To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq.

Arlington-street, March 22, 1762.

You may fancy what you will, but the eyes of all the world are not fixed upon Ireland. Because you have a little virtue, and a lord lieutenant, that refuses four thousand pounds a year, and a chaplain of a lord lieutenant, that declines a huge bishoprick, and a secretary, 3 whose eloquence can convince a nation of blunderers, you imagine that nothing is talked of but the castle of Dublin. In the first place, virtue may sound its own praises, but it never is praised; and, in the next place, there are other feats besides self-denials; and for eloquence, we overflow with it. Why, the single eloquence of Mr. Pitt, like an annihilated star, can shine many months after it has set. I tell you it has conquered Martinico. If you will not believe me, read the gazette, read Moncton's letter; there is more martial spirit in it than in half Thucydides, and in all the grand Cyrus. Do you think Demosthenes or Themistocles ever raised the Grecian stocks two per cent. in four-and-twenty hours? I shall burn all my Greek and Latin books; they are histories of little people. The Romans never conquered the world, till they had conquered three parts of it, and were three hundred years about it; we subdue the globe in three campaigns; and a globe, let me tell you, as big again as it was in their days. Perhaps you may think me proud; but you don't know that I had some share in the reduction of Martinico; the express was brought by my godson, Mr. Horatio Gates;5 and I have a very good precedent for attributing some of the glory to myself: I have by me a love-letter, written during my father's administration, by a

The Irish House of Commons having voted an address to the king to increase the salary of the lord lieutenant, the earl of Halifax declined having any augmentation. [Or.]

2 Doctor Crane, chaplain to the earl of Halifax, had refused the bishoprick of Elphin. [Or.]

3 Mr. Hamilton. [Or.]

4 General Moncton's letter, containing an account of the capitulation of the Isle of Martinique, on the 4th February 1762, appeared in the London Gazette Extraordiaary, on the 23d March. [Ed.]

5 Major Gates, one of General Moncton's aides-de-camp. [Ed.]

journeyman tailor to my brother's second chambermaid; his offers were honourable; he proposed matrimony, and to better his terms, informed her of his pretensions to a place; they were founded on what he called, some services to the government. As the nymph could not read, she carried the epistle to the housekeeper to be deciphered, by which means it came into my hands. I enquired what were the merits of Mr. vice Crispin; was informed that he had made the suit of clothes for a figure of lord Marr, that was burned after the rebellion. I hope now you don't hold me too presumptuous for pluming myself on the reduction of Martinico. However, I shall not aspire to a post, nor to marry my lady Bute's Abigail. I only trust my services to you as a friend, and do not mean under your temperate administration to get the list of Irish pensions loaded with my name, though I am godfather to Mr. Horatio Gates.

The duchess of Grafton and the English have been miraculously preserved at Rome by being at loo, instead of going to a great concert, where the palace fell in, and killed ten persons and wounded several others. I shall send orders to have an altar dedicated in the capitol.

Pammio O. M.

Capitolino

Ob Annam Ducissam de Grafton

Merito Incolumem.

I tell you of it now, because I don't know whether it will be worth while to write another letter on purpose. Lord Albemarle takes up the victorious grenadiers at Martinico, and in six weeks will conquer the Havannah. Adieu!

Yours ever,

HORATIO.

To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq.

Arlington-street, April 29, 1762.

I AM most absurdly glad to hear you are returned well and safe, of which I have at this moment received your account from Hankelow, where you talk of staying a week. However, not knowing the exact day of your departure, I direct this to Great

worth, that it may rather wait for you, than you for it, if it should go into Cheshire and not find you there. As I should ever be sorry to give you any pain, I hope I shall not be the first to tell you of the loss of poor lady Charlotte Johnstone, who, after a violent fever of less than a week, was brought to bed yesterday morning of a dead child, and died herself at four in the afternoon. I heartily condole with you, as I know your tenderness for all your family, and the regard you have for colonel Johnstone. The time is wonderfully sickly; nothing but sore throats, colds, and fevers. I got rid of one of the worst of these disorders, attended with a violent cough, by only taking seven grains of James's powder for six nights. It was the first cough I ever had, and when coughs meet with so spare a body as mine, they are not apt to be so easily conquered. Take great care of yourself, and bring the fruits of your expedition in perfection to Strawberry. I shall be happy to see you there whenever you please. I have no immediate purpose of settling there yet, as they are laying floors, which is very noisy, and as it is uncertain when the parliament will rise; but I would go there at any time to meet you. The town will empty instantly after the king's birth-day; and consequently I shall then be less broken in upon, which I know you do not like. If, therefore, it suits you, any time you will name after the fifth of June will be equally agreeable; but sooner if you like it better.

We have little news at present, except a profusion of new peerages, but are likely I think to have much greater shortly. The ministers disagree, and quarrel with as much alacrity as ever; and the world expects a total rupture between lord Bute and the late king's servants. This comedy has been so often represented, it scarce interests one, especially one who takes no part, and who is determined to have nothing to do with the world, but hearing and seeing the scenes it furnishes.

