UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE or HORACE WALPOLE. VOL. I. T. DavibiMi, I'jiiULT, AVliiltlriur; •^ 0^ PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE OF HORACE WALPOLE, EARL OF ORFORD. NOW FIRST COLLECTED. L\ FOUR VOLUMES. VOL. I. 1735— 175G. LON DON : PRINTED FOR ROD^\'ELL AND IMARTIN, BOND-STREET: AND COLBURXAND CO., CON DU 1T-STJ;KI:t. 1820. i"1 ^ ' j ■A V PREFACE. ■Xv' ^ Public opinion has been so unanimous in its commendation of these Letters, that a critical examination of them on this occa- sion must be superfluous. Whatever differ- ence may exist as to the literary rank of Horace Walpole, his distinguished talent as a letter-writer has not been questioned; and indeed all the excellencies that letters can pretend to, his birth, rank, situation, and peculiar talent, well enabled him to impress on them. He delighted in anecdote, and this correspondence approaches as nearly to his favourite Grammont, as letters and me- moirs can be expected to assimilate; and "the son of old sir Robert'' had this advan- tage, that he came prepared, not with the bare historical knowledge of the preceding age, which must usually satisfy others, but with a minute and private history, both of VI PREFACE. men and things, that made it almost equally familiar to him with his own times. This was the knowledge Walpole himself de- lighted in, and this is the great and unri- valled excellence of his correspondence. To the few that yet linger among us, and re- member the beauties he has celebrated, or have laughed at Arthur's with Townsend or Selwyn, these volumes will recall a thousand pleasant recollections ; and to the present generation, it cannot but be gratifying to have the wit, the pleasantry, and the man- ners of an age, not indeed so long removed from us in time as in manners and opinions themselv'Cs, sketched with such admirable truth and spirit. The scenes between Sel- wyn and Mrs. Dorcas, — the marriage of *' handsome Tracy,'' — the Vauxhall party — and innumerable others, arc tlie remem- brances of an age that has quite passed away. Though from earliest life, by birth, by education, and on principle, sincerely and zealously attached to the Whigs, with a name of authority among them, and a cha- racter beyond suspicion of good will and PREFACE. Vll single-mindedness, Horace Walpole was ne- ver conspicuous in the proceedings of that party. The truth is, Walpole was never any thing seriously. He had no private or sel- fish motive to fix, to interest, or to spirit him on ; and parties are always too much in earnest to suit with his gentlemanly indiffer- ence. Yet Walpole was by no means an inattentive observer: he certainly neither liked politics nor writing dissertations; but a strong feeling is not unfrequently disco- verable in a jest, and solid reflection in a hasty paragraph ; and the reader cannot fail to observe how justly and prophetically he predicted consequences, many of which he did not live to see fulfilled. It was the same in poetry, in history, in antiquity. He had a more than ordinary knowledge of, and might have excelled in any of them, but he wanted the enthusiasm that might have confined him exclusively to either; and though he loved fame, his ari- stocracy feared to be remembered as a poet, an historian, or an antiquary, and not as the Hon. Horace Walpole, who had written on those subjects. Vlll PREFACE. In the estimate that has been made of the moral worth of AValpole, in the Hterary works of the day, there has been too much of superciHous trifling. He had certainly great failings ; but his pure, zealous, and w atchful regard of his father's memory, and his constant, unshaken, and disinterested attachment to general Conway, are redeem- ing virtues that ought never to be forgotten: — they were not evidenced in acts of mo- mentary passion, but from the first to the last hour of a life protracted beyond ordinary limits. But we must not wonder that lite- rary men speak shghtingly of AValpole ; they but echo back the opinion he had previously expressed of them. Walpole was probably the more co?'rect in his estimate, but it is impolitic to irritate men to whom we must eventually refer for character, if we hope or deserve to have one ; and Walpole was not indifferent to fame, though he affected to laugli at it. This collection includes the whole of his letters hitherto published, and comprises a period of above sixty years, that is, from 1735 to 1797. 'J'hey have hvcn arranged PREFACE. IX according to dates, by which the interest and connexion of events is uninterrupted ; and, it is hoped, the Prefatory Index, in which the most striking subject of each letter is briefly noticed, will facilitate the rea- der's references ; although nothing like a perfect Index could be attempted, where so many subjects are compressed into a sinole letter, and the most tritiino- anecdote becomes imjjortant from the admirable manner in which it is told. CONTENTS VOL. I. Page To Richard West, Esq. King's College, Nov. 9, 1/35. On ail university life 1 George Montagu, Esq, May 2, 1736. The marriage of the prince of Wales 3 G. Montagu, Esq. May 6, 173G. The pleasures of youth, and youthful recollections 5 G.Montagu, Esq. May 20, 1736. Account of a jaunt to Oxford 8 G. Montagu, Esq. May 30, 1736. On Philemon and Hy- daspes, by Mr. Coventry 10 R. West, Esq. Aug. 17. 1736. On Gray, and other old school-fellows — The course of study at the university 13 G. Montagu, Esq. March 20, 1737. French and English manners 15 G. Montagu, Esq. Christopher Inn, Eton. His feelings there 16 R. West, Esq. Paris, April 21, 1739. Society, amuse- ments, &c. — Funeral of the duke de Tresmes IS R, West, Esq. 1739. Description of Versailles — The convent of the Chartreuse 22 R. West, Esq. Rheiias, .Tune 18, 1739 25 R. West, Esq. July 20, 1739. Account of the self- introduction of a Mr. More 27 Xll CONTENTS OF VOL. T. Page To R. West, Esq. Mountains of Savoy, Sept. 28, 1/39. Grande Chartreuse, &c 30 R. AVest, Esq. Turin, Nov. 11, 1739. Account of his travels — Passage of Mount Cenis, &c 34 R. West, Esq. Bologna, 1/39. The academical exercises 38 R. West, Esq. Florence, Jan. 24, 1/40. English cha- racter contrasted with the Italian 42 R. West, Esq. Feb. 11 , 1/40. The carnival — Character of tlie Florentines 45 The Hon. H. S. Conway, March G, 1/40 48 R. AVest, Esq. Siena, March 22, 1/40. Account of Siena — Climate of Italy, and customs of the Italians 51 11. West, Esq. Rome, April 16, 1740. Public buildings and manners at Rome 54 The Hon. H. S. Conway, April 23, 1740. Society at Rome — The conclave, &c 59 R. West, Esq. May 1 , 1740. The conclave — Antiquities of Rome C2 R. West, Esq. Naples, June 14, 1740. Description of Herculaneum Co The Hon. H. S.Conway, Radicofani, July 5, 1740. Ac- count of the place — Society at Florence C8 R, West, Esq. Florence, July 31, 1740. Medals and inscriptions — The conclave — English society at Flo- rence 1^ The Hon. H.S. Conway, Sept. 25, 1740. Character of the Florentines — Of Lady Mary \\\)rtley Montagu ... 79 R. West, Esq. Oct. 2, 1740. On travelling — Addison's Italy ... 82 R. West, Esq. Florence, Nov. 1740. Flood at Florence 88 The Hon. H. S. Conway, March 25, 1741. Mr. Sandy's motions to remove Sir R. Walpolc 92 R, West, Esq. Reggio, May 10, 1741. Pausanias, by Mr. West 95 The Hon. H. S. Conway, London, 1741..... 97 CONTENTS OF VOL. I. XIU Page To R. West, Esq. May 4, 1742, Mr. West's illness 100 The Hon. II. S. Conway, Arlington-street, July 20, 1744. On an early attachment of Mr. Conway's 102 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Houghton, Oct. 6, 1/44 107 " G.Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, May 18, 1745. Death of lieut. -colonel Edward Montagu 109 G. Montagu, Esq. May 2o, 1745. Family at Engiefield green 110 The Hon. H. S. Conway, May 27, 1745 112 G. Montagu, Esq. June 25, 1745. Mr. Rigby's seat in Essex 114 The Hon. H. S. Conway, July 1, 1745. Gaming act, &c. 117 G. Montagu, Esq. July 13, 1745. Success of the French in Flanders 121 G.Montagu, Esq. Aug. 1, 1745. Speculations on a po- litical change — Character of the duke of Newcastle, &c. &c 124 The Rev. Mr. Birch, Woolterton [Aug.] 15, 1745. Re- specting a history of George I.'s reign 127 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, Sept. 17, 1745. Speculations contemplating the success of the Pre- tender 128 G. Montagu, Esq. May 22, 174C. The Sidney papers, &c. 130 G. Montagu, Esq. June 5, 1746. Cliaracter of the prince of Hesse — Mrs, Garrick, &c 132 G. Montagu, Esq. June 12, 174G 135 G.Montagu, Esq. June 17, 174G 137 G. Montagu, Esq. June 24, 174C. Change of ministers. 138 G. ^lontagu, Esq. July 3, 1746 141 G. Montagu, Esq. Aug. 2, 1746. Trial of the rebel lords 1 44 G, Montagu, Esq. Aug, 5, 1746. Anecdotes of the re- bel lords 146 G. Montagu, Esq. Aug. 11, 1746 ] li» G. Montagu, Esq. Aug. 16, 1746. Lord Balmerino, &c. 151 The Hon. H. S.Conway, Windsor, Oct, 3, 1716 15 { XIV CONTENTS OF VOL. I. Page To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Oct. 24, 1/46. Campaign in Scotland 156 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, Nov. 3, 1/46. His Epilogue to Tamerlane, &c 159 The Hon. H. S. Conway, April 16, 1/47. The muta- bility of fame 160 The Hon, H. S. Conway, Twickenham, June 8, 1 747. Description of his new house 163 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, .Tuly 2, 1747. Ill success of the army in the Netherlands 166 G, Montagu, Esq. Oct. 1, 1747 168 G. Montagu, Esq. May 18, 1748. Lord Anson and his voyage — The Peace 170 G. Montagu, Esq. May 26, 1748 173 G. Montagu, Esq. Mistley, July 25, 1748. His journey — Family of Aubrey de Vere, carls of Oxford 176 G. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry-hill, Aug. 11, 1748. Anec- dotes of the house of Vere — Probability of his descent from Chaucer 180 The Hon. H. S, Conway, Aug. 29, 1748. Humorous anticipations of future discoveries 186 G. Montagu, Esq. Sept. 3, 1748. AVliitlield and the Methodists 189 G. Montagu, Esq. Sept. 25, 1748 194 The Hon. II. S. Conway, Oct. 6, 1748. Opening of parliament 197 G. Montagu, Esq. Oct. 20, 1748 199 (i. Montagu, Esq. May 18, 1749. Entertainment at Richmond 200 G. Montagu, Esq. .Mistley, July 5, 1749. Visit to the prince of Wales 207 (;. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry-lull, July 20, 1719. His journey to town — Messing, &:c. 211 (i. Montagu, Esq. Aug. 26, 17 19. Travelling in Sussex — Arundel castle 215 CONTENTS OF VOL. I. XV Page To G. Montagu, Esq. Sept. 28, 1/49. His journey — Mo- numents at Cheneys, &c 218 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, May 15, 1/50 221 G. Montagu, Esq. June 23, 1/50. Party at Vauxhall... 222 G. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry-hill, Sept. 10, 1750 228 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, May 30, 1/51. Port- land collection 230 G. Montagu, Esq. June 13, 1/51. Change of ministers 231 G. Montagu, Esq. Daventry, July 22, 1/51. His journey 233 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, Oct. 8, 1751. De- scription of Woburn 238 G.Montagu, Esq. Jan. 9, 1752. ''The St. James's Evening Post" 242 G. Montagu, Esq. May 12, 1752. Irish politics — "Mo- ther Midnight's oratory" 245 G. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry-hill, June (5, 1752. Secu- ring a housebreaker 242 G, Montagu, Esq 253 G. Montagu, Esq. July 20, 1752. Visit of a king's messenger, &c 254 R. Bentley, Esq. Battel, Aug. 5, 1752. His journey into Kent and Sussex 256 G. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry-hill, Aug. 28, 1752. Ad- venture at Mrs. Boscavvcn's — Gray's Odes, &c 270 G. Montagu, Esq. White's, Dec. 14, 1752. Removal of Lord Harcourt 274 Mr. Gray, Arlington-street, Feb. 20, 1753. New edition of :SIr. Gray's Odes 27G 'I'hellon. H. S. ("onway. Strawberry-hill, May 5, 1753. Bolingbroke s works, &c 279 (i. Montagu, Esq. May 22, 1753. Marriage bill 2S.S The Hon. H, S. Conway, May 24, 1753. Marriage bill — Parliament of Paris 28() G. Montagu, Esq. June 11,1753. Debates in parlia- ment — Alterations at Strawberry ., 2!t2 XVI CONTENTS OF VOL. I. Page To G. Montagu, Esq. July 17, 1/53 292 John Chute, Esq. Stowe, Aug. 4, 1753. Account of a visit to Mr. Montagu's — His house and neighbours — Wroxton — Chapel at Steine — Stowe 295 R, Bentley, Esq. Arlington-street, Sept. 1753. Account of his journey — Oxford, &c 305 G. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry-hill, Aug. 16, 1758 308 G. Montagu, Esq. Dec. 6, 1753. Death of his uncle — The theatres, &c 316 R. Bentley, Esq. Dec. 19, 1753. Mr. Bentley's draw- ings — Sir Charles Grandison 319 R. Bentley, Esq. March 2, 1 754. Visit of Mr. Montagu and the duke of Cumberland to Strawberry 323 R. Bentley, Esq. March 6, 1754. An ironical letter on the death of Mr. Pelham 326 R. Bentley, Esq. March 17, 1754. New ministry, &c. 331 G.Montagu, Esq. Marrh 19, 1754. New ministry, &c. 335 J. Chute, Esq. April 30, 1754. AVhitehead's tragedy of Creusa — Opera 337 J. Chute, Esq. May 14, 1754, Anecdote of Poniatow- ski and the duchess of Gordon, &c 339 R. Bentley, Esq. May 18, 1754. Trial of Elizabeth Canning, &c 341 G. Montagu, Esq. May 21, 1754. Death of Mr. Chute's father 346 G. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry-hill, June 8, 1 754. An invitation 347 (,. Montagu, Esq. June 29, 1754 348 The Hon. H. S. Conway, July 6, 1754. Notice of gold fish to be sent to him 849 R. Bcnllcy, Esq. July 9, 1754. Monument of liis mother, &c 350 G. Montagu, Esq. Aug. 29, 1 754 .354 R. Bentley, Esq. Nov. 3, 1754. The West-Indian War — America, &c 3."),5 CONTENTS OF VOL. I. XvH Page To R. Bentley, Esq. Arlington-street^, Nov. 11, 1/54. Death of the queen-dowager of Prussia 3(51 G. Montagu, Esq. Nov. 1 6, 1/54 3G3 R. Bentley, Esq. Nov. 20, 1/54. On projectors, &c. 3G5 R. Bentley, Esq. Dec. 13, 1/54. Change in the ministry 369 R. Bentley, Esq. Strawberry-hill, Dec. 24, 1/54. Ma- dame de Sevigne — The World 373 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, Jan. 1/55. Countess Chamfelt, &c 377 R. Bentley, Esq. Jan. 9, 1755. Change in the ministry 378 R. Bentley, Esq. Feb. 8, 1/55. A masquerade 383 R. Bentley, Esq. Feb. 23, 1/55. English Opera — Mid- summer Night's Dream 385 R. Bentley, Esq. March 6, 1755. Probability of a war 389 R. Bentley, Esq. March 27, 1755. Hume's Histtjry of England — Politics 392 R. Bentley, Esq. Strawberry-hill, April 13, 1755, The approaching war t](jQ R. Bentley, Esq, Arlington-street, April 24, 1755 .... 401 G. Montagu, Esq. May 4, 1755 403 R. Bentley, Esq. May G, 1755. Entertainment at Straw- berry 405 G. Montagu, Esq. May 13, 1755. Inviting him toStraw- l)erry 408 G. Montagu, Esq. May 19. Victory of the king of Prussia 409 R. Bentley, Esq. Strawberry-hill, June 10, 1755. Storm at Strawberry — Imaginary plot, &c 410 R. Bentley, Esq. July 5, 1755. Mr. Muntz — Chaf- font, &c 4i(i R. Benllev, Esq. July 17, 1755. Political and domestic news — Wanstead 4?0 G. Montagu, Esq. July 17, 1755 424 G. Montagu, Esq. July 2G, 1/55. Miss Montagu's ill- ness 426 XVlll CONTENTS OF VOL. I. Page To R. Bentley, Esq. Aug. 4, 1755. Translation of the Tale of a Tub 428 R.Bentley, Esq. Aug. 15^ 1755. Mr. Bentley's draw- ings — Garrick 432 R. Bentley, Esq. Arlington-street^ Aug. 28, 1755. De- feat of General Braddock — Antiquities in Essex and Suffolk 435 The Rev. H. Etough, Woolterton, Sept. 10, 1755 440 R. Bentley, Esq, Strawberry-hill, Sept. 18, 1755. Win- chester cathedral and Netley abbey 44 1 The Hon. 11. S.Conway, Sept. 23, 1755. Irish politics, &c. 445 R. Bentley, Esq Arlington-street, Sept. 30, 1755. I\Ii- nisterial changes — Subsidies 448 G. Montagu, Esq. Oct. 7, 1755. On the death of his sister Miss Montagu 451 R. Bentley, Esq. Oct. 19, 1755. On the fears of au invasion 452 R, Bentley, Esq. Strawberry-hill, Oct. 31, 1755. De- feat of the French, &c 45 G G. Montagu, Esq. Nov. 8, 175.'). Planting 459 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Arlington-street, Nov. 15, 1 7 ■')■'). Debates in the Commons 4G2 R. Bentley, Esq. Nov. Ifi, 1755. The same su]))cct. ... 466 G. Montagu, Esq. Nov 25, 1755. Earthquake at Lis- bon — Political changes 4G9 R. Bentley, Esq. Dec. 17, 1755. Mr. Pitt's speech — Changes in the ministry 471 G.Montagu, Esq. Dec. 20, 1755. Change in the mi- nistry 475 G. Montagu, Esq. Dec. 30, 1755 477 R. Bentley, Esq. Strawberry-hill, .Tan. 6, 175G. Attack of the gout — Overflow of the Thames 479 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Arlington-street, .Tan. 24, 175G. Accusation of Admiral Knowles, in tlic House of Conimoiis , 482 CONTENTS OF VOL. I. XIX Page To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Feb. 12, 1756. — Debates- Anecdotes, &c 484 The Hon. H. S. Conway, March 4, 1756. Debates on the Pennsylvanian regiments, 8i.c 489 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Strawberry-hill, April 16, 1756. Debates on the Paddington or New Road Bill— Death of Sir ^ V. Lo wther 493 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington- street, April 20, 1756. Will of Sir W. Lowtlicr 496 G. Montagu, Esq. May 12 500 G. Montagu, Esq. May 19, 1756 501 The Earl of Strafford, Strawberry-hill, June 6, 1756. Memoirs of Madame Maintenon 502 G. Montagu, Esq, June 18 506 G. Montagu, Esq. July 12, 1756. — Military preparations 507 CONTENTS VOL. 11. Page To R. Bentley, Esq. "Wentwoith-Castle^ Aug. Tour in the North 1 G. Montagu^ Esq. Arlington-street, Aug. 28. " The World" 9 G. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry-hill, Oct. 14, 1/5 G .... 10 G. Montagu, Esq. Twickenham. An invitation 13 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, Oct. 28, 175G. Re- tirement of the duke of Newcastle 14 G. Montagu, Esq. Nov. 6, 1756. Changes in adminis- tration 1 G G.Montagu, Esq. Nov. 25, 175G. Projected ministry 18 G. Montagu, Esq. May 27, 1757. " Xo Ho" — Home's pension t . 19 G.Montagu, Esq. June 2, 1757. Projected ministry .. 20 The Earl of Strafford, Strawberry-hill, July 4, 1757- Voltaire's Universal History 22 J. Chute, Esq. July 12, 1757- Declining an invitation to visit him 26 G. Montagu, Esq. July 16, 1757 2^i G. Montagu, Esq. July 17 28 J. Chute, Esq. July 26, 1757. On a picture of Ninon de I'Enclos just given him 29 G Montagu, Esq. Aug. 4, 1757 "'i- XXll CONTENTS OF VOL. IT. Page To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Aug. 14, 1757. The buttle of Hastenbeck 32 G. Montagu, Esq. Aug. 25, 1/57. Gray's Odes, &c. ... 33 G. Montagu, Esq. Sept. 8, 175/ 36 The Right Hon. Lady Flervey, Sept. 13, 1757. The pic- ture of Ninon de I'Enclos 37 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, Sept. 20. Tlie death of Sir John Bland 38 The Earl of Strafford, Strawberry-hill, Oct. 11, 1757. Return of the expedition from Rochfort 40 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Oct. 13^ 1757. On his conduct at Rochfort 41 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, Oct. 18, 1757. Re- signation of the duke of Cumberland 44 G, Montagu, Esq 45 G. Montagu, Esq, Dec. 23, 1757. Death of Mr. Mann 45 Dr. Ducarel, Dec. 25, 175/. Giving the particulars of a MS. in Lambeth library he wished to see 46 Dr. Ducarel, Jan, 12, 1758. Respecting the loan of the before mentioned MS 47 The Rev. Dr. Birch, May 4, 1758. Soliciting observa- tions on his Noble Authors 41) G, Montagu, Esq. May 4, 1758. Reception of liis Noble Authors, &c , 50 The Hon. H. S. Conway, June 4, 1758. Debates in parliameut on the Habeas Corpus act, &c 5 1 Dr. Ducarel, June, 1758. Thanks for his remarks on the Noble Authors 5(i The Hon. H. S. Conway, June Hi, 175S. Expedition against St. Maloes ,')' The Earl of Strafford, June 16, 1758. Expedition agalnsf St. Maloes 59 John C hutc, Es([. Strawberry-hill. lvei)orted victory of Prince Ferdinand 62 (J. Montagu, Esq. July 6, 1758 ...,. 6,; CONTENTS OF VOL. II. XXIII Page To Dr. Birch, Arlington-street, July 8, 1758. Literary question G4 The Hon.H. S. Conway, Strawberry-hill, July 21, 1/58. Defeat of tlic Prussians G4 G.Montagu, Esq. Aug. 20, 1758. The Conway papers, &c. 69 The Hon. II. S. Conway, Sept. 2, 1758. Mctory of the king of Prussia at Zornsdorff 73 G. jNIontagu, Esq. Arlington-street, Oct. 3, 1758 7o The Right Hon. Lady Hervey, Oct. 17, 1758. Death of the king of Portugal, &c 76 G.Montagu, Esq. Oct. 24, 1758. Reasons for leaving " l off authorship, &c 79 G. Montagu, Esq. Nov. 26, 1758 82 G.Montagu, Esq. Dec. 26, 1758. Intended marriage of Colonel Yorke 82 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Jan. 19, 1759. State of the House of (,\nnmons, &c 85 The Hon. II. S. Conway, Jan. 28, 1759. Expected marriage of the duchess of Hamilton — Debates on the Prussian and Hessian treaties SG Mr. Gray, Feb. 15, 1759. I-iterary questions — Defence against the Critical Review 88 Tlie Riglit Hon. Lady Hervey, Feb. 20, 1759 90 G.Montagu, Esq. April 26, 1759. Approaching mar- riage of Loi'd Waldegrave — Ball at Bedford house 91 G. Montagu, Esq. i\Iay 16, 1759. ^Marriage of Lord ^\'aldegrave, &c 98 G.Montagu, Esq. June 2, 1759. Company at Straw- berry, &c 99 The Earl of Strafford, Strawberry-hill, June 12,1759. Dearth of news 101 G. Montagu, Esq. June 23, 1 759 1 03 G. Montagu, Esq. Jidy 19, 1759. The militia 105 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, July 2G, 1759. Lord AA'aldegrave's house at Xavestock 106 Xxiv CONTENTS OF VOL. II. Page To G. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry-hill, Aug. 9, 1759. Re- joicing for the battle of Minden 108 The Earl of Strafford, Aug. 9, 1759. Battle of Minden 110 The Earl of Strafford, Arlington-street, Sept, 13, 1759. Success in America — Lord George Sackville Ill G. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry -hill, Oct. 1 1, 1 759. Heat of the weather 114 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Oct. 18, 1759. On the pro- babilities of an invasion — Taking of Quebec 1 IG G. Montagu, Esq. Oct. 21, 1759. On the late victories and fine weather 119 The Earl of Strafford, Oct. 30, 1759. On the capture of Quebec, &c 120 The Right Hon. Lady Hervcy, Nov. 3, 1759. Poor Ro- bin's Almanack 123 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, Nov. 8, 1759. Na- tional bankruptcy in France, &c 121 G. Montagu, Esq. Nov. 17, 1759. Quarrel with Mr. MUntz o . . . .' 127 G. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry hill, Dec. 23, 1759. Dis- content in Ireland, &c 129 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, .Tan. 7, 1700. Visit to Princess Emily 132 The Right Hon, Lady Hervcy, Jan. 12, 1700. Apolo- gising for an unintentional offence 135 G. Montagu, Esq. Jan. 14, 17G0. Severity of the win- ter — Military preparations 137 G. Montagu, Esq. .Tan. 28, 1700. Severity of the win- ter — Death of Lady Bcsborougli — Visit to the Mag- dalen MO G. Montagu, Esq. March 27, 1700. Lord George Sack- ville's trial Ma G.Montagu, Esq. April 19, 1700. Sentence on Lord George Sackville — Trial of Lord Ferrers 147 G.Montagu, Es(i, May (i, I 7(i0. Execution of Jjoj'd Ferrers 150 contp:nts of vol. h. xxv Page To the Earl of Strafford, Strawberry-hill, June 7, 1/60. Ball at Miss Chudleigh's 152 The Hon. H. S. Conway, .Time 28,1760 157 G. Montagu, Esq. July 4, I7f)0. Visit to Chaflbnt .. 158 G.Montagu, Esq. July 19, 17C0. Visit to Oxford, Blenheim, &c 160 G. Montagu, Esq. July 20, 1 760 1 62 The Earl of Strafford, Aug. 7, 1760. Attack of the gout an apology for delaying his journey 1 6.'> The Hon. H. S Couway, Aug. 7, 1760. His illness .... 164 G. Montagu, Esq. Aug. 12, 1760. His illness 166 The Countess of Ailesbury, Whichnovro, Aug, 23, 1760. On the singular custom of that manor 168 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, Sept. 1, 1760. On his journey in the North 170 The Earl of Strafford, Strauberry-hill, Sept, 4, 1760. Account of his journey in returning from Lord Straf- ford's 178 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Sept. 19, 1760 181 The Hon. H, S. Conway 183 G.Montagu, Esq. Oct. 2, 1760, On the marriage of his niece to Lord Huntingtower 184 G. Montagu, Esq. Oct. 11, 1760. Visit of the duke of York 186 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, Oct. 25, 1760. Death of George H 192 The Earl of Strafford, Oct, 26, 1760. Death of the king 195 G. Montngu, Esq. Oct. 28, 1760. The new court 196 G, Montagu, Esq. Oct. 31, 1760. The king— The ministry 198 G. Montagu, Esq. Nov. 4, 1760. Bequests of King George U 201 G. Montagu, Esq. Nov. 13, 1760. Personal conduct of the king — Funeral of George H 204 vou I. r XXVI CONTENTS OF VOL. II. Page To G. Montagu, Esq. 1760. Appointment of the king's household 208 G. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry-hill, Nov. 24, 1/60. The king's first visit to the theatre 209 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, Dec. 11, 1/60. Dis- satisfaction in the ministry 212 G. Montagu, Esq. Jan. 22, 1761. Play at Holland house 214 G.Montagu, Esq. Feb. 7, 1761. Ball at Carleton house 216 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Feb. 1761. Speech of Mr. Conway's in the House of Commons 218 G. Montagu, Esq. March 7, 1761. On Mr. Montagu's being appointed usher of the black rod in Ireland ... 219 G. Montagu, Esq. March 17, 1761. Changes in the king's household 221 G. Montagu, Esq. March 19, 1761. Change in the ministry 224 G. Montagu, Esq. March 21, 1761 225 G. Montagu, Esq. Houghton, March 25, 1761. Feelings and reflections there 226 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Arlington-street, April 10, 1761. On the prospect of peace 231 G, Montagu, Esq. April 16, 1761. Enclosing an ana- creontic on Sir Harry Bellendine 234 G. Montagu, Esq. April 28, 1761. Fire near Sackville- street 237 G. Montagu, Esq. May 5, 1761. Gray and Mason's visit to Strawberry — Conversation Avitli Hogarth 239 G. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry-hill, May 14, 1/61. Party at liedford house — Anecdotes 242 The Countess of Ailesbury, .lune 13, 1761. Thanks for a snuff-box — The opera 245 G. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry-hill, .Tune 18, 1761. Mr. Bentley's new opera 250 G. Montagu, Esq. .July 5, 1761 252 The Earl of Straflbrd, July 5, 1761. Anecdote of Whitfield 255 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Arlington-street, July 14, 1761. CONTENTS OF VOL. II. XXVll Page A])oIogies for not having written — Approacliing mar- riage of the king 256 To G. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry-lull, July 16, l/GI. Re- port of the queen's household 2G0 The Countess of Ailcsbury, July 20, 1/61. Thanks for some china — Congratulations on ]\fr. Conway's escape at tl)e battle of Kirckdenchirch 262 The Earl of Strafford, July 22, 1761. Battle of Kirck- denchirch 266 G.Montagu, Esq, July 22, 1/61. On the royal mar- riage, victories, &c. 267 The Hon. H. S. Conway, July 23, 1761. Congratula- tions on the success of the army 270 G. i^Iontagu, Esq. Arlington-street, July 28, 1761. First appearance of Mr. Bentley's play 272 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Strawberry-hill, Aug. 5^ 1761. General Wolfe's monument — Sale and resale of the ground in Westminster Abbey 274 G. Montagu, Esq. Aug. 20^ 1/61. Offer of a scat to sec the coronation, ^c 279 The Earl of Strafford, Arlington-street. Expected arri- val of the queen 281 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Sept. 9, 1761. Arrival of the queen — Her manners, &c 283 G. Montagu, Esq. Sept. 24, 1761. The coronation ... 287 The Hon. H, S. Conway, Sept. 25, 1761. Breaking oif the treaty of peace — The coronation 291 The Countess of Ailcsbury, Strawberry-hill, Sept. 2~ , 1761. The coronation, &c 296 G.Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, Oct. 8, 1761. Mr. Pitt's resignation 300 G. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry-hill, Oct, 10, 1761. Mr. Pitt's peerage and pension 302 The Countess of Ailcsbury, Oct. 10,1761. The same subject 304 XXVlll CONTENTS OF VOL. II. Page To the Hon. H. S, Conway, Arlington-street, Oct. 12, 1761. The same subject 307 G. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry-hill, Oct. 24, 1761. City address to Mr. Pitt— Glover's Medea 309 The Hon. H. S.Conway, Oct. 26, 1761. City address — Difference in the cabinet 312 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, Nov. "i , 1761. Ca- ricature of Hogarth's 31a G. Montagu, Esq. Nov. 28, 1761. Private ball at court 316 The Countess of Ailesbury, Nov. 28, 1761. The same subject 318 G.Montagu, Esq. Dec. 8, 1761. Hume's History— Fingal 321 G.Montagu, E;^q, Dec. 23, 1761. Effects of age on himself and others — Sale at Mrs, Dunch's 323 G. Montagu, Esq. Dec. 30, 1761. Indifference to poli- tics — Anecdotes of Painting 327 G. Montagu, Esq. .Ian. 26, 1762. Upbraiding him for not writing, &c , 330 G. Montagu, Esq. Feb. 2, 1762. Lady Mary Wortlcy Montagu — Cock-lane ghost 333 G. Montagu, Esq. Feb. 6, 1762 33.5 G. Montagu, Esq. Feb. 22, 1762. Violent storm— Elope- ment of the earl of Pembroke and Miss Hunter 337 Dr. Ducarel, Feb. 24, 1762. Corrections of errors in Vertue and others 341 G. Montagu, Esq. Feb. 25, 1762. A copy of Madame Grammont, by Lely 342 The Countess of Ailesbuiy, Strawberry-hill, March 5, 1762. Probability of peace, &c 34,") G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, March 9, 1762. An epitaph for Lord Cutts 347 G. Montagu, Esq. March 22, 1762. General Moncton's letter on the capture of Martinique 348 G. Montagu, Esq. April 29, 1762. Death of Lady Charlotte .Johnstone — New peers 35t CONTENTS OF VOL. II. XXIX Page To G. Montagu, Esq. May 14, 1762. Attack of the gout — Appointment of chamberlain to the queen 354 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Strawberry-hill, May 20, 1/02. Anecdotes of Painting, &c 35G G. Montagu, Esq. May 25, 17G2. Expected resignation of the duke of Newcastle 358 G. Montagu, Esq. June 1 360 G. Montagu, Esq. June 8, 1762. Fete at Lady North- umberland's 361 The Rev. Mr. Cole, July 29, 1762. Inviting him to Strawberry 364 The Countess of Ailesbury, July 31, 1762. Capture of the castle of Waldeck 364 The Earl of Straftord, Aug, 5, 1762. Revolution in Russia, &c 366 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Aug. 5, 1762. Postponement of Mr. Cole's intended visit 368 G. Montagu, Esq. Aug. 10, 1762. Great drought — Re- volution in Russia 369 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Aug. 19, 1762. Correction of errors in the Anecdotes of Fainting 371 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Sept. 9, 1762. Probability of peace — Christening of the prince of Wales 373 (i. Montagu, Esq. Sept. 24. 1762 377 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Sept. 28, 1762. Treaty of peace — Capture of the Havannah 378 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Sept, 30, 1762. Invitation to Straw- berry, &c , 382 The Right Hon. Lady Hervey, Oct. 1, 1762. Congra- tulation on her son's safe return 384 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Arlington-street, Oct. 4, 1762. On fame — Public feeling 386 (i. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry-hill, Oct. 14, 1763. ("hange of ministry '•'•SS XXX CONTENTS OF VOL. H. Page To the Hon. H. S. Conway/Oct.|29, 1762.;^ Talked of op- position — Anticipation of tlie history of his age 389 The Right Hon. Lady Hervey, Oct. 31, 1762 393 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, Nov. 4. The duke of Devonshire's name erased from the council book 394 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Strawberry-hill, Nov. 13, 17o2 395 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, Dec. 20,1762. On his illness — Party at Princess Emily's 396 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Dec. 23, 1/62. Thanks for some prints 400 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Strawberry-hill, Feb. 28, 1763. On his own public conduct and intentions, &c 402 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, ^Nlarch 29, 1763. Po- litics, Wilkes, &c 404 G.Montagu, Esq. April 6, 1763. LordWaldegrave's illness 407 (t. Montagu, Esq. Lord ^V^aldegrave's death — Lord Bute's resignation 411 G. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry-hill, April 14, 1763. Lady Waldegrave and family — New administration 414 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, April 22, l/GS. Lady ^\'aldcgrave 419 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Strawberry-hill, May 1, 1763. Severity of the weather — Committal of INIr. Wilkes to the Tower 421 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Arlington-street, INLiy 6, 1763. The release of Mr. Wilkes — Fire at Lady Moles- worth's 425 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Strawberry-hill, May 16, 1763 427 G. Montagu, Esq. May 17, 1763. Visit of Madame de lJoulllers,&c.to Strawberry — Entertainment at Esher 428 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Arlington-street, May 21, 1763. Character of the French — Fete at Miss Chudleigh's 434 The Hon. H. S.Conway. Masquerade at the duke of Richmond's , 438 CONTENTS OF VOL. II. XXXI Page To G. Montagu, Esq. May 30, 17G3. Description of Kim- bolton, Hinchinbrook, &c 439 G. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry-hill, June 16, 1763. Of- fering a visit to Mr. Montagu 443 G. Montagu, Esq. July 1, 1763. Improvements at Straw- berry 445 The Rev. Mr. Cole, July 1, 1763. Intended visit to Mr. Cole 446 The Rev. Mr. Cole, July 12, 1763. Postponing his visit 447 G. Montagu, Esq. Stamford, July 23, 1/63. Account of his journey 448 G. Montagu, Esq. Hockerill, July 25. Account of his journey continued 452 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Strawberry -hill 455 Dr. Ducarel, Aug. 8, 1 763 456 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Strawberry-hill, Aug. 9, 1763. On Mr. Conway's postponing his visit to Straw- berry 456 The Earl of Strafford, Aug. 10, 1/63. Apology for not having written 458 G. Montagu, Esq. Aug. 15, 1763. Strange appearance of the river Thames, &c. &c 459 G. Montagu, Esq. Sept. 3, 1763. Numerous visitors to see Strawberry 463 G. Montagu, Esq. Sept. 7, 1/63. An invitation 465 G. Montagu, Esq. Oct. 3, 1763. Alterations at Park- place — Visit to Sir T. Reeves 466 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Oct. 8, 1763. An invitation 470 G. Montagu, Esq. Nov. 12, 1763. Wet weather — Irish politicks 47 1 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, Nov. 20, 1763. Po- litical differences and quarrels 4/3 The Rev. :Mr. Cole, Dec. 6, 1763. Thanks for some literary notices 476 XXXll CONTENTS OF VOL. 11. Page To G. Montagu, Esq. Jan. 11, 1/64. Visit to Lady Suf- folk on New-Year's morning 4/8 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Jan. 31, 17C4 485 The Rev. Mr. Cole, March 3, 17G4. Thanks for some prints, &c 488 The Rev. Mr. Cole, April 12, 1/04 489 The Hon. H. S. Conway, April 1 9, 17C4. On Mr. Con- way's dismissal 490 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Straw^berry-hill, April 21, 17G4. Mr. Conway's dismissal 491 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Arlington-street, April 24, 1764. Mr. Conway's dismissal 494 G. Montagu, Esq. May 10, 1 764 495 The Hon. H. S. Conway, June 5, 1764. Mr. Conway's dismissal — Answer to the Address to the Public. ... 496 G. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry-hill, June 18, 1764. Party at Strawberry 499 G. Montagu, Esq. July 16, 1764. Strawberry edition of the Life of Lord Herbert, &c 501 The Rev. Mr. Cole, July 16, 1764 504 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Arlington-street, July 21, 1764. Thanks for some presents, and Lord Herbert's Life in return 505 G. Montagu, Esq. Aug. 1 6, 1764 506 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Strawberry-hill, Aug. 29, 1764. An inquiry respecting Tuer the painter 507 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Sept, 1, 1764. The reply to the Counter Address 508 The Rev. Dr. Birch, Sept. 3, 1764. Thanks for an ori- ginal letter of Sir. W. Herbert 510 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Sept. 25, 1764 511 CONTENTS OF VOL, III. Page To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Strawberry-liill, Oct. 5, 1/6-1. Death of AVilliain, duke of CunibeHand 1 The Hon. II. S. Conway, Oct. 13, I 704. Bequest of the duke of Devonshire to ]\lr. Conway 3 The Rev. Mr, Cole, Oct. 27, 1764. Inquiry after his health 5 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Oct. 29, 1764. On his mourn- ing for the duke of Devonshire 5 The Rev. Mr. Cole 8 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Oct. 30, 1764. Thanks for some literary notices 8 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Nov. 8, 1764. On his own health, and intention of going to Paris 9 The Right Hon. Lady Hervey, Nov, 10, 1704. Thanks for some pilchards 10 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, Dec. IG, 1764. Amusements of London — " Inquiry into the doctrine of Libels," cScc 11 G. Montagu, Esq. Christmas Eve, 1764 AVith a pre- sent of books, kc 15 G.Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, Feb. 19, 170.'), On his contemplated retirement from parliament, &c. . . 1/ The Rev. Mr. Cole, Strawberry-hill, Feb. 28, 1765. Ex- planatory of his long silence — The Castle of Otranto 19 VOL. I. d XXXIV CONTENTS OF VOL. III. Page To the Rev. Mr. Cole, March 9, 17G5. The Castle of Otranto — On Mr. Cole's contemplated residence in France 21 Monsieur Elie de Beaumont, March 18, 1/65. With the Castle of Otranto 25 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, April 5, 17G5. Anec- dote of Quin and Bishop Warbxirton, &c 28 G. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry-hill, May 26, 1/65. The regency bill — Change in the ministry 30 G. Montagu, Esq. June 10, 1765. Party at Strawberry 34 The Right Hon. Lady Hervey, June 11, 1765. Explana- tions and apologies for not having written 36 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street. To contradict a report of his dangerous illness 38 The Hon. H. S. Conway, July 3, 1765. On his illness, &c 39 G. Montagu, Esq. July 11, 1765, Change in the mi- nistry, &c 41 G. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry-hill, July 28, 1765. On an old age of infirmity and sickness 42 G. Montagu, Esq. Aug. 23, 1765. On the death of Lady B.Montagu. — His intended visit to Paris 45 G. Montagu, Esq. Aug. 31, 1765. On the few pleasant anticipations from his visit to Paris 49 The Earl of Strafford, Arlington-street, Sept. 3, 1765. His motives for visiting Paris 53 The Pvight Hon. Lady Hervey, Sept. 3, 1765. Thanks for letters of introduction — Modern French literature 55 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Strawberry-hill, Sept. 5, 1765, In- viting him to Paris, &c 58 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Amiens, Sept. 1 1, 1765. Ac- count of his journey 60 The Right lion. Lady Hervey, Paris, Sept. 14, 1765. Agreca!)ie difference between his anticipations and the reality of French society, &.c ..■ ••• 64 CONTENTS OF VOL. III. XXXV Page To the Rev. Mr. Cole, Paris, Sept. 18, 1/05. Advice to Mr. Cole for his journey 08 G. MontagUj Esq. Sept. 22, 1/05. Society, literature, and manners, at Paris G9 The Right Hon. Lady Hervey, Oct. 3, 1705. Presenta- tion at Versailles, &c 73 J. Chute, Esq. Oct. 3, 1/05. French manners — Pi'esen- tation at court, &c 70 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Oct. 0, 1705, French society — Party at Madame du Deffand's, &c 80 The Right Hon, Lady Hervey, Oct. 13, 1705. Attack of the gout — Kindness of his friends at Paris S7 G. Montagu, Esq. Oct. 10, 1705. His illness — \'isit from Mr. Wilkes— Theatres 90 T. Brand, Esq. Oct. 19, 1705. Dullness and freethinking characteristic of French conversation 92 The Hon. H, S, Conway, Oct. 28, 1705, Character of the philosophers, and their influence on society 95 Mr. Gray, Nov, 19, 1705. IFis illness — Society at Paris, &c ... 98 The Right Hon. Lady Hervey, Nov. 21, 1705. On his recovery — IndiiTerence to politics, kc 103 G, Montagu, Esq. Nov. 21, 1705. Gratification at Mr. Montagu's contemplated residence at Roehampton — Inducements to it, &c 107 The Right Hon. Lady Hervey, Nov. 28, 1705. Thanks for the introductions her ladyship had given him — Character of the Duchess d'Alguillou 109 The Hon. H, S, Conway, Nov. 29, 1705. Political ad- vice to Mr. Conway, &c 113 The Hon. H. S, Conway, Dec. 5, 1705, French politics 110 The Right Hon, Lady Hervey, Jan, 2, 1/00. Rousseau's visit to England, &c 119 .T. Chute, Esq. Jan, 1700. Ill agreement of the manners aud the climate — Rousseau and the s^avants ..,, 122 XXXVl CONTENTS OF VOL. III. Page To G. Montagu, Esq. Jan. 5, 1766. The dreams of life su- perior to its Idealities, &c 125 The Right Hon. Lady Hervey, Jan. 11, 1/66. Severity of the weather — Agreeableness of the society, &c. ... 128 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Jan. 12, 1/66. Enclosing the pretended letter from the king of Prussia to Rous- seau 132 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Jan. 18, 1766. On Mr. Cole's ac- cident in disembarking 1.35 Mr. Gray, Jan. 25, 1/60. Change in French manners — Madame Geoffrin and other distinguished women ... 137 The Right Hon. Lady Hervey, Feb. 3, 1766. Probability of Madame Geoffrin going to Poland 149 G. Montagu, Esq. Feb. 4, 1 700. On a marriage in Mr. Montagu's family, &c 151 G. Montagu, Esq. Sunday, Feb. 23 152 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Feb. 28, 1700. Enclosing the letter to Rousseau — Horse-race at Paris , 153 G. Montagu, Esq. March 3, 1700 155 The Right Hon. Lady Hervey, March 10, 1700. Party at the Marcchal du LuKcmbourg's — On prcacliing ... 157 G. Montagu, Esq. March 12, 1700 lOU G.Montagu, Esq. March 21, 1700. A Frenchwoman's opi- nion of Paris on her first visit, contrasted with his own 101 G. Montagu, Esq. April 3, 1700. ^'isit to J7ivry 103 Hon. H. S. Conway, April 0, 1700. Insurrection at Madrid, &c 105 The Hon. II. S.Conway, April 8, 1700. Further par- ticulars of the insurrection at Madrid — Change in the French minlstrv lOiS Tiie Rev. Mr. Cole, Arlington-street, May 10, 1700 171 The Rev. Mr. Cole ]72 The Rev. Mr. Cole, May 13, 1700. Apologizing for having accidentally opened one of his letters 173 CONTENTS OF VOL. III. XXXVll Page To G. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry-hill, May 2a, l/CG. Ap- pointment of the duke of Richmond, &c. — Lady Townsend's turning Catholic 174 G. Montagu, Esq. June 20, 1766. The New Bath Guide — Swift's Correspondence, Journal to Stella, kc. ... 17G The Right Hon. Lady Hervey, June 28, 1766. On a present received from ^Madame du Deffand, &c 178 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, June 10, 17GG, Ex- pected change in tlie ministry 182 G. Montagu, Esq. July 21, 17GG. Change of the mi- nistry, with his Ode on the occasion 183 David Hume, Esq. July 2G, 17GG. On Mr. Hume's quarrel with Rousseau 18^ The Rev. Mr. Cole, Sept, 18, 17G6. Contradicting a report of his having had a paralytic attack 18G G. Montagu, Esq. Sti'awberry-hill, Sept. 23, 17GG. On his illness 188 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Bath, Oct. 2, 17GG. His health — Xew buildings at Bath 189 G. Montagu, Esq. Oct. 5, 176G. Ilis health, and dislike of Bath 190 J. Chute, Esq. Oct. iO, 17 GO. Account of ^Vesley and the new meeting house 191 G. Montagu, Esq. Oct. 18, l/GG. Society, and situation of Bath 1 93 The Hon. IL S. Conway, Oct. 18, 17GG. His reasons for leaving l>ath 19.5 G. Montagu, E>q. Strawberry-hill, Oct. 22, 17GG. Sa- tisfaction at his rcluru — Account of Bristol, &c. . . 197 David Hume, Esq. Nov. G, 17GG. On Mr. Hume's quar- rel with Rousseau, and some omissions by D'Alcin- bert, in a piiblislied letter of Mr. AValpole's on tlie subject , IV'J David Hume, Esq. Arlington-street, Nov, 11, 17()G. The same subject 203 XXXVlll CONTENTS OF VOL. III. To G. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry-hill, Dec. 12, 1766. Pro- ceedings of the iiihiistry — Cross readings froai the Public Advertiser 208 G.Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, Dec. 16, ]766. Ac- cepting an offer of some venison 210 G. Montagu, Esq. Jan. 13, 17C7. The death of his ser- vant Louis — High tide, &c 211 Dr, Ducarel, April 25, l/G/- Thanks for his Anglo-Nor- man Antiquities 212 The Earl of Strafford, Strawberry-hill, July 29, 17G7. Death of Lady Suffolk 2l;5 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, July 31, 17G7 .... 215 G. Montagu, Esq, Aug. 7, 1767 ... * 217 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Oct. 24, 1767. Excusing and ex- plaining his long silence 218 G. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry -hill, Sunday, Nov. 1, 1 767- On ]Mr. Conway's refusing the appointment of secretary of state 218 The Ilev. Mr. Cole, Strawberry-hill, Dec. 19, 1767. On Mr. Cole's removal to Waterbeche, &c 220 The Rev. Mr, Cole, Arhngton-street, Feb. 1, 17C8. Pre- senting him with the Historic Doubts, &c 222 Mr. Gray, Feb. 18, 1768. On the announcement of a new edition of Gray's Poems — On his own writings — Boswell's Corsica, &c 223 Mr. Cray, Friday night, Feb. 26. On the Historic Doulits 228 G. Montagu, Esq. March 12, 1768. On his retirement from parliament — Sterne's Sentimental Journey — Gray's Poems 232 G. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry-hill, April 15, 1768. Wit as temporary as manners — On his new tragedy .... 235 The Rev. Mr.^Cole, April 16, 1768. The roll of the carls of Warwick— ^Vhitfield and the Methodists 238 The Rev.^Mr. Cole, June 6, 1768. Answer to some li- terary inquiries 240 CONTENTS OF, VOL. III. XXXIX Page To G. Montagu, Esq. June 15, 17G8. Severity of the wea- ther — Description of the climate by our poets .... 243 Monsieur do Voltaire, June 21, 17C8. On his asking for a copy of the Historic Doubts — His reply to Vol- taire's Criticism on Shakspeare, &c 246 The Earl of Strafford, June 2o, 1/68. Wilkes and No. 45, &c 249 Monsieur de Voltaire, July 27, 1/68. Reply to Voltaire's vindication of his criticism, &c 25 1 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Aug. 9, 1/68. New arch- bishop — Mr. Gray's professorship 253 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, Aug. 13, 1/68. Ar- rival of the king of Denmark 257 The Earl of Strafford, Strawberry-hill, Aug. 16, 1768. Character of the king of Denmark, and his reception at court 259 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Aug. 20, 1 768. Thanks for some prints — Grainger's Catalogue 263 The Earl of Strafford, Monday, Oct. 10, 1768. Com- paring the quiet of his present illness with the in- quiries when his friends were coming into power . . 266 (i. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, Nov. 10, 1768 .... 268 (j. Montagu, Esq. Nov. 15, 1768. Companion of youth and old age — Death of Lady Hervey 269 G. Montagu, Esq. Dec. 1, 1768. Wilkes and the House of Commons, &c. 272 G. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry-hill, March 26, 1769. Mobs in the city — Opposition, &c 274 G.Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, April 15, 1769. Tem- perance the best physician — AVilkcs and the election for Middlesex 276 G. Montagu, Esq. May 11, 1769. Party at Strawberry — A rldotlo al fresco at Vauxhall 278 The Rev. Mr. Cole, May 27, 1769. Grainger's Cata- louuc 280 Xl CONTEXTS OF VOL. IIT. Page To the Rev. Mr. Cole, Strawberry-hill, Jan. 14, I /GO. On the proposed painted window at Ely — Shenstone's Letters, &c. 282 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Monday, June 26, 1/69. On his intended visit to Ely 287 The Earl of Strafford, Arlington-street, July 3, 1/69. On the disinterestedness and length of their friend- ship — City politics 288 The Hon. II. S. Conway, Strawberry-hill, July /, 1769. Lord Chatham at the king's levee 292 The Rev. Mr. Cole, July 15, 1769 293 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Aug. 12, 1769. Thanks for some prints — History of Gothic architecture 295 G. ISIontagu, Esq. [Calais,] Aug. 18, 1769. On Mr. Montagu's long silence 299 J. Chute, Esq. Paris, Aug. 30, 1 769. Account of Madame du Deffand — French theatre 301 G. Montagu, Esq. Sept. 7- 1769. Madame du Deffand — Uncertainty of life 304 The Earl of Strafford, Sept. 8, 1769. Affected admira- tion of the government of France, &c 308 G. Montagu, Esq. Sept. 17, 1769. Visit to Versailles — To St. Cyr 312 G. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, Oct. 13, 1769. On Mr. Montagu's appointment of private secretary to Lord North 318 G. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry-hill, Oct. 16, 1769. On his own tragedy, and the bad taste of the public . . 319 The Hon. H, S. Conway, Nov. 14, 1769. On the litera- ture and politics of the day 321 G. Montagu, Esip Arlington-street, Dec. 14, 1769. Death of Mrs. Trevor — The Brothers 324 G. Montagu, Esq. March 31, 1770 326 G. Montagu, Es(]. Strawberry-hill, May 6, 1770. New institution ut Almac's, &c 327 CONTENTS OF VOL. III. xH Page To G. Montagu, Esq. June 1 1, 1/70, Lord Dysart's house at Ham 329 G. Montagu, Esq. June 29, 1770. Promising a visit to Mr. Montagu, on his way to Stowe 331 G. Montagu, Esq. Adderbury, July 1, 1770. On not finding him at home 333 G. Montagu, Esq. Strawberry-hill, July 7, 1770. Ac- count of his visit to Stowe 33.'i The Earl of Straftord, July 9, 1770. Visit to Stowe, &c. 340 The Hon. H.S.Conway, Arlington-street, July 12, 1770. Visit to Stowe 342 G.Montagu, Esq. Strawberry-hill, July 14, 1770. On the reversion of Mr. Walpole's place 344 G. Montagu, Esq. Correcting an error in his last letter 345 G. Montairu, Esq. Oct. 3, 1770. On his own illness . . 347 Ci. Montagu, Esq. Arlington-street, Oct. 16, 1770. On his illness 348 The Earl of Strafford, Oct, l(j, 1770. In answer to his lordship's inquiries after his health 349 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Nov. 15, 1770. Soliciting his in- terest in Cambridgeshire for Mr. Brand 350 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Nov. 20, 1 770 35 1 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Dec. 20, 1770. On the History of (lOthic Architecture — .\necdotes of Paisiting 352 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Christmas day 355 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Dec. 29, 1770. Change in the French ministry 357 The Rev, Mr. Cole, Jan. 10, 1771. Suggestions to get Mr. Essex's work on Gothic Architecture patronized by his majesty 3(10 The Rev. Mr. Cole, May 29, 1771. Requesting him to copv some letters of Edward \l 352 The Rev. Mr. Cole, June 11, 1771. On the different attacks made on his writings 3C3 VOL. 1. * Xlii CONTENTS OF VOL. III. Page To the Earl of Straflford, Strawberry-hill, June 20, 1/71. On his intended visit to Paris 365 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Arlington-street, June 22, 1771. On the cross proposed to be erected at Ampthill to the memory of Catherine of Arragon .')07 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Strawberry-hill, June 24, 1771. Thanks for some prints, &c 3()!) J. Chute, Esq. Amiens, July 9, 17/1. Account of his journey 370 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Paris, July 30, 1771. French politics — Amusements at Paris 373 J. Chute. Esq. Aug. 5, 1/71. Progress of English gar- dening at Paris — Painting by La Soeur at the Char- treuse — Death of Mr, Gray 377 The Hon. K. S. Conway, Aug. 11, 1771. Death of Mr. Gray 382 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Aug. 12, 1771. Death of Mr. Gray 383 The Earl of Strafford, Aug. 25, 1771. Climate of Paris — French politics, &c 385 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Arlington-street, Sept. 7, 1771. State of affairs in France, &c 387 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Strawberry-hill, Sept. 10, 1771. Thanks for some particulars of Mr. Gray's death, &c. 389 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Oct. 12, 1771. On Mr. Essex's de- sign for the cross at Ampthill 391 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Oct. 23, 1771. Additions to his collections at Strawberry ;][}[] The Hon. H. S. Conway, Jan, 7, 1772. Blowing up of the powder mills at Hounslow 3;).! The Rev. Mr. Cole, Arlington-street. Gray's Poems — Li- terary opinion of the age 3;)(j The Rev. Mr. Cole, June 9, 1772 3()Q The Rev. Mr. Cole, Strawberry-hill, June 17, 1772. Thanks for some literary researches — Lives of Le- land, Hearne, and Wood ,,,,. 399 CONTENTS QF VOL. III. xlui Page To the Hon. H. S. Conway. June 22, 1/72. Lives of Lc- land, Hearne, and Wood^ &c 401 Thje Rev. Mr. Cole, June 28, 1/72. With a present of King Edward's letters, &c 405 The Rev. Mr. Cole, July 28, 1772. Antiquarian Society, &c 407 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Aug. 25, 1/72. Requesting him to pre- sent his thanks to Dr. Browne, for a goar stone that belonged to Mr. Gray 409 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Aug. 28, 1772. Inquiries after some prints, &c 411 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Nov. 7, 1772. Regretting his not being able to see Mr. Essex 412 The Rev. Mr. Cole. On the rapacity of a gentleman who had thinned Mr. Cole's collection of prints 414 The Countess of Ailesbury, Arlington-street, Dec. 29, 1772. Account of the " Histoire philosopJnque et politique dii commerce des deux Indcs 415 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Jan. 8, 1773. Mr. Masters's pam- phlet — Opinion of antiquarian writers 417 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Feb. 18, 1773. His publication of Miscellaneous Antiquities, &c 420 The Rev. Mr. Cole, April 7, 1773. Tlie second volume of the Archaaologia — Sale of Mr. West's books, &c. ... 423 The Rev. Mr. Cole, April 27, 1773. His opinion of au- thors 425 The Rev. Mr. Cole, May 4, 1 773. On being mentioned by the public orator at Cambridge, when presenting a relation of Mr, Walpole's for his honorary degree ... 427 The Rev. Mr. Cole, May 29, 1773. Apologizing for de- lay in thanking him for some presents 429 Dr. Berkenhaut, July 6, 1773. Excuses for not furnish- ing materials for a biographical notice of himself ... 430 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Aug. 30, 1773. On the private affairs of his nephew George carl of Or ford 431 xliv CONTENTS OF VOL. Ill, Page To tlie Earl of Strafford, Strawberry-hill, Sept. 24, 1773. His nephew's affairs — Lady Huntingdon and the Methodists 433 The Earl of Strafford, Arlington-street, Nov. 15, 1773. The best way of contending with the folly and vice of the world — The Irish tax 435 The Rev. Mr. Cole, INIay 4, 1774. Temptations to visit Strawberry 437 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Strawberry-hiil, ^lay 28, 1774. Pen- nant's Tour to Scotland, tcc 439 The Rev. Mr. Cole, .Tune 21, 1774 443 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Matson, Aug. 15, 1774. Account of his journey into Worcestershire, &:c 445 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Strawberry-hill, June 23, 1774 452 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Aug. 18, 1774. On Mr. Conway's introduction to the king of Prussia — Notice of his journey into Worcestershire 451 The Hon. H. S.Conway, Sept. 1 , 1774. On Mr. Con- way's visit to the mines of Cremnitz, cxc 457 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Sept. 27, 1774. Character of different nations — Elections, &c 4ri() The Hon. II. S, Conway, Sept. 28, 1774. Requesting him to visit Madame du Deffaud, (S.c 464 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Oct. 1 1, 1774. Grainger's Supple- ment 469 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Oct. Hi, 1 77 1. TJie election, &c 469 The Hon. H. S, Conway, Oct. 29, 1774. On Mr. Conway's losing his seat in jjarliament — Mentioning \\hat is f'cst wortli seeing at Paris 474 The Countess of Ailcsbury, Nov. 7, 1774. Domestic news, politics, ivc 478 The Earl of Strafford, Nov. ] 1, 1774 482 The Hon. 11. S. Conwav, Nov. 12, 1774. Madame du CONTENTS OF VOL. III. xlv Defiaud — American politics — Inquiries aflcr, and opinions of many distinguished foreigners 483 To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Arlingtou-strccl, Nov. 27, 1774. American politics — French politics, &c 490 The Hon. H. S, Conway, Dec. 1.), 1774. American politics 495 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Dec. 26, 1774. On his illness — American petition, &c 498 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Dec. 31, 17/4. His recovery — History of Fiirness abbey, &c 502 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Jan. 9, 1775. Thanks for a copy of a letter by Nel Gwyn, &c 506 CONTENTS OP VOL. IV. Page To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Arlington -street, Jan, 15, 1775. News from America — Humorous account of a new Parnassus, &c 1 The Rev. Mr. Cole, April 1 1, 1775. Mason's Life of Gray 7 The Rev. Mr. Cole, April 25, 1775. Life of Gray — History of Manchester 12 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Strawberry-hill, .Tune 5, 1/55. Ge- nealogical inquiries, &c 17 The Hon. H. S. Conway, July 9, 1775. News from America — Twickenham anecdote, &c 20 The Countess of Ailcsbury, [Calais,] Aug. 17, 1775. Account of his journey, &c 22 The Countess of Ailesbury, Paris, Aug. 20, 1775. His arrival at Paris — Madame du Dcflfand 24 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Sept. 8, 1775. On Lady Ailes- bury's being overturned in her carriage — Madame du Dcffand and other friends at Paris 26 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Oct. C, 1775. Madame du Deffand's illness 29 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Strawberry-hill, Dec. 10, 1775 ... 33 The Countess of Ailcsbury, Arlington-street, Dec. 12, 1775. Postponement of the trial of the duchess of Kins:$ton , . , , < . 35 Xlviii CONTENTS OF VOL. IV. Page To the Rev. Mr, Cole, Dec. 14, 17/5. Antiquarian So- ciety — Prints from pictures at Houghton 36 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Jan. 26, ]776. Suggestions in ex- planation of the subject of the painting at the Rose Tavern — Enclosing the copy of a letter to Mr. Astle on the attainder of George duke of Clarence, discover- ed in the Tower 38 The Rev. Mr. Cole, March 6, 1776. Painting at the Rose Tavern, &c 43 Dr. Gem, April 4, 1776". French politics — Lit de just'tcc — Parliament, &c 44. The Rev. Mr. (o!e, April IG, 1776. Death of Mr. Grainger 48 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Strawberry-hill, June 1, 1776. Mr. Grainger's prints and works, &c 49 The Rev. Mr. Cole, June 11,1776 51 The Hon. H. S. Conway, June 30, 1776. Opinion of the age, and his own talents and pursuits 52 The Rev. Mr. Cole, July 23, 1776. Thanks for the pre- sent of a vase 55 The Rev. Mr. Cole, July 24, 1776. On General Con- way's illness 56 The Hon. H. S. Conway, July 31. On the opening of parliament — Gloomy state of affairs, &c 59 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Aug. 19, 1776 62 The Rev. iNlr. Cole, Sept. 9, 1776. Alterations at Straw- berry, &c 63 The Earl of Strafford, Nov. 2, 1776. Warwith America, &c. d^'* The Rev. Mr. Cole, Dec. 9, 1776. Sir J.Hawkins's History ot'Music C)7 Mr. Allan, Strawberry-hill, Dec. 9, 1776. Thanks for prinls of Bishop Trevor 68 The Rev. Air. ( oie, Arlington-street, Feb. 20, 1777. On his late purchase of the shutters of the altar of St. Edmondsbury , , 69 CONTENTS OI' VOL. IV. xll'x To t!:e Rev. Mr. Cole, Feb. 2", 1777- OtTLTui;;- to borro^.v some of Mr. Cole's MSS 72 The Rev, ?Jr, Cole, May 22^, 1777. Illness ot his ne- phew, etc 7t The Rev. }vlr. Cole, May 28, 1777- Inthnatioa of a pre- sent of pictures, &c 7G The Rev. Mr. Cole, Strawberry-liiil, June 19, 1777- On Chattertoii's death /(J The Hon. FI. S. Conway, July 10, 1777. On the ex- pected visit of a party of French nobility — Madame Necker's character of himself 78 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Aug. 31, 1777. Illness of the duke of (Tlouccster — Monasteries and a recluse life 80 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Sept. 1(5, 1777. Thanks for loan of Mr. Cole's MSS 82 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Sept. lli, 1777. On the de- lineator, just invented 84 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Sept. 22, 1777. Sutrgcsting a Life of Mr. Baker — Burnet's History , 8G The Rev. Mr. Cole, Oct. 2, 1777 00 The Hon. II. S. Conway, Oct. 5, 1777. Apologies for not meeting him at Goodwood 90 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Oct. 19, 1777. Bishop Burnet, &c Di The Rev. Mr. Cole, Arlington-street, March 31, 1778. Life of Mr. Baker, &c 97 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Strawberry-hill, April 2;5, 1778. Lord Hardwick's State Papers, &c 98 The Rev. Mr. Cole, May 21, 1778. His intercourse with Chatterton, &c 100 The Rev. Mr. Cole, June 3, 1778. Politics — Lord Chat- ham, &e 103 The Rev. Mr. Cole, June 10, 1778. His political prin- ciples, and opinion of parties and political men, &c. 105 The Countess of Ailcsbury, June 25, 17/8 109 VOL. 1. J 1 CONTENTS OF VOL. IV. Piige To the Hon, H. S. Conway, July 8, 1778. On the advisa- bility of a peace — Political opinions 110 The Rev. Mr. Cole^ July 12, 1778. Mr. Cole's notes for a Life of Mr. Baker — Criticism in the Biograpliia Britannica, &c 1 1*^ The Hon, H. S. Conway, July 18, 1 778. Sailing of the Brest fleet, &c 117 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Strawberry-hill, July 24, 1778. His answer to the attack prefixed to Chatterton's works 119 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Aug. 1.5, 1778. The same subject 120 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Aug. 21, 1778. Recollections of Sussex, &c 122 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Aug. 22, 17/8. Chatterton — Attack in the Critical Review — Old English Baron, &c 124 The Rev. Mr, Cole, Sept. 1, 1778. Critical Review — An- tiquarian Society — Visit from Dr. Kippis 129 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Sept. 18, 1778. Biographia Brit- tannica — Life of Lord Barrington, &c 133 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Oct. 14, 1778. Defence of his father against a charge of instigating King George II. to destroy the will of his father George 1 136 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Oct. 23, 1778 140 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Oct. 26, 1 778. On his Life of Mr. Baker, written from Mr. Cole's notes 141 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Arlington-street, Nov. 4, 1778. The same subject ] 43 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Strawberry-hill, Jan. 3, 1779. The same subject 144 The Hon. H. S.Conway, Arlington-street, Jan. 9, 1779. On his illness, and the prospects of old age 146 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Jan. 15, 1779. Life of Mr, Baker, &c 149 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Jan. 28, 1779 151 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Feb. 4, 1779. In answer to Mr. Cole'8 objections to his Life of Mr. Baker 152 CONTENTS or VOL. IV. li Page To the Rev. Mr. Cole, Feb. 18, 1/79. Hasted's History of Kent 153 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Strawberry-hill, March 28, 17/9. Swinburne's Travels in Spain — Cumberland's Ca- lypso, &c 154 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Arlington-street, April 12, 1/79. Murder of Miss Ray, &c 156 The Rev. Mr. Cole, April 20, 1779 158 The Rev. Mr. Cole, April 23, 1779. Pictures at Houghton 159 The Rev. Mr. Cole. History of the Abbey of Bee — Sketches from Nature ] GO The Hon. H. S. Conway, May 22, 1779. The attack on .Jersey — America, &c 162 The Rev, Mr. Cole, Strawberry-hill, June 2, 1779. Fifth volume of the Archseologia, &c 164 The Rev. Mr. Lort, June 4, 1779. On the painted shutters from the altar of St. Edmondsbury 166 The Hon. H. S. Conway, June .j, 1779. Disturbances in Ireland — Political pamphlets, &c 168 The Countess of Ailesbury, June 8, 1779 173 The Hon. II. S. Conway, June 16, 1779. Sailing of the Brest fleet — Probability of a Spanish war 175 The Hon. G. Ilardinge, July 4, 1779. Thanks for drawings of Grignon — Madame de Sevigne 178 The Countess of Ailesbury, July 10, 1779. Political situation of the country 180 The Rev. Mr. Cole, July 12, 1779. Pictures at Hough- ton, &c 184 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Aug. 12, 1779 186 The Countess of Ailesbury, Friday night, 1779. Situa- tion of General Ccnway in Jersey, &c 187 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Sept. 13, 1 779 190 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Berkeley-square, Nov. 16, 1779. The old gate at Whitehall — Nichols's Alien Priories 192 lii CONTENTS OF VOL. IV. Page To the Rev. Mr. Cole, Dec. 27. 