The Letters of Horace Walpole: Earl of Orford, Volume 4

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H.G. Bohn, 1861

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Page 269 - A certain man had two sons : and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me.
Page 328 - I completed in less than two months, that one evening, I wrote from the time I had drunk my tea, about six o'clock, till half an hour after one in the morning, when my hand and fingers were so weary, that I could not hold the pen to finish the sentence, but left Matilda and Isabella talking, in the middle of a paragraph.
Page 269 - And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country; and there he wasted his substance with riotous living.
Page 100 - If one could honour her more than one did before, it would be to see with what religion she keeps up the old dwelling and customs, as well as old servants, who you may imagine do not love her less than other people do. The garden is just as sir John Germain brought it from Holland ; pyramidal yews, treillages, and square cradle walks with windows clipped in them.
Page 407 - I sit silently reflecting how everything loses charms when one's own youth does not lend it gilding ! When we are divested of that eagerness and illusion with which our youth presents objects to us, we are but the caput mortuum of pleasure. Grave as these ideas are, they do not unfit me for French company. The present tone is serious enough in conscience. Unluckily the subjects of their conversation are duller to me than my own thoughts, which may be tinged with melancholy reflections, but I doubt...
Page 221 - He did ; shut the door again, and went directly and informed Lord Ilchester. Lady Susan was examined, flung herself at her father's feet, confessed all, vowed to break off — but — what a but ! — desired to see the loved object, and take a last leave.
Page 416 - ... last night. The President is very near deaf, and much nearer superannuated. He sits by the table : the mistress of the house, who formerly was his, inquires after every dish on the table, is told who has eaten of which, and then bawls the bill of fare of every individual into the President's ears. In short, every mouthful is proclaimed, and so is every blunder I make against grammar.
Page 191 - You would have almost laughed to see the spectres produced by both sides ; one would have thought that they had sent a search-warrant for Members of Parliament into every hospital. Votes were brought down in flannels and blankets, till the floor of the House looked like the pool of Bethesda.
Page 447 - In return for your kind line by Mr. Beauclerk I send you a whole letter, but I was in your debt before, for making over Madame du Deffand to me, who is delicious ; that is, as often as I can get her fifty years back ; but she is as eager about what happens every day as I am about the last century. I sup there twice a week, and bear all her dull company for the sake of the Regent.
Page 470 - She is two women, the upper and the lower. I need not tell you that the lower is gallant, and still has pretensions. The upper is very sensible, too, and has a measured eloquence that is just and pleasing, — but all is spoiled by an unrelaxed attention to applause. You would think she was always sitting for her picture to her biographer.

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