I wrote to you last Thursday; and, by Lady Hertford's advice, directed my letter to Nine-Wells: I hope you will receive it. Yours ever. TO GEORGE MONTAGU, ESQ. Strawberry Hill, Dec. 12, 1766. PRAY what are you doing? Or reading or feeding? Or drinking or thinking? Or praying or playing? Or walking or talking? Or riding about to your neighbours? 1 I AM sure you are not writing, for I have not had a word from you this century; nay, nor you from me. In truth, we have had a busy month, and many grumbles of a state-quake; but the session has however ended very triumphantly for the great Earl. I mean, we are adjourned for the holidays for above a month, after two divisions of one hundred and sixtysix to forty-eight, and one hundred and forty to fifty-six. The Earl chaffered for the Bedfords, and who so willing as they? 3 However, the bargain went off, and they are forced 'Thus playfully imitated by Lord Byron, in December 1816:"What are you doing now, oh Thomas Moore? Sighing or suing now? Rhyming or wooing now? Billing or cooing now? Which, Thomas Moore?"-E. * On the bill of indemnity for those concerned in the embargo on the exportation of corn.-E. The following is Lord Chesterfield's account of this negotiation :"No mortal can comprehend the present state of affairs. Eight or nine persons, of some consequence, have resigned their employments; upon which, Lord Chatham made overtures to the Duke of Bedford and his people; but they could by no means agree, and his grace went the next day, full of wrath, to Woburn; so that negotiation is entirely at an end. People wait to see who Lord Chatham will take in, for some he must have; even he cannot be alone, contra mundum. Such a state of affairs, to be sure, was never seen before, in this or in any other country. When this ministry shall be settled, it will be the sixth in six years' time."-E. to return to George Grenville. Lord Rockingham and the Cavendishes have made a jaunt to the same quarter, but could carry only eight along with them, which swelled that little minority to fifty-six. I trust and I hope it will not rise higher in haste. Your cousin, I hear, has been two hours with the Earl, but to what purpose I know not. Nugent is made Lord Clare, I think to no purpose at all. I came hither to-day for two or three days, and to empty my head. The weather is very warm and comfortable. When do you move your tents southward? I left little news in town, except politics. That pretty young woman, Lady Fortrose,' Lady Harrington's eldest daughter, is at the point of death, killed, like Coventry and others, by white lead, of which nothing could break her. Lord Beauchamp is going to marry the second Miss Windsor. It is odd that those two ugly girls, though such great fortunes, should get the two best figures in England, him and Lord Mount-Stuart. The Duke of York is erecting a theatre at his own palace, and is to play Lothario in the Fair Penitent himself. Apropos, have you seen that delightful paper composed out of scraps in the newspapers? I laughed till I cried, and literally burst out so loud, that I thought Favre, who was waiting in the next room, would conclude I was in a fit; I mean the paper that says, "This day his Majesty will go in state to fifteen notorious," &c. &c.3 1 Caroline, eldest daughter of William second Earl of Harrington; married, on the 7th of October 1765, to Kenneth M'Kenzie, created Baron of Andeloe, Viscount Fortrose and Earl of Seaforth in the peerage of Ireland. Her ladyship died on the 9th of February 1767.-E. 2 Francis Lord Beauchamp, son of the first Marquis of Hertford. His first wife, by whom he had no issue, was Alice Elizabeth, youngest daughter and coheiress of Herbert second Viscount Windsor. This lady died in 1772; when his lordship married, secondly, in 1776, Isabella Anne, daughter and heiress of Charles Ingram, Viscount Irvine of Scotland.-E. 3 Cross-readings from the Public Advertiser, by Caleb Whitefoord. [The paper was entitled, "A New Method of reading the Newspapers,' and was subscribed, " Papyrjus Cursor;" a signature which Dr. Johnson thought singularly happy, it being the real name of an ancient Roman, It is the newest piece of humour, except the Bath Guide, that TO GEORGE MONTAGU, ESQ. Arlington Street, Dec. 16, 1766. I WROTE to you last post on the very day I ought to have received yours; but being at Strawberry, did not get it in time. Thank you for your offer of a doe; you know when I dine at home here, it is quite alone, and venison frightens my little meal; yet, as half of it is designed for dimidium