SIR:

573. TO THE REV. HENRY ZOUCH.

Strawberry Hill, Sept. 14, 1758. THOUGH the approaching edition of my Catalogue is so far advanced that little part is left now for any alteration, yet as a book of that kind is always likely to be reprinted from the new persons who grow entitled to a place in it, and as long as it is in my power I shall wish to correct and improve it, I must again thank you, Sir, for the additional trouble you have given yourself. The very first article strikes me much. May I ask where, and what page of what book, I can find Sir R. Cotton's account of Richard II.' being an author: does not he mean Richard I. ?

The Basilicon Doron' is published in the folio of K. James's Works, and contains instructions to his son, Prince Henry. In return, I will ask you where you find those verses of Herbert; and I would also ask you, how you have had time to find and know so much?

Lord Leicester, and much less the Duke of Monmouth, will scarce, I fear, come under the descripton I have laid down to myself of authors. I doubt the first did not compose his own Apology.

Did the Earl of Bath publish, or only design to publish, Dionysius? Shall I find the account in Usher's Letters? Since you are so very kind, Sir, as to favour me with your assistance, shall I beg, Sir, to prevent my repeating trouble to you, just to mark at any time where you find the notices you impart to me; for though the want of a citation is the effect of my ignorance, it has the same consequence to you.

I have not the 'Philosophical Transactions,' but I will hereafter examine them on the hints you mention, particularly for Lord Brounker, who I did not know had written, though I have often thought it probable he did. As I have considered Lord Berkeley's 'Love-Letters,' I have no doubt but they are a fiction, though grounded on a real story.

That Lord Falkland was a writer of controversy appears by the list of his works, and that he is said to have assisted Chillingworth:

'Mr. Walpole takes no notice of Richard II. as an author; but Mr. Park inserts this prince as a writer of ballads. In a letter to Archbishop Usher, Sir Robert Cotton requests his grace to procure for him a poem by Richard II. which that prelate had pointed out.-CROKER.

that he wrote against Chillingworth, you see, Sir, depends upon very vague authority; that is, upon the assertion of an anonymous person, who wrote so above a hundred years ago.

James Earl of Marlborough is entirely a new author to me-at present, too late. Lord Raymond I had inserted, and he will appear in the next edition.

I have been as unlucky, for the present, about Lord Totness. In a collection published in Ireland, called 'Hibernica,' I found, but too late, that he translated another very curious piece, relating to Richard II. However, Sir, with these, and the very valuable helps I have received from you, I shall be able, at a proper time, to enrich another edition much.

574. TO THE HON. H. S. CONWAY.

Arlington Street, Sept. 19, 1758.

I HAVE all my life laughed at ministers in my letters; but at least with the decency of obliging them to break open the seal. You have more noble frankness, and send your satires to the post with not so much as a wafer, as my Lord Bath did sometimes in my father's administration. I scarce laughed more at the inside of your letter than at the cover-not a single button to the waistband of its breeches, but all its nakedness fairly laid open! what was worse, all Lady Mary Coke's nakedness was laid open at the same time. Is this your way of treating a dainty widow? What will Mr. Pitt think of all this? Will he begin to believe that you have some spirit, when, with no fear of Dr. Shebbeare's example1 before your eyes, you speak your mind so freely, without any modification? As Mr. Pitt may be cooled a little to his senses, perhaps he may now find out, that a grain of prudence is no bad ingredient in a mass of courage; in short, he and the mob are at last undeceived, and have found, by sad experience, that all the cannon of France has not been brought into Hyde Park. An account, which you will see in the Gazette, (though a little better disguised than your letters,) is come, that after our troops had been set on shore, and left there, till my Lord Howe went somewhere else and cried Hoop! having nothing

1 Dr. Shebbeare had just before been sentenced to fine, imprisonment, and the pillory, for his Sixth Letter to the People of England. The under-sheriff, however, allowed him to stand on, instead of in, the pillory; for which lenity he was prosecuted.-WRIGHT.

else to do for four days to amuse themselves, nor knowing whether there was a town within a hundred miles, went staring about the country to see whether there were any Frenchmen left in France; which Mr. Pitt, in very fine words, had assured them there was not, and which my Lord Howe, in very fine silence, had confirmed. However, somehow or other, (Mr. Deputy Hodges says they were not French, but Papists sent from Vienna to assist the King of France,) twelve battalions fell upon our rear-guard, and, which General Blighe says is "very common," (I suppose he means that rashness and folly should run itself into a scrape,)—were all cut to pieces or taken. The town says, Prince Edward [Duke of York] ran hard to save himself; I don't mean, too fast, but scarcely fast enough; and the General says, that Lord Frederick Cavendish, your friend, is safe; the thing he seems to have thought of most, except a little vain parade of his own self-denial on his nephew. I shall not be at all surprised if, to show he was not in the wrong, Mr. Pitt should get ready another expedition by the depth of winter, and send it in search of the cannon and colours of these twelve battalions. Pray Heaven your letter don't put it in his head to give you the command! It is not true, that he made the King ride upon one of the cannons to the Tower.

I was really touched with my Lady Howe's advertisement,' though I own at first it made me laugh; for seeing an address to the voters for Nottingham signed "Charlotte Howe," I concluded (they are so manly a family) that Mrs. Howe,' who rides a fox-chase, and dines at the table d'hôte at Grantham, intended to stand for member of Parliament.

Sir John Armitage died on board a ship before the landing; Lady Hardwicke's nephew, Mr. Cocks, scarce recovered of his Cherbourg wound, is killed. He had seven thousand pounds a year, and was a volunteer. I don't believe his uncle and aunt advised his venturing so much money.

3

My Lady Burlington is very ill, and the distemper shows itself

On the news of the death of Lord Howe reaching the dowager Lady Howe, she addressed the gentry, clergy, and freeholders of Nottingham, whom the deceased had represented in Parliament, in favour of his next younger brother, Colonel Howe, to supply his place in the House of Commons. "Permit me," she says, "to implore the protection of every one of you, as the mother of him whose life has been lost in the service of his country." The appeal was responded to, and Colonel, afterwards General Sir William Howe, was returned.-WRIGHT.

2 The Hon. Caroline Howe, see vol. i. p. 90. There is a small characteristic portrait of her when very old at Gopsal, the seat of Lord Howe.-CUNNINGHAM.

3 Lady Burlington died two days after the date of this letter, viz. September 21, 1758.-CUNNINGHAM.