication of my peevishness. Methinks, though the contrary +is true in practice, prudence should be the attribute of youth, +not of years. When we approach to the last gate of life, what +does it signify to provide for new furnishing one's house? Youth +should have all those cares; indeed, charming youth is better +employed. It leaves foresight to those that have little occasion +for it. You and I have both done with the world, the busy world, +and therefore I would smile with you over what we have both seen +of it, and luckily we can smile both, for we have quitted it +willingly, not from disgust nor mortifications. However, I do +not pretend to combat your reasons, much less would I draw you to +town a moment sooner than it is convenient to you, though I shall +never forget your offering it. Nay, it is not so much in town +that I wish we were nearer, as in the country. Unless one lives +exactly in the same set of company, one is not much the better +for one's friends being in London. I that talk of giving up the +world, have only given up the troubles of it, as far as that is +possible. I should speak more properly in saying, that I have +retired out of the world into London. I always intend to place +some months between me and the moroseness of retirement. We are +not made for Solitude. It gives us prejudices, it indulges us in +our own humours, and at last we cannot live without them. + +My gout is quite gone; and if I had a mind to disguise its +remains, I could walk very gracefully, except on going down +stairs. Happily, it is not the fashion to hand any body; the +nymph and I should soon be at the bottom. + +Your old cousin Newcastle is going; he has had a stroke of the +palsy, and they think will not last two days.(1051) I hope he is +not sensible, as I doubt he would be too averse to his situation. +Poor man! he is not like my late amiable friend, Lady +Hervey;(1052) two days before She died, she wrote to her Son +Bristol these words: "I feel my dissolution coming on, but I have +no pain; what can an old woman desire more?" This was consonant +to her usual propriety--yes, propriety IS grace, and thus every +body may be graceful, when other graces are fled. Oh! but you +will cry, is not this a contradiction to the former part of your +letter? Prudence is one of the graces of age;-why--yes, I do not +know but it may and yet I don't know how, it is a musty quality; +one hates to allow it to be a grace--come, at least it is only +like that one of the graces that hides her face. In Short, I +have ever been so imprudent, that though I have much corrected +myself, I am not at all vain of such merit. I have purchased it +for much more than it was worth. I wish you joy of Lord +Guildford's amendment; and always take a full part in your +satisfaction or sorrow. Adieu! Yours ever. + +(1051) The Duke of Newcastle died on the 17th.-E. + +(1052) Lady Hervey died on the 2d of September, in the +sixty-eighth year of her age.-E. + + + +Letter 356 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Dec. 1, 1768. (page 536) + +I like your letter, and have been looking at my next door but +one. The ground-story is built, and the side walls will +certainly be raised another floor, before you think of arriving. +I fear nothing for you but the noise of workmen, and of this +street in front and Picadilly on the other side. If you can bear +such a constant hammering and hurricane, it will rejoice me to +have you so near me; and then I think I must see you oftener than +I have done these ten years. Nothing can be more dignified than +this position. From my earliest memory Arlington-street has been +the ministerial street. The Duke of Grafton is actually coming +into the house of Mr. Pelham, which my Lord president is +quitting, and which occupies too the ground on which my father +lived; and Lord Weymouth has just taken the Duke of Dorset's; yet +you and I, I doubt, shall always live on the wrong side of the +way. + +Lord Chatham is reconciled to Lord Temple and George +Grenville.(1053) The second is in great spirits on the occasion; +and yet gives out that Lord Chatham earnestly solicited it. The +insignificant Lepidus patronizes Antony, and is sued to by +Augustus! Still do I doubt whether Augustus will ever come forth +again. Is this a peace patched up by Livia for the sake of her +children, seeing the imbecility of her husband? or is Augustus +to own he has been acting changeling, like the first Brutus, for +near two years? I do not know, I remain in doubt. + +Wilkes has struck an artful stroke.(1054) The ministers, devoid +of all management in the House of Commons, consented that he +should be heard at the bar of the House, and appointed to-morrow, +forgetting the election for Middlesex is to come on next +Thursday: one would think they were impatient to advance riots. +Last Monday Wilkes demanded to examine Lord Temple: when that was +granted, he asked for Lord Sandwich and Lord March. As the first +had not been refused, the others could not. The Lords were +adjourned till to-day +@ , and, I suppose, are now sitting on this perplexing demand. +If Lord Temple desires to go to the bar of the Commons, and the +others desire to be excused, it will be difficult for the Lords +to know what to do. Sandwich is frightened out of his +senses,(1055) and March does not like it. Well! this will cure +ministers and great lords of being flippant in dirty tyranny, +when they see they may be worried for it four years afterwards. + +The Commons, I suppose, are at this minute as hotly engaged on +the Cumberland election between Sir James Lowther and the Duke of +Portland. Oh! how delightful and comfortable to be sitting +quietly here a scribbling to you, perfectly indifferent about +both houses! You will Just escape having your brains beaten out, +by not coming this fortnight. The Middlesex election will be +over. Adieu! Yours ever. + +(1053) Through the mediation of their mutual friend, Mr. +Calcraft, a reconciliation between Lord Chatham and Earl Temple +took place at Hayes, on the 25th of November, to which Mr. +Grenville heartily acceded. See Chatham Correspondence, vol, +iii. p. 349.-E. + +(1054) Mr. Wilkes, on the 14th of November, had presented a +petition to the House of Commons, praying for a redress of his +grievances.-E. + +(1055) By a reference to Sir Henry Cavendish's Debates, vol. i. +pp. 93, 131, it will be seen, that Lord Sandwich expressed, +through Mr. Rigby, his readiness to be examined, and that he was +examined on the 31st of January.-E. + + + +Letter 357 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, Sunday, March 26, 1769. (page 538) + +I beg your pardon; I promised to send you news, and I had quite +forgot that we have had a rebellion; at least, the Duke of +Bedford says so. Six or eight hundred merchants, English, Dutch, +Jews, Gentiles, had been entreated to protect the Protestant +succession, and consented.(1056) They set out on Wednesday noon +in their coaches and chariots, chariots not armed with scythes +like our Gothic ancestors. At Temple-bar they met several +regiments of foot dreadfully armed with mud, who discharged a +sleet of dirt on the royal troop. Minerva, who had forgotten her +dreadful Egis, and who, in the shape of Mr. Boehm, carried the +address, was forced to take shelter under a Cloud in Nando's +coffeehouse, being more afraid of Buckhorse than ever Venus was +of Diomed; in short, it was a dismal day; and if Lord Talbot had +not recollected the patriot feats of his youth,(1057) and +recommenced bruiser, I don't know but the Duchess of +Kingston,(1058) who has so long preserved her modesty, from both +her husbands, might not have been ravished in the drawing-room. +Peace is at present restored, and the rebellion adjourned to the +thirteenth of April; when Wilkes and Colonel Luttrell are to +fight a pitched battle at Brentford, the Phillippi of antoninus. +Tityre, tu patulae recubans sub tegmine fogi, know nothing of +these broils. You don't convert your ploughshares into +falchions, nor the mud of Adderbury into gunpowder. I tremble for +my painted windows, and write talismans of number forty-five on +every gate and postern of my castle. Mr. Hume is writing the +Revolutions of Middlesex, and a troop of barnacle geese are +levied to defend the capital. These are melancholy times! +Heaven send we do not laugh till we cry! + +London, Tuesday, 28th. + +Our ministers, like their Saxon ancestors, are gone to bold a +wittenagemoot on horseback at Newmarket. Lord Chatham, we are +told, is to come forth after the holidays and place himself at +the head of the discontented. When I see it I shall believe it. +Lord Frederick Campbell is, at last, to be married this evening +to the Dowager-countess of Ferrers.(1059) The Duchess of Grafton +is actually Countess of Ossory.(1060) This is a short gazette; +but, consider, it is a time of truce. Adieu! + +(1056) A great riot took place on the 22d of March 1769, when a +cavalcade of the merchants and tradesmen of the city of London, +who were proceeding to St. James's with a loyal address, was so +maltreated by the populace, that Mr. Boehm, the gentleman to whom +the address was entrusted, was obliged to take refuge in Nando's +coffeehouse. His coach was rifled; but the address escaped the +search of the rioters, and was, after considerable delay, during +which a second had been voted and prepared, eventually presented +at St. James's.-E. + +(1057) Lord Talbot behaved with great intrepidity upon this +occasion: though he had his staff of office broken in his hand, +and was deserted by his servants, he secured two of the most +active of the rioters. His example recalled the military to +their duty, who, without employing either guns or bayonets, +captured fifteen more.-E. + +(1058) The Duke of Kingston had married Miss Chudleigh on the 8th +of this instant; the Consistory Court of London having declared, +on the 11th of February previous, that the lady was free from any +matrimonial contract with the Hon. Augustus John Hervey. On the +19th, she was presented, upon her marriage, to their Majesties; +who honoured her by wearing her favours, as did all the great +officers of state.-E. + +(1059) See vol. iii. p. 58, letter 24. This unfortunate lady was +burnt to death at Lord Frederick's seat at Combe Bank, in July +1807.-E. + +(1060) Lady Anne Liddel, only daughter of Henry Liddel, Lord +Ravensworth, married, in 1756, to Augustus Henry, third Duke of +Grafton; from whom being divorced by act of parliament, she was +married secondly, on the 26th of March, to the Earl of Ossory.-E. + + + +Letter 358 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, April 15, 1769. (page 539) + +I should be very sorry to believe half your distempers. I am +heartily grieved for the vacancy that has happened in your mouth, +though you describe it so comically. As the only physic I +believe in is prevention, you shall let me prescribe to you. Use +a little bit of alum twice or thrice in a week, no bigger than +half your nail, till it has all dissolved in your mouth, and then +spit out. This has fortified my teeth, that they are as strong +as the pen of Junius.