(1265) She was born at Vienna, in February, 1724-5, and

married to Garrick, the celebrated actor, in June, 1749. She

died in October, 1822, in the ninety-eighth year of her

age.-E.

(1266) Second daughter of Thomas, Earl of Pomfret, and sister

of Lady Granville.

(1267) William Finch, brother of the Earl of Winchilsea, had

been ambassador in Holland.

(1268) Son of the Earl of Harrington, Secretary of State.

(1269) Eldest daughter of Charles, Duke of Grafton, Lord

Chamberlain.

(1270) Edward, only son of Thomas, Earl of Leicester.

(1271) Lady Mary Campbell. She survived her husband

fifty-eight years; he having died in 1753, and she in 1811.-D.

(1272) Philip the Fifth, the mad and imbecile King of Spain,

was just dead. He was succeeded by his son Ferdinand the

Sixth, who died in 1759.--D.

(1273) A melancholy and romantic incident which took place

amid the terrors of the executions is thus related by Sir

Walter Scott:--"A young lady, of good family and handsome

fortune, who had been contracted in marriage to James Dawson,

one of the sufferers, had taken the desperate resolution of

attending on the horrid ceremonial. She beheld her lover,

after being suspended for a few minutes, but not till death

(for such was the barbarous sentence), cut down, embowelled,

and mangled by the knife of the executioner. All this she

supported with apparent fortitude; but when she saw the last

scene, finished, by throwing Dawson's heart into the fire, she

drew her head within the carriage, repeated his name, and

expired on the spot." This melancholy event was made, by

Shenstone, the theme of a tragic ballad:--

"The dismal scene was o'er and past,

The lover's mournful hearse retired;

The maid drew back her languid head,

And, sighing forth his name, expired

"though justice ever must prevail,

The tear my Kitty shed is due;

For seldom shall she hear a tale

So sad, so tender, yet so true."

James Dawson was one of the nine men who suffered at

Kennington, on the 30th Of July.-E.

(1274) Charles Bennet, second Earl of TankerVille. The

appointment did not take place. He died in 1753. His wife,

Camilla, daughter of Edward Colville, of White-house, in the

bishopric of Durham, Esq. survived till 1775, aged one hundred

and five.--E.

500 Letter 216

To George Montagu, Esq,

Arlington Street, Aug. 16, 1746.

Dear George,

I shall be with you on Tuesday night, and since you are so

good as to be my Rowland white, must beg my apartment at the

quivering dame's may be aired for me. My caravan sets out

with all my household stuff on Monday; but I have heard

nothing of your sister's hamper, nor do I know how to send the

bantams by it, but will leave them here till I am more settled

under the shade of my own mulberry- tree.

I have been this morning at the Tower, and passed under the

new heads at Temple Bar,(1275) where people make a trade of

letting spying-glasses at a halfpenny a look. Old Lovat

arrived last night. I saw Murray, Lord Derwentwater, Lord

Traquair, Lord Cromartie and his son, and the Lord Provost,

-,it their respective windows. The other two wretched Lords

are in dismal towers, and they have stopped up one of old

Balmerino's windows because he talked to the populace; and now

he has only one, which looks directly upon all the

scaffolding. They brought in the death-warrant at his dinner.

His wife fainted. He said, "Lieutenant, with your damned

warrant you have spoiled my lady's stomach." He has written a

sensible letter to the Duke to beg his intercession, and the

Duke has given it to the King; but gave a much colder answer

to Duke Hamilton, who went to beg it for Lord Kilmarnock: he

told him the affair was in the King's hands, and that he had

nothing to do with it. Lord Kilmarnock, who has hitherto kept

up his spirits, grows extremely terrified. It will be

difficult to make you believe to what heights of affectation

or extravagance my Lady Townshend carries her passion for my

Lord Kilmarnock, whom she never saw but at the bar of his

trial, and was smitten with his falling shoulders. She has

been under his windows; sends messages to him; has got his dog

and his snuff-box; has taken lodgings out of town for

to-morrow and Monday night, and then goes to Greenwich;

forswears conversing with the bloody English, and has taken a

French master. She insisted on Lord Hervey's promising her he

would not sleep a whole night for my Lord Kilmarnock, "and in

return," says she, "never trust me more if I am not as yellow

as a jonquil for him."(1276) She said gravely t'other day,

"Since I saw my Lord Kilmarnock, I really think no more of Sir

Harry Nisbett than if there was no such man in the world." But

of all her flights, yesterday was the strongest. George

Selwyn dined with her, and not thinking her affliction so

serious as she pretends, talked rather jokingly of the

execution. She burst into a flood of tears and rage, told him

she now believed all his father and mother had said of him;

and with a thousand other reproaches flung upstairs. George

coolly took Mrs. Dorcas, her woman, and made her sit down to

finish the bottle: "And pray, sir," said Dorcas, "do you think

my lady will be prevailed upon to let me go see the execution?

I have a friend that has promised to take care of me, and I

can lie in the Tower the night before." My lady has quarrelled

with Sir Charles Windham for calling the two Lords

malefactors. The idea seems to be general; for 'tis said Lord

Cromartie is to be transported, which diverts me for the

dignity of the peerage. The ministry really gave it as a

reason against their casting lots for pardon, that it was

below their dignity. I did not know but that might proceed

from Balmerino'S not being an earl; and therefore, now their

hand is in, would have them make him one. You will see in the

papers the second great victory at Placentia. There are

papers pasted in several parts of the town, threatening your

cousin Sandwich's head if be makes a dishonourable peace. I

will bring you down Sir Charles Williams's new Ode on the

Manchester.(1277) Adieu!

(1275) In the sixth volume of "London and its Environs

described," published in 1761, a work which furnishes a

curious view of the state of the metropolis on the accession

of George the Third, it is not only gravely stated of Temple

Bar, that, "since the erection of this gate, it has been

particularly distinguished by having the heads of such as have

been executed for high treason placed upon it," but the

accompanying plate exhibits it as being at that time

surmounted by three such disgusting proofs of the- then

semi-barbarous state of our criminal code. The following

anecdote, in reference to this exhibition, was related by Dr.

Johnson in 1773:--"I remember once being with Goldsmith in

Westminster Abbey: while we surveyed the Poet's Corner, I said

to him,

'Forsitan et nostrum nomen miscebitur istis.'

When we got to Temple Bar, he stopped me, pointed to the heads

upon it, and slily whispered me,

'Forsitan et nostrum nomen miscebitur ISTIS."'

Life, vol. iii. p. 2@.-E

( 276) "This," says the Quarterly Review, "is an odd

illustration of the truth of the first line in the following

couplet, which begins an epigram ascribed to Johnson:--

'Pitied by gentle minds, Kilmarnock died:

The brave, Balmerino, are on thy side.'"--E.

(1277) Isabel, Duchess of Manchester, married to Edward

Hussey, Esq.-E.

501 Letter 217

To sir Horace Mann.

Windsor, Aug. 21, 1746.

You will perceive by my date that I am got into a new scene,

and that I am retired hither like an old summer dowager; Only

that I have no toad-eater to take the air with me in the back

part of my lozenge-coach, and to be scolded. I have taken a

small house here within the castle and propose spending the

greatest part of every week here till the parliament meets;

but my jaunts to town will prevent my news from being quite

provincial and marvellous. Then, I promise you, I will go to

no races nor assemblies, nor make comments upon couples that

come in chaises to the White Hart.

I came from town (for take notice, I put this place upon

myself for the country) the day after the execution of the

rebel Lords: I was not at it, but had two persons come to me

directly who were at the next house to the scaffold; and I saw

another who was upon it, so that you may depend upon my

accounts.

Just before they came out of the Tower, Lord Balmerino drank a

bumper to King James's health. As the clock struck ten they

came forth on foot, Lord Kilmarnock all in black, his hair

unpowdered in a bag: supported by Forster, the great

Presbyterian, and by Mr. Home a young clergyman, his friend.

Lord Balmerino followed], alone, in a blue coat turned up with

red, his rebellious regimentals, a flannel waistcoat, and his

shroud beneath; their hearses following They were conducted to

a house near the scaffold; the room forwards had benches for

spectators; in the second Lord Kilmarnock was put, and in the

third backwards Lord Balmerino; all three chambers hung with

black. Here they parted! Balmerino embraced the other, and

said, "My lord, I wish I could suffer for both!" he had scarce

left him, before he desired again to see him, and then asked

him, "My Lord Kilmarnock, do you know any thing of the

resolution taken in our army, the day before the battle of

Culloden, to put the English prisoners to death?" He replied,

"My lord, I was not present; but since I came hither, I have

had all the reason in the world to believe that there was such

order taken; and I hear the Duke has the pocket-book with the

order." Balmerino answered, "It was a lie raised to excuse

their barbarity to us."-Take notice, that the Duke's charging

this on Lord Kilmarnock (certainly on misinformation) decided

this unhappy man's fate! The most now pretended is, that it

would have come to Lord Kilmarnock's turn to have given the

word for the slaughter, as lieutenant-general, with the patent

for which he was immediately drawn into the rebellion, after

having been staggered by his wife, her mother, his own

poverty, and the defeat of Cope. He remained an hour and a

half in the house, and shed tears. At last he came to the

scaffold, certainly much terrified, but with a resolution that

prevented his behaving in the least meanly or unlike a

gentleman.(1278) He took no notice of the crowd, only to

desire that the baize might be lifted up from the rails, that

the mob might see the spectacle. He stood and prayed some

time with Forster, who wept over him, exhorted and encouraged

him. He delivered a long speech to the Sheriff, and with a

noble manliness stuck to the recantation he had made at his

trial; declaring he wished that all who embarked in the same

cause might meet the same fate. he then took off his bag,

coat and waistcoat with great composure, and after some

trouble put on a napkin-cap, and then several times tried the

block; the executioner, who was in white with a white apron,

out of tenderness concealing the axe behind himself. At last

the Earl knelt down, with a visible unwillingness to depart,

and after five minutes dropped his handkerchief, the signal,

and his head was cut off at once, only hanging by a bit of

skin, and was received in a scarlet cloth by four of the

undertaker's men kneeling, who wrapped it up and put it into

the coffin with the body; orders having been given not to

expose the heads, as used to be the custom.

The scaffold was immediately new-strewed with saw-dust, the

block new-covered, the executioner new-dressed, and a new axe

brought. Then came old Balmerino, treading with the air of a

general. As soon as he mounted the scaffold, he read the

inscription on his coffin, as he did again afterwards: he then

surveyed the spectators, who were in amazing numbers, even

upon masts of ships in the river; and pulling out his

spectacles, read a treasonable speech,(1279) which he

delivered to the Sheriff, and said, the young Pretender was so

sweet a Prince that flesh and blood could not resist following

him; and lying down to try the block, he said, "If I had a

thousand lives, I would lay them all down here in the same

cause." he said, "if he had not taken the sacrament the day

before, he would have knocked down Williamson, the lieutenant

of the Tower, for his ill usage of him. He took the axe and

felt it, and asked the headsman how many blows he had given

Lord Kilmarnock; and gave him three guineas. Two clergymen,

who attended him, coming up, he said, "No, gentlemen, I

believe you have already done me all the service you can."

Then he went to the corner of the scaffold, and called very

loud for the warder, to give him his periwig, which he took

off, and put on a nightcap of Scotch plaid, and then pulled

off his coat and waistcoat and lay down; but being told he was

on the wrong side, vaulted round, and immediately gave the

sign by tossing up his arm, as if he were giving the signal

for battle. He received three blows, but the first certainly

took away all sensation. He was not a quarter of an hour on

the scaffold; Lord Kilmarnock above half a one. Balmerino

certainly died with the intrepidity of a hero, but with the

insensibility of one too.(1280) As he walked from his prison

to execution, seeing every window and top of house filled with

spectators, he cried out, "Look, look, how they are all piled

up like rotten oranges!"

My Lady Townshend, who fell in love -with Lord Kilmarnock at

his trial, will go nowhere to dinner, for fear of meeting with

a rebel- pie; she says, every body is so bloody-minded, that

they eat rebels! The Prince of Wales, whose intercession

saved Lord Cromartie, says he did it in return for old Sir

William Gordon, Lady Cromartie's father, coming down out of

his deathbed to vote against my father in the Chippenham

election.(1281) If his Royal Highness had not countenanced

inveteracy like that of Sir Gordon he would have no occasion

to exert his gratitude now in favour of rebels. His brother

has plucked a very useful feather out of the cap of the

ministry, by forbidding any application for posts in the army

to be made to any body but himself: a resolution I dare say,

he will keep as strictly and minutely as he does the

discipline and dress of the army. Adieu!

P. S. I have just received yours of Aug. 9th. You had not

then heard of the second great battle of Placentia, which has

already occasioned new instructions, or, in effect, a recall,

being sent after Lord Sandwich.

