1 of Prussia had made a separate peace with France; as the Speech was prepared to ask money for him, it was necessary to set it to a new tune; but we have been agreeably surprised with his gaining a great victory over the Prince de Soubize; but of this we have only the first imperfect account, the wind detaining his courier or aide-de-camp on the other side still. It is prodigious how we want all the good news we can mass together! Our fleet dispersed by a tempest in America, where, into the bargain, we had done nothing, the uneasiness on the convention at Stade, which, by this time, I believe we have broken, and on the disappointment about Rochfort, added to the wretched state of our internal affairs; all this has reduced us to a most contemptible figure. The people are dissatisfied, mutinous, and ripe for insurrections, which indeed have already appeared on the Militia and on the dearness of corn, which is believed to be owing to much villainy in the dealers. But the other day I saw a strange sight, a man crying corn, "Do you want any corn ?" as they cry knives and scissors. To add to the confusion, the troubles in Ireland, which Mr. Conway had pacified, are broke out afresh, by the imprudence of the Duke of Bedford and the ambition of the Primate [Stone]. The latter had offered himself to the former, who rejected him, meaning to balance the parties, but was insensibly hurried into Lord Kildare's,' to please Mr. Fox. The Primate's faction have passed eleven resolutions on pensions and grievances, equal to any in 1641, and the Duke of Bedford's friends dared not say a word against them. The day before yesterday a messenger arrived from him for help; the council here will try to mollify; but Ireland is no tractable country. About what you will be more inquisitive, is the disappointment at Rochfort, and its consequences. Sir John Mordaunt demanded an inquiry which the City was going to demand. The Duke of Marlborough, Lord George Sackville, and General Waldegrave have held a public inquest, with the fairness of which people are satisfied; the report is not to be made to the King till to-morrow, for which I shall reserve my letter. You may easily imagine, that with all my satisfaction in Mr. Conway's behaviour, I am very unhappy about him he is still more so; having guarded and gained the most 1 The battle of Rosbach.-WALPOLE. 2 Lady Kildare was sister of Lady Caroline Fox.-WALPOLE. 3 Walpole, in his Memoires of George II., states that "the Duke of Bedford, on the death of the King's sister, the Queen Dowager of Prussia, who had privately received a pension of eight hundred pounds a-year out of the Irish establishment, had obtained it for his wife's sister, Lady Betty Waldegrave."-WRIGHT. perfect character in the world by the severest attention to it, you may guess what he feels under anything that looks like a trial. You will see him more like himself, in a story his aide-de-camp, Captain Hamilton,' tells of him. While they were on the isle of Aix, Mr. Conway was so careless and so fearless as to be trying a burning-glass on a bomb-yes, a bomb, the match of which had been cut short to prevent its being fired by any accidental sparks of tobacco. Hamilton snatched the glass out of Mr. Conway's hand before he had at all thought what he was about. I can tell you another story of him, that describes all his thought for others, while so indifferent about himself. Being with my Lady Ailesbury in his absence, I missed a favourite groom they used to have; she told me this story. The fellow refused to accompany Mr. Conway on the expedition, unless he would provide for his widow in case of accidents. Mr. C., who had just made his will and settled his affairs, replied coolly, "I have provided for her." The man, instead of being struck, had the command of himself to ask how? He was toid, she would have two hundred pounds. Still uncharmed, he said it was too little! Mr. Conway replied he was sorry he was not content; he could not do more; but would only desire him to go to Portsmouth and see his horses embarked. He refused. If such goodness would make one adore human nature, such ingratitude would soon cure one! Mr. Fox was going to write to you, but I took all the compliments upon myself, as I think it is better for you to be on easy than ceremonious terms. To promote this, I have established a correspondence between you; he will be glad if you will send him two chests of the best Florence wine every year. The perpetuity destroys all possibility of your making him presents of it. I have compounded for the vases, but he would not hear, nor must you think of giving him the wine, which you must transact with your brother and me. The chest of Florence which puzzled James and me so much, proves to be Lord Hertford's drams. We have got something else from Florence, not your brother James and I, but the public: here is arrived a Countess Rena, of whom my Lord Pembroke bought such quantities of Florence, &c. I shall wonder if he 1 Afterwards Sir William Hamilton, appointed, in 1764, envoy to the court of Naples, where he resided during the long period of thirty-six years; and where, "wisely diverting," in the language of Gibbon, “his correspondence from the secretary of state to the Royal Society and British Museum, he passed his time in elucidating a country of inestimable value to the naturalist and antiquarian." He returned to England in 1800, and died in 1803.