(1061) I learned it of Mrs. Grosvenor, who +had not a speck in her teeth to her death. For your other +complaints, I revert to my old sermon, temperance. If you will +live in a hermitage, methinks it is no great addition to live +like a hermit. Look in Sadeler's prints, they had beards down to +their girdles; and with all their impatience to be in heaven, +their roots and water kept them for a century from their wishes. +I have lived all my life like an anchoret in London, and within +ten miles, shed my skin after the gout, and am as lively as an +eel in a week after. Mr. Chute, who has drunk no more wine than +a fish, grows better every year. He has escaped this winter with +only a little pain in one hand. Consider that the physicians +recommended wine, and then can you doubt of its being poison? +Medicines may cure a few acute distempers, but how should they +mend a broken constitution? they would as soon mend a broken +leg. Abstinence and time may repair it, nothing else can; for +when time has been employed to spoil the blood, it cannot be +purified in a moment. + +Wilkes, who has been chosen member of Parliament almost as often +as Marius was consul, was again re-elected on Thursday. The +House of Commons, who are as obstinate as the county, have again +rejected him. To-day they are to instate Colonel Luttrell in his +place.(1062) What is to follow I cannot say, but I doubt +grievous commotions. Both sides seem so warm, that it Will be +difficult for either to be in the right. This is not a merry +subject, and therefore I will have done with it. If it comes to +blows, I intend to be as neutral as the gentleman that was going +out with his hounds the morning of Edgehill. I have seen too +much of parties to list with any of them. + +You promised to return to town, but now say nothing of it. You +had better come before a passport is necessary: Adieu! + +(1061) The Letters of Junius, the first of which appeared on the +21st of January, were now in course of publication, and exciting +great attention, not only in this country, but, as it would seem, +also in France: "On parle ici beaucoup de votre `ecrit de +Junius," writes Madame du Deffand to Walpole.-E. + +(1062) Wilkes, having been expelled the House of Commons on the +3d of February 1769, was a third time elected for Middlesex on +the 16th of March. On the 17th, the election was declared by the +House to be null and void, and a new writ was ordered to be +issued. On the day of election, the 13th of April, Wilkes, +Luttrell, and Serjeant Whitaker presented themselves as +candidates, when the former, having a majority, was declared duly +elected. On the 14th, this election was pronounced void, and on +the 15th Henry Laws Luttrell, Esq. was duly elected, by 197 +against 143, and took his seat accordingly.-E. + + + +Letter 359 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, May 11, 1769. (page 540) + +You are so wayward, that I often resolve to give you up to your +humours. Then something happens with which I can divert you, and +my good-humour returns. Did not you say you should return to +London long before this time? At least, could you not tell me you +had changed your mind? why am I to pick it out from your absence +and silence, as Dr. Warburton found a future state in Moses's +saying nothing of the matter! I could go on with a chapter of +severe interrogatories, but I think it more cruel to treat You as +a hopeless reprobate; yes, you are graceless, and as I have a +respect for my own scolding, I shall not throw it away upon you. + +Strawberry has been in great glory; I have given a festino there +that will almost mortgage it. Last Tuesday all France dined +there: Monsieur and Madame du Chatelet,(1063) the Duc de +Liancourt,(1064) three more French ladies, whose names you will +find in the enclosed paper, eight other Frenchmen, the Spanish +and Portuguese ministers, the Holdernesses, Fitzroys, in short we +were four-and-twenty. They arrived at two. At the gates of the +castle I received them, dressed in the cravat of Gibbons's +carving, and a pair of gloves embroidered up to the elbows that +had belonged to James the First. The French servants stared, and +firmly believed this was the dress of English country gentlemen. +After taking a survey of the apartments, we went to the +printing-house, where I had prepared the enclosed verses, with +translations by Monsieur de Lille,(1065) one of the company. The +moment they were printed off, I gave a private signal, and French +horns and clarionets accompanied this compliment. We then went +to see Pope's grotto and garden, and returned to a magnificent +dinner in the refectory. In the evening we walked, had tea, +coffee, and lemonade in the gallery, which was illuminated with a +thousand, or thirty candles, I forgot which, and played at whist +and loo till midnight. Then there was a cold supper, and at one +the company returned to town, saluted by fifty nightingales, who, +as tenants of the manor, came to do honour to their lord. + +I cannot say last night was equally agreeable. There was what +they called a ridotto el fresco at Vauxhall,(1066) for which one +paid half-a-guinea, though, except some thousand more lamps and a +covered passage all round the garden, which took off from the +gardenhood, there was nothing better than on a common night. Mr. +Conway and I set out from his house at eight o'clock; the line +and torrent of coaches was so prodigious, that it was +half-an-hour after nine before we got half-way from Westminster- +bridge. We then alighted; and after scrambling under bellies of +horses, through wheels, and over posts and rails, we reached the +gardens, where were already many thousand persons. Nothing +diverted me but a man in a Turk's dress and two nymphs in +masquerade without masks, who sailed amongst the company, and, +which was surprising seemed to surprise nobody. It had been +given out that people were desired to come in fancied dresses +without masks. We walked twice round and were rejoiced to come +away, though with the same difficulties as at our entrance; for +we found three strings of coaches all along the road, who did not +move half a foot in half-an-hour. There is to be a rival mob in +the same way at Ranelagh to-morrow; for the greater the folly and +imposition the greater is the crowd. I have suspended the +vestimenta that were torn off my back to the god of repentance, +and shall stay away. Adieu! I have not a word more to say to +you. Yours ever. + +P. S. I hope you will not regret paying a shilling for this +packet. + +(1063) Le Marquis du Chatelet, was son to la Marquise du +Chatelet, the commentator upon Newton, and the Am`elie of +Voltaire. The scandalous chronicles of the time accord to the +philosopher the honour of his paternity.-E. + +(1064) The Duc de Liancourt, of the family de la Rochefoucauld, +grand ma`itre de la garde-robe du Roi. At the commencement of +the Revolution, his conduct was much blamed by those attached to +the court. He eventually emigrated to England, and, after +residing here some time, visited America, and published an +account of his travels in that country. In 1799, after the 19th +Brumaire, he returned to France. He died in March 1827, in his +eightieth year.-E. + +(1065) M. de Lille was an officer of the French cavalry, an +agreeable man in society, and author of several pretty ballads +and vers de soci`et`e. + +(1066) "They went to the Ridotto-'tis a hall +Where people dance, and sup, and dance again; +Its proper name, perhaps, were a masqued ball, +But that's of no importance to my strain; +'Tis (on a smaller scale) like our Vauxhall, +Excepting that it can't be spoilt by rain: +The company is 'mix'd'--the phrase I quote is +As much as saying, they're below your notice." +Beppo, st. 58.-E. + + + +Letter 360 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Arlington Street, May 27, 1769. (page 541) + +Dear Sir, +I have not heard from you this century, nor knew where you had +fixed yourself. Mr. Gray tells me you are still at Waterbeche. +Mr. Granger has published his Catalogue of Prints and Lives down +to the Revolution;(1067) and as the work sells well, I believe, +nay, do not doubt, we shall have the rest. There are a few +copies printed but on one side of the leaf. As I know you love +scribbling in such books as well as I do, I beg you will give me +leave to make you a present of one set. I shall send it in about +a week to Mr. Gray, and have desired him, as soon as he has +turned it over, to convey it to you. I have found a few +mistakes, and you will find more. To my mortification, though I +have four thousand heads, I find, upon a rough calculation, that +I still want three or four hundred. + +Pray, give me some account of yourself, how you do, and whether +you are fixed. I thought you rather inclined to Ely. Are we +never to have the history of that cathedral? I wish you would +tell me that you have any thoughts of coming this way, or that +you would make me a Visit this Summer. I shall be little from +home this summer till August, when I think of going to Paris for +six weeks. To be sure you have seen the History of British +Topography,(1068) which was published this winter, and it is a +delightful book in our way. Adieu! dear Sir. Yours ever. + +(1067) A Biographical History of England, from Egbert the Great +to the Revolution. A continuation, bringing the work down from +the Revolution to the end of George I.'s reign, was published in +1806, by the Rev. Mark Noble. In a letter to Boswell, of the +30th of August 1776, Dr. Johnson says--"I have read every word of +Granger's Biographical History. It has entertained me +exceedingly, and I do not think him the Whig that you supposed. +Horace Walpole being his patron is, indeed, no good sign of his +political principles; but he denied to Lord Mansfield that he was +a Whig, and said he had been accused by both parties of +partiality. It seems he was like Pope-- + +'While Tories call me Whig, and Whigs a Tory.' + +I wish you would look more into his book; and as Lord Mountstuart +wishes much to find a proper person to continue the work upon +Granger's plan, and has desired I would mention it to you, if +such a man occurs, please to let me know. His lordship will give +him generous encouragement."-E. + +(1068) By Richard Gough, the well-known antiquary. The second +edition, published in 1780, is a far better one.-E. + + + +Letter 361 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Strawberry Hill, June 14, 1769. (page 542) + +Dear Sir, +Among many agreeable passages in your last, there is nothing I +like so well as the hope you give me of seeing you here in July. +I will return that visit immediately: don't be afraid; I do not +mean to incommode you at Waterbeche; but, if you will come, I +promise I will accompany you back as far as Cambridge: nay, carry +you on to Ely, for thither I am bound. The Bishop(1068) has sent +a Dr. Nichols to me, to desire I would assist him in a plan for +the east window of his cathedral, which he intends to +benefactorate with painted glass. The window is the most +untractable of all Saxon uncouthness: nor can I conceive what to +do with it, but by taking off the bottoms for arms and mosaic, +splitting the crucifixion into three compartments, and filling +the five lights at top with prophets, saints, martyrs, and such +like; after shortening the windows like the great ones. This I +shall propose. However, I choose to see the spot myself, as it +will be a proper attention to the Bishop after his civility, and +I really would give the best advice I could. The Bishop, like +Alexander VIII., feels that the clock has struck half-an-hour +past eleven, and is impatient to be let depart in peace after his +eyes shall have seen his vitrification: at least, he is impatient +to give his eyes that treat; and yet it will be a pity to +precipitate the work. If you can come to me first, I shall be +happy; if not, I must come to you: that is, will meet you at +Cambridge. Let me know your mind, for I would not press you +unseasonably. I am enough obliged to you already; though, by +mistake, you think it is you that are obliged to me. I do not +mean to plunder you of any more prints; but shall employ a little +collector to get me all that are getable. The rest, the greatest +of us all must want. + +I am very sorry for the fever you have had: but, Goodman Frog, if +you will live in the fens, do not expect to be as healthy as if +you were a fat Dominican at Naples. You and your MSS. will all +grow mouldy. When our climate is subject to no sign but Aquarius +and Pisces, would one choose the dampest country under the +heavens! I do not expect to persuade you, and so I will say no +more. I wish you joy of the treasure you have discovered: six +Saxon bishops and a Duke of Northumberland!