Pitt through the streets, and the observance of him in Guildhall, were equal to anything you can imagine. You will call his appearance there arrogant,-I do not think it was very well bred. Since that for pensions stop the mouths only of courtiers, not of the virtuous-he has harangued in the House with exceeding applause; it was fine, guarded, artful-very inflammatory. Don't think I am paying court by censuring a late Minister. He is too near being Minister again for mine to be interested conduct. It never was my turn, nor do the examples I see make me more in love with the practice. Nor think me changed lightly about Mr. Pitt-nobody admired him more-you saw it. When he preferred haughtiness to humanity, glory to peaceful glory,-when his disinterestedness could not resist a pension, nor a pension make him grateful-he changed, not I. When he courts a mob, I certainly change; and whoever does court the mob, whether an orator or a mountebank, whether Mr. Pitt or Dr. Rock,' are equally contemptible in my eyes. Could I now decide by a wish, he should have remained in place, or have been ruined by his pension. When he would not do all the good in his power, I would leave him no power to do harm,-would that were always the case! Alas! I am a speculatist and he is a statesman; but I have that advantage, or disadvantage, over others of my profession, I have seen too much to flatter myself with visions! George Pitt, whom you must well remember, is coming to you to Turin, with his lovely wife,' all loveliness within and without. If you see my Duchess [Grafton] soon, tell her I trust my letter of thanks for the découpure' she sent me of herself did not miscarry. We hear your neighbour Sir Richard [Lyttelton] thinks of resigning the Jewel-Office. Adieu! Nov. 16th. I HAVE just received yours of the 31st of last month, but can tell you no more than I have already said. We don't know the particulars of the treaty between Spain and France: Lord Bristol' is certainly coming home; Lord Temple says, has demanded to come, and 1 Dr. Richard Rock, the Quack Doctor, ante, p. 100.-CUNNINGHAM. 2 Penelope, sister of Sir Richard Atkins, wife of George Pitt, afterwards Lord Rivers. [See vol. i. p. 79, and ii. 157.] She is celebrated in Horace Walpole's poem, on the Beauties-ED.43. 3 Her figure cut out in card by Monsieur Hubert, of Geneva, who was famous in that art.-WALPOLE. 4 George William Hervey, Earl of Bristol, ambassador at Madrid.—WALPOLE. insinuates, from political reasons; the court calls it asking to come for his health; he certainly has wished to come before these broils. You may expect new events every day in politics. I don't see how we can make peace, or another war; even in Germany it is not over for this campaign. Lord Granby and Mr. Conway have been successful in some fresh skirmishes, when I thought the latter gone to Pyrmont, for his amusement, and the rest of our generals coming home. As he went abroad last, he does not return this winter. When the officers do come I expect a new scene; we hear of nothing but hardships and abuses; the German War was already become unpopular, and had Mr. Pitt sunk entirely, would not have supported itself. It will require all the compromising spirit of the age to bring things back into a settled channel. I am not shining in prophecy, so I shall foretell nothing; while we have a shilling left, it will quiet somebody or other. Good night. P.S. I have forgot to answer one of your questions, that I can answer: you ask if the City had not rather part with Mr. Pitt than have a Spanish war? How tramontane you are! I believe the chief reason of their forgiving his pension, was his holding out Spanish plunder to them. Though they say they have ceased to be Jacobites, they have not relinquished the principles of privateering, brokerage, insurance, contracts, and twenty other tenets, not to be found in the Crusca.' Perhaps, you do not know that merchants thrive by taxes, which ruin everybody else. Your own country is delightful, but you are not acquainted with half its virtues. 761. TO GEORGE MONTAGU, ESQ. Arlington Street, Nov. 28, 1761. I AM much obliged for the notice of Sir Compton's illness; if you could send me word of peace too, I should be completely satisfied on Mr. Conway's account. He has been in the late action, and escaped, at a time that, I flattered myself, the campaign was at an end. However, I trust it is now. You will have been concerned for young Courtney. The war, we hear, is to be transferred to these islands; most probably to yours. The Black-Rod I hope, like a herald, is a sacred personage. 1 Alluding to the celebrated Dictionary of the Academici della Crusca. CUNNINGHAM. There has been no authentic account of the Coronation published; if there should be, I will send it. When I am at Strawberry, I believe I can make you out a list of those that walked; but I have no memorandum in town. If Mr. Bentley's play' is printed in Ireland, I depend on your sending me two copies. There has been a very private ball at court, consisting of not above twelve or thirteen couple; some of the lords of the bedchamber, most of the ladies, the maids of honour, and six strangers, Lady Caroline Russell, Lady Jane Stewart, Lord Suffolk, Lord Northampton, Lord Mandeville, and Lord Grey. Nobody sat by, but the Princess, the Duchess of Bedford, and Lady Bute. They began before seven, danced till one, and parted without a supper. Lady Sarah Lenox has refused Lord Errol; the Duke of Bedford is Privy Seal; Lord Thomond cofferer; Lord George Cavendish comptroller; George Pitt goes minister to Turin; and Miss Speed must go thither, as she is marrying the Baron de Perrier, Count Virry's son.' Adieu! Commend me to your brother. DEAR MADAM: 762. TO THE COUNTESS OF AILESBURY. Arlington