Hertford, it was no matter, I would print it, I was determined. I sat down and wrote a flattering dedication to lord Powis, which I knew he would swallow: he did, and gave up his ancestor. But this was not enough; I was resolved the world should not think I admired it seriously, though there are really fine passages in it, and good sense, too; I drew up an equivocal preface, in which you will discover my opinion, and sent it with the dedication. The earl gulped down the one under the palliative of the other, and here you will have all. Pray take notice of the pedigree, of which I am exceedingly proud; observe how I have clearly arranged so involved a descent: one may boast of one's heraldry. I shall send you, too, lady Temple's poems.3 Pray keep both under lock and key, for there are but two hundred copies of lord Herbert, and but one hundred of the poems suffered to be printed.

I am almost crying to find the glorious morsel of summer that we have had, turned into just such a watery season as the last. Even my excess of verdure, which used to comfort me for every thing, does not satisfy me now, as I live entirely alone. I am heartily tired of my large neighbourhood, who do not furnish me two or three rational beings at most, and the best of them have no vivacity. London, whither I go at least once a fortnight for a night, is a perfect desert. As the court is gone

into a convent at Richmond, the town is more abandoned than ever. I cannot, as you do, bring myself to be content without variety, without events: my mind is always wanting new food; summer does not suit me; but I will grow old some time or other. Adieu !

TO THE REV. MR. COLE.

Yours ever:

DEAR SIR,

Strawberry-hill, July 16, 1764.

You must think me a brute to have been so long without taking any notice of your obliging offer of coming hither. The truth is, I have not been at all settled here for three days toge

3 "Poems by Anna Chambers, countess Temple." Stawberry-hill, 1764, 4to. [Ed.]

ther: nay, nor do I know when I shall be. I go to-morrow into Sussex; in August into Yorkshire, and in September into France. If, in any interval of these jaunts, I can be sure of remaining here a week, which I literally have not been this whole summer, I will certainly let you know, and will claim your promise.

Another reason for my writing now, is, I want to know how I may send you lord Herbert's Life, which I have just printed. Did I remember the favour you did me of asking for my own print? if I did not, it shall accompany this book. Adieu!

DEAR SIR,

TO THE REV. MR. COLE.

Arlington-street, July 21, 1764.

I must never send you trifles; for you always make me real presents in return. The beauty of the coin surprises me. Mr. White must be rich, when such are his duplicates. I am acquainted with him, and have often intended to visit his collection but it is one of those things one never does, because one always may. I give you a thousand thanks in return, and what are not worth more, my own print, Lord Herbert's Life, (this is curious, though it cost me little) and some orangeflowers. I wish you had mentioned the latter sooner: I have had an amazing profusion this year, and given them away to the right and left by handfulls. These are all I could collect to-day, as I was coming to town; but you shall have more, if you want them.

I consign these things as you ordered: I wish the print may arrive without being rumpled; it is difficult to convey mezzotintos :—but if this is spoiled, you shall have another.

If I make any stay in France, which I do not think I shall, above six weeks at most, you shall certainly hear from me :but I am a bad commissioner for searching you out a hermitage. It is too much against my interest: and I had much rather find you one in the neighbourhood of Strawberry. Adieu!

Dear sir, yours most sincerely.

To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq.

Arlington-street, Aug. 16, 1764.

I AM not gone north, so pray write to me. I am not going south, so pray come to me. The duke of Devonshire's journey to Spa has prevented the first, and twenty reasons the second; whenever, therefore, you are disposed to make a visit to Strawberry, it will rejoice to receive you in its old ruffs and fardingales, and without rouge, blonde, and run silks.

You have not said a word to me, ingrate as you are, about lord Herbert; does not he deserve one line? Tell me when I shall see you, that I may make no appointments to interfere with it. Mr. Conway, lady Ailesbury, and lady Lyttleton, have been at Strawberry with me for four and five days, so I am come to town to have my house washed; for you know I am a very Hollander in point of cleanliness. This town is a deplorable solitude; one meets nothing but Mrs. Holman, like the pelican in the wilderness. Adieu!