(1069) You have had +fine sport this season. Thank you much for wishing to see my +name on a plate in the history. But, seriously, I have no such +vanity. I did my utmost to dissuade Mr. Granger from the +dedication, and took especial pains to get my virtues left out of +the question; till I found he would be quite hurt if I did not +let him express his gratitude, as he called it: so, to satisfy +him, I was forced to accept of his present; for I doubt I have +few virtues but what he has presented me with; and in a +dedication, you know, One is permitted to have as many as the +author can afford to bestow. I really have another objection to +the plate: which is, the ten guineas. I have so many +draughts on my extravagance for trifles, that I like better than +vanity, that I should not care to be at that expense. But I +should think either the Duke or Duchess of +Northumberland would rejoice at such an Opportunity of buying +incense; and I will tell you what you shall do. Write to Mr. +Percy, and vaunt the discovery of Duke Brithnoth's bones, and ask +him to move their graces to contribute a plate. They Could not +be so unnatural as to refuse; especially if the Duchess knew the +size of his thigh-bone. + +I was very happy to show civilities to your friends, and should +have asked them to stay and dine, but unluckily expected other +company. Dr. Ewin seems a very good sort of man, and Mr. +Rawlinson a very agreeable one. Pray do not think it +was any trouble to me to pay respect to your recommendation. + +I have been eagerly reading Mr. Shenstone's Letters, which, +though containing nothing but trifles, amused me extremely, as +they mention so many persons I know; particularly myself. I +found there, what I did not know, and what, I believe, Mr. +Gray,(1070) himself never knew, that his ode on my cat was +written to ridicule Lord Lyttelton's monody. It is just as true +as that the latter will survive, and the former be forgotten. +There is another anecdote equally vulgar, and + void of truth: +that my father, sitting in George's coffee-house, (I suppose Mr. +Shenstone thought that, after he quitted his place, he went to +the coffee-houses to learn news,) was asked to contribute to a +figure of himself that was to be beheaded by the mob. I do +remember something like it, but it happened to myself. I met a +mob, just after my father was out, in Hanover-square, and drove +up to it to know what was the matter. They were carrying about a +figure of my sister.(1071) This probably gave rise to the other +story. That on my uncle I never heard; but it Is a good story, +and not at all improbable. I felt great pity on reading these +letters for the narrow circumstances of the author, and the +passion for fame that he was tormented with; and yet he had much +more fame than his talents entitled him to. Poor man! he wanted +to have all the world talk of him for the pretty place he had +made; and which he seems to have made only that it might be +talked of.(1072) The first time a company came to see my house, +I felt this joy. I am now so tired of it, that I shudder when +the bell rings at the gate. It is as bad as keeping an +inn, and I am often tempted to deny its being shown, if it would +not be ill-natured to those that come, and to my housekeeper. I +own, I was one day too cross, I had +been plagued all the week with staring crowds. At +last, it rained a deluge. Well, said +I, at last, nobody will come to-day. The words were scarce +uttered, when the bell rang. I replied, "Tell them they cannot +possibly see the house, but they are very welcome to walk in the +garden."(1073) Observe; nothing above alludes to Dr. Ewin and +Mr. Rawlinson: I was not only much pleased with them, but quite +glad to show them how entirely you may command my house, and your +most sincere friend and servant. + + +(1068) Dr. Matthias Mawson, translated from Llandaff to the see +of Ely in 1754. He died in November 1770, in his eighty-seventh +year. His character was thus drawn, in 1749, by the Rev. W. +Clarke:--"Our Bishop is a better sort of man than most of the +mitred order. He is, indeed, awkward, absent, etc.; but then, he +has no ambition, no desire to please, and is privately munificent +when the world thinks him parsimonious. He has given more to the +Church than all the bishops put together for almost a +century."-E. + +(1069) The following is an extract from a previous letter of Mr. +Cole's, and to this Mr. Walpole alludes:--"An old wall being to +be taken down behind the choir (at Ely], on which were painted +seven figures of six Saxon bishops, and a Duke, as he is called, +of Northumberland, one Brithnoth; which painting I take to be as +old as any we have in England--I guessed by seven arches in the +wall, below the figures, that the bones of these seven +benefactors to the old Saxon conventual church were reposited in +the wall under them: accordingly, we found seven separate holes, +each with the remains of the Said persons," etc. etc. Mr. Cole +proposed that Mr. Walpole should contribute an Engraving from +this painting to the history of Ely Cathedral, a work about to be +published, or to use his interest to induce the Duke of +Northumberland to do so. + +(1070) "I have read," says Gray, in a letter to Mr. Nicholls, "an +octavo volume of Shenstone's Letters. Poor man! he was always +wishing for money, for fame, and other distinctions; and his +whole philosophy consisted in living against his will in +retirement, and in a place which his taste had adorned; but which +he only enjoyed when people of note came to see and commend it: +his correspondence is about nothing else but this place and his +own writings, with two or three neighbouring clergy, who wrote +verses too." Works, vol. iv. p. 135-E. + +(1071) See vol. i. p. 244, letter 61.-E. + +(1072) "In the infancy of modern gardening, a false taste was +introduced by Shenstone, in his ferme orn`ee at the Leasowes; +where, instead of surrounding his house with such a quantity of +ornamental lawn or park Only, as might be consistent with the +size of the mansion or the extent of the property, his taste, +rather than his ambition, led him to ornament the whole of his +estate; and in the vain attempt to combine the profits of a farm +with the scenery of a park, he lived under the continual +mortification of disappointed hope; and with a mind exquisitely +sensible, he felt equally the sneer of the great man at the +magnificence of his attempts and the ridicule of the farmer at +the misapplication of his paternal acres." Repton.-E. + +(1073) Walpole having complained of these intrusions on his +privacy to Madame du Deffand, the lady replied: "Oh! vous n'`etes +point f`ach`e qu'on vienne voir votre chateau; vous ne l'avez pas +fait singulier; vous ne l'avez pas rempli de choses precieuses, +de raret`es; vous ne b`atissez pas un cabinet rond, dans lequel +le lit est un trone, et o`u il n'y a que des tabourets, pour y +rester seul oou ne recevoir que vos amis. Tout le monde a les +m`emes passions, les m`emes vertus, les m`emes vices; il n'y a +que les modifications qui en fond la diff`erence; amour propre, +vanit`e, crainte de l'ennui," etc.-E. + + + +Letter 362 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Strawberry Hill, Monday, June 26, 1769. (page 545) + +Dear Sir, +Oh! yes, yes, I shall like Thursday or Friday, 6th or 7th, +exceedingly; I shall like your staying with me two days +exceedinglier; and longer exceedingliest; and I will carry you +back to Cambridge on our pilgrirnage to Ely. But I should not at +all like to be catched in the glories +of an installation, and find myself a doctor, before I knew where +I was. It will be much more agreeable to find the whole caput +asleep, digesting turtle, dreaming of bishoprics, and humming old +catches of Anacreon, and scraps of Corelli. I wish Mr. Gray + may not be set out for the north ; which is +rather the case than setting out for +the summer. We have no summers, I think, but what we raise, like +pineapples, by fire. My bay is an absolute water-soochy, and +teaches me how to feel for you. You are quite in the right to +sell your fief in Marshland. I should be glad if you would take +one step more, and quit Marshland. We live, at least, on terra +firma in this part of the world, and +can saunter out without stilts. Item, +we do not wade into pools, and call +it going upon the water, and get sore throats. I trust yours +is better ; but I recollect this is not the first you have +complained of. Pray be not incorrigible, but come to shore. + +Be so good as to thank Mr. Smith, my old tutor, for his +corrections, If ever the Anecdotes are reprinted, I will +certainly profit of them. + +I joked, it is true, about Joscelin de Louvain(1074) and his +Duchess; but not at all in advising you to make Mr. Percy pimp +for the plate. On the contrary, I wish you success , and think +this an infallible method of obtaining the benefaction. It is +right to lay vanity under contribution; for then both sides are +pleased. + +It will not be easy for you to dine with Mr. Granger from hence, +and return at night. It cannot be less than six or +seven-and-twenty miles to Shiplake. But I go to +Park-place to-morrow, which is within two miles of him, and I +will try if I can tempt him to meet you here. Adieu! + +(1074) The Duke of Northumberland. His grace having been +originally a baronet, Sir Hugh +Smithson, and having married the daughter of Algernon Seymour, +Duke of Somerset and Earl of Northumberland, in 1750 assumed the +surname and arms of Percy, and was created Duke of Northumberland +in 1766. Walpole's allusion is to his becoming a Percy by +marriage, as Joscelin had done before him: Agnes de Percy, +daughter of William de Percy the third baron, having only +consented to marry Joscelin of Louvain, brother of Queen +Adelicia, second wife of Henry I., and son of Godfrey Barbatus, +Duke of Lower Lorraine and Count of Brabant, who was descended +from the Emperor Charlemagne, upon his agreeing to adopt either +the surname or arms of Percy.