(1278) "When," says Sir Walter Scott, in Tales of a

Grandfather, "he beheld the fatal scaffold, covered with black

cloth; the executioner with his axe and his assistants; the

saw-dust which was soon to be drenched with his blood; the

coffin prepared to receive the limbs which were yet warm with

life; above all, the immense display of human countenances

which surrounded the scaffold like a sea, all eyes being bent

on the sad object of the preparation, his natural feelings

broke forth in a whisper to the friend on whose arm he leaned,

'Home, this is terrible!' No sign of indecent timidity,

however, affected his behaviour."-E.

(1279) Ford, in his account, states that " so far was this

speech from being filled with passionate invective, that it

mentioned his Majesty as a Prince of the greatest magnanimity

and mercy, at the same time that, through erroneous 'political

principles, it denied him a right to the allegiance of his

people."-E.

(1280) He once more turned to his friends and took his last

farewell, and looking on the crowd, said, 'Perhaps some may

think my behaviour too bold; but remember, Sir,' said he to a

gentleman who stood near him, 'that I now declare it is the

effect of confidence in God, and a good conscience, and I

should dissemble if I should show any signs of fear.'"

Ford.-E.

(1281) See ant`e, P. 215. (in Letter 51, which begins p. 212.)

504 Letter 218

To Sir Horace Mann.

Windsor, Sept. 15, 1746.

You have sent me Marquis Rinuncini with as much secrecy as if

you had sent me a present. I was here; there came an

exceedingly fair written and civil letter from you, dated last

May: I comprehended by the formality of it, that it was

written for the person who brought it, not for the person it

was sent to. I have been to town on purpose to wait on him,

and though you know he was not of my set, yet being of

Florence and recommended by you, and recollecting how you used

to cuddle over a bit of politics with the old Marquis,(1282) I

set myself to be wondrous civil to Marquis Polco; pray, faites

valoir ma politesse!(1283) You have no occasion to let people

know exactly the situation of my villa; but talk of my

standing in campagnaz and coming directly in sedia di posta,

to far mio dovere al Signor Marchesino. I stayed literally an

entire week with him, carried him to see palaces and Richmond

gardens and park, and Chenevix's shop, and talked a great deal

to him alle conversationi. It is a wretched time for him;

there is not a soul in town; no plays; and Ranelagh shut up.

You may say I should have stayed longer with him. but I was

obliged to return for fear of losing my vintage. I shall be

in London again in a fortnight, and then I shall do more mille

gentilezzes. Seriously, I was glad to see him-after I had got

over being sorry to see him, (for with all the goodness of

one's Soquckin soqubut, as the Japanese call the heart, YOU

must own it is a little troublesome to be showing the tombs,)

I asked him a thousand questions, rubbed up my old tarnished

Italian, and inquired about fifty people that I had entirely

forgot till his arrival. He told me some passages, that I

don't forgive you for not mentioning; your Cicisbeatura, Sir,

with the Antinora;(1284) and Manelli's(1285) marriage and

jealousy: who consoles my illustrious mistress?(1286)

Rinuncini has announced the future arrival of the Abbate

Niccolini, the elder Pandolfini, and the younger Panciatici;

these two last, you know, were friends of mine; I shall be

extremely glad to see them.

Your two last were of Aug. 23d and 30th. In the latter you

talk of the execution of the rebel lords, but don't tell me

whether you received my long history of their trials. Your

Florentines guessed very rightly about my Lady O."s reasons

for not returning amongst you: she has picked up a Mr.

Shirley,(1287) no great genius--but with all her affectation

of parts, you know she never was delicate about the capacity

of her lovers. this swain has so little pretensions to any

kind of genius, that two years ago being to act in the Duke of

Bedford's company,(1288) he kept back the play three weeks,

because he could not get his part by heart, though it

consisted but of seventeen lines and a half. With him she has

retired to a villa near Newpark, and lets her house in town.

Your last letter only mentions the progress of the King of

Sardinia towards Genoa; but there is an account actually

arrived of his being master of it. It is very big new-,, and

I hope will make us look a little haughty again: we are giving

ourselves airs, and sending a secret expedition against

France: we don't indeed own that it is in favour of the

Chevalier William Courtenay,(1289) who, you know, claims the

crown of France, and whom King William threatened them to

proclaim, when they proclaimed the Pretender; but I believe

the Protestant Highlanders in the south of France are ready to

join him the moment he lands. There is one Sir Watkin

Williams, a great Baron in languedoc, and a Sir John Cotton, a

Marquis of Dauphin`e,(1290) who have engaged to raise a great

number of men, on the first debarkation that we make.

I think it begins to be believed that the Pretender's son is

got to France - pray, if he passes through Florence, make it

as agreeable to him as you can, ,ind introduce him to all my

acquaintance. I don't indeed know him myself, but he is a

particular friend of my cousin, Sir John Philipps,(1291) and

of my sister-in-law Lady O., who will both take it extremely

kindly--besides, do for your own sake you may make your peace

with her this way; and if ever Lord Bath comes into power, she

will secure your remaining at florence. Adieu!

(1282) Marquis Rinuncini, the elder, had been envoy in

England, and prime minister to John Gaston, the last Great

duke.

(1283) Grey, in a letter to Wharton of the 11th, says, "Mr.

Walpole has taken a house in Windsor, and I see him usually

once a week. He is at present gone to town, to perform the

disagreeable task of presenting and introducing about a young

Florentine, the Marquis Rinuncini, who comes recommended to

him." Works, vol. iii. @. 9.-E.

(1284) Sister of Madame Grifoni.

(1285) Signor Ottavio Manelli had been cicisbeo of Madame

Grifoni.

(1286) Madame Grifoni.

(1287) Sewallis Shirley, uncle of Earl Ferrers. (He married

Lady Orford, after her first husband's death.-D)

(1288) The Duke of Bedford and his friends acted several plays

at Woburn.

(1289) Sir William Courtenay, said to be the right heir of

Louis le Gros. There is a notion that at the coronation of a

new King of France, the Courtenays assert their pretensions,

and that the King of France says to them, "Apres Nous, Vous."

[See Gibbon's beautiful account of this family, in a

digression to his History of the Decline and Fall, Vol. xi.]

(1290) Two Jacobite Knights of Wales and Cambridgeshire.

(1291) Sir J. Philipps, of Picton Castle in Pembrokeshire; a

noted Jacobite. He was first cousin of Catherine Shorter,

first wife of Sir Robert Walpole.

506 Letter 219

To sir Horace Mann.

Windsor, Oct. 2,1746.

By your own loss YOU may measure My joy at the receipt of the

dear Chutes.(1292) I strolled to town one day last week, and

there I found them! Poor creatures! there they were!

wondering at every thing they saw, but with the difference

from Englishmen that go abroad, O keeping their amazement to

themselves. They will tell you of wild dukes in the

playhouse, of streets dirtier than forests, and of women more

uncouth than the streets. I found them extremely surprised at

not finding any ready-furnished palace built round two courts.

I do all I can to reconcile their country to them; though

seriously they have no affectation, and have nothing

particular in them, but that they have nothing particular: a

fault, of which the climate and their neighbours will soon

correct. You may imagine how we have talked you over, and how

I have inquired after the state of your Wetbrownpaperhood.

Mr. Chute adores you: do you know, that as well as I love you,

I never found all those charms in you that he does! I own this

to you out of pure honesty, that you may love him as much as

he deserves. I don't know how he will succeed here, but to me

he has more wit than any body I know: he is altered, and I

think, broken: Whitehed is grown leaner considerably, and is a

very pretty gentleman.(1293) He did not reply to me as the

Turcotti(1294) did bonnement to you when you told her she was

a little thinner: do you remember how she puffed and chuckled,

and said, "And indeed I think you are too." Mr. Whitehed was

not so sensible of the blessing of decrease, as to conclude

that it would be acceptable news even to shadows: he thinks me

plumped out. I would fain have enticed them down hither, and

promised we would live just as if we were at the King's Arms

in via di Santo Spirito:(1295) but they were obliged to go

chez eux, not pour se d`ecrasser, but pour se crasser. I

shall introduce them a tutte le mie conoscenze, and shall try

to make questo paese as agreeable to them as possible; except

in one point, for I have sworn never to tell Mr. Chute a word

of news, for then he will be writing it to you, and I shall

have nothing to say. This is a lucky resolution for you, my

dear child, for between two friends one generally hears

nothing; the one concludes that the other has told all.

I have had two or three letters from you since I wrote. The

young Pretender is generally believed to have got off the 18th

of last month: if he were not, with the zeal of the Chutes, I

believe they would be impatient to send a limb to Cardinal

Acquaviva and Monsignor Piccolomini. I quite gain a winter

with them, having had no expectation of them till spring'.

Adieu!

(1292) John Chute and Francis Whitehed had been several years

in Italy, chiefly at Florence.

(1293) Gray, in a letter to Mr. Chute, written at this time,

thus describes Mr. Whithead:

"He is a fine young personage in a coat all over spangles,

just come over from the tour in Europe to take possession and

be married. I desire my hearty congratulations to him, and

say I wish him more spangles, and more estates, and more

wives." Works, vol. iii. p. 20.-E.

(1294) A fine singer.

(1295) Mr. Mann hired a large palace of the Manetti family at

Florence in via di Santo Spirito: foreign ministers in Italy

affix large shields with the arms of their sovereign over

their door.

507 Letter 220

To the Hon. H. S. Conway.

Windsor still, Oct. 3, 1746.

My dear Harry,

You ask me if I have really grown a philosopher. Really I

believe not: for I shall refer you to my practice rather than

to my doctrine, and have really acquired what they only

pretended to seek, content. So far, indeed I was a

philosopher even when I lived in town, for then I was content

too; and all the difference I can conceive between those two

opposite doctors was, that Aristippus loved London, and

Diogenes Windsor; and if your master the Duke, whom I

sincerely prefer to Alexander, and who certainly can intercept

more sunshine, would but stand out of my way, which he is

extremely in, while he lives in the park here,(1296) I should

love my little tub of forty pounds a-year, more than my palace

dans la rue des ministers, with all my pictures and bronzes,

which you ridiculously imagine I have encumbered myself with

in my solitude. Solitude it is, as to the tub itself, for no

soul lives in it with me; though I could easily give you room

at the butt end of it, and with -vast pleasure; but George

Montagu, who perhaps is a philosopher too, though I am sure

not of Pythagoras's silent sect, lives but two barrels off;

and Asheton, a Christian philosopher of our acquaintance,

lives -,it the foot of that hill which you mention with a

melancholy satisfaction that always attends the reflection. A-

propos, here is an Ode on the very subject, which I desire you

will please to like excessively:(1297)

****************

You will immediately conclude, out of good breeding, that it

is mine, and that it is charming. I shall be much obliged to

you for the first thought, but desire you will retain only the

second; for it is Mr. Gray's, and not your humble servant's.

(1296) " The Duke of Cumberland is here at his lodge with

three women, and three aide-de-camps; and the country swarms

with people. He goes to races and they make a ring about him

as at a bear-baiting." Gray to Wharton, Sept. 11. Works, vol.

iii. p. 10.-E.

(1297) Here follows, in the original Mr. Gray's Ode on a,

distant prospect of Eton College. [This, which was the first

English production of Gray which appeared in print, was

published by Dodsley in the following year. Dr. Warton says,

that " little notice was taken of it, on its first

publication."-E.

508 Letter 221

To Sir Horace Mann.

Arlington Street, Oct. 14, 1746.

You will have been alarmed with the news of another

battle(1298) lost in Flanders, where we have no Kings of

Sardinia. We make light of it; do not allow it to be a

battle, but call it "the action near Liege." then, we have

whittled down our loss extremely, and will not allow a man

more than three hundred and fifty English slain out of the

four thousand. The whole of' it, as It appears to me, is,

that we gave up eight battalions to avoid fighting; as at

Newmarket people pay their forfeit when they foresee they

should lose the race; though, if the whole army had fought,

and we had lost the day, one might have hoped to have come off

for eight battalions. Then they tell you that the French had

four-and-twenty-pounders, and that they must beat us by the

superiority of their cannon; so that to me it is grown a

paradox, to war with a nation who have a mathematical

certainty of beating you; or else it is a still stranger

paradox, why you cannot have as large cannon as the French.

This loss was balanced by a pompous account of the triumphs of

our invasion of Bretagne; which, in plain terms, I think, is

reduced to burning two or three villages and reimbarking: at

least, two or three of the transports are returned with this

history, and know not what is become of Lestock and the rest

of the invasion. The young Pretender is landed in France,

with thirty Scotch, but in such a wretched condition that his

Highland Highness had no breeches.(1299)

I have received yours of the 27th of last month, with the

capitulation of Genoa, and the kind conduct of the Austrians

to us their allies, so extremely like their behaviour whenever

they are fortunate. Pray, by the way, has there been any talk

of my cousin,(1300) the Commodore, in letting slip some

Spanish ships'!-don't mention it as from me, but there are

whispers of court-martial on him. They are all the fashion

now; if you miss a post to me, I will have you tried by a

court-martial. Cope is come off most gloriously, his courage

ascertained, and even his conduct, which every body had given

up, justified. Folkes and Lascelles, two of his generals, are

come off too; but not so happily in the opinion of the world.