1/79. New History of Gloucestersliire . . .'. J 94 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Jan. 5, 1 780. Old painting discovered in Vrestminster Aljbey, &c 195 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Feb. 5, 1780. New volume of the Biographia Britannica 198 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Feb. 27, 1780. Sir G. Rodney's victory 201 The Rev. Mr. Cole, March (5, 1780. Thanks for his portrait in glass, &.c 204 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Strawberry-hill, IMarcli 13, 1780. Roman antiquities in England — Correspondence of Hackman and Miss Ray 20G The Rev. Mr. Cole, Berkeley-square, March 30, 1780. Projected reform in the House of Commons 210 The Rev. Mr. Cole, May II, 17S0. Death of his old friend Mr. G. Montagu 211 The Rev. Mr. Cole, May 19, 1780. Character of Mr. Jos. Spence, &c 213 The Rev. Mr. Cole, May 30, 1780. Shutters from the altar of St. Edmondsbury 215 The Earl of Strafford, Strawberry-hill, June 12, 1780. Lord George Gordon and the riots in London 217 The Rev. Mr. Cole, June 15, 1780. Riots in London ... 220 The Rev. Mr. Cole, July 4, 1/80. Requesting Mr. Cole not to mention his having written a Life of Mr. Baker 222 The Earl of Strafford, Sept. 9, 1780. The elections, &c 223 The Rev. I\lr. Cole, Sept. 27, 1780. The elections, &c. 225 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Berkeley-square, Oct. 3, 1780 22G The Rev. Mr. Cole, Nov. 11, 1780. Mr. Cough's To- pography, &e 227 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Nov. 21, 1780. Mr. Cough's To- pograpliy — Mr. Pennant, &c 231 . The Rev. Mr. Cole, Nov. 30, 1780. In ansv.cr to a re- CONTENTS OF VOL. IV. liii quest of his Anecdotes for the University library at Cambridge 233 To the llev. Mr. Cole, Dec. 19, 1780. Engraving of Straw- berry-liill, &c 236 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Jan. 1781. Political situation of the country , 238 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Feb. 7, 1/81. Death of Lady Or- ford 241 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Feb. 9, 1781. Opinion of Mr. Cole's MSS 242 The Rev. Mr. Cole, March 2, 1781. On being chosen a member of the Antiquarian Society at Edinburgh ... 244 The Rev. Mr. Cole, March 5, 1781. Inquiries after a Walpoliana, of which Mr. Cole had given him notice 245 The Rev. Mr. Cole, March 29, 1781. Contradicting a report of Mr. Pennant's illness 246 The Rev. Mr. Cole, May 4^ 1/81. On his own rank as an author, in answer to a complimentary letter from Mr. Cole 248 The Hon. H. S. Conway, May 6, 1781. Relief of Gibraltar, &c 250 The Rev. Mr. Cole, May IG, 1781. Life of Hogarth- Odes Strawbcrrianai 254 The Hon. II. S. Conway, May 28, 1781. French and American politics, &c 257 The Hon. II. S. Conway, Strawberry-hill, June 3, 1/81. On the return of Mr. Conway's nephew from Gib- raltar — Debates in the House of Commons 2()I The Earl of Strafford, .lune 13, 1781 2C5 The Rev. Mr. Cole, .July 7, 1781. His explanation t)f orthodoxy, &c = 267 The Rev, Mr. Cole, .Tuly 2(), 1781 269 The Earlof Straflord, Aug. 31, 1781 270 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Sept. 16, 1781. Their long fricndsliip— Madame dn Deft'and's papers 2/3 liv CONTEXTS OF VOL. IV. Page To Mr. Nichols, Oct. 31, 1781 . Criticism 'on Mr. Nichols's Life of Hogarth 2/5 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Berkeley-square, Nov. 18, 1/81. Mr. Jephsoii's tragedy of the Count of Narbonne ... 279 The Earl of Strafford, Nov. 27, 1781. Defeat in America, and gloomy foreboding of the consequences 280 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Dec. 30, 1781. Rowley and Chat- terton controversy 283 The Rev. Mr. Cole, .Tan. 27, 1782. Interview with, and character of Mr. Gough and Mr. Stevens 288 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Feb. 14, 1782. Thanks for the loan of some MSS 290 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Feb. 15, 1782. Specimen of Mr. Gough's Sepulchral Monuments 293 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Feb. 22, 1782. Rowley controversy 297 The Hon. G. Hardinge, March 8, 1782. On the success of Mr. Conway's motion in the House of Commons, to put an end to the American war 299 The Rev. Mr. Cole, March 9, 1782. Declaration of war by the Emperor against the Turks 300 The Rev. Mr. Cole, April 13, 1782. Preference of Englisli to Latin inscriptions, &c. . . . o 301 The Hon. G. Hardinge, April 18, 1782. On Mr. Har- dinge's preferment 305 The Rev. Mr. Colo, May 14, 1782. On the death of Mr. Cole's niece 307 The Rev. Mr. Cole, May 24, 1 782. On his own ill- ness — Chatterton controversy 307 The Rev. Mr. Cole, June 1, 1782. New volume of Pennant, &c 309 Mr. Nichols, June 19, 1782. Correcting an error of]\Ir. Nichols, in naming the translator of Cato's speech into Latin 312 The Rev. Mr. Cole, June 21, 1782. Error in Mr. Nichols's Select Poems 313 CONTENTS OF VOL. IV. Iv Page To Mr. Nichols, June 30. Thanks for some prints, &c. . . 316 The Rev. Mr. Cole, July 23, 1/82. Nichols's Life of Mr. Bowyer 316 The Earl of Strafford, Strawberry-hill, Aug. 16, 1/82 . . 318 Mr. Nichols, Aug. 18, 1782. Thanks for some prints 320 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Sept. 17, 1782. On Mr. Conway's new coke-ovens, &c 320 The Earl of Strafford, Oct. 3, 1782. General Elliot's success at Gibraltar, &c . 322 The Rev. Mr. Cole, Nov. 5, 1782, On Mr. Cole's illness 325 The Hon. G. Hardinge, Berkeley-square, May 17, 1783 327 The Earl of Strafford, Strawberry-hill, June 24, 1783. Visits of the French to England — Their Anglomanie 329 Mr. Gough, July 5, 1783. Thanks for a present 333 The Earl of Strafford, Aug. 1, 1783. Speculations on the peace — Shock of an earthquake 333 The Hon. H.S.Conway, Aug. 15,1783. On the address of the Irish volunteers — Political speculations .... 338 The Earl of Strafford, Sept. 12, 1783. Astley's theatre, &c 340 The Earl of Strafford, Oct. 11, 1783. Disturbed state of Ireland, &.C 343 Governor Pownall, Oct, 27, 1783. Observations on a defence of Sir Robert AValpole, by Governor Pownall 346 Governor Pownall, Berkeley-square, Nov. 7, 1783. Same subject 352 The Earl of Strafford, Nov. 10, 1783. vSltuation of Ire- land, &c 353 The Earl of Strafford, Dec. 11, 1783. Excellence of letter writing — Debates in parliament , 356 The Hon. II. S. Conway, May 5, 1784. On Mr. Con- way's retirement from place and parliament 359 The Hon. H, S.Conway, Strawberry-hill, May 21, J 784. Lord Melcombe's Diary 362 Ivi CONTENTS OF VOL. IV. Page To die Hon. II. S. Conway, June 25, 1784 3fJ5 The Hon. H. S. Conway, June 30, 1/84. Bad weather — Air balloons, &c 367 The Earl of Strafford, Aug. G, 1781. Tncertainty of human reasoning 3C9 The Hon. H. S. Conway,' Aug. 14, 1784. Frequency of robberies in his neighbourhood 371 The Earl of Strafford, Sept. 7, 1/84. On the return of fine weather, &c 372 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Oct. 15, 1784. Speculations on the perfection of balloons 374 Mrs. H. More, Nov. 13, 1784. Mrs. Yearsley's Poems, the milkwomau of Bristol 377 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Nov. 28, 1784. Continental politics — Epistle to Lady Lyttelton 381 Mr. Pinkerton, March 17, 1785. On being informed that a bookseller had collected his writings, and intended to write his life — On Mr. Pinkerton's contemplated History of the Reign of George H 384 Mrs. H, More, Berkeley-square, April 5, 1785. In an- swer to an anonymous letter from Mrs. More, ridicu- ling the prevailing adoption of French idioms into the English language 389 Mr. Pinkerton, June 25, 1785, Literary criticisms — On grace 391 The Hon. H. S.Conway, Strawberry-hill, Oct. 6, 1785. Windows at New College — Bosweli's Life of John- son, &c 399 Mrs. H. More, Berkeley-square, Feb. 9, 178G. On her poem of Florio, dedicated to Mr. \\'aii)o!e 402 The Hon. II. S. Conway, June 18, 178G. Visit to Gunnersbiiry 404 R. Cough, Esq. June 21, 178G. Thanks for a prc:>cnt of his Scoulchral Monuments 407 The Earl of Strafford, Strawberry-hill, Aug. 29, 178G. Newbridge at I lenh'y— Archbishop Ciiieheley, i^cc, 409 CONTKN'IS OF VOL. IV. h 11 r;';;c- To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Oct. 29, 1786. Enclosing two charades by Colonel Fitzpatrick 412 The Right Hon. Elizabeth Lady Craven, Berkeley-square, Nov. 27, 1786". Apologies for not having ^^rittell, and thanks for a drawing uf tlic castle of Otranto . . 415 Mrs. H. More, .Ian. 1, 17v:^7. With a present of Christine de Pise 418 Lady Craven, Jan. 2, 1787. On her ladyship's travels 419 Mrs. H. .More, Feb, 23, 1 787 422 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Strawberry-hill, Jnne 17, 1787. Disappointment of a visit from Princess Luboiuirski 4215 The Earl of Strafford, July 28,1787 42.5 Mrs. H. More, Oct. 14, 1787. Ingratitude of }»lrs. Years- ley to Mrs. More, &c ^127 The Hon. H. S. Conway, I3erkeley-S(ji:are, Xov. 11, 1 787. On the small Druidic temple presented by the states of Jersey to General (Jon way 430 Mr. Gough, May 8, 1788. In ausv.er to some literary inquiries 432 J. Barrett, Esq. June .'), 1788. Gibbon's History — Sheridan's charge against Mr. Hastings 434 The Earl of Strafford, Sirawl)erry-hill, June 17, 1788. On General Conway's comedy of False Appearances — Sheridan's charge ag;iinst }vlr. Flasllngs 434 Mrs. H. More, July 4, 1788. On newspaj)crs, cS.c 439 Mrs. H. More, July 12, 1788. On his own writings, &c. 442 The Earl of Straft'ord, Aug. 2, 17SS. On a reported discovery of new letters of JSIadamc de Sevignc's — Letters of the duchess of Orleans 44(3 The Earl of Strafford, Sept. 12, 1788. The Druidic tem- ple erected at Park Place, &c 449 Mrs. H. More, Sept. 22, 1788. On the ingratitude of Mrs. Yearsley to Mrs. More 452 Lady Craven, Berkeley-square, Dec. 11. 1788. Memoirs of the king of Prussia, &c 4.57 vol,. I. o Iviii CONTENTS OF VOL. IV. Page To Mrs. H. More, April 22, 1789. The botanic garden— Mr. Conway's comedy, &c. 461 Mr, Gough, May 28, 1789 464 Mrs. H. More, Strau berry-hill, June 23, 1789. On her poem of Bonner's Ghost 464 Mrs. H. More, July 2, 1789. Thanks for permission to print Bonner's Ghost at Strawberry, &c 467 Mrs. H. More, July 10, 1/89. Bonner's Ghost, &c 47 I The lion. H. S. Conway. Dimissal of Necker, and dis- turbances in France 472 Mrs. H. More, July 20, 1789. Visit from the bishop of London, &c. 475 Mr. Gough, Aug. 24, 1789. On the alterations at Salis- bury cathedral 478 Mrs. H. More, Sept. 1789. Destruction of the Bastille — Slavery — ('liatterton, &c 479 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Sept. 5, 1789. On a poem written by General Conwav' — Political situation of France 484 Mrs. H. More, Nov. 4, 1789. Mrs. Yearsley's Earl Goodwin — Slavery, &.c 487 Mrs. H. More, Berkeley-square, Feb. 20, 1790. With his contributions to a charitable subscription 492 Mr. Gough^May 17, 1790 493 The Earl of Strafford, Strawberry-hill, June 26, 1790. Political ojjinions in France, &c 494 The Hon. H. S.Conway, July, 1790. I'ruce's Travels — French politics, &c 19.'J The Hon. H. S. (Jonuay, Aug. 9. Peace with Spain, 8:c. 498 The Earl of Strafford, Aug. 12,1790. French revolu- tion — Anticipation of its consctjuences 499 The Hon. II. S. Conway, Sept. 27, 1791. French re- volution, tS:e 501 Mrs. H. More, Berkeley-square, Sept. 29, 1791 . His health— The Mis:-.es Bern — Prcsbvterians, iS.c 50.") CONTENTS OF VOL. IV. lix Page To Mrs. H. More, Jan. ], 1/92. On the increase of trouble and business on his accession to his title oil Lady * * *. On her ladyship's travels 513 Mr. Gough, March 15, 1/92. In answer to some in- quiries relating to Vertue 518 T. Barrett, Esq. May 14, 1/92. Darwin's Triumph of Flora 519 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Strawberry-hiU, Aug. 31. 1/92. French revolution — Anecdote of the duchess of York, &c 520 Mr, Gough, Nov. 14, 1/92. In answer to an inquiry after a portrait of Law 524 Mrs. II. More, Berkeley-square, Feb. 9, 1/93. Be- heading of Louis XVI. — French assignats — Anec- dotes of Madame Elizabeth, &c 525 Mrs. H. More, March 23, 1793. On her Vilhge Politics — French revolution, &c 530 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Strawberry-hiU, June 13, 1793. On partv, &c 535 The Hon. H. S. Conway, July 17, 1793. The hot wea- ther — Proceedings in France 537 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Berkeley-square, Jan. 10, 1794. Gloomy prospect uf aflairs 539 Mrs. 11. More, April 27, 1794. An invitation 540 The Rev. Mr. Beloe, Strawberry-hiU, Dec. 2, 1794. On the intended dedication of his translation of Aulus Gellius 541 Mrs. H. More, Berkeley-square, Jan. 24, 1795. On her plan for a cheap repository for books, &c 543 Mrs. H. More, Feb. 13, 1795. On sonic ballads, stories, &c. written by Mrs. More, for the cheap repository ... 546 ^^'. Roscoe, Esq. April 4, 1795. Thanks for, and criti- cism on his Life of Lorenzo di'Mediei 547 The Hon. H. S. Conway, Strawbcrry-hlil, .luly 2, !79"). Expected visit from the queen, <\c 551 Ix CONTENTS OF VOL. IV. Page To the Hon. H, S. Conway, July 7, 1795. Account of the queen's visit, &c , .052 Mrs. H. More, Aug. 29, 171)6. Account of his health, &c 554 Mr. Gough, Berkeley-square, Dec. 5^ 179G. Thanks for the second volume of his Sepulchral Monuments 557 The Rev. "\V. Mason. On Doctor Robertson's contem- plated History of King William, &c 558 The Rev. W. Mason. A speculation on a new subject for poets, &c 562 TheCountess* * * *. Jan. 13, 1797 565 CORRESPONDENCE HON. HORACE WALPOLE. To RICHARD WEST, Esq. King's College, Nov, 9, 1*735. Dear West,i You expect a long letter from me, and have said in verse all that I intended to have said in far inferior prose. I intended filling three or four sides with exclamations against an university life, but you have showed me how strongly they may be expressed in three or four lines. I can't build I Richard West was the only son of the right honourable Richard West, lord chancellor of Ireland, by Elizabeth, daugh- ter of the celebrated Dr. Burnet bishop of Salisbury. — This note is by the editor of the quarto edition of lord Orford's Works, and I wish here to observe that, with very trifling al- teration, the notes to all the published letters have been re- tained. After this acknowledgment, it must be useless to par- ticularise them. VOL. I. B 2 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE without straw ; nor have I the ingenuity of the spider, to spin fine lines out of dirt : a master of a college would make but a miserable figure as a hero of a poem, and Cambridge sophs are too low to introduce into a letter that aims not at punning : Haud equidem invideo vati, quern pulpita pascunt. But why mayn't we hold a classical correspond- ence ? I can never forget the many .agreeable hours we have passed in reading Horace and Virgil ; and I think they are topics will never grow stale. Let us extend the Roman empire, and cultivate two barbarous towns o'er-run with rusticity and mathematics. The creatures are so used to a circle, that they plod on in the same eternal round, with their whole view confined to a punctum, cigus nulla est pars : Their time a moment, and a point their space. Orabunt causas melius, ecch'que meatus Describent radio, et surgentia sidcra dicent : Tu coluisse novem Musas, Romane, memento; Hae tibi erunt artes We have not the least poetry stirring here ; for I can't call verses on the 5th of November and SOth of January by that name, more than four lines on a chapter in the New Testament is an HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 3 epigram. Tydeus ' rose and set at Eton : he is only known here to be a scholar of King's. Orosmades and Almanzor are just the same ; that is, I am almost the only person they are acquaint- ed with, and consequently the only person ac- quainted with their excellencies. Plato improves every day : so does my friendship with him. These three divide my whole time — though I be- lieve you will guess there is no quadruple alli- ance :- that was a happiness which I only enjoyed when you was at Eton. A short account of the Eton people at Oxford would much oblige, My dear West, Your faithful friend. To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq.s King's College, May 2, 1736. Dear Sir, Unless I were to be married myself, I should despair ever being able to describe a wedding so 1 Tydeus, Orosmades, Almanzor, and Plato, were names which had been given by them to some of their Eton school- fellows. 2 Thus as boys they had called the intimacy formed at Eton between Walpole, Gray, West, and Asheton. 3 George Montagu was the son of Brigadier-General Edward Montagu, and nephew to the second earl of Halifax. He was member of parliament for Northampton, usher of the black rod B 2 4 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE well as you have done: had I known jour talent before, I would have desired an epithalamium. I believe the princess* will have more beauties bestowed on her by the occasional poets, than even a painter would afford her. They will cook up a new Pandora, and in the bottom of the box enclose Hope, that all they have said is true. A great many, out of excess of good breeding, having heard it was rude to talk Latin before women, propose complimenting her in English ; which she will be much the better for. I doubt most of them, instead of fearing their compo- sitions should not be understood, should fear they should : they write they don't know what, to be read by they don't know who. You have made me a very unreasonable request, which I will answer with another as extraordinary : you desire I would burn your letters ; I desire you would keep mine. I know but of one way of making what I send you useful, which is, by sending you a blank sheet : sure you would not grudge three- pence for a half-penny sheet, when you give as much for one not worth a farthing. You drew this last paragraph on you by your exordium, as in Ireland, during the lieutenancy of the earl of Halifax, ranger of Salsey Forest, and private secretary to lord North when chancellor of the exchequer. make you the return you ask, by waiting on yoi myself. 'Tis not in my power, from more cii- cumstances than one, which are needless to tcl you, to accompany you and lord Conway ' to Ital): you add to the pleasure it would give me, by asl- ing it so kindly. You I am infinitely obliged tc, as I was capable, my dear George, of making yoi forget for a minute that you don't propose stirring from the dear place you are now in. Poppies in deed are the chief flowers in love nosegays, bu they seldom bend towards the lady; at least no till the other flowers have been gathered. Prince Volscius's boots were made of love-leather, ant honour-leather ; instead of honour, some people'; are made of friendship : but since you have beer * Francis Seymour Conway, son of Francis Seymour, lore Conway, and Charlotte, daughter of John Shorter, esq. 16 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE 50 good to me as to draw on this, I can almost believe you are equipped for travelling farther than Rheims. *Tis no little inducement to make me wish myself in France, that I hear gallantry is not left off there ; that you may be polite, and not be thought awkward for it. You know the Dretty men of the age in England use the women mth no more deference than they do their coach- lorses, and have not half the regard for them, hat they have for themselves. The little free- loms, you tell me, you use, take off from forma- ity, by avoiding which ridiculous extreme we are Iwindled into the other barbarous one, rusticity, f you had been at Paris, I should have inquired ibout the new Spanish ambassadress, who, by the iccounts we have thence, at her first audience of he queen, sat down with her at a distance, that suited respect and conversation. Adieu, dear George, Yours most heartily. To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Christopher Inn, Eton. The Christopher. Lord! how great I used to think any body just landed at the Christoplier ! But here are no boys for me to send for — here I am like Noah just returned into his old world again, with all sorts of queer feels about me. By HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 17 the way, the clock strikes the old cracked sound — I recollect so much, and remember so little — and want to play about — and am so afraid of my play-fellows — and am ready to shirk Asheton — and can't help making fun of myself — and envy a dame over the way that has just locked in her boarders, and is going to sit down in a little hot parlour to a very bad supper, so comfortably ! and I could be so jolly a dog if I did wot fat, which by the way is the first time the word was ever applicable to me. In short I should be out of all bounds, if I was to tell you half I feel, how young again I am one minute, and how old the next. But do come and feel with me when you will — to-morrow — adieu ! If I don't compose myself a little more before Sunday morning when Asheton is to preach, I shall certainly be in a bill for laugh- ing at church ; but how to help it, to see him in the pulpit, when the last time I saw him here, was standing up funking over against a conduit to be catechised. Good night j yours. VOL. I. is COUKESPONDENCE OE THE To IlICHARD WEST, Esq. Paris, April 21, N. S. 1739. Dear West, You figure us in a set of pleasures, which, beheve me, we do not find ' : cards and eating are so uni- versal, that they absorb all variation of pleasures. The operas indeed are much frequented three times a week ; but to me they would be a greater penance than eating maigre : their music resembles a gooseberry tart as much as it does harmony. We have not yet been at the Italian play-house ; scarce any one goes there. Their best amuse- ment, and which in some parts beats ours, is the comedy ; three or four of the actors excel any we liave : but then to this nobody goes, if it is not one of the fashionable nights, and then they go, be the play good or bad — except on Moliere's nights, whose pieces they are quite weary of. Gray and I have been at the Avare to-night : I cannot at all commend their performance of it. Last night I was in the place de Louis le grand (a regular octagon, uniform, and the houses handsome, though not so large as Golden-square), to see what they reckoned one of the finest buri- ' Mr. W^-ilpolc left Camljridge towards tlic ond nC tlio year l7f>S, and in March llM began liis travels, by goint,^ to Paris, icconipanicd by Mr. (ira\. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 19 als that ever was in France. It was the duke de Tresmes, governor of Paris and marshal of France. It began on foot from his palace to his parish- church, and from thence in coaches to the op- posite end of Paris, to be interred in the church of the Celestins, where is his family vault. About a week ago we happened to see the grave dig- ging, as we went to see the church, which is old and small, but fuller of fine ancient monuments than any except St. Denis, which we saw on the road, and excels Westminster; for the windows are all painted in mosaic, and the tombs as fresh and well preserved as if they were of yesterday. In the Celestins* church is a votive column to Francis II. which says, that it is one assurance of his being immortalized, to have had the martyr Mary Stuart for his wife. After this long digres- sion I return to the burial, which was a most vile thing. A long procession of flambeaux and friars ; no plumes, trophies, banners, led horses, scutch- eons, or open chariots ; nothing but friars, White, black, and grey, with all their trumpery. This goodly ceremony began at nine at night, and did not finish till three this morning; for, each church they passed, they stopped for a hymn and holy water. By the bye, some of these choice monks, who watched the body while it lay in state, fell asleep one night, and let tlie tapers 20 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE catch fire of the rich velvet mantle lined with er- mine and powdered with gold flower-de-luces, which melted the lead coffin, and burnt off the feet of the deceased before it wakened them. The French love show ; but there is a meanness reigns through it all. At tiie house where I stood to see this procession, the room was hung with crimson damask and ffold, and the windows were mended in ten or a dozen places with paper. At dinner they give you tlu'ee courses ; but a third of the dishes is patched up with sallads, butter, })uff-paste, or some such miscarriage of a dish. None, but Germans, wear fine clothes ; but their coaches are tawdry enough for the wedding of Cupid and Psyche. You would laugh extremely at their signs : some live at the Y grec, some at Venus's toilette, and some at the sucking cat. You would not easily guess their notions of ho- nour : I'll tell you one : it is very dishonourable for any gentleman not to be in the army, or in the king's service as they call it, and it is no dis- honour to keep public gaming-houses : there arc at least an hundred and fifty people of the first quality in Paris who live by it. You may go into their houses at all hours of the night, and find hazard, pharaoh, &c. The men who keep the hazard-table at the duke de (iesvrcs' pay him twelve guineas each night for the privilege. Even the princesses of the blood are dirty enough to have shares in the banks kept at their houses. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 21 We have seen two or three of them ; but they are not young, nor remarkable but for wearing their red of a deeper dye than other women, though all use it extravagantly. The weather is still so bad, that we have not made any excursions to see Versailles and the environs, not even walked in theThuilleries; but we have seen almost every thing else that is worth seeing in Paris, though that is very considerable. They beat us vastly in buildings, both in num))er and magnificence. The tombs of Richelieu and Mazarine at the Sorbonnc and the College de Quatre Nations are wonderfully fine, especially the former. We have seen very little of the people themselves, who are not inclined to be propitious to strangers, especially if they do not play, and speak the language readily. There are many English here : lord Holderness, Conway and Clin- ton, and lord George Bentinck ; Mr. Brand, Offley, Frederic, Frampton, Bonfoy, &c. Sir John Cotton's son and a Mr. Vernon of Cam- bridge passed through Paris last week. We shall stay here about a fortnight longer, and then go to Rheims with Mr. Conway for two or tlu'ee months. When you have nothing else to do, we shall be glad to hear from you; and any news. If we did not remember there was such a place as England, we should know nothing of it : the French never mention it, unless it happens to be hi one of their proverbs. Adieu ! Yours ever. 22 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE To-morrow we go to the CId. They have no farces, but petites pihes like our Devil to Pay. To RICHARD WEST, Esq. From Paris, 1739. Dear West, I SHOULD think myself to blame not to try to divert you, when you tell me I can. From the air of your letter you seem to want amusement, that is, you want spirits. I would recommend to you certain little employments that I know of, and that belong to you, but that I imagine bodily exercise is more suitable to your complaint. If you would promise me to read them in the Tem- ple garden, I would send you a little packet of plays and pamphlets that we have made up, and intend to dispatch to Dick's the first opportunity. — Stand by, clear the way, make room for the pompous appearance of Versailles le grand ! But no : it fell so short of my idea of it, mine, that I have resigned to Gray the office of writing its panegyric. He likes it. They say I am to like it better next Sunday ; when the sun is to shine, tlie king is to be fine, the water-works are to play, and the new kniglits of the Holy Ghost are to be installed ! Ever since Wednesday, the day we were there, we have done notliing but dispute about it. Tliey say, we did not see it to advantage, tiiat we ran througii ihe apartments, HON. HORACE W ALl'OLE. o- bLiw the garden cti passant, and sliibbcrctl over Trianon. I say, we saw nothing. However, we had time to see that the great front is a lumber of littlenesses, composed of black brick, stuck full of bad old busts, and fringed with gold rails. The rooms are all small, except the great gallery, which is noble, but totally wainscoted with look- ing-glass. The garden is littered witli statues and fountains, each of which has its tutelary dei- ty. In particular, the elementary god of fire solaces himself in one. In another, Enceladus, in lieu of a mountain, is overwhelmed with many waters. There are avenues of water-pots, who disport themselves much in squirting up cascade- lins. In short, tis a garden for a great child. Such was Louis quatorze, who is here seen in his proper colours, where he commanded in person, unassisted by his armies and generals, and Icil to the pursuit of his own puerile ideas of glory. We saw last week a place of another kind, and which has more the air of what it would be, than any thing I have yet met with : it was the convent of the Chartreux. All the conveniences, or rather (if there was such a word) all the adapl- menls are assembled here, that melancholy, medi- tation, selfish devotion, and despair would require. But yet 'tis pleasing. Soften the terms, and mel- low the uncouth horror that reigns here, but a little, and 'tis a charming solitude. It stands on •I large space of ground, i- old -i.ii:i ii tegular. 24. CORRESPONDENCE OF THE Tlie chapel is gloomy : behind it, through some dark passages, you pass into a large obscure hall, which looks like a combination. chamber for some hellish council. The large cloister surrounds their burying-ground. The cloisters are very narrow, and very long, and let into the cells, which are built like little huts detached from each other. We were carried into one, where lived a middle-aged man not long initiated into the order. He was extremely civil, and called him- self Dom Victor. We have promised to visit him often. Their habit is all white : but besides this, he was infinitely clean in his person ; and his apartment and garden, which he keeps and culti- vates without any assistance, was neat to a degree. He has four little rooms, furnished in the pretti- est manner, and hung with good prints. One of them is a library, and another a gallery. He has several canary-birds disposed in a pretty manner in breeding-cages. In his garden was a bed of good tulips in bloom, flowers and fruit-trees, and all neatly kept. They are permitted at certain hours to talk to strangers, but never to one ano- ther, or to go out of their convent. But what we chiefly went to see was the small cloister, with the history of St. Bruno, tiieir founder, painted by Le S(rur. It consists of twenty-two pictures, the figures a good deal less tlian life. J5ut sure they are amazing ! I don't know wiiat Raphael may be in Rome, but these pictures excel all I HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 25 have seen in Paris and England. The figure of the dead man who spoke at his burial, contains all the strongest and horridest ideas, of ghastli- ness, hypocrisy discovered, and the height of damnation; pain and cursing. A Benedictine monk, who was there at the same time, said to me of this picture : Cest une fable, mats on la croy- o'lt autrefois. Another, who showed me relics in one of their churches, expressed as much ridicule for them. The pictures I have been speaking of are ill preserved, and some of the finest heads defaced, which was done at first by a riv^al of Le Soeur's. Adieu! dear West, take care of your health ; and some time or other we will talk over all these things with more pleasure than I have had in seeing them. Yours ever. To RICHARD WEST, Esq. Rheims', June 18, 1739, N. S. Dear West, How I am to fill up this letter is not easy to di- vine. I have consented that Gray shall give you ^ Mr. Walpole, with his cousin Henry Seymour Conway and Mr. Gray, resided three months at Rheims, principally to ac- quire the French language. 26 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE an account of our situation and proceedings; and have left myself at the mercy of my own inven- tion — a most terrible resource, and which I shall avoid applying to, if I can possibly help it. I had prepared the ingredients for a description of a ball, and was just ready to serve it up to you, but he has plucked it from me. However, I was re- solved to give you an account of a particular song and dance in it, and was determined to write the words and sing the tune just as I folded up my letter : but as it would, ten to one, be opened before it gets to you, I am forced to lay aside this thought, though an admirable one. Well, but now I have put it into your liead, I suppose you won't rest without it. For that individual one, believe me, 'tis nothing without the tune and the dance ; but to stay your stomach, 1 wili send you one of their vaudevilles or ballads', which they sing at the comedy after their pelilcs pieces. You must not wonder if all my letters resemble dictionaries, Avith French on one side, and Eug-- lish on t'other ; I deal in nothing else at present, and talk a couple of words of each language al- ternately from morning till niglit. This has put my mouth a little out of tune at ])resent ; but I am trying to recover the use of it, by reading the ' riiit ballad does i)ul a[)[)t:ai. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. ^li news-papers aloud at breakfast, and by chewing the title-pages of all my English books. Besides tliis, I have paraphrased half the first act of your new Gustavus, which was sent us to Paris : a most dainty performance, and just what you say of it. Good night, I am sure you must be tired : if you are not, I am. Yours ever. To RICHARD WEST, Esq. Rhcims, July 20, 1739. Gray says, Indeed you ought to write to West. Lord, child, so I would, if I knew what to write about. If 1 were in London and he at Rheims, 1 would send him volumes about peace and war, Spaniards, camps and conventions ; but d'ye think he cares sixpence to know who is gone to Com- piegne, and when they come back, or who won and lost four livres at quadrille last night at Mr. Cockbert's ? — No, but you may tell him what you have heard of Compiegnc ; that they have balls twice a week after the play, and that the count d'Eu gave the king a most flaring entertainment in the camp, where the Polygone was represented in flowering shrubs. Dear West, these are the tilings I must tell you ; 1 don't know how to make 'em look sigtiilicant, unless you will be a Khe- 28 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE mois for a little moment'. I wonder you can stay out of the city so long, when we are going to have all manner of diversions. The comedians return hither from Compiegne in eight days, for example; and in a very little of time one attends the regiment of the king, three battalions, and an hundred of officers ; all men of a certain fa- shion, very amiable, and who know their world. Our women grow more gay, more lively from day to day in expecting them ; mademoiselle la Reinc is brewing a wash of a finer dye, and brushing up her eyes for their arrival. I.a Barone already counts upon fifteen of them ; and madame Lelu, finding her linen robe conceals too many beauties, has bespoke one of gauze. I won't plague you any longer with people you don't know, I mean French ones ; for you must ab- solutely hear of an Englishman that lately appeared at llheims. About two days ago, about four o'clock in the afternoon, and about an hour after dinner; from all which you may conclude we dine at two o'clock — as we were picking our teeth round a littered table, and in a crumby room, (Jray in an undress, Mr. Conway in a morning grey coat, and I in a trim wliite night-gown, and sh"p- pers, very nuich out of order, with a very httic 1 The three following paragraphs are a literal traiiblatioii of Freneh expressions to the same import. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. ^9 t-olil — a message discomposed us all of a sudden, with a service to i\Ir. Walpole from Mr. More, and that, if he pleased, he would wait on him. We scuttle up stairs in great confusion, but with no other damage than the flinging dow'n two or three glasses, and the dropping a slipper by the way. Having ordered the room to be cleaned out, and sent a very civil response to Mr. More, we becran to consider who Mr. More should be. Is it Mr. More of Paris ? No. Oh, 'tis Mr. IMore, my lady Tenham's husband ? No, it can't be he. A Mr. More then that lives in the Halifax family ? No. In short, after thinking of ten thousand more Mr. Mores, we concluded it could be never a one of 'em. By this time Mr. More arrives ; but such a i\Ir. ]\Iore ! a young gentleman out of the wilds of Ireland, who has never been in Eng- land, but has got all the ordinary language of that kingdom ; has been tw^o years at Paris, where he dined at an ordinary with the refugee Irish, and learnt fortifications, which he does not understand at all, and which yet is the only thing he knows. In short, he is a young swain of very uncouth phrase, inarticulate speech, and no ideas. This hopeful child is riding post into Lorrain, or any where else, he is not certain ; for if there is a war he shall go home again : for we must give the Spaniards another drubbing, you know^ ; and if the Dutch do but join us, we sliall blow u}) all llie ports in Europe ; for our ships are oiu- bas- 30 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE tions, and our ravelines, and our hornworks; and there's a devilish wide ditch for 'em to pass, wliich they can't fill up with things Here Mr. Con- way helped him to fascines. By this time I ima- gine you have laughed at him as much, and were as tired of him as we were : but he's gone. This is the day that Gray and I intended for the first of a southern circuit ; but as Mr. Selwyn and George Montagu design us a visit here, w^e have put off our journey for some weeks. When w^e get a little farther, I hope our memoires will brighten : at present they are but dull, dull as Your humble servant ever. P. S. I thank you ten thousand times for your last letter : when I have as much wit and as much poetry in me, I'll send you as good an one. Good night, child ! To RICHARD WEST, Esq. From a Hamlet among the Mountains of Savoy, Sept. 28, 1739, N. S. Precipices, mountains, torrents, wolves, rum- blings, Salvator Rosa the pomp of our park and the meekness of our palace ! Here we are, the lonely lords of glorious desolate j)rospects. I have kept a sort of resolution which I made, of not writing to you as long as I staid in France : HON. HOT? ACE WALPOLE. 31 I am now a quarter of an hour out of it, and write to you. Mind, 'tis three months since we heard from you. I begin this letter among the clouds ; where I shall finish, my neighbour heaven proba- bly knows : 'tis an odd wish in a mortal letter, to hope not to finish it on this side the atmosphere. You will have a billet tumble to you from the stars when you least think of it ; and that I should write it too ! Lord, how potent that sounds! But I am to undergo many transmigrations before I come to "yours ever.'* Yesterday 1 was a shep- herd of Dauphine ; to-day an Alpine savage ; to- morrow a Carthusian monk ; and Friday a Swiss Calvinist. I have one quality which I find remains with me in all worlds and in all aethers ; I brought it with me from your world, and am admired for it in this ; 'tis my esteem for you : this is a com- mon thought among you, and you will laugh at it, but it is new here j as new to remember one's friends in tlie world one lias left, as for you to remember those you have lost. Aix in Savoy, Sept, 30th. We are this minute come in here, and here's an awkward abbe this minute come into us. I asked him if he would sit down. Oui^ oui, oui. He has ordered us a radish soup for supper, and has brought a chess-board to play with Mr. Conway. I have left 'em in the act, and am set down to write to you. Did you ever see any (liing like 32 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE the prospect we saw yesterday? I never did. We rode three leagues to see the Grande Char- treuse ; expected bad roads, and the finest con- vent in the kingdom. We were disappointed pro and con. The building is large and plain, and has nothing remarkable but its primitive simplici- ty : they entertained us in the neatest manner, with eggs, pickled salmon, dried fish, conserves, cheese, butter, grapes, and figs, and pressed us mightily to lie there. We tumbled into the hands of a lay-brother, who, unluckily having the charge of the meal and bran, showed us little besides. They desired us to set down our names in the list of strangers, where, among others, we found two mottos of our countrymen, for whose stupidity and brutality we blushed. The first was of sir j#** D#**^ ^}io i^ad wrote down the first stanza of Justum S^- tenacem, altering the last line to Mente qiiatit Carthusiana. The second was of one D * *, Ccelum ipsum petimus stultitid ; S^^ hie ventri indico helium. The Goth ! — But the road, West, the road ! winding round a prodigious mountain, and surrounded with others, all shag- ged with hanging woods, obscured with pines or lost in clouds ! Below, a torrent breaking through cliffs, and tumbling through fragments of rocks ! Sheets of cascades forcing their silver speed down channelled precipices, and hasting into the rough- ened river at the bottom ! Now and then an old foot-bridge, with a broken rail, a leaning cross, a HON. HORACE WALPOLE. S3 cottage, or the ruin of an hermitage ! Tliis sounds too bombast and too romantic to one that has not seen it, too cold for one that has. If I could send you my letter post between two lovely tempests that echoed each other's wrath, you might have some idea of this noble roaring scene, as you were reading it. Almost on the summit, upon a fine verdure, but without any prospect, stands the Chartreuse. We staid there two hours, rode back through this charming picture, wished for a pain- ter, wished to be poets ! Need I tell you we wished for you ? Good night ! Geneva, Oct. 2. By beginning a new date, I should begin a new letter ; but I have seen nothing yet, and the post is going out : 'tis a strange tumbled dab, and dirty too, I am sending you ; but what can I do ? There is no possibility of writing such a long his- tory over again. I find there are many English in the town ; lord Brook, lord Mansel, lord Her- vey's eldest son, and a son of of Mars and Venus, or of Antony and Cleopatra, or in short, of . This is the boy in the bow of whose hat Air. Hedges pinned a pretty epigram : I don't know if you ever heard it : I'll suppose you never did, because it will fill up my letter : Give but Cupid's dart to me, Another Cupid I shall be; VOL. 1. O U CORRESPONDENCE OF THE No more distinguish'd from the other. Than Venus would be from my mother. Scandal says, Hedges thought the two last very like J and it says too, that she was not his enemy for thinking so. Adieu ! Gray and I return to Lyons in three days. Harry' stays here. Perhaps at our return we may find a letter from you : it ought to be very full of excuses, for you have been a lazy creature; I hope you have, for I would not owe your silence to any other reason. Yours ever. To RICHARD WEST, Esq. Turm, Nov. 11, 1739, N. S. So, as the song says, w^e are in fair Italy ! I won- der we are ; for, on the very highest precipice of mount Cenis, the devil of discord in the similitude of sour wine had got amongst our Alpine savages, and set them a-fighting with Gray and me in the chairs : they rushed him by me on a crag where there was scarce room for a cloven foot. The least slip had tumbled us into such a fog, and such an eternity, as we shouhl never have found Mr. Conway. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 35 our way out of again. We were eight days in coming hither from Lyons , the four last in cross- ing the Alps. Such uncouth rocks and such un- comely inhabitants ! my dear West. I hope I shall never see them again ! At the foot of mount Cenis we were obliged to quit our chaise, which was taken all to pieces and loaded on mules ; and we were carried in low arm-chairs on poles, swath- ed in beaver bonnets, beaver gloves, beaver stock- ings, muffs, and bear-skins. When we came to the top, behold the snows ftillen ! and such quan- tities, and conducted by such heavy clouds that hung glouting, that I thought we could never have waded through them. The descent is two leagues, but steep, and rough as O * * * * father's face, over which, you know, the devil walked with hob-nails in his shoes. But the dexterity and nimbleness of the mountaineers is inconceiv- able ; they run with you down steeps and frozen precipices, where no man, as men are now, could possibly walk. We had twelve men and nine mules to carry us, our servants and baggage, and were above five hours in this agreeable jaunt! The day before, I had a cruel accident, and so extraordinary an one, that it seems to touch upon the traveller. I had brought with me a little black spaniel, of king Charles's breed ; but the prettiest, fattest, dearest creature ! I had let it out of the chaise for the air, and it was waddling along close to the head of the horses, on the top D 2 m CORRESPONDENCE OE THE of the highest Alps, by the side of a wood of firs. There darted out a young wolf, seized poor dear Tory by the throat, and, before we could possibly prevent it, sprung up the side of the rock and car- ried him ofi". The postillion jumped off and struck at him with his whip, but in vain. I saw it and screamed, but in vain ; for the road was so nar- row, that the servants that were behind could not get by the chaise to shoot him. What is the ex- traordinary part is, that it was but two o'clock, and broad sun-shine. It was shocking to see any thing one loved run away with to so horrid a death. Just coming out of Chamberri, which is a little nasty old hole, I copied an inscription, set up at the end of a great road, which was practised through an immense solid rock by bursting it asunder with gun-powder : the Latin is pretty enough, and so I send it you : CaroJus Emanuel II. Sab. dux, Pedem. j^finccps, Ci/pri )ex, puhlicn felicitate parta, singidorum commodis intentiiSf breviorem securioremque viam rcgiam, jiafura occlusani, Romanis intentatam, CfBteris desperatavi, dejectis scopulorum rcpagulis, cequata mon- thim iniquitate, quce cervicibiis imminebant precipitia pedilm;f siibsternens, ccLcriiis pojmlorum commcrciis jiatejecit. A. I). 1670. We passed the Pas de Suze, where is a strong fortress on a rock, between two vcrv neio-hbouriner mountains ; and tlien, through a fine avenue of three leagues, v,c at last discovered Turin. HON. HORACE WAT.POLE, 37 E I'un a I'altro mostra, et in taiito oblia La noia, e'l mal de la passata via. 'Tis really by far one of the prettiest cities I have seen — not one of your large straggling ones that can afford to have twenty dirty suburbs, but clean and compact, very new and very regular. The king's palace is not of the proudest without, but of the richest within ; painted, gilt, looking- glassed, very costly, but very tawdry ; in short, a very popular palace. We were last night at the Italian comedy — The devil of a house, and the devil of actors ! Besides this, there is a sort of an heroic tragedy, called La 7-epresentalioiic dcW miima damnata. A woman, a sinner, comes in and makes a solemn prayer to the Trinity : enter Jesus Christ and the Virgin : he scolds, and exit : she tells the woman her son is very angry, but she don't know, she will see what she can do. After the play, we were introduced to the assem- bly, which they call the Conversazione : there were many people playing at ombre, pharaoh, and a game called taroc, with cards so higJi ', to the number of seventy-eight. There are three or four English here ; lord Lincoln, with Spencc, your professor of poetry ; a jMr. B * * *, and a Mr. C * * *, a man that never utters a syllable. ' In the manurfcri))t, the a\ riling ol this word is cxtraoidinary ralJ. 38 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE We have tried all stratagems to make him speak. Yesterday he did at last open his mouth, and said Bee. We all laughed so at the novelty of the thing, that he shut it again, and will never speak more. I think you can't complain now of my not writ- ing to you. What a volume of trifles ! I w-rote just the fellow to it from Geneva ; had it you ? Farewell ! Thine. To RICHARD WEST, Esq. From Bologna, 1739. I don't know why I told Asheton I would send you an account of what I saw ; don't believe it, I don't intend it. Only think what a vile employ- ment 'tis, making catalogues ! And then one should have that odious Curl get at one's letters, and publish them like Whitfield's Journal, or for a supplement to the Traveller's Pocket-companion. Dear West, I protest against having seen any thing but wliat all the world has seen ; nay, I have not seen half that, not some of the most common things ; not so much as a miracle. Well, but you don't expect it, do you ? Except pictures and statues, we are not xcry fond of sights ; don't go a-staring after crooked towers and conundrum staircases. Don't you hate too a jingling e})itaph HON. HORACE WALPOLE. S9 of one Procul and one Proculus ' that is here ? Now and then we drop in at a procession, or a high-mass, hear the music, enjoy a strange attire, and hate the foul monkhood. Last week was the feast of the Immaculate Conception. On the eve we went to the Franciscans' church to hear the academical exercises. There were moult and moult clergy, about two dozen dames, that treated one another with ilhistrissima and brown kisses, the vice-legate, the gonfalonier, and some senate. The vice-legate, whose conception was not quite so immaculate, is a young personable person, of about twenty, and had on a mighty pretty cardi- nal kind of habit ; 'twou'd make a delightful mas- querade dress. We asked liis name : Spinola. What, a nephew of the cardinal-legate ? Signor^ no : ma credo che gli sia qualche cosa. He sat on the right-hand with the gonfalonier in two purple fauteuils. Opposite was a throne of crimson damask, with the device of tlic Academy, the Ge- lati ; and trimmings of gold. Here sat at a table, in black, the head of the academy, between the orator and the first poet. At two semicircular tables on either hand sat three poets and three ; silent 1 Si procul a Proculo Proculi campana iuisset, Jam procul a Proculo Proculus ipse tbret. A. D. 1392. Epitaph on the outside ol' the wall ot" the church of St, Proculo. 4^ CORRESPONDENCE OF THE among many candles. The chief made a little in- troduction, the orator a long Italian vile harangue. Then the chief, the poet, the poets, who were a Franciscan, an Olivetan, an old abbe, and three lay, read their compositions ; and to-day they are pasted up in all parts of the town. As we came out of the church, we found all the convent and neighbouring houses lighted all over with Ian- thorns of red and yellow paper, and two bonfires. But you are sick of this foolish ceremony j I'll carry you to no more : I will only mention, that we found the Dominicans' church here in mourn- ing for the inquisitor ; 'twas all hung with black cloth, furbelowed and festooned with yellow gauze. We have seen a furniture here in a much prettier taste ; a gallery of count Caprara's : in the pan- nels between the windows are pendent trophies of various arms taken by one of his ancestors from tlie Turks. They are whimsical, romantic, and have a pretty effect, I looked about, but could not perceive the portrait of the lady at whose feet they were indisputably offered. In coming out of Genoa we were more lucky; found the very spot where Horatio and Lothario were to have fought, " "i^est of the toijcn a mile among the 7^oc/iS." My dear West, in return for yoiu' epigrams of Prior, I will transcribe some old verses too, but whicli I fancy I can show you in a sort of a new light. They are no newer than A'iigil, and, what ' HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 41 is more odd, are in the second Georgic/ Tis, that I have observed that he not only excels when he is like himself, but even when he is very like in- ferior poets : you will say that they rather excel by being like him : but mind : they are all near one another : Si non ingentem foribus domus alta superbis Mane salutantum totis vomit aedibus undam : And the four next lines ; are they not just like Martial ? In the following he is as much Clau- dian ; Ilium non populi fasces, non purpura regum Flexit, et infidos agitans discordia fratres ; Aut conjurato descendens Dacus ab Istro. Then who are these like ? nee ferrea jura, Insanumque forum, aut populi tabularia vidit. Sollicitant alii remis freta ca^ca, ruuntque In ferrum, penetrant aulas et llmina regum. Hie petit excidiis urbem niiscrosque Penates, Ut gemma bibat, et Sarrano indormiat ostro. Don't they seem to be JuvenaPs ? — There are some more, which to me resemble Horace ; but perhaps I think so from his having some on a pa- rallel subject. Tell me if I am mistaken ; these are they : Interea dulccs pendent circum oscula nati : Casta pudicitiam servat domus 42 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE inclusively to the end of these : Hanc olim veteres vitam coluere Sabini ; Hanc Remus et frater : sic fortis Etruria crevit, Scilicet et rerum facta est pulcherrima Roma. If the imagination is whimsical ; why at least *tis like me to have imagined it. Adieu, child ! We leave Bologna to-morrow. You know *tis the third city in Italy for pictures : knowing that, you know all. We shall be three days crossing the Apennine to Florence ; would it w^ere over ! My dear West, I am yours from St. Peter's to St. Paul's ! To RICHARD WEST, Esq. Florence, Jan. 2t, 1710, N. S. Dear West, I don't know what volumes I may send you from Rome ; from Florence I have little inclination to send you any. I see several things that please me calmly, but d Jlrrcc (Ten avoir vil I have left off screaming, Lord ! this ! and Lord ! that ! To sj)eak sincerely, Calais surprised me more tlian any thing I have seen since. I recollect the joy I used to propose if I could but once sec the Great Duke's gallery ; I walk into it now with as little emotion as I should into St. Paul's. The statues are a con- gregation of good sort of people, that I luive a HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 43 great deal of unruffled regard for. The farther I travel, the less I wonder at any thing : a few days reconcile one to a new spot, or an unseen custom; and men are so much the same every where, that one scarce perceives any change of situation. The same weaknesses, the same passions that in Eng- land plunge men into elections, drinking, whor- ing, exist here, and show themselves in the shapes of Jesuits, Cicisbeos, and Corydon ardebat Alex- ins. The most remarkable thing I have observed since I came abroad, is, that there are no people so obviously mad as the English. The French, tlie Italians, have great follies, great faults ; but tlien they are so national, that they cease to be striking. In England, tempers vary so excessive- ly, that almost every one's faults are peculiar to himself. I take this diversity to proceed partly from our climate, partly from our government: the first is changeable, and makes us queer ; the latter permits our queernesses to operate as they please. If one could avoid contracting this queerness, it must certainly be the most entertaining to live in England, where such a variety of incidents con- tinually amuse. The incidents of a week in Lon- don would iurnish all Italy with news for a twelve- month. Tlie only tv^'o circumstances of moment in the life of an Italian, that ever give occasion to their being mentioned, are, being married, and in a year after taking a cicisbeo. Ask the name, the Inisband, the wife, or the cicisbeo of any person, ct 4-4. CORRESPONDENCE OF THJ: voilcl qui est Jini. Thus, child, 'tis dull dealing here ! Methinks your Spanish war is little more lively. By the gravity of the proceedings, one would think both nations were Spaniard. Adieu ! Do you remember my maxim, that you used to laugh at ? Every hodij does every tilings and no- thing comes on''t. I am more convinced of it now than ever. I don't know whether S * * * *'s was not still better, Well, 'gad, there is 710 thing in no- thing. You see how I distil all my speculations and improvements, that they may lie in a small compass. Do you remember the story of the prince, that after travelling three years brought home nothing but a nut ? They cracked it : in it was wrapped up a piece of silk, painted with all the kings, queens, kingdoms, and every thing in the world : after many unfoldings, out stepped a little dog, shook his ears, and fell to dancing a saraband. There is a fairy tale for you. If I had any thing as good as your old song, I would send it too ; but I can only thank you for it, and bid you good night. Yours ever. P. S. Upon reading my letter, 1 perceive still plainer the sameness that reigns here ; for I find 1 have said the same things ten times over. I don't care; I have made out a letter, and that was all my affair. HON. HORACE W ALPOLE. 