-E. + + + +Letter 363 To The Earl Of Strafford. +Arlington Street, July 3, 1769. (page 546) + +When you have been so constantly good to me, my dear lord, +without changing, do you wonder that our friendship has lasted so +long? Can I be so insensible to the honour or pleasure of your +acquaintance When the advantage lies much on my side, am I likely +to alter the first? Oh, but it will last now! We have seen +friendships without number born and die. Ours was not formed on +interest, nor alliance; and politics, the poison of all English +connexions, never entered into ours. You have given me a new +proof by remembering the chapel of Luton. I hear it is to be +preserved; and am glad of it, though I might have been the better +for its ruins. + +I should have answered your lordship's last post, but was at +Park-place. I think Lady Ailesbury quite recovered; though her +illness has made such an impression that she does not yet believe +it. + +It is so settled that we are never to have tolerable weather in +June, that the first hot day was on Saturday-hot by comparison: +for I think it is three years since we have really felt the feel +of summer. I was, however, concerned to be forced to come to +town yesterday on some business; for, however the country feels, +it looks divine, and the verdure we buy so dear is delicious. I +shall not be able, I fear, to profit of it this summer in the +loveliest of all places, as I am to go to Paris in August. But +next year I trust I shall accompany Mr. Conway and Lady Ailesbury +to Wentworth Castle. I shall be glad to visit Castle Howard and +Beverley; but neither would carry me so far, if Wentworth Castle +was not in the way. + +The Chatelets are gone, without any more battles with the +Russians.(1075) The papers say the latter have been beaten by +the Turks;(1076) which rejoices me, though against all rules of +politics: but I detest that murderess, and like to have her +humbled. I don't know that this Piece Of news is true: it is +enough to me that it is agreeable. I had rather take it for +granted, than be at the trouble of inquiring about what I have so +little to do with. I am just the same about the City and Surrey +petitions. Since I have dismembered(1077) myself, it is +incredible how cool I am to all politics. + +London is the abomination of desolation; and I rejoice to leave +it again this evening. Even Pam has not a lev`ee above once or +twice a week. Next winter, I suppose, it will be a fashion to +remove into the city: for, since it is the mode to choose +aldermen at this end of the town, the maccaronis will certainly +adjourn to Bishopsgate-street, for fear of being fined for +sheriffs. Mr. James and Mr. Boothby will die of the thought of +being aldermen of Grosvenor-ward and Berkeley-square-ward. Adam +and Eve in their paradise laugh at all these tumults, and have +not tasted of the tree that forfeits paradise; which I take to +have been the tree of politics, not of knowledge. How happy you +are not to have your son Abel knocked on the head by his brother +Cain at the Brentford election! You do not hunt the poor deer +and hares that gambol around you. If Eve has a sin, I doubt it +is angling;(1078) but as she makes all other creatures happy, I +beg she would not Impale worms nor whisk carp out of one element +into another. If she repents of that guilt, I hope she will live +as long as her grandson Methuselah. There is a commentator that +says his life was protracted for never having boiled a lobster +alive. Adieu, dear couple, that I honour as much as I could +honour my first grandfather and grandmother! Your most dutiful +Hor. Japhet. + +(1075) The Duc de Chatelet, the French ambassador, had affronted +Comte Czernicheff, the Russian ambassador, at a ball at court, on +a point of precedence, and a challenge ensued, but their meeting +was prevented. + +(1076) Before Choczim. The Russians were at first victorious; +but, like the King of Prussia at the battle of Zorndorff, they +despatched the messenger with the news too soon; for the Turks +having recovered their surprise, returned to the charge, and +repulsed the Russians with great slaughter.-E. + +(1077) Mr. Walpole means, since he quitted Parliament. + +(1078) Walpole's abhorrence of the pastime of angling has been +already noticed. See vol. iii. p. 70, letter 29.-E. + + + +Letter 364 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. +Strawberry Hill, Friday, July 7, 1769. (page 547) + +You desired me to write, if I knew any thing particular. How +particular will content you? Don't imagine I would send you such +hash as the livery's petition.(1079) Come; would the apparition +of my Lord Chatham satisfy you? Don't be frightened; it was not +his ghost. He, he himself in propria persona, and not in a strait +waistcoat, came into the King's lev`ee this morning, and was in +the closet twenty minutes after the lev`ee; and was to go out of +town to-night again.(1080) The deuce is in it if this is not +news. Whether he is to be king, minister, lord mayor, or +alderman, I do not know; nor a word more than I have told you. +Whether he was sent for to guard St. James's gate, or whether he +came alone, like Almanzor, to storm it, I cannot tell: by +Beckford's violence I should think the latter. I am so +indifferent what he came for, that I shall wait till Sunday to +learn: when I lie in town on my way to Ely. You will probably +hear more from your brother before I can write again. I send +this by my friend Mr. Granger, who will leave it at your +park-gate as he goes through Henley home. Good-night! it is past +twelve, and I am going to bed. Yours ever. + +(1079) The petition of the livery of London, complaining of the +unconstitutional conduct of the King's ministers, and the undue +return of Mr. Luttrell, when he Opposed Mr. Wilkes at the +election for Middlesex. + +(1080) In a letter to the Earl of Chatham, of the 11th, Lord +Temple says:--"Your reception at St. James's where I am glad you +have been, turns out exactly such as I should have expected--full +of the highest marks of regard to your lordship: full of +condescension, and of all those sentiments of grace and goodness +which his Majesty can so well express. I think that you cannot +but be happy at the result of this experiment." Chatham +Correspondence, vol. iii. p. 361.-E. + + + +Letter 365 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Strawberry Hill, July 15, 1769. (page 548) + +Dear Sir, +Your fellow-travellers, Rosette(1081) and I, got home safe and +perfectly contented with our expedition, and wonderfully obliged +to you. Pray receive our thanks and barking; and pray say, and +bark a great deal for us to Mr. and Mrs. Bentham, and all that +good family. + +After gratitude, you know, always comes a little self-interest; +for who would be at the trouble of being grateful, if he had no +further expectations? Imprimis, then, here are the directions +for Mr. Essex for the piers of my gates. Bishop Luda must not be +offended at my converting his tomb into a gateway. Many a saint +and confessor, I doubt, will be glad soon to be passed through, +as it will, at least, secure his being passed over. When I was +directing the east window at Ely, I recollected the lines of +Prior:-- + +"How unlucky were Nature and Art to poor Nell! +She was painting her cheeks at the time her nose fell." + +Adorning cathedrals when the religion itself totters, is very +like poor Nell's mishap.(1082) ***** I will trouble you with no +more at present, but to get from Mr. Lort the name of the Norfolk +monster, and to give it to Jackson. Don't forget the list of +English heads in Dr. Ewin's book for Mr. Granger; particularly +the Duchess of Chenreux. I will now release you, only adding my +compliments to Dr. Ewin, Mr. Tyson, Mr. Lort, Mr. Essex, and once +more to the Benthams. Adieu, dear Sir! Yours ever + +Remember to ask me for icacias, and any thing else with which I + can pay some of my debts to you.. + +(1081) A favourite dog of Mr. Walpole's. + +(1082) Here follow some minute directions for building the +gateway, unintelligible without the sketch that accompanied the +letter, and uninteresting with it, and a list of prints that Mr. +Walpole was anxious to procure. + + + +Letter 366 To The Rev. Mr. Cole. +Strawberry Hill, August 12, 1769. (page 549) + +Dear Sir, +I was in town yesterday, and found the parcel arrived very safe. +I give you a thousand thanks, dear Sir, for all the contents; but +when I sent you the list of heads I wanted, it was for Mr. +Jackson, not at all meaning to rob you; but your generosity much +outruns my prudence, and I must be upon my guard with you. The +Catherine Bolen was particularly welcome; I had never seen it--it +is a treasure, though I am persuaded not genuine, but taken from +a French print of the Queen of Scots, which I have. I wish you +could tell me from whence it was taken; I mean from what book: I +imagine the same in which are two prints, which Mr. Granger +mentions, and has himself (with Italian inscriptions, too), of a +Duke of Northumberland and an Earl of Arundel. Mr. Bernardiston +I never saw before--I do not know in what reign he lived--I +suppose lately: nor do I know the era of the Master of Benet. +When I come back, I must beg you to satisfy these questions. The +Countess of Kent is very curious, too; I have lately got a very +dirty one, so that I shall return yours again. Mrs. Wooley I +could not get high or low. But there is no end of thanking you- +-and yet I must for Sir J. Finet, though Mr. ; but I am sure +they will be very useful to me. I hope he will not forget me in +October. It will be a good opportunity of +sending you some good acacias, or any thing you Want + from hence. I am sure you ought to ask me for any thing in +my power, so much I am in your debt: I must +beg to be a little more, by entreating you to pay Mr. Essex +whatever he asks for his drawing, which is +just what I wished. The iron gates I have. + +With regard to a history of Gothic architecture, in which he +desires my advices, the plan, I think, should lie in a very +simple compass. Was I to execute it, it +should be thus:--I would give a series of +plates, even from the conclusion of Saxon architecture, beginning +with the round Roman arch, and going on to show how they +plaistered and zigzagged it, and then how better ornaments crept +in till the beautiful Gothic arrived at its perfection: then how +it deceased in Henry the Eighth's reign--Abp. Wareham's tomb at +Canterbury, being I believe the last example of unbastardized +Gothic. A very few plates more would demonstrate its change: +though Holbein embroidered it with some morsels of true +architecture. In Queen Elizabeth's reign there was scarce any +architecture at all: I mean no pillars, or seldom, buildings then +becoming quite plain. Under James a barbarous composition +succeeded. A single plate of something of Inigo +Jones, in his heaviest and worst style, should terminate the +work; for he soon stepped into the true and perfect Grecian. + +The next part, Mr. Essex can do better than any body, and is, +perhaps, the only person that can do it. This should +consist of observations on the art, proportions, and method of +building, and the reasons observed by the Gothic architects for +what they did. This would show what great men they +were, and how they raised such aerial and stupendous masses; +though unassisted by half the lights now enjoyed by their +successors. The prices and the wages of workmen, and +the comparative value of money and provisions at the several +periods, should be stated, as far as it is possible to get +materials. + +The last part (I don't know whether it should not be the first +part) nobody can do so well as yourself. This must be to +ascertain the chronological period of each building; and not only +of each building but of each tomb, that shall be exhibited: for +you know the great delicacy and richness of Gothic ornaments were +exhausted on small chapels, oratories and tombs. For my own +part, I should wish to have added detached samples of the various +patterns of ornaments, which would not be a great many; as, +excepting pinnacles, there is scarce one which does not branch +from the trefoil; quadrefoils, cinquefoils, etc. being but +various modifications of it. I believe almost all the +ramifications of windows are so, and of them there should be +samples, too. + +This work you see could not be executed by one hand; Mr. Tyson +could give great assistance. I wish the plan was drawn out, and +better digested. This is a very rude sketch, and first thought. +I should be very glad to contribute what little I know, and to +the expense too, which would be considerable; but I am sure we +could get assistance-and it had better not be undertaken than +executed superficially. Mr. Tyson's History of Fashions and +Dresses would make a valuable part of the work; as, in elder +times especially, much must be depended on tombs for dresses. + I have a notion the King might be inclined to encourage such +a work; and, if a proper plan was drawn out, for which I have not +time now, I would endeavour to get it laid before him, and his +patronage solicited. Pray talk this over with Mr. Tyson and Mr. +Essex. It is an idea worth pursuing. + +You was very kind to take me out of the scrape about the organ +and yet if my insignificant name could carry it to one side, I +would not scruple to lend it.