Oglethorpe's sentence is not yet public, but it is believed

not to be favourable. He was always a bully, and is now tried

for cowardice. Some little dash of the same sort is likely to

mingle withe the judgment on il furibondo Matthews; though his

party rises again a little, and Lestock's acquittal begins to

pass for a party affair. In short, we are a wretched people,

and have seen our best days.

I must have lost a letter, if you really told me of the sale

of the Duke of Modena's pictures,(1301) as you think you did;

for when Mr. Chute told it me, it struck me as quite new.

They are out of town, good souls; and I shall not see them

this fortnight; for I am here only for two or three days, to

inquire after the battle, in which not one of my friends were.

Adieu!

(1298) The battle of Rocoux; lost by the allies on the 11th of

October.-E.

(1299) About the 18th of September, Prince Charles received

intelligence that two French frigates had arrived at

Lochnannagh, to carry him and other fugitives of his party to

France: accordingly, after numerous wanderings in various

disguises he embarked, on the 20th of September, attended by

Lochiel, Colonel Roy Stuart, and about a hundred others of the

relics of his party; and safely landed at the little port of

Roscoff, near

Morlaix, in Brittany, on the 29th. " During these

wanderings," says Sir Walter Scott, in Tales of a Grandfather,

"the secret of the Adventurer's concealment was intrusted to

hundreds, of every sex, age, and condition; but no individual

was found, in a high or low situation, or robbers even , who

procured their food at the risk of their lives, who thought

for an instant of obtaining opulence at the expense of

treachery to the proscribed and miserable fugitive. Such

disinterested conduct will reflect honour on the Highlands of

Scotland while their mountains shall continue to exist." Prose

Works, vol. xxvi. p. 374.-E.

(1300) George Townshend, eldest son of Charles, Lord Viscount

Townshend, by Dorothy, his second wife, sister of Sir Robert

Walpole. (He was subsequently tried by a court-martial for his

conduct upon this occasion, and honourably acquitted.-D.)

(1301) To the King of Poland.

509 Letter 222

To The Hon. H. S. Conway.

Windsor, Oct. 24, 1746.

Well, Harry, Scotland is the last place on earth I should have

thought of for turning any body poet: but I begin to forgive

it half its treasons in favour of your verses, for I suppose

you don't think I am the dupe of the highland story that you

tell me: the only use I shall make of it is to commend the

lines to you, as if they really were a Scotchman's. There is

a melancholy harmony in them that is charming, and a delicacy

in the thoughts that no Scotchman is capable of, though a

Scotchwoman(1302 might inspire it. I beg, both for Cynthia's

sake and my own, that you would continue your De Tristibus

till I have an opportunity of seeing your muse, and she of

rewarding her: Reprens ta musette, berger amoureux! If

Cynthia has ever travelled ten miles in fairy-land, she must

be wondrous content with the person and qualifications of her

knight, who in future story will be read of thus: Elmedorus

was tall and perfectly well made, his face oval, and features

regularly handsome, but not effeminate; his complexion

sentimentally brown, with not much colour; his teeth fine, and

forehead agreeably low, round which his black hair curled

naturally and beautifully. His eyes were black too, but had

nothing of fierce or insolent; on the contrary, a certain

melancholy swimmingness, that described hopeless love rather

than a natural amorous languish. His exploits in war, where

he always fought by the side of the renowned Paladine William

of England, have endeared his memory to all admirers of true

chivalry, as the mournful elegies which he poured out among

the desert rocks of Caledonia,(1303) in honour of the peerless

lady and his

heart's idol, the incomparable Cynthia, will for ever preserve

his name in the flowery annals of poesy.

What a pity it is I was not born in the golden age of Louis

the Fourteenth, when it was not only the fashion to write

folios, but to read them too! or rather , it is a pity the

same fashion don't subsist NOW, when one need not be at the

trouble of invention, nor of turning the whole Roman history

into romance for want of proper heroes. Your campaign in

Scotland, rolled out and well be-epitheted, would make a

pompous work, and make one's fortune; at sixpence a number,

one should have all the damsels within the liberties for

subscribers: whereas now, if one has a mind to be read, one

must write metaphysical poems in blank verse, which, though I

own to be still easier, have not half the imagination of

romances, and are dull without any agreeable absurdity. Only

think of the gravity of this wise age, that have exploded

"Cleopatra and Pharamond," and approve "The Pleasures of the

Imagination," "The Art of Preserving Health," and "Leonidas!"

I beg the age's pardon: it has done approving these poems, and

has forgot them.

Adieu! dear Harry. Thank you seriously for the poem. I am

going to town for the birthday, and shall return hither till

the Parliament meets; I suppose there is no doubt of our

meeting then. Yours ever.

P.S. Now you are at Stirling, if you should meet with

Drummond's history of the five King Jameses, pray look it

over.(1304) I have read it, and like it much. It is wrote in

imitation of Livy; the style is masculine, and the whole very

sensible; only he ascribes the misfortunes of one reign to the

then king's loving architecture and

"In trim gardens taking pleasure."

(1302) Caroline Campbell, Countess of Ailesbury.-E.

(1303) Mr. Conway was now in Scotland.

(1304) Drummond of Hawthorne's History of Scotland, from 1423

to 1542, did not appear until after his death. This work, in

which the doctrine of unlimited authority and passive

obedience is advocated to an extravagant extent, is generally

considered to have added little to his reputation. He died in

December 1649, in his sixty-fourth year.

Ben Jonson is said to have so much admired the genius of this

"Scotian Petrarch," as to travel on foot to Scotland, out of

love and respect for him.-E.

510 Letter 523

To George Montagu, Esq.

Arlington Street, Nov. 3, 1746.

Dear George,

Do not imagine I have already broken through all my wholesome

resolutions and country schemes, and that I am given up body

and soul to London for the winter. I shall be with you by the

end of the week; but just now I am under the maiden

palpitation of an author. My epilogue will, I believe, be

spoken to-morrow night;(1305) and I flatter myself I shall

have no faults to answer for but what are in it, for I have

kept secret whose it is. It is now gone to be licensed; but

as the Lord Chamberlain is mentioned,(1306)' though rather to

his honour, it is possible it may be refused.

Don't expect news, for I know no more than a newspaper.

Asheton would have written it if there were any thing to tell

you. Is it news that my Lord Rochford is an oaf? He has got a

set of plate buttons for the birthday clothes, with the Duke's

head in every one. Sure my good lady carries her art too far

to make him so great a dupe. How do all the comets? Has Miss

Harriet found out any more ways at solitaire? Has Cloe left

off evening prayer on account of the damp evenings? How is

Miss Rice's cold and coachman? Is Miss Granville better? Has

Mrs. Masham made a brave hand of this bad season, and lived

upon carcases like any vampire? Adieu! I am just going to see

Mrs. Muscovy,(1307) and will be sure not to laugh if my old

lady should talk of Mr. Draper's white skin, and tickle his

bosom like Queen Bess.

(1305) Rowe's tragedy of Tamerlane was written in compliment

to William the Third, whose character the author intended to

display under that of Tamerlane, as he meant to be understood

to draw that of Louis the Fourteenth in Bajazet. Tamerlane

was always acted on the 4th and 5th of November, the

anniversaries of King William's birth and landing; and this

year Mr. Walpole had written an epilogue for it, on the

suppression of the rebellion.-E.

(1306) The Duke of Grafton.

(1307) Mrs. Boscawen, wife of the Hon. George Boscawen, fifth

son of Viscount Falmouth.-E.

511 Letter 224

To Sir Horace Mann.

Arlington Street, Nov. 4, 1746.

Mr. Chute and I a,,reed not to tell you of any new changes

till we could tell you more of them, that you might not be

"put into a taking," as you was last winter with the

revolution of three days; but I think the present has ended

with a single fit. Lord Harrington,(1308) quite on a sudden,

resigned the seals; it is said, on some treatment not over-

gracious; but he is no such novice to be shocked with that,

though I believe it has been rough ever since his resigning

last year, which he did more boisterously than he is

accustomed to behave to Majesty. Others talk of some quarrel

with his brother secretary, who, in complaisance, is all for

drums and trumpets. Lord Chesterfield was immediately named

his successor; but the Duke of Newcastle has taken the

northern provinces, as of more business, and consequently

better suited to his experience and abilities! I flatter

myself that this can no way affect you. Ireland is to be

offered to Lord Harrington, or the Presidentship; and the Duke

of Dorset, now President, is to have the other's refusal. The

King has endured a great deal with your old complaint; and I

felt for him, recollecting all you underwent.

You will have seen in the papers all the histories of our

glorious expeditions(1309) and invasions of France, which have

put Cressy and Agincourt out of all countenance. On the first

view, indeed, one should think that our fleet had been to

victual; for our chief prizes were cows and geese and turkeys.

But I rather think that the whole was fitted out by the Royal

Society, for they came back quite satisfied with having

discovered a fine bay! Would one believe, that in the year of

our Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty-six, we should

boast of discovering something on the coast of France, as if

we had found out the Northeast passage, or penetrated into

some remote part of America? The Guards are come back too, who

never went: in one Single day they received four several

different orders!

Matthews is broke at last. Nobody disputes the justice of the

sentence; but the legality of it is not quite so

authenticated. Besides some great errors in the forms,

whenever the Admiralty perceived any of the court-martial

inclined to favour him, they were constantly changed. Then,

the expense has been enormous; two hundred thousand pounds!

chiefly by employing young captains, instead of old half-pay

officers; and by these means, double commissions. Then there

has been a great fracas between the court-martial and

Willes.(1310) He, as Chief Justice, sent a summons in the

ordinary form of law, to Mayerne, to appear as an evidence in

a trial where a captain had prosecuted Sir Chaloner Ogle for

horrid tyranny: the ingenious court-martial sat down and drew

up articles of impeachment, like any House of Commons, against

the Chief Justice for stopping their proceedings! and the

Admiralty, still more ingenious, had a mind to complain of him

to the house! He was charmed to catch them at such

absurdities--but I believe at last it is all compromised.

I have not heard from you for some time, but I don't pretend

to complain: you have real occupation; my idleness is for its

own sake. The Abb`e Niccolini and Pandolfini are arrived; but

I have not yet seen them. Rinuncini cannot bear England--and

if the Chutes speak their mind, I believe they are not

captivated yet with any thing they have found: I am more and

more with them: Mr. Whithed is infinitely improved: and Mr.

Chute has absolutely more Wit, knowledge, and good-nature,

than, to their great surprise, ever met together in one

man.(1311) he has a bigotry to you, that even astonishes me,

who used to think that I was pretty well in for loving you;

but he is very often ready to quarrel with me for not thinking

you all pure gold. Adieu!

(1308) William Stanhope, Earl of Harrington, secretary of

state.

(1309) The expedition to Quiberon; the troops under General

St. Clair, the fleet under Admiral Lestock. The object was to

surprise Port l'Orient, and destroy the stores and ships of

the French East India Company, but the result attained was

only the plunder and burning of a few helpless villages. The

fleet and troops returned, however, with little loss. "The

truth is," says Tindal, "Lestock was too old and infirm for

enterprise, and, as is alleged, was under the shameful

direction of a woman he carried along with him; and neither

the soldiers nor the sailors seem to have been under any kind

of discipline."-E.

(1310) John Willes, Lord Chief Justice of the Common

Pleas(1311) Grey, in a letter to Mr. Chute of the 12th of

October says, "Mr. Walpole is full, I assure you, of your

panegyric. Never any man had half so much wit as Mr. Chute,

(which is saying every thing with him, you know,) and Mr.

Whitehead is the finest young man that was ever imported."

Works, vol. iii. p. 22.-E.

513 Letter 225

To Sir Horace Mann.

Windsor, Nov. 12, 1746.