4-5 To RICHARD WEST, Esq. Florence, February 27, 17-10, N. S. Well, West, I have found a little unmasqiied mo- ment to write to you ; but for this week past I have been so muffled up in my domino, that I have not had the command of my elbows. But what have you been doing all the mornings ? Could you not write then ? No, then I was mas- qued too ; I have done nothing but slip out of my domino into bed, and out of bed into my domino. The end of the Carnival is frantic, bacchanalian ; all the morn one makes parties in masque to the shops and coffee-houses, and all the evening to the operas and balls. Then I have danced^ good gods, how I have danced ! The Italians are fond to a degree of our country dances : Cold and raw they only know by the tune ; Blowzy-hella is almost Italian, and Buttered peas is Pizelli al huro. There are but three days more ; but the two last are to have balls all the morning at the fine unfinished palace of the Strozzi ; and the Tuesday night a masquerade after supper : they sup first, to eat gras, and not encroach upon Ash-wednesday. What makes masquerading more agreeable here than in England, is the great deference that is showed to the disguised. Here they do not catch at those little dirty opportunities of saying any ill- natured thinn; they know of you, do not abuse you 46 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE because they may, or talk gross bawdy to a wo- man of quality. I found the other day by a play of Etheridge's, that we have had a sort of Carni- val even since the Reformation ; 'tis in She "would if she could, they talk of going a-mumming in Shrove-tide. After talking so much of diver- sions, I fear you will attribute to them the fond- ness I own I contract for Florence ; but it has so many other charms, that I shall not want excuses for my taste. The freedom of the Carnival has given me opportunities to make several acquaint- ances ; and if I have not found them refined, learned, polished, like some other cities, yet they are civil, good-natured, and fond of the English. Their little partiality for themselves, opposed to the violent vanity of the French, makes them very amiable in my eyes. I can give you a comical instance of their great prejudice about nobility ; it happened yesterday. While we were at dinner at Mr. Mann's, word was brought by his secretary, that a cavalier demanded audience of him upon an affair of honour. Gray and I flew behind the curtain of the door. An elderly gentleman, whose attire was not certainly correspondent to the great- ness of his birth, entered, and informed the Bri- tish minister that one Martin an English painter had left a challenge for him at his house, for hav- ing said Martin was no gentleman. He would by no means have spoke of the duel before the trans- action of it, but that his honour, his blood, his HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 47 kc. would never permit him to fight with one who was no cavalier ; wliich was what he came to en- quire of his excellency. We laughed loud laughs, but unheard : his fright or his nobility had closed his ears. But mark the sequel ; the instant he was gone, my very English curiosity hurried me out of the gate St. Gallo ; 'twas the place and hour appointed. We had not been driving about above ten minutes, but out popped a little figure, pale but cross, with beard unshaved and hair uncombed, a slouched hat, and a considerable red cloak, in which was wrapped, under his arm, the fatal sword that was to revenge the highly injured Mr. Martin, painter and defendant. I darted my head out of the coach, just ready to say '* Your servant, Mr. Martin," and talk about the architecture of the triumphal arch that was building there ; but he would not know me, and w^alked off. We left him to wait for an hour, to grow very cold and very- valiant the more it grew past the hour of appoint- ment. We were figuring all the poor creature's huddle of thoughts, and confused hopes of victory or fame, of his unfinished pictures, or his situation upon bouncing into the next world. You will think us strange creatures ; but 'twas a pleasant sight, as we knew the poor painter was safe. I have thought of it since, and am inclined to be- lieve that nothing but two English could have been capable of such a jaunt. 1 remember, 'twas 48 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE reported in London that the plague was at a house in the city, and all the town went to see it. I have this instant received your letter. Lord ! I am glad I thought of those parallel passages, since it made you translate them. 'Tis excessive- ly near the original ; and yet, I don't know, 'tis very easy too. — It snows here a little to- night, but it never lies but on the mountains. Adieu ! Yours ever. P. S. What is the history of the theatres this winter ? To THE Hon. HENRY SEYMOUR CONWAY.^ Florence, March 6, 1740, N. S. Harry, my dear, one would tell you what a mon- ster you are, if one were not sure your conscience tells you so every time you think of me. At Genoa, in the year of our Lord one thousand 1 Second son of Francis, first lord Conway, by Charlotte Shorter his third wife. He was afterwards secretary in Ireland during the viceroyalty of William fourth duke of Devonshire; groom of the bed-chamber to George H. and to George HI. ; secretary of state in the year 1765; lieutenant general of the ordnance in 1770; commander in chief in 1782; and a field- marshal in 1793. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 19 seven hundred and thirty-nine, I received the hist letter from you j by your not writing to me since, I imagine you propose to make this leap year. I should have sent many a scold after you in this long interval, had I known where to have scolded; but you told me you should leave Geneva imme- diately. I have dispatched sundry enquiries into England after you, all fruitless. At last drops in a chance letter to lady Sophy Farmor from a girl at Paris, that tells her for news, Mr. Henry Con- way is here. Is he indeed ? and why was I to know it only by this scrambling way ? Well, I hate you for this neglect, but I find I love you well enough to tell you so. But, dear now, don't let one fall into a train of excuses and reproaches ; if the god of indolence is a mightier deity with you than the god of caring for one, tell me, and I won't dun you ; but will drop your correspond- ence as silently as if I owed you money. If my priv^ate consistency was of no weight with you ; yet is a man nothing who is within three days journey of a conclave ? nay, for what you knew I might have been in Rome. Harry, art thou so indifferent, as to have a cousin at the elec- tion of a pope without courting him for news? I'll tell you, were I any where else, and even Dick H were at Rome, I think verily I should have wrote to him. Popes, cardinals, adorations, coro- nations, St. Peter's! oh, what costly sounds! and don't you write to one yet ? I shall set out in VOL. 1. E 50 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE about a fortnight, and pray then think me of con- sequence. I have crept on upon time from day to day here; fond of Florence to a degree : *tis infinitely the most agreeable of all the places I have seen since London : that you know one loves, right or wrong, as one does one's nurse. Our little Arno is not boated and swelling like the Thames, but 'tis vastly pretty, and, I don't know how, being Italian, has something visionary and poetical in its stream. Then one's unwilling to leave the gallery, and — but — in short, one's unwilling to get into a post- chaise. I am as surfeited with mountains and inns, as if I had eat them. I have many to pass before T see England again, and no Tory to en- tertain me on the road ! Well, this thought makes me dull, and that makes me finish. Adieu ! Yours ever. P. S. Direct to me, (for to be sure you will not be so outrageous as to leave me quite off) recom- mande a mons. IMann, ministre de sa majeste Bri- tannique a Florence. HON. HORACE VVALPOLK. 51 To RICHARD WEST, Esq. Siena, March 22, 1740, N. S. Dear West, Probably now you will hear something of the Con- clave ; we have left Florence, and are got hither on the way to a pope. In three hours time we have seen all the good contents of this city : 'tis old, and very smug, with very few inhabitants. You must not believe Mr. Addison about the won- derful Gothic nicety of the dome : the materials are richer, but the workmanship and taste not near so good as in several I have seen. We saw a col- lege of the Jesuits, where there are taught to draw above fifty boys : they are disposed in long cham- bers in the manner of Eton, but cleaner. N. B. We were not bolstered,'^ so we wished you with us. Our Cicerone, who has less classic knowledge and more superstition than a colleger, upon showing us the she-wolf, the arms of Siena, told us that Romulus and Remus were nursed by a wolf, per la volonta cli Dio, si jmo dire ; and that one might see by the arms, that the same founders built Rome and Siena. Another dab of Romish superstition, not unworthy of presbyterian divinity, we met with in a book of drawings : 'twas the Virgin 1 An Eton phrase. K 2 52 CORRESPONDENXT. OF THE standing on a tripod composed of Adam, Eve and the Devil, to express her immaculate conception. You can't imagine how pretty the country is between this and Florence ; millions of little hills planted with trees, and tipped with villas or con- vents. We left unseen the Great Duke's villas and several palaces in Florence till our return from Rome : the weather has been so cold, how could one go to them ? In Italy they seem to have found out how hot their climate is, but not how cold ; for there are scarce any chimneys, and most of the apartments painted in fresco ; so that one has the additional horror of freezing with imaginary mar- ble. The men hang little earthen pans of coals upon their wrists, and the women have portable stoves under their petticoats to warm their naked- ness, and carry silver shovels in their pockets, with which their Cicisbeos stir them — Hush ! by them, I mean their stoves. I have nothing more to tell you ; I'll carry my letter to Rome and finish it there. Re di Coffano, March 23, where lived one of the three kings. The king of Coffano carried presents of myrrh, gold, and frankincense : I don't know where the devil he found them, for in all his dominions we have not seen the value of a shrub. We have the honour of lodging under his roof to-night. Lord ! such a place, such an extent of ugliness ! A lone HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 63 inn upon a black mountain, by the side of an old fortress ! no curtains or windows, only shutters ! no testers to the beds ! no earthly thing to eat but some eggs and a few little fishes ! This lovely spot is now known by the name of lladicofani. Com- ing down a steep hill with two miserable hackneys, one fell under the chaise ; and while we were dis- engaging him, a chaise came by with a person in a red cloak, a white handkerchief on its head, and black hat : we thought it a fat old woman ; but it spoke in a shrill little pipe, and proved itself to be Senesini. I forgot to tell you an inscription I copied from the portal of the dome of Siena : Annus centenus Roniae semper est jubilenus ; Crimina laxantur si pcenitet ista donantur; Sic ordinavit Bonifacius et roboravit. Ronne, March 26. We are this instant arrived, tired and hungry ! O ! the charming city — I believe it is — for I have not seen a syllable yet, only the Pons Milvius and an obelisk. The Cassian and Flaminian ways were terrible disappointments ; not one Rome tomb left; their very ruins ruined. The English are numberless. My dear West, I know at Rome you will not have a grain of pity for one ; but in- deed 'tis dreadful, dealing with school-boys just broke loose, or old fools that are come abroad at forty to see the world, like sir Wilful Witwou'd. I 54- CORRESPONDENCE OF THE don't know whether you will receive this, or any other I write : but though I shall write often, you and Asheton must not wonder if none come to you ; for, though I am harmless in my nature, my name has some mystery in it.' Good night! I have no more time or paper. Asheton, child, Fll write to you next post. Write us no treasons, be sure ! To RICHARD WEST, Esq. Rome, April 16, 1740, N.S. I'll tell you, West, because one is amongst new things, you think one can always WTite new things. When I first came abroad, every thing struck me, and I wrote its history ; but now I am grown so used to be surprised, that I don't perceive any flutter in myself when I meet with any novelties ; curiosity and astonishment wear off, and the next thing is, to fancy that other people know as much of places as one's self; or, at least, one does not remember that they do not. It appears to me as odd to write to you of St. Peter's, as it would do to you to write of Westminster-abbey. Besides, as one looks at churclies, &c. with a book of travels 1 He means the name of VValpole at Rome, where the Pre- tender and many of his adherents then resided. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 55 in one's hand, and sees every tiling particidarized there, it would appear transcribing, to write upon the same subjects. I know you will hate me for this declaration ; I remember how ill I used to take it when any body served me so that was tra- velling. — Well, I will tell you something, if you will love me : You have seen prints of the ruins of the temple of Minerva Medica ; you shall only hear its situation, and then figure what a villa might be laid out there. 'Tis in the middle of a garden : at a little distance are two subterraneous grottos, which were the burial-places of the liberti of Auixustus. There are all the niches and covers of the urns with the inscriptions remaining; and in one, very considerable remains of an ancient stucco ceiling with paintings in grotesque. Some of the walks would terminate upon the Castellum AquEc Marti^r, St. John Latcran, and St. Maria Maggiore, besides other churclies ; the walls of the garden would be two aqueducts, and the en- trance through one of the old gates of Rome. This glorious spot is neglected, and only serves for a small vineyard and kitchen-garden. I am very glad that I see Home while it yet exists : before a great number of years are elapsed, I question whether it will be worth seeing. Be- tween the ignorance and poverty of the present Romans, every thing is neglected and falling to decay: the villas are entirely out of repair, and the palaces so ill kept, that half the j)iclures are ■36 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE spoiled by damp. At the villa Ludovisi is a large oracular head of red marble, colossal, and with vast foramina for the eyes and mouth : — the man that showed the palace said it wasiin ritratto della JmnigUa. The cardinal Corsini has so tiioroughly pushed on the misery of Rome by impoverishing it, that there is no money but paper to be seen. He is reckoned to have amassed three millions of crowns. You may judge of the affluence the no- bility live in, when I assure you, that what the chief princes allow for their own eating is atestoon a day ; eighteen pence : there are some" extend their expence to five pauls, or half a crown : car- dinal Albani is called extravagant for laying out ten pauls for his dinner and supper. You may imagine they never have any entertainments : so far from it, they never have any company. The princesses and duchesses particularly lead the dis- mallcst of lives. Being the posterity of popes, though of worse families than the ancient nobility, they expect greater respect tlian my ladies the countesses and marquises will pay them ; conse- quently they consort not, but mope in a vast pa- lace with two miserable tapers, and two or three monsignori, whom they are forced to court and Immour, that they may not be entire! v deserted. Sundays they do issue forth in a vast unwieldy coach to the Corso. In short, child, after sunset one })asses one's time here very ill ; and if I did not wish for you HON. IIOKACE WALPOLE. o7 in the mornings, it would be no compliment to tell voii that I do in the evening. Lord! how many English I could change for you, and yet buy you wondrous cheap ! And then French and Germans I could fling into the bargain by dozens. Nations swarm here. You will have a great fat French cardinal garnished with thirty abbes roll into the area of St. Peter's, gape, turn short, and talk of the chapel of A^ersailles. I heard one of them say t'other day, he had been at the Capitale. One asked of course how he liked it — Ah! il y a (issez dc belles chases. Tell Ashcton I have received his letter, and will write next })ost ; but 1 am in a violent hurry and have no more time ; so Gray finishes this deli- cately Not so delicate ; nor indeed would his conscience sutler him to write to you, till he received de ros ?iouvclldS, if he had not the tail of another person's letter to use by way of" evasion. I sha'n't de- scribe, as being in the only place in the world that deserves it ; whicii may seem an odd reason — but they say as how it's fulsome, and every body does it (and I su})i)Ose every body says the same thing); else I should tell you a vast deal about the Coli- seum, and the Conclave, and the Capitol, and these matters. A-J^i'ojjos dii Colisee, if you don't know what it is, the prince Borghese will be very ca])a- ble of giving you some account of it, who told an 58 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE Englishman that asked wliat it was built for: " They say 'twas for Christians to fight with tigers in.*' We are just come from adoring a great piece of the true cross, St. T.onginus's spear, and St. Veronica's handkerchief; all which have been this evening exposed to view in St. Peter's. In the same place, and on the same occasion last night, Walpole saw a poor creature naked to the waist discipline himself with a scourge filled with iron prickles, till he had made himself a raw doublet, that he took for red satin torn, and showing the skin through. I should tell you, that he fainted away three times at the sight, and I twice and a half at the repetition of it. All this is performed by the ligiit of a vast fiery cross, composed of hundreds of little crystal lamps, which ap'/ears through the great altar under the grand tribuna, as if hanging by itself in the air. All the confra- ternities of the city resort thither in solemn pro- cession, habited in linen frocks, girt with a cord, and their heads covered with a cowl all over, that has only two holes before to see through. Some of these are all black, others parti-coloured and white: and with these masqueraders that vast church is filled, who are seen thumping tlicir breast, afid kissing the pavement with extreme de- votion. But methinks I am describing : —'tis an ill liabit ; but this, like every thing else, will wciv ofi". We have sent you our compliments by a iViend of yours, and correspondent in a corner. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 59 who seems a very agreeable man ; one Mr. Wil- liams: I am sorry he staid so little a wliile in Rome. I forget Porto Bello all this while ; pray let us know where it is, and whether you or Ashe- ton had any hand in the taking of it. Duty to the admiral. Adieu! Ever yours, T. Gray. To THE Hon. H. S. CONWAY. Rome, April 23, 174-0, N. S. As I have wrote you two such long letters lately, my dear Hal, I did not hurry myself to answer your last ; but choose to write to poor Selwyn * upon his illness. I pity you excessively upon finding him in such a situation : what a shock it must have been to you ! He deserves so much love from all that know him, and you owe him so much friendship, that I can scarce conceive a greater shock. I am \ei'y glad you did not write to me till he was out of danger ; for this great dis- tance would have added to my pain, as I must have waited so long for another letter. I charge you, don't let him relapse into balls ; he does not ' John Sclvvyn, elder brother of George Augustus Selwyn. He died about 1750. 60 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE love them, and, if you please, your example may keep him out of them. You are extremely pretty people to be dancing and trading with French poulterers and pastry-cooks, when a hard frost is starving half the nation, and the Spanish war ought to be employing the other half. We are much more public- spirited here ; we live upon the pub- lic news, and triumph abundantly upon the taking Porto-Bello. If you are not entirely debauched with your balls, you must be pleased with an answer of lord Hartington's to the governor of Rome. He asked him what they had determined about the vessel that the Spaniards took under the cannon of Civita Vecchia, whether they had re- stored it to the English ? The governor said, they had done justice. My lord replied, *' If you had not, we should have done it ourselves." Pray re- verence our spirit, lieutenant Hal. Sir, Moscovita is not a pretty woman, and she does sing ill ; that's all. My dear Harry, I must now tell you a little about myself, and answer your questions. How I like the inanimate part of Rome you will soon perceive at my arrival in England ; I am far gone in medals, lamps, idols, prints, &c. and all the small commodities to the purchase of which I can attain-, I would buy the Coliseum if I could: judge. My mornings are spent in the most agree- able manner ; my evenings ill enough. Roman conversations arc dreadful thin^ir Capel Luckyn, bart. Their son changed his name to Grimston. and was created a baron and a viscount. P 2 212 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE fourscore and six, lives in it with an old son and daughter. The servant who shewed it told us much history of another brother that had been parson there : this history was entirely composed of the anecdotes of the doctor's drinking, who, as the man told us, had been a hlood. There are some Scotch arms taken from the rebels in the fifteen, and many old coats of arms on glass brought from Newhall, which now belongs to Olmius. Mr. Conyers bought a window^ there for only a hundred pounds, on which was painted Harry the eighth and one of his queens at full length : he has put it up at Copt-hall, a seat which he has bought that belonged to lord North and Grey. You see I persevere in my heraldry. T'other day the parson of Rigby's parish dined with us ; he has conceived as high an opinion of my skill in genealogies, as if I could say the first chapter of Matthew by heart. 11. drank my health to him, and that I might come to be garter king at arms ; the poor man replied with great zeal, *' / xvish lie may xcith all my heart.'* Cer- tainly I am born to preferment ; I gave an old woman a penny once, who prayed that I might live to be lord mayor of London ! What pleased me most in my travels was Dr. Sayer's parsonage at Witham, which, with Southcote's help, whose 2 This window is now in St. Margaret's Church, West- minster. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 213 old Roman catholic father lives just by him, he has made one of the most charmins; villas in Eno;- land. There are sweet meadows falling down a hill, and rising again on t'other side of the prettiest little winding stream you ever saw. You did not at all surprise me with the relation of the keeper's brutality to your family, or of his master's to the dowager's handmaid. His savage temper increases every day. George Boscawen is in a scrape with him by a court martial, of which he is one 5 it was appointed on a young poor soldier, who to see his friends had counter- feited a furlough only for a day. They ordered him two hundred lashes ; but Nolkejumskoi, who loves blood like a leach, insisted it was not enough — has made them sit three times (though every one adheres to the first sentence), and swears they shall sit these six months till they increase the punishment. The fair Mrs. Pitt has been mobbed in the park and with difficulty rescued by some gentlemen, only because this bashaw is in love with her. You heard I suppose of his other amour with the Savoyard girl. He sent her to Windsor and offered her a hundred pounds, which she re- fused because he w^as a heretic ; he sent her back on foot. Inclosed is a new print on this subject, which I think has more humour than I almost ever saw in one of that sort. Should I not condole with you upon the death •214 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE of the head of the Cues ?^ If you have not heard his will, I will tell you. The settled estate of eight thousand a-year is to go between the two daughters, out of which is a jointure of three thousand a-year to the duchess dowager, and to that he has added a thousand more out of the un- settled estate, which is nine thousand. He gives, together with his blessing, four thousand per annum rent charge to the duchess of Manchester in present, provided she will contest nothing with her sister, who is to have all the rest, and the re- version of the whole after lady Cardigan and her children ; but in case she disputes, lady Hinching- brook and her*s are in the entail next to the Car- digans, who are to take the Montagu name and livery. I don't know what Mr. Hussey will think of the blessing, but they say his duchess will be inclined to mind it ; she always wanted to be well with her father, but hated her mother. There are two codicils, one in favour of his servants, and the other of his dogs, cats, and creatures, which was a little unnecessary, for lady Cardigan has exactly his turn for saving every thing's life. As he was making the codicil, one of his cats jumped on his knee ; '■^^aohaty^ says he, ^^ have you a mind to he a xdtness too ! You caiftfor you are a party concerned.''^ ^ John duke of Montagu. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 215 Lord Stafford is going to send his poor wife with one maid and one horse to a farm house in Shropshire for ever. The Mirepoix's are come, but I have not yet seen them. A thousand com- pHments to your sisters. Yours ever. To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Strawberry- hill, August 26, 1749. Dear George, I FLATTER myself that you are quite recovered of your disorder, and that your sisters will not look with an evil eye on Strawberry hill. Mr. Chute and I are returned from our expedition miracu- lously well, considering all our distresses. If you love good roads, conveniences, good inns, plenty of postillions and horses, be so kind as never to go into Sussex. We thought ourselves in the northest part of England ; the whole country has a Saxon air, and the inhabitants are savage, as if king George the second was the first monarch of the East Angles. Coaches grow there no more than balm and spices ; we were forced to drop our post- chaise, that resembled nothing so much as harle- quin's calash, which was occasionally a chaise or a baker's cart. We journeyed over Alpine moun- tains, drenched in clouds, and thought of harle- 216 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE quin again, when he was driving the chariot of the sun through the morning clouds, and so was glad to hear the aqua viUe man crying a dram. At last we got to Arundel-castle, which was visibly built for defence in an impracticable country. It is now only a heap of ruins, with a new indif- ferent apartment clapt up for the Norfolks, when they reside there for a week or a fortnight. Their Driest shewed us about. There are the walls of a round tower where a garrison held out against Cromwell ; he planted a battery on the top of the church, and reduced them. There is a gloomy gateway and dungeons, in one of which I con- clude is kept the old woman, who, in the time of the late rebellion, offered to shew lord R. Sutton where arms were hidden at Worksop.^ The duchess complimented him into dining before his search, and in the mean time the woman was spirited away, and adieu the arms. There are fine monuments of the old Fitzalans, earls of Arundel, in the church. Mr. Chute, whom I have created Strawberry king at arms^ has had brave sport a la chasse aux armes. We were charmed with the magnificence of the park at Petworth,^ which is Percy to the back 1 A seat of the duke of Norfolk in Nottinghamshire, 2 A seat of sir Charles Wyndham, who succeeded to the title of earl of Egremont on the death of his uncle Algernon dukt of Somerset. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 217 bone ; but the house and garden did not please our antiquarian spirit. The house is entirely new fronted in the style of the Tuilleries, and furnished exactly like Hampton-court. There is one room gloriously flounced all round whole length pictures with much the finest carving of Gibbins that ever my eyes beheld. There are birds absolutely fea- thered, and two antique vases with bas relieves, as perfect and beautiful, as if they were carved by a Grecian master. There is a noble Claude Lorrain, a very curious picture of the haughty Anne Stanhope, the protector's wife, pretty, but not giving one an idea of her character, and many old portraits ; but the housekeeper was at Lon- don, and we did not learn half. The chapel is grand and proper. At the inn we entertained ourselves with the landlord, whom my lord Harvey had cabineted, when he went to woo one of the lady Seymours. Our greatest pleasure was seeing Cowdry, which is repairing ; lord Montacute^ will at last live in it. We thought of old Margaret of Cla- rence, who lived there ; one of her accusations was built on the bulls found there. It was the palace of her great uncle, the marquis Montacute. I was charmed with the front, and the court, and •^ Anthony, the sixth viscount Montagu, tlcscendeil irom Anthony Brown, creutcd viscount IMontagu in l,).'?!', being de- sctntkd iVoni .John Neville, inar(|uis of Montagu. 218 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE the fountain; but the room called Holbein*s, except the curiosity of it, is wretchedly painted, and infinitely inferior to those delightful stories of Harry the eighth in the private apartment at Windsor. I was much pleased with a whole-length picture of sir Anthony Brown in the very dress, in which he wedded Anne of Cleves by proxy. He is in blue and white, only his right leg is en- tirely white, which was certainly robed for the act of putting into bed to her ; but when the king came to marry her, he only put his leg into bed to kick her out of it. I have set up my staff, and finished my pilgri- mages for this year. Sussex is a great damper of curiosity. Adieu ! my compliments to your sisters. Yours ever. To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Strawberry-hill, Sept. 28, 174.9. I AM much obliged to you, dear sir, and agree with your opinion about the painting of prince Edward, that it cannot be original and authentic, and consequently not worth copying. Lord Cholmondeley is indeed an original ; but who are the wise people that build for him ? Sir Philip Harvey seems to be the only person likely to be benefited by this new extravagance. I have just HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 219 seen a collection of tombs like those you describe; the house of Russel robed in alabaster and painted : there are seven monuments in all ; one is immense, in marble, cherubim'd and seraphim'd, crusted with bas-reliefs and titles, for the first duke of Bedford and his duchess.^ All these are in a chapel of the church at Cheneys, the seat of the first earls. There are but piteous fragments of the house remaining, now a farm, built round three sides of a court. It is dropping down in several places without a roof, but in half the win- dows are beautiful arms in painted glass. As these are so totally neglected, I propose making a push, and begging them of the duke of Bedford. They would be magnificent for Strawberry-castle. Did I tell you that I have found a text in Deute- ronomy to authorize my future battlements ? When thou huildest a nexv house, then shalt thou make a battlement for thy roof, that thou bring not blood upon thy house, f any ma7i fall from thence. I saw Cheneys at a visit I have been making to Harry Conway at Latimers. This house, which they have hired, is large, and bad, and old, but of a bad age ; finely situated on a hill in a beech wood, with a river at the bottom, and a range of hills and woods on the opposite side belonging to the duke of Bedford. They are fond of it ; the Anne tUiuuhter of Robert Carr, earl of Somerset. 220 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE view is melancholy. In the church at Cheneys Mr. Conway put on an old helmet we found there ; you cannot imagine how it suited him, how anti- que and handsome he looked ; you would have taken him for Rinaldo. Now I have dipped you so deep in heraldry and genealogies, I shall beg you to step into the church of Stoke; I know it is not asking you to do a disagreeable thing to call there ; I want an account of the tomb of the first earl of Huntingdon, an ancestor of mine, who lies there. I asked Gray, but he could tell me little about it. You know how out of humour Gray has been about our diverting ourselves with pedi- grees, which is at least as wise, as making a serious point of haranguing against the study ; I believe neither Mr. Chute nor I ever contracted a mo- ment's vanity from any of our discoveries, or ever preferred them to any thing but brag and whist. Well, Gray has set himself to compute, and has found out that there must go a million' of ances- tors in twenty generations to every body's com- position. I dig and plant till it is dark j all my works are revived and proceeding. When will you come and assist ? You know I have an absolute pro- mise, and shall now every day expect you. My compliments to your sisters. Yours ever. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 221 To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Arlington-street, May 15, 1750. The high bailiff, after commending himself and his own impartiality for an hour this morning, not unlike your cousin Pelham, has declared lord Trentham.' The mob declare they will pull his house down to shew their impartiality. The princess has luckily produced another boy, so sir George Vandeput may be recompensed with being godfather. I stand to-morrow, not for member, but for godfather to my sister's girl, with Mrs. Selwyn and old Dunch ; were ever three such dowagers ? when shall three such meet again ? If the babe has not a most sentimentally yellow complexion after such sureties, I will burn my books, and never answer for another skin. You have heard, I suppose, that Nugent must answer a little more seriously for lady Lyming- ton's child. Why, she was as ugly as Mrs. Nu- gent, had had more children, and was not so young. The pleasure of wronging a woman, who had bought him so dear, could be the only temptation. Adieu! I have told you all I. know, and as 1 Lord viscount Trentham, son of John carl of Gowcr, and married to lady Louisa Egerton, sister of the duke of Bridge - water. 222 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE much is scandal, very possibly more than is true. I go to Strawberry on Saturday, and so shall not know even scandal. Yours ever. To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Arlington- street, June 23, 1750. Dear George, As I am not Vanneck*d, I have been in no hurry to thank you for your congratulation, and to as- sure you, that I never knew what solid happiness was till I was married. Your Trevors and Rices dined with me last week at Strawberry-hill, and would have had me answer you upon the matri- monial tone, but I thought I should imitate cheer- fulness in that style as ill as if I were really mar- ried. I have had another of your friends with me here some time, whom I adore, Mr. Bentley ;' he has more sense, judgment, and wit, more taste, and more misfortunes than sure ever met in any man. I have heard that Dr. Bentley, regretting his want of taste for all such learning as his, which is the very want of taste, used to sigh and say, " TuUy had his Marcus." If the sons resembled. 1 Son of Dr. Bentley. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 223 as much as the fathers did, at least in vanity, I would be the modest, agreeable Marcus. Mr. Bentley tells me that you press him much to visit you at Hawkhurst. I advise him, and assure him he will make his fortune under you there ; that you are an agent from the board of trade to the smugglers, and wallow in contraband wine, tea, and silk handkerchiefs. I found an old newspaper t'other day, with a list of outlawed smugglers ; there were John Price, alias Miss Marjoram, Bob Plunder, Bricklayer Tom, and Robin Cursemother, all of Hawkhurst, in Kent. When Miss Harriot is thoroughly hardened at Buxton, as I hear she is by lying in a public room with the whole wells, from drinking waters, I conclude she will come to sip nothing but new brandy. As jolly and as abominable a life as she may have been leading, I defy all her enormities to equal a party of pleasure that I had t'other night. I shall relate it to you to shew you the manners of the age, which are always as entertaining to a person fifty miles off, as to one born an hundred and fifty years after the time. I had a card from lady Caroline Petersham to go with her to Vaux- hall. I went accordingly to her house, and found her and the little Ashe, or the pollard Ashe, as they call her ; they had just finished their last layer of red, and looked as handsome as crimson could make them. On the cabinet-door s'tood a pair of Dresden candlesticks, a present from the 224 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE virgin hands of sir John Bland, the branches of each formed a little bower over a cock and hen treading ; yes, literally. We issued into the mall to assemble our company, which was all the town, if we could get it ; for just so many had been summoned, except Harry Vane, whom we met by chance. We mustered the duke of Kingston, whom lady Caroline says she has been trying for these seven years ; but alas ! his beauty is at the fall of the leaf; lord March, Mr. Whithead, a pretty Miss Beauclerc, and a very foolish Miss Sparre. These two damsels were trusted by their mothers for the first time of their lives to the ma- tronly care of lady Caroline. As we sailed up the mall with all our colours flying, lord Peter- sham, with his hose and legs twisted to every point of crossness, strode by us on the outside, and re- passed again on the return. At the end of the mall she called to him : he would not answer; she gave a familiar spring, and between laugh and confusion ran up to him, " my lord, my lord, why you don't see us I" We advanced at a little dis- tance, not a little awkward in expectation how all this would end, for my lord never stirred his hat, or took the least notice of any body ; she said, " do you go with us, or are t/ou going any where else ?" " I don't go with you, I am going some- where else ;" and away he stalked, as sulky as a ghost that nobody will speak to first. We got into the best order we could, and marched to our HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 225 barge with a boat of French horns attending, and little Ashe singing. We paraded some time up the river, and at last debarked at Vauxhall : there, if we had so pleased, we might have had the viva- city of our party increased by a quarrel ; for a Mrs. Loyd, who is supposed to be married to lord Haddington, seeing the two girls following lady Petersham and miss Ashe, said aloud, " poor girls, I am sorry to see them in such bad company." Miss Sparre, who desired nothing so much as the fun of seeing a duel ; a thing which, though she is fifteen, she has never been so lucky to see, took due pains to make lord March resent this : but he, who is very lively and agreeable, laughed her out of this charming frolic with a great deal of humour. Here we picked up lord Granby, ar- rived very drunk from Jenny's whim, where, in- stead of going to old Strafford's catacombs to make honourable love, he had dined with lady Fanny, and left her and eight other women and four other men playing at brag. He would fain have made over his honourable love upon any terms to poor miss Beauclerc, who is very modest, and did not know at all what to do with his whis- ■pers or his hands. He then addressed himself to the Sparre, who was very well disposed to receive both, but the tide of champagne turned, he hic- cupped at the reflection of his marriage (of which he is wondrous sick), and only proposed to the girl to shut themselves up and rail at the world VOL. I. Q 226 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE for three weeks. If all the adventures don't con- clude as you expect in the beginning of a para- graph, you must not wonder, for I am not making a history, but relating one strictly as it happened, and I think with full entertainment enough to content you. At last we assembled in our booth, lady Caroline in the front, with the vizor of her hat erect, and looking gloriously jolly and hand- some. She had fetched my brother Orford from the next box, where he was enjoying himself with his petite partie, to help us to mince chickens. We minced seven chickens into a china dish, which lady Caroline stewed over a lamp with three pats of butter and a flagon of water, stirring, and rattling, and laughing, and we every minute ex- pecting to have the dish fly about our ears. She had brought Betty the fruit girl with hampers of strawberries and cherries from Rogers's, and made her wait upon us, and then made her sup by us at a little table. The conversation was no less lively than the whole transaction. There was a Mr. O'Brien arrived from Ireland, who would get the duchess of Manchester from Mr. Hussey, if she were still at liberty. I took up the biggest hautboy in the dish, and said to lady Caroline, " madam, miss Ashe desires you would eat this 0*Brien strawberry ;" she replied immediately, *' 1 won't, you hussey.'* You may imagine the laugh this reply occasioned. After the tempest was a little calmed, the Pollard said, " now how HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 227 any body would spoil this story that was to repeat it, and say, I won't you jade !" In short, the whole air of our party was sufficient, as you will easily imagine, to take up the whole attention of the garden ; so much so, that from eleven o'clock till half an hour after one we had the whole con- course round our booth : at last they came into the little gardens of each booth on the sides of ours, till Harry Vane took up a bumper, and drank their healths, and was proceeding to treat them with still greater freedom. It was three o'clock before we got home. I think I have told you the chief passages. Lord Granby's temper had been a little ruffled the night before : the prince had invited him and Dick Lyttleton to Kew, where he won eleven hundred pounds of the latter, and eight of the former, then cut, and told them he would play with them no longer, for he saw they played so idly, that they were capable of losing more than they would like. Adieu ! I expect in return for this long tale, that you will tell me some of your frolics with Robin Cursemother, and some of miss Marjoram's bon mots. Yours ever. P. S. Dr. Middleton called on me yesterday ; he is come to town to consult his physician for a jaundice, and swelled legs, symptoms, wlrich the doctor tells him, and which he believes, can be Q 2 228 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE easily cured ; I think him visibly broke, and near his end. He lately advised me to marry, on the sense of his own happiness ; but if any body had advised theirs to the contrary, at his time of life, I believe he would not have broke so soon. To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Strawberry-hill, September 10, 1750. You must not pretend to be concerned at having missed one here, when I had repeatedly begged you to let me know what day you would call j and even after you had learnt that I was to come the next day, you paraded by my house with all your matrimonial streamers flying, without even saluting the future castle. To punish this slight, I shall accept your offer of a visit on the return of your progress j I shall be here and Mrs. Leneve will not. I feel for the poor Handasyde. If I wanted examples for to deter one from making all the world happy, from obliging, from being always in good humour and spirits, she should be my me- mento. You find long wise faces every day, that tell you riches cannot make one happy. No, can't they ? What pleasantry is that poor woman fallen from ! and what a joyous feel must Vanneck have expired in, who could call and think the HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 229 two Sclmtzs his friends, and leave five hundred pounds a piece to their friendship : nay, riches made him so happy, that in the overflowing of his satisfaction, he has bequeathed a hundred pounds a piece to eighteen fellows, whom he calls his good friends, that favoured him with their company on Fridays. He took it mighty kind that captain James de Normandie, and twenty such names, that came out of the Minories, would constrain themselves to live upon him once a week. I should like to visit the castles and groves of your old Welsh ancestors with you ; by the draughts I have seen, I have always imagined that Wales preserved the greatest remains of ancient days, and have often wished to visit Picton castle, the seat of my Philipps-progenitors. Make my best compliments to your sisters, and with their leave make haste to this side of the world ; you will be extremely welcome hither as soon and for as long as you like ; I can promise you nothing very agreeable, but that I will try to get our favourite Mr. Bentley to meet you. — Adieu, Yours very sincerely. 230 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Arlington-street, May 30, 1751. Mrs. Boscawen says I ought to write to you. I don't think so: you desired I would, if I had any thing new to tell you ; I have not. Lady Caro- line and miss Ashe, had quarrelled about reputa- tions before you went out of town. I suppose you would not give a straw to know all the circum- stances of a Mr. Paul killing a Mr. Dalton, though the town, who talks of any thing, talks of nothing else. Mrs. French and her Jeffery are parted again. Lady Orford and Shirley married ; they say she was much frightened ; it could not be for fear of what other brides dread happening, but for fear it should not happen. My evening yesterday was employed, how wisely do you think ? in trying to procure for the duchess of Portland a scarlet spider from admiral Boscawen. I had just seen her collection, which is indeed magnificent, chiefly composed of the spoils of her fathers, and the Arundel collections. The gems of all sorts are glorious. I was diverted with two relics of St. Charles the martyr ; one the pearl, you see in his pictures, taken out of his ear after his foolish head was off; the other the cup, out of which he took his last sacrament. They should be given to that nursery of nonsense and bigotry, Oxford. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 231 I condole with you on your journey, am glad miss Montagu is in better health, and am Yours sincerely. To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Arlington-street, June 13, 1751. You have told me that it is charity to write you news into Kent ; but what if my news should shock you ! Won't it rather be an act of cruelty to tell you, your relation, Sandwich,^ is immediately to be removed, and that the duke of Bedford, and all the Gowers will resign to attend him. Not quite all the Gowers, for the earl himself keeps the privy seal and plays on at brag with lady Ca- therine Pelham, to the great satisfaction of the Staffordshire Jacobites, who desire, at least expect no better diversion, than a division in that house. Lord Trentham does resign. Lord Hartington is to be master of the horse and called up to the house of peers. Lord Granville is to be presi- dent ; if he should resent any former resignations and insist on victims, will lord Harrington assure the menaced tliat they shall not be sacrificed. I hear your friend lord North is wedded j some- .lolin Montagu, fourth earl of Sandwich. 232 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE body said it is very hot weather to marry so fat a bride ; George Selwyn replied, " oh ! she was kept in ice for three days before." The first volume of Spencer is published with prints, designed by Kent ; but the most execrable performance you ever beheld. The graving not worse than the drawing ; awkward knights, scrambling Unas, hills tumbling down themselves, no variety of prospect, and three or four perpe- tual spruce firs. Our charming Mr. Bentley is doing Gray as much more honour as he deserves than Spencer. He is drawing vignettes for his odes; what a valuable MS. I shall have ! Warburton publishes his edition of Pope next week, with the famous piece of prose on lord Hervey, which he formerly suppressed at my uncle's desire, who had got an abbey from cardinal Fleury for one Southcote, a friend of Pope's. My lord Hervey pretended not to thank him. I am told the edition has waited, because Warburton has cancelled above a hun- dred sheets (in which he had inserted notes) since the publication of the canons of criticism. The new history of Christina is a most wretched piece of trumpery, stuffed with foolish letters and confu- tations of mademoiselle de Montpensier and ma- dame de Motteville. Adieu, Yours ever. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 233 To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Daventry, July 22, 1751. You will wonder in what part of the county of Twicks lies this Daventry. It happens to be in Northamptonshire. My letter will scarce set out till I get to London, but 'I choose to give it its pre- sent date lest you should admire, that Mr. Usher of the exchequer, the lord treasurer of pen, ink, and paper, should write with such coarse materials. I am on my way from Ragley,^ and if ever the waters subside and my ark rests upon dry land again, I think of stepping over to Tonghes : but your journey has filled my postchaise's head with such terrible ideas of your roads, that I think I shall let it have done raining for a month or six weeks, which it has not done for as much time past, before I begin to grease my wheels again, and lay in a provision of French books, and tea, and blunderbusses for my journey. Before I tell you a word of Ragley you must hear how busy I have been upon Grammont. You know I have long had a purpose of a new edition wdth notes and cuts of the principal beauties and heroes, if I could meet with their portraits. I have made out all the people at all remarkable ' The scat of the carl oi' Hertford. 234 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE except mi lorclJa?iet, whom I cannot divine unless he be Thanet. Well, but what will entertain you is, that I have discovered the philosophe Whitnell ; and what do you think his real name was ? Only Whetenhall ! Pray do you call cousins ?^ Look in Collin's Baronets, and under the article Beding- Jield you will find that he was an ingenious gentle- man, and la hlanche "Whitnell, though one of the greatest beauties of the age^ an excellent wife. I am persuaded the Bedingfields crowded in these cha- racters to take off the ridicule in Grammont : they have succeeded to a miracle. Madame de Mirepoix told me t'other day, that she had known a daughter of the countess de Grammont, an ab- bess in Lorrain, who, to the embassadress's great scandal, was ten times more vain of the blood of Hamilton than of an equal quantity of tliat of Grammont. She had told her much of her sister my lady Stafford,^ whom I remember to have seen when I was a child. She used to live at Twickenham when lady Mary Wortley* and the duke of Wharton lived there ; she had more wit than both of them. What would I give to have 2 A sister of Mr. Montagu's, was married to Nathaniel Whetenhall, esq. 3 Claude Charlotte, countess of Stafford, wife of Henry earl of Stafford, and daughter of Philibert, count of Grammont, and Elizabeth Hamilton his wife. ' Lady Mary Wortlcy Montagu, HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 235 had Strawberry-hill twenty years ago ! I think any thing but twenty years. Lady Stafford used to say to her sister, " Well, child, I have come without my wit to-day ;" that is, she had not taken her opium, which she was forced to do if she had any appointment, to be in particular spirits. This rage of Grammont carried me a little while ago to old Marlborough's^ at Wim- bledon, where I had heard there was a picture of lady Denham ; it is a charming one. The house you know stands in a hole, or as the whimsical old lady said, seems to be making a curtsey. She had directed my lord Pembroke not to make her go up any steps ; " / "wont go up steps ;'* — and so he dug a saucer to put it in, and levelled the first floor with the ground. There is a bust of admiral Vernon, erected I suppose by Jack Spencer, with as many lies upon it as if it was a tombstone ; and a very curious old picture up stairs that I take to be Louis Sforza the jMoor, with his nephew Ga- leazzo. There are other good pictures in the house, but perhaps you have seen them. As I have formerly seen Oxford and Blenheim, I did not stop till I came to Stratford-upon-Avon, the wretchedest old town I ever saw, which I intended for Shakspeare's sake to find snug, and pretty, ^ Sarah, dutchess of Marlborough. 236 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE and antique, not old. His tomb, and his wife's, and John a Combes, are in an agreeable church, with several other monuments ; as one of the earl of Totness, and another of sir Edward Walker the memoirs' writer. There are quantities of Cloptons too; but the bountiful corporation have exceed- ingly bepainted Shakspeare and the principal per- sonages. I was much struck with Ragley ; the situation is magnificent ; the house far beyond any thing I have seen of that bad age : for it was begun, as I found by an old letter in the library from lord Ranelagh to earl Conway, in the year 1680. By the way, I have had and am to have the rummag- ing of three chests of pedigrees and letters to that secretary Conway, which I have interceded for and saved from the flames. The prospect is as fine, as one destitute of a navigated river can be, and hitherto totally unimproved ; so is the house, which is but just covered in, after so many years. They have begun to inhabit the naked walls of the attic story ; the great one is unfloored and unceiled ; the hall is magnificent, sixty by forty, and thirty-eight high. I am going to pump Mr. Bentley for designs. The other apartments are very lofty, and in quantity, though I had suspect- ed that this Leviathan hall must have devoured half the other chambers. The Ilertfords carried me to dine at lord Ar- HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 28Y cher's/ an odious place. On my return I saw Warwick, a pretty old town, small, and thinly in- habited, in the form of a cross. The castle is en- chanting ; the view pleased me more than I can express ; the river Avon tumbles down a cascade at the foot of it. It is well laid out by one Brown, who has set up on a few ideas of Kent and Mr. Southcote. One sees what the prevalence of taste does ; little Brooke, who would have chuckled to have been born in an age of dipt hedges and cockle-shell avenues, has submitted to let his gar- den and park be natural. Where he has at- tempted gothic in the castle, he has failed ; and has indulged himself in a new apartment, that is paltry. The chapel is very pretty, and smugged up with tiny pews, that look like etids for the earl and his diminutive countess. I shall tell you no- thing of the glorious chapel of the Beauchamps in St. Mary's church, for you know it is in Dugdale; nor how ill the fierce bears and ragged staves are succeeded by puppets and corals. As I came back another road, I saw lord Pomfret's,"^ by Towcester, where there are a few good pictures, and many masked statues ; there is an exceeding fine Cicero, v/hich has no fault, but the head being modern. I saw a pretty lodge just built by the ^ Amberslade, near Stratford-upon-Avon "^ Easton Neston. 238 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE duke of Grafton in Whittleberry-forest ; the de- sign is Kent's, but, as was his manner, too heavy. I ran through the gardens at Stowe,® which I have seen before, and had only time to be charmed with the variety of scenes. I do Hke that Albano glut of buildings, let them be ever so much con- demned. Adieu, yours. To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Arlington-street, Oct. 8, 1751. So you have totally forgot that I sent you the pedigree of the Crouches, as long ago as the mid- dle of last August, and that you promised to come to Strawberry-hill in October. I shall be there some time in next week, but as my motions nei- ther depend on resolutions nor almanacks, let me know before hand when you intend me a visit j for though keeping an appointment is not just the thing you ever do, I suppose you know you dis- like being disappointed yourself as much, as if you were the most punctual person in the world to engagements. I came yesterday from Woburn, where I have 8 The seat of earl Temple. HOx\. HORACE WALPOLE. 239 been a week. The house is in building, and three sides of the quadrangle finished. The park is very fine, the woods glorious, and the planta- tions of evergreens sumptuous ; but upon the whole, it is rather what I admire than like — I fear that is what I am a little apt to do at the finest places in the world where there is not a navigable river. You would be charmed, as I was, with an old gallery, that is not yet destroyed. It is a bad room, powdered with little gold stars, and covered with millions of old portraits. There are all the successions of earls and countesses of Bedford and all their progenies. One countess is a whole-length drawing in the drollest dress you ever saw ; and another picture of the same wo- man leaning on her hand, I believe by Cornelius Johnson, is as fine a head as ever I saw. There are many of queen Elizabeth's worthies, the Leicesters, Essexs, and Philip Sidneys, and a very curious portrait of the last Courtney, earl of Devonshire, who died at Padua. Have not I read somewhere that he was in love with queen Elizabeth, and queen Mary with him ? He is quite in the style of the former's lovers, red bearded, and not comely. There is Essex's friend, the earl of Southampton, his son the lord treasurer, and madame PEmpoisonneuse,^ Lady Frances Howard, daughter of the earl of Suffolk, and 240 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE that married Carr,^ earl of Somerset — she is pretty. Have not you seen a copy Vertue has made of Philip and Mary ? That is in this gallery too, but more curious than good. They shewed me two heads, who, according to the tradition of the family, were the originals of Castalio and Polidore. They were sons to the second earl of Bedford, and the eldest, if not both, died before their father. The eldest has vipers in his hand, and in the distant land- scape appears in a maze, with these words. Fata viam invenient. The other has a woman b6>hind him, sitting near the sea, with strange monsters surrounding her. I don't pretend to decypher this, nor to describe half the entertaining morsels I found here ; but I can't omit, as you know^ I am Grammont-mad, that I found le vieux lioussel, qui etoit le plus Jier dajiseur d'Angleterre. The por- trait is young, but has all the promise of his latter character. I am going to send them a head of a countess of Cumberland,^ sister to Castalio and married to the earl of Essex, from whom she was divorced. She then married her lover, the earl of Somerset. She poisoned sir Thomas Overbury, because he had endeavoured to dissuade his friend the earl of Somerset from this alliance. She was tried and condemned, but was pardoned by king James, 2 Robert Carr, a favourite of king James the first, who created him viscount Rochester, and earl of Somerset. 3 Margaret, countess of Cumberland, daughter of Francis HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 241 Polidore, and mother of a famous countess of Dorset,'^ who afterwards married the earl of Pem- broke,^ of Charles the first's time. She was an authoress, and immensely rich. After the resto- ration, sir Joseph Williamson, the secretary of state, wrote to her to choose a courtier at Apple- by : she sent him this answer: "I have been bullied by an usurper, I have been ill-treated by a court, but I won't be dictated to by a subject; your man shall not stand. Anne Dorset Pem- broke and Montgomery." Adieu ! if you love news a hundred years old, I think you can't have a better correspondent. For any thing that passes now, I shall not think it worth knowing these fifty years. Yours ever. Russel, second earl of Bedford, and married to George Clifford, third earl of Cumberland. 