(1084) Thank you, too, for St. +Alban and Noailles. The very picture the latter describes was in +my father's collection, and is now at Worksop. I have scarce +room to crowd in my compliments to the good house of Bentham, and +to say, yours ever. + +(1083) The Rev. Michael Tyson, of Bennet College, Cambridge. He +was elected F. S. A. in 1768, and died in +1780. He was greatly Esteemed by Mr. Gough, and is described as a +good antiquary and a gentleman artist. He engraved a remarkable +portrait of Jane Shore, some of the old +masters of his college, and some of the noted characters in and +about Cambridge.-E. + +(1084) There was a dispute among the chapter at Ely respecting +the situation of the organ. + + + +letter 367 To George Montagu, Esq. +August 18, 1769. (page 551) + +As I have heard nothing of you since the Assyrian calends, which +is much longer ago than the Greek, you may perhaps have died in +Media, at Ecbatana, or in Chaldoea, and then to be sure I have no +reason to take it ill that you have forgotten me. There is no +Post between Europe and the Elysian fields, where I hope in the +Lord Pluto you are; and for the letters that are sent by Orpheus, +Aeneas, Sir George Villiers, and such accidental passengers, to +be sure one cannot wonder if they miscarry. You might indeed +have sent one a scrawl by Fanny, as Cock-lane is not very distant +from Arlington-street; but, when I asked her, she scratched the +ghost of a no, that made One's ears tingle again. If, contrary +to all probability, you still be above ground, and if, which is +still more improbable, you should repent of your sins while you +are yet in good health, and should go strangely further, and +endeavour to make Atonement by writing to me again, I think it +conscientiously right to inform you, that I am not in +Arlington-street, nor at Strawberry-hill, nor even in Middlesex; +nay, not in England; I am--I am--guess where--not in Corsica, nor +at Spa--stay, I am not at Paris yet, but I hope to be there in +two days. In short, I am at Calais, having landed about two +hours ago, after a tedious passage of nine hours. Having no soul +with me but Rosette, I have been amusing myself with the arrival +of a French officer and his wife in a berlin, which carried their +ancestors to one of Moli`ere's plays: as Madame has no maid with +her, she and Monsieur very prudently untied the trunks, and +disburthened the venerable machine of all its luggage themselves; +and then with a proper resumption of their equality, Monsieur +gave his hand to Madame, and conducted her in much ceremony +through the yard to their apartment. Here ends the beginning of +my letter; when I have nothing else to do, perhaps, I may +continue it. You cannot have the confidence to complain, if I +give you no more than my moments perdus; have you deserved any +better of me? + +Saturday morning. + +Having just recollected that the whole merit of this letter will +consist in the Surprise, I hurry to finish it, and send it away +by the captain of the packet, who is returning. You may repay me +this surprise by answering my letter, and by directing yours to +Arlington-street, from whence Mary will forward it to me. You +will not have much time to consider, for I shall set out on my +return from Paris the first of October,(1085) according to my +solemn promise to Strawberry; and you must know, I keep my +promises to Strawberry much better than you do. Adieu! Boulogne +hoy! + +(1085) Mr. Walpole arrived at Paris on the 18th of august, and +left it on the 5th of October. On the 18th of July, Madame du +Deffand had written to him--"Vous souhaitez que je vive +quatre-vingt-huit ans; et pourquoi le souhaiter, si votre premier +voyage ici doit `etre le dernier'! Pour que ce souhait m'e`ut +`et`e agr`eable, il falloit y ajouter, 'Je verrai encore bien des +fois ma Petite, et je jouerai d'un bonheur qui n'`etoit r`eserv`e +qu'a moi, L'amiti`e la plus tendre, la plus sincere, et la plus +constants qu'il f`ut jamais.' Adieu! mon plaisir est troubl`e, +je l'avoue; je crains que ce ne soit un exc`es de complaisance +qui vous fasse faire ce voyage."-E. + + + + Letter 368 To John Chute, Esq. +Paris, August 30, 1769. (page 552) + +I have been so hurried with paying and receiving visits, that I +have not had a moment's worth of time to write. My passage was +very tedious, and lasted near nine hours for want of wind. But I +need not talk of my journey; for Mr. Maurice, whom I met on the +road, will have told you that I was safe on terra firma. + +Judge of my surprise at hearing four days ago, that my Lord +Dacre(1086) and my lady were arrived here. They are lodged +within a few doors of me. He is come to consult a Doctor +Pomme,(1087) who has prescribed wine, and Lord Dacre already +complains of the violence of his appetite. If you and I had +pommed him to eternity, he would not have believed us. A man +across the sea tells him the plainest thing in the world; that +man happens to be called a doctor; and happening for novelty to +talk common sense, is believed, as if he had talked nonsense! +and what is more extraordinary, Lord Dacre thinks himself better, +though he is so. + +My dear old woman(1088) is in better health than when I left her, +and her spirits so increased, that I tell her she will go mad +with age. When they ask her how old she is, she answers, "J'ai +soixante et mille ans." She and I went to the Boulevard last +night after supper, and drove about there till two in the +morning. We are going to sup in the country this evening, and +are to go tomorrow night at eleven to the puppet-show. A +prot`eg`e of hers has written a piece for that theatre. I have +not yet seen Madame du Barri, nor can get to see her picture at +the exposition at the Louvre, the crowds are so enormous that go +thither for that purpose. As royal curiosities are the least +part of my virt`u, I wait with patience. Whenever I have an +opportunity I visit gardens, chiefly with a view to Rosette's +having a walk. She goes nowhere else, because there is a +distemper among the dogs. + +There is going to be represented a translation of Hamlet: who +when his hair is cut, and he is curled and powdered, I suppose +will be exactly Monsieur le Prime Oreste. T'other night I was at +M`erope. The Dumenil was as divine as Mrs. Porter; they said her +familiar tones were those of a poisonni`ere. In the last act, +when one expected the catastrophe, Narbas, more interested than +any body to see the event, remained coolly on the stage to hear +the story. The Queen's maid of honour entered without her +handkerchief, and with her hair most artfully undressed, and +reeling as if she was maudlin, sobbed Out a long narrative, that +did not prove true; while Narbas, with all the good breeding in +the world, was more attentive to her fright than to what had +happened. So much for propriety. Now for probability. Voltaire +has published a tragedy, called "Les Gu`e,bres." Two Roman +colonels open the piece: they are brothers, and relate to one +another, how they lately in company destroyed, by the Emperor's +mandate, a city of the Guebres, in which were their own wives and +children: and they recollect that they want prodigiously to know +whether both their families did perish in the flames. The son of +the one and the daughter of the other are taken up for heretics, +and, thinking themselves brother and sister, insist upon being +married, and upon being executed for their religion. The son +stabs his father, who is half a Gu`ebre, too. The high-priest +rants and roars. The Emperor arrives, blames the pontiff for +being a persecutor, and forgives the son for assassinating his +father (who does not die) because--I don't know why, but that he +may marry his cousin. The grave-diggers in Hamlet have no +chance, when such a piece as the Guebres is written agreeably to +all rules and unities. Adieu, my dear Sir! I hope to find you +quite well at my return. Yours ever. + +(1086) Thomas Barret Lennard, seventeenth Baron Dacre. His +lordship married Ann Maria, daughter of Sir John Pratt, lord +chief-justice of the court of King's Bench.-E. + +(1087) At that time the fashionable physician of Paris. He was +originally from Arles, and attained his celebrity by curing the +ladies of fashion in the French metropolis of the vapours.-E. + +(1088) Madame du Deffand. + + + +\Letter 369 To George Montagu, Esq. + +Paris, Sept. 7, 1769. (page 553) + +Your two letters flew here together in a breath. I shall answer +the article of business first. I could certainly buy many things +for you here, that you would like, the reliques of the last age's +magnificence; but, since my Lady Holderness invaded the +custom-house with a hundred and fourteen gowns, in the reign of +that two-penny monarch George Grenville, the ports are so +guarded, that not a soul but a smuggler can smuggle any thing +into England; and I suppose you would not care to pay +seventy-five per cent, on second-hand commodities. All I +transported three years ago, was conveyed under the canon of the +Duke of Richmond. I have no interest in our present +representative; nor if I had, is he returning. Plate, of all +earthly vanities, is the most impassable: it is not Counerband in +its metallic capacity, but totally so in its personal; and the +officers of the custom-house not being philosophers enough to +separate the substance from the superficies, brutally hammer both +to pieces, and return you only the intrinsic: a compensation +which you, who are a member of Parliament, would not, I trow, be +satisfied with. Thus I doubt you must retrench your generosity +to yourself, unless you can contract into an Elzevir size, and be +content with any thing one can bring in one's pocket. + +My dear old friend was charmed with your mention of her, and made +me vow to return you a thousand compliments. She cannot conceive +why you will not step hither. Feeling in herself no difference +between the spirits of twenty-three and seventy-three, she thinks +there is no impediment to doing whatever one will but the want of +eyesight. If she had that, I am persuaded no consideration would +prevent her making me a visit at Strawberry Hill. She makes +songs, sings them, remembers all that ever were made; and, having +lived from the most agreeable to the most reasoning age, has all +that was amiable in the last, all that is sensible in this, +without the vanity of the former, or the pedant impertinence of +the latter. I have heard her dispute with all sorts of people, +on all sorts of subjects, and never knew her in the wrong. She +humbles the learned, sets right their disciples, and finds +conversation for every body. Affectionate as Madame de +S`evign`e, she has none of her prejudices, but a more universal +taste; and, with the most delicate frame, her spirits hurry her +through a life of fatigue that would kill me, if I was to +continue here. If we return by one in the morning from supping +in the country, she proposes driving to the Boulevard or to the +Foire St. Ovide, because it is too early to go to bed. I had +great difficulty last night to persuade her, though she was not +well, not to sit up till' between two or three for the comet; for +which purpose she had appointed an astronomer to bring his +telescopes to the President Henault's, as she thought it would +amuse me. In short, her goodness to me is so excessive, that I +feel unashamed at producing my withered person in a round of +diversions, which I have quitted at home. I tell a story; I do +feel ashamed, and sigh to be in my quiet castle and cottage; but +it costs me many a Pang, when I reflect that I shall probably +never have resolution enough to take another journey to see this +best and sincerest of friends, who loves me as much as my mother +did! but it is idle to look forward--what is next year?