788. 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 Greatworth, 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 Johnston,' 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 Johnston. 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 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 birthday [June 4]; 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 5th 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

1 Lady Charlotte Montagu, sister of the Earl of Halifax, and wife of Colonel James Johnston (died 1795); she was buried at Twickenham, 4th of May, 1762.CUNNINGHAM.

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, Viscounts; Lord Egmont, Lord Milton, Vernon of Sudbury, old Fox-lane, Sir Edward Montagu, Barons; and Lady Caroline Fox, a Baroness; the Duke of Newcastle 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 will keep your Strawberry tide.

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

789. TO SIR HORACE MANN.

Arlington Street, April 30, 1762.

SOME people think we are going to have Peace-whatever we have abroad, it does not increase at home. The Ministers are divided; the old for continuing the German war (take care you don't look back to my letters of last October), the new for supporting Portugal, neither point is resolved, consequently either will not be overtimely. With much affection for Portugal, and seriously with much commiseration, I cannot entirely lament that Spain is occupied there. If we quarrel on great chapters, you may be sure we do not agree more on little ones. A new cargo of peers has set much illhumour afloat, for when large pains are taken to content many, they are sure to offend more. As I neither wished to be a peer, nor to hinder anybody else from being one, I can repeat the list without any gall.

Lord Wentworth and Sir William Courtney viscounts, same

names.

1 Lord Anson, at this time first lord of the Admiralty, died 6th of June, 1762.CUNNINGHAM.

Lady Caroline Fox, a baroness Lady Holland. Lord Brudenel called up to the House of Lords as Lord Montagu. Duke of Newcastle, created Lord Pelham, with reversion to your friend Mr. Pelham; and Lord Egmont made Lord Louvain and Holland, and Baron of Enmore.

The Flemish titles of Lord Egmont are very diverting,—I suppose he is descended from one of the three hundred and sixty-five brats of the Countess of Holland. People recollect a pamphlet, published in the reign of James I., called A Help to Weak Memories,' for the use of those who would know all the new peers; and they tell a story of a Neapolitan, who being offered a dukedom by the Germans, when they were so profuse of honours at Naples, refused it, unless they would make his footman a duke too; but in this country ten new peerages will at least produce twenty bon-mots. Our war is more serious, and I wish it well finished. It is uncertain whether we will give the King of Prussia a subsidy, or whether he will accept it. The disturbances in Ireland are at least checked; the insurgents are driven into bogs and woods. The French squadron narrowly escaped their fate: sailing to Martinico, they met their own prisoners conducted to France, and steered away; but Rodney soon followed them, with thirteen ships to their eight, and we hope will overtake them; however, it is plain they had not joined the Spanish fleet. The chief of our naval affairs, Lord Anson, is dying at Bath. Indeed, many of our former actors seem to be leaving the stage: Lord Granville is much broken, and Mr. Fox in a very bad state of health; but Lord Egremont is recovered.

Poor Lady Pembroke has at last acted with spirit. Her Lord being ordered to the German army, wrote that he had a mind to come over first and ask her pardon. To the surprise of her family and without their instigation, she sent him word that she was surprised he could think of showing himself in England; and, for her part, she never wished to see him, till he should have retrieved his character. I am very happy, as I told you, in my new neighbour Mr. [Thomas] Pitt; he calls his small house Palazzo Pitti;' which does not look as if he had forgotten you, and sounds pleasantly in my Adieu!

ears.

1 Name of the Great Duke's palace at Florence.-WALPOLE.

790. TO GEORGE MONTAGU, ESQ.

Arlington Street, May 14, 1762.

Ir 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 yet 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 to-morrow, 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 [Earl of Halifax], 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, 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. Conway the ruling part of the Administration are disposed to recal our troops from Germany. In the mean time 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?

soon;

I have been for a few days this week at Lord Thomond's; by making a river-like piece of water, he has converted a very ugly spot into a tolerable one. As I was so near, I went to see Audley Inn'

1 Robert Montagu, third Duke of Manchester, Lord Chamberlain to the Queen, died on the 10th of May.-WRIGHT.

2 Audley Inn was an immense pile of building; the rooms large, but some of them not lofty in proportion, and a gallery of ninety-five yards, which, with the Chapel and great Council Chamber, each projecting backwards from the end of the gallery, have been demolished. The present chapel [1762] was lately fitted up. The screen accompanying the ascent of steps from the hall was designed by Sir John Vanbrugh, and has no relation to the rest of the building. That injudicious architect, too,

once more; but it is only the monument now of its former grandeur. The gallery is pulled down, and nothing remains but the great hall, and an apartment like a tower at each end. In the church [at Saffron Walden] I found, still existing and quite fresh, the escutcheon of the famous Countess of Essex and Somerset.'

Adieu! I shall expect you with great pleasure the beginning of next month.

DEAR SIR:

791. TO THE REV. WILLIAM COLE.

Strawberry Hill, May 20, 1762.

You have sent me the most kind and obliging letter in the world, and I cannot sufficiently thank you for it; but I shall be very glad to have an opportunity of acknowledging it in person, by accepting the agreeable visit you are so good as to offer me, and for which I have long been impatient. I should name the earliest day possible; but, besides having some visits to make, I think it will be more pleasant to you a few weeks hence (I mean, any time in July,) when the works, with which I am finishing my house, will be more advanced, and the noisy part, as laying floors and fixing wainscoats, at an end, and which now make me in a deplorable litter. As you give me leave, I will send you notice.

I am glad my books ['Anecdotes of Painting'] amused you; yet you, who are so much deeper an antiquarian, must have found more faults and omissions, I fear, than your politeness suffers you to reprehend; yet you will, I trust, be a little more severe. We both labour, I will not say for the public (for the public troubles its head very little about our labours), but for the few of posterity that shall be curious; and therefore, for their sake, you must assist me in making my works as complete as possible. This sounds ungrateful, after all the trouble you have given yourself; but I say it to prove my gratitude, and to show you how fond I am of being corrected.

advised the destruction of the first court, which consisted of noble corridors supported by columns of alabaster, in the room of which he built two ugly brick walls, which cost 1,600l. The marble pillars of the chapel were purchased by Lord Onslow. King William brought thence some suits of tapestry, now at Windsor, for which he paid 4,500l. The Drawing-room, called The Fish Room, is a noble chamber; the ceiling and a deep frieze adorned in stucco, with sea-monsters and great fishes swimming. All the costly chimney-pieces have been sold: over that in the gallery were the Labours of Hercules, and in the ceiling the Loves of the Gods. Many of the friezes still extant are in very good taste.-Walpole (Art. Bernard Jansen.)-CUNNINGHAM. 1 The church at Walden, one of the lightest and most beautiful parish churches I have seen.-Walpole's Anecdotes, by Dallaway, ii. 71.—CUNNINGHAM.