DOWNING STREET, _May_ 26, 1742.
To-day calls itself May the 26th, as you perceive by the date; but I am
writing to you by the fire-side, instead of going to Vauxhall. If we
have one warm day in seven, "we bless our stars, and think it luxury."
And yet we have as much water-works and fresco diversions, as if we lay
ten degrees nearer warmth. Two nights ago Ranelagh-gardens were opened
at Chelsea; the Prince, Princess, Duke, much nobility, and much mob
besides, were there. There is a vast amphitheatre, finely gilt, painted,
and illuminated, into which everybody that loves eating, drinking,
staring, or crowding, is admitted for twelvepence. The building and
disposition of the garden cost sixteen thousand pounds. Twice a-week
there are to be Ridottos, at guinea-tickets, for which you are to have a
supper and music. I was there last night, but did not find the joy of
it. Vauxhall is a little better; for the garden is pleasanter, and one
goes by water. Our operas are almost over; there were but
three-and-forty people last night in the pit and boxes. There is a
little simple farce at Drury Lane, called "Miss Lucy in Town," in which
Mrs. Clive mimics the Muscovita admirably, and Beard, Amorevoli
tolerably. But all the run is now after Garrick, a wine-merchant, who is
turned player, at Goodman's fields. He plays all parts, and is a very
good mimic. His acting I have seen, and may say to you, who will not
tell it again here, I see nothing wonderful in it; but it is heresy to
say so: the Duke of Argyll says, he is superior to Betterton. Now I talk
of players, tell Mr. Chute, that his friend Bracegirdle breakfasted with
me this morning. As she went out, and wanted her clogs, she turned to
me, and said, "I remember at the playhouse, they used to call Mrs.
Oldfield's chair! Mrs. Barry's clogs! and Mrs. Bracegirdle's pattens!"
I did, indeed, design the letter of this post for Mr. Chute; but I have
received two such charming long ones from you of the 15th and 20th of
May (N.S.), that I must answer them, and beg him to excuse me till
another post; so must the Prince [Craon], Princess, the Grifona, and
Countess Galli. For the Princess's letter, I am not sure I shall answer
it so soon, for hitherto I have not been able to read above every third
word; however, you may thank her as much as if I understood it all. I am
very happy that _mes bagatelles_ (for I still insist they were so)
pleased. You, my dear child, are very good to be pleased with the
snuff-box. I am much obliged to the superior _lumières_ of old Sarasin
about the Indian ink: if she meant the black, I am sorry to say I had it
into the bargain with the rest of the Japan: for coloured, it is only a
curiosity, because it has seldom been brought over. I remember Sir Hans
Sloane was the first who ever had any of it, and would on no account
give my mother the least morsel of it. She afterwards got a good deal of
it from China; and since that, more has come over; but it is even less
valuable than the other, for we never could tell how to use it; however,
let it make its figure.
I am sure you hate me all this time, for chatting about so many trifles,
and telling you no politics. I own to you, I am so wearied, so worn with
them, that I scarce know how to turn my hand to them; but you shall know
all I know. I told you of the meeting at the Fountain tavern: Pulteney
had promised to be there, but was not; nor Carteret. As the Lords had
put off the debate on the Indemnity Bill,[1] nothing material passed;
but the meeting was very Jacobite. Yesterday the bill came on, and Lord
Carteret took the lead against it, and about seven in the evening it
was flung out by almost two to one, 92 to 47, and 17 proxies to 10.
To-day we had a motion by the new Lord Hillsborough (for the father is
just dead), and seconded by Lord Barrington, to examine the Lords'
votes, to see what was become of the bill; this is the form. The
Chancellor of the Exchequer, and all the new ministry, were with us
against it; but they carried it, 164 to 159. It is to be reported
to-morrow, and as we have notice, we may possibly throw it out; else
they will hurry on to a breach with the Lords. Pulteney was not in the
House: he was riding the other day, and met the King's coach;
endeavouring to turn out of the way, his horse started, flung him, and
fell upon him: he is much bruised; but not at all dangerously. On this
occasion, there was an epigram fixed to a list, which I will explain to
you afterwards: it is not known who wrote it, but it was addressed to
him:
Thy horse does things by halves, like thee:
Thou, with irresolution,
Hurt'st friend and foe, thyself and me,
The King and Constitution.
[Footnote 1: A previous letter describes this as a Bill "to indemnify
all persons who should accuse themselves of any crime, provided they
accuse Lord Orford [Sir R.W.]." It was carried in the House of Commons
by 251 to 228, but, as this letter mentions, was thrown out by the Lords
by 109 to 57. Lord Stanhope (c. 24) describes it as "a Bill which broke
through the settled forms and safeguards of law, to strike at one
obnoxious head."]
* * * * *
I must tell you an ingenuity of Lord Raymond, an epitaph on the
Indemnifying Bill--I believe you would guess the author:--
Interr'd beneath this marble stone doth lie
The Bill of Indemnity;
To show the good for which it was design'd,
It died itself to save mankind.
* * * * *
There has lately been published one of the most impudent things that
ever was printed; it is called "The Irish Register," and is a list of
all the unmarried women of any fashion in England, ranked in order,
duchesses-dowager, ladies, widows, misses, &c., with their names at
length, for the benefit of Irish fortune-hunters, or as it is said, for
the incorporating and manufacturing of British commodities. Miss Edwards
is the only one printed with a dash, because they have placed her among
the widows. I will send you this, "Miss Lucy in Town," and the
magazines, by the first opportunity, as I should the other things, but
your brother tells me you have had them by another hand. I received the
cedrati, for which I have already thanked you: but I have been so much
thanked by several people to whom I gave some, that I can very well
afford to thank you again....
P.S.--I unseal my letter to tell you what a vast and, probably, final
victory we have gained to-day. They moved, that the Lords flinging out
the Bill of Indemnity was an obstruction of justice, and might prove
fatal to the liberties of this country. We have sat till this moment,
seven o'clock, and have rejected this motion by 245 to 193. The call of
the House, which they have kept off from fortnight to fortnight, to keep
people in town, was appointed for to-day. The moment the division was
over, Sir John Cotton rose and said, "As I think the inquiry is at an
end, you may do what you will with the call." We have put it off for two
months. There's a noble postscript!
_DEBATE ON DISBANDING THE HANOVERIAN TROOPS--FIRST SPEECH OF MURRAY
(AFTERWARDS EARL OF MANSFIELD)--BON MOT OF LORD CHESTERFIELD._