Here I AM come hither, per saldare; but though the country is

excellently convenient, from the idleness of it, for beginning

a letter, yet it is not at all commode for finishing one: the

same ingredients that fill a basket by the carrier, will not

fill half a sheet of paper; I could send you a cheese, or a

hare; but I have not a morsel of news. Mr. Chute threatened

me to tell you the distress I was in last week, when I starved

Niccolini and Pandolfini on a fast-day, when I had thought to

banquet them sumptuously. I had luckily given a guinea for

two pine-apples, which I knew they had never seen in Italy,

and upon which they revenged themselves for all the meat that

they dared not touch. Rinuncini could not come. How you

mistook me, my dear' child! I meant simply that you had not

mentioned his coming; very far from reproving you for giving

him a letter. Don't I give letters for you every day to cubs,

ten times cubber than Rinuncini! and don't you treat them as

though all their names were Walpole? If you was to send me all

the uncouth productions of Italy, do you think any of them

would be so brutal as Sir William Maynard? I am exactly like

you; I have no greater pleasure than to make them value your

recommendation, by showing how much I value it. Besides, I

love the Florentines for their own sakes and to indemnify

them, poor creatures! a little for the Richcourts, the

Lorraines, and the Austrians. I have received per mezzo di

Pucci,(1312) a letter from Marquis Riccardi, with orders to

consign to the bearer all his treasure in my hands, which I

shall do immediately with great satisfaction. There are four

rings that I should be glad he would sell me; but they are

such trifles, and he will set such a value on them the moment

he knows I like them, that it is scarce worth while to make

the proposal, because I would give but a little for them.

However, you may hint what plague I have had with his roba,

and that it will be a gentillezza to sell me these four dabs.

One is a man's head, small, on cornelian, and intaglio; a fly,

ditto; an Isis, cameo; and an inscription in Christian Latin:

the last is literally not worth two sequins.

As to Mr. Townshend, I now know all 'the particulars, and that

Lord SandWich(1313) was at the bottom of it. What an

excellent heart his lordship will have by the time he is

threescore, if he sets out thus! The persecution(1314) is on

account of the poor boy's relation to my father; of whom the

world may judge pretty clearly already, from the abilities and

disinterestedness of such of his enemies as have succeeded;

and from their virtue in taking any opportunity to persecute

any Of his relations; in which even the public interest of

their country can weigh nothing, when clashing with their

malice. The King of Sar dinia has written the strongest

letter imaginable to complain of the grievous prejudice the

Admiralty has don@his affairs by this step.

Don't scold me for not sending you those Lines to

Eckardt:(1315) I never wrote any thing that I esteemcd less,

or that was seen so incorrect ; nor can I at all account for

their having been so much liked,

especially as the thoughts were so old and so common. I was

hurt at their getting into print. I enclose you an

epilogue(1316) that I hae vwritten since, merely for a

specimen of something more correct. You know, or have known,

that Tamerlane is always acted on King William's birthday,

with an occasional prologue ; this was the epilogue to it, and

succeeded to flatter me. Adieu!

(1312) Minister from the Great Duke.

(1313) John Montagu, Earl of Sandwich, First Lord of the

Admiralty.

1314) See letter 221 of the 14th October.

((1315) The Beauties, an Epistle to Eckardt, the painter;

reprinted in Dodsley's Miscellanieg in Walpole's Works, vol.

i. p. 19.]

(1316) On the suppression of the rebellion. [See Works, vol.

i. p. 25.]

514 Letter 226

To Sir Horace Mann.

Arlington Street, Dec. 5, 1746.

We are in such a newsless situation, that I have been some

time without writing to you; but I now answer one I received

from you yesterday. You will excuse me, if I am not quite so

transported as Mr. Chute is, at the extremity of

Aquaviva.(1317) I can't afford to hate people so much at such

a distance: my aversions find employment within their own

atmosphere.

Rinuncini returns to you this week, not at all contented with

England: Niccolini is extremely, and turns his little talent

to great account; there is nobody of his own standard but

thinks him a great genius. The Chutes and I deal extremely

together; but they abuse me, and tell me I am grown so

English! lack-a-day! so I am; as folks that have been in the

Inquisition, and did not choose to broil, come out excellent

Catholics.

I have been unfortunate in my own family; my nephew, Captain

Cholmondeley,(1318) has married a player's sister; and I fear

Lord Malpas(1319) is on the brink of matrimony with another

girl of no fortune. Here is a ruined family! their father

totally undone, and all be has seized for debt!

The Duke is gone to Holland to settle the operations of the

campaign, but returns before the opening of it. A great

reformation has been made this week in the army; the horse are

broke, and to be turned into dragoons, by which sixty thousand

pounds a-year will be saved. Whatever we do in Flanders, I

think you need not fear any commotions here, where Jacobitism

seems to have gasped its last. Mr. Radcliffe, the last

Derwentwater's brother, is actually named to the gallows for

Monday; but the imprudence of Lord Morton,(1320) who has drawn

himself into the Bastile, makes it doubtful whether the

execution will be so quick. The famous orator Henley is taken

up for treasonable flippancies.(1321)

You know Lord Sandwich is minister at the Hague. Sir Charles

Williams, who has resigned the paymastership of the marines,

is talked of for going to Berlin, but it is not yet done. The

Parliament has been most serene, but there is a storm in the

air: the Prince waits for an opportunity of erecting his

standard, and a disputed election between him and the

Grenvilles is likely very soon to furnish the occasion. We

are to have another contest about Lord Bath's borough,(1322)

which Mr. Chute's brother formerly lost, and which his

colleague, Lu@e Robinson, has carried by a majority of three,

though his competitor is returned. Lord Bath wrote to a man

for a list of all that would be against him: the man placed

his own and his brother's names at the head of the list.

We have operas, but no company at them; the Prince and Lord

Middlesex Impresarii. Plays only are in fashion: at one house

the best company that perhaps ever were together, quin,

Garrick, Mrs. Pritchard, and Mrs. Cibber: at the other, Barry,

a favourite young actor, and the Violette, whose dancing our

friends don't like; I scold them, but all the answer is,

"Lord! you are so English!" If I do clap sometimes when they

don't, I can fairly say with Oedipus,

"My hands are guilty, but my heart is free."

'

Adieu!

(1317) Cardinal Acquaviva, Protector of Spain, and a great

promoter of the interests of the Pretender

(1318) Robert, second son of George, Earl of Cholmondeley,

married Mary, sister of Mrs. Margaret Woffington, the actress.

He afterwards quitted the army and took orders. [Besides two

church livings, he enjoyed the office of auditor of the King's

revenues in America. He died in 1804.]

(1319) George, eldest son of Lord Cholmondeley, married, in

January 1747, Miss Edwards. (She was the, daughter and

heiress of Sir Francis Edwards, Bart. of Grete, in

Shropshire.-D.)

(1320) James Douglas, ninth Earl of Morton.-D.

(1321) He was, a few days after, admitted to bail.-E.

(1322) Heydon.

515 Letter 227

To Sir Horace Mann.

Arlington Street, Christmas-day, 1746.

We are in great expectation of farther news from Genoa, which

the last accounts left in the greatest confusion, and I think

in the hands of the Genoese;,(1323) a circumstance that may

chance to unravel all the fine schemes in Provence! Marshal

Bathiani, at the Hague, treated this revolt as a trifle; but

all the letters by last post make it a reconquest. The Dutch

do all the Duke asks: we talk of an army of 140,000 men in

Flanders next campaign. I don't know how the Prince of Orange

relishes his brother-in-law's dignities and success.

Old Lovat has been brought to the bar of the House of Lords:

he is far from having those abilities for which he has been so

cried up. He saw Mr. Pelham at a distance and called to him,

and asked him if it were worth while to make all this fuss to

take off a gray head fourscore years old? In his defence he

complained of his estate being seized and kept from him. Lord

Granville took up this complaint very strongly, and insisted

on having it inquired into. Lord Bath went farther, and, as

some people think, intended the Duke; but I believe he only

aimed at the Duke of Newcastle, who was so alarmed with this

motion, that he kept the House above a quarter of an hour in

suspense, till he could send for Stone,(1324) and consult what

he should do. They made a rule to order the old creature the

profits of his estate till his conviction. He is to put in

his answer the 13th of January.

Lord Lincoln is cofferer at last, in the room of Waller,(1325)

who is dismissed. Sir Charles Williams has kissed hands, and

sets out for Dresden in a month: he has hopes of Turin, but I

think Villettes is firm. Don't mention this.

Did I ever talk to you of a Mr. Davis, a Norfolk gentleman,

who has taken to painting? He has copied the Dominichin, the

third picture he ever copied in his life: how well, you may

judge; for Mr. Chute, who, I believe you think, understands

pictures if any body does, happened to come in, just as Mr.

Davis brought his copy hither. "Here," said I, "Mr. Chute,

here is your Dominichin come to town to be copied." He

literally did not know it; which made me very happy for Mr.

Davis, who has given me this charming picture. Do but figure

to yourself a man of fifty years old, who was scarce ever out

of the county of Norfolk, but when his hounds led him; who

never saw a tolerable picture till those at Houghton four

years ago who plays and composes as well as he paints, and who

has no more of the Norfolk dialect than a Florentine! He is

the most decent, sensible man you ever saw.

Rinuncini is gone: Niccolini sups continually with the Prince

of Wales, and learns the Constitution! Pandolfini is put

to-bed, like children, to be out of the way. Adieu!

P. S. My Lady O. who has entirely settled her affairs with my

brother, talks of going abroad again, not being able to live

here on fifteen hundred pounds a-year--many an old 'lady, and

uglier too, lives very comfortably upon less. After I had

writ this, your brother brought me another letter with a

confirmation of all we had heard about Genoa. You may be easy

about the change of provinces,(1326) which has not been made

as was designed. Echo Mons`u Chute

>From Mr. Chute.

Mr. Walpole gives me a side, and I catch hold of it to tell

you that I parted this minute with your charming brother, who

has been in the council with me about your grand affair:(1327)

it is determined now to be presented to the King by way of

memorial; and to-morrow we meet again to draw it up: Mr. Stone

has graciously signified that this is a very proper

opportunity - one should think he must know.

Oh! I must tell you: I was here last night, and saw my Lord

Walpole,(1328) for the first time, but such a youth! I declare

to you, I was quite astonished at his sense and cleverness; it

is impossible to describe it; it was just what would have made

you as happy to observe as it did me: he is not yet seventeen,

and is to continue a year longer at Eton, upon his own desire.

Alas! how few have I seen of my countrymen half so formed even

at their return from their travels! I hope you will have him

at Florence One day or other; he will pay you amply for the

Pigwiggins, and------

Mr. Walpole is quite right in all he tells you of the miracle

worked by St. Davis, which certainly merits the credit of

deceiving far better judges of painting than I; who am no

judge of any thing but you, whom I pretend to understand

better than any body living and am, therefore, my dear sir,

etc. etc. etc. J. C.

(1323) This circumstance is thus alluded to in a letter of Sir

Horace Mann's, dated Dec. 20th, 1746. "The affairs of Genoa

are in such a horrid situation, that one is frightened out of

one's senses. The accounts of them are so confused, that one

does not know what to make of them; but it is certain that the

mob is quite master of the town and of every thing in it.

They have sacked several houses, particularly that of the

Doge, and five or six others, belonging to those who were the

principal authors of the alliance which the Republic made with

France and Spain."-D.

(1324) Andrew Stone, secretary to the Duke of Newcastle, and

afterwards sub-governor to George, Prince of Wales.

(1325) Edmund Waller, of Beaconsfield.

(1326) Meaning a change in the secretaries of state. There

were at this time two, one of whom was called the Secretary of

State for the Northern Province, and the other the Secretary

of State for the Southern Province.-D.

(1327) Of Mr. Mann's arrears.

(1328) George, only son of Robert, second Earl of Orford, whom

he succeeded in the title.

517 Letter 228

To Sir Horace Mann.

Arlington Street, Jan. 27, 1747.

The Prince has formally declared a new Opposition which is

never to subside till he is King (s'entendent that he does not

carry his point sooner.) He began it pretty handsomely the

other day with 143 to 184, which has frightened the ministry

like a bomb. This new party wants nothing but heads; though

not having any, to be sure the struggle is the fairer. Lord

Baltimore(1329) takes the lead; he is the best and honestest

man in the world, with a good deal of jumbled knowledge; but

not capable of conducting a party. However, the next day, the

Prince, to reward him, and to punish Lord Archibald Himllton,

who voted with the ministry, told Lord Baltimore that he would

not give him the trouble of waiting any more as Lord of the

Bedchamber. but would make him Cofferer. Lord B. thanked

him, but desired that it might not be done in a way

disagreeable to Lord Archibald, who was then Cofferer. The

Prince sent for Lord Archibald, and told him he would either

make him Comptroller, or give him a pension of twelve hundred

pounds a-year; the latter of' which the old soul accepted, and

went away content; but returned in an hour with a letter from

his wife,(1330) to say, that as his Royal Highness was angry

with her husband, it was not proper for either of them to take

their pensions. It is excellent! When she was dismissed

herself, she accepted the twelve hundred pounds, and now will

not let her husband, though he had accepted. It must mortify

the Prince wondrously to have four-and-twenty hundred pounds

a-year thrown back into an exchequer that never yet

overflowed!