animæ meæ Mrs. Clive (a pretty round half), I must not refuse it; venison will make such a figure at her Christmas gambols! only let me know when and how I am to receive it, that she may prepare the rest of her banquet; I will convey it to her. I don't like your wintering so late in the country. Adieu! TO GEORGE MONTAGU, ESQ. Tuesday, Jan. 13, 1767. I AM going to eat some of your venison, and dare to say it is very good; I am sure you are, and thank you for it. Catherine, I do not doubt, is up to the elbows in currant jelly and gratitude. I have lost poor Louis, who died last week at and expressive of the thing done in this lively conceit of which the following may serv a specimen : "Yesterday Dr. Jones preached at St. James's and performed it with ease in less than 15 minutes. Strawberry. He had no fault but what has fallen upon himself, poor soul! drinking: his honesty and good-nature were complete; and I am heartily concerned for him, which I shall seldom say so sincerely. There has been printed a dull complimentary letter to me on the quarrel of Hume and Rousseau. In one of the reviews they are so obliging as to say I wrote it myself: it is so dull, that I should think they wrote it themselves-a kind of abuse I should dislike much more than their criticism. Are not you frozen, perished? How do you keep yourself alive on your mountain? I scarce stir from my fire-side. I have scarce been at Strawberry for a day this whole Christmas, and there is less appearance of a thaw to-day than ever. There has been dreadful havoc at Margate and Aldborough, and along the coast. At Calais, the sea rose above sixty feet perpendicular, which makes people conclude there has been an earthquake somewhere or other. I shall not think of my journey to France yet; I suffered too much with the cold last year at Paris, where they have not the least idea of comfortable, but sup in stone halls, with all the doors open. Adieu! I must go dress for the drawing-room of the Princess of Wales. Yours ever. TO DR. DUCAREL. April 25, 1767. MR. WALPOLE has been out of town, or should have thanked Dr. Ducarel sooner for the obliging favour of his most curious and valuable work,1 which Mr. Walpole has read with the greatest pleasure and satisfaction. He will be very much obliged to Dr. Ducarel if he will favour him with a set of the prints separate; which Mr. Walpole would be glad to put into his volumes of English Heads; and shall be happy to have an opportunity of returning these obligations. 1 Entitled "Anglo-Norman Antiquities considered, in a Tour through part of Normandy."-E. VOL. V. N TO THE EARL OF STRAFFORD. MY DEAR LORD, Strawberry Hill, July 29, 1767. I AM very sorry that I must speak of a loss that will give you and Lady Strafford concern; an essential loss to me, who am deprived of a most agreeable friend, with whom I passed here many hours. I need not say I mean poor Lady Suffolk.' I was with her two hours on Saturday night; and, indeed, found her much changed, though I did not apprehend her in danger. I was going to say she complained - but you know she never did complain of the gout and rheumatism all over her, particularly in her face. It was a cold night, and she sat below stairs when she should have been in bed; and I doubt this want of care was prejudicial. I sent next morning. She had a bad night; but grew much better in the evening. Lady Dalkeith came to her; and, when she was gone, Lady Suffolk said to Lord Chetwynd, "She would eat her supper in her bed-chamber." He went up with her, and thought the appearances promised a good night: but she was scarce sat down in her chair, before she pressed her hand to her side, and died in half an hour. I believe both your lordship and Lady Strafford will be surprised to hear that she was by no means in the situation that most people thought. Lord Chetwynd and myself were the only persons at all acquainted with her affairs, and they were far from being even easy to her. It is due to her memory to say, that I never saw more strict honour and justice. She bore knowingly the imputation of being covetous, at a time that the strictest economy could by no means prevent her exceeding her income considerably. The anguish of the last years of her life, though concealed, flowed from the apprehension of not satisfying her few wishes, which were, not to be in debt, and to make a provision for Miss Hotham. I can give your lordship strong instances of the sacrifices she tried 1 Henrietta Hobart, Countess of Suffolk. She died at Marble Hall, on the 24th of July.-E. 'Her great-niece. |