and so I will say no more. I wish you joy of the treasure you have discovered: six Saxon bishops and a duke of Northumberland! You have had fine sport this season. Thank you much for wishing to see my name on a plate in the History. But, seriously, I have no such vanity. I did my utmost to dissuade Mr. Granger from the dedication, and took especial pains to get my virtues left out of the question; till I found he would be quite hurt if I did not let him express his gratitude, as he called it: so, to satisfy him, I was forced to accept of his present; for I doubt I have few virtues but what he has presented me with: and in a dedication, you know, one is permitted to have as many as the author can afford to bestow. I really have another objection to the plate; which is, the ten guineas. I have so many draughts on my extravagance for trifles, that I like better than vanity, that I should not care to be at that expense. But I should think either the duke or duchess of Northumberland would rejoice at such opportunity of buying incense; and I will tell you what you shall do. Write to Mr. Percy, and vaunt the discovery of duke Brithnoth's bones, and ask him to move their graces to contribute a plate. They could not be so unnatural as to refuse; especially if the duchess knew the size of his thighbone.

I was very happy to show civilities to your friends, and should have asked them to stay and dine, but unluckily expected other company. Dr. Ewin seems a very good sort of man, and Mr. Rawlinson a very agreeable one. Pray do not think it was any trouble to me to pay respect to your recommendation.

I have been eagerly reading Mr. Shenstone's letters, which,

1 The following is an extract from a previous letter of Mr. Cole's, and to this Mr. Walpole alludes. "An old wall being to be taken down behind the choir [at Ely] on which were painted seven figures of six Saxon bishops and a duke, as he is called, of Northumberland, one Brithnoth: which painting I take to be as old as any we have in England-I guessed by seven arches in the wall, below the figures, that the bones of these seven benefactors to the old Saxon conventual church were reposited in the wall under them accordingly, we found seven separate holes, each with the remains of the said persons," &c. &c. Mr. Cole proposed that Mr. Walpole should contribute an engraving from this painting to the History of Ely Cathedral, a work about to be published, or to use his interest to induce the duke of Northumberland to do so. [Or.]

though containing nothing but trifles, amused me extremely, as they mention so many persons I know; particularly myself. I found there, what I did not know, and what, I believe, Mr. Gray himself never knew, that his ode on my cat was written to ridicule Lord Lyttelton's monody. It is just as true as that the latter will survive, and the former be forgotten. There is another anecdote equally vulgar, and void of truth: that my father, sitting in George's coffee-house (I suppose Mr. Shenstone thought that, after he quitted his place, he went to the coffee-houses to learn news,) was asked to contribute to a figure of himself that was to be beheaded by the mob. I do remember something like it, but it happened to myself. I met a mob, just after my father was out, in Hanover-square, and drove up to it to know what was the matter. They were carrying about a figure of my sister. This probably gave rise to the other story. That on my uncle I never heard; but it is a good story, and not at all improbable. I felt great pity on reading these letters for the narrow circumstances of the author, and the passion for fame that he was tormented with; and yet he had much more fame than his talents entitled him to. Poor man! he wanted to have all the world talk of him for the pretty place he had made; and which he seems to have made only that it might be talked of. The first time

a company came to see my house, I felt his joy. I am now so tired of it, that I shudder when the bell rings at the gate. It is as bad as keeping an inn, and I am often tempted to deny its being shown, if it would not be ill-natured to those that come, and to my house-keeper. I own, I was one day too cross. I had been plagued all the week with staring crowds. At last, it rained a deluge. Well, said I, at last, nobody will come today. The words were scarce uttered, when the bell rang. A company desired to see the house. I replied, "Tell them they cannot possibly see the house, but they are very welcome to walk in the garden.”

Observe: nothing above alludes to Dr. Ewin and Mr. Rawlinson: I was not only much pleased with them, but quite glad to show them how entirely you may command my house, and your most sincere friend and servant.

DEAR SIR,

TO THE REV. MR. COLE.

Strawberry-hill, Monday, June 26, 1769.

Oh! yes, yes, I shall like Thursday or Friday, 6th or 7th, exceedingly; I shall like your staying with me two days exceedinglier; and longer exceedingliest and I will carry you back to Cambridge on our pilgrimage to Ely. But I should not at all like to be catched in the glories of an installation, and find myself a doctor, before I knew where I was. It will be much more agreeable to find the whole caput asleep, digesting turtle, dreaming of bishoprics, and humming old catches of Anacreon, and scraps of Corelli. I wish Mr. Gray may not be set out for the north; which is rather the case than setting out for the summer. We have no summers, I think, but what we raise, like pineapples, by fire. My hay is an absolute water-soochy, and teaches me how to feel for you. You are quite in the right to sell your fief in Marshland. I should be glad if you would take one step more, and quit Marshland. We live, at least, on terra firma in this part of the world, and can saunter out without stilts. Item, we do not wade into pools, and call it going upon the water, and get sore throats. I trust yours is better; but I recollect this is not the first you have complained of. Pray be not incorrigible, but come to shore.

