To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Strawberry-hill, June 10, 1765. I AM just come out of the garden in the most oriental of all evenings, and from breathing odours beyond those of Araby. The acacias, which the Arabians have the sense to worship, are covered with blossoms, the honeysuckles dangle from every tree in festoons, the seringas are thickets of sweets, and the new-cut hay in the field tempers the balmy gales with simple freshness, while a thousand sky-rockets launched into the air at Ranelagh or Marybone illuminate the scene, and give it an air of Haroun Alraschid's paradise. I was not quite so content by daylight; some foreigners dined here, and, though they admired our verdure, it mortified me by its brownness-we have not had a drop of rain this month to cool the tip of our daisies. My company was lady Lyttleton, lady Schaub, a madame de Juliac from the Pyreneans, very handsome, not a girl, and of lady Schaub's mould; the comte de Caraman, nephew of madame de Mirepoix, a monsieur de Clausonnette, and general Schouallow,' the favourite of the late czarina; absolute favourite for a dozen years, without making an enemy. In truth, he is very amicable, humble, and modest. Had he been ambitious, he might have mounted the throne: as he was not, you may imagine they have plucked his plumes a good deal. There is a little air of melancholy about him, and, if I am not mistaken, some secret wishes for the fall of the present empress, which, if it were civil to suppose, I could heartily join with him in hoping for. As we have still liberty enough left to dazzle a Russian, he seems charmed with England, and perhaps liked even this place the more as belonging to the son of one that, like himself, had been prime minister. If he has no more ambition left than I have, he must taste the felicity of being a private man. What has lord Bute gained, but the knowledge of how many ungrateful sycophants favour and power can create ? If you have received the parcel that I consigned to Richard 1 The comte de Schouwaloff. Walpole says in a note to one of madame du Deffand's letters, “Il fut favori et l'on croit mari de la Czarine Elizabeth "de Russie, et pendant douze ans de faveur ne fit point un ennemi." [Ed.] Brown for you, you will have found an explanation of my long silence. Thank you for being alarmed for my health. The day after to-morrow I go to Park-place for four or five days, and soon after to Goodwood. My French journey is still in suspense; lord Hertford talks of coming over for a fortnight; perhaps I may go back with him; but I have determined nothing yet, till I see farther into the present chase, that somehow or other I may take my leave of politics for ever; for can any thing be so wearisome as politics on the account of others? Good night; shall I not see you here? Yours ever. TO THE RIGHT HON. LADY HERVEY. Strawberry-hill, June 11, 1765. I AM almost as much ashamed, madam, to plead the true cause of my faults towards your ladyship, as to have been guilty of any neglect. It is scandalous, at my age, to have been carried backwards and forwards to balls and suppers and parties by very young people, as I was all last week. My resolutions of growing old and staid are admirable: I wake with a sober plan, and intend to pass the day with my friends-then comes the duke of Richmond, and hurries me down to Whitehall to dinner-then the duchess of Grafton sends for me to loo in Upper Grosvenorstreet-before I can get thither, I am begged to step to Kensington, to give Mrs. Anne Pitt my opinion about a bow windowafter the loo, I am to march back to Whitehall to supper-and after that, am to walk with miss Pelham on the terrass till two in the morning, because it is moonlight and her chair is not come. All this does not help my morning laziness; and, by the time I have breakfasted, fed my birds and my squirrels, and dressed, there is an auction ready. In short, madam, this was my life last week, and is I think every week, with the addition of forty episodes. Yet, ridiculous as it is, I send it your ladyship, because I had rather you should laugh at me than be angry. I cannot offend you in intention, but I fear my sins of omission are equal to many a good Christian's. Pray forgive me. I really will begin to be between forty and fifty by the time I am fourscore: and I truly believe I shall bring my resolutions within compass; for I have not chalked out any particular business that will take me above forty years more; so that, if I do not get acquainted with the grandchildren of all the present age, I shall lead a quiet sober life yet before I die. As Mr. Bateman's is the kingdom of flowers, I must not wish to send you any; else, madam, I could load waggons with acacias, honeysuckles, and seringas. Madame de Juliac, who dined here yesterday, owned that the climate and odours equalled Languedoc. I fear the want of rain made the turf put her in mind of it, too. Monsieur de Caraman entered into the gothic spirit of the place, and really seemed pleased, which was more than I expected; for, between you and me, madam, our friends the French have seldom eyes for any thing they have not been used to see all their lives. I beg my warmest compliments to your host and lord Ilchester.' I wish your ladyship all pleasure and health, and am, notwithstanding my idleness, Your most faithful