4 Anne Clifford, daughter of George earl of Cumberland, first married to Richard Sackville, earl of Dorset, and after- wards to Philip earl of Pembroke. ^ Philip earl of Pembroke, son of Henry second earl of Pem- broke. He was chamberlain to Charles the first. VOL, I. 242 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE To GEORGE MONTA(;U, Esq. THE ST. JAMES's EVENING POST, Thursday, Jan. 9, 17.52. Monday being the twelfth day, his majesty ac- cording to annual custom offered myrrh, frankin- cense, and a small bit of gold ; and at night, in commemoration of the three kings or "doise men, the king and royal family played at hazard for the benefit of a prince of the blood. There were above eleven thousand pounds upon the table ; his most sacred majesty won three guineas, and his R. H. the duke three thousand four hundred pounds. On Saturday was landed at the Custom-house a large box of trufles, being a present to the earl of Lincoln from Theobald Taaffe, Esq. who is shortly expected home from his travels in foreign parts. To-morrow the new-born son of the earl of Egremont is to be baptized, when his majesty, and the earl of Granville (if he is able to stand) and the duchess of Somerset are to be sponsors. We are assured that on Tuesday last, the sur- prising strong woman was exhibited at the coun- tess of Holderness's, before a polite assembly of persons of the first quality : and some tune this HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 243 week, the two dwarfs will play at brag at madam Holman*s. N. B. The strong man, who was to have performed at Mrs. Nugent's, is indisposed. There is lately arrived at the lord Carpenter's, a curious male chimparozee, which had had the honour of being shewn before the ugliest princes in Europe, who all expressed their approbation ; and we hear that he intends to offer himself a candidate to represent the city of Westminster at the next general election. Note : he wears breeches, and there is a gentlewoman to attend the ladies. Last night the Hon. and Rev. Mr. James Bru- denel was admitted a doctor of opium in the an- cient university of Whites, being received ad eundem by his grace the Rev. father in chess the duke of Devonshire, president, and the rest of the senior fellows. At the same time the lord Robert Bertie and colonel Barrington were rejected, on account of some deficiency of formality in their testimonials. Letters from Grosvenor-street mention a dread- ful apparition, which has appeared for several nights at the house of the countess Temple, which has occasioned several of her ladyship's domestics to leave her service, except the coachman, who has drove her sons and nephews for several years, and is not afraid of spectres. The coroncp's in- quest have brought in their verdict lunacy. Last week the lord Downe received at the trea- R 2 244. CORRESPONDENCE OF THE sury the sum of a hundred kisses from the auditor of the exchequer, being the reward for shooting at a highwayman. On Tuesday the operation of shaving was hap- pily performed on the upper lip of her grace the dutchess of N * * * *', by a celebrated artist from Paris, sent over on purpose by the carl of Alber- marle. The performance lasted but one minute and three seconds, to the great joy of that noble family ; and in consideration of his great care and expedition, liis grace has settled foyr hundred pounds a year upon him for life. We hear that he is to have the honour of shaving the heads of the lady Caroline Petersham, the duchess of Queensbury, and several other persons of quality. By authority, on Sunday next M'ill be opened the Romish chapel at Norfolk house ; no persons will be admitted, but such as are known well wishers to the present happy establishment. Mass will begin exactly when the English liturgy is finished. At the theatre royal in the house of lords, the Royal Slave, with Tethe. At the theatre in St. Stephen's chapel, the Fool in Fashion. The Jews are desired to meet on the 20t]i inst. at the sign of Fort L'Eveque in Pharaoh-street, to commemorate the noble struggle made by one of their brethren in support of his property. Deserted — miss Ashe. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 2k> Lost— an opposition. To be let — an embassador's masquerade, the gentleman going abroad. To be sold — the whole nation. Lately published, the analogy of political and private quarrels, or the art of healing family-dif- ferences by widening them ; on these words, do evil that good may e?isue ; a sermon preached be- fore the right Hon. Henry Pelham, and the rest of the society for propagating Christian charity, by William Levenson, chaplain to her R. H. the princess Amelia ; and now printed at the desire of several of the family. For capital weaknesses, the duke of Newcastle's true spirit of crocodiles. Given gratis at the Turn-stile, the corner of Lincoln's-inn-fields, Anodyne Stars and Garters. To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Arlington-street, May 12, 1752. You deserve no charity, for you never write but to ask it. When you are tired of yourself and the country, you think over all London, and con- sider who will be proper to send you an account of it. Take notice, I won't be your gazetteer j nor is my lime come for being a dowager, a iFuiker of news, a day labourer in scandal. If you 246 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE care for nobody but for what they can tell you, you must provide yourself elsewhere. The town is empty, nothing in it but flabby mackarel, and wooden gooseberry tarts, and a hazy east wind. My sister is gone to Paris ; I go to Strawberry-hill in three days for the summer, if summer there will ever be any. If you want news, you must send to Ireland, where there is almost a civil war, between the lord lieutenant and primate on one side (observe, I don't tell you what side that is), and the speaker on the other, who carries questions by wholesale in the house of commons against the castle ; and the teterrima belli causa is not the common one. Reams of scandalous verses and ballads are come over, too bad to send you, if I had them, but I really have not. What is more provoking for the duke of Dorset, an address is come over directly to the king (not as usual through the channel of the lord lieutenant), to assure him of their great loyalty and apprehensions of being misrepresented. This is all I know, and you see, most imperfectly. I was t'other night to see what is now grown the fashion, mother Midnight's oratory. It ap- peared the lowest buffoonery in tlie world even to me, who am used to my uncle Horace. There is a bad oration to ridicule, what it is too like, orator Henley ; all the rest is perverted music ; there is a man, who plays so nimbly on the kettle-drum, HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 247 that he has reduced that noisy instrument to an object oF sight ; for, if you don't see the tricks with his hands, it is no better than ordinary ; an- other plays on a violin and trumpet together ; an- other mimics a bagpipe with a German flute, and makes it full as disagreeable. There is an ad- mired dulcimer, a favourite salt-box, and a really curious jew's-harp. Two or three men intend to persuade you that they play on a broomstick, which is drolly brought in, carefully shrouded in a case, so as to be mistaken for a bassoon or bass- viol ; but they succeed in nothing but the action. The last fellow imitates * * * * curtseying to a French horn. There are twenty medley over- tures, and a man who speaks a prologue and epi- logue, in which he counterfeits all the actors and singers upon earth ; in short, 1 have long been convinced, that what I used to imagine the most difficult tiling in the world, mimicry, is the easiest ; for one has seen for these two or three years, atFoote's and the other theatres, that when they lost one mimic, they called odd man, and another came and succeeded just as well. Adieu ! 1 have told you much more than I in- tended, and nnich more than I could conceive J iiad to say, except how does miss Montagu ? Yours Qver. W S. Did you hear captain Hotliam's hon-mot on sir T!i. Rol)i!!soii's making an asst nibly from 248 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE the top of his house to the bottom? He said, he wondered so many people would go to sir Thomas's, as he treated them all de haul en has. To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Strawberry-hill, June 6, 1752. I HAVE just been in London for two or three days, to fetch an adventure, and am returned to my hill and my castle. I can't say I lost my labour, as you shall hear. Last Sunday night, being as wet a night as you shall see in a summer's day, about half an hour after twelve, I was just come home from White's, and undressing to step into bed, I heard Harry, who you know lies forwards, roar out, "Stop thief!" and run down stairs. I ran after him. Don't be frightened ; I have not lost one enamel, nor bronze, nor have been shot through the head again. A gentlew^oman, who lives at governor Pitt's, next door but one to me, and where Mr. Bentley used to live, was going to bed too, and heard people breaking into Mr. Freeman's house, who, like some acquaintance of mine in Albemarle-street, goes out of town, locks up his doors, and leaves the community to watch his furniture. N. B. It was broken open but two years ago, and I and all the chairmen vow they shall steal his house away another time, before we HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 249 will trouble our heads about it. Well, mdam called out " watch ;" two men, who were centi- nels, ran away, and Harry's voice after them. Down came I, and with a posse of chairmen and watchmen found the third fellow in the area of Mr. Freeman's house. Mayhap you have seen all this in the papers, little thinking who com- manded the detachment. Harry fetched a blun- derbuss to invite the thief up. One of the chair- men, who was drunk, cried, " Give 7nc the blunder' buss, ril shoot lihn /" But as the general's head was a little cooler, he prevented military execu- tion, and took the prisoner without bloodshed, intending to make his triumphal entry into the metropolis of Twickenham with his captive tied to the wheels of his post-chaise. I find my style rises so much witli the recollection of my victory, that I don't know how to descend to tell you that the enemy was a carpenter, and liad a leather apron on. The next step was to share my glory with my friends. I dispatched a courier to White's for George Selwyn, who. you know, loves nothing upon earth so well as a criminal, except the exe- cution of him. It happened very luckily, that the drawer, who received my message, has very lately been robbed himself, and liad the wound fresh in his memory. He stalked up into the club-room, stopped short, and with a hollow trem- bling voice said, " M}\ Selicijn ! Mr. JValpole's romplhnoiis to you, and he Jius got a house-trreaker 250 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE Jor you /" A squadron immediately came to re- inforce me, and having summoned Moreland with the keys of the fortress, we marched into the house to search for more of the gang. Coh Sea- bright, with his sword drawn went first, and then I, exactly the figure of Robinson Crusoe, with a candle and lanthorn in my hand, a carbine upon my shoulder, my hair wet and about my ears, and in a linen night-gown and slippers. We found the kitchen shutters forced, but not finished ; and in the area a tremendous bag of tools, a hammer large enough for the hand of a Joel, and six chi- sels ! All which opima spolia, as there was no temple of Jupiter Capitolinus in the neighbour- hood, I was reduced to offer on the altar of sir Thomas Clarges. I am now, as I told you, returned to my plough with as much humility and pride as any of my great predecessors. We lead quite a rural life, have had a sheep-shearing, a haymaking, a sylhi- bub under the cow, and a fishing of three gold iish out of Poyang,^ for a present to madam Clive. They breed with me excessively, and are grown to ihe size of small perch. Every thing grows, if ten!])ests would let it, but I have had two of my largest trees broke to-day with the wind, and an- otlior last week. I am much obli2:ed to vou for Mr. Vv'iilpolc culled his qold-iisli j)ond, Poyan' HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 251 the flower you offer me, but by the description, it is an Austrian rose, and I have several now in bloom. Mr. Bentley is with me, finishing the drawings for Gray's odes ; there are some man- darin-cats fishing for gold fish, which will delight you ; au reste, he is just where he was ; he has heard something about a journey to Haughton, to the great Cu^ of Haticuleo, but it don't seem fixed, unless he hears farther. Did he tell you the Prices and your aunt Cosby had dined here from Hampton-court? The mignionette beauty looks mighty well in his grandmother's jointure. The memoires of last year are quite finished, but I shall add some pages of notes, that will not want anecdotes. Discontents of the nature of those about Windsor-park, are spreading about Rich- mond. Lord Brooke, who has taken the late duchess of Rutland's at Petersham, asked for a key ; the answer was, (mind it, for it was tolerably mortifying to an earl,) that the princess laid al- ready refused one to my lord chancellor. By the way, you know that reverend head of tlie law is frequently shut up here with my lady M ***** hj who is as rich, and as tipsy, as Caca- fogo in the comedy. What a jumble of avarice, lewdness, dignity, — and claret ! ■' The earl of llalitax. 252 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE You will be pleased with a story of lord Bury,' that is come from Scotland : he is quartered at Inverness : the magistrates invited him to an en- tertainment with fire-works, which they intended to give on the morrow for the duke's birth-day. He thanked them, assured them he would repre- sent their zeal to his royal highness ; but he did not doubt but it would be m.ore agreeable to him, if they postponed it to the day following, the an- niversary of the battle of Culloden. They stared, said they could not promise on their own autho- rity, but would go and consult their body. They returned, told him it w'as unprecedented, and could not be complied with. Lord Bury replied, he was sorry they had not given a negative at once, for he had mentioned it to his soldiers, who would not bear a disappointment, and was afraid it would provoke them to some outrage upon the town. This did; — they celebrated Culloden. Adieu ! my compliments to miss Montagu. Yours ever. •^ Eldest son of William — Anne, earl of Albemarle, HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 255 To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Twickenham, Thursday. Dear George, Since you give me leave to speak the truth, I must own it is not quite agreeable to me to under- take the commission you give me ; nor do I say this to assume any merit in having obeyed you, but to prepare you against my solicitation miscarry- ing, for I cannot flatter myself with having so much interest with Mr. Fox as you think. How- ever, I have wrote to him as pressingly as I could, and wish most heartily it may have any effect. Your brother I imagine will call upon him again ; and Mr. Fox will naturally tell him whether he can do it or not at my request. I should have been very glad of your company, if it had been convenient. You would have found me an absolute country gentleman : I am in the garden, planting as long as it is light, and shall not have finished, to be in London, before tlie middle of next w^eek. My compliments to your sisters and to the colonel, and what so poor a man as Hamlet is, may do to express his love and friending to him, (rod willing shall not lack. Adieu! Yours ever. 254 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Strawberry-hill, July 20, 1752. You have threatened me with a messenger from the secretary's office to seize my papers ; who would ever have taken you for a prophet ? If goody Compton, your colleague, had taken upon her to foretell, there was enough of the witch and prophetess in her person and mysteriousness to have made a superstitious person believe she might be a cousin of Nostradamus, and heiress of some of her visions ; but how came you by second sight ? Which of the Cues matched in the high- lands ? In short, not to keep you in suspense, for I believe you are so far inspired as to be igno- rant how your prophecy was to be accomplished, as we were sitting at dinner t'other day, word was brought that one of the king's messengers was at the door. Every drop of ink in my pen ran cold; Algernon Sidney danced before my eyes, and me- thought I heard my lord chief justice 'Lee, in a voice as dreadful as Jefferies, mumble out, smhere est agere. How comfortable it was to find, that Mr. Amyand, who was at table, had ordered this appanage of his dignity to attend him here for orders ! However, I have buried the memoires under the oak in my garden, w^hcrc they are to be found a thousand years hence, and taken per- haps for a Runic history in rhyme. I have part of HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 255 another valuable MS. to dispose, which I shall beg leave to commit to your care, and desire it may be concealed behind the wainscot in Mr. Bentley's Gothic house, whenever you build it. As the great person is living to whom it belonged, it would be highly dangerous to make it public ; as soon as she is in disgrace, I don't know whe- ther it will not be a good way of making court to her successor, to communicate it to the world, as I propose doing under the following title : " The Treasury of Art and Nature, or a collection of inestimable receipts, stolen out of the cabinet of madame de Pompadour, and now first published for the use of his fair country-women, by a true born Englishman and philomystic." So the pretty miss Bishop,' instead of being my niece, is to be Mrs. Bob Brudenel. What foolish birds are turtles, when they have scarce a hole to roost in ! Adieu. 1 Daughter of sir Cecil Bishop. 256 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE To RICHARD BENTLEY; Esq. Battel, Wednesday, August 5, 1152. Here we are, my dear sir, in the middle of our pilgrimage ; and lest we should never return from this holy land of abbeys and Gothic castles, I be- gin a letter to you, that I hope some charitable monk, when he has buried our bones, will deliver to you. We have had piteous distresses, but then we have seen glorious sights ! You shall hear of each in their order. Monday, Wind S. E. — at least that was our direction. — While they were changing our horses at Bromley, we went to see the bishop of Roches- ter's palace ; not for the sake of any thing there was to be seen, but because there was a chimney, in which had stood a flower-pot, in which was put the counterfeit plot against bishop Sprat. 'Tis a paltry parsonage, with nothing of antiquity but two panes of glass, purloined from Islip's chapel in Westminster-abbey, with that abbot's rebus, an eye and a slip of a tree. In the garden there is a clear little pond, teeming with gold flsh. The bishop is more prolific than I am. From Sevenoak we went to Knowle. The park is sweet, with much old beech, and an immense 1 Only son of doctor Bentley, the celebrated commentator. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 257 sycamore before the great gate, that makes me more in love than ever with sycamores. The house is not near so extensive as I expected : the outward court has a beautiful decent simplicity that charms one. The apartments are many, but not large. The furniture throughout, ancient magnificence ; loads of portraits, not good nor curious ; ebony cabinets, embossed silver in vases, dishes, &c. embroidered beds, stiff chairs, and sweet bags lying on velvet tables, richly worked in silk and gold. There are two galleries, one very small ; an old hall, and a spacious great drawing-room. There is never a good stair-case. The first little room you enter has sundry portraits of the times ; but they seem to have been bespoke by the yard, and drawn all by the same painter : one should be happy if they were authentic ; for among them there is Dudley duke of Northumber- land, Gardiner of Winchester, the earl of Surry the poet, when a boy, and a Thomas duke of Norfolk ; but I don't know which. The only fine picture is of lord Goring and Endymion Porter by Vandyke. There is a good head of the queen of Bohemia, a whole length of due d'Espernon, and another good head of the Clifford countess of Dorset, who wrote that admirable haughty letter to secretary Williamson, when he recommended a person to her for member for Appleby: " I have been bullied by an usurper^ I liave been neglected by a court, but I zco?it be dictated to by a subject : — VOL. I. s 258 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE ifoxir man shari't stand. Ann Dorset^ Pembroke and Montgomery.''' In the chapel is a piece of ancient tapestry : saint Luke in his first profession is holding an urinal. Below stairs is a cliamber of poets and players, which is proper enough in that house ; for the first earl wrote a play, and the last earl was a poet, and I think married a player. Major Mohun and Betterton are curious among the latter, Cartwright and Flatman among the former. The arcade is newly enclosed, painted in fresco, and with modern glass of all the family matches. In the gallery is a whole length of the unfortunate earl of Surry, with his device a bro- ken column, and the motto Sat superest. My father had one of them, but larger, and with more emblems, which the duke of Norfolk bought at my brother's sale. There is one good head of Henry VIII. and divers of Cranfield earl of Mid- dlesex, the citizen who came to be lord treasurer, and was very near coming to be hanged. His countess, a bouncing kind of lady mayoress, looks pure awkward amongst so much good company. A visto cut through the wood has a deliglitful effect from the front ; but there are some trum- pery fragments of gardens that spoil the view from the state apartments. We lay that night at Tunbridge town, and were surprised with the ruins of the old castle. The gateway is perfect, and the inclosure formed into a vineyard by a Mr. Hooker to whom it belongs, HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 259 and the walls spread with fruit, and the mount on which the keep stood, planted in the same way. The prospect is charming, and a breach in the wall opens below to a pretty Gothic bridge of three arches over the Medway. We honored the man for his taste — not but that we wished the committee at Strawberry-hill were to sit upon it, and stick cypresses among the hollows But, alas! he sometimes makes eighteen sour hogsheads, and is going to disrobe tJie ivy mantled toK'tTy be- cause it harbours birds ! Now begins our chapter of woes. The inn was full of farmers and tobacco ; and the next morn- ing, when we were bound for Penshurst, the only man in the town who had two horses would not let us have them, because the roads, as he said, were so bad. We were forced to send to the Wells for others, which did not arrive till half the day was spent — we all the while up to the head and ears in a market of sheep and oxen. A mile from the town we climbed up a hill to see Summer-hill, the residence of Grammont's princess of Babylon. There is now scarce a road to it : the Paladins of those times were too valorous to fear breaking o their necks ; and I much apprehend that la AIo?i- sery and the fair mademoiselle Hamilton jnust have mounted their palfreys and rode behind their gentlemen-ushers upon pillions to the \Vells. The house is little better than a farm, but has been an excellent one, and is entire, though out of repair. s 2 260 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE I have drawn the front of it to show you, which you are to draw over again to show me. It stands high, commands a vast landscape beautifully wooded, and has quantities of large old trees to shelter itself, some of which might be well spared to open views. From Summer-hill we went to Lamberhurst to dine ; near which, that is, at the distance of three miles, up and down impracticable hills, in a most retired vale, such as Pope describes in the last Dunciad, Where slumber abbots, purple as their vines, we found the ruins of Bayham abbey, which the Barrets and Hardings bid us visit. There are small but pretty remains, and a neat little Gothic house built near them by their nephew Pratt. They have found a tomb of an abbot, with a cro- sier, at length on the stone. Here our woes increase. The roads grew bad beyond all badness, the night dark beyond all darkness, our guide frightened beyond all fright- fulness. However, without being at all killed, we got up, or down, I forget which, it was so dark, a famous precipice called Silver-hill, and about ten at night arrived at a wretched village called Rotherbridge. We had still six miles hither, but determined to stop, as it would be a pity to break our necks before we had seen all we HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 261 intended. But, alas! there was only one bed to be had : all the rest were inhabited by smugglers, whom the people of the house called mounte- banks; and with one of whom the lady of the den told Mr. Chute he might lie. We did not at all take to this society, but, armed with links and lanthorns, set out again upon this impracticable journey. At two o'clock in the morning we got hither to a still worse inn, and that crammed with excise officers, one of whom had just shot a smug- gler. However, as we were neutral powers, we liave passed safely through both armies hitherto, and can give you a little farther history of our wandering through these mountains, where the young gentlemen arc forced to drive their curri- cles with a pair of oxen. The only morsel of good road we have found, was what even the natives had assured us was totally impracticable ; these were eight miles to Hurst Monceaux. It is seated at the end of a large vale, five miles in a direct line to the sea, with wings of blue hills covered with wood, one of which falls down to the house in a sweep of 100 acres. The building for the conve- nience of water to the moat sees nothing at all ; indeed it is entirely imagined on a plan of defence, with draw-bridges actually in being, round towers, watch-towers mounted on them, and battlements pierced for the passage of arrows from long bows. It was built in the time of Henry VI. and is as perfect as the first day. It does not seem to have 262 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE been ever quite finished, or at least that age was not arrived at the luxury of white-wash ; for al- most all the v;alls, except in the principal cham- bers, arc in their native hrkJihood. It is a square building, each side about two hundred feet in length ; a porch and cloister, very like Eton-col- lege ; and the whole is much in the same taste, the kitchen extremely so, with three vast funnels to the chimneys going up on the inside. There are two or three little courts for offices, but no magniiicence of apartments. It is scarcely fur- nished with a tew necessary beds and chairs : one side has been sashed, and a drawing-room and dining room and two or three rooms wainscoted by the earl of Sussex, who married a natural daughter of Charles IL Their arms with delight- ful carvings by Gibbons, particularly two phea- sants, hang over the chimneys. Over the great drawing-room chimney is the coat armour of the first Leonard lord Dacre, with all his alliances. Mr. Chute was transported, and called cousin with ten thousand quarterings. The chapel is small, and mean : the Virgin and seven long lean saints, ill done, remain in the windows. There have been four more, but seem to have been re- moved for light; and we actually found St. Catlic- rine, and another gentlewoman with a church in her hand, exiled into the buttery. There remain two odd cavities, with very small wooden screens on each side the altar, which seem to have been HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 263 confessionals. The outside is a mixture of grey brick and stone, that has a very venerable appear- ance. The drawbridges are romantic to a degree ; and there is a dungeon, that gives one a delight- ful idea of living in the days of soccage and under such goodly tenures. They showed us a dismal chamber which they called Drum7ners-hal\, and suppose that Mr. Addison's comedy is descended from it. In the windows of the gallery over the cloisters, which leads all round to the apartments, IS the device of the Fienneses, a wolf holding a baton with a scroll, Le i^oy le veut — an unlucky motto, as I shall tell you presently, to the last peer of that line. The estate is two thousand a year, and so compact as to have but seventeen houses upon it. We walked up a brave old avenue to the church, with ships sailing on our left hand the whole way. Before the altar lies a lank brass knight, hight William Fienis, chevalier, who obiit c.c.c.c.v. that is in 1405. By the altar is a beau- tifid tomb, all in our trefoil taste, varied into a thousand little canopies and patterns, and two knights reposing on their backs. These were Thomas lord Dacre, and his only son Gregory, who died sans issue. An old grey-headed beads- man of the family talked to us of a blot jn the scutcheon ; and we had observed that the field of the arms was green instead of blue, and the lions ramping to the right, contrary to order. TJiis an the man's imperfect narrative let us into the 264 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE circumstances of the personage before us ; for there is no inscription. He went in a Chevy-chace style to hunt in a Mr. Pelham's^ park at Lawton : the keepers opposed, a fray ensued, a man was killed. The haughty baron took the death upon himself, as most secure of pardon : but however, though there was no chancellor of the exchequer in the question, he was condemned to be hanged : Le roy le vouloist. Now you are fully master of Hurst Monceaux, I shall carry you on to Battel By the way, we bring you a thousand sketches, that you may show us what we have seen. Battel-abbey stands at the end of the town exactly as Warwick-castle does of Warwick ; but the house of Webster have taken due care that it should not resemble it in any thing else. A vast building, which they call the old refectory, but which I believe was the original church, is now barn, coach-house, &c. The situation is noble, above the level of abbeys : what does remain of gateways and towers is beau- tiful, particularly the flat side of a cloister, which is now the front of the mansion-house. A miss of the family has clothed a fragment of a portico with cockle-shells! The grounds, and what has been a park, lie in a vile condition. In the church is the tomb of sir Antony Browne, master of the 2 At the date of this letter Mr, Pelham was prime minister. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 265 horse for life to Harry VIII. from whose descend- ants the estate was purchased. The head of John Hammond, the last abbot, is still perfect in one of the windows. Mr. Chute says, What charm- ing things we should have done if Battel-abbey had been to be sold at Mrs. Chenevix's, as Straw- berry was ! Good-night ! Tunbridge, Friday, We are returned hither, where we have esta- blished our head quarters. On our way, we had an opportunity of surveying that formidable moun- tain. Silver-hill, which we had floundered down in the dark : it commands a wliole horizon of the richest blue prospect you ever saw. I take it to be the individual spot to which the duke of New- castle carries the smugglers, and, showing them Sussex and Kent, says, " All tliis will I give you, if you will fall down and worship me." Indeed one of them, who exceeded the tempter's war- rant, luings in chains on the very spot where they finished the life of that wretched custom-house officer v.'hom they were two days in murdering. This morning we have been to Penshurst — but, oh ! how fallen ! — -The park seems to have never answered its character : at present it is forlorn ; and instead of Sacharissa's cypher carved on the beeches, I should sooner have expected to have found the milk-woman's score. Over the gate is an inscription, purporting the manor to have been 266 CORRESPONDENGE 01- THE a boon from Edward VI. to sir William Sydney. The apartments are the grandest I have seen in any of these old palaces, but furnished in a taw- dry modern taste. There arc loads of portraits ; but most of them seem christened by chance like children at a foundling-hospital. There is a por- trait of Languet, the friend of sir Philip Sydney ; and divers of himself and all his great kindred, particularly his sister-in-law with a vast lute, and Sacharissa, charmingly handsome. But there are really four very great curiosities, I believe as old portraits as any extant in England : they are, Fitz- allen archbishop of Canterbury, Humphry Staf- ford the first duke of Buckingham, T. Wentworth, and John Foxle ; all four with the dates of their commissions as constables of Queenborough-castle, from whence I suppose they w^re brought. The last is actually receiving his investiture from Edward the third, as Wentworth is in the dress of llichard the third's time. They are really not very ill done.^ There are six more, only heads ; and we have found since we came home, that Pcnsliurst belonged for a time to that duke of Buckingliam. There are some good tombs in the ^ In Harris's History of Kent, he gives from I'liilpot a list ol' the constables of Queenborough castle, p. f576 ; tlie last but one of vilioni, sir I'klward Hobby, is said to liavc coUcclciI all their portraits, of which nvi;nber nu)st pr()bal)!y were liicse ten. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 'ZGl church, and a very Vandal one, called sir Stephen of Fenchester. When we had seen Penshurst, wc borrowed saddles, and, bestriding the liorses of our post-chaise, set out for Hever to visit a tomb of sir Thomas Bullen earl of Wiltshire, partly with a view to talk of it in Anna Bullen's walk at Straw- berry-hill. But the measure of our w^oes was not full J we could not find our way, and were forced to return ; and again lost ourselves in coming from Penshurst, having been directed to what they called a better road than the execrable one we had gone. Since dinner we liave been to lord Westmor- land's at Merev/orth, which is so perfect in a Palladian taste, that I must own it has recovered me a little from Gothic. It is better situated than I had expected from the bad reputation it bears, and has some prospect, though it is in a moat, and mightily besprinkled with small ponds. The desi2:n, vou know, is taken from the Villa del Ca- pra by Vicenza, but on a larger scale; yet, though it has cost an hundred thousand pounds, it is still only a line villa : the tinishing of in and outside has been exceedingly expensive. A wood that runs up a hill beliind the house is broke like an Albano lan(-;;capc with an octagon temple and a triumphal arch ; but then there are some dismal dipt liedgcs, and a pyramid, which by a most unnatural copulation is at once a grotto and a greenhouse. Does it not put you in mind of the 268 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE proposal for your drawing a garden-seat, Chinese on one side and Gothic on the other ? The chim- neys, which are collected to a centre, spoil the dome of the house, and the hall is a dark well. The gallery is eighty-two feet long, hung with green velvet and pictures, among which is a fine Rembrandt, and a pretty La Hire. The ceilings are painted, and there is a fine bed of silk and gold tapestry. The attic is good, and the wings extremely pretty, with porticos formed on the style of the house. The earl has built a new church, with a steeple which seems designed for the latitude of Cheapside, and is so tall, that the poor church curtsies under it, like Mary Rich* in a vast high crown hat : it has a round portico like St. Clement's, with vast Doric pillars supporting a thin shelf. The inside is the most abominable piece of tawdriness that ever was seen, stuffed with pillars painted in imitation of verd antique, as all the sides are like Siena marble : but the greatest absurdity is a Doric frieze, between the triglyphs of which is the Jehovah, the I. H. S. and the dove. There is a little chapel with Nevil tombs, particularly of the first Fane earl of West- morland, and of the founder of the old church, and the heart of a knight who was killed in iJic 4 Daughter of sir Robert Rich, and elder sister of Elizabeth Rich lady Lyttleton, HON. HORACE WALPOLE, 269 wa7'S. On the Fane tomb is a pedigree of brass in relief, and a genealogy of virtues to answer it. There is an entire window of painted-glass arms, chiefly modern, in the chapel, and another over the high altar. The hospitality of the house was truly Gothic ; for they made our postillion drunk, and he overturned us close to a water, and the bank did but just save us from being in the mid- dle of it. Pray, whenever you travel in Kentish roads, take care of keeping your driver sober. Rochester, Sunday. We have finished our progress sadly ! Yesterday, after twenty mishaps, we got to Sissinghurst to dinner. There is a park in ruins, and a house in ten times greater ruins, built by sir John Baker, chancellor of the exchequer to queen Mary. You go through an arch of the stables to the house, the court of which is perfect and very beautiful. The duke of Bedford has a house at Cheneys in Buck- inghamshire, which seems to have been very like it, but is more ruined. This has a good apart- ment, and a fine gallery a hundred and twenty feet by eighteen, which takes up one side : the wainscot is pretty and entire ; the ceiling vaulted, and painted in a light genteel grotesque. The whole is built for show ; for the back of the house is nothing but lath and plaster. From thence we went to Bocton-Malherbe, where are remains of a house of the Wottons, and tlicir tombs in the 270 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE church : but the roads were so exceedingly bad, that it was dark before we got thither — and still darker before we got to Maidstone. From thence we passed this morning to Leeds castle. Never was such disappointment! There are small re- mains : the moat is the only handsome object, and is quite a lake, supplied by a cascade which tum- bles through a bit of a romantic grove. The Fairfaxes have fitted up a pert bad apartment in the fore-part of the castle, and have left the only tolerable rooms for offices. They had a gleam of Gothic in their eyes ; but it soon passed off into some modern windows, and some that never were ancient. The only thing that at all recompensed the fatigues we have undergone, was the picture of the duchess of Buckingham, la Ragotte, who is mentioned in Grammont 1 say us ; for I trust that Mr. Chute is as true a bigot to Gram- mont as I am. Adieu ! I hope you will be as weary with reading our history, as we have been in travelling it. Yours ever. To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Strawberry-hill, Ar.:j-.'28, 1752. Will you never have done jigging at Xortliamp- ton with that old hai'lotry major Compton ? Peggy HON. HORACE WALPOLE. J7l Trevor told me, she had sent you a mandate to go thither. Shall I tell you how I found Peggy, that is, not Peggy, but her sister Muscovy ? I went, found a bandage upon the knocker, an old woman and child in the hall, and a black boy at the door. Lord, thinks I, this can't be Mrs. I3os- cawen's ; however Pompey let me up ; above were fires blazing, and a good old gentlewoman, whose occupation easily spoke itself to be mid- wifery. " Dear Madam, I fancy I should not have come up." " Las-a-day sir, no, I believe not, but ril step and ask." Immediately out came old Falmouth, looking like an ancient fairy, who has just been uttering a malediction over a new- born prince ; and told me forsooth, that madame Muscovy was but just brought to bed, which Peggy Trevor soon came and confirmed. I told them, I would write you my adventure. I have not thanked you for your travels, and the violent curiosity you have given me to see Welbeck. Mr. Chute and I have been a progress too, but it was in a land you know full well, the county of Kent. I will only tell you that we broke our necks twenty times to your health, and had a distant glimpse of Hawkhurst from that Sierra Morena, Silver- hill. I have since been with Mr. Conway at Park- place,' where I saw the individual, ]Mr. Cooper, a banker, and lord of the manor of Henley, who ' Air, Conway's stat. 272 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE had those two extraordinary forfeitures from the executions of the Misses Blandy and Jefferies, two fields from the former, and a malt-house from the latter. I had scarce credited the story, and was pleased to hear it confirmed by the very person ; though it was not quite so remarkable as it was reported, for both forfeitures were in the same manor. Mr. Conway has brought lady Ailesbury from Minorca, but originally from Africa, a Jeribo : to be sure you know what that is ; if you don't, I will tell you, and then I believe you will scarce know any better. It is a composition of a squir- rel, a hare, a rat, and a monkey, which altogether looks very like a bird. In short, it is about the size of the first, with much such a head, except that the tip of the nose seems shaved off, and the remains are like a human hare-lip ; the ears and its timidity are like a real hare. It has two short little feet before like a rat, but which it never uses for walking, I believe never but to hold its food. The tail is naked like a monkey's, with a tuft of hair at the end ; striped black and white in rings. The two hind legs are as long as a G * * *'s, with feet more like a bird, than any other animal, and upon these it hops so immensely fast and upright, that at a distance you would take it for a large thrush. It lies in cotton, is brisk at night, eats wheat, and never drinks ; it would, but drinking is fatal to them. Such is a jeribo ! Have you heard the particulars of the speaker's HON. HORACE VVALPOLE. ^73 quarrel with a young officer, who went to liim, on his landlord refusing to give his servant the second best bed in the inn ? He is a vouns; man of eighteen hundred a year, and passionately fond of the army. The speaker produced the mutiny bill to him. " OA ,«>," said tJie lad, " hut there is another act of parliament tchich perhaps you don t know of." The person of dignity, as tlie news- papers call him, then was so ingenious as to ha- rangue on tlie dangers of a standing army. The boy broke out, " don't tell me of your privileges, v.diat would have become of you and yoiu' privi- leges in the year forty-five, if it had not been for the army — and pray, why do you fancy I would betray my country ? I have as much to lose as you have !" In short, this abominable young Hector treated the speaker's oracular decisions with a familiarity, tliat quite shocks me to think of! The Poemata Grayo-Bentleiana, or Gray's odes, better illustrated than ever odes were by a Bent- ley, are in great forwardness, and I trust will appear this winter. I shall tell you one little anecdote about the authors, and conclude. Gray is in love to distraction with a figure of melan- choly, which Mr. Bentley has drawn for one of the odes, and told him he must have something of his pencil : Mr. Bentley desired him to clioose a subject. He chose Theodore and Ilonoria ! — = don"t mention this, for we are shocked. It is VOL. 1. T 274 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE loving melancholy till it is not strong enough, and he grows to dram with Horror. Good night; my compliments to Miss Montagu : did you receive my recipes ? Yours ever. To (JEORGE MONTAGU, Esq White's, December 14-, 1752. I SHALL be mucli obliged to you for the passion flower, notwithstanding it comes out of a garden of Eden, from which Eve, my sister-in-law, long ago gathered passion-fruit. I thank you too for the offer of your Roman correspondences, but you know I have done with virtu, and deal only with the Goths and Vandals. You ask a very improper person, why my lord" Harcourt resigned. My lord Coventry says it is the present great arcanum of government, and you know I am quite out of the circle of secrets. The town says, that it was finding Stone is a Jaco- bite ; and it says too, that the whigs are very uneasy. My lord Egremont says the whigs can't 1 On the death of the prince of Wales in 1751, liis eldest son, prince George, was comnaitted to the care of tlie earl of Har- court as sovernor. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 275 be in danger, for then my lord Hartington would not be gone a hunting. Every body is as impa- tient as you can be, to know the real cause, but I don't find that either lord or bishop^ are dis- posed to let the world into tlie true secret. It is pretty certain that one Mr. Cresset has abused both of them without ceremonv\ and that the solicitor-generaP told the bishop in plain terms that my lord Harcourt was a cypher, and was put in to be a cypher : an employment that, con- sidering it is a sinecure, seems to hang unusually Jong upon their hands. They have so lately quar- relled with poor lord Holderness for playing at blindman's buff at Tunbridge, that it will be diffi- cult to give him another place only because he is fit to play at blindman's buff; and yet it is much believed that he will be the governor, and your cousin his successor. I am as improper to tell you why the governor of Nova Scotia is to be at the head of the Independents. I have long thought him one of the greatest dependents, and I assure you I have seen nothing since his return to make me change my opinion. He is too busy in the bedchamber to remember me. Mr. F * * * said nothing about vour brother; 2 The bishop of Norwich, who was preceptor to prince George. ■^ Mr. Murray, afterwards earl of Mansfield, and lord chief justice of England. T 2 'iTd CORRESPONDENCE OE THE if the offer was ill-designed from one quarter, I think you may make the refusal of it have its weight in another. It would be odd to conclude a letter from White's without a hoii mot of George Selwyn's ; he came in here t'other night, and saw James Jeffries playing at piquet with sir Everard Falk- ener, '*0h!" says he, "now he is robbing the mail." Good night, when do you come back ? Yours ever. To Mr. gray Arlington- street, Feb. 20, 1753. I AM very sorry that the haste I made to deliver you from your uneasiness the first moment after I received your letter, should have made me express myself in a maimer to have the quite contrary effect from what I intended. You well know hovv' rapidly and carelessly I always write my letters : the note you mention was written in a still greater hurry than ordinary, and merely to put you out of pain. I had not seen Dodsley, consequently could only tell you that I did not doubt but he would have no objection to satisfy you, as you was willing to prevent his being a loser by the HON. HORACE WALPOLE 277 plate.' Now, from this declaration, how is it pos- sible for you to have for one moment put such a construction upon my words, as would have been a downright stupid brutality, unprovoked ? It is impossible for me to recollect my very expression, but I am confident that I have repeated t1ie whole substance. How the bookseller would be less a loser by being at more expence, I can easily explain to you. He feared the price of half-a-guinea would seem too high to most purchasers. If by the ex- pence of ten guineas more he could make the book appear so much more rich and showy as to induce people to think it cheap, the profits from selling many more copies would amply recompense him for his additional disbursement. The thought of having tlie head engraved was entirely Dodsley's own, and against my opinion, as I concluded it would be against yours ; which made me determine to acquaint you with it before its appearance. When you reflect on what I have said now, you will see very clearly, that I had and could have no other possible meaning in what I wrote last. You ' This was a print of Mr. Gray, alter the portrait ol" him by Kckardt. It was intended to have been prefixed to Dodsley's J to. edition of his Odes, with Mr Hentley's desitrns; but IMr. (iray's extreme repugnance to the [u-oposal obh'ged hi? friends 'f> drop it. ■^78 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE might justly bave accused me of neglect, if I had deferred giving you all the satisfaction in my power, as soon as ever I knew your uneasiness. The head I give up. The title 1 think will be wrong, and not answer your purpose ; for, as the drawings are evidently calculated for the poems, why will the improper disposition of the word designs before poems make the edition less yours ? I am as little convinced that there is any affecta- tion in leaving out the Mr. before your names : it is a barbarous addition : the other is simple and classic; a rank I cannot help thinking due to both the poet and painter. Without ranging myself among classics, I assure you, were I to print any thing with my name, it should be plain Horace Walpole : Mi\ is one of tlie Gotliicisms I abomi- nate. The explanation'- was certainly added for people who have not eyes: — such are almost all who have seen Mr. Bentley's drawings, and think to compliment him by mistaking them for prints. Alas ! the generality want as much to have the words a man, a cock, written under his drawings, as under the most execrable hieroglyphics of Egypt, or of sign-post painters. I will say no more now, but that you must not wonder if I am partial to you and yours, when you can write as you do and yet feel so little vanity. 2 Of Mr. Bentley's designs. HON. HORACE WALFOLE. 279 I have used freedom enough with your writings to convince you I speak truth : I praise and scold Mr. Bentley immoderately, as I think he draws well or ill : I never think it worth my while to do either, especially to blame, where there are not generally vast excellencies. Goodnight! Don't suspect me when I have no fault but impatience to make you easy. YoLU's ever. To THE Hon-. H. S CONWAY. Strawberry-hill, May 5, 17.53. Though my letter bears a country date, I am only a passenger here, just come to overlook my workmen, and repose myself upon some shavings, after the fatigues of the season. You know balls and masquerades always abound as the weather begins to be too hot for them, and this has been quite a spring-tide of diversion. Not that I am so abandoned as to liave partaken of all; I neither made the Newmarket campaign under the duke,^ nor danced at any ball, nor looked rcell at any masquerade : I begin to submit to my years, and amuse myself — only just as much as I like. In- ' The duke of Cumberland 280 COllRESPONDENCE OF THE deed, when parties and politics are at an end, an Englishman may be allowed not to be always grave and out of humour. His royal highness has won as many hearts at Newmarket as he lost in Scotland ; he played deep, and handsomely ; re- ceived every body at his table with the greatest good humour, and permitted the familiarities of the place with ease and sense. There have been balls at the duchess of a\or- folk's, at Holland-house, and lord Granville's, and a subscription masquerade : the dresses were not very fine, not much invention, nor any very absurd. I find I am telling you extreme trifles ; but you desired me to write, and there literally happens nothing of greater moment. If I can fill out a sheet even in this way, I will ; for at Sligo^ perhaps I may appear a journalist of conse- quence. There is a madame de Mezieres arrived from Paris, who has said a thousand impertinent things to my lady Albemarle, on my lord's not letting her come to Paris.^ I should not repeat this to you, only to introduce George Selwyn's account of this woman, who, he says, is mother to the princess of Montauban, grandmother to ' Mr. Conway was tl)'jn with his regiment (juartered at Sligo in Ireland. ^ Lord Albemarle was then ambassador at I'aris. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 281 madame de Brionne, sister to general Oglethorpe, and was laundress to the duchess of Portsmouth. Sir Charles Williams, never very happy at pa- negyi'ic, has made a distich on the queen of Hun- gary, which I send you for the curiosity, not the merit of it : O regina orbis prima et pulcherrima, ridens Es Venus, incedens Juno, Minerva loquens. It is iniinitely admired at Vienna, but baron ^Munchausen has received a translation of it into German in six verses, which are still more ap- plauded. There is another volume published of lord Bolinbroke's ; it contains his famous letter to sir William V/indham, with an admirable description of tiie pretender and his court, and a very poor justification of his own treachery to that party ; a flimsy unfinished state of the nation, written at the end of his life, and the common-place tauto- logy of an old politician, who lives out of the world and writes from newspapers ; and a super- ficial letter to Mr. Pope, as an introduction to his Essays, which are printed, but not yet published. What shall I say to you more ? You see how 1 am forced to tack paragraphs together, without any connection or consequence ! Shall I tell you one more idle story, and will you just recollect 282 CORRESPONDENCE OF THH that you once concerned yourself enough about the heroine of it, to excuse my repeating such a piece of tittle-tattle ? This heroine is lady * * *, the hero is * * not entirely of royal blood ; at least I liave never heard that Lodomie the toothdrawer was in any manner descended from the house of Bourbon. Don't be alarmed : this plebeian opera- tor is not in the catalogue of your successors. How the lady was the aggressor is not known ; 'tis only conjectured that French politeness and French interestedness could never have gone such lengths without mighty provocation. The first instance of the tooth-drawer's ungentle behaviour was on hearing it said that lady * * * was to have her four girls drawn by Liotard ; which was won- dered at, as his price is so great — " Oh I" said Lodomie, " chacune paie pour la sienne.'" Soon after this insult, there was some dispute about payments and tooth-powder, and divers messages passed. At last the lady wrote a card, to say she did not understand such im})ertinent answers being given to her chairman by an arrachcur de dcnls. The angry little gentleman, with as much intrepidity as if he had drawn out all her teeth, tore the card in five slits, and returned it with this astonishing sentence, " 1 return you vour im})ertinent card, and desire you will pay me what you owe me." All I know more is, that the tooth-drawer still li\es; and so do many loids HON. HORACE VVALPOLE. 283 and gentlemen, formerly thought the slaves of the offended fair one's will and passions, and among others, to his great shame. Your sincere friend. To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Strawberry-hill, May 22, 1 753. You may very possibly be set out for Greatworth, but what house Greatwortli is, or whose, or how you came to have it, is all a profound secret to us : your transitions are so Pindaric, that without notes, we do not understand them, especially as neither Mr. Bentley nor I have seen any of the letters, which I suppose you have written to your family, in the intervals of your journeyings from sir Jonathan Cope's to Roel, and from lloel to Greatworth. Mr. Bentley was just ready to send you down a packet of Gothic, and brick and mortar, and arched windows, and taper columns to be erected at Rocl no suc!i matter, you have met with some brave chambers belonecino- to sir Jonathan somebody in Northamptonshire, and are unloading your camels and caravans, and pitching your tents among your own tribe. I cannot be quite sorry, for I shall certainly visit you at Greatworth, and it might have been some vears before the curtain had drawn uu at lloel. 284 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE We emerge very fast out of shavings, and hammer- ings, and pastings; the painted glass is full blown in every window, and the gorgeous saints, that were brought out for one day on the festival of Saint George Montagu, are fixed for ever in the tabernacles they are to inhabit. The castle is not the only beauty : the garden is at the height of all its sweets ; and to-day we had a glimpse of the sun, as he passed by, though I am convinced the summer is over ; for these two last years we have been forced to compound for five hot days in the pound. News, there is none to tell you. We have had two days in the house of commons, that had some- thing of the air of parliament ; there has been a marriage-bill, invented by my lord Bath, and cooked up by the chancellor,^ which was warmly opposed by the duke of Bedford in the lords, and with us by Fox^ and Nugent:^ the latter made an admirable speech last week against it, and Charles Townshend* another very good one yes- terday, when we sat till near ten o'clock, but were beat, we minority, by 165 to 84. 1 know nothing else but elopements : I have lost my man Henry, who is run away for debt, 1 Tlie carl of Ilardwicku. ~ Henry Fox, afterwards created lord Holland. * Robert Nugent, afterwards ereated earl Nugent. ' Second son of the marquis of 'J'ownshend. HON. HORACP: WALPOLE. '285 and my lord Bath his only son, who is run away from thirty thousand pounds a year, which in all probability would have come to him in six months. There had been some great fracas about his mar- riage ; the stories are various on the Why ; some say his father told miss Nichols that his son was a very worthless young man ; others, that the earl could not bring himself to make tolerable settlements ; and a third party say, that the coun- tess has blown up a quarrel in order to have his son in her power, and at her mercy. Whatever the cause was, this ingenious young man, who you know has made my lady Townshend his ever- lasting enemy, by repeating her histories of miss Chudleigh to that miss, of all counsellors in the world, picked out my lady Townshend to consult on his domestic grievances : she, with all the goodnature and charity imaginable, immediately advised him to be disinherited. He took her ad- vice, left two dutiful letters for his parents, to notify his disobedience, and went off last Friday night to France. The earl is so angry, that he could almost bring himself to give Mr. Newport, and twenty other people, their estates again. Good night — here is the Goth, Mr. Bpntley, wants to say a word to you. Yours ever. HoR. Waltole. Dear Sir, 1 WROTE you a supernumerary letter on Saturday, 286 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE but as I find you have shifted your quarters, since I heard from you, imagine it may not liave reached you yet. If you want to know what made me so assiduous, it was to tell you sir Danvers Osborn has kissed hands for New York, that's all. I am Sincerely yours, B. Bentley. P. S. I wish you would write a line to him mentioning me, that's more. To THE Hon. H, S. CONWAY. Strawberry-hill, May 24, 1753. It is w^ell you are married ! How would my lady Ailesbury have liked to be asked in a parish church for three Sundays running? I really be- lieve she would have worn her weeds for ever, rather than have passed through so impudent a ceremony ! What do you think? — But you will want to know the interpretation of this preamble. Why, there is a new bill, which, under the notion of preventing clandestine marriaires, has made such a general rummage and reform in the office of matrimony, that every Strephon and Chloe, every dowager and her H * * *, will have as many impediments and formalities to undergo as HON. HORACE WALPOLE. '287 a treaty of peace. Lord Bath invented this bill, but bad drawn it so ill, that the chancellor was forced to draw a new one — and then grew so fond of his own creature, that he has crammed it down the throats of both houses — though they gave many a gulp before they could swallow it. The duke of Bedford attacked it first with great spirit and mastery, but had little support, though the duke of Newcastle did not vote. The lawyers were all ordered to nurse it through our house ; but, except the poor attorney general,^ who is nurse indeed to all intents and purposes, and did amply gossip over it, not one of them said a word. Nugent shone extremely in opposition to the bill, and, though every now and then on the precipice of absurdity, kept clear of it, with great humour and wit and argument, and was unanswered — yet we were beat. Last Monday it came into the committee: Charles Townshend acted a very good speech with great cleverness, and drew a picture of his own story and his father's tyranny, with at least as much parts as modesty. Mr. Lox mumbled the chancellor and his lawyers, and pinned the plan of the bill upon a pamphlet he had found of Dr. Gally's, where the doctor, re- commending the French scheme of matrimony, says, ItXi'CLS Jbuiid tliat fathers xcere too apt tojbr- 1 Sir Dudley llvdcr 288 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE give. The gospel, I thought, said Mr. Fox, en- joined forgiveness ; but pious Dr. Gaily thinks fathers are too apt to forgive. Mr. Pelham, ex- tremely in his opinion against the bill, and in his inclination too, was forced to rivet it, and, with- out speaking one word for it, taught the house how to vote for it ; and it was carried against the chairman's leaving the chair by 165 to 84. This is all the news I know, or at least v.as all when I came out of town ; for I left the tinkering of the bill, and came hither last Tuesday to my workmen. I flatter myself I shall get into toler- able order to receive my lady Ailesbury and you at your return from Sligo, from whence I have received your letter, and where I hope you have had my first. I say nothing of the exile of the parliament of Paris, for I know no more than you will see in the public papers ; only, as we are going to choose a new parliament, we could not do better than choose the exiles : we could scarce choose braver or honester men. I say as little of mademoiselle Murphy,- for I conclude you hear nothing but her health drank in whisky. Don't all the naked Irish flatter themselves with pre- ferment, and claim relation v.ith licr ? Miss Chudleigh says there is some sense in belonging to 2 An Irish woman who was for a sliort time mistress tc Louis XV. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 289 a kins: who turns off an old mistress when he lias got a new one. Arlington-street, May 29. I AM come to town for a day or two, and find that the marriage bill has not only lasted till now in the committee, but has produced, or at least dis- closed, extreme heats. Mr. Fox and Mr. Pelham have had very high words on every clause, and the former has renewed his attacks on the chan- cellor under the name of Dr. Gaily. Yesterday on the nullity clause they sat till half an hour after three in the morning, having just then had a divi- sion on adjournment, which was rejected by the ministry by above 80 to 70. The speaker,^ who had spoken well against the clause, was so misre- presented by the attorney general, that there was danger of a skimmington between the great wig and the coif, the former having given a flat lie to the latter. Mr. Fox, I am told, outdid himself for spirit, and severity on the chancellor and the lawyers. I say I am told j for I was content with having been beat twice, and did not attend. The heats between the two ministers were far from cooling by the length of the debate. Adieu ! You did little expect in these times, and at this season, to have heard such a parliamentary his- '^ Arthur Onslow. VOL. 1. 290 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE tory ! The bill is not near finished ; Mr. Fox has declared he will dispute every inch of ground. I hope he won't be banished to Pontoise.* I shall write to you no more, so pray return. I hear most favourable accounts of my lady Ailesbury. Yours ever. To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Strawberry -hill, June 11, 1753. You will think me very fickle, and that I have but a slight regard to the castle I am building, of my ancestors, when you hear that I have been these last eight days in London amid dust and stinks, instead of seringa, roses, battlements and niches ; but you, perhaps, recollect that I have another Gothic passion, which is for squabbles in the Wittenagemot.^ I can't say that the contests have run so high in either house, as they have '^ The parliament of Paris having espoused the cause of reli- gious liberty, and apprehended several priests who by the authority of the archbishop of Paris and other prelates had re- fused the sacraments to those who would not subscribe to the bull Unigenitus, were banished by the king, I.ouis XV. to Pontoise. •■' The name of the Saxon great council, the supposed origin of parliaments. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 291 sometimes done in former days ; but this age has found out a new method of parliamentary alterca- tions. The commons abuse the barons, and the barons return it ; in short, Mr. Fox attacked the chancellor violently on the marriage-bill, and when it was sent back to the lords, the chancellor made the most outrageous invective on Fox that ever was heard. But what offends still more, I don't mean offends Fox more, was the cliancellor describing the chief persons, who had opposed his bill in the commons, and giving reason why he excused them. As the speaker was in the number of the eirused, the two maces are ready to come to blows. The town says that Mr. Fox is to be dismissed, but I can scarce think it will go so far. My lord Cornwallis is made an earl ; lord Bris- toFs sisters have the rank of earl's daughters, Damer is lord Milton in Ireland, and the new lord Barnard is, I hear, to be earl of Darlington. Poor lady Caroline Brand is dead of a rheumatic fever, and her husband as miserable a man as ever he was a cheerful one : I grieve much for her, and pity him ; they were infinitely happy, and lived in the most perfect friendship I ever saw. . You may be assured that I will pay you a visit sometime this summer, though not yet, as I can- not leave my workmen, especially as we have a painter, who paints the paper on the staircase under Mr. Bentley's direction. The armoury i; '2 292 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE bespeaks the ancient chivalry of the lords of the castle ; and I have filled Mr. Bentley's Gothic lanthorn with painted glass, which casts the most venerable gloom on the stairs that ever was seen since the days of Abelard. The lanthorn itself, in which I have stuck a coat of the Veres, is sup- posed to have come from Castle Henningham. Lord and lady Veres were here t'other day, and called cousins with it, and would very readily have invited it to Hanworth, but her Portuguese blood has so blaclcened the true stream, that I could not bring myself to offer so fair a gift to their chapel. I shall only tell you a bon-mot of Keith's, the marriage-broker, and conclude. "G — d d — n the bishops," said he, (I beg miss Montagu's pardon) " so they will hinder my marrying. Well, let 'em, but I'll be revenged : I'll buy two or three acres of ground, and by G — d, I'll under- bury them all." Adieu. Yours ever. To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Strawberry.hill, July 17, 1753. Dear Sir, You are so kind, that I am peevish with myself for not being able to fix a positive day for being HON, HORACE WALPOLE. 293 with you ; as near as I can guess it will be some of the very first days of the next month : I am engaged to go with lady Ailesbury and Mr. Con- way to Stowe, the 28th of this month, if some little business, which I have here, does not pre- vent me ; and from thence I propose to meet Mr. Chute at Greatworth. If this should at all inter- fere with your schemes, tell me so ; especially, I must beg that you would not so far depend on me, as to stay one minute from doing any thing else you like, because it is quite impossible for me to be sure that I can execute just at the time I propose such agreeable projects. Meeting Mrs. Trevor will be a principal part of my pleasure ; but the summer shall certainly not pass, without my seeing you. You will I am sure be concerned to hear that your favourite, miss Brown, the pretty catholic, who lived with madame D'Acunha, is dead at Paris, by the ignorance of the physician. Tom Harvey, who always obliges the town with a quarrel in a dead season, has published a delight- ful letter to sir William Bunbury, full of madness and wit. He had given the Dr. a precedent for a clergyman's fighting a duel, and I furnished him with another story of the same kind, that diverted him extremely. A Dr. Suckling, who married a niece of my father, quarrelled with a country squire, who said, " Doctor, your gorai is your protectiofi." " Ls it .so ?" replied the par- 294 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE son, " hut by God it shall not be j/ours,'* pulled it off, and thrashed him — I was going to say damn- ably, at least, divinely. Do but think, my lord Coke and Tom Harvey are both bound to the peace, and are always going to fight together; how comfortable for their sureties ! My lord Pomfret is dead ; George Selwyn says, that my lord Ashburnham is ?iot rnore glad to get into the parks, than lord Falkland is to get out of them. You know he was forced to live in a privi- leged place. Jack Hill is dead too, and has dropped about a hundred legacies ; a thousand pound to the dowager of Rockingham ; as much with all his plate and china to her sister Bel. I don't find that my uncle has got so much as a case of knives and forks: he always paid great court, but Mary iMagdalen, my aunt, undid all by scolding the man, and her spouse durst not take his part. Lady Anne Paulett's daughter is eloped with a coiantry clergyman. The duchess of Argyle harangues against the marriage-bill not taking place immediately, and is persuaded that all the girls will go oft' before next Lady-day. Before I finish, I must describe to you the manner, in which I overtook monsieur Ic due de Mirepoix t'other day, who lives at lord Dunke- ron's house at Turnham-green. It was seven o'clock in the evening of one of the hottest and most dusty days of this summer. He was walking HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 295 slowly in the beau milieu of Brentford town, with- out any company, but with a brown lap-dog with long ears, two pointers, two pages, three footmen, and a vis-a-vis following him. By the best ac- counts I can get, he must have been to survey the ground of the battle of Brentford, which I hear he has much studied, and harangues upon. Adieu ! I enclose a World ' to you, which, by a story I shall tell you, I find is called mine. I met Mrs. Clive two nights ago, and told her I had been in the meadows, but would walk no more there, for there was all the world. " Well,'* says she, " and don't you like the World? I hear itzcas very clever last Thursday." — All I know is, that you will meet some of your acquaintance there. Good night, with my compliments to miss Montagu. Yours ever. To JOHN CHUTE, Esq.2 Stowe, Aug. 4-, 175S. My dear Sir, You would deserve to be scolded, if you had not lost almost as much pleasure as you have disap- A periodical paper. ^ Of the Vine, in Hampshire. 29G CORRESPONDENCE OF THE pointed me of? Whether George Montagu will be so content with your commuting punishments, I don't know : I should think not : he cried and roared all night'* when I delivered your excuse. He is extremely well- housed, after having roamed like a Tartar about the country with his whole personal estate at his heels. There is an exten- sive view, which is called pretty : but Northamp- tonshire is no county to please me. What enter- tained me was, that he who in London was grown an absolute recluse, is over head and ears in neighbours, and as popular as if he intended to stand for the count}^ instead of having given up the town. The very first morning after my ar- rival, as we were getting into the chaise to go to Wroxton, they notified a sir Harry Danvers, a young squire, booted and spurred, and buckskin- breeched. " Will you drink any chocolate ?'* — *• No ; a little wine and water, if you please.** — I suspected nothing but that he had rode till he was dry. " Nicolo, get some wine and water.** He desired the water might be warm — 1 began to stare — Montagu understood the dialect, and ordered a negus. — — I had great difficulty to keep my countenance, and still more when I saw the baronet finish a very large jug indeed. To be ^ In not accompanying Mr. Walpole on a visit to Mr. George Montagu at (Jreatworth. '1 A phrase of Mr. Montagu's, HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 297 sure, he wondered as much at me who did not linish a jug ; and I could not help reflecting, that living always in the world makes one as unfit for living out of it, as always living out of it does for living in it. Knightley, the knight of the shire, has been entertaining all the parishes round with a turtle-feast, which, so far from succeeding, has almost made him suspected for a Jexv, as the country parsons have not yet learned to wade into green fat. The roads are very bad to Greatworth, and such numbers of gates, that if one loved punning one should call it the Gate-house. The proprietor had a wonderful invention : the chimneys, which are of stone, have niches and benches in them, where the man used to sit and smoke. I had twenty disasters, according to custom ; lost my way, and had my French boy almost killed by a fall with his horse : but I have been much pleased. When I was at Park-place I went to see sir H. Englefield's,' which Mr. C * * * * and lady IM * * * prefer, but I think very undeservedly, to Mr. Southcote's. It is not above a quarter as exten- sive, and wants the river. There is a pretty view of Reading seen under a rude arch, and the yvater is well disposed. The buildings are very insigni- ficant, and the house far from good. The town Whiteknichtij. 298 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE of Henley has been extremely disturbed with an engagement between the ghosts of miss Blandy and her father, which continued so violent, that some bold persons, to prevent farther bloodshed, broke in, and found it was two jackasses which had got into the kitchen. I felt strangely tempted to stay at Oxford and survey it at my leisure ; but, as I was alone, I had not courage. 1 passed by sir James Dash- wood's,^ a vast new house, situated so high that it seems to stand for the county as well as him- self. I did look over lord Jersey's,'^ which was built for a hunting-box, and is still little better. But now I am going to tell you how delightful a day I passed at Wroxton. Lord Guildford has made George Montagu so absolutely viceroy over it, that we saw it more agreeable than you can conceive ; roamed over the whole house, found every door open, saw not a creature, had an ex- treme good dinner, wine, fruit, coffee and tea in the library, were served by fairies, tumbled over the books, said one or two talismanic words, and the cascade played, and went home loaded with pine-apples and flowers. — You will take me for monsieur de Coulatiges, I describe eatables so feelingly ; but the manner in which we were serveJ made the whole delicious. The house was >' At High Wycombe, " Middlcton. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 299 built by a lord Downe in the reign of James the first ; and though there is a fine hall and a vast dining room below, and as large a drawing-room above, it is neither good nor agreeable ; one end of the front was never finished, and might have a good apartment. The library is added by this lord, and is a pleasant chamber. Except loads of old portraits, there is no tolerable furniture. A whole length of the first earl of Downe is in the bath-robes, and has a coif under the hat and fea- ther. There is a charming picture of prince Henry about twelve years old, drawing his sword to kill a stag, with a lord Harrington ; a good ])ortrait of sir Owen Hopton, 1590; your _^?ow5 grandmother my lady Dacre, which I think like you ; some good Cornelius Johnsons ; a lord North by Riley, good ; and an extreme fine por- trait by him of tiic lord keeper : I have never seen but few of the hand, but most of them liave been equal to Lely and the best of sir Godfrey, 'inhere is too a curious portait of sir Thomas Pope, the founder of Trinitv-collcare, Oxford, said to be by Holbein. The chapel is new, but in a pretty Gothic tast'3, with a very long window of painted glass, very tolerable. The frieze is pendent, just in the manner I propose for the eating-room at Strawbcrry-liill. Except one scene, which is in- deed noble, I cannot much commend the without- doors. This scene consists of a beautiful lake en- tirely shut in with wood : the head liills into a SOO CORRESPONDENCE OF THE fine cascade, and that into a serpentine river, over which is a little Gothic seat like a round temple, lifted up by a shaggy mount. On an eminence in the park is an obelisk erected to the honour and at the expence of " optimus atid 7mmi/icentissimus** the late prince of Wales, " in loci amoenitatem et memoriam adventus ejus.** There are several paltry Chinese buildings and bridges, which have the merit or demerit of being the progenitors of a very numerous race all over the kingdom : at least they were of the very first. In the church is a beautiful tomb of an earl and countess of Downe, and the tower is in a good plain Gothic style, and was once, they tell you, still more beautiful ; but Mr. IVfiller, who designed it, un- luckily once in his life happened to think rather of beauty than of the water-tables, and so it fell down the first winter. On Wednesday morning we went to see a sweet little chapel at Steane, built in 1620 by sir T. Crewe, speaker in the time of the first James and Charles. Here are remains of the mansion-house, but quite in ruins : the chapel is kept up by my lady Arran, the last of the race. There are seven or eight monuments. On one is this epitaph, which I thought pretty enough : Conjux casta, parens felix, matrona pudica, Sara viro, mundo Martha, Maria Deo. On another is the most affected inscri})tioJi 1 ever HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 301 saw, written by two brothers on their sister ; they say, This agreeable mortal translated her into im- mortality such a day : but I could not help laugh- ing at one quaint expression, to which time has given a droll sense : She was a constant lover of the best. I have been here these two days, extremely amused and charmed indeed. Wherever you stand you see an Albano landscape. Half as many buildings I believe would be too many, but such a profusion gives inexpressible richness. You may imagine I have some private reflections entertaining enough, not very communicable to the company : The temple of Friendship, in which, among twenty memorandums of quarrels, is the bust of Mr. Pitt : Mr. James Grenville is now in the house, whom his uncle disinherited for his attachment to that very Pylades Mr. Pitt. He broke with Mr. Pope, who is deified in the Elysian fields, before the inscription for his head was finished. That of sir J. Barnard, which was bespoke by the name of a bust of my lord mayor, Avas by a mistake of the sculptor done for alder- man Perry. The statue of the king, and that " ho7iori, laudi, virtuti divw Carolinx^^ make one smile, when one sees the ceiling where Britannia rejects and hides the reign of king * * * * But I have no patience at building and planting a satire! Such is the temple of modern virtue in ruins ! The Grecian temple is glorious : this I openly 302 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE worship : in the heretical corner of my heart I adore the Gothic building, which by some unusual inspiration Gibbs has made pure and beautiful and venerable. The style has a propensity to the Venetian or mosque gothic, and the great column near it makes the whole put one in mind of the place of St. Mark. The windows are throughout consecrated with painted glass ; most of it from the priory at Warwick, a present from that foolish * * * *^ ^vho quarrelled with me (be- cause his father was a gardener) for asking him if lord Brook had planted much. A-propos to painted glass. I forgot to tell you of a sweet house which Mr. Montagu carried me to see, be- longing to a Mr. Holman, a catholic, and called Warkworth. The situation is pretty, the front charming, composed of two round and two square towers. The court within is incomplete on one side ; but above stairs is a vast gallery with four bow-windows and twelve otlier large ones, all filled with the arms of the old peers of England, with all their quarterings entire. You don't de- serve, after deserting me, that I should tempt you to such a sight ; but this alone is worth while to carry you to Greatworth. Adieu, my dear sir ! 1 return to Strawberry to- morrow, and forgive you enougli not to deprive myself of the satisfaction of seeing you there whenever you have nothing else to do. Yours ever. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 303 To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq, Strawberry-hill, Aug. 16, 1763. Don't you suspect that I have not only forgot the pleasure I had at Greatworth and Wroxton,^ but the commissions you gave me too ? It looks a little ungrateful not to have vented a word of thanks ; but I staid to write till I could send you the things, and when I had them, I staid to send them by Mr. Chute, who tells you by to-night's post when he will bring them. The butter-plate is not exactly what you ordered, but I flatter myself you will like it as well. There are a few seeds ; more shall follow at the end of the autumn. Besides Tom Harvey's letter, I have sent you maps of Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire, hav- ing felt the want of them, when I was with you. I found the road to Stovve above twelve miles, very bad, and it took me up two hours and a half: but the formidable idea I conceived of the break- fast and way of life there by no means answered. You was a prophet ; it was very agreeable. I am ashamed to tell you that I laughed half an hour yesterday at the sudden death of your new friend sir Harrys Danvers, qftei' a mormng*s airing, the 1 The seat of lord Guildford. 304. CORRESPONDENCE OF THE news call it ; I suspect it was after a negus. I found my garden brown and bare, but these rains have recovered the greenth. You may get your pond ready as soon as you please ; the gold fish swarm : Mr. Bentley carried a dozen to town t'other day in a decanter. You would be enter- tained with our fishing ; instead of nets and rods and lines and worms, we use nothing but a pail and a basin and a tea-strainer, which I persuade my neighbours is the Chinese method. Adieu ! my best compliments to miss Montagu. Yours ever. P. S. Since writing my letter, I have received your twin dispatches. I am extremely sensible of the honour my lord Guildford does me, and beg you to transmit my gratitude to him : if he is ever at Wroxton when I visit Greatworth, I shall certainly wait upon him, and think myself happy in seeing that charming place again. As soon as I go to town, I shall send for Moreland and har- bour your wardrobe with great pleasure. I find I must beg your pardon for laughing in the former part of my letter about your baronet's death ; but his ui?2e and water a little warm had left such a ridiculous effect upon me, that even his death could not efface it. Good night. Mr. Miller told me at Stowe, that the chimney- piece (I think from Steane) was he believed at HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 305 Banbury, but he did not know exactly. If it lies in your way to inquire, on so vague a direction, will you ? Mr. Chute may bring me a sketch of it. To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq. Arlington-street, September, 1753. My dear Sir, I AM going to send you anotlier volume of my travels ; I don't know whether I shall not, at last, write a new Camden* s Britannia ; but lest you should be afraid of my itinerary, I will at least promise you that it shall not be quite so dry as most surveys, which contain nothing but lists of impropriations and glebes, and carucates, and transcripts out of Domesday, and tell one nothing that is entertaining, describe no houses nor parks, mention no curious pictures, but are fully satisfied if they inform you, that they believe that some nameless old tomb belonged to a knight-templar, or one of the crusado, because he lies cross- legged. Another promise I will make you is, that my love of abbeys shall not make me hate the Reformation till that makes me grow a Jaco- bite like the rest of my antiquarian predecessors ; of whom, Dart in particular wrote Billingsgate against Cromwell and the regicides ; and sir VOL. I. X 306 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE Robert Atkins concludes his summary of the Stuarts with saying, " that it is no treason, because they har:e been so, that this fawilij should alxvays continue unfortunate,^* I have made my visit at Hagley as I intended. On my v/ay I dined at Park-place, and lay at Oxford. As I was quite alone, I did not care to see any thing ; but as soon as it was dark 1 ven- tured out, and the moon rose as I was wandering among the colleges, and gave me a charming venerable Gothic scene, which was not lessened by the monkish appearance of the old fellows stealing to their pleasures. Birmingham is large, and swarms with people and trade, but did not answer my expectation from any beauty in it : yet new as it is, I perceived how far I was got back from the London hegira ; for every ale- house is here written mug-house^ a name one has not heard of since the riots in the late king's time. As I got into Worcestershire, I opened upon a landscape of country which I prefer even to Kent, which I had reckoned the most beautiful county in England : but this, with all the richness of Kent, is bounded with mountains. Sir George Lyttelton's house is immeasurably bad and old : one room at the top of the house, which was reckoned a conceit in those days, projects a vast way into the air. There are two or three curious pictures, and some of them extremely agreeable HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 307 to me for their relation to Grammont: there is le serieux hytteltoUy but too old for the date of that book ; mademoiselle Stuart, lord Brounker, and lady Southesk ; besides, a portrait of lord Clifford the treasurer, with his staff", but drawn in armour (though no soldier) out of flattery to Charles the second, as he said the most glorious part of his life was attending the king at the battle of Wor- cester. He might have said that it was as glo- rious as any part of his majesty's life. You might draw, but I can't describe the enchanting scenes of the park : it is a hill of three miles, but broke into all manner of beauty ; such lawns, such wood, rills, cascades, and a thickness of ver- dure quite to the summit of the hill, and com- manding such a vale of towns, and meadows, and woods extending quite to the Black mountain in Wales, that I quite forgot my favourite Thames ! — Indeed, I j^refer nothing to Hagley but mount Edgecumbe. There is extreme taste in the park: the seats are not the best, but there is not one absurdity. There is a ruined castle, built by Miller, that would get him his freedom even of Strawberry : it has the true rust of the barons' wars. Then there is a scene of a small lake with cascades falling down such a Parnassus!' with a circular temple on the distant eminence j and there is such a fairy dale, with more cascades gushing out of rocks ! and there is a hermitage, so exactly like those in Sadeler's prints, on the X 2 SOS CORRESPONDENCE OF THE brow of a shady mountain, stealing peeps into the glorious world below ! and there is such a pretty well under a wood, like the Samaritan wo- man's in a picture of Nicolo Poussin ! and there is such a wood without the park, enjoying such a prospect ! and there is such a mountain on t'other side oi" the park commanding all prospects, that I wore out my eyes with gazing, my feet with climbing, and my tongue and my vocabulary with commending ! The best notion I can give you of the satisfaction I showed, was, that sir George })roposed to carry me to dine with my lord Foley ; and when I showed reluctance, he said, " WJtij, I Ihought ijou did not mind any strangers, if you were to see any Ihing ! " Think of my not minding stran<)!;ers ! I mind them so much, that I missed seeing iiartlebury- castle, and the bishop of Wor- cester's chapel of painted glass there, because it was his public day when I passed by his park. — Miller has built a Gothic house in the village at Hagley for a relation of sir George : but there he is not more than Miller ; in his castle he is almost Bentley. There is a genteel tomb in the church to sir George's first wife, with a Cupid and a pretty urn in the Roman style. You will be diverted with my distresses at Wor- cester. I set out boldly to walk down the high- street to the cathedral : I found it much more peopled than I intended, and, when I was quite embarked, discovered myself up to the ears in a HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 309 •contested election. A new candidate had arrived the nigrht before, and turned all their heads. Nothing comforted me, but that the opposition is to Mr. T * * * * ; and I purchased my passage very willingly with crying No T*' * * ! No Jetcs ! However, the inn where I lay was Jerusalem itself, the very head-quarters, where T * * * the Pharisee was expected ; and I had scarce got into my room, before the victorious mob of his enemy, who had routed his advanced guard, broke open the gates of our inn, and almost murdered the ostler — and then carried him off to prison for being murdered. The cathedral is pretty, and has several tombs, and clusters of light pillars of Derbyshire marble, lately cleaned. Gothicism and the restoration of that architecture, and not of the bastard breed, spreads extremely in this part of the Vvorld. Prince Arthur's tomb, from whence we took the ])apcr for the hall and stair-case, to my great surprise, is on a less scale than the paper, and is not of brass but stone, and that wretchedly white-washed. The niches ai'e very small, and the long slips in the middle are divided every now and then with the trefoil. There is a fine tomb for bishop Hough, in the Westminster-abbey style ; but the obelisk at tlic back is not loaded with a globe and a human figure, like Mr. Kent's desigii for sir Isaac Xcwton : ;in absurdil\ which n(;t]ung but liimseir coiiki suij>a>s, when lie placed three busts 510 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE at the foot of an altar — and, not content with that, placed them at the very angles — where they have as little to do as they have with Shakespeare. From Worcester I went to see Malvern-abbey. It is situated half way up an immense mountain of that name : the mountain is very long, in shape like the prints of a whale's back : towards the larger end lies the town. Nothing remains but a beautiful gateway and the church, which is very large : every window has been glutted with painted glass, of which much remains, but it did not answer: blue and red there is in abundance, and good faces j but the portraits are so high, I could not distinguish tliem. Besides, the woman who showed me tlie church would pester me with Christ and king David, when I was hunting for John of Gaunt and king Edward. Tiie greatest curiosity, at least what I liad never seen before, was, the whole floor and far up the sides of the church has been, if I may call it so, wainscoted with red and yellow tiles, extremely polished, and diversified with coats of arms, and inscriptions, and mosaic. I have since found the same at Glocester, and have even been so fortunate as to purchase from the sexton about a dozen, which think what an acquisition for Strawberry ! They are made of the natural earth of the country, which is a rich red clay, that produces every thing. All the lanes are full of all kind of trees, and enriched with large old apple-trees, that hang HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 311 over from one hedge to another. Worcester city is large and pretty. Glocester city is still better situated, but worse built, and not near so large. About a mile from Worcester you break upon a sweet view of the Severn. A little farther on the banks is Mr. Lechmere's house ; but he has given strict charge to a troop of willows never to let him see the river : to his right hand extends the fairest meadow covered with cattle that ever you saw : at the end of it is the town of Upton, with a church half ruined, and a bridge of six arches, which I believe with little trouble he might see from his garden. The vale increases in riches to Glocester. I staid two days at George Selwyn's house called Matson, which lies on Robin Hood's-hill : it is lofty enough for an Alp, yet is a mountain of turf to the very top, has wood scattered all over it, springs that long to be cascades in twenty places of it ; and from the summit it beats even sir G. Lytteltoii's views, by having the city of Glocester at its foot, and tlie Severn widening to the hori- zon. His house is small, but neat. King Charles lay here at the siege ; and the duke of York, with typical fury, liacked and hewed the window'-shut- ters of his chamber, as a memorandum of his being tliere. Here is a good picture of Dudley- earl of Leicester in his later age, which lie gave to sir Francis Walsingham, at whose house in Kent it remained till removed hither j and what 312 CORRESPONPENCE OF THE makes it very curious, is, his age marked on it, 54 in 1572. I had never been able to discover before in what year he was born. And here is the very flower-pot and counterfeit association, for which bishop Sprat was taken up, and the duke of Marlborough sent to the Tower. The reservoirs on the hill supply the city. The late Mr. Selwyn governed the borough by them — and I believe by some wine too. The bishop's house is pretty, and restored to the Gothic by the last bishop. Price has painted a large chapel- window for him, which is scarce inferior for colours, and is a much better picture than any of the old glass. The eatuig-rooiii is handsome. As I am a protestant Goth, I was glad to worship bishop Hooper's room, from whence he was led to the stake : but I could ahnost have been a Hun, and set fire to the front of the house, which is a small pert portico, like tlie conveniencies at the end of a London garden. The outside of the cathedral is beautifully light; the pillars in the nave outrageously plump and heavy. There is a tomb of one Abraham Blackleach, a great curio- sity ; for, though the figures of him and his wife are cumbent, tliej are very graceful, designed by Vandyck, and well executed. Kent designed the screen ; but knew no more there than he did any where else how to enter into the true Gothic taste. Sir Christopher Wren, who built the tower of the great gate-way at Christ-church, has PION. HORACE WALPOLE. 313 catched the graces of it as happily as you could do : there is particularly a niche between two compartments of a window, that is a master-piece. But here is a modernity, which beats all anti- quities for curiosity : Just by the high altar is a small pew hung with green damask, with curtains of the same ; a small corner-cupboard, painted, carved and gilt, for books, in one corner, and two troughs of a bird-cage, with seeds and water. If any mayoress on earth was small enough to en- close herself in this tabernacle, or abstemious enough to feed on rape and canary, I should have sworn that it was the shrine of the queen of the aldermen. It belongs to a Mrs. Cotton, who, havinfj; lost a favourite dauc^hter, is convinced her soul is transmigrated into a robin-red-breast ; for which reason she passes her life in making an aviary of the cat'iedral of Glocestcr. Tlie chap- ter indulge tin's whim, as she contributes abun- dantly to glaze, whitewash, and ornament the church. King Edward the second's tomb is very light and in good repair. The old wooden figure of Robert, the conqueror's unfortunate eldest son, is extremely genteel, and, though it may no.t be so ancient as his death, is 'u\ a taste very superior to any thing of much later ages. Our Lady's cliapel has a bold kind of portal, and several ceilings of chapels, and tribunes in a beautiful taste : but of all deliglit, is what they call the abbot's cloister. 314 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE It is the very thing that you would build, when you had extracted all the quintessence of trefoils, arches, and lightness. In the church is a star- window of eight points, that is prettier tlian our rose-windows. A little way from the town are the ruins of Lantony Priory : there remains a pretty old gate- way, which G. Selwyn has begged, to erect on the top of his mountain, and it will have a charm- ing effect. At Burford I saw the house of Mr. Lenthal, the descendant of the Speaker. The front is good ; and a chapel connected by two or three arches, which let the garden appear through, has a pretty effect ; but the inside of the mansion is bad and ill-furnished. Except a famous picture of sir Thomas More's family, the portraits are rubbish, though celebrated. I am told that the Speaker, who really had a fine collection, made his peace by presenting them to Cornbury, where they were, well known, till the duke of Marl- borough bought that seat. I can't go and describe so known a place as Oxford, which I saw pretty well on my return. The whole air of the town charms me ; and what remains of the true Gothic im-Gibbs'd, and the profusion of painted glass, were entertainment enough to me. In the picture-gallery are quanti- ties of portraits ; but in general they are not only not so much as copies, hut pro.vie.s — so totally un- HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 315 like they are to the persons they pretend to repre- sent. All I will tell you more of Oxford is, that Fashion has so far prevailed over her collegiate sister, Custom, that they have altered the hour of dinner from twelve to one. Does not it put one in mind of reformations in religion ? One don't abolish Mahommedism ; one only brings it back to where the impostor himself left it. — I think it is at the South-sea-house, where thev have been forced to alter the hours of payment, instead of from ten to twelve, to from twelve to two ; so much do even moneyed citizens sail with the cur- rent of idleness! Vvas not I talking of religious sects ? Metho- dism is quite decayed in Oxford, its cradle. In its stead, there prevails a delightful fantastic system, called the sect of the Hutchinsonians, of whom one seldom hears anv thinu' in town. After much inquiry, all I can discover is, that their re- liixion consists in drivinfj; Hebrew to its fountain head, till they find some word or other in every text of the Old Testament, which may seem figu- rative of something in the New, or at least of something that may happen God knows when, in consequence of the New. As their doctrine is novel, and requires much study, or at least much invention, one should think that they could not have settled half the canon of what they are to believe — ^and yet they go on zealously, trying to make and succeeding in makinnr converts. — I 316 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE could not help smiling at the thoughts of etymo- logical salvation ; and I am sure you will smile when Itell yon, that according to their gravest doctors, Soap is an excellent type of Jesus Christ, and the York-buildings xcater'works of the lyinity. — I don't know whether this is not as entertaining as the passion of the Moravians for the little side- hole ! Adieu, my dear sir I Yours ever. ro GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Arlington-street, Dec. 6, 17.'3;>. 1 HAVE at last found a moment to answer your letter; a possession of which, I think, T have not been master these ten days. You must know tliat I have an uncle dead ; a sort of event that couKl not possibly have been disagreeable to me, let his name have been what it would ; and to make it still less unpleasant, here am I one of the heirs at law to a man worth thirty thousand pounds. One of the lieirs you must construe, one of five. In short, my uncle Erasmus is dead, and I tliink at last Vv'c may depend on iiis having n>ade no will. If a will sliould appear, we are l)ut wliere we were ; if it does not, it is not uncomfortable to have a little sum of money dro]) out of the clouds, to whicli one has as much right as anv botlv, for HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 317 which one has no obligation, and paid no flattery. This death and the circumstances have made ex- treme noise, but they are of an extent impossible to tell you within the compass of any letter, and I will not raise your curiosity when I cannot satisfy it, but by a narration, which I must reserve till I see you. The only event I know besides within this atmosphere, is the death of lord Bur- lington, who, I have just heard, has left every thing in his power to his relict. I tell you no- thing of Jew bills and Jew motions, for I dare to say you have long been as weary of the words as 1 am. The only point that keeps up any atten- tion, is expectation of a mail from Ireland, from whence we have heard, by a side wand, that the court have lost a question by six ; you may ima- gine one wants to know more of this. The opera is indifferent ; the first man has a finer voice than Monticelli, but knows not what to do with it. Ancient Visconti docs so much with her's that it is intolerable. There is a new play of Glover's, in which Boadicea the heroine rants as much as Visconti screams ; but happily you hear no more of her after the end of the third act, till in the last scene somebody brings a card with her compliments, and she is very sorry she cannot wait upon you, but she is dead. Then there is a scene between lord Sussex and lord Cathcart, two captives, which is most incredibly absurd ; but yet the parts are so well acted, the 318 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE dresses so fine, and two or three scenes pleasing enough, that it is worth seeing. There are new young lords, fresh and fresh : two of them are much in vogue ; lord Hunting- don and lord Stormont. I supped with them t'other night at lady Caroline Petersham's j^ the latter is most cried up j but he is more reserved, seems sly, and to have sense ; but I should not think extreme: yet it is not fair to judge on a silent man at first. The other is very lively and very agreeable. This is the state of the town you inquire after, and which you do inquire after as one does after Mr. Somebody that one used to see at Mr. Such-a-one's formerly : do you never in- tend to know more of us ? or do you intend to leave me to wither upon the hands of the town, like Charles Stanhope and Mrs. Dunch ? My cotemporaries seem to be all retiring to their pro- prieties. If I must too, positively I will go no farther than Strawberry-hill ! You are very good to lament our gold fish : their whole history con- sists in their being stolen a deux 7^ep?^ises, the very week after I came to town. Mr. B. is where he was, and well, and now and then makes me as happy as I can be, having lost him, with a charming drawing. We don't talk of his abode, for the Hecate his wife endeavours 1 Daughter of the duke of Grafton. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 319 to discover it. Adieu ! my best compliments to miss Montagu. I am, Most truly yours. To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq. Arlington-street, Dec. 19, 1753. I LITTLE thought when I parted witli you, my dear sir, that your absence ^ could indemnify me so well for itself; I still less expected that I should find you improving daily : but your letters grow more and more entertaining, your drawings more and more picturesque ; you write with more wit, and paint with more melancholy^ than ever any body did : your woody mountains hang down somewhat so poetical, as Mr. Ashe " said, that your own poet Gray will scarce keep tune with you. All this refers to your cascade scene and your letter. For the library, it cannot have the Straw- 1 Mr. Bentley was now in the island of Jersey, whither he had retired on account of the derangement of his affairs ; and whither all the following letters are addressed to him. 2 A nursery-man at Twickenham. He had served Pope. Mr. Walpole telling him he would have his trees planted irregu- larly, he said, "Yes, sir, I understand: you would have them lumg down somewhat poetical." 320 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE berry imprimatur : the double arches and double pinnacles are most ungraceful ; and the doors below the book-cases in Mr. Chute's design had a conventual look, which yours totally wants. For this time, we shall put your genius in commission, and, like some other regents, execute our own plan without minding our sovereign. For the chimney, I do not wonder you missed our instruc- tions : we could not contrive to understand them ourselves ; and therefore, determining nothing but to have the old picture stuck in a thicket of pinnacles, we left it to you to find out the how. I believe it will be a little difficult ; but as I sup- pose Jacere quia impossibile est, is full as easy as credere, why — you must do it. The present journal of the world and of me stands thus : King George 11. does not go abroad — Some folks fear nephews,^ as much as others hate uncles. The castle of Dublin has carried the Armagh election by one vote only — which is thought equivalent to losing it by twenty. Mr. Pelham has been very ill, I thought of St. Patrick's fire,* but it proved St. Antony's. Our house of 3 Frederic II. king of Prussia, nephew to George II. Mr. Walpole alludes to himself, who was upon bad terms with his uncle Horace Walpole, afterwards lord Walpole of Wolterton. ■1 Alluding to the disturbances and opposition to govern- ment, which took place in Ireland during the viceroyalty of Lionel duke of Dorset HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 321 commons, mere poachers, are piddling with tlie torture of Leheup, who extracted so much money- out of the lottery. The robber of Po Yang-' is discovered, and I hope will be put to death, without my pity inter- fering, as it has done for Mr. Shorter*s servant,^ or lady * * * * ***** 'g^ as it did for Maclean.'^ In short, it was a heron. I like this better than thieves, as I believe the gang will be more easily destroyed, though not mentioned in the king's speech or Fielding's treatises. Lord Clarendon, lord Thanet, and lord Bur- lington, are dead. The second sent for his taylor, and asked him if he could make him a suit of mourning in eight hours: if he could, he would go into mourning for his brother Burlington ^ — but that he did not expect to live twelve hours himself. There are two more volumes come out of sir Charles Grandison. I shall detain them till the last is published, and not think I postpone much of your pleasure. For my part, I stopped at the 5 Mr. Walpole had given this Chinese name to a pond of gold fish at Strawberry-hill. 6 A Swiss servant of Erasmus Shorter's, maternal uncle to Mr. Walpole, who was not without sucpicion of having hastened his master's death. 7 A celebrated highwayman. "* The countesses of Thanet and Burlington were sisters. VOL. J. Y 322 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE fourth ; I was so tired of sets of people getting together, and saying, Pray, miss, with whom are you in love ? and of mighty good young men that convert your Mr. M* * ** * s i\\ the twinkling of a sermon! — You have not been much more di- verted, I fear, with Hogarth's book^ — 'Tis very silly ! — Palmyra is come forth, and is a noble book ; the prints finely engraved, and an ad- mirable dissertation before it. My wonder is much abated : the Palmyrene empire which I had figured, shrunk to a small trading city with some magnificent public buildings out of propor- tion to the dignity of the place. The operas succeed pretty well ; and music has so much recovered its power of charming, that there is started up a burletta at Covent-garden, that has half the vogue of the old Beggar's opera: indeed there is a soubrette, called the Nicolina, who, besides being pretty, has more vivacity and variety of humour than ever existed in any crea- ture. Yours ever. •• The Analysis of Beauty, HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 323 To RICHARD RENTLEY, Esq Arlington-street, March 2, 1754. After calling two or three times without finding him, I wrote yesterday to lord Granville,^ and re- ceived a most gracious answer, but desiring to see me. I went. He repeated all your history with him, and mentioned your vivacity at part- ing ; however, consented to give you the apart- ment, with great good humour, and said he would write to his bailiff; and added, laughing, that he had an old cross housekeeper, who had regularly quarrelled with all his grantees. It is well that some of your desires, though unfortunately the most trifling, depend on me alone, as those at least are sure of being executed. By Tuesday's coach there will go to Southampton, two orange- trees, two Arabian jasmines, some tuberose roots, and plenty of cypress seeds, which last I send you in lieu of the olive-trees, none of which are yet come over. The weather grows fine, and I have resumed little flights to Strawberry. I carried G. Montagu thither, who was in raptures, and screamed, and hooped and hollaed, and danced, and crossed ' John ear] Granville, then secretaiy of state, had an estate in Jersey. Y 2 324 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE Iiimself a thousaiul times over. He returns to- morrow to Greatworth, and I fear will give him- self up entirely to country ^squiy^ehood. But what will you say to greater honour which Strawberry has received ? Nolkejumskoi has been to see it, and liked the windows and staircase. I can't con- ceive how he entered it. I should have figured him like Gulliver cutting down some of the largest oaks in Windsor forest to make joint-stools, in order to straddle over the battlements and peep in at the windows of Lilliput. I can't deny my- self this reflection (even though he liked Straw- berry), as he has not employed you as an archi- tect. Still there is little news. To-day it is said that lord George Sack\ ille is summoned in haste from Ireland, where the grand juries are going to peti- tion for the re-sitting of the parliament. Hitherto they have done nothing but invent satirical healths, which I believe gratify a taste more pecu- liar to Ireland than politics, drinking. We have had one considerable day in the house of com- mons lierc. Lord Egmont, in a very long and fine speecli, opposed a new mutiny-bill for the troops going to the East Indies (which I believe occasioned the reports with you of an approach- ing war). i\Ir. Conway got infinite reputation by a most charming speech in answer to him, in which he displayed a system of military learning, which was at once new, striking, and entertaining. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. ;525 I had carried monsieur de Gisors tliitlier, who began to take notes of all I explained to him : but I begged he would not ; for, the question re- garding French politics, I concluded the Speaker would never have done storming at the Gaul's collecting intelligence in the very senate-house. Lord Holderness made a magnificent ball for these foreigners last week : there were 140 people, and most staid supper. Two of my Frenchmen learnt country-dances, and succeeded very well. T'other night they danced minuetes for the enter- tainment of the king at the masquerade ; and then he sent for lady Coventry to dance : it was quite like Herodias — and I believe if he liad of- fered her a boon, she would have chosen the head of St.JoJm — I believe I told you of her passion for the young lord B * * * *. Dr. Meade is dead, and his collection going to be sold — I fear I have not virtue enough to resist his miniatures — I shall be ruined ! T shall tell you a new instance of the Sortes Walpoliana; : I lately bought an old volume of })amphlcts ; 1 found at the end a history of the dukes of Lorrain, and with that an account of a series of their medals, of whicli, says the author, there are but two sets in England. It so happens that I bought a set above ten years ago at lord Oxford's sale ; and on examination I foiuid the ducliess, wife of duke Rene, has a head dress, al- lowing for being modernised, as the medals are 326 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE modern, which is evidently the same with that figure in my marriage of Henry VI. which I had imagined was of her. It is said to be taken from her tomb at Angiers j and that I might not decide too quickly en connoisseur, I have sent to Angiers for a draught of the tomb. Poor Mr. Chute was here yesterday, the first going out after a confinement of thirteen weeks ; but he is pretty well. We have determined upon the plan for the library, which we find will fall in exactly with the proportions of the room, with no variations from the little door-case of St. Paul's, but widening the larger arches. I believe I shall beg your assistance again about the chimney- piece and ceiling; but I can decide nothing.till I have been again at Strawberry. Adieu ! my dear sir. Yours ever. To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq. Arlington-street, March 6, 1 754. My dear Sir, You will be surprised at my writing again so very soon ; but unpleasant as it is to be the bearer of ill news,^ I flattered myself that you would endure 1 This is an ironic letter on the death of Henry Pelham, first HON. HORACE WALFOLE. 327 it better from me, than to be shocked with it from an indifferent hand, who would not have the same management for your tenderness and deli- cacy as I naturally shall, who always feel for you, and on this occasion with you ! You are very unfortunate: you have not many real friends, and you lose — for I must tell it you, the chief of them ! indeed, the only one who could have been of real use to you — for what can / do, but wish, and attempt, and miscarry? — or from whom could I have hoped assistance for you, or warmth for myself and my friends, but from the friend I have this morning lost? — But it is too selfish to be talking of our losses, when Britain, Europe, the world, the king, Jack Roberts,^ lord Barnard,^ have lost their guardian angel. — What are private misfortunes to the affliction of one's country ? or how inglorious is an Englishman to bewail him- self, when a true patriot should be acting for the good of mankind! — Indeed, if it is possible to feci any comfort, it is from seeing how many true Englishmen, how many true Scolchynen^ are zeal- ous to replace the loss, and snatch at the rudder of the state, amidst this storm and danger ! Oh ! my friend, how will your heart glow with melan- lord of the treasury and chancellor of the exchequer, with whom Mr. Walpole was on ill terms. ■^ John Roberts, esquire, secretary to Mr. Pelhani. * Henry Vane, afterwards earl of Darlington, 328 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE choly admiration, when I tell you, that even the poor duke of Newcastle himself conquers the tor- rent of his grief, and has promised Mrs. Betty Spence,* and Mr. Graham the apothecary, that, rather than abandon England to its evil genius, he will even submit to be lord treasurer himself? My lord chancellor,^ too, is said to be willing to devote himself in the same manner for the good of his country. Lord Hartington^ is the most inconsolable of all; and when Mrs. Molly Bodens^ and Mrs. G. were entreated by some of the cabi- net council to ask him whom he wished to have minister, the only answer they could draw from him was, A Whig! a Whig! As for lord B. I may truly say, lie is humbled and licks the dust ; for his tongue, which never used to hang below the waistband of his breeches, is now dropped down to his shoe-buckles; and had not Mr. Stone assured him, that if the worst came to the worst, they could but make their fortunes under another family, I don't know whether he would not have despaired of the commonwealth. Vmi though I sincerely pity so good a citizen, I cannot help feeling most for poor lord Holderness, who sees '1 Companion to the duchess of Newcastle. 5 Philip earl of Hardwicke. 6 William, afterwards fourth duke of Devonshire. 7 Companion of lady Burlington, lord Hartington's mother- in-law. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 329 a scheme of glory dashed which would have added new lustre to the British annals, and have trans- mitted the name D'Arcy down to latest posterity. He had but just taken Mr. Mason the poet into his house to write his deserts ; and he had just reason to expect that the secretary's office would have gained a superiority over that of France and and Italy, which was unknown even to Walsing- ham. I had written thus far, and perhaps should have elegized on for a page or two farther, when Harry, who has no idea of the dignity of grief, blunder- ed in, with satisfaction in his countenance, and thrust two pacquets from you into my hand. — Alas ! he little knew that I was incapable of tast- ing any satisfaction but in the indulgence of my concern. — I was once going to commit them to the devouring flames, lest any light or vain sen- tence should tempt me to smile ; but my turn for true philosophy checked my hand, and made me determine to prove that I could at once launch into the bosom of pleasure and be insensible to it. 1 have conquered; I have read your letters, and yet think of nothing but Mr. Pelham's death ! Could lady * * * do thus ? Could she receive a love-letter from Mr. * * *, and yet think only on her breathless lord ? Thursday, 7. I WROTE the above last night, and have staid as 330 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE late as I could this evening, that I might be able to tell you who the person is in whom all the world is to discover the proper qualities for re- placing the national loss. But, alas ! the experi- ence of two whole days has showed that the mis- fortune is irreparable j and I don't know whether the elegies on his death will not be finished before there be any occasion for congratulations to his successor. The mystery is profound. How shock- ing it will be if things should go on just as they are ! I mean by that, how mortifying if it is discovered, that when all the world thought Mr. Pelham did and could alone maintain the calm and carry on the government, even he was not necessary, and that it was the calm and the government that carried on themselves ! However, this is not my opinion. — I believe all this uill make a party. ^ Good-night ! There are two more new plays : Constantine, the better of them, expired the fourtli night at Covent-garden. A'^irginia, by Garrick's acting and popularity, flourishes still : he has written a remarkably good epilogue to it. Lord Bolingbroke is come forth in five pom])ous quartos, two and a half new and most unorthodox. Warburton is resolved to answer, and the bishops « Mr. Walpole, when young, loved faction ; and Mr. Bentley one day saying, " that he believed certain opinions would make a sect," Mr. \V. said eagerly, " Will they make a party ?'' HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 331 not to answer him. I have not had a moment to look into it. Good-night! Yours ever. To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq. Arlington-street, March 17, 1754. In the confusion of things, I last week hazarded a free letter to you by the common post. The confusion is by no means ceased. However, as some circumstances may have rendered a desire of intelligence necessary, I send this by the coach, with the last volume of Sir Charles Grandison, for its chaperon. After all the world had been named for chan- cellor of the exchequer, and my lord chief justice Lee, who is no part of the world, really made so pro tempore ; lord Hartington went to notify to Mr. Fox, that the cabinet council having given it as their unanimous opinion to the king, that the duke of Newcastle should be at the head of the treasury, and he (Mr. Fox) secretary of state with the njanagement of the house of commons ; his grace, who had submitted to so oracular a sen- tence, hoped Mr. Fox would not refuse to concur in so salutary a measure ; and assured him, that though the duke would reserve the sole disposition of the secret service-money, his grace would 332 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE bestow his entire confidence on Mr. Fox, and acquaint him with the most minute details of that service. Mr. Fox bowed and obeyed — and, as a preliminary step, received the chancellor's' absolu- tion. From thence he attended his — and our new master. — But either grief for his brother's death, or joy for it, had so intoxicated the new maitre du palais, that he would not ratify any one of the conditions he had imposed : and though my lord Hartington's virtue interposed, and remon- strated on the purport of the message he had car- ried, the duke persisted in assuming the whole and undivided power himself, and left Mr. Fox no choice, but of obeying or disobeying, as he might choose. This produced the next day a letter from Mr. Fox, carried by my lord Harting- ton, in which he refused secretary of state, and pinned down the lie with which the new ministry is to commence. It was tried to be patched uj) at the chancellor's on Friday night, though inef- fectually J and yesterday morning Mr. Fox in an audience desired to remain secretary at war. The duke immediately kissed hands — declared, in the most unusual manner, universal minister. Legge was to be chancellor of tlie exchequer ; but I can't tell whether that disposition will hold, as lord Duplin is proclaimed the acting favourite. ' With wliom he was at variance. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 33ii The German sir Thomas Robinson was thought on for the secretary's seals ; but has just sense enough to be unwilling to accept them under so ridiculous an administration. This is the first act of the comedy. On Friday this august remnant of the Pelhams went to court for the first time. At the foot of the stairs he cried and sunk down : the yeomen of the guard were forced to drag him up under the arms. When the closet-door opened, he flung himself at his length at the king's feet, sobbed, and cried " God bless your majesty ! God pre- serve your majesty !" and lay there howling and embracing the king's knees, with one foot so extended, that my lord C * * *, who was lucldli/ in waiting, and begged the standers-by to retire, with " For God's sake, gentlemen, don't look at a great man in distress," endeavouring to shut the door, caught his grace's foot, and made him roar out with pain. You can have no notion of what points of cere- mony have been agitated about the tears of the family. George Selwyn was told that my lady Catherine had not shed one tear : " And pj'ay," said he, " don't she intend it?" It is settled that Mrs. * * * is not to cry till she is brought-to-bed. You love George Selwyn's bons-mots : this cri- sis has redoubled them : here is one of his best. My lord chancellor is to be earl of Clarendon : — "Yes," said Selwyn, from the very summit of the 334 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE whites of his demure eyes ; " and I suppose he will get the title of Rochester for his son-in-law, my lord A * * *." Do you think he will ever lose the title of lord Rochester ? I expected that we should have been over-run with elegies and panegyrics : indeed I comforted myself, that one word in all of them would atone for the rest — the late Mr. Pelham. But the world seems to allow that their universal attachment and submission was universal interestedness : there has not been published a single encomium : orator Henley alone has held forth in his praise: — yes- terday it was on charming lady Catherine.^ Don't you think it should have been in these words, in his usual style ? Oratory-chapel. — Right reason ; madness ; charming lady Catherine j hell-fire, &c. Monday, March IS. Almost as extraordinary news as our political, is, that it has snowed ten days successively, and most part of each day : it is living in Muscovy, amid ice and revolutions : I hope lodgings will begin to let a little dear in Siberia! Beckford and Delaval, two celebrated partisans, met lately at Shaftes- bury, where they oppose one another : the latter said. Lady Catherine Pelliam. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 835 " Art thou the man, whom men fam'd Beckford call ?" T'other replied, " Art thou the much more famous Delaval V But to leave politics, and change of ministries, and to come to something of real consequence, I must apply you to my library ceiling ; of which I send you some rudiments. I propose to have it all painted by Clermont ; the principal part in chiaro scuro, on the design which you drew for the Paraclete : but as that pattern would be surfeiting so often repeated in an extension of 20 feet by 30, I propose to break and enliven it by compart- ments in colours, according to the enclosed sketch, which you must adjust and dimension. Adieu ! Yours ever. To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Arlington-street, March 19, 1754. You will live in the country ; and then you are amazed that people use you ill. Don't mistake me : I don't mean that you deserve to be ill- treated for living in the country j at least only by those who love and miss you ; but if you inhabited the town a little, you would not quite so much expect uprightness, nor be so surprised at ingra- S36 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE titude and neglect. I am far from disposed to justify the great Cu ; but when you had declined being Ids servant, do you wonder, that he will not serve your friends ! I will tell you what, if the news of to-day holds at all, w^iich is what no one piece of news of this last fortnight has done, you may be worse used by your cousin as soon as you please, for he is one of the first upon the list, for secretary of state, in the room of the duke of Newcastle. Now again are you such a rusticated animal as to suppose, that the duke is dismissed for inability, on the death of his brother. So far from it, it is already certainly known, that it was he who supported Mr. Pelham, and the impedi- ments and rubs, thrown in the way of absolute power long ago, were the effects of the latter's timidity and irresolution. The duke, freed from that clog, has declared himself sole minister, and the king has kissed his hand upon it. Mr. Fox, who was the only man in England that objected to this plan, is to be sent to a prison, which is building on the coast of Sussex, after the model of Fort I'Eveque, under the direction of Mr. Taffee. Harry Legge is to be chancellor of the exche- quer ; but the declared favour rests on lord Dup- lin.^ Sir George Lyttleton is to be treasurer of ' Son of the earl of Kinnoul HON. HORACE WALPOLE. .'537 the navy. The parliament is to be dissolved on the fourth of next month, till when, I suppose none of the changes will take place. These are the politics of the day ; but as they are a little fluctuating, notwithstanding the steadiness of the new first minister, I will not answer that they will hold true to Greatworth : nothing lasts now but the bad weather. I went two days ago, with lady Ailesbury, and Mr. Conway, and Miss Anne, to hear the rehear- sal of Mrs. Clive's new farce, which is very droll, with very pretty music. Yours ever. To JOHN CHUTE, Esq. Arlington-street, April 30, 1754<, My God ! Farinelli, what has this nation done to the king of Spain, that the moment we have any thing dear and precious, he should tear it from us ? This is not the beginning o£ my letter to you, nor does it allude to Mr.Bentkij: much less is it relative to the captivity of the ten tribes ; nor does the king signify Benhadad, or Tiglath-pileser; nor Spain, Assyria, as doctor Pocock or AVarbur- ton, misled by dissimilitude of names, or by the Septuagint, may for very good reasons imagine — ■ but it is literally tlie commencement of my lady VOL. 1. / 338 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE Rich's^ epistle to Farinelli, on the recall of gene- ral Wall, as she relates it herself. It serves ex- tremely well for my own lamentation, when I sit down by the waters of Strawberry, and think of ye, O Chute and Bentley ! I have seen Creusa, and more than agree with you : it is the only new tragedy that I ever saw, and really liked. The plot is most interesting, and, though so complicated, quite clear and natural. The circumstance of so much distress being brought on by characters, every one good, yet acting consistently with their principles towards the misfortunes of the drama, is quite new and pleasing. Nothing offended me but that lisping miss Haughton, whose every speech is inarticu- lately oracular. I was last night at a little ball at lady Anne Furnese's for the new lords, Dartmouth and North ; but nothing passed worth relating : in- deed the only event since you left London was the tragi comedy that was acted last Saturday at the Opera. One of the dramatic guards fell flat on his face and motionless in an apoplectic fit. The princess^ and her children were there. Miss Chudleigh, who apparemment had never seen a J One of the daughters and coheiresses of the lord Mohun killed in a duel with duke Hamilton. 2 The princess of Wales, mother to his present majest}'. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 339 man fall on his face before, went into the most theatric fit of kicking and shrieking that ever was seen. Several other women, who were preparing their fits, were so distanced, that she had the whole house to herself, and indeed such a con- fusion for half an hour I never saw ! The next day at my lady Townshend's old Charles Stan- hope asked what these fits were called ? Charles Townshend replied, " The true convulsive jUs, to be had only of the maker. ^* Adieu, my dear sir ! To-day looks summerish, but we have no rain yet. Yours ever. To JOHN CHUTE, Esq. Arlington-street, May 14, \15^. My dear Sir, I WROTE to you the last day of last month : I only mention it, to show you that I am punctual to your desire. It is my only reason for writing to- day, for I have nothing new to tell you. The town is empty, dusty, and disagreeable ; the country is cold and comfortless ; consequently I daily run from one to t'other, as if both were so charming that I did not know which to prefer. I am at present employed in no very lively man- ner ; in reading a treatise on commerce, which z 2 340 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE count Perron has lent me, of his own writing : this obliges me to go through with it, though the subject and the style of the French would not engage me much. It does not want sense. T'other night a description was given me of the most extraordinary declaration of love that ever was made. Have you seen young Ponia- towski?^ He is very handsome. You have seen the figure of the duchess of Gordon, who looks like a raw-boned Scotch metaphysician that has got a red face by drinking water. One day at the drawing-room, having never spoken to him, she sent one of the foreign ministers to invite Poniatowski to dinner with her for the next day. He bowed, and went. The moment the door opened, her two little sons, attired like Cupids with bows and arrows, shot at him, and one of them literally hit his hair, and was very near putting his eye out, and hindering his casting it to the couch Where she, another sea-born Venus, lay. The only company besides this highland goddess were two Scotchmen, who could not speak a word of any language but their own Erse ; and to com- plete his astonislimcnt at this allegorical entertain- • Stanislaus, the late ill-fated king of Poland. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 341 ment, with the dessert there entered a little horse, and galloped round the table ; a hieroglyphic I cannot solve. Poniatowski accounts for this pro- fusion of kindness by his great-grandmother being a Gordon ; but I believe it is to be accounted for rk\r ^ '^ "3^ # # Adieu, my dear sir ! Yours ever. To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq. Arlington-street, May 18, 1754. My dear Sir, Unless you will be exact in dating your letters, you will occasion me much confusion. Since the undated one which I mentioned in my last, I have received another as unregistered, with the fragment of the rock, telling me of one which had set sail on the eighteenth, I suppose of last month, and been driven back : this I conclude was the former undated. Yesterday I received a longer, tipped with May 8th. You must submit to this lecture, and I hope will amend by it. I cannot promise that I shall correct myself much in the intention I had of writing to you seldomcr and shorter at this time of year. If you could be per- suaded how insignificant I think all I do, liow 342 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE little important it is even to myself, you would not wonder that I have not much empressement to give the detail of it to any body else. Little excursions to Strawberry, little parties to dine there, and many jaunts to hurry Bromwich, and the carver, and Clermont, are my material occu- pations. Think of sending these 'cross the sea ! — The times produce nothing: there is neither party, nor controversy, nor gallantry, nor fashion, nor literature-'— the whole proceeds like farmers regulating themselves, their business, their views, their diversions, by the almanac. Mr. Pelham's death has scarce produced a change ; the changes in Ireland, scarce a murmur. Even in France the squabbles of the parliament and clergy are under the same opiate influence. — I don't believe that mademoiselle Murphy (who is delivered of a prince, and is lodged openly at Versailles) and madame Pompadour will mix the least grain of ratsbane in one another's tea. I, who love to ride in the whirlwind, cannot record the yawns of such an age ! The little that I believe you would care to know relating to the Strawberry annals, is, that the great tower is finislied on tlie outside, and the whole whitened, and has a charming effect, especially as tlie verdure of this year is beyond what I have ever seen it : the grove nearest the house comes on much : you know I had almost despaired of its ever making a figure. The bow- HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 345 window room over the supper-parlour is finished ; hung with a plain blue paper, with a chintz bed and chairs ; my father and mother over the chim- ney in the Gibbons frame, about which you know we were in dispute what to do. I have fixed on black and gold, and it has a charming effect over your chimney with the two dropping points, which is executed exactly ; and the old grate of Henry VIII. which you bought, is within it. In each pannel round the room is a single picture ; Gray's, sir Charles Williams's, and yours, in their black and gold frames ; mine is to match yours ; and on each side the door are the pictures of Mr. Churchill and lady Mary, with their son, on one side, Mr. Conway and lady Ailesbury on the other. You can't imagine how new and pretty this furniture is. — I believe I must get you to send me an attestation under your hand that you knew nothing of it, that Mr. Rigby may allow that at least this one room was by my own direc- tion. As the library and great parlour grow finished, you shall have exact notice. From Mabland' I have little news to send you, but that the obelisk is danced from the middle of the rabbit-warren into his nciglibour's garden, and 1 A cant name which Mr. VValpole had given to lord Rad- nor's whimsical house and grounds at Twickenham. 344. CORRESPONDENCE OF THE he pays a ground-rent for looking at it there. His shrubs are hitherto unmolested, Et Maryboniacos 2 gaudet revirescere lucos ! The town is as busy again as ever on the affair of Canning, who has been tried for perjury. The jury would have brought her in guilty of perjury, but not wilful, till the judge informed them that that would rather be an Irish verdict: they then brought her in simply guilty, but recommended her. In short, nothing is discovered : the most general opinion is that she was robbed, but by some other gipsy. For my own part, I am not at all brought to believe her story, nor shall, till I hear that living seven-and-twenty days without eating is among one of those secrets for doing impossibili- ties, which I suppose w-ill be at last found out. You know my system is, that every thing will be found out, and about the time that I am dead, even some art of living for ever. You was in pain for me, and indeed I was in pain for myself, on the prospect of the sale of Dr. Meade's miniatures. You may be easy ; it is more than I am quite ; for it is come out that the late prince of Wales had bought them every one. 2 Lord Radnor's garden was full of statues, &c. like that at Marybone. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 345 I have not yet had time to have your granite examined, but will next week. If you have not noticed to your sisters any present of Ormer shells, I shall contradict myself, and accept them for my lady Lyttleton, who is making a grotto. As many as you can send conveniently, and any thing for the same use, will be very acceptable. Yoir'will laugh when I tell you that I am employed to re- concile sir George and Moore ;^ the latter has been very flippant, say impertinent, on the latter's giving a little place to Bower, in preference to him. — Think of my being the mediator? The parliament is to meet for a few days the end of this month, to give perfection to the regency-bill. If the king dies before the end of this month, the old parliament revives, which would make tolerable confusion, considering what sums have been laid out on seats in this. — Adieu ! This letter did not come kindly ; I reckon it ra- ther extorted from me, and therefore hope it will not amuse. However, I am in tolerable charity with you, and Yours ever. 3 Author of The Workl, and some plays and poems, Moore liad written in defenee of lord Lyttelton against the Letters to the Whigs, whieh were not known to be Mr. Walpolc's. 346 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Arlington-street, May 21, 17 54-. I DID not intend to write to you till after Thurs- day, when all your Boscawens, Rices, and Tre- vors are to dine at Strawberry-hill ; but an event has happened, of which I cannot delay giving you the instant pleasurable notice : now will you, according to your custom, be guessing, and ac- cording to your custom, guessing wrong ; but lest you should from my spirits make any un dutiful or disloyal conjectures for me, know, that the great Cu* of the Vine is dead, and that John the first was yesterday proclaimed undoubted monarch. Nay, champion Dimmock himself shall cut the throat of any Tracy, Atkins, or Harrison, who shall dare to gainsay the legality of his title. In short, there is no more will, than was left by the late Erasmus Shorter of particular memory. I consulted madam Rice, and she advised my directing to you at Mrs. Whettenhall's ; to whom I beg as many compliments as if she wrote herself *' La blanche WhitnelV As many to your sister Harriot and to your brother, who I hear is with you. I am sure, though both you and I had reason to be peevish with the poor Tigress, that 1 Mr. Chute. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 347 you grieve with me for her death. I do most sincerely, and for her Bessy ; the man Tiger will be so sorry, that I am sure he will marry again to comfort himself. I am so tired with letters I have written on this event, that I can scarce hold the pen. How we shall wish for you on Thursday — and shant you be proud to cock your tail at the Vine ? Adieu. Yours ever. To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Strawberry -hill, Saturday, June 8, 1754. By my computation you are about returned to Greatworth : I was so afraid of my letters missing you on the road, that I deferred till now telling you how much pleasure I shall have in seeing you and the colonel at Strawberry. I have long been mortified that for these three years you have seen it only in winter : it is now in the height of its greenth, blueth, gloomth, honey-suckle, and seringahood. I have no engagement till Wed- nesday se'nnight, when I am obliged to be in town on law business. You will have this to- morrow night ; if I receive a letter, which I beg you will direct to London, on Tuesday or Wed- Jicsday, I will meet you here whatever day you 348 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE will be so good as to appoint. I thank the colo- nel a thousand times. I cannot write a word more, for I am getting into the chaise to whisk to the Vine for two days, but shall be in town on Tues- day night. Adieu. Yours ever. To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Strawberry -hill, June 29, 1754-. I SHALL take care to send your letter the first time I write to Mr. Bentley. It is above a fort- night since I heard from him. I am much disap- pointed at not having seen you yet ; I love you should execute your intentions, while you intend them, because you are a little apt to alter your mind, and as I have set mine on your seeing Strawberry-hill this summer, while it is in its beauty, you will really mortify me by changing your purpose. It is in vain that you ask for news : I was in town two days ago, but heard nothing ; indeed, there were not people enough either to cause or make news. Lady Caroline Petersham had scrap- ed together a few foreigners, after her christening ; but I cannot say that the party was much livelier than if it had met at Madame Montandres'. You HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 349 must let me know a little beforehand, when you have fixed your time for coming, because, as I am towards flying about on my summer expeditions, I should be unhappy not to be here just when you would like it. Adieu. Yours ever. P. S. I supped at White's the other night with the great Cu, and he was by far more gracious, both on your topic and my own, than ever I knew him. To THE HoK. H. S. CONWAY. Strawberry-hill, Saturday, July 6, 1754. Your letter certainly stopped to drink somewhere by the way, I suppose with the hearty hostess at the AVindmill ; for, though written on Wednes- day, it arrived here but this morning : it could not have travelled more deliberately in the speak- er's body-coach. I am concerned, because, your fishmonger not being arrived, I fear you have staid for my answer. The fish' are apprized that they are to 7ide over to Park-place, and are ready booted and spurred ; and the moment their pad 1 Gold fish. 350 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE arrives, they shall set forth. I would accompany them on a pillion, if I were not waiting for lady Mary,^ who has desired to bring her poor little sick girl here for a few days to try the air. You know how courteous a knight I am to distrest vir- gins of five years old, and that my castle-gates are always open to them.^ You will, I am sure, accept this excuse for some days ; and as soon as ever my hospitality is completed, I will be ready to obey your summons, though you should send a water-pot for me. I am in no fear of not find- ing you in perfect verdure ; for the sun, I believe, is gone a great way off to some races or other, where his horses are to run for a king's plate : we have not heard of him in this neighbourhood. Adieu ! Yours ever. To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq. Strawberry-hill, July 9, 1754, I ONLY write a letter for company to the enclosed one. Mr. Chute is returned from the Vine, and * Lady Mary Churchill. 3 Mr. Conway's only daughter had been left with Mr.Walpole at Strawberry-hill, when he and lady Ailesbury went to Ireland with his regiment. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 351 gives you a thousand thanks for your letter ; and if ever he writes, I don't doubt but it will be to you. Gray and he come hither to-morrow, and I am promised Montagu and the ^colonel in about a fortnight How naturally my pen adds, but when does Mr. Bentley come? I am sure Mr. Wicks wants to ask me the same question every day — Speak to it, Horatio ! — Sir Charles Williams brought his eldest daughter hither last week : she is one of your real admirers, and, without its being proposed to her, went on the bowling-green, and drew a perspective view of the castle from the angle, in a manner to deserve the thanks of the committee :^ she is to be married to my lord Essex in a week, and I begged she would make you overseer of the works at Cashiobury. Sir Charles told me, that on the duke of Bedford's wanting a Chinese house at Woburn, he said, "Why don't your grace speak to Mr. Walpole ? He has the prettiest plan in the world for one." — "Oh," replied the duke, *' but then it would be too dear !" I hope this was a very great oeco- nomy, or I am sure ours would be very great extravagance only think of a plan for little Strawberry giving the alarm to thirty thousand ' Charles Montagu. 2 Mr.Walpole in these letters calls the Strawberry committee, those of his friends who had assisted in the plans and Gothic ornaments of Strawberry-hill. S52 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE pounds a year! — My dear sir, it is time to re- trench ! Pray send me a slice of granite" no bigger than a Naples biscuit. The monument for my mother is at last erected: it puts me in mind of the manner of interring the kings of France : when the reigning one dies, the last before him is buried. Will you believe that I have not yet seen the tomb ? None of my acquaintance were in town, and I literally had not courage to venture alone among the West- minster-boys at the abbey ; they are as formidable to me as the ship-carpenters at Portsmouth. I think I have showed you the inscription, and therefore I don't send it you. I was reading t'other day the Life of colonel Codrington, who founded the library at All Souls: he left a large estate for the propagation of the gospel, and ordered that three hundred negroes should constantly be employed upon it : did one ever hear a more truly Christian charity, than keeping up a perpetuity of three hundred slaves to look after the gospel's estate ? How could one intend a religious legacy, and miss the disposition of that estate for delivering three hundred nec-roes from the most shocking slavery imaginable ? 3 Mr. Walpole had commissioned Mr, Bentlcy to send liim a piece of the granite found in the island of Jersey, for a side- board in his dining-room. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 353 Must devotion be twisted into the unfeeling in- terests of trade ? I must revenge myself for the horror this fact has given me, and tell you a story of Gideon.* He breeds his children Christians : he had a mind to know what proficience his son had made in his new religion ; so, says he, I be- gan, and asked him, who made him ? He said, God. I then asked him, who redeemed him ? He replied very readily, Christ. Well, then I was at the end of my interrogatories, and did not know^ what other question to put to him — I said. Who — who — I did not know what to say — at last I said, Who gave you that hat ? The Holy Ghost, said the boy. — Did you ever hear a better catechism? — The great cry against Nugent at Bristol was for having voted for the Jew bill : one old woman said, " What, must we be represented by a Jew and an Irishman ?" He replied with great quickness, '* My good dame, if you will step aside with me into a corner, I will show you that I am not a Jew, and that / am an Irishman." The princess'^ has breakfasted at the long sir Thomas Robinson's at Whitehall : my lady Townshend will never forgive it. The second^ dowager of Somerset is gone to know whether all 4 Sampson Gideon, a noted rich 5cw. 5 Of Wales. c Frances Thynnc, VOL. I. 2 A 354 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE her letters from the living to the dead have been received. Before I bid you good-night, I must tell you of an admirable curiosity : I was looking over one of our antiquarian volumes, and in the description of Leeds is an account of Mr. Thores- by's famous museum there — What do you think is one of the rarities? A knife taken fro7n one of the Mohocks ! Whether' tradition is ififallihle or 7iot, as you say, I think so authentic a relique will make their history indisputable — Castles, Chinese houses, tombs, negroes, Jews, Irishmen, princesses, and Mohocks — what a farrago do I send you ! I trust that a letter from England to Jersey has an im- posing air, and that you don't presume to laugh at any thing that comes from your mother island. Adieu ! Yours ever. To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Strawberry-hill, Aug. 29, iTS-i. You may be sure that I shall always be glad to see you whenever you like to come hither, but I cannot help being sorry that you are determined not to like the place, nor to let the colonel like it ; a conclusion I may very justly make, when I think for these four years you have contrived to visit it only when there is not a leaf upon the trees. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 355 Villas are generally designed for summer : you are the single person, who think they look best in winter. You have still a more unlucky thought; which is, to visit the Vine in October. When I saw it in the middle of summer, it was excessively damp ; you will find it a little difficult to persuade me to accompany you thither on stilts, and I be- lieve Mr. Chute will not be quite happy that you prefer that season ; but for this I cannot answer at present, for he is at Mr. Morris's in Cornwall. I shall expect you and the colonel here at the time you appoint. I engage for no farther, un- less it is a very fine season indeed. I beg my compliments to miss Montagu, and am, Yours ever. To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq. Strawberry hill, November 3, 1754, I HAVE finished all my parties, and am drawing towards a conclusion here : the parliament meets in ten days : the house, I hear, will be extremely full — curiosity drawing as many to town as party used to do. The minister' in the house of lords is a new sight in these days. 1 The duke of Newcastle. 2a 2 35G CORRESPONDENCE OF THE Mr. Chute and I have been at Mr. Barret's^ at Belhouse ; I never saw a place for which one did not wish, so totally void of faults. What he has done is in Gothic, and very true, though not up to the perfection of the committee. The hall is pretty ; the great dining-room hung with good family pictures ; among which is his ancestor, the lord Dacre, who was hanged. I remember, when Barret was first initiated in the college of arms by the present dean of Exeter^ at Cambridge, he was overjoyed at the first ancestor he put up, who was one of the murderers of Thomas Becket. The chimney-pieces, except one little miscarriage into total Ionic (he could not resist statuary and Siena marble), are all of a good king James the first Gothic. I saw the heronry so fatal to Po Yang, and told him that I was persuaded they were descended from Beckct's assassin, and I hoped from my lord Dacre too. He carried us to see the famous plantations and buildings of the last lord Petre. They are the Brobdingnag of bad taste. The unfinished house is execrable, massive, and split through and through : it stands on the brow of a hill, rather to see for^ a prospect than to see one, and turns its back upon an outrageous avenue, whicli is closed with a screen of tall trees, because - Afterwards lord Dacre, 3 Dr. Charles Lvttclton. HON. HORACE WALPOLK. 357 he would not be at the expencc ofbeautilyinn; the back front of his house. The clumps are gigantic, and very ill placed. George Montagu and the colonel have at last been here, and have screamed with approbation through the whole Cz^-gamut. Indeed the library is delightful. They went to the Vine, and ap- proved as much. Do you think we wished for you? I carried down incense and mass-books, and we had most catholic enjoyment of the chapel. In the evenings, indeed, we did toudt a card a Httle to please George — so much, that truly I have scarce an idea left that is not spotted with clubs, hearts, spades, and diamonds. There is a vote of the Strawberry committee for great embellish- ments to the chapel, of which it will not be long- before you hear something. It will not be longer than the spring, I trust, before you see something of it. In the mean time, to rest your impatience, I have enclosed a scratch of mine, which you are to draw out better, and try if you can give your- self a perfect idea of the phice. All I can say is, that mv sketch is at least more intelli2;ible than Gray's was of Stoke, from which you made so like a picture. Thank you much for the box of Guernsey lilies, which I have received. I have been packing up a few seeds, which have little merit but the merit they will have with you, that they conic from the Vine and Strawberry. JVIv chief cni[>!(i\- in thi=; 358 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE part of the world, except surveying my library, which has scarce any thing but the painting to finish, is planting at Mrs. Clive's, whither I re- move all my superabundancies. I have lately planted the green lane, that leads from her gar- den to the common : " Well," said she, *' when it is done, what shall we call it?" — *' Why," said I, " what would you call it but Drury-lane ?" I mentioned desiring some samples of your Swiss's*^ abilities : Mr. Chute and I even propose, if he should be tolerable, and would continue reason- able, to tempt him over hither, and make him work upon your designs — upon which, you know, it is not easy to make you work. If he improves upon our hands, do you tliink we shall purchase the fee-simple of him for so many years, as Mr. Smith did of Canaletti?^ We will sell to the Eng- lislu Can he paint perspectives and cathedral- isles, and holy glooms? I am sure you could make him paint delightful insides of the chapel at the Vine, and of the library here. I never come up the stairs without reflecting how different it is from its primitive state, when my lady T. all the 4 Mr. Muntz, a Swiss painter. 5 Mr. Smith, the taglish consul at Venice, liad engaged Canaletti for a certain number of years to paint exclusively for him, at a fixed price, and sold his pictures at an advanced price to English travellers. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 3,5') way she came up the stairs, cried out, " Lord God! Jesus! what a house! It is just such a house as a parson's, where the children he at the feet of the bed !'* I can't say that to-day it puts me much in mind of another speech of my lady's, "that it would be a very pleasant place, if Mrs. Clive's face did not rise upon it and make it so hot !" The sun and Mrs. Clive seem gone for the winter. The West-Indian war has thrown me into a new study: I read nothing but American voyages, and histories of plantations and settlements. Among all the Indian nations, I have contracted a parti- cular intimacy with the Ontaouanoucs, a people with whom I beg you will be acquainted : they pique themselves upon speaking the purest dialect. How one should delight in the grammar and dic- tionary of their Crusca ! My only fear is, that if any of them are taken prisoners, general Brad- dock is not a kind of man to have proper atten- tions to so polite a people ; I am even apprehen- sive that he would damn them, and order them to be scalped, in the very worst plantation-accent. I don't know whether you know that none of the people of that immense continent have any latials : they tell you que c*est ridicule to shut the li])s, in order to speak. Indeed I was as barbarous as any polite luition in the world, in supposing that there was nothing worth knowing among these charm- ing savages. They arc in particular great orators, 1^60 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE with this little variation from British eloquence, that at the end of every important paragraph they make a present; whereas we expect to re- ceive one. They begin all their answers with recapitulating what has been said to them ; and their method for this is, the respondent gives a little stick to each of the by-standers, who is, for his share, to remember such a paragraph of the speech that is to be answered. You will wonder that I should have given the preference to the Ontaouanoucs, when there is a much more ex- traordinary nation to the north of Canada, who have but one leg, and p * * * from behind their ear ; but I own I had rather converse for any time with people who speak like Mr. Pitt, than with a nation of jugglers, who are only fit to go about the country, under the direction of Taafe and Montague.^ Their existence I do not doubt ; they are recorded by Pctre Charlevoix, in his much admired history of New France, in which there are such outrageous legends of miracles for the propagation of the gospel, that his fables in natu- ral history seem strict veracity. Adieu ! You write to me as seldom as if you were fi Mr. Montague was the only son of lady Mary ^^'ortlcy Mon- tague. These gentlemen had been shut up in prison at Paris on a charge of cheating a Jew at cards. The particulars are curious, and may be found in Nichol's Literary Anecdotes, v. 'I. p. 631 . HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 361 in an island where the duke of N. was sole minis- ter, parties at an end, and where every thing had done happening. Yours ever. P. S. I have just seen in the advertisements that there are arrived two new volumes of ma- dame de Sevigne's Letters. — Adieu, my Ameri- can studies ! — adieu, even my favourite Ontaoua- noucs ! To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq. Arlington-street, November 11, 1754'. If you was dead, to be sure you would have got somebody to tell me so. If you was alive, to be sure in all this time you would have told me so yourself. It is a month to-day since I received a line from you. There was a Florentine ambassa- dor here in Oliver's reign, who with great circum- spection wrote to his court, *'Some say the pro- tector is dead, others say he is not : for my part, I believe neither one nor t'other." I quote this sage personage, to show you that I have a good precedent, in case I had a mmd to continue neu- tral upon the point of your existence. I can't resolve to believe you dead, lest 1 should be forced to write to Mr. 8. again to bemoan 362 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE you ; and on the other hand, it is convenient to me to believe you living, because I have just re- ceived the enclosed from your sister, and the money from Ely. However, if you are actually dead, be so good as to order your executor to receive the money, and to answer your sister's letter. If you are not dead, I can tell you who is, and at the same time whose death is to remain as doubtful as yours till to-morrow morning. Don't be alarmed ! it is only the queen dowager of Prus- sia. As eojcessive as the concern for her is at court, the whole royal family, out of great con- sideration for the mercers, lacemen, &c. agreed not to shed a tear for her till to-morrow morning, when the birth-day will be over ; but they are all to rise by six o'clock to-morrow morning to cry quarts. This is the sum of all the news that I learnt to-day on coming from Strawberry-hill, ex- cept that lady Betty Waldegrave was robbed t'other night in Hyde-park, under the very noses of the lamps and the patrole. If any body is rob- bed at the ball at court to-night, you shall hear in my next dispatch. I told you in my last that I had just got two new volumes of madame Sevigne's letters ; but I have been cruelly disappointed ; they are two hundred letters which had been omitted in the former editions, as having little or nothing worth reading. How provoking, that they would at last let one see that she could write so many letters that were not worth reading ! I HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 363 will tell you the truth : as they are certainly hers, I am glad to see them, but I cannot bear that any body else should. Is not that true sentiment ? How would you like to see a letter of hers, de- scribing a wild young Irish lord, a lord p * * *j who has lately made one of our ingenious wagers, to ride I don't know how many thousand miles in an hour, from Paris to Fontainebleau ? But admire the poUtesse of that nation : instead of endeavouring to lame his horse, or to break his neck, that he might lose the wager, his antagonist and the spec- tators showed all the attention in the world to keep the road clear, and to remove even pebbles out of his way. They heaped coals of fire upon his head with all the good-breeding of the gospel. Adieu! — If my letters are short, at least my notes are long. Yours ever. To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Arlington-street, Nov. 16, 1754. You are over-good to me, my dear sir, in giving yourself the trouble of telling me you was content with Strawberry-hill. I will not, however, tell you, that I am content with your being there, till you have seen it, in all its greenth and bliieth. 36* CORRESPONDENCE OF THE Alas ! I am sorry I cannot insist upon as much with the colonel. Mr. Chute I believe was so pleased with the tenehra in his own chapel, that he has fairly buried himself in it. I have not even had so much as a burial card from him since. The town is as full as I believe you thought the room was at your ball at Waldershare. I hear of nothing but the parts and merit of lord North. Nothing has happened yet, but sure so many English people cannot be assembled long without committing something extraordinary ! I have seen and conversed with our old friend Cope; I find him grown very old ; I fear he finds me so too ; at least as old as I ever intend to be. I find him very grave too, which I believe he does not find me. Solomon and Hesther, as my lady Townshend calls Mr. Pelham and lady Hesther Grenvillc, espouse one another to-day. I know nothing more but a new fashion which my lady Hervey has brouffht from Paris. Tt is a tin funnel covered o with green ribbon, and holds water, which the ladies wear to keep their bouquets fresh. I fear lady Caroline and some others will catcli frequent colds, and sore throats with overturning this re- servoir. A propos, there is a match certainly in agita- tion, which has very little of cither Solomon or HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 365 llestlier in it. You will be sorry when I tell you, that lord Waldegrave certainly dis-Solomons him- self with the Drax. Adieu, my dear sir ; I con- gratulate miss Montagu on her good health, and am Ever yours. To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq. Arlington-street, Nov. 20, 175 k If this does not turn out a scolding letter, I am much mistaken. I shall give way to it with the less scruple, as I think it shall be the last of the kind ; not that you will mend, but I cannot sup- port a commerce of visions ! and therefore, when- ever you send me mighty cheap schemes for finding- out longitudes and philosophers' stones, you will ex- cuse me if I only smile, and don't order them to be examined by my council. — For heaven's sake, don't be a projector ! Is not it provoking, that, with the best parts in the world, you should have so gentle a portion of common sense ? But X am clear, that you never will know the two things in the world that import you the most to know, yourself and me. — Thus much by way of preface : now for the detail. You tell me in your letter of November Sd, that the quarry of granite might be rented at twenty 366 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE pounds or twenty shillings, I don't know which, no matter, per annum. When I can't get a table out of it, is it very likely you or I should get a fortune out of it ? What signifies the cheapness of the rent ? The cutting and shippage would be articles of some little consequence! Who should be supervisor ? You, who are so good a mana- ger, so attentive, so diligent, so expeditious, and so accurate ? Don't you think our quarry would turn to account? Another article, to which I might apply the same questions, is the project for importation of French wine : it is odd that a scheme so cheap and so practicable should hitherto have been totally overlooked One would think the breed of smugglers was lost, like the true spaniels, or genuine golden pippins ! My dear sir, you know I never drink three glasses of any wine — Can you think I care whether they are sour or sweet, cheap or dear? — or do you think that I, who am always taking trouble to reduce my trouble into as compact a volume as I can, would tap such an article as importing my own wine ? But now comes your last proposal about the Gothic paper. When you made me fix up mine, unpainted, engaging to paint it yourself, and yet could never be persuaded to paint a yard of it, till I was forced to give Bromwich's man God knows what to do it, w^ould you make me believe that you will paint a room eighteen feet by fifteen? — But, seriously, if it is possible for HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 367 you to lay aside visions, don't be throwing con- tinual discouragements in my way. I have told you seriously and emphatically, that I am labour- ing your restoration : the scheme is neither facile nor immediate: — but, for God's sake, act like a reasonable man. You have a family to whom you owe serious attention. Don't let me think, that if you return, you will set out upon every wild- goose chase, sticking to nothing, and neglecting chiefly the talents and genius which you have in such excellence, to start projects, which you have too much honesty and too little application ever to thrive by. This advice is, perhaps, worded harshly : but you know the heart from which it proceeds, and you know that, with all my preju- dice to it, I can't even pardon your wit, when it is employed to dress up schemes that I think romantic. The glasses and Ray's Proverbs you shall have, and some more gold-fish, when I have leisure to go to Strawberry ; for you know I don't suffer any fisheries to be carried on there in my absence. I am as newsless as in the dead of summer : the parliament produces nothing but elections : there has already been one division on the Oxfordshire of two hundred and sixty-seven whigs to ninety- seven tories: you may calculate the burial of that election easily from these numbers. The queen of Prussia is not dead, as I told you in my last. If you have shed many tears for her, you may set 368 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE them off to the account of our son-in-law the Prince of Hesse, who is turned Roman catholic. One is in this age so unused to conversions above the rank of a house-maid turned methodist, that it occasions as much surprise as if one had heard that he had been initiated in the Eleusinian my- steries. Are not you prodigiously alarmed for the protestant interest in Germany ? We have operas, burlettas, cargoes of Italian dancers, and none good but the Mingotti, a very fine figure and actress. I don't know a single bon-mot that is new : George Selwyn has not waked yet for the winter. You will believe that, when I tell you, that t'other night having lost eight hundred pounds at hazard, he fell asleep upon the table with near half as much more before him, and slept for three hours, with every body stamping the box close at his ear. He will say prodigiously good things when he does w^ake. In the mean time can you be content with one of madame Sevigne's best bons-mots, which I have found amongst her new letters ? Do you remember her German friend the princess of Ta- rente, who was always in mourning for some sovereign prince or princess ? One day madame de Sevigne happening to meet her in colours, made her a low curtsey, and said, " Madame, je me rcjouis de la sante de VEiiropeJ' I think I may apply another of her speeches, which pleased me, to what I have said to you in the former part HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 3G9 of my letter. Mademoiselle du Plessis had said something she disapproved : madame Sevigne said to her, " Alais que cela est sot, ca?' je veua: vans parler doucement.'^ Adieu ! Yours ever. To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq. Arlington-street, Friday, December 13, 1754. •^'If we do not make this effort to recover our dignity, we shall only sit here to register the ar- bitrary edicts of one too powerful a subject!" — Non riconosci tu F altera viso ? Don't you at once know the style ? Shake those words all altogether, and see if they can be any thing but the disjecti membra of Pitt ! — In short, about a fortnight ago, this bomb burst. Pitt, who is well, is married, is dissatisfied — not with his bride, but with the duke of Newcastle ; has twice thundered out his dissatisfaction in parliament, and was secondecjl by Fox. The event was exactly what I dare say you have already foreseen. Pitt icas to be turned out; overtures were made to Fox ; Pitt is not turned out ; Fox is quieted with the dignity of cabinet- counsellor, and tlic duke of N. remains affronted VOL. 1. 2 B 370 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE — and omnipotent. The commentary on this text is too long for a letter ; it may be developed some time or other. This scene has produced a divert- ing interlude : sir George Lyttelton, who could not reconcile his content with Mr. Pitt's discon- tents, has been very ill with the cousinhood. In the grief of his heart he thought of resigning his place ; but, somehorv or other, stumbled upon a negotiation for introducing the duke of Bedford into the ministry again, to balance the loss of Mr. Pitt. Whatever persuaded him, he thought this treaty so sure of success, that he lost no time to be the agent of it himself; and whether commis- sioned or non-commissioned, as both he and the duke of N. say, he carried carte bla?2cJte to the duke of Bedford, who bounced like a rocket, frightened away poor sir George, and sent for Mr. Pitt to notify the overture. Pitt and the Grenvilles are outrageous; the duke of N. dis- claims his ambassador, and every body laughs. Sir George came hither yesterday, to eji^pectorate with me, as he called it. Think how I pricked up my ears, as high as king Midas, to hear a Lyttelton vent his grievances against a Pitt and Grenvilles ! Lord Temple has named sir George the apostolic imntio ; and George Selwyn says, "that he will certainly be invited by miss A. among the foreign ministers." These are greater storms than perhaps you expected yet : they have HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 371 occasioned mighty bustle, and whisper, and spe- culation : but you see Pulveris exigui jactu composta quiescunt! You will be diverted with a collateral incident. * * * met Dick Edgecumbe, and asked him with great importance if he knew whether Mr. Pitt was out. Edgecumbe, who thinks nothing import- ant that is not to be decided by dice, and who consequently had never once thought of Pitt's political state, replied, "Yes." — "Ay! how do you know?" — "Why, I called at his door just now, and his porter told me so." Another politi- cal event is, that lord E. comes into place ; he is to succeed lord Fitzwalter, who is to have lord Grantham's pension, who is dead immensely rich — I think this is the last of the old opposition of any name except sir John Bernard — If you have curiosity about the Ohio, you must write to France : there I believe they know something about it : here it was totally forgot, till last night, w^hen an express arrived with an account of the loss of one of the transports off Falmouth,, with eight officers and sixty men on board. My lady T. has been dying, and was wofully frightened, and took prayers ; but she is recovered now, even of her repentance. You will not be undiverted to hear that the mob of Sudbuiy liave literally sent a card to tlio mob of Hury, to offer 2 13 '2 372 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE their assistance at a contested election there : I hope to be able to tell you in my next that Mrs. Holman has sent cards to both mobs for her assembly.^ The shrubs shall be sent, but you must stay till the holidays ; I shall not have time to go to Strawberry sooner. I have received your se- cond letter, dated November 22d, about the Gothic paper. I hope you will by this time have got mine, to dissuade you from that thought. If you insist upon it, I will send the paper : I have told you what I think, and will therefore say no more on that head ; but I will transcribe a passage which I found t'other day in Petronius, and thought not unapplicable to you : " Omnium herharum siiccos Democritiis expressit ; et 7ie lapidum tirgul- torumque vis lateret, cetatem inter experimenta con- sumpsit." I hope Democritus could not draw charmingly, when he threw away his time in ex- tracting tints from flints and twigs ! I can't conclude my letter without telling you what an escape I had at the sale of Dr. Meade's 1 Of this lady, Mr.Walpole, in a letter to another correspond- ent, gives the following account: " You would be diverted with a Mrs. Ilohnan, whose passion is keeping an assembly and in- viting literally every body to it. She goes to the drawing-room to watch for sneezes, whips out a curtsey, and then sends next morning to know how your cold does, and desire your company on Thursday." HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 373 library, which goes extremely dear. In the cata- logue I saw Winstanley's views of Audley-inn, which I concluded w^as, as it really was, a thin dirty folio worth about fifteen shillings. As I thought it might be scarce, it might run to two or three guineas : however, I bid Graham certainly buy it for me. He came the next morning in a great fright, said he did not know whether he had done very right or very wrong, that he had gone as flir as nine-and-forty gumeas — I started in such a fright ! Another bookseller had luckily had as unlimited a commission, and bid fifty — when my Graham begged it might be adjourned, till they could consult their principals. I think I shall never give an unbounded commission again, even for views of Les Rockers ! '^ Adieu ! Am I ever to see any more of your hand-drawing ? Adieu ! Yours ever. To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq. Strawberry-hill, December 2-1, 1754. My dear Sir, I RECEIVED your packet of December 6th, last night, but intending to come hither for a few days, had unluckily sent away by the coach in '^ Madame de Sevigne's seat in Bretagne. 374 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE the morning a parcel oi' things for you ; you must therefore wait till another bundle sets out, for the new letters of madame Sevdgne. Heaven forbid that I should have said they were bad ! I only meant that they were full of family details, and mortal distempers, to which the most immortal of us are subject ; and 1 was sorry that the profane should ever know that my divinity was ever troubled with a sore leg, or the want of money ; though indeed the latter defeats Bussy's ill-natur- ed accusation of avarice ; and her tearing herself from her daughter, then at Paris, to go and save money in Bretagne to pay her debts, is a perfec- tion of virtue which completes her amiable cha- racter. My lady Hervey has made me most happy, by bringing me from Paris an admirable copy of the very portrait that was madame de Simiane's : I am going to build an altar for it, under the title of Notre Dame des Rockers ! Well ! but you will want to know the contents of the parcel that is set out. It contains another parcel, which contains I don't know what ; but Mr. C * * * sent it, and desired I would transmit it to you. There are Ray's Proverbs in two volumes interleaved ; a few seeds, mislaid when I sent the last ; a very indifferent new tragedy, called Barbarossa, now running, the author ' un- ' ]t was written by Or, Biownc. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 375 known, but believed to be Garrick himself: there is not one word of Barbarossa's real stor}^, but almost the individual history of Merope ; not one new thought, and, which is the next material want, but one line of perfect nonsense ; And rain down transports in the shape of sorrow. To complete it, the manners are so ill observed, that a Mahometan princess royal is at full liberty to visit her lover in Newgate, like the banker's daughter in George Barnwell. I have added four more Worlds,'^ the second of which will, I think, redeem my lord Chesterfield's character with you for wit, except in the two stories, which are very flat : I mean those of two misspelt letters. In the last World,^ besides the hand, you will find a story of your acquaintance : Boncceur means Norborne Berkeley, whose horse sinking up to his middle in Woburn-park, he would not allow that it was any thing more than a little damp. The last story of a highwayman happened almost lite- rally to Mrs. Cavendish. For new^s, i think I have none to tell you. Mr. Pitt is gone to the Bath, and Mr. Fox to New- castle-house ; and every body else into the couii- •^ Numbers 92, 98, 100, and 101 of the third voluuu; of that periodical paper. •' Number 103 by Mr. Walpole, 376 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE try for the holidays. When lord Bath was told of the first determination of turning out Pitt, and letting Fox remain, he said, it put him in mind of a story of the gunpowder plot. The lord chamber- lain was sent to examine the vaults under the parliament-house, and, returning with his report, said, be had found five-and-twenty barrels of gun- powder ; that he had removed ten of them, and hoped the other fifteen would do no harm Was ever any thing so well and so ju«t ? The Russian ambassador is to give a masquerade for the birth of the little great prince :* the king- lends him Somerset-house : he wanted to borrow the palace over against me, and sent to ask it of the cardinal-nephew,^ who replied, " Not for half Russia." The new madness is Oratorys. Macklin has set up one, under the title of the The British Inquisition ; Foote another, against him j and a third man has advertised another to-day. I have not heard enough in their favour to tempt me to them : nor do I in the world know enough to compose another paragraph. I am here quite alone ; Mr. Chute is setting out for his Vinej but in a day or two I expect Mr. Williams,^ George 4 The czar, Paul I. 5 Henry earl of Lincoln, nephew to the duke of Newcastle, to whose title he succeeded. ^ George James Williams, esq. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 377 Selvvyn, and Dick Edgecumbe. You will allow that when I do admit any body within my cloister, I choose them well. My present occupation is putting up my books ; and thanks to arches, and pinnacles, and pierced columns, I shall not appear scantily provided ! Adieu ! Yours ever. To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Arlington-street, Jan. 7, 1755. I IMAGINED by your letter the colonel was in town, and was shocked at not having been to wait on him; upon inquiry, I find he is not; and now, can conceive how he came to tell you, that the town has been entertained with a paper of mine ; I send it you, to show you that this is one of the many fabulous histories, which have been spread in such quantities, and without foundation. I shall take care of your letter to Mr. Bentley. Mr. Chute is at the Vine, or I know he would, as I do, beg his compliments to miss Montagu. You do not wish me joy on the approaching -nup- tials of Mr. Harris and our miss Anne. He is so amorous, that whenever he sits by her, (and he cannot stand by her) my lady Townshend, by a very happy expression, says, he is ah-aj/s setting his dress. Have you heard of a countess Cham- 378 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE felt, a Bohemian, rich and hideous, who is arrived here, and is under the protection of lady Caroline Petersham ? She has a great facility at languages, and has already learned, d — n yoii^ and lass me ; I beg her pardon, I believe she never uses the former, but upon miscarriage of the latter : in short, as Doddington says, she has had the honour of performing at most courts in Europe. Adieu ! Yours ever. To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq. Arlington-street, January 9, 1755. I USED to say that one could not go out of Lon- don for two days, without finding at one's return that something very extraordinary had happened ; but of late the climate had lost its propensity to odd accidents. Madness be praised, we are a little restored to the want of our senses ! I have been twice this Christmas at Strawberry-hill for a few days, and at each return have been not a little surprised : the first time, at the very unexpected death of my lord Albemarle, who was taken ill at Paris, going home from supper, and expired in a few hours ; and last week at the far more extra- ordinary death of * ^' * *. He himself, with all his judgment in bets, I think would have betted any man in England against himself lor self-mur- HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 379 tier : yet after having been supposed the sharpest genius of his time, he, by all that appears, shot himself on the distress of his circumstances ; an apoplectic disposition I believe concurring, either to lower his spirits, or to alarm them. Ever since miss * * * * lived with him, either from liking her himself, as some think, or to tempt her to marry his Lilliputian figure, he has squandered vast sums at *■ * * *, and in living. He lost twelve hundred a-year by lord Albemarle's death, and four by lord Gage's, the same day. He asked immediate- ly for the government of Virginia or the Fox- hounds, and pressed for an answer with an eager- ness that surprised the duke of Newcastle, who never had a notion of pinning down the relief of his own or any other man's wants to a day. Yet that seems to have been the case of ****, who determined to throw the die of life or death, Tuesday was se'nnight, on the answer he was to receive from court ; which did not prove favour- able. He consulted indirectly, and at last pretty directly, several people on the easiest method of finishing life ; and seems to have thought that he had been too explicit ; for he invited company to dinner for the day after his death, and ordered a supper at White's, where he supped too the night before. He played at whisk till one in the morn- ing ; it was new year's morning : lord Robert Bertie drank to him a happy new year ; lie clapped liis hand strangely to his eyes ! In the morning 380 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE he had a lawyer and three witnesses, and executed his will, which he made them read twice over, paragraph by paragraph : and then asking the lawyer, if that will would stand good, though a man were to shoot himself? and being assured it would ; he said, " Pray stay ivhile I step into next room ;^* — went into next room, and shot himself. He clapped the pistol so close to his head, that they heard no report. The housekeeper heard him fall, and, thinking he had a fit, ran up with drops, and found his skull and brains shot about the room ! — You will be charmed with the friend- ship and generosity of sir * * * *. * * * *' a little time since opened his circumstances to him. Sir * * * * said, « * * * *j if it will be of any service to you, you shall see what I have done for you ;" pulled out his will, and read it, where he had left him a vast legacy. The beauty of this action is heightened by sir * ***'s life not being worth a year's purchase. I own I feel for the distress this man must have felt, before he decided on so de- sperate an action. I knew him but little ; but he was good-natured and agreeable enough, and had the most compendious understanding I ever knew. He had affected a finesse in money matters be- yond what he deserved, and aimed at reducing even natural affections to a kind of calculations like Demoivre's. He was asked, soon after his daughter's marriage, if she was with child : — He replied, " Upon my word, I don't know j I have HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 381 no bet upon it." This and poor ****'s self- murder have brought to light another, which hap- pening in France, had been sunk; *=****'s. I can tell you that the ancient and worshipful com- pany of lovers are under a great dilemma, upon a husband and a gamester killing themselves : I don't know whether they w^ill not apply to parlia- ment for an exclusive charter for self-murder. On the occasion of ****'s story, I heard an- other more extraordinary. If a man insures his life, this killing himself vacates the bargain. This (as in England almost every thing begets a contra- diction) has produced an office for insuring in spite of self-murder; but not beyond three hun- dred pounds. I suppose voluntary deaths were not then the hon-ton of people in higher life. A man went and insured his life, securing this privi- lege of aj}^ee-di/mg Englishman. He carried the insurers to dine at a tavern, where they met seve- ral other persons. After dinner he said to the life-and-death-brokers, " Gentlemen, it is fit that you should be acquainted with the company : these honest men are tradesmen, to w^iom I was in debt, without any means of paying, but by your assistance ; and now I am your humble servant !" He pulled out a pistol and shot himself. Did you ever hear of sucli a mixture of honesty and knavery ? Lord Rochfbrd is to succeed as groom of tlie 382 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE stole. The duke of Marlborough is privy-seal, in the room of lord Gower, who is dead ; and the duke of Rutland is lord steward. Lord Albe- marle's other offices and honours are still in petto. When the king first saw this lord Albemarle, he said, " Your father had a great many good quali- ties, but he was a sieve!" — It is the last receiver into which I should have thouglit his majesty would have poured gold ! You will be pleased with the monarch's politesse. Sir John Bland and Offley made interest to play at twelfth-night, and succeeded — not at play, for they lost 1400/. and 1300/. As it is not usual for people of no higher rank to play, the king thought they would be bashful about it, and took particular care to do the honours of his house to them, set only to them, and spoke to them at his levee next morning. You love new nostrums and inventions : there is discovered a method of inoculating the cattle for the distemper — it succeeds so well that they are not even marked. How v/e advance rapidly in discoveries, and in applying every thing to every thing ! Here is another secret, that will better answer your purpose, and I liope mine too. They found out lately at the duke of Argyle's, that any kind of ink may be made of privet : it becomes green ink by mixing salt of tartar. I don't know the })rocess ; but I am promised it by Campbell, wlio told me of it t'other day, when T HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 383 carried him the true genealogy of the Bentleys, which he assured me shall be inserted in the next edition of the Biographia. There sets out to-morrow morning, by tlie Southampton waggon, such a cargo of trees for you, that a detachment of Kentishmen would be furnished against an invasion if they were to un- roll the bundle. I write to Mr. S * * * * to re- commend great care of them. Observe how 1 answer your demands : are you as punctual ? The forests in your landscapes do not thrive like those in your letters. Here is a letter from G. Montagu ; and then I think I may bid you good- night ! Yours ever. To lUCHARD BENTLEY, Esq. Arlington-street, Feb. 8, 1755. My dear Sir, By the waggon on Thursday there set out for Southampton, a lady whom you must call FliilUs, but whom George Montagu and the Gods vCould name Speckle -hellij. Peter begged her for me, that is for you, that is, for captain Dumarcsquc, after he had been asked three guineas for anotlicr. I hope she will not be poisoned with salt-walcr, 384: CORRESPONDENCE OF THE like the poor Poyangers.