I am a little piqued at Marquis Riccardi's refusing me such a,

trifle as the four rings, after all the trouble I have had

with his trumpery! I think I cannot help telling him, that

Lord Carlisle and Lord Duncannon, Who heard of his collection

from Niccolini, have seen it; and are willing, at a reasonable

price, to take it between them: if you let me know the lowest,

and in money that I understand, not his equivocal pistoles, I

will allow so much to Florence civilities, as still to help

him off with his goods, though he does not deserve it; as

selling me four rings could not have affected the general

purchase. I pity your Princess Strozzi(1331) but cannot

possibly hunt after her chattels: Riccardi has cured me of

Italian merchandise, by forcing it upon me.'

Your account of your former friend's neglect of you does not

at all surprise me: there is an inveteracy, a darkness, a

design and cunning in his character that stamp him for a very

unamiable young man: it is uncommon for a heart to be so

tainted so early My cousin's(1332) affair is entirely owing to

him;(1333) nor can I account for the pursuit of such

unprovoked revenge.

I never heard of the advertisement that you mention to have

received from Sir James Grey,(1334) nor believe it was ever in

the House of Commons; I must have heard of it. I hear as

little of Lady O. who never appears; nor do I know if she sees

Niccolini: he lives much with Lady Pomfret (who has married

her third daughter),(1335) and a good deal with the Prince.

Adieu! I have answered your letter, and have nothing more to

put into mine.

(1329) Charles Calvert, Lord Baltimore, had been a Lord of the

Admiralty, on the change of the ministry in 1742. He died

soon after the Prince, in 1751.

(1330) Jane, sister of the Earl of Abercorn, and wife of Lord

Archibald Hamilton, great-uncle of Duke Hamilton: she had been

mistress of the robes, etc. to the Princess of Wales, and the

supposed mistress of the Prince. She died at Paris, in

December 1752.

(1331) She had been robbed of some of the most valuable gems

of the famous Strozzi collection.

(1332) The Hon. George Townshend. See what is said of him in

a letter (221) of Oct. 14, 1746, and note 1300.-D.

(1333) It appeared afterwards that the person here mentioned,

after having behaved very bravely, gave so perplexed an

account of his own conduct, that the Admiralty thought it

necessary to have it examined; but the inquiry proved much to

his honour.

(1334) "Sir James Gray has sent me the copy of an

advertisement, the publisher of which, he says, had been

examined before the House of Commons, Lost or mislaid an ivory

table-book, containing various queries vastly strong." Letter

of Sir H. Mann, of Jan. 10th, 1747. It probably related to

the trial of the rebel Lords.-D.

(1335) Lady Henrietta Fermor, second wife of Mr. Conyers.

519 Letter 229

To Sir Horace Mann.

Arlington Street, Feb. 23, 1747.

Why, you do nothing but get fevers! I believe you try to dry

your Wet-brown-paperness, till you scorch it. Or do you play

off fevers against the Princess's coliques? Remember, hers

are only for the support of her dignity, and that is what I

never allowed you to have: you must(1336) have twenty unlawful

children, and then be twenty years in devotion, and have

twenty unchristian appetites and passions all the while,

before you may think of getting into a cradle with

`epuisements and have a Monsieur Forzoni(1337) to burn the

wings of boisterous gnats-pray be more robust-do you hear!

One would think you had been describing our Opera, not your

own; we have just set out with one in what they call, the

French manner, but about as like it, as my Lady Pomfret's hash

of plural persons and singular verbs or infinitive moods was

to Italian. They sing to jigs, and dance to church music -.

Phaeton is run away with by horses that go a foot's-pace, like

the Electress's(1338) coach, with such long traces, that the

postilion was in one street and the coachman in another;--then

comes Jupiter with a farthing-candle to light a squib and a

half, and that they call fire-works. Reginello, the first

man, is so old and so tall, that he seems to have been growing

ever since the invention of operas. The first woman has had

her mouth let out to show a fine set of teeth, but it lets out

too much bad voice at the same time.(1339) Lord Middlesex,

for his great prudence in having provided such very tractable

steeds to Prince Phaeton's car, is going to be Master of the

Horse to the Prince of Wales; and for his excellent economy in

never paying the performers, is likely to continue in the

treasury. The two courts grow again: and the old question of

settling the 50,000 pounds a-year talked of. The Tories don't

list kindly under this new Opposition; though last week we had

a warm day on a motion for inquiring into useless places and

quarterings. Mr. Pitt was so well advised as to acquit my

father pretty amply, in speaking Of the Secret Committee. My

uncle Horace thanked him in a speech, and my brother Ned has

been to visit him-Tant d'empressement, I think, rather shows

an eagerness to catch any opportunity of paying court to him;

for I do not see the so vast merit in owning now for his

interest, what for his honour he should have owned five years

ago. This motion was spirited up by Lord Bath, who is raving

again, upon losing the borough of Heydon: from which last week

we threw his brother-in-law Gumley, and instated Luke

Robinson, the old sufferer for my father, and the colleague of

Mr. Chute's brother; an incident that will not heighten your

indifference, any more than it did mine.

Lord Kildare is married to the charming Lady Emily Lennox, who

went the very next day to see her sister Lady Caroline Fox, to

the great mortification of the haughty Duchess-mother. They

have not given her a shilling, but the King endows her, by

making Lord Kildare a Viscount Sterling:(1340) and they talk

of giving him a Pinchbeck-dukedom too, to keep him always

first peer of Ireland.(1341) Sir Everard Falkener is married

to Miss Churchill, and my sister is brought to bed of a son.

Panciatici is arrived, extremely darkened in his person and

enlivened in his manner. He was much in fashion at the Hague,

but I don't know if he will succeed so well here: for in such

great cities as this, you know people affect not to think

themselves honoured by foreigners; and though we don't quite

barbarize them as the French do, they are toujours des

etrangers. Mr. Chute thinks we have to the full all the

politeness that can make a nation brutes to the rest of the

world. He had an excellent adventure the other day with Lord

Holderness, whom he met at a party it Lady Betty Germains; but

who could not possibly fatigue himself to recollect that they

had ever met before in their lives. Towards the end of dinner

Lady Betty mentioned remembering a grandmother of Mr. Chute

who was a peeress: immediately the Earl grew as fond of him as

if they had walked together at a coronation. He told me

another good story last night of Lord Hervey,(1342) who was

going with them from the Opera, and was so familiar as to beg

they would not call him my Lord and your Lordship. The

freedom proceeded; when on a sudden, he turned to Mr. Whithed,

and with a distressed friendly voice, said, "Now have you no

peerage that can come to you by any woman?"

Adieu! my dear Sir; I have no news to tell you. Here is

another letter of Niccolini that has lain in my standish this

fortnight.

(1336) All the succeeding paragraph alludes to Princess Craon.

(1337) Her gentleman usher.

(1338) The Electress Palatine Dowager, the last of the house

of Medici; she lived at Florence.

(1339) The drama of Fetonte was written by Vaneschi. "The

best apologies for the absurdities of an Italian opera, in a

country where the language is little understood, are," says

Dr. Burney, "good music and exquisite singing: unluckily,

neither the composition nor performance of Phaeton had the

siren power of enchanting men so much, as to stimulate

attention at the expense of reason." Hist. of Music, Vol. iv.

p. 456.-E.

(1340) Meaning an English viscount. He was created Viscount

Leinster, of Taplow, in Bucks, Feb. 21st, 1747.-D.

(1341) In 1761 his lordship was advanced to the Marquisate of

Kildare, and in 1766 created Duke of Leinster. By Lady Emily

Lennox the Duke had seventeen children.-E.

(1342) George, eldest son of John, Lord Hervey, and afterwards

Earl of Bristol, and minister at Turin and Madrid.

521 Letter 230

To Sir Horace Mann.

Arlington Street, March 20, 1747.

I have been living at old Lovat's trial, and was willing to

have it over before I talked to you of it. It lasted seven

days: the evidence was as strong as possible; and after all he

had denounced, he made no defence. The

Solicitor-General,(1343) who was one of the managers for the

House of Commons, shone extremely; the Attorney-General

,(1344) who is a much greater lawyer, is cold and tedious.

The old creature's behaviour has been foolish, and at last,

indecent. I see little of parts in him, nor attribute much to

that cunning for which he is so famous: it might catch wild

Highlanders; but the art of dissimulation and flattery is so

refined and improved, that it is of little use where it is not

very delicate. His character seems a mixture of tyranny and

pride in his villainy. I must make you a little acquainted

with him. In his own domain he governed despotically, either

burning or plundering the lands and houses of his open

enemies, or taking off his secret ones by the assistance of

his cook, who was his poisoner in chief. He had two servants

who married without his consent; he said, "You shall have

enough of each other," and stowed them in a dungeon, that had

been a well for three weeks. When he came to the Tower, he

told them, that if he were not so old and infirm, they would

find it difficult to keep him there. They told him they had

kept much younger: "Yes," said he, "but they were

inexperienced: they had not broke so many gaols as I have." At

his own house he used to say, that for thirty years of his

life he never saw a gallows but it made his neck ache. His

last act was to shift his treason upon his eldest son, whom he

forced into the rebellion. He told Williamson, the Lieutenant

of the Tower, "We will hang my eldest son, and then my second

shall marry your niece." He has a sort of ready humour at

repartee, not very well adapted to his situation. One day

that Williamson complained that he could not sleep, he was so

haunted with rats, he replied, "What do you say, that you are

so haunted with Reitc yeq?" The first day, as he was brought

to his trial, a woman looked into the coach, and said, "You

ugly old dog, don't you think that you will have that

frightful head cut off?" He replied, You ugly old -, I believe

I shall." At his trial he affected great weakness and

infirmities, but often broke into passions; particularly at

the first witness, who was his vassal: he asked him how he

dared to come thither! The man replied, to satisfy his

conscience. Murray, the Pretender's secretary, was the chief

evidence, who, in the course of his information, mentioned

Lord Traquair's having conversed with Lord Barrymore, Sir

Watkin Williams, and Sir John Cotton, on the Pretender's

affairs, but that they were shy. He was proceeding to name

others, but was stopped by Lord Talbot, and the court

acquiesced--I think very indecently. It is imagined the

Duchess of Norfolk would have come next upon the stage. The

two Knights were present, as was Macleod, against whom a

bitter letter from Lovat was read, accusing him of breach of

faith; and afterwards Lovat summoned him to answer some

questions he had to ask; but did not. it is much expected

that Lord Traquair, who is a great coward, will give ample

information of the whole plot. When Sir Everard Falkener had

been examined(1345) against Lovat, the Lord High Steward asked

the latter if he had any thing to say to Sir Everard? he

replied, "No; but that he was his humble servant, and wished

him joy of his young wife." The two last days he behaved

ridiculously, joking, and making every body laugh even at the

sentence. He said to Lord Ilchester, who sat near the bar,

"Je meUrs pour ma patrie, et ne m'en soucie gueres." When he

withdrew, he said, "Adieu! my lords, we shall never meet again

in the same place."(1346) He says he will be hanged; for that

his neck is so short and bended, that he should be struck in

the shoulders. I did not think it possible to feel so little

as I did at so melancholy a spectacle, but tyranny and

villainy wound up by buffoonery took off all edge of concern-.

The foreigners were much struck; Niccolini seemed a great deal

shocked, but he comforts himself with the knowledge he thinks

he has gained of the English constitution.

Don't thank Riccardi for me: I don't feel obliged for his

immoderate demand, but expect very soon to return him his

goods; for I have no notion that the two Lords, who are to see

them next week, will rise near his price. We have nothing

like news: all the world has been entirely taken up with the

trial. -Here is a letter from Mr. Whithed to Lord Hobart. Mr.

Chute would have written to-Day, if I had not; but will next

post. Adieu!

(1343) William Murray.

(1344) Sir Dudley Ryder; afterwards Lord Chief Justice.

(1345) He was secretary to the Duke, whom he had attended into

Scotland during the rebellion.

(1346) Lord Byron has put nearly the same words into the mouth

of Israel Bertuccio, in his tragedy of Marino Falicro.-E.

522 Letter 131

To Sir Horace Mann.

Arlington Street, April 10, 1747.

I deferred writing to you as long as they deferred the

execution of old Lovat, because I had a mind to send you some

account of his death, as I had of his trial. He was beheaded

yesterday, and died extremely well, without passion,

affectation, buffoonery, or timidity: his behaviour was

natural and intrepid. He professed himself a Jansenist; made

no speech, but sat down a little while in a chair on the

scaffold, and talked to the people round him. He said, "he

was glad to suffer for his country, dulce est pro patria mori;

that he did not know how, but he had always loved it, nescio

qua natale solum, etc.; that he had never swerved from his

principles; that this was the character of his family, who had

been gentlemen for five hundred years." He lay down quietly,

gave the sign soon, and was despatched at a blow. I believe it

will strike some terror into the Highlands, when they hear

there is any power great enough to bring so potent a tyrant to

the block. A scaffold fell down, and killed several persons;

one, a man that had rid post from Salisbury the day before to

see the ceremony; and a woman was taken up dead with a live

child in her arms. The body(1347) is sent into Scotland: the

day was cold, and before It set out, the coachman drove the

hearse about the court, before my Lord Traquair's dungeon,

which could be no agreeable sight: it might to Lord Cromartie,

who is above the chair.(1348) Mr. Chute was at the execution

with the Italians, who were more entertained than shocked:

Panciatici told me, "It was a triste spectacle, mais qu'il ne

laissoit d'`etre beau." Niccolini has treasured it up among

his insights into the English constitution. We have some

chance of a Peer's trial that has nothing to do with the

rebellion. A servant of a college has been killed at Oxford,

and a verdict of wilful murder by persons unknown, brought in

by the coroner's inquest. These persons unknown are supposed

to be Lord Abergavenny,(1349) Lord Charles Scot,(1350) and two

more, who had played tricks with the poor fellow that night,

while he was drunk, and the next morning he was found with his

skull fractured, at the foot of the first Lord's staircase.