TO THE REV. MR. COLE.

Yours ever.

Strawberry-hill, August 29, 1764.

DEAR SIR,

Among the multitude of my papers, I have mislaid, though not lost, the account you were so good as to give me of your ancestor Tuer, as a painter. painter. I have been hunting for it, to insert it in the new edition of my Anecdotes. It is not very reasonable to save myself trouble at the expense of your's; but perhaps you can much sooner turn to your notes than I find your letter. Will you be so good as to send me soon all the particulars you recollect of him. I have a print of sir Lionel Jenkins from his painting.

I did not send you any more orange-flowers, as you desired; for the continued rains rotted all the latter blow: but I had made a vast pot-pourri, from whence you shall have as much as you please, when I have the pleasure of seeing you here, which

I should be glad might be in the beginning of October, if it suits your convenience. At the same time you shall have a print of lord Herbert, which I think I did not send you.

I am most truly yours.

P.S. I trust you will bring me a volume or two of your MSS. of which I am most thirsty.

TO THE HON. H. S. CONWAY.

September 1, 1764.

I SEND you the reply to "The Counter-address;" it is the lowest of all Grub-street, and I hear is treated so. They have nothing better to say, than that I am in love with you, have been so these twenty years, and am no giant. I am a very constant old swain: they might have made the years above thirty; it is so long I have had the same unalterable friendship for you, independent of being near relations and bred up together. For arguments, so far from any new ones, the man gives up or denies most of the former. I own I am rejoiced not only to see how little they can defend themselves, but to know the extent of their malice and revenge! They must be sorely hurt, when reduced to such scurrility. Yet there is one paragraph, however, which I think is of * * * * * * *'s own inditing. It says, I flattered, solicited, and then basely deserted him. I no more expected to hear myself accused of flattery, than of being in love with you; but I shall not laugh at the former as I do at the latter. Nothing but his own consummate vanity could suppose I had ever stooped to flatter him! or that any man was connected with him, but who was low enough to be paid for it. Where has he one such attachment?

You have your share, too-The miscarriage at Rochfort now directly laid at your door: repeated insinuations against your courage:—but I trust you will mind them no more than I do, excepting the flattery, which I shall not forget, I promise them.

1 A pamphlet written by Mr. Walpole, in answer to another, called "An Address to the Public on the late dismissal of a General Officer " [Or.]

2

I came to town yesterday on some business, and found a case. When I opened it, what was there but my lady Ailesbury's most beautiful of all pictures! Don't imagine I can think it intended for me, or that, if it could be so, I would hear of such a thing. It is far above what can be parted with, or accepted. I am serious—there is no letting such a picture, when one has accomplished it, go from where one can see it every day. I should take the thought equally kind and friendly, but she must let me bring it back, if I am not to do any thing else with it, and it came by mistake. I am not so selfish to deprive her of what she must have such pleasure in seeing. I shall have more satisfaction in seeing it at Park-place; where, in spite of the worst kind of malice, I shall persist in saying my heart is fixed. They may ruin me, but no calumny shall make me desert you. Indeed your case would be completely cruel, if it was more honourable for your relations and friends to abandon you than to stick to you. My option is made, and I scorn their abuse as much as I despise their power.

I think of coming to you on Thursday next for a day or two, unless your house is full, or you hear from me to the contrary. Adieu !

TO THE REV. DR. BIRCH.

Yours ever.

SIR,

September 3, 1764.

I AM extremely obliged to you for the favour of your letter, and the enclosed curious one of sir William Herbert. It would have made a very valuable addition to Lord Herbert's Life, which is now too late, as I have no hope that lord Powis will permit any more to be printed. There were indeed so very few, and but half of those for my share, that I have not it in my power to offer you a copy, having disposed of my part. It is really a pity that so singular a curiosity should not be public;-but I must not complain, as lord Powis has been so good as to indulge my request thus far.

2 A landscape executed in worsteds by lady Ailesbury. [Or.]