HORACE WALPOLE

AND HIS WORLD

SELECT PASSAGES FROM HIS LETTERS

EDITED BY

L. B. SEELEY, M.A.
Sometime Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge

CONTENTS.

ments

Travels

CHAPTER I.

Introduction - Birth and Parentage-Education - Appoint-

Parliamentary Career-Retirement

Fortune Strawberry Hill-Collections-Writings-Print-

ing Press-Accession to Title-Death--Character-Poli-

tical Conduct and Opinions-The Slave Trade-Strikes-

Views of Literature-Friendships-Charities-Chatterton-

Letters.

PAGE

CHAPTER II.

Country Life-Ranelagh Gardens-The Rebel Lords-The

Earthquake-A Frolic at Vauxhall-Capture of a House-

breaker-Strawberry Hill-The Beautiful Gunnings-Sterne 33

CHAPTER III.

A new Reign-Funeral of the late King-Houghton revisited

-Election at Lynn-Marriage of George III.-His Coro-

nation .

62

CHAPTER IV.

General Taste for Pleasure- Entertainments at Twickenham

and Esher-Miss Chudleigh's Ball-Masquerade at Rich-

mond House-The Gallery at Strawberry Hill-Balls-The

Duchess of Queensberry-Petition of the Periwig-makers-

Ladies' Head-gear-Almack's "The Castle of Otranto".

Plans for a Bower-A late Dinner-Walpole's Idle Life-

Social Usages

78

-

-

Parliament-

The Gout - Visits to Paris - Bath John Wesley — Bad

Weather English Summers Quitting

Madame du Deffand-Human Vanity-The Banks of the

Thames-A Subscription Masquerade-Extravagance of the

Age-The Pantheon-Visiting Stowe with Princess Amelia

-George Montagu-The Countess of Ossory-Powder-

Mills Blown up at Hounslow-Distractions of Business and

Pleasure

CHAPTER VI.

Lord Nuneham-Madame de Sévigné-Charles Fox-Mrs.

Clive and Cliveden-Goldsmith and Garrick-Dearth of

News-Madame de Trop-A Bunch of Grapes-General

Election-Perils by Land and Water-Sir Horace Mann-

Lord Clive-The History of Manners-A Traveller from

Lima-The Sçavoir Vivre Club-Reflections on Life-The

Pretender's Happiness—Paris Fashions-Madame du Def-

fand ill-Growth of London - Sir Joshua Reynolds-

Change in Manners-Our Climate

-

CHAPTER VII.

FAGB

99

124

The American War-Irish Discontent-Want of Money-The

Houghton Pictures sold-Removal to Berkeley Square-Ill-

health-A Painting by Zoffani-The Rage for News-

The Duke of Gloucester-Wilkes--Fashions, Old and New-

Mackerel News-Pretty Stories-Madame de Sévigné's

Cabinet-Picture of his Waldegrave Nieces-The Gordon

Riots-Death of Madame du Deffand-The Blue Stockings 151

CHAPTER VIII.

Walpole in his Sixty-fourth Year-The Royal Academy-

Tonton-Charles Fox-William Pitt-Mrs. Hobart's Sans

Souci-Improvements at Florence-Walpole's Dancing

Feats-No Feathers at Court--Highwaymen-Loss of the

Royal George-Mrs. Siddons-Peace-Its Social Conse-

quences-The Coalition-The Rivals-Political Excitement

-The Westminster Election-Political Caricatures-Con-

way's Retirement-Lady Harrington-Balloons-Illness-

Recovery

. 188