One pities the poor boys, who undoubtedly did not foresee the

melancholy event of their sport.

I shall not be able till the next letter to tell you about

Riccardi's gems: Lord Duncannon has been in the country; but

he and Lord Carlisle are to come to me next Sunday, and

determine.

Mr. Chute gave you some account of the Independents:(1351) the

committee have made a foolish affair of it, and cannot furnish

a report. Had it extended to three years ago, Lord Sandwich

and Grenville(1352) of the admiralty would have made an

admirable figure as dictators of some of the most Jacobite

healths that ever were invented. Lord Doneraile, who is made

comptroller to the Prince, went to the committee, (whither all

members have a right to go, though not to vote, as it is

select, not secret,) and plagued Lyttelton to death, with

pressing him to inquire into the healths of the year '43. The

ministry are now trembling at home, with fear of losing the

Scotch bills for humbling the Highland chiefs: they have

whittled them down almost to nothing, in complaisance to the

Duke of Argyll: and at last he deserts them. Abroad they are

in panics for Holland, where the French have at once besieged

two towns, that must fall into their hands, though we have

plumed ourselves so much on the Duke's being at the head of a

hundred and fifteen thousand men.

There has been an excellent civil war in the house of Finch:

our friend, Lady Charlotte,(1353( presented a daughter of John

Finch, (him who was stabbed by Sally Salisbury,(1354)) his

offspring by Mrs. Younger,(1355) whom he since married. The

King, Prince, and Princess received her: her aunt, Lady

Bel,(1356) forbad Lady Charlotte to present her to Princess

Emily, whether, however, she carried her in defiance. Lady

Bel called it publishing a bastard at court, and would not

present her--think on the poor girl! Lady Charlotte, with

spirit, presented her herself. Mr. W. Finch stepped up to his

other sister, the Marchioness of Rockingham,(1357) and

whispered her with his composed civility, that he knew it was

a plot of her and Lady Bel to make Lady Charlotte miscarry.

The sable dame (who, it is said, is the blackest of the

family, because she swept the chimney) replied, "This is not a

place to be indecent, and therefore I shall only tell you that

you are a rascal and a villain, and that if ever you dare to

put your head into my house, I will kick you down stairs

myself." Politesse Anglaise! lord Winchilsea (who, with his

brother Edward, is embroiled with both sides) came in, and

informed every body of any circumstances that tended to make

both parties in the wrong. I am impatient to hear how this

operates between my Lady Pomfret and her friend, Lady Bel.

Don't you remember how the Countess used to lug a half-length

picture of the latter behind her post-chaise all over Italy,

and have a new frame made for it in every town where she

stopped? and have you forgot their correspondence, that poor

lady Charlotte was daily and hourly employed to transcribe

into a great book, with the proper names in red ink? I have

but just room to tell you that the King is perfectly well, and

that the Pretender's son was sent from Spain as soon as he

arrived there. Thank you for the news of Mr. Townshend.

Adieu!

(1347) It was countermanded, and buried in the Tower.

(1348) Lord Cromartie had been pardoned.-D.

(1349) George Neville, fifteenth Lord and first Earl of

Abergavenny. Died 1785.-D.

(1350) Lord Charles Scott, second son of Francis, Duke of

Buccleuch

. He died at Oxford during the year 1747.-D.

(1351) An innkeeper in Piccadilly, who had been beaten by

them, gave information against them for treasonable practices,

and a committee of the House of Commons, headed by Sir W.

Yonge and Lord Coke, was appointed to inquire into the matter.

[The informant's name was Williams, keeper of the White Horse

in Piccadilly. Being observed, at the anniversary dinner of

the independent electors of Westminster, to make memorandums

with a pencil, he was severely cuffed, and kicked out of the

company. The alleged treasonable practices consisted in

certain Offensive toasts. On the King's health being drunk,

every man held a glass of water in his left hand, and waved a

glass of wine over it with the right.]

(1352) George Grenville, afterwards prime minister.-D.

(1353) Lady Charlotte Fermor, second daughter of Thomas, Earl

of Pomfret, and second wife of William Finch, vice-chamberlain

to the King; formerly ambassador in Holland, and brother of

Daniel, Earl of Winchilsea.

(1354) Sally Salisbury, alias Pridden, a woman of the town,

stabbed the Hon. John Finch, in a bagnio, in the neighbourhood

of Covent-garden; but he did not die of the wound.-D.

(1355) Elizabeth Younger. Her daughter, by the Hon. John

Finch, married John Mason, Esq. of Greenwich.-D.

(1356) Lady Isabella Finch, lady of the bedchamber to the

Princesses Emily and Caroline.

(1357) Lady mary Finch, fifth daughter of Daniel, sixth Earl

of Winchilsea; married in 1716 to the Hon. Thomas Wentworth,

afterwards created Marquis of Rockingham.-E.

525 Letter 232

To The Hon. H. S. Conway.

Arlington Street, April 16, 1747.

Dear Harry,

We are all skyrockets and bonfires tonight for your last

year's victory;(1359) but if you have a mind to perpetuate

yourselves in the calendar, you must take care to refresh your

conquests. I was yesterday out of town, and the very signs as

I passed through the villages made me make very quaint

reflections on the mortality of fame and popularity. I

observed how the Duke's head had succeeded almost universally

to Admiral Vernon's, as his had left but few traces of the

Duke of Ormond's. I pondered these things in my heart, and

said unto myself, Surely all glory is but as a sign!

You have heard that old lovat's tragedy is over: it has been

succeeded by a little farce, containing the humours of the

Duke of Newcastle and his man Stone. The first event was a

squabble between his grace and the Sheriff about holding up

the head on the scaffold--a custom that has been disused, and

which the Sheriff would not comply with, as he received no

order in writing. Since that, the Duke has burst ten yards of

breeches strings(1360) about the body, which was to be sent

into Scotland; but it seems it is customary for vast numbers

to rise to attend the most trivial burial. The Duke, who is

always at least as much frightened at doing right as at doing

wrong, was three days before he got courage enough to order

the burying in the Tower. I must tell you an excessive good

story of George Selwyn -. Some women were scolding him for

going to see the execution, and asked him, how he could be

such a barbarian to see the head cut off? "Nay," says he, "if

that was such a crime, I am sure I have made amends, for I

went to see it sewed on again." When he was at the

undertaker's, as soon as they had stitched him together, and

were going to put the body into the coffin, George, in my Lord

Chancellor's voice, said "My Lord lovat, your lordship may

rise." My Lady Townshend has picked up a little stable-boy in

the Tower, which the warders have put upon her for a natural

son of Lord Kilmarnock's, and taken him into her own house.

You need not tell Mr. T. this from me.

We have had a great and fine day in the House on the second

reading the bill for taking away the heritable Jurisdictions

in Scotland. Lyttelton made the finest oration imaginable;

the Solicitor General, the new Advocate,(1361) and Hume

Campbell, particularly the last. spoke excessively well for

it, and Oswald against it. The majority was 233 against 102.

Pitt was not there; the Duchess of Queensberry had ordered him

to have the gout.

I will give you a commission once more, to tell Lord

Bury(1362) that he has quite dropped me: if I thought he would

take me up again, I would write to him; a message would

encourage me. Adieu!

(1359) The battle of Culloden.

(1360) Alluding to a trick of the Duke of Newcastle's.

(1361) William Grant, Lord Advocate of Scotland.

(1362) George Keppel, eldest son of William, Earl of

Albemarle, whom he succeeded in the title in 1755. He was

now, together with Mr. Conway, aide-de-camp to the Duke of

Cumberland.

526 Letter 233

To Sir Horace Mann.

Arlington Street, May 5, 1747.

It is impossible for me to tell you more of the new

Stadtholder(1363) than you must have heard from all quarters.

Hitherto his existence has been of no service to his country.

Hulst, which we had heard was relieved, has surrendered. The

Duke was in it privately, just before it was taken, with only

two aide-de-camps, and has found means to withdraw our three

regiments. We begin to own now that the French are superior:

I never believed they were not, or that we had taken the field

before them; for the moment we had taken it, we heard of

Marshal Saxe having detached fifteen thousand men to form

sieges. There is a print published in Holland of the Devil

weighing the Count de Saxe and Count lowendahl in a pair of

scales, with this inscription:

Tous deux vaillants,

Tous deux galants,

Tous deux constants,

Tous deux galiards,

Tous deux paliards,

Tous deux b`atards,(1364)

Tous deux sans foi.

Tous deux sans loi.

Tous deux `a moi.

We are taken up with the Scotch bills for weakening clanships

and taking away heritable Jurisdictions. I have left them

sitting on it to-day, but was pleased with a period of Nugent.

"These jurisdictions are grievous, but nobody complains of

them; therefore, what? therefore, they are excessively

grievous." We had a good-natured bill moved to-day by Sir

William Yonge, to allow council to prisoners on impeachments

for treason, as they have on indictments. It hurt every body

at old Lovat's trial, all guilty as he was, to see an old

wretch worried by the first lawyers in England, without any

assistance but his own unpractised defence. It had not the

least opposition; yet this was a point struggled for in King

William's reign, as a privilege and dignity inherent in the

Commons, that the accused by them should have no assistance of

council. how reasonable, that men, chosen by their

fellow-subjects for the defence of their fellow-subjects,

should have rights detrimental to the good of the people whom

they are to protect! Thank God! we are a better-natured age,

and have relinquished this savage privilege with a good grace!

Lord Cowper(1365) has resigned the bedchamber, on the

Beef-eaters being given to Lord Falmouth. The latter, who is

powerful in elections, insisted on having it: the other had

nothing but a promise from the King, which the ministry had

already twice forced him to break.

Mr. Fox gave a great ball last week at Holland House. which he

has taken for a long term, and where he is making great

improvements. It is a brave old house, and belonged to the

gallant Earl of Holland, the lover of Charles the First's

Queen. His motto has puzzled every body; it is Ditior est qui

se. I was allowed to hit off an interpretation, which yet one

can hardly reconcile to his gallantry, nor can I decently

repeat it to you. While I am writing, the Prince is going

over the way to Lord Middlesex's, where there is a ball in

mask to-night for the royal children.

The two Lords have seen and refused Marquis Riccardi's gems: I

shall deliver them to Pucci; but am so simple (you will laugh

at me) as to keep the four I liked: that is, I will submit to

give him fifty pounds for them, if he will let me choose one

ring more; for I will at least have it to call them at ten

guineas apiece. If he consents, I will remit the money to

you, or pay it to Pucei, as he likes. If not, I return them

with the rest of the car,,o. I can choose no ring for which I

would give five guineas.

I have received yours of April 25th, since I came home. You

will scold me for being so careless about the Pretender's son;

but I am determined not to take up his idea again, till he is

at least on this side Derby. Do excuse me; but when he could

not get to London, with all the advantages which the ministry

had smoothed for him, how can he ever meet more concurring

circumstances? If my lady'S(1366) return has no better

foundation than Niccolini's authority, I assure you you may

believe as little of it as you please. If he knows no more of

her, than he does of every thing else that he pretends to

know, as I am persuaded he does not, knowledge cannot possibly

be thinner spread. He has been a progress to add more matter

to the mass, that he already don't understand. Adieu!

(1363) The Prince of Orange had just been raised to that

dignity in a tumultuary manner.

(1364) The Count de Saxe was a natural son of Augustus the

Second, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony, and of the

Countess Konigsmark. The Count de LOWendahl was not a

"b`atard" himself; but his father, Woldemar, Baron of

Lowendahl, was the son of the Count of Gildoniew, who was the

natural son of Frederick the Third, King of Denmark.-D.

(1365) William, second Earl Cowper, son of the Chancellor. He

died in 1764.-D.

(1366) Lady Orford.-D.

527 Letter 234

To Sir Horace Mann.

Arlington Street, May 19th, 1747,

As you will receive the Gazette at the same time with this

letter, I shall leave you to that for the particulars of the

great naval victory that Anson has gained over the French off

Cape Finisterre.(1367) It is a very big event, and by far one

of the most considerable that has happened during this war.