-a bubble +that may burst for her or me, before even the flying year can +hurry to the end of its almanack! To form plans and projects in +such a precarious life as this, resembles the enchanted +castles"of fairy legends, in which every gate Was guarded by +giants, dragons, etc. Death or diseases bar every portal through +which we mean to pass; and, though we may escape them and reach +the last chamber, what a wild adventurer is he that centres his +hopes at the end of such an avenue! I am contented with the +beggars of the threshold, and never propose going on, but as the +gates open of themselves. + +The weather here is quite sultry, and I am sorry to say one can +send to the corner of the street and buy better peaches than all +our expense in kitchen gardens produces. Lord and Lady Dacre are +a few doors from me, having started from Tunbridge more suddenly +than I did from Strawberry Hill, but on a more unpleasant motive. +My lord was persuaded to come and try a new physician. His faith +is greater than mine! but, poor man! can one wonder that he is +willing to believe? My lady has stood her shock, and I do not +doubt will get over it. + +Adieu, my t'other dear old friend! I am sorry to say I see you +almost as seldom as I do Madame du Deffand. However, it is +comfortable to reflect that we have not changed to each other for +some five-and-thirty years, and neither you nor I haggle about +naming so ancient a term. I made a visit yesterday to the Abbess +of Panthemont, General Oglethorpe's niece,(1089) and no chicken. +I inquired after her mother, Madame de Meziers, and I thought I +might to a spiritual votary to immortality venture to say, that +her mother must be very old; she interrupted me tartly, and said, +no, her mother had been married extremely young. Do but think of +its seeming important to a saint to sink a wrinkle of her own +through an iron grate! Oh, we are ridiculous animals; and if +animals have any fun in them, how we must divert them. + +(1089) Sister of the Princess de Ligne. + + + +Letter 370 To The Earl Of Strafford. +Paris, Sept. 8, 1769. (page 555) + +T'other night, at the Duchess of Choiseul's at supper, the +intendant of Rouen asked me, if we have roads of communication +all over England and Scotland'@--I suppose he thinks that in +general we inhabit trackless forests and wild mountains, and that +once a year a few legislators come to Paris to learn the arts of +civil life, as to sow corn, plant vines, and make operas. If +this letter should contrive to scramble through that desert +Yorkshire, where your lordship has attempted to improve a dreary +hill and uncultivated vale, you will find I remember your +commands of writing from this capital of the world, whither I am +come for the benefit of my country, and where I am intensely +studying those laws and that beautiful frame of government, which +can alone render a nation happy, great, and flourishing; where +lettres de cachet soften manners, and a proper distribution of +luxury and beggary ensures a common felicity. As we have a +prodigious number of students in legislature of both sexes here +at present, I will not anticipate their discoveries; but as your +particular friend, will communicate a rare improvement on nature, +which these great philosophers have made, and which would add +considerable beauties to those parts which your lordship has +already recovered from the waste, and taught to look a little +like a Christian country. The secret is very simple, and yet +demanded the effort of a mighty genius to strike it out. It is +nothing but this: trees ought to be educated as much as men, and +are strange awkward productions when not taught to hold +themselves upright or bow on proper occasions. The academy de +belles-lettres have even offered a prize for the man that shall +recover the long lost art of an ancient Greek, called le sieur +Orph`ee, who instituted a dancing-school for plants, and gave a +magnificent ball on the birth of the Dauphin of Thrace, which was +performed entirely by forest-trees. In this whole kingdom there +is no such thing as seeing a tree that is not well-behaved. They +are first stripped up and then cut down; and you would as soon +meet a man with his hair about his ears as an oak or ash. As the +weather is very hot now, and the soil chalk, and the dust white, +I assure you it is very difficult, powdered as both are all over, +to distinguish a tree from a hairdresser. Lest this should sound +like a travelling hyperbole, I must advertise your lordship, that +there is little difference in their heights; for, a tree of +thirty years' growth being liable to be marked as royal timber, +the proprietors take care not to let their trees live to the age +of being enlisted, but burn them, and plant others as often +almost as they change their fashions. This gives an air of +perpetual youth to the face of the country, and if adopted by us +would realize Mr. Addison's visions, and + +"Make our bleak rocks and barren mountains smile." + +What other remarks I have made in my indefatigable search after +knowledge must be reserved to a future opportunity; but as your +lordship is my friend, I may venture to say without vanity to +You, that Solon nor any Of the ancient philosophers who travelled +to Egypt in quest of religions. mysteries, laws, and fables, +never sat up so late with the ladies and priests and presidents +de parlement at Memphis, as I do here--and consequently were not +half so well qualified as I am to new-model a commonwealth. I +have learned how to make remonstrances, and how to answer them. +The latter, it seems, is a science much wanted in my own +country(1090)--and yet it is as easy and obvious as their +treatment of trees, and not very unlike it. It was delivered +many years ago in an oracular sentence of my namesake, +"Odi profanum vulgus, et arceo." You must drive away the vulgar, +and you must have an hundred and fifty thousand men to drive them +away with--that is all. I do not wonder the intendant of Rouen +thinks we are still in a state of barbarism, when we are ignorant +of the very rudiments of government. + +The Duke and Duchess of Richmond have been here a few days, and +are gone to Aubign`e. I do not think him at all well, and am +exceedingly concerned for it; as I know no man who has more +estimable qualities. They return by the end of the month. I am +fluctuating whether I shall not return with them, as they have +pressed me to do, through Holland. I never was there, and could +never go so agreeably; but then it would protract my absence +three weeks, and I am impatient to be in my own cave, +notwithstanding the wisdom I imbibe every day. But one cannot +sacrifice one's self wholly to the public: Titus and Wilkes have +now and then lost a day. Adieu, my dear lord! Be assured that I +shall not disdain yours and Lady Strafford's conversation, though +you have nothing but the goodness of your hearts, and the +simplicity of your manners, to recommend you to the more +enlightened understanding of your old friend. + +(1090) Alluding to the number of remonstrances, under the name of +petitions, which were presented this year from the livery of +London, and many other corporate bodies, on the subject of the +Middlesex election. + + + +Letter 371 To George Montagu, Esq. +Paris, Sunday night, Sept. 17, 1769. (page 557) + +I am heartily tired; but, as it is too early to go to bed, I must +tell you how agreeably I passed the day. I wished for you; the +same scenes strike us both, and the same kind of visions has +amused us both ever since we were born. + +Well then: I went this morning to Versailles with my niece Mrs. +Cholmondeley, Mrs. Hart, Lady Denbigh's sister, and the Count de +Grave, one of the most amiable, humane, and obliging men alive. +Our first object was to see Madame du Barri.(1091) Being too +early for mass, we saw the Dauphin and his brothers at dinner. +The eldest is the picture of the Duke of Grafton, except that he +is more fair, and will be taller. He has a sickly air, and no +grace. The Count de Provence has a very pleasing countenance, +with an air of more sense than the Count d'Artois, the genius of +the family. They already tell as many bon-mots of the latter as +of Henri Quatre and Louis Quatorze. He is very fat, and the most +like his grandfather of all the children. You may imagine this +royal mess did not occupy us long: thence to the chapel, where a +first row in the balconies was kept for us. Madame du Barri +arrived over against us below, without rouge, without powder, and +indeed sans avoir fait sa toilette; an odd appearance, as she was +so conspicuous, close to the altar, and amidst both court and +people. She is pretty, when you consider her; yet so little +striking, that I never should have asked who she was. There is +nothing bold, assuming, or affected in her manner. Her husband's +sister was alone, with her. In the tribune above, surrounded by +prelates, was the amorous and still handsome King. One could not +help smiling at the mixture of piety, pomp, and carnality. From +chapel we went to the dinner of the elder Mesdames. We were +almost stifled in the antechamber, where their dishes were +heating over charcoal, and where we could not stir for the press. +When the doors are opened every body rushes in, princes of the +blood, cordons bleus, abb`es, housemaids, and the Lord knows who +and what. Yet, so used are their highnesses to this trade, that +they eat as comfortably and heartily as you or I could do in our +own parlours. + +Our second act was much more agreeable. We quitted the court and +a reigning mistress, for a dead one and a cloister. In short, I +had obtained leave from the Bishop of Chartres to enter into St. +Cyr; and, as Madame du Deffand never leaves any thing undone that +can give me satisfaction, she had