^ If she should, you will at least observe, that your commissions are not still-born with me, as mine are with you. I draw ^ a spotted dog the moment you desire it. George Montagu has intercepted the descrip- tion I promised you of the Russian masquerade : he wrote to beg it, and I cannot transcribe from myself. In few words, there were all the beau- ties, and all the diamonds, and not a few of the uglies of London. The duke,^ like Osman the third, seemed in the centre of his new seraglio, and I believe my lady and I thought that my lord * * * * was the chief eunuch. My lady Coven- try was dressed in a great style, and looked better than ever. Lady Betty Spencer, like Rubens's wife (not the common one with the hat), had all the bloom and bashfulness and wildness of youth, with all the countenance of all the former Marl- boroughs. Lord Delawar was an excellent mask, from a picture at Kensington of queen Elizabeth's porter. Lady Caroline Petersham, powdered with diamonds and crescents for a Turkish slave, was still extremely handsome. The hazard was 1 Mr. Walpole having called his gold fish-pond Poyang, calls the gold fish Poyangers. 2 Alluding to Mr. Bcntley's dilatoriness in exercising his pencil at the request of Mr. Walpole. s William, duke of Cumberland. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 385 excessively deep, to the astonishment of some Frenchmen of quality who are here, and who I believe, from what they saw that night, will not write to their court to dissuade their armaments, on its not being worth their while to attack so beggarly a nation. Our fleet is as little despi- cable ; but though the preparations on both sides are so great, I believe the storm will blow over. They insist on our immediately sending an am- bassador to Paris ; and to my great satisfaction, my cousin and friend lord Hertford is to be the man. This is still an entire secret here, but will be known before you receive this. The weather is very bitter, and keeps me from Strawberry. Adieu ! Yours ever. To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq. Arlington-street, Feb, 23, 1755. My dear Sir, Your Argosie is arrived safe ; thank you for shells, trees, cones ; but above all, thank you for the landscape. As it is your first attempt in oils, and has succeeded so much beyond my expecta- tion (and being against my advice too, you may believe the sincerity of my praises), I must in- dulge my Vasarihood, and write a dissertation VOL. I. 2 c 386 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE upon it. You have united and mellowed your colours, in a manner to make it look like an old picure ; yet there is something in the tone of it, that is not quite right. Mr. Chute thinks that you should have exerted more of your force in tipping with light the edges on which the sun breaks : my own opinion is, that the result of the whole is not natural, by your having joined a Claude Lorrain summer sky to a wintry sea, which you have drawn from tlie life. The water breaks finely, but the distant hills are too strong, and the outlines much too hard. The greatest fault is the trees (not apt to be your stumbling- block) : they are not of a natural green, have no particular resemblance, and are out of all propor- tion too large for the figures. Mend these errors, and work away in oil. I am impatient to see some Gothic ruins of your painting. This leads me naturally to thank you for the sweet little cul- de-lampe to the entail : it is equal to any thing you have done in perspective and for taste ; but the boy is too large. For the block of granite I shall certainly think a louis well bestowed — provided I do but get the block, and that you are sure it will be equal to the sample you sent me. My room remains in want of a table ; and as it will take so much time to polish it, I do wish you would be a little expe- ditious in sending it. I have but frippery-news to tell you j no poli- HON. HORACE VVALPOLE. 387 tics ; for the rudiments of a war, that is not to be a war, are not worth detailing. In short, we have acted with spirit, have got ready 30 ships of the line, and conclude that the French will not care to examine whether they are well manned or not. The house of commons bears nothing but elec- tions ; the Oxfordshire till seven at night three times a week : we have passed ten evenings on the Colchester election, and last Monday sat upon it till near two in the morning. Whoever stands a contested election, and pays for his seat, and attends the first session, surely buys the other six very dear ! The great event is the catastrophe of sir * * * *, who has flirted away his whole fortune at hazard. He t'other night exceeded what was lost by the late duke of Bedford, having at one period of the night (though he recovered the greatest part of it) lost two-and-thirty thousand pounds. The citizens put on their double-channeled pumps and trudge to St. James's-street, in expectation of seeing judgments executed on White's — angels with flaming swords, and devils flying away with dice-boxes, like the prints in Sadeler's Hermits. Sir * * * * * lost this immense sum to a captain *****, who at present has nothing but a few debts and his commission. Garrick has produced a detestable English opera, which is crowded by all true lovers of their country. To mark the opposition to Italian 2 c 2 388 COKKESPONDENCE OE THE operas, it is sung by some cast singers, two Ita-* lians, and a French girl, and the chapel boys ; and to regale us with sense, it is Shakespeare's Midsummer-Night's Dream, which is forty times more nonsensical than the worst translation of any Italian opera-books But such sense and such harmony are irresistible ! I am at present confined with a cold, which 1 caught by going to a fire in the middle of the night, and in the middle of the snow, two days ago. About five in the morning Harry waked me with a candle in his hand, and cried, " Tray, your honour, don't be frightened !" " No, Harry, 1 am not ; but what is it that 1 am not to be frightened at ?" " There is a great fire here in St. James's-street." — I rose, and indeed thought all St. James's-street was on fire, but it proved in Bury-street. However, you know I can't resist going to a fire ; for it is certainly the only horrid sight that is fine. I slipped on my slippers, and an embroidered suit that hung on the chair, and ran to I3ury-street, and stepped into a pipe that was broken up for water — It would have made a picture ■ — the horror of the flames, the snow, the day breaking with difficulty through so foul a night, and my figure, J)arty per pale, mud and gold. It put me in mind of lady Margaret Her- bert's providence, who asked somebody for a pretty pattern for a night-cap. Lord, said they, what signifies the pattern of a night-cap? — **Oh, HON. HOR.\( E VVALPOLi: iS'J <:Iiil(l," said she, " but you know, in cas(; of fire." There were two houses burnt, and a poor niaid ; an officer jumped out of window, and is nuicli hurt, and two young beauties were conveyed out the same way in tlieir shifts. There have been two more great fires. Alderman IJelchier's house at Kpsom, tfiat belonged to the ))rince, is burnt, and Ik'ckford's fine house in the countr), with pictures and furniture to a great vahie. lie says, " Oh ! I have an odd fifty thousand pounds in a drawei- : I will buihl it up again : it won't be above a thousand pounds a-piece cbff'erence to my thirty children." Adieu ! Yours ever. lo lUCJJAKD J',KNriJ-.V, I.sq. Arlingtori-Htrect, March G, \73.'). Mv i;j ,\ R Sir, I iiAVJ': to thank voii for two letters and a picture. I hope my thanks will have a more prosperous journev than my own letters have had of" late. You say )ou liave received none since .larujaiy (nil. 1 have wiitten three since that. 1 take care, in conjunction with tiie times, to make- them hannle-.s (;riough for the post. U'hatevci' secrets 1 inay liavc fand you know 1 hav(; ik; projjcnsity ^o m)stL-r}; will kee)) vciy well till I h;i\c iIk^ 390 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE happiness of seeing you, though that date should be farther off than I hope. As I mean my letters should relieve some of your anxious or dull mi- nutes, I will tempt no post-masters or secretaries to retard them. The state of affairs is much altered since my last epistle that persuaded you of the distance of a war. So haughty and so ravenous an answer came from France, that my lord Hertford does not go. As a little islander, you may be very easy : Jersey is not prey for such fleets as are likely to encounter in the channel in April. You must tremble in your Bigendian capacity, if you mean to figure as a good citizen. I sympathize with you extremely in the interruption it will give to our correspondence. You, in an inactive little spot, cannot wish more impatiently for every post that has the probability of a letter, than I, in all the turbulence of London, do constantly, never- failingly, for letters from you. Yet by my busy, hurried, amused, irregular way of life, you would not imagine that I had much time to care for my friends. You know how late I used to rise : it is worse and worse : I stay late at debates and com- mittees ; for, with all our tranquillity and my in- difference, I think I am never out of the house of commons : from thence, it is the fashion of the winter to go to vast assemblies, which are follow- ed by vast suppers, and those by balls. Last week I was from two at noon till ten at night at the HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 391 house : I came home, dined, new dressed myself entirely, went to a ball at lord Holderness's, and staid till five in the morning. What an abomina- ble young creature ! But why may not I be so ? Old Haslang dances at sixty-five ; my lady Roch- ford without stays, and her husband the new groom of the stole, dance. In short, when secretaries of state, cabinet counsellors, foreign ministers, dance like the universal ballet in the Rehearsal, why should not I — see them ? In short, the true definition of me is, that I am a dancing senator — Not that I do dance, or do any thing by being a senator : but I go to balls, and to the house of commons — to look on: and you will believe me when I tell you, that I really think the former the more serious occupation of the two ; at least the performers are most in earnest./ What men say to women, is at least as sincere as what they say to their country. If perjury can give the devil a right to the souls of men, he has titles by as many ways as my lord * * * * is descended from Edward the third. Yours ever. 392 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq. Arlington- street, March 27, 1755, Your chimney ^ is come, but not to honour : the cariatides are fine and free, but the rest is heavy : lord Strafford is not at all struck with it, and thinks it old-fashioned : it certainly tastes of Inigo Jones. Your myrtles I have seen in their pots, and they are magnificent, but I fear very sickly. In return I send you a library. You will receive some time or other, or the French for you, the following books : a fourth volume of Dodsley's Collection of Poems, the worst tome of the four ; three volumes of Worlds ; Fielding's Travels, or rather an account how his dropsy was treated and teased by an inn-keeper*s wife in the Isle of Wight ; the new Letters of madame de Sevigne ; and Hume's History of Great Britain ; a book which, though more decried than ever book was, and certainly with faults, I cannot help liking much. It is called Jacobite — but in my opinion is only not George-abite : where others abuse the Stuarts, he laughs at them : I am sure he does not s})are their ministers. Harding, wfio has the History of England at the ends of iiis parliament i A design for a chinincy-piecc, which, at Mr. VValpole's desire, Mr. Bentley had made lor lord Strafi'ord. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 393 fingers, says, that the Journals will contradict most of his facts. If it is so, I am sorry ; for his style, which is the best we have in history, and his manner, imitated from Voltaire, are very pleasing. He has showed very clearly that we ought to quarrel originally with queen Elizabeth's tyranny for most of the errors of Charles the first. As long as he is willing to sacrifice some royal head, I would not much dispute with him which it should be. I incline every day to lenity, as I see more and more that it is being very partial to think worse of some men than of others. If I was a king myself, I dare say I should cease to love a republic. My lady ***** desired me, t'other day, to give her a motto for a ruby ring, which had been given by a handsome woman of quality to a fine man : he gave it to his mistress, she to lord * * * * *, he to my lady ; wlio, I think, does not deny that it has not yet finished its tra- vels. I excused myself for some time, on the difficulty of reducing such a history to a poesy — at last I proposed this : This was given by woman to man — and by man to woman. Are you most impatient to liear of a French war, or the event of the Mitchell election ? If the former is uppermost in your thoughts, I can tell you, you are very unfashionable. The whigs and tories in Home, Athens, and Jerusalem, never forgot national points with more zeal, to attend 394< CORRESPONDENCE OF THE to private faction, than we have lately. After triumphs repeated in the committee, lord Sand- wich and Mr. Fox were beaten largely on the re- port. It was a most extraordinary day ! The tories, who could not trust one another for two hours, had their last consult at the Horn Tavern just before the report, and all but nine or ten voted in a body (with the duke of Newcastle) against agreeing to it: then sir John Philipps, one of them, moved for a void election, but was deserted by most of his clan. We now begin to turn our hands to foreign war. In the rebellion, the ministry was so unsettled, that nobody seemed to care who was king. Power is now so establish- ed, that I must do the engrossers the justice to say, that they seem to be determined that theii^ own king shall continue so. Our fleet is great and well manned ; we are raising men and money, and messages have been sent to both houses from St. James's, which have been answered by very zealous cards. In the mean time, sturdy man- dates are arrived from France ; however, with a codicil of moderation, and power to Mirepoix still to treat. He was told briskly — " Your terms must come speedily ; the fleets will sail very quickly ; war cannot then be avoided." I have passed five entire days lately at doctor Meade's sale, where, however, I bought very little : as extravagantly as he paid for every thing, his name has even resold them witli interest. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 395 Lord Rockingham gave two hundred and thirty guineas for the Antinous — the dearest bust that, I believe, was ever sold ; yet the nose and chin were repaired, and very ill. Lord Exeter bought the Homer for one hundred and thirty. I must tell you a piece of fortune : I supped the first night of the sale at Bedford-house, and found my lord Gower dealing at silver pharaoh to the wo- men. " Oh !" said I laughing, " I laid out six- and-twenty pounds this morning, I will try if I can win it back ;" and threw a shilling upon a card : in five minutes I won a 500-leva, which was twenty-five pounds eleven shillings. I have formerly won a 1000-leva, and another 500-leva. — With such luck, shall not I be able to win you back again ? Last Wednesday I gave a feast in form to the H ***** s. There was the duke of Grafton, lord and lady Hertford, Mr. Conway, and lady Ailesbury. In short, all the Conways in the world, my lord Orford, and the Churchills. We dined in the drawing-room below stairs, amidst the Eagle, Vespasian, &c. You never saw so Roman a banquet; but with all my virtu, the bridegroom seemed the most venerable piece of antiquity. Good-night ! The books go to South- ampton on Monday. ^'oLU•s ever. 396 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq. Strawberry-hill, April 13, 1755. If I did not think that you would expect to hear often from me at so critical a season, I should certainly not write to you to-night : I am here alone, out of spirits, and not well. In short, I have depended too much upon my constitution being like Grass, that escapes the scythe by being low ; and having nothing of the oak in the sturdiness of my stature, I imagined that my mortality would remain pliant as long as I pleased. But I have taken so little care of myself this winter, and kept such bad hours, that I have brought a slow fever upon my nights, and am worn to a skeleton : Bethel has plump cheeks to mine. However, as it would be unpleasant to die just at the beginning of a war, I am taking exercise and air, and much sleep, and intend to see Troy taken. The prospect thickens : there are certainly above twelve thousand men at the isle of Rhe ; some say twenty thousand. An express was yesterday dispatched to Ireland, where it is supposed the storm will burst ; but unless our fleet can disap- point the embarkation, I don't see what service tlie notification can do : we liave quite disgar- HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 397 nislied that kingdom of troops ; and if they once land, ten thousand men may walk from one end of the island to the other. It begins to be thought that the king will not go abroad : that he cannot, every body has long thought. You will be en- tertained with a prophecy which my lord Chester- field has found in the 35th chapter of Ezekiel, which clearly promises us victory over the French, and expressly relates to this war, as it mentions the two countries (Nova Scotia and Acadia) which are the point in dispute. You will have no difficulty in allowing that mounseer is typical enough of France : except Cyrus, who is the only heathen prince mentioned by his right name, and that before he had any name, I know no power so expressly described. 2. Son of man, set thy face against Motmt Seir, and prophesy against it. 3. And say unto it, Thus saith the Lord God : Behold, Mount Seir\ I am against thee ; and I will stretch out mine hand against thee, and I will make thee most desolate. 4. I will lay thy cities waste, and thou shalt be desolate, &c. 10. Because thou hast said, These two nations and these two countries shall be mine, and we will possess it, &c. I am disposed to put great trust in this predic- tion ; for I know few things more in our favour. You will ask me naturally, what is to become of 398 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE you ? Are you to be left to all the chance of war, the uncertainty of pacquets, the difficulty of re- mittance, the increase of prices ? — My dear sir, do you take me for a prime minister, who ac- quaints the states that they are in damned danger, when it is about a day too late ? Or shall I order my cha7icellor to assure you that this is numeri- cally the very day on which it is fit to give such notification, and that a day sooner or a day later would be improper ? — But not to trifle politically with you, your redemption is nearer than you think for, though not complete : the terms a little depend upon yourself. You must send me an account, strictly and upon your honour, what your debts are : as there is no possibility for the present but of compounding them, I put my friendship upon it, that you answer me sincerely. Should you, upon the hopes of facilitating your return, not deal ingenuously with me, which I will not suspect, it would occasion what I hope will never happen. Some overtures are going to be made to miss * * * *, to ward off im- pediments from her. In short, though I cannot explain any of the means, your fortune wears an- other face ; and if you send me immediately, upon your honour, a faithful account of what I ask, no time will be lost to labour your return, which I wish so much, and of which I have said so little lately, as L have had better hopes of it. Don't joke with me upon this head, as you sometimes HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 399 do : be explicit, be open in the most unbounded manner, and deal like a man of sense with a heart that deserves you should have no disguises to it. You know me and my style : when I engage earnestly as I do in this business, I can't bear not to be treated in my own way. Sir Charles Williams is made ambassador to Russia ; which concludes all I know. But at such a period, two days may produce much, and I shall not send away my letter till I am in town on Tuesday. Good night ! Thursday, 17th. All the officers on the Irish establishment are ordered over thither immediately : lord Harting- ton has offered to go directly,^ and sets out with Mr. Conway this day se'nnight. The journey to Hanover is positive : what if there should be a crossing-over and figuring-in of kings ? I know who don't think all this very serious ; so that, if you have a mind to be in great spirits, you may quote lord pi **=!«=* *. He went to visit the duchess of Bedford t'other morning, just after lord Anson had been there and told her his opi- nion. She asked lord H * * * * * what pews ? He knew none. " Don't you hear there will be certainly war?" "No, madam : I saw Mr. Nu- 1 As viceroy. 400 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE gent yesterday, and he did not tell me any thing of it.'* She replied, *' I have just seen a man who must know, and who thinks it unavoidable." " Nay, madam, perhaps it may : / don^t think a little war would do us any harmJ** Just as if he had said, losing a little blood in spring is very wholesome ; or that a little hissing would not do the Mingotti any harm ! I went t'other morning to see the sale of Mr. Pelham's plate, with G. Selwyn — " Lord ! says he, how many toads have been eaten off those plates !" Adieu ! I flatter myself that this will be a comfortable letter to you : but I must re- peat, that I expect a very serious answer, and very sober resolutions. If I treat you like a child, consider you have been so. I know I am in the right — more delicacy would appear kinder, with- out being so kind. As I wish and intend to re- store and establish your happiness, I shall go thoroughly to work. You don't want an apothe- cary, but a surgeon — but I shall give you over at once, if you are either froward or relapse. Yours till then. HON. HORACE WALPOLE, 401 To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq. Arlington-street, April 24, 1755. I don't doubt but you will conclude that this letter, written so soon after my last, comes to notify a great sea-victory, or defeat ; or that the Prench are landed in Ireland, and have taken and fortified Cork ; that they have been joined by all the wild Irish, who have proclaimed the preten- der, and are charmed with the prospect of being governed by a true descendant of the Mac-na- O's ; or that the king of Prussia, like an unnatural nephew, has seized his uncle and Schutz in a post-chaise, and obliged them to hear the rehearsal of a French opera of his own composing — No such thing ! If you will be guessing, you will guess wrong — all I mean to tell you is, that thirteen gold-fish, caparisoned in coats of mail, as rich as if mademoiselle Scuderi had invented their armour, embarked last Friday on a secret expedi- tion ; which, as Mr. Weekes ' and the wisest po- liticians of Twickenham concluded, was designed against the island of Jersey but to their con- summate mortification, captain Chevalier is 'de- tained by a law-suit, and the poor Chinese adven- turers are now frying under deck below bridge. 1 A carpenter at Twickenliara, employed by Mr. W'alpole. VOL. I. 2 D 402 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE — In short, if your governor is to have any gold- fish, you must come and manage their transport yourself. Did you receive my last letter ? If you did, you will not think it impossible that you should preside at such an embarkation. The war is quite gone out of fashion, and seems adjourned to America : though I am disappoint- ed, I am not surprised. You know my despair about this eventless age ! How pleasant to have lived in times when one could have been sure every week of being able to write such a para- graph as this ! — We hear that the Christians who were on their voyage for the recovery of the Holy Land, have been massacred in Cyprus by the natives, who were provoked at a rape and murder committed in a church by some young noblemen belonging to the nuntio or — Pri- vate letters from Rome attribute the death of his holiness to poison, which they pretend was given to him in the sacrament, by the cardinal of St. Cecilia, whose mistress he had debauched. The same letters add, that this cardinal stands the fairest for succeeding to the papal tiara ; though a natural son of the late pope is supported by the whole interest of Arragon and Naples. Well ! since neither the pope nor the most Christian king will play the devil, I must condescend to tell you flippancies of less dignity. There is a young Frenchman here, called monsieur Ilerault. Lady ***** carried him and his governor to sup wath HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 403 her and miss * * * * *^ at a tavern t'other night. I have long said that the French were relapsed into barbarity, and quite ignorant of the world — You shall judge : in the first place, the young man was bashful : in the next, the governor, so ignorant as not to have heard of women of fashion carrying men to a tavern, thought it incumbent upon him to do the honours for his pupil, W'ho was as modest and as much in a state of nature as the ladies themselves, and hazarded some familiarities with lady * * * * *. Xhe consequence was, that the next morning she sent a card to both, to de- sire they would not come to her ball that evening, to which she had invited them, and to beg the favour of them never to come into her house again. Adieu ! I am prodigal of my letters, as I hope not to write you many more. Yours ever. To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Arlington-street, May 4, as they call it, but the weather and the almanack of my feelings affirm it is December. I WILL answer your questions as well as I can, though I must do it shortly, for I write in a sort of hurry. Osborn could not find lord Cutts, but I have discovered another, in an auction, for which I 2 D 2 404 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE shall bid for you. Mr. Miintz has been at Straw- berry these three weeks, tight at work, so your picture is little advanced, but as soon as he re- turns it shall be finished. I have chosen the mar- bles for your tomb ; but you told me you had agreed on the price, which your steward now says I was to settle. Mr. Bentley still waits the conclusion of the session, before he can come amongst us again : every thing has passed with great secrecy: one would think the devil was afraid of being tried for his life, for he has not even directed madame Bentley to the Old Bailey. Mr. Mann does not mend, but how should he in such weather ? "We wait with impatience for news from Minorca. Here is a prince of Nassau Welbourg, who wants to marry princess Caroline of Orange ; he is well- looking enougli, but a little too tame to cope with such blood. He is established at the duke of Richmond's, with a large train, for two months. He was last night at a great ball at my lady Townshend, whose Audrey will certainly get lord George Lennox. George Selwyn t'other night, seeing lady Euston with lady p * ^ * * ^^ said, " there's my lady Euston, and my lady us'd to'tJ" Adieu ! Yours ever. [I enclose you a print of the arms.] HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 405 To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq. Arlington-street, May 6, 1755. Mt dear Sir, Do you get my letters ? or do I write only for the entertainment of the clerks of the post-office ? I have not heard from you this month ! It will be very unlucky, if my last to you has miscarried, as it required an answer, of importance to you, and very necessary to my satisfaction. I told you of lord p * =^= * * *'s intended motion. He then repented, and wrote to my lady Yar- mouth and Mr. Fox to mediate his pardon. Not contented with his reception, he determined to renew his intention. Sir Cordel Firebrace took it up, and intended to move the same address in the commons, but was prevented by a sudden adjournment. However, the last day but one of the session, lord P * * * ^= * read his motion, which was a speech. My lord Chesterfield (who of all men living seemed to have no business to defend the duke of Newcastle after mucli the same sort of ill usage) said the motion was improper, and moved to adjourn. T'other earl said, " Then, pray, my lords, what is to become of my mo- tion ?" The house burst out a-laughing : he di- vided it, but was single. He then advertised his pa])ers as lost. Legge, in his punning style, said, " My lord p**** * has had a stroke of an apo- 4.06 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE plexy ; he has lost both his speech and motion." It is now printed j but not having succeeded in prose, he is turned poet — you may guess how good ! The Duke ^ is at the head of the regency — you may guess if we are afraid ! Both fleets are sailed. The n^'ght the king went, there was a magnificent ball and supper at Bedford-house. The duke was there : he was playing at hazard with a great heap of gold before him : somebody said, he looked like the prodigal son and the fatted calf both. In the dessert was a model of Walton-bridge in glass. Yesterday I gave a great breakfast at Strawberry-hill to the Bedford-court. There were the duke and duchess, lord Tavi- stock and lady Caroline, my lord and lady Gower, lady Caroline Egerton, lady Betty Waldegrave, lady Mary Coke, Mrs. Pitt, Mr. Churchill and lady Mary, Mr. Bap. Leveson, and colonel Se- bright. The first thing I asked Harry was, " Does the sun shine ?" It did ; and Strawberry was all gold, and all green. I am not apt to think people really like it, that is, understand it ; but I think the flattery of yesterday was sincere j I judge by the notice the duchess took of your drawings. Oh ! how you will think the shades of Strawberry extended ! Do you observe the 1 Duke ol' Cumberland. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 407 tone of satisfaction with which I say this, as think- ing it near ? Mrs. Pitt brought her French horns: we placed them in the corner of the wood, and it was dehghtfui. Poyang has great custom : I have lately given count Perron some gold-fish, which he has carried in his post-chaise to Turin : he has already carried some before. The Russian minis- ter has asked me for some too, but I doubt their succeeding there ; unless, according to the uni- versality of my system, every thing is to be found out at last, and practised every where. I have got a new book that will divert you, called Anecdotes Litteraires : it is a collection of stories and bons-mots of all the French writers ; but so many of their bons-mots are impertinencies, follies, and vanities, that I have blotted out the title, and written Miseres des Sgavants. It is a triumph for the ignorant. Gray says, very justly, that learning never should be encouraged, it only draws out fools from their obscurity ; and you know, I have always thought a running-footman as meritorious a being as a learned man. Why is there more merit in having travelled one's eyes over so many reams of papers, than in having carried one's legs over so many acres of groifnd ? Adieu, my dear sir ! Pray don't be taken prisoner to France, just when you arc expected at Straw- berry ! Yours ever. 408 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Arlington-street, May 13, 1755. It is very satisfactory to me, to hear that miss Montagu was pleased with the day she passed at Strawberry-hill ; but does not it silently reproach you, who will never see it but in winter ? — Does she not assure you that there are leaves, and flowers, and verdure ? And why will you not be- lieve, that with those additions, it might look pretty, and might make you some small amends for a day or two purloined from Greatworth ? I wish you would visit it, when in its beauty, and while it is mine ! You will not, I flatter myself, like it so well, when it belongs to the Intendant of Twickenham, when a cockle-shell walk is made across the lawn, and every thing without doors is made regular, and every thing riant and modern ; for this must be its fate ! Whether its next master is already on board the Brest fleet, I do not pre- tend to say j but I scarce think it worth my while to dispose of it by my will, as I have some apprehensions of living to see it granted away de par le Roy. My lady Hervey dined there yes- terday with the Rochfords. I told her, that as she is just going to France, I was unwilling to let her see it, for if she should like it, she would de- sire mademoiselle, with whom she lives, to beg it Ibr her. Adieu ! Yours ever. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 409 To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. May 19. It is on the stroke of eleven, and I have but time to tell you that the king of Prussia has gained the greatest victory^ that ever was, ex- cept the arch-angel Michael's — -king Frederick has only demolished the dragoness. He attacked her army in a strong camp on the 6th ; suffered in the beginning of the action much, but took it, with all the tents, baggage, &c. &c. two hundred and fifty pieces of cannon, six thousand prisoners, and they say Prague since. The Austrians have not stopped yet j if you see any man scamper by your house, you may venture to lay hold on him, tliough he should be a Pandour. Marshal Schwe- rin was killed. Good night. Yours ever. 1 On the banks of the Moldavv near Praj^ue. 410 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq. Strawberry-hill, June 10, 1755. Mr. Miintz^ is arrived. I am sorry I can by no means give any commendation to the hasty step you took about him. Ten guineas were a great deal too much to advance to him, and must raise expectations in him that will not at all answer. You have entered into no written engagement with him, nor even sent me his receipt for the money. My good sir, is this the sample you give me of the prudence and providence you have learned ? I don't love to enter into the particu- lars of my own affairs j I will only tell you in one word, that they require great management. My endeavours are all employed to serve you ; don't, I beg, give me reasons to apprehend that they will be thrown away. It is much in obscurity whether I shall be able to accomplish your re-esta- blishment ; but I shall go on with great discou- ragement, if I cannot promise myself that you will be a very different person after your return. I shall never have it in my power to do twice what I am now doing for you ; and I choose to say the worst before-hand, rather than to reprove you for 1 Mr. Walpole hail invited Mr. Mi'mtz j'rom Jersey, and he lived tor some time at Strawberrv-hill. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 411 indolence and thoughtlessness hereafter, when it may be too late. Excuse my being so serious, but I find it is necessary. You are not displeased with me, I know, even when I pout : you see I am not quite in good- humour with you, and I don't disguise it j but I have done scolding you for this time. Indeed I might as well continue it ; for I have nothing else to talk of but Strawberry, and of that subject you must be well wearied. I believe she alluded to my disposition to pout, rather than meant to com- pliment me, when my lady Townshend said to somebody, t'other day, who told her how well ]\Irs. Leneve was, and in spirits, " Oh ! she must be in spirits: why, she lives with Mr. Walpole, who is spirit of hartshorn !" Princess Emily has been here : • Liked it ? Oh" no! — I don't wonder: — I never liked St. James's. — She was so inquisitive and so curious in prying into the very offices and servants' rooms, that her captain Bateman was sensible of it, and begged Catherine not to mention it. He address- ed himself well, if he hoped to meet with tacitur- nity ! Catherine immediately ran down to the pond, and whispered to all the reeds, " Ilord ! that a princess should be such a gossij) !" — In short. Strawberry-hill is the puppet-show of the times. I have lately bought two more portraits of per- sonages in Grammont, Harry Jermyn and Chif- 412 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE finch : my Arlington-street is so full of portraits, that I shall scarce find room for Mr. MUntz's works. Wednesday, 11th. I WAS prevented from finishing my letter yester- day, by what do you think ? By no less magnifi- cent a circumstance than a deluge. We have had an extraordinary drought, no grass, no leaves, no flowers; not a white rose for the festival of yester- day P About four arrived such a flood, that we could not see out of the windows : the whole lawn was a lake, though situated on so high an Ararat : presently it broke through the leads, drowned the pretty blue bed-chamber, passed through ceilings and floors into the little parlour, terrified Harry, and opened all Catherine's water-gates and speech- gates. — I had but just time to collect two dogs, a couple of sheep, a pair of bantams, and a brace of gold-fish ; for, in the haste of my zeal to imi- tate my ancestor Noah, I forgot that fish would not easily be drowned. In short, if you chance to spy a little ark with pinnacles sailing towards Jersey, open the sky-light, and you will find some of your acquaintance. You never saw such deso- lation ! A pigeon brings word that Mabland has fared still worse : it never came into my head 2 'jlu- pretender's birth-day. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 413 before, that a rainbow-office for insuring against water might be very necessary. This is a true account of the late deluge. Witness our hands, Horace Noah. Catherine Noah, her y^ mark. Henry Shem. Louis Japhet. Peter Ham, &c. I was going to seal my letter, and thought I should scarce have any thing more important to tell you tlian the history of the flood, when a most extraordinary piece of news indeed arrived — nothing less than a new gunpowder-plot — last Monday was to be the fatal day — There was a ball at Kew — Vanneschi and his son, directors of the opera, two English lords and two Scotch lords are in confinement at justice Fielding's. — This is exactly all I know of the matter ; and this weighty intelligence is brought by the waterman from my housemaid in Arlington-street, who sent Harry word that the town is in an uproar; and to con- firm it, the waterman says he heard the same thing at Hungerford-stairs. I took the liberty to repre- sent to Harry, that the ball at Kew was this day se'nnight for the prince's birth-day ; that, as tlic duke was at it, I imagined the Scotch lords would ratlier have chosen that day for the execution of iheir tragedy \ that I believed Vanncschi's son 414. CORRESPONDENCE OF THE was a child, and that peers are generally confined at the Tower, not at justice Fielding's ; besides, that we are much nearer to Kew than Hungerford- stairs are. — But Harry, who has not at all reco- vered the deluge, is extremely disposed to think Vanneschi very like Guy Fawkes j and is so per- suaded that so dreadful a story could not be in- vented, that I have been forced to believe it too : and in the course of our reasoning and guessing, I told him, that though I could not fix upon all four, I was persuaded that the late lord Lovat who was beheaded must be one of the Scotch peers, and lord A.'s son who is not begot, one of the English. — I was afraid he would think I treated so serious a business too ludicrously, if I had hinted at the scene of distressed friendship that would be occasioned by lord H * * *'s ex- amining his intimate Vanneschi. Adieu ! my dear sir Mr. Fox and lady Caroline, and lord and lady Kildare are to dine here to-day ; and if they tell Harry or me any more of the plot, you shall know it. Wednesday night. Well ! now for the plot : thus much is true. A laundry-maid of the duchess of Marlborough, passing by the Cocoa-tree, saw two gentlemen go in there, one of whom dropped a letter; it was directed, to you. She opened it. It was very obscure, talked of designs at Kew miscarried, of HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 415 new methods to be taken ; and as this way of cor- respondence had been repeated too often, another must be followed ; and it told you that the next letter to him should be in a bandbox at such a house in the Haymarket. The duchess concluded it related to a gang of street-robbers^ and sent it to Fieldiug. He sent to the house named, and did find a box and a letter, which, though obscure, had treason enough in it. It talked of a design at Kew miscarried j that the opera was now the only place, and consequently the scheme must be deferred till next season, especially as a certain person is abroad. For the other great person (the duke), they are sure of him at any time. There was some indirect mention too of gunpowder. Vanneschi and others have been apprehended : but a conclusion was made, that it was a malicious design against the lord high treasurer of the opera and his administration ; and so they have been dismissed. Macnamara,^ I suppose you Jersey- ans know, is returned with his fleet to Brest, leaving the transports sailing to America. Lord Thanet and Mr. Stanley are just gone to Paris, I believe to inquire after the war. The weather has been very bad for showing Strawberry to the Kildares ; we have not been able to stir out of doors : but to make me amends, ^ The French adniirfi]. 416 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE I have discovered that lady Kildare is a true Sevignist. You know what pleasure I have in any increase of our sect ; I thought she grew hand- somer than ever as she talked with devotion of Notre Dame des Rochers. Adieu, my dear sir ! Yours ever. P. S. Tell me if you receive this ; for in these gunpowder times to be sure the clerks of the post- office are peculiarly alert. To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq. Strawberry-hill, July -5, 1755. You vex me exceedingly. I beg, if it is not too late, that you would not send me these two new quarries of granite ; I had rather pay the original price and leave them where they are, than be en- cumbered with them. My house is already a stone- cutter's shop, nor do I know what to do with what I have got. But this is not what vexes me, but your desiring me to traffic with Carter, and showing me that you are still open to any vision- ary project ! Do you think I can turn broker, and factor, and I don't know what? And at your time of life do you expect to make a fortune by becoming a granite mercliant ? There must be great demand for a commodity tliat costs a HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 417 guinea a foot, and a month an inch to polish ! You send me no drawings, for wliich you know I should thank you infinitely, and are hunting for every thing that I would thank you for letting alone. In short, my dear sir, I am determined never to be a projector, nor to deal with projects. If you will still pursue them, I must beg you will not only not employ me in them, but not even let me know that you employ any body else. If you will not be content with my plain rational w-ay of serving you, I can do no better ; nor can I joke upon it. I can combat any difiiculties for your service, but those of your own raising. Not to talk any more crossly, and to prevent, if I can for the future, any more of these expostulations, I must tell you plainly, that with regard to my own circumstances, I generally drive to a penny, and have no money to spare for visions. I do and am doing all I can for you j and let me desire you once for all, not to send me any more persons or things without asking my consent, and staying till you receive it. I cannot help adding to the chap- ter of complaint * * * * These, my dear sir, are the imprudent difficul- ties you draw me into, and which almost discour- age me from proceeding in your business. If you anticipate your revenue, even while in Jersey, and build castles in the air before you liavc re- passed the sea, can I expect that you will be a better occonomist either of your fortune or your VOL. I. 2 E 41S CORRESPONDENCE OF THE prudence here ? I beg you will preserve thi§ let- ter, ungracious as it is, because I hope it will serve to prevent my writing any more such Now to Mr. Mlintz: — Hitherto he answers all you promised and vowed for iiim : he is very modest, humble and reasonable ; and has seen so much and knows so much of countries and lan- guages, that I am not likely to be soon tired of him. His drawings are very pretty : he has done two vievv^s of Strawberry that please me extremely : his landscape and trees are mucli better than I expected. His next work is to be a large picture from your Mabland for Mr. Chute, who is much content with him : he goes to the Vine in a fort- night or three weeks. We came from thence the day before yesterday. I have drawn up an inven- tionary of all I propose he should do there ; the computation goes a little beyond five thousand pounds ; but he does not go half so fast as my impatience demands: he is so reasonable, and will think of dying, and of the gout, and of twenty disagreeable things that one must do and have, that he takes no joy in planting and future views, but distresses all my rapidity of schemes. Last week we were at my sister's at Chaffbnt in Buckinghamshire, to see what we could make of it ; but it wants so much of every thing, and would require so much more than an inventionary of five thousand pounds, that we decided nothing, except that Mr. Chute has designed the prettiest HON. HORACE WAI.POLE. ■%\9 house in the world for them. We went to see the objects of the neighboarhood, Bulstrode and Latimers. The former is a melancholy monument of Dutch magnificence : however, there is a brave gallery of old pictures, and a chapel with two fine windows of modern painted-glass. Tlie ceiling was formerly decorated with tlie assumption, or rsithcr presumptio?i, of chancellor Jeffries, to whom it belonged ; but a very judicious fire hurried him somewhere else. Latimers belongs to Mrs. Ca- vendish. I have lived there formerly witli Mr. Conway, but it is much improved since ; yet the river stops short at an liundred yards just under your eye, and the house has undergone Batty Langley-discipline : half the ornaments are of his bastard Gothic, and half of Hallet's mongrel Chi- nese. I want to write over the doors of most modern edifices. Repaired and heaidifiedy Laiiglei/ and IlaUet chiirchicardens. Tiie great dining-room is hung witli the paper of my staircase, but not shaded properly like mine. I was much more charmed lately at a visit I made to the Cardigans at Blackheath. Would you believe that I had never been in Greenwich-park ? I never had, and am transported ! Even the glories of Richmond and Twickenliam hide their diminished rays. — Yet nothing is equal to the fashion of this village : IMr. Miintz says we have more coaches than there are in half France. Mrs. Pritchard lias bougiit Ragman's castle, for wliich my lord Litclificld 420 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE could not agree. We shall be as celebrated as BaijE or Tivoli ; and, if we have not such sonor- ous names as they boast, we have very famous people : Clive and Pritchard, actresses ; Scott and Hudson, painters ; my lady Suffolk famous in her time; Mr. H * * *, the impudent lawyer, that Tom Hervey wrote against ; Whitehead, the poet — and Cambridge, the every thing. Adieu! my dear sir — I know not one syllable of news. Yours ever. To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq, Strawberry-hill, July 17, 1755. To be sure, war is a dreadful calamity, kc. ! But then it is a very comfortable commodity for writ- ing letters and writing history ; and as one did not contribute to make it, why there is no harm in being a little amused with looking on : and if one can but keep the pretender on t'other side Derby, and keep Arlington-street and Strawberry-hill from being carried to Paris, I know nobody that would do more to promote peace, or that will bear the want of it with a better grace than myself. If I don't send you an actual declaration of war in this letter, at least you perceive I am the harbinger of it. An account arrived yesterday morning, that Boscawen had missed the French fleet, who are HON. HORACE W ALPOLE. ¥21 ■got into Cape Breton ; but two of his captains attacked three of their squadron and have taken two, with scarce any loss. This is the third time one of the French captains has been taken by Boscawen. Mr. Conway is arrived from Ireland, where the triumphant party are what parties in that situ- ation generally are, unreasonable and presumptu- ous. They will come into no terms without a stipulation that the primate^ shall not be in the regency. This is a bitter pill to digest — but must not it be swallowed? Have we heads to manage a French war and an Irish civil war too ? There are little domestic news. If you insist upon some, why, I believe I could persuade some- body or other to hang themselves ; but that is scarce an article uncommon enough to send cross the sea. For example, the rich * * *, whose bro- ther died of the small-pox a year ago, and left him 400,000/. had a fit of the gout last week, and shot himself. I only begin to be afraid that it should grow as necessary to shoot one's self here, as it is to go into the army in France. Sir Robert Browne has lost his last daughter, to whom he could have given eight thousand pounds a-year. When I tell these riches and madnesses to Mr. Miintz, he stares so, that I sometimes fear lie ' Dr. Stone. 122 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE thinks I mean to impose on him. It is cruel to a person who collects the follies of the age for the information of posterity, to have one's veracity doubted : it is the truth of them that makes them worth notice. Charles Townshend marries the great dowager Dalkeith : — his parts and presump- tion are prodigious. He wanted nothing but in- dependence to let him loose : I propose great entertainment from him ; and now, perhaps, the times will admit it ! There may be such things again as parties — odd evolutions happen. The ballad I am going to transcribe for you is a very good comment on so common-place a text. My lord Bath, who was brought hither by my lady Hervey's and Billy Bristow's reports of the charms of the place, has made the following stanzas, to the old tune which you remember of Rovve*s ballad on Doddington's Mrs. Strawbridge : I. Some talk ofGunnersbury, For Sion some declare ; And some say that with Chiswick-housc No villa can compare ; But all the beaux of Middlesex, Who know the country well, Say, that Strawberry-hill, that Strawberry Doth bear away the bell. Ji. Tiunigh Surry boc(>ts it.> Oatiaiidj, And Claremont kept bO iini; HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 423 And though they talk of Southcotc's, 'Tis hut a dainty whim ; For ask the gallant Eristow, Who does in taste excel. If Strawberry-hill, if Strawberry Don't bear away the bell. Can there be an odder revolution of things, tlian that the printer of the Craftsman^ should live in a house of mine, and that the author of the Crafts- man should write a panegyric on a house of mine ? I dined yesterday at Wanstead : many years have passed since 1 saw it. The disposition of the house and the prospect are better than I ex- pected, and very fine : the garden, which they tell you cost as much as the house, that is, 100,000/. (don't tell Mr. Miintz) is wretched ; the furniture iine, but totally without taste : such continences and incontinences of Scipio and Alexander, by I don't know wliom ! such fiame-coloured gods and goddesses, by Kent! such flimily-pieces, by — I believe the late earl himself, for they are as ugly as the children tliat he really begot ! The whole great apartment is of oak, finely carved, unpainted, and has a charming effect. The present earl is '^ Franklin, who occupied the cottage in the enclosure which Mr. AValpole afterwards called the Flower-garden at Strawberry- hill. — When he bought the ground on which this tenement stood, lie allowed Franklin to continue to occupy it durmg his life. ^ 424- CORRESPONDENCE OF THE the most generous creature in the world : in the first chamber I entered he offered me four marble tables that lay in cases about the room : I com- pounded, after forty refusals of every thing I commended, to bring away only a haunch of veni- son : I believe he has not had so cheap a visit a good while. I commend myself, as I ought j for, to be sure, there were twenty ebony chairs, and a couch, and a table, and a glass, that would have tried the virtue of a philosopher of double my size ! After dinner we dragged a gold-fish- pond for my lady F. and lord S. I could not help telling my lord Tilney, that they would certainly burn the poor fish for the gold, like old lace. There arrived a marquis St. Simon, from Paris, who understands English, and who has seen your book of designs for Gray's Odes: he was much pleased at meeting me, to whom the individual cat belonged — and you may judge whether I was pleased with him. Adieu ! my dear sir. Yours ever. To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Strawberry- hill, July 17, 1755. Having done with building and planting, I have taken to farming; the first fruits of my proficience in that science I ofier to you, and have taken the HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 425 liberty to send you a couple of cheeses. If you will give yourself the trouble to inquire at Brack- ley for the coach, which set out this morning, you will receive a box and a roll of paper. The latter does not contain a cheese, only a receipt for ma- ing them. We have taken so little of the French fleet, that I fear none of it will come to my share, or I would have sent you part of the spoils. I have nothing more to send you, but a new ballad, which my lord Bath has made on this place ; you re- member the old burden of it, and the last lines allude to Billy Bristow's having fallen in love with it.^ I am a little pleased to send you thiS; to shew you, that in summer we are a little pretty, though you will never look at us but in our ugliness. My best compliments to miss Montagu, and my service to whatever baronet breakfasts with you on negus. Have you heard that poor lady Browne is so unfortunate as to have lost her last daughter ; and that Mrs. Barnett is so lucky as to have lost her mother-in-law, and is baroness Dacre of the South ? I met the great Cu t'other day, and he asked me if I ever heard from you ; that he never did : I told him that I did not neither ; did'not I say true? Yours ever. ' See the last letter. 42G CORRESPONDENCE OF THE To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Strawberry-hill, July 26, 1755. Who would not turn farmer, when their very first essay turns to so good account ? Seriously, I am quite pleased with the success of my mystery, and infinitely obliged to you for the kind things you say about my picture. You must thank Mrs. Whetenhall too for her prepossession about my cheeses ; I fear a real manufacturer of milk at Strawberry-hill, would not have answered quite so well as our old commodities of paint and copper- plates. I am happy for the recovery of miss Montagu, and the tranquillity you must feel after so terrible a season of apprehension. Make my compliments to her, and if you can be honest on so tender a topic, tell her, that she will always be in danger, while you shut her up in Northamptonshire, and that with her delicate constitution she ought to live nearer friends and help ; and I know of no spot so healthy or convenient for both, as the county of Twicks. Charles Townshend' is to be married next month ; as the lady had a very bad husband be- 1 Son otviiscount TownsliL'iid, niarritd lady Daikeilli, dauylilcr oi ihu tlukc ui' xVrgyil. HON. HOKACE WALPOLE. 127 fore, she has chosen prudently, and has settled lierself in a family of the best sort of people In the world, who will think of nothing but making her happy. I don't know whether the bride-groom won't be afraid of getting her any more children, lest it should prejudice those she has already! they are a wonderful set of people for goodnatured considerations ! You know, to be sure, that Mr. Humberston is dead, and your neighbouring Brackley likely to return under the dominion of its old masters. LadyDysart^ is dead too. Mr. Chute is at the Vine. Your poor Cliquetis is still a banished man. I have a scheme for bring- ing him back, but can get Mrs. Tisiphone into no kind of terms, and without tying her up from running him into new debts, it is in vain to re- cover him. I believe the declaration of war lias been stop- ped at the Custoni-liouse, for one liears nothing of it. You see I am very paragraphical, and in reality have nothing to say ; so good nlglit I Yours ever. Daudiler of the earl of Granville. 