By it he has defeated two expeditions at once; for the fleet

he has demolished was to have split, part for the recovery of

Cape Breton, part for the East Indies. He has always been

most remarkably fortunate: Captain Granville, the youngest of

the brothers, was as unlucky: he was killed by the cannon that

was fired as a signal for their striking.(1368) He is

extremely commended: I am not partial to the family; but it is

but justice to mention, that when he took a great prize some

time ago, after a thousand actions of generosity to his

officers and crew, he cleared sixteen thousand pounds, of

which he gave his sister ten. The King is in great spirits.

The French fought exceedingly well.

I have no other event to tell you, but the promotion of a new

brother of yours. I condole with you, for they have literally

sent one Dayrolies(1369) resident to Holland, under Lord

Sandwich,

--Minum partes tractare secundas.

This curious minister has always been a led-captain to the

Dukes of Grafton and Richmond; used to be sent to auctions for

them, and to walk in the Park with their daughters, and once

went dry nurse to Holland with them. He has belonged, too, a

good deal to my Lord Chesterfield, to whom, I believe, he owes

this new honour; as he had before made him black-rod in

Ireland, and gave the ingenious reason, that he had a black

face. I believe he has made him a minister, as one year, at

Tunbridge, he had a mind to make a wit of Jacky Barnard, and

had the impertinent vanity to imagine that his authority was

sufficient.

Your brother has gone over the way with Mr. Whithed, to choose

some of Lord Cholmondeley's pictures for his debt; they are

all given up to the creditors, who yet scarce receive forty

per cent. of their money.

It is wrong to send so short a letter as this so far, I know;

but what can one do? After the first fine shower, I will send

you a much longer. Adieu!

(1367) Upon this occasion Admiral Anson took six French men-of

war and four of their East Indiamen, and sunk or destroyed the

rest of their fleet.-D.

(1368) Thomas Grenville, youngest brother of Richard, Earl

Temple. As soon as he was struck by the cannon-ball, he

exclaimed, gallantly, "well! it is better to die thus, than to

be tried by a court-martial!" [His uncle Lord Cobham, erected

a column to his memory in the gardens at Stowe.]

(1369) ,,b Solomon Dayrolles, Esq. There are many letters

addressed to him in Lord Chesterfield's Miscellaneous

Correspondence.-D.

528 Letter 235

To Sir Horace Mann

Arlington Street, June 5, 1747.

Don't be more frightened at hearing the Parliament is to be

dissolved in a fortnight, than you are obliged to be as a good

minister. Since this Parliament has not brought over the

Pretender, I trust the death of it will not. You will want to

know the reason of this sudden step: several are given, as the

impossibility of making either peace or war, till they are

secure of a new majority; but I believe the true motive is to

disappoint the Prince, who was not ready with his elections.

In general, people seem to like the measure, except the

Speaker, who is very pompous about it, and speaks

constitutional paragraphs. There are rumours of changes to

attend its exit. People imagine Lord Chesterfield(1370) is to

quit, but I know no other grounds for this belief, than that

they conclude the Duke of Newcastle must be jealous of him by

this time. Lord Sandwich is looked upon as his successor,

Whenever it shall happen. He is now here, to look after his

Huntingdonshire boroughs. We talk nothing but

elections-however, it is better than talking them for a year

together. Mine for Callington (for I would not come in for

Lynn, which I have left to Prince Pigwiggin(1371)) is so easy,

that I shall have no trouble, not even the dignity of being

carried in triumph, like the lost sheep, on a porter's

shoulders but may retire to a little new farm that I have

taken just out of Twickenham. The house is so small, that I

can send it you in a letter to look at: the prospect is as

delightful as possible, commanding the river, the town, and

Richmond Park; and being situated on a hill descends to the

Thames through two or three little meadows, where I have some

Turkish sheep and two cows, all studied in their colours for

becoming the view. This little rural bijou was Mrs.

Chenevix's, the toy-woman `a la mode, who in every dry season

is to furnish me with the best rain-water from Paris, and now

and then with some Dresden-china cows, who are to figure like

wooden classics in a library: so I shall grow as much a

shepherd as any swain in the Astrea.

Admiral Anson(1372) is made a baron, and Admiral Warren(1373)

Knight of the Bath-so is Niccolini to be-when the King

dies.(1374) His Majesty and his son were last night at the

masquerade at Ranelagh, where there was so little company,

that I was afraid they would be forced to walk about together.

I have been desired to write to you for two scagliola tables;

will you get them? I will thank you, an pay you too.

You will hardly believe that I intend to send you this for a

letter, but I do. Mr. Chute said he would write to you

to-day, so mine goes as page to his. Adieu!

(1370) He was now secretary of state, which office he did not

resign till Feb. 1748.-D.

(1371) Eldest son of Horatio, brother of Sir Robert Walpole.

(1372) George Anson, created Lord Anson of Soberton. He is

well known for his voyages round the world, as well as for his

naval successes. He was long first lord of the admiralty; but

did not distinguish himself as a statesman. He died suddenly,

while walking in his garden at Moor Park in Hertfordshire,

June 6th, 1762.-D.

(1373) Sir Peter Warren was the second in command in the

victory off Cape Finisterre.-D.

(1374) The Abb`e Niccolini was in much favour with the Prince

of Wales.-D.

530 Letter 236

To The Hon. H. S. Conway.

Twickenham, June 8, 1747.

You perceive by my date that I am got into a new camp, and

have left my tub at Windsor. It is a little plaything-house

that I got out of Mrs. Chenevix's shop, and is the prettiest

bauble you ever saw. It is set in enamelled meadows, with

filigree hedges:

"A small Euphrates through the piece is roll'd,

And little finches wave their wings in gold"

Two delightful roads, that you would call dusty, supply me

continually with coaches and chaises; barges as solemn as

barons of the exchequer move under my window; Richmond Hill

and Ham Walks bound my prospect; but, thank God! the Thames is

between me and the Duchess of Queensberry. Dowagers (-As

plenty as flounders inhabit all around, and Pope's ghost is

just now skimming under my window by a most poetical

moonlight. I have about land enough to keep such a farm as

Noah's, when he set up in the ark with a pair of each kind;

but my cottage is rather cleaner than I believe his was after

they had been cooped up together forty days. The Chenevixes

had tricked it out for themselves: up two pair of stairs is

what they call Mr. Chenevix's library, furnished with three

maps, one shelf, a bust of Sir Isaac Newton, and a lame

telescope without any glasses. Lord John Sackville

predeceased me here, and instituted certain games called

cricketalia, which have been celebrated this very evening in

honour of him in a neighbouring meadow.

You will think I have removed my philosophy from Windsor with

my tea-things hither; for I am writing to you in all this

tranquillity, while a Parliament is bursting about my ears.

You know it is going to be dissolved: I am told, you are taken

care of, though I don't know where, nor whether any body that

chooses you will quarrel with me because he does choose you,

as that little bug the Marquis of Rockingham did; one of the

calamities of my life which I have bore as abominably well as

I do most about which I don't care. They say the Prince has

taken up two hundred thousand pounds, to carry elections which

he won't carry:--he had much better have saved it to buy the

Parliament after it is chosen. A new set of peers are in

embryo, to add more dignity to the silence of the House of

Lords.

I make no remarks on your campaign,(1375) because, as you say,

you do nothing at all; which, though very proper nutriment for

a thinking head, does not do quite so well to write upon. If

any one of you can but contrive to be shot upon your post, it

is all we desire, shall look upon it as a great curiosity, and

will take care to set up a monument to the person so slain; as

we are doing by vote to Captain Cornwall, who was killed at

the beginning Of the action in the Mediterranean four years

ago.(1376) In the present dearth of glory, he is canonized;

though, poor man! he had been tried twice the year before for

cowardice.(1377)

I could tell you much election news, none else; though not

being thoroughly attentive to so important a subject, as to be

sure one ought to be, I might now and then mistake, and give

you a candidate for Durham in place of one for Southampton, or

name the returning-officer instead of the candidate. In

general, I believe, it is much as usual-those sold in detail

that afterwards will be sold in the representation--the

ministers bribing Jacobites to choose friends of their own-

-the name of well-wishers to the present establishment, and

patriots outbidding ministers that they may make the better

market of their own patriotism:-in short, all England, under

some flame or other, is just now to be bought and sold;

though, whenever we become posterity and forefathers, we shall

be in high repute for wisdom and virtue. My

great-great-grandchildren will figure me with a white beard

down to my girdle; and Mr. Pitt's will believe him unspotted

enough to have walked over nine hundred hot ploughshares,

without hurting the sole of his foot. How merry my ghost will

be, and shake its ears to hear itself quoted as a person of

consummate prudence! Adieu, dear Harry! Yours ever.

(1375) Mr Conway was in Flanders with the Duke of Cumberland.

(1376) The House of Commons, on the 28th of May, had agreed to

erect a monument in Westminster Abbey to the memory of Captain

Cornwall, of the Marlborough; who was slain while bravely

defending his ship. The monument, designed and executed bye

Taylor, was completed in 1755. --E.

(1377) And honourably acquitted on both occasions.-E.

531 Letter 237

To sir Horace Mann.

Arlington Street, June 26, 1747.

You can have no idea of the emptiness of London, and of the

tumult every where else. To-day many elections begin. The

sums of money disbursed within this month would give any body

a very faint idea of the poverty of this undone country! I

think the expense and contest is greater now we are said to be

all of a mind, than when parties ran highest. Indeed, I

ascribe part of the solitude in town to privilege being at an

end; though many of us can afford to bribe so high, it is not

so easy to pay debts. Here am I, as Lord Cornbury(1378) says,

sitting for a borough, while every body else stands for one.

He diverted me extremely the other day with the application of

a story to the King's speech. It says, the reason for

dissolving the Parliament is its being so near

dissolution:(1379) Lord Cornbury said it put him in mind of a

gaoler in Oxfordshire who was remarkably humane to his

prisoners; one day he said to one of them, "My good friend,

you know you are to be hanged on Friday se'nnight; I want

extremely to go to London; would you be so kind as to be

hanged next Friday?"

Pigwiggin is come over, more Pigwiggin than ever! He

entertained me with the horrid ugly figures that he saw at the

Prince of Orange's court; think of his saying ugly figures!

He is to be chosen for Lynn,-whither I would not go, because I

must have gone; I go to Callington again, whither I don't go.

My brother chooses Lord luxborough(1380) for Castlerising.

Would you know the connexion? This Lord keeps Mrs. Horton the

player; we keep Miss Norsa the player: Rich the harlequin is

an intimate of all; and to cement the harlequinity, somebody's

brother (excuse me if I am not perfect in such genealogy) is

to marry the Jewess's sister. This coup de th`eatre procured

Knight his Irish coronet, and has now stuffed him into

Castlerising, about which my brother has quarrelled with me,

for not looking upon it, as, what he called, a family-borough.

Excuse this ridiculous detail; it serves to introduce the

account of the new peers, for Sir Jacob Bouverie, a

considerable Jacobite, who is made Viscount Folkestone, bought

his ermine at twelve thousand pound a-yard of the Duchess of

Kendal(1381) d'aujourd'hui. Sir Harry Liddel is Baron

Ravensworth, and Duncombe Baron Feversham; Archer and Rolle

have only changed their Mr.ships for Lordships. Lord

Middlesex has lost one of his Lordships, that of the Treasury;

is succeeded by the second Grenville, and he by Ellis,(1382)

at the admiralty. Lord Ashburnham had made a magnificent

summer suit to wait, but Lord Cowper at last does not resign

the bedchamber. I intend to laugh over this disgrazia with

the Chuteheds, when they return triumphant from Hampshire,

where Whitehed has no enemy. A-propos to enemies! I believe

the battle in Flanders is compromised, for one never hears of

it.

The Duchess of Queensberry(1383) has at last been at court, a

point she has been intriguing these two years. Nobody gave in

to it. At last she snatched at the opportunity of her son

being obliged to the King for a regiment in the Dutch service,

and would not let him go to thank, till they sent for her too.

Niccolini, who is next to her in absurdity and importance, is

gone electioneering with Doddington.

I expect Pucci every day to finish my trouble with Riccardi; I

shall take any ring, though he has taken care I shall not take

another tolerable one. If you will pay him, which I fancy

will be the shortest way to prevent any fripponnerie, I will

put the money into your brother's hands.

My eagle(1384) is arrived-my eagle tout court, for I hear

nothing of the pedestal: the bird itself was sent home in a

store-ship; I was happy that they did not reserve the statue,

and send its footstool. It is a glorious fowl! I admire it,

and every body admires it as much as it deserves. There never

was so much spirit and fire preserved, with so much labour and

finishing. It stands fronting the Vespasian: there are no two

such morsels in England!