written to the abbess to desire +I might see every thing that could be seen there. The Bishop's +order was to admit me, Monsieur de Grave, et les dames de ma +compagnie: I begged the abbess to give me back the order, that I +might deposit it in the archives of Strawberry, and she complied +instantly. Every door flew open to us: and the nuns vied in +attentions to please us. The first thing I desired to see was +Madame de Maintenon's apartment. It consists of' two small +rooms, a library, and a very small chamber, the same in which the +Czar saw her, and in which she died. The bed is taken away, and +the room covered now with bad pictures of the royal family, which +destroys the gravity and simplicity. It is wainscotted with oak, +with plain chairs of the same, covered with dark blue damask. +Every where else the chairs are of blue cloth. The simplicity and +extreme neatness of the whole house, which is vast, are very +remarkable. A large apartment above, (for that I have mentioned +is on the ground-floor,) consisting of five rooms, and destined +by Louis Quatorze for Madame de Maintenon, is now the infirmary, +with neat white linen beds, and decorated with every text of +Scripture by which could be insinuated that the foundress was a +Queen. The hour of vespers being come, we were conducted to the +chapel, and, as it was my curiosity that had led us thither, I +was placed in the Maintenon's own tribune; my company in the +adjoining gallery. The pensioners two and two, each band headed +by a man, March orderly to their seats, and sing the whole +service, which I confess was not a little tedious. The young +ladies to the number of two hundred and fifty are dressed in +black, with short aprons of the same, the latter and their stays +bound with blue, yellow, green or red, to distinguish the +classes; the captains and lieutenants have knots of a different +colour for distinction. Their hair is curled and powdered, their +coiffure a sort of French round-eared caps, with white tippets, a +sort of ruff and large tucker: in short, a very pretty dress. +The nuns are entirely in black, with crape veils and long trains, +deep white handkerchiefs, and forehead cloths, and a very long +train. The chapel is plain but very pretty, and in the middle of +the choir under a flat marble lies the foundress. Madame de +Cambis, one of the nuns, who are about forty, is beautiful as a +Madonna.(1092) The abbess has no distinction but a larger and +richer gold cross: her apartment consists of two very small +rooms. Of Madame de Maintenon we did not see less than twenty +pictures. The young one looking over her shoulder has a round +face, without the least resemblance to those of her latter age. +That in the roil mantle, of which you know I have a copy, is the +most repeated; but there is another with a longer and leaner +face, which has by far the most sensible look. She is in black, +with a high point head and band, a long train, and is sitting in +a chair of purple velvet. Before her knees stands her niece +Madame de Noailles, a child; at a distance a view of Versailles +or St. Cyr, I could not distinguish which. We were shown some +rich reliquaries, and the corpo santo that was sent to her by the +Pope. We were then carried into the public room of each class. +In the first, the young ladies, who were playing at chess, were +ordered to sing to us the choruses of Athaliah; in another, they +danced minuets and country-dances while a nun, not quite so able +as St. Cecilia, played on a violin. In the others, they acted +before us the proverbs or conversations written by Madame de +Maintenon for their instruction; for she was not only their +foundress but their saint, and their adoration of her memory has +quite eclipsed the Virgin Mary. We saw their dormitory, and saw +them at supper; and at last were carried to their archives. where +they produced volumes of her letters, and where one of the nuns +gave me a small piece of paper with three sentences in her +handwriting. I forgot to tell you, that this kind dame, who took +to me extremely, asked me if we had many convents and many relics +in England. I was much embarrassed for fear of destroying her +good opinion of me, and so said we had but few now. Oh! we went +to the apothecaries where they treated us with cordials, and +where one of the ladies told me inoculation was a sin, as it was +a voluntary detention from mass, and as voluntary a cause of +eating gras. Our visit concluded in the garden, now grown very +venerable, where the young ladies played at little games before +us. After a stay of four hours we took our leave. I begged the +abbess's blessing; she smiled, and said, she doubted I should not +place much faith in it. She is a comely old gentlewoman, and +very proud of having seen Madame de Maintenon. Well! was not I +in the right to wish you with me? could you have passed a day +more agreeably! + +I will conclude my letter with a most charming trait of Madame de +Mailly, which cannot be misplaced in such a chapter of royal +concubines. Going to St. Sulpice, after she had lost the King's +heart, a person present desired the crowd to make way for her. +Some brutal young officers said, "Comment, pour cette catin-l`a!" +She turned to them, and, with the most charming modesty said, +"Messieurs, puisque vous me COnnoissez, priez Dieu pour moi." I +am sure it will bring tears into your eyes. Was not she the +Publican, and Maintenon the Pharisee? Good night! I hope I am +going to dream of all I have been seeing. As my impressions and +my fancy, when I am pleased, are apt to be strong. My night +perhaps, may still be more productive of ideas than the day has +been. It will be charming, indeed, if Madame de Cambis is the +ruling tint. Adieu! Yours ever. + +(1091) Madame du Barry, the celebrated mistress of Louis XV., was +born in the lowest rank of society, and brought up in the most +depraved habits; being known only by the name which her beauty +had acquired for her, Mademoiselle l'Ange. She became the +mistress of the Comte du Barry, (a gentleman belonging to a +family of Toulon, of no distinction, well known as Le Grand du +Barry, or, Du Barry le Rou`e,) and eventually the mistress of the +King; and, when the influence she exercised over her royal +protector had determined him to receive her publicly at court and +a marriage was necessary to the purpose, Du Barry le Rou`e +brought forward his younger brother, the Comte Guillaume du +Barry, who readily submitted to this prostitution of his name and +family.-E. + +(1092) Madame du Deffand, in her letter to Walpole of the 10th of +May 1776, enclosed the following portrait of Madame de Cambise, +by Madame de la Valli`ere:--"Non, non, Madame, je ne farai point +votre portrait: vous avez une mani`ere d'`etre si noble, si fine, +si piquante, si d`elicate, si s`eduisaitte; votre gentilesse et +vos graces changent si souvent pour n'en `etre que plus aimable, +que l'on ne peut saisir aucun de vos traits ni au physique ni au +moral." She was niece of La Marquise de Boufflers, and, having +fled to England at the breaking out of the French Revolution, +resided here until her death, which took place at Richmond in +January 1809.-E. + + + +Letter 372 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Oct. 13, 1769. (page 560 + +I arrived last night at eleven o'clock, and found a letter from +you, which gave me so much pleasure, that I must write you a +line, though I am hurried to death. You cannot imagine how +rejoiced I am that Lord North(1093) drags you to light again; it +is a satisfaction I little expected. When do you come? I am +impatient. I long to know your projects. + +I had a dreadful passage of eight hours, was drowned, though not +shipwrecked, and was sick to death. I have been six times at sea +before, and never suffered the least, which makes the +mortification the greater: but as Hercules was not more robust +than I, though with an air so little Herculean, I have not so +much as caught cold, though I was wet to the skin with the rain, +had my lap full of waves, was washed from head to foot in the +boat at ten o'clock at night, and stepped into the sea up to my +knees. Q'avois-je `a faire dans cette gal`ere?(1094) In truth, +it is a little late to be seeking adventures. Adieu! I must +finish, but I am excessively happy with what you have told me. +Yours ever. + +(1093) Lord North had appointed Mr. Montagu his private +secretary. + +(1094) Walpole left Paris on the 5th of October. Early on the +morning of the 6th, Madame du Deffand thus wrote to him:- +-"N'exigez point de gaiet`e, contentez-vous de ne pas trouver de +tristesse: je n'envoyai point chez vous hier matin; j'ignore `a +quelle heure vous partites; tout ce que je sais c'est que vous +n'`etes plus ici." And again, on the 9th:--"Je ne respirerai `a +mon aise qu'apr`es une lettre de Douvres. Ah! je me ha`is bien +de tout le mal que je vous cause; trois journ`ees de route, +autant de nuits d`etestables, une embarquement, un passage, le +risque de mille accidens, voil`a le bien que je vous procure. +Ah! c'est bien vous qui pouvez dire en pensant de moi, +'Qu'allais-je faire dans cette gal`ere?'"-E. + + + +Letter 373 To George Montagu, Esq. +Strawberry Hill, Oct. 16, 1769. (page 560) + +I arrived at my own Louvre last Wednesday night, and am now at my +Versailles. Your last letter reached me but two days before I +left Paris, for I have been an age at Calais and upon the sea. I +could execute no commission for you, and, in truth, you gave me +no explicit one; but I have brought you a bit of china, and beg +you will be content with a little present, instead of a bargain. +Said china is, or will be soon, in the custom-house; but I shall +have it, I fear, long before you come to London. + +I am sorry those boys got at my tragedy. I beg you would keep it +under lock and key; it is not at all food for the public; at +least not till I am "food for worms, good Percy." Nay, it is not +an age to encourage any body, that has the least vanity, to step +forth. There is a total extinction of all taste: our authors are +vulgar, gross, illiberal: the theatre swarms with wretched +translations, and ballad operas, and we have nothing new but +improving abuse. I have blushed at Paris, when the papers came +over crammed with ribaldry, or with Garrick's insufferable +nonsense about Shakspeare. As that man's writings will be +preserved by his name, who will believe that he was a tolerable +actor? Cibber wrote as bad odes, but then Cibber wrote The +Careless Husband and his own Life, which both deserve +immortality. Garrick's prologues and epilogues are as bad as his +Pindarics and pantomimes.(1095) + +I feel myself here like a swan, that, after living six weeks in a +nasty pool upon a common, is got back into its own Thames. I do +nothing but plume and clean myself, and enjoy the verdure and +silent waves. Neatness and greenth are so essential in my +opinion to the country, that in France, where I see nothing but +chalk and dirty peasants, I seem in a terrestrial purgatory that +is neither town nor country. The face of England is so +beautiful, that I do not believe Tempe or Arcadia were half so +rural; for both lying in hot climates, must have wanted the turf +of our lawns. It IS unfortunate to have so pastoral a taste, +when I want a cane more than a crook. We are absurd creatures; +at twenty, I loved nothing but London. + +Tell me when you shall be in town. I think of passing Most Of my +time here till after Christmas. Adieu! + +(1095) Mr. J. Sharp, in a letter to Garrick, of the 29th of March +in this year, says--"I met Mr. Gray at dinner last Sunday: he +spoke handsomely of your happy knack of epilogues; but he calls +the Stratford Jubilee, Vanity Fair." See Garrick Correspondence, +vol. i. p. 337.