which I will by no means rob him. My view in publishing the Anecdotes was, to assist gentlemen in discovering the hands of pictures they possess; and I am sufficiently rewarded when that purpose is answered. If there is another edition, the mistake in the calculation of the Tapestry shall be rectified, and any others, which any gentleman will be so good as to point out. With regard to the monument of Sir Nathaniel Bacon, Vertue certainly describes it as at Culford; and in looking into the place to which I am referred, in Mr. Masters's History of Corpus Christi College, I think he himself allows in the note, that there is such a monument at Culford.' Of Sir Balthazar Gerbier there are several different prints. Nich. Laniere purchasing pictures at the King's sale, is undoubtedly a mistake for one of his brothers-I cannot tell now whether Vertue's

mistake or my own. At Longleat is a whole-length of Frances, Duchess of Richmond, exactly such as Mr. Masters describes, but in oil. I have another whole-length of the same Duchess, I believe by Mytens, but younger than that at Longleat. But the best picture of her is in Wilson's Life of King James, and very diverting indeed." I will not trouble you, Sir, or Mr. Masters, with any more at present; but, repeating my thanks to both, will assure you that I am, &c.

SIR:

806. TO THE REV. THOMAS WARTON.3

Strawberry Hill, Aug. 21, 1762.

I

I was last week surprised with a very unexpected present in your name; and still more, when, upon examining it, I found myself so much, and so undeservedly distinguished by your approbation. certainly ought to have thanked you immediately, but I chose to defer my acknowledgments till I had read your volumes very attentively. The praise you have bestowed on me, debars me, Sir, from doing all the justice I ought to your work: the pleasure I received from it would seem to have grown out of the satisfaction I

1 Yes! and what has not hitherto been noticed, it is evidently the work of the same sculptor (unfortunately unknown) who made the Sic Sedebat statue of the great Lord Bacon.-CUNNINGHAM.

2 That curious whole length of Frances, Duchess of Richmond and Lenox came from Easton Neston, the seat of the Earl of Pomfret. We shall sit down here before her, and read the equally curious portrait of her by Wilson, in his Reign of James I. Walpoliana, ii. 119.-CUNNINGHAM.

3 Now first collected. From Wooll's Biographical Memoirs of Joseph Warton,' 1806, 4to. The work which Warton presented to Walpole was his 'Observations on Spenser.'-CUNNINGHAM.

felt in what, if it would not be ungrateful, I should be humble enough to call flattery; for how can you, Sir, approve such hasty, superficial writings as mine, you, who in the same pursuits are so much more correct, and have gone so much deeper? for instance, compare your account of Gothic architecture with mine; I have scarce skimmed the subject; you have ascertained all its periods. If my Anecdotes' should ever want another edition, I shall take the liberty of referring the readers to your chronicle of our buildings.

With regard to the Dance of Death, I must confess you have not convinced me. Vertue (for it was he, not I, that first doubted of that painting at Basil) persuaded me by the arguments I found in his MSS., and which I have given, that Holbein was not the author. The latter's prints, as executed by Hollar, confirmed me in that opinion and you must forgive me if I still think the taste of them superior to Albert Durer. This is mere matter of opinion, and of no consequence, and the only point in your book, Sir, in which I do not submit to you and agree with you.

You will not be sorry to be informed, Sir, that in the library of the Antiquarian Society there is a large and very good print of Nonsuch, giving a tolerable idea of that pile, which was not the case of Speed's confused scrap. I have myself drawings of the two old palaces of Richmond and Greenwich; and should be glad to show them to you, if at any time of your leisure you would favour me with a visit here. You would see some attempts at Gothic, some miniatures of scenes which I am pleased to find you love.-Cloisters, screens, round-towers, and a printing-house, all indeed of baby dimensions, would put you a little in mind of the age of Caxton and Wynken. You might play at fancying yourself in a castle described by Spenser.

You see, Sir, by the persuasions I employ, how much I wish to tempt you hither!

I am, Sir,

Your most obliged and obedient servant,

HORACE WALPOLE.

P.S. You know, to be sure, that in Ames's Typographical Antiquities' are specified all the works of Stephen Hawes.

807. TO SIR HORACE MANN.

Strawberry Hill, Sunday, August 29, 1762. WE cannot afford to stay any longer for the Havannah, and must make peace without it. The Duke of Bedford, on Wednesday next, is to be named in form Embassador Extraordinary, as the Duc de Nivernois will be the same day at Paris; on the 7th of next month they are to meet at Dover, cross over and figure-in. Our duke carries good dispositions, but as there is a grain of wrong-headed warmth in his temper, I hope it will not leaven the whole pacific cake. Still I fear that obstinate diadem in Spain! who will not be bullied as when he was plain Don Carlos King of Naples, and which perhaps he has not forgot. Lord Tyrawley is returned, and as they were not pleased to see him and English troops in Portugal, when they feared it would draw down the war upon them, he now will not allow there is any war there, calls it a combination to get our money, and says he will eat every man that is killed, if the Portuguese will engage to roast him. Absurd as this proposition is, it is the only tolerable excuse I have heard for the King of Spain. En attendant, the signing of preliminaries, we have a victory of the King of Prussia over Laudohn, and a new squabble with the Dutch. They were sending a convoy of naval stores to Cales-to sell underhand; our good allies do not injure us for nothing; Commodore More sent some men-of-war to visit them; their guardian would not be examined, which he intimated by a cannon; a fight ensued, he has lost his nose and his first-lieutenant, and is brought into Portsmouth. This is our story as arrived to-day. The Dutch minister Borel is very temperate about it, though the lost nose belonged to his nephew.