Have you a mind for an example of English bizarrerie? there

is a Fleming here, who carves exquisitely in ivory, one

Verskovis; he has done much for me, and where I have

recommended him; but he is starving, and returning to Rome, to

carve for-the English, for whom, when he was there before, he

could not work fast enough.(1385)

I know nothing, nor ever heard of the Mills's and Davisons;

and know less than nothing Of whether they are employed from

hence. There is nobody in town of whom to inquire; if there

were, they would ask me for what borough these men were to

stand, and wonder that I could name people from any other

motive. Adieu!

(1378) Henry Hyde, only son of the last Earl of Clarendon. He

died before his father.

(1379) King's words are, "As this Parliament would necessarily

determine in a short time, I have judged it expedient speedily

to call a new one."-E.

(1380) Robert Knight, eldest son of the famous cashier of the

South Sea Company. (Created Lord Luxborough in Ireland 1746,

and Earl of Catherlough in 1763. He died in 1772.-D.)

(1381) Lady Yarmouth, the mistress of George II.-D.

(1382) Right Honourable Welbore Ellis.-D.

(1383) She had quarrelled with the court, in consequence of

the refusal to permit Gray's sequel to the Beggar's Opera,

called "Polly," to be acted.-D.

(1384) The eagle found in the gardens of Boccapadugli within

the precincts of Caracalla's baths, at Rome, in the year 1742;

one of the finest pieces of Greek sculpture in the world. See

Walpole's Works, vol. ii. p. 463, and Gray's Ode on the

Progress of Poesy.-E.

(1385) Verskovis is also mentioned by Walpole in his Anecdotes of

Painting. he had a son, who to the art of carving in ivory,

added painting, but died young, in 1749, before his father.

The latter did not survive above a year.-E.

533 Letter 238

To George Montagu, Esq.

Arlington Street, July 2, 1747.

Dear George,

Though we have no great reason to triumph, as we have

certainly been defeated,(1386) yet the French have as

certainly bought their victory dear: indeed, what would be

very dear to us, is not so much to them. However, their least

loss is twelve thousand men; as our least loss is five

thousand. The truth of the whole is, that the Duke was

determined to fight at all events, which the French, who

determined not to fight but at great odds, took advantage of.

His Royal Highness's valour has shone extremely, but at the

expense of his judgment. Harry Conway, whom nature always

designed for a hero of romance, and who is d`eplac`e in

ordinary life, did wonders; but was overpowered and flung

down, when one French hussar held him by the hair, while

another was going to stab him: at that instant, an English

sergeant with a soldier came up, and killed the latter; but

was instantly killed himself; the soldier attacked the other,

and Mr. Conway escaped; but was afterwards taken prisoner; is

since released on parole, and may come home to console his

fair widow,,(1387) whose brother, Harry Campbell, is certainly

killed, to the great concern of all widows who want

consolation. The French have lost the Prince of Monaco, the

Comte de Bavi`ere, natural brother to the last Emperor, and

many officers of great rank. The French King saw the whole

through a spying-glass, from Hampstead Hill, environed with

twenty thousand men.' Our Guards did shamefully, and many

officers. The King had a line from Huske in Zealand on the

Friday night, to tell him we were defeated; of his son not a

word - judge of his anxiety till three o'clock on Saturday!

Lord Sandwich had a letter in his pocket all the while, and

kept it there, which said the Duke was well.

We flourish at sea, have taken great part of the Domingo

fleet, and I suppose shall have more lords. The Countess

touched twelve thousand for Sir Jacob Bouverie's coronet.

I know nothing of my own election, but suppose it is over; as

little of Rigby's, and conclude it lost. For franks, I

suppose they don't begin till the whole is complete. My

compliments to your brothers and sisters.

(1386) The Battle of Laffelt, in which the Duke of Cumberland

was defeated.-E.

(1387) Caroline, widow of the Earl of Ailesbury, sister of

Henry Campbell, here mentioned, and of John, Duke of

Argyle.-E.

(1388) The King of France' in allusion to the engagement,

is said to have observed, that "the British not only paid all,

but fought all." In his letter to the Queen, he also

characterized the Austrians as "benevolent" spectators of the

battle. See M`emoires de Richelieu, t. vii. P. 111.-E.

534 Letter 239

To sir Horace Mann.

Arlington Street, July 3, 1747.

You would think it strange not to hear from me after a battle

though the printed relation is so particular, that I could

only repeat what that contains. The sum total is, that we

would fight. which the French did not intend; we gave them, or

did not take, the advantage of situation; they attacked: what

part of our army was engaged did wonders, for the Dutch ran

away, and we had contrived to post the Austrians in such a

manner, that they could not assist us:(1388) we were

overpowered by numbers, though the centre was first broke by

the retreating Dutch; and though we retired, we killed twelve

thousand of the enemy, and lost six ourselves. The Duke was

very near taken, having through his short sight, mistaken a

body of French for his own people. He behaved as bravely as

usual; but his prowess is so well established, that it grows

time for him to exert other qualities of a general.

We shine at sea; two-and-forty sail of the Domingo fleet have

fallen into our hands, and we expect more. The ministry are

as successful in their elections: both Westminster and

Middlesex have elected court candidates, and the city of

London is taking the same step, the first time of many years

that the two latter have been Whig; but the non-subscribing at

the time of the rebellion, has been most successfully played

off upon the Jacobites; of which stamp great part of England

was till-the Pretender came. This would seem a paradox in any

other country, but contradictions are here the only rule of

action. Adieu!

(1389) The Duke of Cumberland, in a letter to Lord

Chesterfield of the 3d of July, says, "The great misfortune of

our position was that our right wing was so strongly posted,

that they could neither be attacked nor make a diversion; for

I am assured that Marshal Bathiani would have done all in his

power to sustain me, or attack the enemy."-E.

535 Letter 240

To sir Horace Mann.

Arlington Street, July 28, 1747.

This is merely one of my letters of course, for I have nothing

to tell you. You will hear that Bergen-op-zoom still holds

out, and is the first place that has not said yes, the moment

the French asked it the question. The Prince of Waldeck has

resigned, on some private disgust with the Duke. Mr. Chute

received a letter from you yesterday, with the account of the

deliverance of Genoa, which had reached us before, and had

surprised nobody. But when you wrote, you did not know of the

great victory obtained by eleven battalions of PiedmOntese

over six-and-forty of the French, and of the lucky but brave

death of their commander, the Chevalier de Belleisle. He is a

great loss to the French, none to Count Saxe; an irreparable

one to his own brother. whom, by the force of his parts, he

had pushed so high, at the same time always declining to raise

himself, lest he should eclipse the Marshal, who seems now to

have missed the ministry by his Italian scheme, as he did

before by his ill success in Germany. We talk of nothing but

peace: I hope we shall not make as bad an one as we have made

a war, though one is the natural consequence of the other.

We have at last discovered the pedestal for my glorious eagle,

at the bottom of the store-ship; but I shall not have it out

of the Custom-house till the end of this week. The lower part

of the eagle's beak(1390) has been broke off and lost. I wish

you would have the head only of your Gesse cast, and send it

me, to have the original restored from it.

The commission for the scagliola tables was given me without

any dimensions; I suppose there is a common size. If the

original friar(1391) can make them, I shall be glad: if not, I

fancy the person would not care to wait so long as you

mention, for what would be less handsome than mine.

I am almost ashamed to send you this summer letter; but nobody

is in town; even election news are all over. Adieu!'

(1390) "Quench'd in dark clouds of slumber lie

The terror of his beak, and lightnings of his eye," Gray.-E.

(1391) Scagliola is a composition, which was made only at

Florence by Father Hugford, an Irish friar.

536 Letter 241

To sir Horace Mann.

Arlington Street, Sept. 1, 1747.

Your two last are of August 1st and 22d. I fear my last to

you was of July 28th. I have no excuse, but having nothing to

tell you, and having been in the country. Bergen-op-zoom

still holds out; the French having lost great numbers before

it, though at first, at least, it was not at all

well-defended. Nothing else is talked of, and opinions differ

so much about the event, that I don't pretend to guess what it

will be. It appears now that if the Dutch had made but decent

defences of all the other towns, France would have made but

slow progress in the conquest of Flanders, and Wanted many

thousand men that now threaten Europe.

There are not ten people in London besides the Chuteheds and

me; the White one is going into Hampshire; I hope to have the

other a little with me at Twickenham, whither I go to-morrow

for the rest of the season.

I don't know what to say to you about Mr. Mill; I can learn

nothing about him: my connexions with any thing ministerial

are little as possible; and were they bigger, the very

commission, that you apprehend, would be a reason to' make

them keep it secret from you, on whose account alone, they

would know I inquired. I cannot bring myself to believe that

he is employed from hence; and I am always so cautious of

meddling about you, for fear of risking you in any light, that

I am the unfittest person in the world to give you any

satisfaction on this head: however, I shall continue to try.

I never heard any thing so unreasonable as the Pope's request

to that Cardinal Guadagni;(1392) but I suppose they will make

him comply.

You will, I think, like Sir James Grey; he is very civil and

good-humoured, and sensible. Lord _(1393) is the two former;

but, alas he is returned little wiser than he went.

Is there a bill of exchange sent to your brother? or may not I

pay him without? it is fifty pounds and three zechins, is it

not? Thank you.

Pandolfini is gone with Count Harrache; Panciatici goes next

week: I believe he intended staying longer; but either the

finances fail, or he does not know how to dispose of these two

empty months alone; for Niccolini is gone with the Prince to

Cliefden. I have a notion the latter would never leave

England, if he could but bring himself to change his religion;

or, which he would like as well, if he could persuade the

Prince to change his. Good night!

(1392) This relates to a request made by the Pope to Cardinal

Guadagni, to resign a piece of preferment which he was in

possession of.-D.

(1393) So in the MS.-D.

537 Letter 242

To George Montagu, Esq.

Arlington Street, Oct. 1, 1747.

Dear George,

I wish I could have answered your invitation from the

Tigress's with my own person, but it was impossible. I wish

your farmer would answer invitations with the persons of more

hens and fewer cocks; for I am raising a breed, and not

recruits. The time before he sent two to one, and he has done

so again. I had a letter from Mr. Conway, who is piteously

going into prison again, our great secretary has let the time

Slip for executing the cartel, and the French have reclaimed

their prisoners. The Duke is coming back. I fear his candles

are gone to bed to Admiral Vernon's! He has been ill; they

say his head has been more affected than his body. Marshal

Saxe sent him Cardinal Polignac's Anti-Lucretius(1393) to send

to Lord Chesterfield. If he won't let him be a general, at

least 'tis hard to reduce him to a courier.

When I saw you at Kyk in de Pot, I forgot to tell you that

seven more volumes of the Journals are delivering: there's

employment for Moreland. I go back to Kyk in de Pot tomorrow.

Did you dislike it so much that you could not bring yourself

to persuade your brother to try it with you for a day or two!

I shall be there till the birthday, if you will come.

George Selwyn says, people send to Lord Pembroke to know how

the bridge rested. You know George never thinks but `a la

t`ete tranch`ee: he came to town t'other day to have a tooth

drawn, and told the man that he would drop his handkerchief

for the signal. My compliments to your family.

(1393) In 1757, Anti-Lucretius was rendered into English by

Dobson; for whose translation of Paradise Lost into Latin

verse, Auditor Benson, who erected a monument to Milton in

Westminster Abbey, gave him one thousand pounds. In 1767, a

translation of the first book of the Cardinal's poem was

published by the father of the Right Honourable George

Canning.-E.

537 Letter 243

To Sir Horace Mann.

Arlington Street, Oct. 2, 1747.

I am glad the Chuteheds are as idle as I am for then you will

believe it is nothing but idleness. I don't know that it is

absolutely so; I rather flatter myself that it is want of

materials that has made me silent, I fear, above these five

weeks. Literally nothing has happened but the treachery at

Bergen-Op-zoom,(1394) and of that all the world knows at least

as much as I do. The Duke is coming home, and both armies are

going into quarters, at least for the present: the French, I

suppose, will be in motion again with the first frosts.

Holland seems gone!-How long England will remain after it,

Providence and the French must determine! This is too ample a

subject to write but little upon, and too obvious to require

much.

The Chuteheds have been extremely good, and visited and stayed

with me at Twickenham-I am sorry I must, at your expense, be

happy. If I were to say all I think of Mr. Chute's immense

honesty, his sense, his wit, his knowledge, and his humanity,

you would think I was writing a dedication. I am happy in

him: I don't make up to him for you, for he loves nothing a

quarter so well; but I try to make him regret you less-do you

forgive me? Now I am commending your friends, I reproach

myself with never having told you how much I love your brother

Gal.(1395) you yourself have not more constant

good-humour-indeed he has not such trials with illness as you

have, you patient soul! but he is like you, and much to my

fancy. Now I live a good deal at Twickenham, I see more of

him, and like to see more of him: you know I don't throw my

liking about the street.