-WRIGHT. You have no notion deals with her any more, as he has the sweetest wife' in the world, and it seems to be some time since La Comtessa was so. Tell me more of her history: antique as she is, she is since my time. Alas! everything makes me think myself old since I have worn out my eyes, which, notwithstanding the cure I thought Mr. Chute had made upon them, are of very little use to me. how it mortifies me: when I am wishing to withdraw more and more from a world of which I have had satiety, and which I suppose is as tired of me, how vexatious not to be able to indulge a happiness that depends only on oneself, and consequently the only happiness proper for people past their youth! I have often deluded you with promises of returning to Florence for pleasure, I now threaten you with it for your plague; for if I am to become a tiresome old fool, at least it shall not be in my own country. In the mean time, I must give you a commission for my press. I have printed one book, (of which two copies are ready for you and Dr. Cocchi,) and I have written another: it is a Catalogue of the Royal and Noble Authors of England. Richard I. it seems was, or had a mind to pass for, a Provençal poet; nay, some of those compositions are extant, and you must procure them for me: Crescimbeni says there are some in the library of San Lorenzo at Florence, in uno de' Codici Provenzali, and others nel 3204 della Vaticana. You will oblige and serve me highly if you can get me copies. Dr. Cocchi certainly knows Crescimbeni's Commentary on the Lives of the Provençal Poets.' I shall wind up this letter, which is pretty long for a blind man without spectacles, with an admirable bon-mot. Somebody asked me at the play the other night what was become of Mrs. Woffington; I replied, she is taken off by Colonel Cæsar. Lord 1 Lady Betty Spencer, sister of the Duke of Marlborough. Walpole calls her (Memoirs of George III. vol. iii. p. 191) divinely beautiful, in the Madonna st le. Lord Pembroke was fickle in his affections, and Lady Coventry (the Gunning) and next Kitty Hunter, caused great uneasiness to his lovely wife. See vol. ii. 189, 422, 494.-CUNNINGHAM. 2 Walpole, in his Royal Authors, says, "I have had both repositories carefully searched. The reference to the Vatican proves a new inaccuracy of the author; there is no work of King Richard. In the Laurentine Library, is a sonnet written by the King, and sent to the Princess Stephanetta, wife of Hugh de Baux, which I have had transcribed with the greatest exactness." Works, vol. i. p. 252.-WRIGHT. 3 "Commentarii intorno alla sua Istoria della Volgar Poesia." In 1803, Mr. Matthias, the author of the Pursuits of Literature, published an edition of the Commentaries, detached from the historical part, in three volumes, 12mo.-WRIGHT. 4 A lineal descendant of Sir Julius Caesar, made Chancellor of the Exchequer in the reign of James I. This Cæsar ruined the property of his family. Woffington 66 Tyrawley' said, "I suppose she was reduced to aut Cæsar aut Nullus." The monument about which you ask you shall see in a drawing, when finished; it is a simple Gothic arch, something in the manner of the columbaria: a Gothic columbarium is a new thought of my own, of which I am fond, and going to execute one at Strawberry. That at Linton is to have a beautiful urn, designed by Mr. Bentley, as the whole is, with this plain, very true inscription, "Galfrido Mann, amicissimo, optimo, qui obiit-H. W. P." Thank you for the King of Prussia's letter, though I had seen it before. It is lively and odd. He seems to write as well without Voltaire as he fights as well without the French-or without us. Monday night. The report is made, but I have not yet seen it, and this letter must go away this minute. I hear it names no names, says no reason appears why they did not land on the 25th, and gives no merit to all Mr. Conway's subsequent proposals for landing. Adieu! DEAR SIR: 534. TO GROSVENOR BEDFORD, ESQ.3 Saturday, [Nov. 1757.] I BEG you will get the enclosed stanzas inserted in the Public is said to be married to Colonel Cæsar; Mrs. Clive says he took out his license when Colonel Mostyn did his." (W. Whitehead to Lord Nuneham, 10 Oct., 1757. MS.)-CUNNINGHAM. 1 James O'Hara, second and last Lord Tyrawley, see vol. i. p. 215.-CUNNINGHAM. 2 It was not executed.-WALpole. 3 Now first printed. Mr. Bedford was Walpole's deputy in the Exchequer ; Walpole communicated his appointment to him in the following letter, now first printed. Mr. Bedford died 5th November 1771.-CUNNINGHAM. DEAR SIR: TO GROSVENOR BEDFORD, ESQ. Mistley, Aug. 21, 1755. I HEAR by an express that Mr. Swinburn died last night. I can't defer a minute to give myself the pleasure of offering you to succeed him, not only according to my promise, but according to my inclination. You know, I believe, that I had some strong suspicions that the poor man who is gone, did not do me all the justice he might have done. In putting my affairs into the hands of a friend, those suspicions will be entirely removed; and I think it almost unnecessary to tell you, that within this month I was offered first five hundred pounds, and then whatever I would ask, for the reversion of Mr. Swinburn's place. No offer certainly would have made me break my promise to you; but without pretending to that merit, I must own that I am persuaded my interest will be much more promoted in your hands than it could Advertiser' on Monday next,' just as I have written them. If not in the Public, then in the Daily Advertiser.' My name must not be mentioned, nor anything but the initial letters H. C. I am just going out of town, and shall not return till late on Wednesday. If you should have anything particular to say, write me a line to Strawberry. Yours ever, H. W. TO MAJOR-GENERAL H. C. When Fontenoy's empurpled plain Have taught the Gaul to shun thy rage. When hostile squadrons round thee stood Forgot be these-let Scotland too When each fair deed is thus defac'd, Then patient hear the thunder roll; 535. TO GEORGE MONTAGU, ESQ. Sunday evening. I LEAVE Mr. Muntz in commission to do the honours of Strawberry to you if he succeeds well, will you be troubled with him in your chaise to London on Wednesday? He will tell you the history of Queen Mab being attacked-not be by any one I might have accepted for the place. I shall be in town on Tuesday night, and hope to see you in Arlington-street on Wednesday morning, till when I beg nobody but Mrs. Bedford, to whom I desire my compliments, may know a word of this business. I am, dear Sir, ever yours. HORACE WALPOLE. 1 They were inserted in the 'Public Advertiser,' of 28 Nov. 1757.-CUNNINGHAM. |