and devoted humble servant. To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Arlington-street, Saturday night. I MUST scrawl a line to you, though with the utmost difficulty, for I am in my bed; but I see they have foolishly put it into the Chronicle that I am dangerously ill; and as I know you take in that paper, and are one of the very, very few, of whose tenderness and friendship I have not the smallest doubt, I give myself pain, rather than let you feel a moment's, unnecessarily. It is true, I have had a terrible attack of the gout in my stomach, head, and both feet, but have truly never been in danger any more than one must be in such a situation. My head and stomach 1 Stephen Fox, son of sir Stephen Fox, one of the lords of the treasury after the restoration of Charles II., was created, 14th May 1741, lord Ilchester, of Ilchester, county Somerset, and baron Strangways, county Dorset. His lordship was subsequently created, 3d January 1746-7, lord Ilchester and Stavordale, baron of Redlynch, county Somerset, and on the 5th June 1756, he was elevated to an earldom as earl of Ilchester. [Ed.] are perfectly well; my feet far from it. I have kept my room since this day se'nnight, and my bed these three days, but hope to get up to morrow. You know my writing and my veracity, and that I would not deceive you. As to my person, it will not be so easy to reconnoitre it, for I question whether any of it will remain; it was easy to annihilate so airy a substance. Adieu. Yours most truly. TO THE HON. H. S. CONWAY. Wednesday noon, July 3, 1765. THE footing part of my dance with my shocking partner the gout is almost over. I had little pain there this last night, and got, at twice, about three hours sleep; but whenever I waked found my head very bad, which Mr. Graham thinks gouty too. The fever is still very high: but the same sage is of opinion, with my lady Londonderry, that if it was a fever from death, I should die; but as it is only a fever from the gout, I shall live. I think so too, and hope that, like the duke and duchess of Marlborough, they are so inseparable, that when one goes t'other will. Tell lady Ailesbury, I fear it will be long before I shall be able to compass all your terraces again. The weather is very hot, and I have the comfort of a window open all day. I have got a bushel of roses too, and a new scarlet nightingale, which does not sing Nancy Dawson' from morning to night. Perhaps you think all these poor pleasures; but you are ignorant what a provocative the gout is, and what charms it can bestow on a moment's amusement! Oh! it beats all the refinements of a Roman sensualist. It has made even my watch a darling plaything; I strike it as often as a child does. Then the disorder of my sleep diverts me when I am awake. I dreamt that I went to see madame de Bentheim at Paris, and that she 1 A very popular song at that time, which Walpole seems to have considered it as desirable not to hear, as John Cramer did some recent popular melodies, which in their day were equally intrusive. "Remember," said the musician to a footboy whom he was engaging-" Remember there are two things I insist on that you never let me hear you mention the name of Fauntleroy, or whistle a tune from the "Freischutz." [Ed.] had the prettiest palace in the world, built like a pavilion, of yellow laced with blue; that I made love to her daughter, whom I called mademoiselle bleue et jaune, and thought it very clever. My next reverie was very serious, and lasted half an hour after I was awake; which you will perhaps think a little lightheaded, and so do f. I thought Mr. Pitt had had a conference with madame de Bentheim, and granted all her demands. I rung for Louis at six in the morning, and wanted to get up and inform myself of what had been kept so secret from me. You must know, that all these visions of madame de Bentheim flowed from George Selwyn telling me last night, that she had carried most of her points, and was returning. What stuff I tell you! But, alas! I have nothing better to do, sitting on my bed, and wishing to forget how brightly the sun shines, when I cannot be at Strawberry. To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq. Arlington-street, July 11, 1765. You are so good, I must write you a few lines, and you will excuse my not writing many, my posture is so uncomfortable, lying on a couch by the side of my bed, and writing on the bed. I have in this manner been what they call out of bed for two days, but I mend very slowly, and get no strength in my feet at all; however, I must have patience. Thank you for your kind offer; but, my dear sir, you can do me no good but what you always do me, in coming to see me. I should hope that would be before I go to France, whither I certainly go the beginning of September, if not sooner. The great and happy change,-happy, I hope, for this country,―is actually begun. The duke of Bedford, George Grenville, and the two secretaries are discarded. Lord Rockingham is first lord of the treasury, Dowdswell chancellor of the exchequer, the duke of Grafton and Mr. Conway secretaries of state. You need not wish me joy, for I know you do. There is a good deal more to come, and what is better, regulation of general warrants, and undoing of at least some of the mischiefs these have been committing; some, indeed, is past recovery! I long |