Street, Nov. 28, 1761. You are so bad and so good, that I don't know how to treat you. You give me every mark of kindness but letting me hear from you. You send me charming drawings the moment I trouble you with a commission, and you give Lady Cecilia [Johnston] commissions for "MR. DODSLEY, Teddington, May 23, 1762. "At the time you were disposed to print 'the Wishes,' it was not in my power to let you have it; as Lord Halifax had done me and it the honour to ask for it, to take along with him to Ireland, where it has been acted. At present, I think to give it to the public, not in the state it appeared at Drury Lane, but as originally written, ard recovered from the violent amputations it underwent. Near a third part of it will be new to the town. If you think it worth a hundred pounds, it is at your service. As I detest bargaining, your 'yes' or 'no' shall determine the matter between us. If you choose to peruse the play in its present condition, I will send it you. I have an Advertisement and a Dedication ready to be prefixed to it. "I am, Mr. Dodsley, Your humble Servant, "R. BENTLEY." [Original letter in possession of Rev. John Mitford.]-CUNNINGHAM. 2 My old friend Miss Speed has done what the world calls a very foolish thing; she has married the Baron de la Peyrière, son to the Sardinian minister, the Count de Viry. He is about twenty-eight years old (ten years younger than herself), but looks nearer forty. This is not the effect of debauchery; for he is a very sober man, goodnatured, and honest, and no conjurer.-Gray to Wharton. (Works by Mitford, vol. iii. p. 263).-WRIGHT. She died in 1783.-CUNNINGHAM. trifles of my writing, in the most obliging manner. I have taken the latter off her hands. The Fugitive Pieces, and the Catalogue of Royal and Noble Authors shall be conveyed to you directly. Lady Cecilia and I agree how we lament the charming suppers there, every time we pass the corner of Warwick Street! We have a little comfort for your sake and our own, in believing that the campaign is at an end, at least for this year-but they tell us, it is to recommence here or in Ireland. You have nothing to do with that. Our politics, I think, will soon be as warm as our war. Charles Townshend is to be lieutenant-general to Mr. Pitt. The Duke of Bedford is privy seal; Lord Thomond, cofferer; Lord George Cavendish, comptroller. Diversions, you know, Madam, are never at high-water mark before Christmas: yet operas flourish pretty well those on Tuesdays are removed to Mondays, because the Queen likes the burlettas, and the King cannot go on Tuesdays, his post-days. On those nights we have the middle front box, railed in, where Lady Mary [Coke] and I sit in triste state like a Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress. The night before last there was a private ball at court, which began at half an hour after six, lasted till one, and finished without a supper. The King danced the whole time with the Queen,-Lady Augusta with her four younger brothers. The other performers were: the two Duchesses of Ancaster and Hamilton, who danced little; Lady Effingham and Lady Egremont, who danced much; the six maids of honour; Lady Susan Stewart, as attending Lady Augusta; and Lady Caroline Russel, and Lady Jane Stuart, the only women not of the family. Lady Northumberland is at Bath; Lady Weymouth lies in; Lady Bolingbroke was there in waiting, but in black gloves, so did not dance. The men, besides the royals, were Lords March and Eglintoun, of the bedchamber; Lord Cantelupe, vice-chamberlain; Lord Huntingdon; and four strangers, Lord Mandeville, Lord Northampton, Lord Suffolk, and Lord Grey. No sitters-by, but the Princess, the Duchess of Bedford, and Lady Bute. If it had not been for this ball, I don't know how I should have furnished a decent letter. Pamphlets on Mr. Pitt are the whole conversation, and none of them worth sending cross the water: at least I, who am said to write some of them, think so; by which you may perceive I am not much flattered with the imputation. There must be new personages, at least, before I write on any side.-Mr. Pitt and the Duke of Newcastle! I should as soon think of informing the world that Miss Chudleigh is no vestal. You will like better to see some words which Mr. Gray has writ, at Miss Speed's request, to an old air of Geminiani: the thought is from the French. I. Thyrsis, when we parted, swore Ere the spring he would return. And the bud that decks the thorn! II. Idle notes! untimely green! Adieu, Madam, your most faithful servant. 763. TO SIR DAVID DALRYMPLE. Nov. 30, 1761. I AM much obliged to you, Sir, for the specimen of letters' you have been so good as to send me. The composition is touching, and the printing very beautiful. I am still more pleased with the design of the work; nothing gives so just an idea of an age as genuine letters; nay, history waits for its last seal from them. I have an immense collection in my hands,' chiefly of the very time on which you are engaged; but they are not my own. If I had received your commands in summer when I was at Strawberry Hill, and at leisure, I might have picked you out something to your purpose; at present I have not time, from Parliament and business, to examine them: yet to show you, Sir, that I have great desire to oblige you and contribute to your work, I send you the following singular paper, which I have obtained from Dr. Charles Lyttelton, Dean of Exeter, whose name I will beg you to 1 Originally, "Dare not to reproach my love."-CUNNINGHAM. "Memorials and Letters relating to the History of Britain in the reigns of James the First and Charles the First," published by Sir David Dalrymple in 1766, from the originals in the Advocates' Library.—CUNNINGHAM. 3 The Conway Papers, ante 179.-CUNNINGHAM. |