Be so good as to thank Mr. Smith, my old tutor, for his corrections. If ever the Anecdotes are reprinted, I will certainly profit of them.

I joked, it is true, about Joscelin de Louvain,' and his duchess:

1 The duke of Northumberland. His Grace having been originally a baronet, sir Hugh Smithson, and having married the daughter of Algernon Seymour, duke of Somerset and earl of Northumberland, in 1750 assumed the surname and arms of Percy, and was created duke of Northumberland in 1766. Walpole's allusion is to his becoming a Percy by marriage, as Joscelin had done before him: Agnes de Percy, daughter of William de Percy the third baron, having only consented to marry Joscelin of Lovain, brother of queen Adelicia, second wife of Henry I., and son of Godfrey Barbatus, duke of Lower Lorraine and count of Brabant, who was descended from the emperor Charlemagne, upon his agreeing to adopt either the surname or arms of Percy. He accordingly assumed the name, and retained his paternal

but not at all in advising you to make Mr. Percy pimp for the plate. On the contrary, I wish you success, and think this an infallible method of obtaining the benefaction. It is right to lay vanity under contribution; for then both sides are pleased.

It will not be easy for you to dine with Mr. Grainger from hence, and return at night. It cannot be less than six or sevenand-twenty miles to Shiplake. But I go to Park-place to-morrow [Mr. Henry Conway's], which is within two miles of him, and I will try if 1 can tempt him to meet you here. Adieu!

TO THE EARL OF STRAFFORD.

Arlington-street, July 3, 1769.

WHEN you have been so constantly good to me, my dear lord, without changing, do you wonder that our friendship has lasted so long? Can I be insensible to the honour or pleasure of your acquaintance? When the advantage lies so much on my side, am I likely to alter the first? Oh, but it will last now! We have seen friendships without number born and die. Ours was not formed on interest, nor alliance; and politics, the poison of all English connections, never entered into ours. You have given me a new proof by remembering the chapel of Luton. I hear it is to be preserved; and am glad of it, though I might have been the better for its ruins.

I should have answered your lordship's last post, but was at Park-place. I think lady Ailesbury quite recovered; though her illness has made such an impression that she does not yet believe it.

It is so settled that we are never to have tolerable weather in June, that the first hot day was on Saturday-hot by comparison; for I think it is three years since we have really felt the feel of summer. I was, however, concerned to be forced to come

arms, in order to perpetuate his claim to the principality of his father, should the elder line of the reigning duke at any period become extinct. This fact is expressly mentioned in the great pedigree at Sion house-"The ancient arms of Hainault the lord Jocelin retained, and gave his children the surname of Percy." [Ed.]

to town yesterday on some business; for, however the country feels, it looks divine, and the verdure we buy so dear is delicious. I shall not be able, I fear, to profit of it this summer in the loveliest of all places, as I am to go to Paris in August. But next year I trust I shall accompany Mr. Conway and lady Ailesbury to Wentworth-castle. I shall be glad to visit Castle Howard and Beverley; but neither would carry me so far, if Wentworthcastle was not in the way.

The Chatelets are gone, without any more battles with the Russians. The papers say the latter have been beaten by the Turks; which rejoices me, though against all rules of politics: but I detest that murderess, and like to have her humbled. I don't know that this piece of news is true: it is enough to me that it is agreeable. I had rather take it for granted, than be at the trouble of inquiring about what I have so little to do

1 The duc de Chatelet, the French ambassador, had affronted comte Czernicheff, the Russian ambassador, at a ball at court, for precedence; and a challenge ensued: but their meeting was prevented. [Or.] The marquis de Chatelet published a statement upon the occasion, in which he accused the Russian ambassador of having, in compliance with the directions of the empress, sought to obtain precedence at court before all the other ambassadors, and of having, accordingly, repaired to court on the evening of the king's birth-day an hour before the usual time, and thereby secured a seat next to the imperial ambassador. That being determined to support the dignity of his court, he (the comte de Chatelet) took the first opportunity of placing himself according to his national rank, in which he was followed by the Spanish ambassador; upon which comte Czernicheff said, " Sir, if you had desired me to give you that place, I should have consented.” Whereupon de Chatelet replied, "that he did not intend to desire, nor to receive that place as a thing consented to by another, but to take it as his right, and in obedience to the commands of his master." In reply to this address, a counter-statement appeared, in which it was said the explanation would have come with a better grace had the comte (who was gone also to Paris at the time of its publication, leaving M. de Bataille de François as chargé d'affaires) staid here to justify it. "For," said the reply, "every Englishman at court knows that the count's toes were crushed, and that too with a vengeance; and there is not a Frenchman in London but knows, too, that the Russian ambassador dared him to resent the affront." [Ed.]

2 Before Choczim. The Russians were at first victorious; but, like the king of Prussia at the battle of Zorendorff, they dispatched the messenger with the news too soon; for the Turks, having recovered their surprise, returned to the charge, and repulsed the Russians with great slaughter. [Ed.]