The new peers, I don't know their rank, scarce their titles, are lord Wentworth and sir William Courtenay,3 viscounts ;

1 Sister to the earl of Halifax. [Or.]

2 Edward lord Wentworth, created 1st May 1762, viscount Wentworth, of Wellsborough, Leicestershire. [Ed.]

3 Sir W. Courtney, Bart. created 1st May 1762, viscount Courtney, of Powderham Castle, Devon. [Ed.]

8

lord Egmont, lord Milton,5 Vernon of Sudbury, old Fox-lane,7 sir Edward Montagu, barons; and lady Caroline Fox, a baroness; the duke of Newcastle 10 is created lord Pelham, with an entail to Tommy Pelham; and lord Brudenel is called to the House of Lords, as lord Montagu." The duchess of Manchester was to have had the peerage alone, and wanted the latter title: her sister, very impertinently, I think, as being the younger, objected and wished her husband marquis of Monthermer. This difference has been adjusted, by making sir Edward Montagu lord Beaulieu, and giving the title of the family to lord Brudenel. With pardon of your Cu-blood, I hold, that lord Cardigan makes a very trumpery figure by so meanly relinquishing all Brudenelhood.

Adieu! let me know soon when you will keep your Strawberry tide. Yours ever.

P.S. Lord Anson 12 is in a very bad way; and Mr. Fox, I think, is not in a much better.

4 The Rt. Hon. John Percival, earl of Egmont in Ireland, was created baron Lovel and Holland, of Enmore, Somersetshire. [Ed.]

5 The right hon. Joseph, lord Milton, baron Milton of Shrone Hall in Ireland, was created baron Milton of Milton Abbey, Dorset. [Ed.]

6 George Venables Vernon, of Sudbury, Derbyshire, esq. created lord Vernon, baron of Kinderton, Cheshire. [Ed.]

7 George Fox Lane, esq., of Bramham, Yorkshire, and his heirs male by Harriot, his then wife, baron Bingley, in Yorkshire. [Ed.]

8 Sir Edward Montagu, of Ditton Park, Bucks., and his heirs male by his wife Isabella, duchess dowager of Manchester, baron Beaulieu of Beaulieu, Hants. [Ed.]

9 Lady Caroline Fox, created lady Holland, baroness of Holland, county Lincoln, with the dignity of lord Holland to her heirs male. [Ed.]

10 His grace the duke of Newcastle, created baron Pelham of Stanmer, with remainder, in default of issue, to Thomas Pelham of Stanmer, Sussex. [Ed.]

" John Montagu, commonly called lord Brudenell, created baron Montagu of Broughton, Northamptonshire. [Ed.]

12 The death of his lordship, who was at the time first lord of the Admiralty, commander-in-chief of His Majesty's fleet, &c. took place at his seat, Moor Park, Herts., June 6th, 1762. [Ed.]

To GEORGE MONTAGU, Esq.

Arlington-street, May 14, 1762.

It is very hard, when you can plunge over head and ears in Irish claret, and not have even your heel vulnerable by the gout, that such a Pythagorean as I am should be subject to it! It is not two years since I had it last, and here am I with my foot again upon cushions. But I will not complain; the pain is trifling, and does little more than prevent my frisking about. If I can bear the motion of the chariot, I shall drive to Strawberry tomorrow; for I had rather only look at verdure and hear my nightingales from the bow-window, than receive visits and listen to news. I can give you no certain satisfaction relative to the viceroy, your cousin. It is universally said that he has no mind to return to his dominions, and pretty much believed that he will succeed to lord Egremont's seals, who will not detain them long from whoever is to be his successor.

I am sorry you have lost another Montagu, the duke of Manchester. Your cousin Guildford is among the competitors for chamberlain to the queen. The duke of Chandos, lord Northumberland, and even the duke of Kingston,3 are named as other candidates; but surely they will not turn the latter loose into another chamber of maids of honour! Lord Cantelupe has asked to rise from vice-chamberlain, but met with little encouragement. It is odd that there are now seventeen English and Scotch dukes unmarried, and but seven out of twenty-seven have the garter.

It is comfortable to me to have a prospect of seeing Mr. Corway soon; the ruling part of the administration are disposed to recal our troops from Germany. In the meantime, our officers and their wives are embarked for Portugal-what must Europe think of us when we make wars and assemblies all over the world?

1 The earl of Halifax was gazetted first lord of the admiralty on the 19th June, 1762, in the room of lord Anson. [Ed.]

2 Robert Montagu, third duke of Manchester, lord chamberlain to the queen, died 10th May, 1762, and was succeeded by his eldest son George, fourth duke, who dying in 1788, was succeeded by his eldest son William, the present and fifth duke. [Ed.]

The earl of Shelburne was named to that office. [Ed.]