-E. + + + +Letter 374 To The Hon. H. S. Conway. + +Strawberry Hill, Tuesday, Nov. 14, 1769. (page 561) + +I am here quite alone, and did not think of going to town till +Friday for the opera, which I have not yet seen. In compliment +to you and your Countess, I will make an effort, and be there on +Thursday; and will either dine with you at your own house, or at +your brother's; which you choose. This is a great favour, and +beyond my Lord Temple's journey to dine with my Lord Mayor.(1096) +I am so sick of the follies of all sides, that I am happy to be +at quiet here, and to know no more of them than what I am forced +to see in the newspapers; and those I skip over as fast as I can. + +The account you give me of Lady *** was just the same as I +received from Paris. I will show you a very particular letter I +received by a private hand from France; which convinces me that I +guessed right, contrary to all the wise, that the journey to +Fontainbleau would overset Monsieur de Choiseul. I think he +holds but by a thread, which will snap soon.(1097) I am +labouring hard with the Duchess(1098) to procure the Duke of +Richmond satisfaction in the favour he has asked about his +duchy;' but he shall not know it till it is completed, if I can +be so lucky as to succeed. I think I shall, if they do not fall +immediately. + +You perceive how barren I am, and why I have not written to you. +I pass my time in clipping and pasting prints; and do not think I +have read forty pages since I came to England. I bought a poem +called Trinculo's Trip to the Jubilee; having been struck with +two lines in an extract in the papers, + +"There the ear-piercing fife, +And the ear-piercing wife--" + +Alas! all the rest, and it is very long, is a heap of +unintelligible nonsense, about Shakspeare, politics, and the Lord +knows what. I am grieved that, with our admiration of +Shakspeare, we can do nothing but write worse than ever he did. +One would think the age studied nothing but his Love's Labour +Lost, and Titus Andronicus. Politics and abuse have totally +corrupted our taste. Nobody thinks of writing a line that is to +last beyond the next fortnight. We might as well be given up to +a controversial divinity, The times put me in mind of the +Constantinopolitan empire; where, in an age of learning, the +subtlest wits of Greece contrived to leave nothing behind them, +but the memory of their follies and acrimony. Milton did not +write his Paradise Lost till he had Outlived his politics. With +all his parts, and noble sentiments of liberty, who would +remember him for his barbarous prose? Nothing is more true than +that extremes meet. The licentiousness of the press makes us as +savage as our Saxon ancestors, who could only set their marks; +and an outrageous pursuit of individual independence, grounded on +selfish views, extinguishes genius as much as despotism does. +The public good of our country is never thought of by men that +hate half their country. Heroes confine their ambition to be +leaders of the mob. Orators seek applause from their faction, +not from posterity; and ministers forget foreign enemies, to +defend themselves against a majority in Parliament. When any +Caesar has conquered Gaul, I will excuse him for aiming at the +perpetual dictature. If he has only jockeyed somebody out of the +borough of Veii or Falernum, it is too impudent to call himself a +patriot or a statesman. Adieu! + +(1096) At Guildhall, on the 9th of November, in the second +mayoralty of Alderman Beckford.-E. + +(1097) Walpole had received a letter, of the 2d, from Madame du +Deffand, describing the growing influence of Madame du Barry, and +her increasing enmity to the Duc de Choiseul.-E. + +(1098) The Duchess of Aubign`e. + + + +Letter 375 To George Montagu, Esq. +Arlington Street, Dec. 14, 1769. (page 562) + +I cannot be silent, when I feel for you. I doubt not but the +loss of Mrs. Trevor is very sensible to you, and I am heartily +sorry for you. One cannot live any time, and not perceive the +world slip away, as it were, from under one's feet: one's +friends, one's connexions drop off, and indeed reconcile one to +the same passage; but why repeat these things? I do not mean to +write a fine consolation; all I intended was to tell you, that I +cannot be indifferent to what concerns you. + +I know as little how to amuse you: news there are none but +politics, and politics there will be as long as we have a +shilling left. They are no amusement to me, except in seeing two +or three sets of people worry one another, for none of whom I +care a straw. + +Mr. Cumberland has produced a comedy called The Brothers. It +acts well, but reads ill; though I can distinguish strokes of Mr. +Bentley in it. Very few of the characters are marked, and the +serious ones have little nature, and the comic ones are rather +too much marked; however, the three middle acts diverted me very +well.(1099) + +I saw the Bishop of Durham(1100) at Carlton House, who told me he +had given you a complete suit of armour. I hope you will have no +occasion to lock yourself in it, though, between the fools and +the knaves of the present time, I don't know but we may be +reduced to defend our castles. If you retain any connexions with +Northampton, I should be much obliged to you if you could procure +from thence a print of an Alderman Backwell.(1101) It is +valuable for nothing but its rarity, and it is not to be met with +but there. I would give eight or ten shillings rather than not +have it. When shall you look towards us?, how does your brother +John? make my compliments to him. I need not say how much I am +yours ever. + +(1099) "The Brothers," Cumberland's first comedy, came out at +Covent-Garden theatre on the 2d of December, and met with no +inconsiderable success.-E. + +(1100) The Hon. Dr. Richard Trevor, consecrated Bishop of St. +David's in 1744, and translated to the see of Durham in 1762. He +died in June 1771.-E. + +(1101) Edward Backwell, alderman of London, of whom Granger gives +the following character:--"He was a banker of great ability, +industry, integrity, and very extensive credit. With such +qualifications, he, in a trading nation, would, in the natural +event of things, have made a fortune, except in such an age as +that of charles the Second, when the laws were overborne by +perfidy, violence, and rapacity; or in an age when bankers become +gamesters, instead of merchant-adventurers; when they affect to +live like princes, and are, with their miserable creditors, drawn +into the prevailing vortex of luxury. Backwell carried on his +business in the same shop which was afterwards occupied by Child. +He, to avoid a prison, retired into Holland, where he died. His +body was brought for sepulture to Tyringham church, near Newport +Pagnel." Frequent mention of the Alderman is made by Pepys, in +whose Diary is the following entry:--"April 12, 1669. This +evening, coming home, we overtook Alderman Backwell's coach and +his lady, and followed them to their house, and there made them +the, first visit, where they received us with extraordinary +civility, and owning the obligation But I do, contrary to my +expectation, find her something a proud and vainglorious woman, +in telling the number of her servants and family, and expenses;. +He is also so, but he was ever of that strain. But here he +showed me the model of his houses that he is going to build in +Cornhill and Lombard-street; but he has purchased so much there +that it looks like a little town, and must have cost him a great +deal of money."-E. + + + +Letter 376 To The Rev. Mr. Cole.(1102) +Arlington Street, Dec. 21, 1769. (page 563) + +Dear sir, +I am very grateful for all your communications, and for the +trouble you are so good as to take for me. I am glad you have +paid Jackson, Though he is not only dear, (for the prints he has +got for me are very common,) but they are not what I wanted, and +I do not believe were mentioned in my list. However, as paying +him dear for what I do not want, may encourage him to hunt for +what I do want, I am very well content he should cheat me a +little. I take the liberty of troubling you with a list I have +printed (to avoid copying it several times), and beg you will be +so good as to give it to him, telling him these are exactly what +I do want, and no others. I will pay him well for any of these, +and especially those marked thus x; and still more for those with +double or treble marks. The print I want most is the Jacob Hall. +I do not know whether it is not one of the London Cries, but he +must be very sure it is the right. I will let you know certainly +when Mr. West comes to town, who has one. + +I shall be very happy to contribute to your garden: and if you +will let me have exact notice in February how to send the shrubs, +they shall not fail you; nor any thing else by which I can pay +you any part of my debts. I am much pleased with the Wolsey and +Cromwell, and beg to thank you and the gentleman from whom they +came. Mr. Tyson's etchings will be particulary acceptable. I +did hope to have seen or heard of him in October. Pray tell him +he is a visit in my debt, and that I will trust him no longer +than to next summer. Mr. Bentham, I find, one must trust and +trust without end. It is pity so good a sort of man should be so +faithless. Make my best compliments, however, to him and to my +kind host and hostess. + +I found my dear old blind friend at Paris perfectly well, and am +returned so myself. London is very sickly, and full of bilious +fevers, that have proved fatal to several persons, and in my Lord +Gower's family have even seemed contagious. The weather is +uncommonly hot, and we want frost to purify the air. + +I need not say, I suppose, that the names scratched out in my +list are of such prints as I have got since I printed it, and +therefore what I no longer want. If Mr. Jackson only stays at +Cambridge till the prints drop into his mouth, I shall never have +them. If he would take the trouble of going to Bury, Norwich, +Ely, Huntingdon, and such great towns, nay, look about in inns, I +do not doubt but he would find at least some of them. He should +be no loser by taking pains for me; but I doubt he chooses to be +a great gainer without taking any. I shall not pay for any that +are not in my list; but I ought not to trouble you, dear Sir, +with these particulars. It is a little your own fault, for you +have spoiled me. + +Mr. Essex distresses me by his civility. I certainly would not +have given him that trouble, if I had thought he would not let me +pay him. Be so good as to thank him for me, and to let me know +if there is any other way I could return the obligation. I hope, +at least, he will make me a visit at Strawberry Hill, whenever he +comes westward. I shall be very impatient to see you, dear Sir, +both there and at Milton. Your faithful humble servant. + +(1102) Now first printed, from the original in the British +Museum.-E. + + + END OF THE THIRD VOLUME. + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE LETTERS OF HORACE WALPOLE VOLUME 3 *** + +This file should be named 4773.txt or 4773.zip + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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