428 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq, Strawberry -hill, August 4, 1755, between 11 and 12 at night. I CAME from London to-day, and am just come from supping at Mrs. Clive*s, to write to you by the fire-side. We have been exceedingly troubled for some time with St. Swithin's diabetes, and have not a dry thread in any walk about us. I am not apt to complain of this malady, nor do I : it keeps us green at present, and will make our shades very thick, against we are fourscore, and fit to enjoy them. I brought with me your two letters of July 30 and August 1 ; a sight I have not seen a long time ! — But, my dear sir, you have been hurt at my late letters. Do let me say thus much in excuse for myself. You know how much I value, and what real and great satisfaction 1 have in your drawings. Instead of pleasing me with so little trouble to yourself, do you think it was no mortification to receive every thing but your drawings ? to find you full of projects, and, I will not say, with some imprudences? — But I have done on this subject — my friendship will always be the same for you ; it will only act with more or less cheerfulness, as you use your com- mon sense or your disposition to chimerical schemes and carelessness. To give you all the HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 429 present satisfaction in my power, I will tell you ****** I think your good-nature means to reproach me with having dropped any hint of finding amuse- ment in contemplating a war. When one w^ould not do any thing to promote it, when one would do any thing to put a period to it, when one is too insignificant to contribute to either, I must own I see no blame in thinking an active age more agreeable to live in, than a soporific one. — But, my dear sir, I must adopt your patriotism — Is not it laudable to be revived with the revival of Brit- ish glory ? Can I be an indifferent spectator of the triumphs of my country ? Can I help feeling a tattoo at my heart, when the duke of Newcastle makes as great a figure in history as Burleigh or Godolphin — nay, as queen Bess herself? — She gained no battles in person ; she was only the actuating genius. You seem to have heard of a proclamation of war, of which we have not heard; and not to have come to the knowledge of taking of Beau Sejour by colonel Monckton. In short, the French and we seem to have crossed over and figured in, in politics. Mirepoix complained grievously that the duke of N. had over-reached him — But he is to be forgiven in so good a cause ! It is the first person he ever deceived! — I am preparing a new folio for heads of the heroes that are to bloom in mezzotinto from this war. At present my chief study is West-Indian history. 430 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE You would not think me very ill-natured if you knew all I feel at the cruelty and villainy of Euro- pean settlers — But this very morning I found that part of the purchase of Maryland from the savage proprietors (for U'e do not massacre, zee are such good Christians as only to cheat) was a quantity of vermilion and a parcel of Jews-harps 1 Indeed, if I pleased, I might have another study ; it is my fault if I am not a commentator and a corrector of the press. The marquis de St. Simon, whom I mentioned to you, at a very first visit proposed to me to look over a translation he had made of The Tale of a Tub — the proposal was soon followed by a folio, and a letter of three sides, to press me seriously to revise it. You shall judge of my scholar's competence. He translates U Estrange, Dryden and others, Vetrange, Dry- den, &c. Then in the description of the tayior as an idol, and his goose as the symbol ; he says in a note, that the goose means the dove, and is a concealed satire on the Holy Ghost. ^ — It put me in mind of the Dane, who talking of orders to a Frenchman, said — ^^ Notre St. esprit est tin ele- phant. ^^ Don't think, because I prefer your drawings to every thing in the world, that I am such a churl as to refuse Mrs. B's partridges : I shall thank her very much for them. You must excuse me, if I am vain enough to be so convinced of my own taste, that all the neglect that has been thrown HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 4131 upon your designs cannot make me think I have over-valued them. I must think that tlie states of Jersey who execute your town-house, liave much more judgment than all our connoisseurs. When I every day see Greek, and Roman, and Italian, and Chinese, and Gothic architecture embroidered and inlaid upon one another, or called by each other's names, I can't help thinking that the grace and simplicity and truth of your taste, in whichever you undertake, is real taste. I go farther : I wish you would know in what you excel, and not be hunting after twenty things unworthy your genius. If flattery is my turn, believe this to be so. Mr. Miintz is at the Vine, and has been some time. I want to know more of this history of the German : I do assure you, that I like both his painting and behaviour — but if any history of any kind is to accompany him, I shall be most willing to part witli him. IIov>^ever I may divert myself as a spectator of broils, believe mc I am thorough- ly sick of having any thing to do in any. Those in a neighbouring island are likely to subside — and, contrary to custom, the priest^ himself is to be the sacrifice. I have contracted a sort of intimacy with Gar- rick, who is my neighbour. He affects to study 1 The primato of Ii-elnnd, 432 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE my taste : I lay it all upon you — he admires you. He is building a grateful temple to Shakespeare : I offered him this motto : Quod spiro et placeo, si placeo tuum est. Don't be surprised if you should hear of me as a gentleman coming upon the stage next winter for my diversion. — The truth is, I make the most of this acquaintance to protect my poor neighbour at Clivden — you understand the conundrum, Clivers den. Adieu, my dear sir ! Need I repeat assurances ? If I need, believe that nothing that can tend to your recovery has been or shall be neglected by me. You may trust me to the utmost of my power — beyond that, what can I do? Once more, adieu ! Yours ever. To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq. Strawberry-hill, August 15, 1735. My dear Sir, Though I wrote to you so lately, and have certainly nothing new to tell you, I can't help scribbling a line to you to-night, as I am going to Mr. Rigby's for a week or ten days, and must thank you first for the three pictures. One of them charms me, the Mount Orgueil, which is absolutely fine ; the sea, and shadow upon it, are masterly. The other HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 433 two I don't, at least won't, take for finished. If you please, Elizabeth Castle shall be Mr. Miintz's performance : indeed I see nothing of you in it. I do reconnoitre you in the Hercules and Nessus ; but in both, your colours are dirty, carelessly dirty : in your distant hills you are improved, and not hard. The figures arc too large — I don't mean in the Elizabeth Castle, for there they are neat ; but the centaur, tliough he dies as well as Garrick can, is outrageous. Hercules and Deia- nira are by no means so : he is sentimental, and she most improperly sorrowful. However, I am pleased enough to beg you would continue. As soon as Mr. Mlintz returns from the Vine you shall have a supply of colours. In the mean time why give up the good old trade of drawing ? Have you no Indian ink, no soot-water, no snuff, no coat of onion, no juice of any thing ? If you love me, draw : you vvould, if you knew the real pleasure you can give me. I have been studying all your drawings ; and next to architecture and trees, I determine that you succeed in nothing better than animals. Now (as the newspapers say) the late ingenious Mr. Seymour is dead, I would recommend horses and greyhounds to you. I should think you capable of a landscape or two with delicious bits of architectiu'e. I have known you execute the light of a torch or lanthorn so well, that if it was called Schalken, a house- keeper at Hampton-court or Windsor, or a Ca- voL. I. 2 r 434 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE tlierine at Strawberry-hill, would show it, and say it cost ten thousand pounds. Nay, if I could believe that you would ever execute any more designs I proposed to you, I would give you a hint for a picture that struck me t'other day in Perefixe's Life of Henry IV. He says, the king was often seen lying upon a common straw bed among the soldiers, with a piece of brown bread in one hand, and a bit of charcoal in t'other, to draw an encampment, or town that he was be- sieging. If this is not character and a picture, I don't know what is. I dined to-day at Garrick's : there were the duke of Grafton, lord and lady Rochford, lady Holderness, the crooked Mostyn, andDabreu the Spanish minister ; tv^o regents, of which one is lord chamberlain, the other groom of the stole ; and the wife of a secretary of state. This is being sur iin assez hoji to7i for a player ! Don't you want to ask me how I like him ? Do want, and I will tell you — I like her exceedingly; her behaviour is all sense, and all sweetness too. I don't know how, he does not improve so fast upon me : there is a great deal of parts, and vivacity, and variety, but there is a great deal too of mimicry and burlesque. I am very ungrateful, for he flatters me abundantly ; but unluckily I know it. I was accustomed to it enough when my fiither was first minister : on his fall I lost it all at once : and since that, I have lived with Mr. Chute, who is HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 435 all vehemence ; with Mr. Fox, who is all dispu- tation J with sir Charles Williams, who has no time from flattering himself; with Gray, who does not hate to find fault with me; with Mr. Conway, who is all sincerity ; and with you and Mr. Rigby, who have always laughed at me in a good-natured way. I don't know how, but I think I like all this as well — I beg his pardon, Mr. Raftor does flatter me ; but I should be a cormorant for praise, if I could swallow it whole as he gives it me. Sir William Yonge, who has been extinct so long, is at last dead ; and the w^ar, which began with such a flirt of vivacity, is I think gone to sleep. General Braddock has not yet sent over to claim the surname of Americanus. But why should I take pains to show you in how many ways I know nothing ? — Why ; I can tell it you in one word — why, Mr. * * * knows nothing! — I wish you good-night i Yours ever. To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq. Arlington-street, August 28, l755. Our piratic laurels, with which the French have so much reproached us, have been exceedingly pruned ! Braddock is defeated and killed, by a handful of Indians and by the baseness of his own 2 F 2 436 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE troops, who sacrificed him and his gallant officers. Indeed, there is some suspicion that cowardice was not the motive, but resentment at having been draughted from Irish regiments. — Were such a desertion universal, could one but commend it ? Could one blame men who should refuse to be knocked on the head for sixpence a day, and for the advantage and dignity of a few ambitious ? But in this case, one pities tlie brave young offi- cers, who cannot so easily disfranchise themselves from the prejudices of glory! — Our disappoint- ment is greater than our loss : six-and-twenty officers are killed, who, I suppose, have not left a vast many fatherless and 'widon-less, as an old woman told me to-day with great tribulation. — The ministry have a much more serious affair on their hands — Lord L. and lord A. have had a dreadful quarrel ! Coquus teterrima belli causa ! When lord * * * shot himself, lord L. said, " Well, I am very sorry for poor * * * ! but it is the part of a wise man to make the best of every misfor- tune — I shall now have the best cook in England." This was uttered before lord A. Joras,' who is a man of extreme punctilio, as cooks and officers ought to be, would not be hired till he knew whe- ther this lord * * * would retain him. When it was decided that he would not, lord L. proposed 1 The name of the cook in question. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 437 to hire Joras. Lord A. had already engaged him. Such a breach of friendship was soon followed by an expostulation (there was jealousy of the D. of Newcastle's favour already under the coals) : in short, the nephew earl called the favourite earl such gross names, that it was well they were ministers ! otherwise, as Mincing says, " I vow, I believe theij must have ja.'* The public, that is, half-a-dozen toad-eaters, have great hopes that the present unfavourable posture of affairs in America will tend to cement this breach, and that xve shall all unite hand and heart against the common enemy. I returned the night before last from my pere- grination. It is very unlucky for me that no crown of martyrdom is entailed on zeal for anti- quities ; I should be a rubric martyr of the first class. After visiting the new salt-water baths at Harwich, (which, next to horse-racing, grows the most fashionable resource for people 'wlio 'want to get out of town, and who love the countrij and retire- mentf) I went to see Orford castle, and lord Hertford's at Sudborn. The one is a ruin, and the other ought to be so. Returning in a one- horse-chair over a wild vast heath, I went out of the road to see the remains of Buttley-abbey ; w4iich however I could not see : for, as the keys of Orford castle were at Sudborn, so tlie keys of Ikittley were at Orford ! By this time it was night ; we lost our way, were in excessive rain for 438 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE above two hours, and only found our way to be overturned into the mire the next morning going into Ipswich. Since that I went to see an old house built by secretary Naunton.^ His descen- dant, who is a strange retired creature, was un- willing to let us see it ; but we did, and little in it worth seeing. The house never was fine, and is now out of repair ; has a bed with ivory pillars and loose rings, presented to the secretary by some German prince or German artist j and a small gallery of indifferent portraits, among which there are scarce any worth notice but of the earl of Northumberland, Anna Bullen's lover, and of sir Antony Wingfield, who having his hand tucked into his girdle, the housekeeper told us, had had his fingers cut off by Harry VHI. But Harry Vni. was not a man pour s'arrcter d ces miniiiies Id ! While we waited for leave to see the house, I strolled into the church-yard, and was struck with a little door open into the chancel, through the arch of which I discovered cross legged knights and painted tombs! In short, there are no less than eight considerable monuments, very perfect, of Wingfields, Nauntons, and a sir John Boynet and his wife, as old as Richard the second's time. But what charmed me still more, were two figures of secretary Naunton's father and mother in the win- 2 Sir Robert Naunton, master of the court of wards. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 439 (.low ill painted glass, near two feet high, and by far the finest painting on glass I ever saw. His figure, in a puffed doublet, breeches and bonnet, and cloak of scarlet and yellow, is absolutely per- fect : her shoulder is damaged. This church, which is scarce bigger than a large chapel, is very ruinous, though containing such treasures ! Be- sides these, there are brasses on the pavement with a succession of all the wonderful head-dress- es, which our pled?! virtuous grandmothers invented to tempt our rude and simple ancestors. — I don't know what our nobles might be, but I am sure the milliners three or four hundred years ago must have been more accomplished in the arts, as Prynne calls them, of crisping, curling, frizzling, and frouncing, than all the tirewomen of Babylon, mo- dern Paris, or modern Pail-Mall. Dame Winifred Boynet, whom I mentioned above, is accoutred with the coiffure called jjiked horns, which, if there were any signs in Lothbury and Eastcheap, must have brushed them about strangely, as their ladyships rode behind their gentlemen ushers ! Adieu ! Yours ever. 440 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE 'J'q * » * * Woolterton, Sept. 10, 1755. Dear Etough,i I CANNOT forbear any longer to acknowledge the many favours from you lately ; your last was the 8th of this month. His majesty's speedy arrival among his British subjects is very desirable and necessary, whatever may be the chief motive for his making haste. As to Spain, I have from the beginning told my friends, when they asked, both in town and country, that I was not at all appre- hensive that Spain would join with France against us ; for this plain reason, because it could not ipossibly be the interest of the Spaniards to do it; for should the views of the French take place in making a line of forts from the Missisippi to Canada, and of being masters of the whole of that extent of country, Peru, and Mexico, and Flori- da, would be in more danger from them than the British settlements in America. Mr. Fowle has made me a visit for a few days, 1 The llcv. Henry Etougli of Pcnibroke-Iiall, Cambridge. He received his education among tlie dissenters, and archbishop Seeker and Dr. Birch were among his schoolfellows. Through the interest of sir Robert Walpole he was presented to the rec- tory of Therfield in Hertfordshire, where he died in his 7{)th year, Aug. 10, 1757. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 441 and communicated to me your two pieces relating to my brother and lord Bolingbroke, and I think you do great justice to them both in their very different and opposite characters, but you will give me leave to add with respect to lord Orford, there are several mistakes and misinformations, of which I am persuaded I could convince you, by con- versation, but my observations are not proper for a letter. Of this more fully when I see you, but when that will be I can't yet tell. I am ever most affectionately yours, &c. To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq. Strawberry-liill, September 18, 1755. My dear Sik, After an expectation of six weeks, I have re- ceived a letter from you, dated August 23d. In- deed I did not impute any neglect to you ; I knew it arose from the war ; but Mr. * * * tells me the pacquets will now be more regular • Mr. * * * tells me! — What, has he been in town, or at Strawberry? — No; but I have been at Southampton : I was at the Vine ; and on the ar- rival of a few fine days, the first we have liad this summer, after a deluge, Mr. Chute persuaded me to take a jaunt to Winchester and Nctley-abbey, 44-2 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE with the latter of which he is very justly en- chanted. I was disappointed in Winchester : it is a paltry town, and small : king Charles the second's house is the worst thing I ever saw of sir Christopher Wren, a mixture of a town-hall and an hospital ; not to mention the bad choice of the situation in such a country ; it is all ups that should be downs, I talk to you as supposing that you never have been at Winchester, though I suspect you have, for the entrance of the cathedral is the very idea of that of Mabland. I like the smugness of the cathedral, and the profusion of the most beautiful Gothic tombs. That of cardinal Beaufort is in a style more free and of more taste than any thing I have seen of the kind. His figure confirms me in my opinion that I have struck out the true his- tory of the picture that I bought of Robinson ; and which I take for the marriage of Henry VI. Besides the monuments of the Saxon kings, of Lucius, William Rufus, his brother, &c. there are those of six such great or considerable men as Beaufort, William of Wickham, him of Wainfleet. the bishops Fox and Gardiner, and my lord trea- surer Portland — How much power and ambition under half-a-dozen stones ! I own, I grow to look on tombs as lasting mansions, instead of ob- serving them for curious pieces of architecture ! Going into Southampton, I passed Besis- niount, where my lord Peterborough HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 44.3 Hung his trophies o'er his garden gate ; but general Mordaunt was there, and we could not see it. We walked long by moon-light on the terrass along the beach — Guess, if we talked of and wished for you ! The town is crowded ; sea- baths are established there too. But how shall I describe Netley to you ? I can only, by telling you that it is the spot in the world for which Mr. Chute and I wish. The ruins are vast, and retain fragments of beautiful fretted roofs pendent in the air, with all variety of Gothic patterns of win- dows wrapped round and round with ivy — many trees are sprouted up amongst the walls, and only want to be increased with cypresses ! A hill rises above the abbey, encircled with wood : the fort, in which we would build a tower for habitation, remains with two small platforms. This little castle is buried from the abbey in a wood, in the very centre, on the edge of the hill: on each side breaks in the view of tlie Southampton-sea, deep blue, glistering with silver and vessels ; on one side terminated by Southampton, on the other by Calshot-castlc ; and the Isle of Wight rising above the opposite hills. — In short, they are not the'ruins of Netley, but of Paradise Oh ! the purple ab- bots, what a spot had they chosen to slumber in ! The scene is so beautifully tranquil, yet so lively, that they seem only to have retired into the world. I know nothing of the war, but that we catch 444. CORRESPONDENCE OF THE little French ships like crawfish. They have taken one of ours with governor * * * going to * * *. He is a very worthy young man, but so stiffened with sir * * *'s old fustian, that I am persuaded he is at this minute in the citadel of Nantes com- paring himself to Regulus. Gray has lately been here. He has begun an ode, which if he finishes equally, will, I think, inspirit all your drawing again. It is founded on an old tradition of Edward I. putting to death the Welsh bards. Nothing but you, or Salvator Rosa, andNicolo Poussin, can paint up to the expressive horror and dignity of it. Don't think I mean to flatter you ; all I would say is, that now the two latter are dead, you must of necessity be Gray's painter. In order to keep your talent alive, I shall next week send you flake white, brushes, oil, and the enclosed directions from Mr. Miintz, who is still at the Vine, and whom, for want of you, we labour hard to form. I shall put up in the parcel two or three prints of my eagle, which, as you never would draw it, is very moderately per- formed ; and yet the drawing was much better than the engraving. I shall send you too a trifling snuff-box, only as a sample of the new manufac- ture at Battersea, which is done with copper-plates. Mr. Chute is at the Vine, where I cannot say any works go on in proportion to my impatience. I have left him an inventioncu'y of all I want to have done there ; but I believe it may be bound uj) HON. HORACE WALPOLE. U5 with the century of projects of that foolish mar- quis of Worcester, who printed a catalogue of titles of things, which he gave no directions to execute, nor believe could. Adieu ! Yours ever. To THE Hon. H. S. CONWAY. Strawberry-hill, Sept. 23, 1755. Dear Harry, Never make me excuses for a letter that tells me so many agreeable things as your last ; that you are got well to Dublin ;' that you are all well, and that you have accommodated all your politics to your satisfaction — and I may be allowed to say, greatly to your credit. What could you tell me that would please me so much ? When I have indulged a little my joy for your success and honour, it is natural to consider the circumstances you have told me ; and you will easily excuse mo if I am not quite as much satisfied with the conduct of your late antagonists, as I am with yours. You have tranquillized a nation, have repaired your master's honour, and secured tlie 1 Mr. Conway was now secretary of state to the marquis of Hartington, lord lieutenant of Ireland. 446 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE peace of your administration ; — but what shall one say to the speaker, Mr. M alone and the others ? Don't they confess that they have gone the greatest lengths, and risqued the safety of their country on a mere personal pique? If they did not contend for profit, like our patriots (and you don't tell me that they have made any lucra- tive stipulations), yet it is plain that their ambition had been wounded, and that they resented their power being crossed. But I, who am whig to the backbone, indeed in the strictest sense of the word, feel hurt in a tenderer point, and which you, who are a minister, must not allow me : I am offended at their agreeing to an address tliat avows such deference for prerogative, and that is to protest so deeply against having intended to attack it. However rebel this may sound at your court, my Gothic spirit is hurt ; I do not love such loyal expressions from a parliament. I do not so much consider myself writing to Dublin castle, as from Strawberry castle, where you know how I love to enjoy my liberty. I give myself the airs, in my nutshell, of an old baron, and am tempted almost to say with an old earl of Norfolk, who was a very free speaker at least, if he was not an excellent poet, When I am in my castle of Bungey, Situate upon the river Waveney, I ne care for the king of Cockney. HON, HORACE WALPOLE. 4+7 I have been roving about Hampshire, have been at Winchester and Southampton and twenty places, and have been but one day in London — conse- quently know as little news as if I had been shut up in Bungey castle. Rumours there are of great bickerings and uneasinesses ; but I don't believe there will be any bloodshed of places, except Legge's,^ which nobody seems willing to take — I mean as a sinecure. His majesty of Cockney is returned exceedingly well, but grown a little out of humour at finding that we are not so much pleased with all the Russians and Hessians that he has hired to recover the Ohio. We are an un- grateful people ! j\[ake a great many compliments for me to my lady Ailesbury. I own I am in pain about Missy .^ As my lady is a little coquette herself, and loves crowds and admiration and a court life, it will ])e very difficult for her to keep a strict eye upon ^Nlissy. The Irish are very forward and bold : — I say no more ; but it would hurt you both ex- tremely to have her marry herself idly ; and I think my lord chancellor has not extended his matrimonial foresight to Ireland. However, I 2 Henry Bilson Legge, second son of William earl of Dart- mouth ; he was chancellor of the exchequer. 3 Anne Seymour Conway, only child of Mr. Conway and lady Ailesbury, then an infant. 448 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE have much confidence in Mrs. Ehzabeth Jones :* I am sure, when they were here, she would never let Missy whisper with a boy that was old enough to speak. Adieu ! As the winter advances, and plots thicken, I will write you letters that shall have a little more in them than this. In the mean time I am going to the Bath, not for my health, you know I never am ill, but for my amusement. I I never was there, and at present there are seve- ral of my acquaintance. The French academy have chosen my lord Chesterfield, and he has writ- ten them a letter of thanks that is the finest com- position in the world : indeed, I was told so by those who have not seen it ; but they would have told me so if they had seen it, whether it was the finest or the w^orst ; suffices it to be his ! Yours ever. To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq. Arlington-street, September 30, 1755. Solomon says, somewhere or other, I think it is in Castelvetro's, or Castelnuovo's, edition — is not there such a one ? — that the infatuation of a nation •^ Miss Conway's nurse. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 449 for a foolish minister is like that of a lover for an ugly woman : when once he opens his eyes, he wonders what the devil bewitched him. This is the text to the present sermon in politics, which I shall not divide under three heads, but tell you at once, that no minister was ever nearer the pre- cipice than ours has been. I did tell you, I be- lieve, that Legge had refused to sign the warrant for the Hessian subsidy : in short, he heartily re- sented the quick coldness that followed his exalta- tion, waited for an opportunity of revenge, found this ; and to be sure no vengeance ever took speedier strides. All the world revolted against subsidiary treaties ; nobody was left to defend them but Murray, and he did not care to venture. Offers of graciousness, of cabinet counsellor, of chancellor of the exchequer, were made to right and left. Dr. Lee was conscientious; Mr. Pitt might be brought in compliment to his M. to di- gest one But a system of subsidies! — Impos- sible ! In short, the very first ministership was offered to be made over to my lord Granville — He begged to be excused — he was not fit for it. — Well ! you laugh : all this is fact. At last we were forced to strike sail to Mr. Fox : he is named for secretary of state, with not only the lead, but the power of the house of commons. You ask, in the room of which secretary ? What signifies of which ? Why, I think of sir Thomas Robinson, who returns to his wardrobe, and lord Barrington VOL. I. 2 G 450 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE comes into the war-office. This is the present state of things in this grave reasonable island : the union hug like two cats over a string ; the rest are arming for opposition But I will not pro- mise you any more warlike winters ; I remember how soon the campaign of the last was addled. In Ireland, Mr. Conway has pacified all things : the Irish are to get as drunk as ever to the glori- ous and immortal memory of king George, and the prerogative is to be exalted as high as ever, by being obliged to give up the primate. -^ There ! I think I have told you volumes : yet I know you will not be content ; you will want to know something of the war and of America : but I assure you it is not the bon-ton to talk of either this week. We think not of the former, and of the latter we should think to very little purpose, for we have not heard a syllable more ; Braddock's defeat still remains in the situation of the longest battle that ever was fought with nobody. Content your English spirit with knowing that there are very near three thousand French prisoners in Eng- land, taken out of several ships. Yours ever. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 451 To GEORGE MOXTACJH, Esq. Arlington-street, October 7, 1*55. My dear Sir, Nobody living feels more for you than I do : no- body knows better either the goodness and ten- derness of your heart, or the real value of tlie person you have lost.' I cannot flatter myself that any thing I could say would comfort you under an affliction so well founded ; but I should have set out and endeavoured to share your con- cern, if Mrs. Trevor had not told me that you were going into Cheshire. I will only say, that if you think change of place can contribute at all to divert your melancholy, you know where you would be most welcome, and whenever you will come to Strawberry-hill, you will at least, if you do not find a comforter, find a most sincere friend that pities your distress, and would do any thing upon earth to alleviate your misfortune. If you can listen yet to any advice, let me recommend to you, to give up all thoughts of Greatworth j you will never be able to support life there any more : let me look out for some little box for you in my neighbourhood. You can live no where, ' flis sister, miss Harriot Montagu. 452 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE where you will be more beloved; and you will there always have it in your power to enjoy com- pany or solitude, as you like. I have long wished to get you so far back into the world ; and now it is become absolutely necessary for your health and peace. I will say no more, lest too long a letter should be either troublesome, or make you think it necessary to answer ; but do not, till you find it more agreeable to vent your grief this way, than in any other. I am, my good sir. With hearty concern and affection, Yours most sincerely .^ To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq. Arlington-street, Oct. 19, 1155. Do you love royal quarrels ? You may be served — I know you don't love an invasion — nay, that even passes my taste ; it will make too much part?/. In short, the lady dowager Prudence begins to step a little over the threshold of that discretion which she has always hitherto so sanctimoniously observed. She is suspected of strange whims ; so strange, as neither to like more German sub- sidies or more Cierman matches. A strong fac- HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 4^53 lion, professedly against the treaties,' openly against Mr. Fox, and covertly under the banners of the aforesaid ladj/ Prudence, arm from all quar- ters against the opening of the session. Her ladyship's eldest boy declares violently against being hexcolfenbuttled — a word which I don't pre- tend to understand, as it is not in Mr. Johnson's new dictionary. There ! now I have been as enigmatic as ever I have accused you of being ; and hoping you will not be able to expound my German hieroglyphics, I proceed to tell you in plain English that we are going to be invaded. I have within this day or two seen grandees often, twenty, and thirty thousand pounds a year, who are in a mortal fright : consequently, it would be impertinent in much less folk to tremble — and accordingly they don't. At court there is no doubt but an attempt will be made before Christ- mas. — I find valour is like virtue: impregnable as they boast themselves, it is discovered that on the first attack both lie strangely open ! They are raising more men, camps are to be formed in Kent and Sussex, the duke of Newcastle is frightened out of his wits, which though hei has lost so often, you know he always recovers, and as fresh as ever. Lord E * * * * * despairs of the ' Treaties of subsidy witli the landgrave oi" Hesse and the •L"iiiprcss of Russia, for the defence of ilanover. 154 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE commonwealth ; and I am going to fortify my castle of Strawberry, according to an old charter I should have had, for embattling and making a deep ditch — But here am I laughing, when I really ought to cry both wath my public eye and my private one. I have told you what I think ought to sluice my public eye : and your private eye too will moisten, when I tell you that poor miss Harriet Montagu is dead. She died about a fortnight ago ; but liaving nothing else to tell you, I would not send a letter so far with only such melancholy news — and so, you will say, I staid till I could tell still more bad news. The truth is, I have for some time had two letters of yours to answer : it is three wrecks since I wrote to you, and one begins to doubt whether one shall ever be to write again. I will hope all my best hopes, for I have no sort of intention at this time of day of finishing either as a martyr or a hero. — I rather intend to live and record both those pro- fessions, if need be — and I have no inclination to scuttle barefoot after a duke of Wolfenbuttle's army, as Philip de Comines says he saw their graces of Exeter and Somerset trudge after the duke of Biu'gundy's. The invasion, though not much in fashion yet, begins like Moses's rod, to swallow other news, both political and suicidical. Our politics I have sketched out to you, and can only add, that Mr. Fox's ministry does not as yet promise to be of long duration. Wlien it was HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 455 first thought that he had got the better of the duke of Newcastle, Charles Townshend said ad- mirably, that he was sure the duchess, like the old cavaliers, would make a vow not to shave her beard till the restoration. I can't recollect the least morsel of a fess or chevron of the Boynets : they did not happen to enter into any extinct genealogy for wliose wel- fare I interest myself. I sent your letter to Mr. Chute, who is still under his own vine : Mr. Miintz is still with him, recovering of a violent fever. — Adieu! If memoirs don't grow too me- morable, I think this season will produce a large crop. Yours ever. P. S. I believe I scarce ever mentioned to you last winter the follies of tiie opera : the imperti- nences of a great singer were too old and too common a topic. I must mention them now, wlien they rise to any improvement in the cha- racter of national folly. The Mingotti, a noble figure, a great mistress of music, and a most in- comparable actress, surpassed any thing I ever saw for the extravagance of her humours. ' She never sung above one night in three, from a fever upon her temper ; and never would act at all when Ricciarelli, the first man, was to be in dia- logue with her. Her fevers grew so Ingli, that the audience caught them, and hissed lier more U6 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE than once : she herself once turned and hissed again — Tit pro tat geminat rov ^'' WTrccf^siCof^BVT]' — Well, among the treaties which a secretary of state has negotiated this summer, he has con- tracted for a succedaneum to the Minjrotti. In short, there is a woman hired to sing when the other shall be out of humour! Here is a World by lord Chesterfield : ^ the first part is very pretty, till it runs into witticism. I have marked the passages I particularly like. You would not draw Henry IV. at a siege for me : pray don't draw Louis XV.^ To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq. Strawberry-hill, October 31, 1755. As the invasion is not ready, we are forced to take up with a victory. An account came yes- terday, that general Johnson had defeated the French near the lake St. Sacrement, had killed one thousand, and taken the lieutenant-general W'ho commanded them, prisoner; his name is Dieskau, a Saxon, an esteemed eleve of marshal 2 Number 146, of the fifth volume. ^ Alluding to the subject Mr. Walpole had proposed to him for a picture, in a Letter dated 15th of August, and to the then expected invasion of England by Louis XV. HON. HORACE WALPOLE, 4.57 Saxe. By the printed account, which I enclose, Johnson showed great generalship and bravery. As the whole business was done by irregulars, it does not lessen the faults of Braddock, and the panic of his troops. If I were so disposed, I could conceive that there are heroes in the world who are not quite pleased with this extra-marti- nette success^ — but we won't blame those Alex- anders, till they have beaten the French in Kent ! You know it will be time enough to abuse them, when they have done all the service they can ! The other enclosed paper is another World,^ by my lord Chesterfield ; not so pretty, I think, as the last ; yet it has merit. While England and France are at war, and Mr. Fox and Mr. Pitt going to war, his lordship is coolly amusing him- self at picquet at Bath with a Moravian baron, who would be in prison, if his creditors did not occasionally release him to play with and cheat my lord Chesterfield, as the only chance they have for recovering their money 1 We expect the parliament to be thronged, and great animosities. I will not send you one of the eggs that are laid ; for so many political^ ones have been addled of late years, that I believe all the state game-cocks in the world are impotent. ' Alluding to William duke of Cumberland. * Number l-iS, of the fifth volume. 458 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE I did not doubt but you would be struck with the death of poor B * * * *. I, t'other night, at White's, found a very remarkable entry in our very — very remarkable wager-book : " Lord * *** bets sir * * * * twenty guineas tliat Nasli outlives Gibber !" How odd that these two old creatures, selected for their antiquities, should live to see both their wagerers put an end to their own lives ! Gibber is within a few days of eighty-four, still hearty, and clear, and well. I told him I was glad to see him look so well : " 'Faith," said he, " it is very well that I look at all!" 1 shall thank you for the Ormer shells and roots ; and shall desire your permission to finish my letter already. As the parliament is to meet so soon, you are likely to be overpowered with my dis- patches. — I have been thinning my wood of trees, and planting them out more into the field : I am fitting up the old kitchen for a china-room : I am building a bed-chamber for myself over the old blue-room, in which I intend to die, though not yet; and some trifles of this kind, which I do not specify to you, because I intend to reserve a little to be quite new to you. Adieu ! Yours ever. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 159 To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Strawberry-hill, Nov. 8, 1755. My dear Sir, You oblige me extremely by giving me this com- mission ; and though I am exceedingly unlike Solomon in every thing else, I will at least re- semble him in remembering you to the Hiram, from whom I obtained my cedars of Libanus. He is by men called Christopher Gray, nurseryman at Fulham. I mention cedars first, because they are the most beautiful of tlie evergreen race, and because they are the dearest ; half a guinea a-piece in baskets. The arbutus are scarce a crown a-piece, but they are very beautiful ; the lignum-vitjc I would not recommend to you ; they stink abominably if you touch them, and never make a handsome tree : the Cliinese arbor- vitse is very beautiful. I have a small nursery myself, scarce bigger than one of /hose 2)lcasanf gardens which Solomon describes, and which if liis faii^ one meant the churchy I suppose must have meant the church-yard. Well, out ©f tliis little parsley-hed of mine, I can furnish you with a few plants, particularly three Chinese arbor- vitals, a dozen of the New England or lord Weymouth's pine, which is that beautiful tree, that we liave so much admired at tlie duke of Argyle's for its 460 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE clean straight stem, the lightness of its hairy green, and for being feathered quite to the ground : they should stand in a moist soil, and care must be taken every year to clear away all plants and trees round them, that they may have free air and room to expand themselves. Besides these I shall send you twelve stone or Italian pines, twelve pinasters, twelve black spruce firs, two Caroline cherries, thirty evergreen cytisus, a pretty shrub that grows very fast, and may be cut down as you please, fifty Spanish brooms, and six acacias, the genteelest tree of all, but you must take care to plant them in a first row^, and where they will be well sheltered, for the least wind tears and breaks them to pieces. All these are ready, whenever you wdll give me directions, how, and where to send them. They are exceed- ingly small, as I have but lately taken to propa- gate myself; but then they will travel more safely, will be more sure of living, and will grow faster than larger. Other sorts of evergreens, that you must have, are silver and Scotch firs ; Virginia cedars, which should stand forwards and have nothing touch them ; and above all cy- presses, which, I think, are my chief passion ; there is nothing so picturesque, where they stand two or three in a clump, upon a little hillock, or rising above low shrubs, and particularly near buildings. There is another bit of picture, of HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 461 which I am fond, and that is a larch or a spruce fir planted behind a weeping willow, and shoot- ing upwards as the willow depends. I think for courts about a house, or winter gardens, almond trees mixed with evergreens, particularly with Scotch firs, have a pretty effect, before any thing else comes out ; whereas almond trees, beins: ffe- nerally planted among other trees, and being in bloom before other trees have leaves, have no ground to shew the beauty of their blossoms. Gray at Fulham sells cypresses in pots at half a crown a-piece j you turn them out of the pot with all their mould, and they never fail. I think this is all you mean ; if you have any more garden-questions or commissions, you know you command my little knowledge. I am grieved that you have still any complaints left. Dissipation, in my opinion, will be the best receipt ; and I do not speak merely for my own sake, when I tell you, how much I wish to have you keep your resolution of coming to town be- fore Christmas. I am still more pleased with the promise you make to Strawberry, which you have never seen in its green coat, since it cut its teeth. I am here all alone, and shall stay till Tuesday, the day after the birth-day. On Thursday begins our warfare, and, if we may believe signs and tokens, our winter will be warlike : I mean at home; I have not much faith in the invasion, llcr 462 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE royal highness' and his royal highness^ are likely to come to an open rupture. His grace of Newcastle, who, I think, has gone under every nick-name, waits I believe to see to which he will cling. There have been two Worlds by my lord Ches- terfield lately, very pretty, the rest very indif- ferent. I beg my best compliments to Mrs. Whetenhall, and am, with great wishes for your health and tranquillity, Yours most sincerely. To THE Hon. H. S. CONWAY. Arlington-street, Nov. 15, 1755. 1 PROMISED you histories, and there are many people that take care I should have it in my power to keep my word. To begin in order, I should tell you, that there were 289 members at the Cockpit meeting, the greatest number ever known there : but Mr. Pitt, who is too great a general to regard numbers, especially when there was a probability of no great harmony between 1 The princess clowager. - The duke of Cumberland, HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 46S the commanders, did not however postpone giving battle. The engagement was not more decisive than long : we sat till within a quarter of five in the morning 5 an uninterrupted serious debate from before two. Lord Hillsborough moved the address, and very injudiciously supposed an op- position. Martin, Legge's secretary, moved to omit in the address the indirect approbation of the treaties, and the direct assurances of protec- tion to Hanover. These questions were at length divided ; and against Pitt's inclination, the last, which was the least unpopular, was first decided by a majority of 311 against 105. Many then went away ; and on the next division the num- bers were 290 to 89. These are the general out- lines. The detail of the speeches, which were very long, and some extremely fine, it would be impossible to give you in any compass. On the side of the opposition (which I must tell you by the way, though it set out decently, seems ex- tremely resolved) the speakers (I name them in their order) were : the 3d Colebrook, Martin, Northey, sir Richard Lyttelton, Doddington, George Grenville, sir F. Dashwood, Beckford, sir G. Lee, Legge, Potter, Ur. Hay, Geo. Town- shend, lord Egmont, Pitt, and admiral Vernon : on the other side were, lord Ilillsborough, Obrien, young Stanhope, Hamilton, Alstone, Ellis, lord liarrington, sir G. Lyttelton, Nugent, Murray, sir T. Robinson, mv uncle, and Mr. Fox. As short 464 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE as I can, I will give you an account of them. Sir Richard, Beckford, Potter, G. Townshend, the admiral of course, Martin, and Stanhope were very bad : Doddington was well, but very acce- ding : Dr. Hay by no means answers his reputa- tion ; it was easy, but not striking. Lord Eg- mont was doubling, absurd, and obscure. Sir G. Lee and lord Barrington were much disliked ; I don't think so deservedly. Poor A * *' * * was mad, and spoke ten times to order. Sir George,^ our friend, was dull and timid. Legge was the latter. Nugent roared, and sir Thomas rumbled. Mr. Fox was extremely fatigued, and did little. Geo. Grenville's was very fine and much beyond himself, and very pathetic. The attorney gene- ral^ in the same style, and very artful, was still finer. Then there was a young Mr. Hamilton ^ who spoke for the first time, and was at once per- fection : his speech was set, and full of antithesis, but those antitheses were full of argument : in- deed his speech was the most argumentative of the whole day ; and he broke through the regu- larity of his own composition, answered other 1 Sir George Lyttelton. 2 William Murray, afterwards lord Mansfield, 3 William Gerard Hamilton. It was this speech which, not being followed, as was naturally expected, by repeated exhibi- tions of similar eloquence, acquired him the name of single- speech Hamilton. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 463 people, and fell into his own track again with the greatest ease. His figure is advantageous, his voice strong and clear, his manner spirited, and the whole with the ease of an established speaker. You will ask, what could be beyond this ? No- thing, but what was beyond what ever was, and that was Pitt ! He spoke at past one, for an hour and thirty-five minutes : there was more humour, wit, vivacity, finer language, more boldness, in short, more astonishing perfections, than even you, who are used to him, can conceive. He was not abusive, yet very attacking on all sides : he ridi- culed my lord Hillsborough, crushed poor sir George, terrified the attorney, lashed my lord Granville, painted my lord of Newcastle, attacked Mr. Fox, and even hinted up to the duke."^ A few of the Scotch were in the minority, and most of the princess's people, not all : all the duke of Bedford's in the majority. He himself spoke in the other house for the address (though profess- ing incertainty about the treaties themselves), against my lord Temple and lord Halifax, without a division. My lord Talbot was neuter ; he and I were of a party : my opinion was strongly with the opposition ; I could not vote for the treaties ; I would not vote against Mr. Fox. It is ridiculous perhaps, at the end of such a debate, to give an * The duke of Cumbcrhmd. VOL. 1. 2 II 466 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE account of my own silence ^ and as it is of very little consequence what I did, so it is very unlike lue to justify myself. You know how much I hate professions of integrity ; and my pride is ge- nerally too great to care what the generality of people say of me : but your heart is good enough to make me wish you should think well of mine. You will want to know what is to be the fate of the ministry in opposition : but that I can't tell you. I don't believe they have determined what to do, more than oppose, nor that it is determined what to do with them. Though it is clear that it is very humiliating to leave them in place, you may conceive several reasons why it is not eligible to dismiss them. You know where you are, how easy it is to buy an opposition who have not places ; but tell us what to do with an opposition that has places ? If you say. Turn them out ; I answer, That is not the way to quiet any opposition, or a ministry so constituted as ours at present. Adieu ! Yours ever. To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq. Arlington-street, November 16, 1755, Never was poor invulnerable immortality so soon brought to shame ! Alack ! I have had the gout ! HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 467 I would fain have persuaded myself that it was a sprain ; and, then, that it was only the gout come to look for Mr. Chute at Strawberry-hill : but none of my evasions will do ! I was, certainly, lame for two days; and though I repelled it — first, by getting wetshod, and then by spirits of camphire ; and though I have since tamed it more rationally by leaving off the little wine I drank, I still know where to look for it whenever I have an occasion for a political illness. — Come, my constitution is not very much broken, when in four days after such a mortifying attack, I could sit in the house of commons, full as possible, from two at noon till past five in the morning, as we did but last Thursday. The new opposition at- tacked the address. — Who are the new opposi- tion? — Why, the old opposition: Pitt and the Grenvilles ; indeed, with Legge instead of sir George Lyttelton. Judge how entertaining it was to me, to hear Lyttelton answer Grenville, and Pitt Lyttelton ! The debate, long and un- interrupted as it was, was a great deal of it ex- tremely fine : the numbers did not answer to the merit : the new friends, the duke of Newcastle and Mr. Fox, had 311 to 105. The bon-mot in fashion is, that the staff was very good, but they wanted private men. Pitt surpassed himself, and then I need not tell you that he surpassed Cicero and Demosthenes. What a figure would they, with their formal, laboured, cabinet orations, 2 II 2 468 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE make vis-d-vis his manly vivacity and dashing elo quence at one o'clock in the morning, after sitting in that heat for eleven hours ! He spoke above an hour and a half, with scarce a bad sentence : the most admired part was a comparison he drew of the two parts of the new administration, to the conflux of the Rhone and the Saone ; " the latter a gentle, feeble, languid stream, languid but not deep ; the other a boisterous and overbearing tor- rent : but they join at last; and long may they continue united, to the comfort of each other, and to the glory, honour and happiness of this nation !" I hope you are not mean-spirited enough to dread an invasion, when the senatorial contests are reviving in the temple of Concord. — But xcill it make a parti/ ? Yes, truly ; I never saw so promising a prospect. Would not it be cruel, at such a period, to be laid up ? I have only had a note from you to promise me a letter; but it is not arrived: — but the par- tridges are, and well ; and I thank you. England seems returning : ^ for those who are not in parliament, there are nightly riots at Drury-lane, where there is an anti-Gallican party against some French dancers. The young men 1 He means the disposition towards mobs and rioting at pub- lic places, which was then common among young men, and had been a sort of fashion in his early youth. HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 469 of quality have protected them till last night, when, being opera night, the galleries were vic- torious. Montagu writes me many kind things for you : he is in Cheshire, but comes to town this winter. Adieu ! I have so much to say, that I have time to say but very little. Yours ever. P. S. G. Selwyn hearing much talk of a sea-war or a continent, said, " I am for a sea-war and a continent admiral." To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Arlington-street, November 25, 1755. I HAVE been so hurried since I came to town, and so enclosed in the house of commons, that I have not been able to write a line sooner. I now write, to notify that your plants will set out according to your direction next Monday, and are ordered to be left at Namptwich. I differ with the doctors about planting ever- greens in spring ; if it happens to be wet wea- ther, it may be better than exposing them to a first winter ; but the cold dry winds, that gene- rally prevail in spring, are ten times more perni- 470 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE cious. In my own opinion, the end of September is the best season, for then they shoot before the hard weather comes. But the plants I send you are so very small, that they are equally secure in any season, and would bear removing in the mid- dle of summer; a handful of dung will clothe them all for the whole winter. There is a most dreadful account of an earth- quake in Lisbon, but several people will not be- lieve it. There have been lately such earthquakes and waterquakes, and rocks rent, and other strange phenomena, tliat one would think the world exceedingly out of repair. I am not pro- phet enough to believe tliat such convulsions re- late solely to the struggles between Mr. Pitt and Mr. Fox, or even portend any between the Georges and James's. You have already heard, I suppose, that Pitt, Legge, and George Gren- ville, are dismissed, and that sir George Lyttelton is chancellor of the exchequer. My lord Temple says that sir George Lyttelton said he would quit his place when they did, and that he has kept his word ! The world expects your cousin to resign; but I believe all efforts are used to retain him. Joan., the fair maid of Saa:e-Gothay did not speak to Mr. Fox or sir George, when they kissed her hand last Sunday. No more places are vacated or filled up yet. It is an age since I have heard from Mr. Bent- HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 471 ley ; the war, or the weather have interrupted all communication. Adieu ! let me know, at your leisure, when one is likely to see you. Yours ever. To RICHARD BENTLEY, Esq. Arlington-street, December 17, 1755. After an immense interval, I have at last re- ceived a long letter from you, of a very old date (November 5th), which amply indemnifies my patience; nay, almost makes me amends for your blindness ; for I think, unless you had totally lost your eyes, you would not refuse me a pleasure so easy to yourself, as now and then sending me a drawing. — I can't call it laziness — one may be too idle to amuse one's self; but sure one is never so fond of idleness as to prefer it to the power of obliging a person one loves! And yet I own your letter has made me amends ; the wit of your pen recompenses the stupidity of your pencil; the cccstiis you have taken up supplies a little the artem you have relinquished. I could quote twenty passages that have charmed me : the picture of lady Prudence and her flimily ; your idol that gave you hail when you prayed for sun- shine ; misfortune the teacher of superstition ; unmarried people being the fashion in heaven ; 472 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE the Spectator-hacked phrases ; Mr. Spence*s blind- ness to Pope's mortality ; and above all, the criti- cism on the queen in Hamlet, is most delightful. There never was so good a ridicule of all the for- mal commentators on Shakespear, nor so artful a banter on him himself for so improperly making her majesty deal in douhles-entendres at a fune- ral ! In short, I never heard as much wit except in a speech with which Mr. Pitt concluded the debate t'other day on the treaties. His antago- nists endeavour to disarm him ; but as fast as they deprive him of one weapon, he finds a better — I never suspected him of such an universal ar- moury — I knew he had a Gorgon's head com- posed of bayonets and pistols, but little thought that he could tickle to death with a feather. On the first debate on these famous treaties, last Wednesday, Hume Campbell, whom the duke of Newcastle had retained as the most abusive coun- sel he could find against Pitt (and hereafter per- haps against Fox), attacked the former for eternal invectives. Oh ! since the last PhiHppic of Bil- lingsgate memory, you never heard such an in- vective as Pitt returned — Hume Campbell was annihilated ! Pitt, like an angry wasp, seems to have left his sting in the wound — and has since assumed a style of delicate ridicule and repartee But think how charming a ridicule must that be that lasts and rises. Hash after flash, for an hour and a half! Some day or other perhaps you will HON. HORACE WALPOLE. 473 see some of the glittering splinters that I gather- ed up. I have written under his print these lines, which are not only full as just as the original, but have not the tautology of loftiness and majesty : Three orators in distant ages born, Greece, Italy, and England did adorn: The first in loftiness of thought surpass'd. The next in language, but in both the last : The pow'r of nature could no farther go ; To make a third, she join'd the former two. Indeed we have wanted such an entertainment to enliven and make the fatigue supportable. We sat on Wednesday till ten at night ; on Friday till past three in the morning ; on Monday till be- tween nine and ten. W^e have profusion of ora- tors, and many very great, which is surprising so soon after the leaden age of the late riglit honour- able Henry Saturnus ! ^ The majorities are as great as in '^ixinrnus''^ golden age. Our changes are begun ; but not being made at once, our very changes change ! 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