I rejoice that you agree with me in abhorring that good woman the Czarina. Semiramis and her models never thought of palliating murders by manifestos. One would think that Peter the Great had not yet taught the Russians to read! or she could not have the confidence to write such horrid and such gross falsehoods. They are as ill-drawn as if penned in Spain or Portugal. But what do you think of her recollecting herself, crying for her husband, and wanting to attend his funeral? This, and her backward and forward dealing with the King of Prussia, show what confusion subsists in her councils. I do not grieve to hear that as much reigns in her empire.

VOL. IV.

C

I am impatient to learn that she is in a covered waggon on the road to Siberia.

I condole with you for the misfortune of the Gallery, and the loss of the Laocoon; yet, if a fine statue was to be demolished, it was one that could most easily be spared, as there is a duplicate at Rome, and, as I remember, not only a finer, but a more authentic. But how came the Florentines to see their gallery burn with so much indifference? It was collected by the Medici. If formed by the Lorrainers I should not wonder.

Lady Mary Wortley is dead, as I prepared you to expect. Except some trifling legacies, she has given everything to Lady Bute, so we shall never know the sum-perhaps that was intended. It is given out for inconsiderable, besides some rich baubles. Another of our old acquaintance at Florence is greatly advanced; Lady Charlotte Finch' is made governess to the Prince; a choice so universally approved that I do not think she will be abused even in the North Briton.'

Mrs. Foote's friend,' Lord Westmoreland, is just dead, from a stroke of the palsy. His countess is gone to your sister at Linton. His Chancellorship of Oxford will be an object of contention. Lord Litchfield will have the interest of the Court, which now has some influence there; yet, perhaps, those who would have voted for him formerly, may not now be his heartiest friends.

Oh, when I was talking of the royal child, I should have told you of a delightful card which was sent by Mrs. Salvador and Mrs. Mendez, two rich Jewesses, to know how the Queen did. Lady Northumberland, who was in waiting, told the servant that that was not the manner that they should have come in person to inquire. "That's good," replied the fellow; "why, my mistress lies in herself if she had not, I suppose she would have expected the Queen to send to her."

I will make your compliments to Palazzo Pitti [Mr. Thomas Pitt], when I see it; but he has scarce been here; he is not well, and drinking waters at Sunning-Hill.

Thank you for Cocchi's Spectator,' I like it better than you shall own to him. With his father's freedom of thinking, he has a

1 See vol. i. p. 52.-CUNNINGHAM.

2 Mary, sister of Sir Horace Mann.-WALPOLE.

3 The Jacobites.-WALPOLE.

4 Son of Dr. Cocchi, a Florentine physician and author; the son wrote some Spectators on the model of Addison's.-WALPOLE.

great deal of humour; but don't let him pursue it. Wit will be but slender comfort in the prisons of the Inquisition, or in a fortress; more uncomfortable, if his opening the eyes of others leads them into the same situation. If curing old errors would prevent the world from falling into new ones, à la bonne heure; but one nonsense is as good as another; better; if the change is to be made by blood. A Gustavus Vasa may strike a stroke for liberty, but few men are born to overturn a tyranny with their pen. When established liberty is in danger, then write for it; one may prevent people perhaps from shutting their eyes; 'tis more difficult to unclose them if shut. Nor can it be done when the world is in cold blood; you may snatch a fortunate fermenting minute, but you cannot prepare it. If Cocchi must write, let him come hither; here he may make reeds, say what he will;' but let his own barber remind him that in some countries it is not safe even to trust reeds with one's thoughts. Adieu!

2

P.S. When I was mentioning acquaintance you have lost, I forgot to name Lady Fane; you see nervous disorders are not very mortal; I think she must have been above seventy.

808. TO THE HON. H. S. CONWAY.

Strawberry Hill, Sept. 9, 1762.

Nondum laurus erat, longoque decentia crine
Tempora cingebat de quâlibet arbore Phoebus.

THIS is a hint to you, that as Phoebus, who was certainly your superior, could take up with a chesnut garland, or any crown he found, you must have the humility to be content without laurels, when none are to be had: you have hunted far and near for them, and taken true pains to the last in that old nursery-garden Germany, and by the way have made me shudder with your last journal: but you must be easy with qualibet other arbore; you must come home to your own plantations. The Duke of Bedford is gone in a fury to make peace, for he cannot be even pacific with temper; and by this time I suppose the Duke de Nivernois is unpacking his portion of olive dans la rue de Suffolk-street. I say, I suppose for I do not, like my friends at Arthur's, whip into my post-chaise to see every

1 Alluding to Midas's barber.-WALPOLE.

2 Charlotte, sister of James first Earl of Stanhope, and mother of Charles, the last Viscount Fane, friend of Sir Horace Mann, and his predecessor at Florence.— WALPOLE.