1723. TO SIR HORACE MANN.

Strawberry Hill, May 9, 1778.

As I have engaged myself to stock your impatience with frequent intelligence, you may think a month's interval a breach of promise; but though I write to display my diligence, it is not to convey any event. You yourself have told us all the fact we know; at least, the newspapers have done you the honour of sending the information of the sailing of the Toulon squadron-not in terms; but they say an express arrived from Sir H. Mann without eating, drinking, or sleeping; and we know nothing else I mean we, the people,that corresponds with the date of such importance. Pray can you tell whether our fleet is gone after it? For the newspapers would persuade us that Lord Sandwich has detained it at Portsmouth, to divert their Majesties, as if they loved shows better than dominions.

We shall be in no want of sights this summer: every county will have a camp of its own; the coasts will be amused with sieges. An American privateer' has attempted Whitehaven, and plundered Lord Selkirk's house. This is a little ungrateful, for the Americans certainly owe their independence to the Scots; though, to be sure, in strictness it was not what the Scots intended for them. They have done, or will do us some good too, though perhaps with as little design; for I think we shall be forced to come to our senses. Great countries ought always to be physicked and dieted after long peace or a course of victories; for prosperity either breeds humours in the body, or flies to the head: the first produce tumours, and the latter absolute madness.

Lord Chatham has been at the point of death, but is said to be better. It is not very likely, however, that he should recover enough to con.e forth again. You tell me his sister [Anne] is at Florence. Her friends, the Butes, have a new calamity in their family, for which I pity them: Lady Percy is enceinte, and the suit for a divorce is commenced. Lady Bute has been very unfortunate in her children, though there never was a better or more discreet mother. Lady Percy is very weak; and some time ago, when

1 Paul Jones.-CUNNINGHAM.

2 Earl Percy first married, in July 1764, Lady Anne Stuart, third daughter of the Earl of Bute; by whom he had no issue, and from whom he was divorced in May, 1779. In the same year, he married Frances-Julia, third daughter of the late Peter Burrell, Esq., and sister to Lord Gwydir.-WRIGHT.

Lady Bute received some intimation on her conduct, she said, "Upon my word, I have not room in my head for that misfortune!" Though I write this on the Saturday, it cannot depart till Tuesday. Probably, I shall have little to add. Next month will be more prolific of intelligence. Yet make no account of my auguries. I have lived too long, and have been too often mistaken in my calculations, to trust my own reason or that of others. Half our conjectures are built on Ignorance, and her sister Chance governs the rest.

My mind is a little one, and apt to fluctuate. I answer for nothing but my principles, and never committed them to the guidance of events; so, though my letters may have been affected by the weather-glass, the sum total has been uniform. I have hoped or feared; but always in the same spirit-the liberty and happiness of England.

Arlington Street, 11th.

I must unsay a material passage in my letter: Lord Chatham died this morning! I am of opinion that Lord Temple died at the same moment, or had better think he did. We shall have opportunities of seeing whether the mantle of the former is descended upon anybody! Lord Shelburne will probably pretend that it was a legacy to him; but, without Lord Chatham's fortune too, a cloak will be of little use. Well! with all his defects, Lord Chatham will be a capital historic figure. France dreaded his crutch to this very moment; but I doubt she does not think that it has left a stick of the wood!-no offence to Mrs. Anne [Pitt], who, I allow, has great parts, and not less ambition: but Fortune did not treat her as a twin.

Tuesday morning.

Last night the House of Commons voted a funeral and monument to Lord Chatham at the public expense, and the members are to walk at the burial.

1724. TO H. R. H. THE DUCHESS OF GLOUCESTER.

May 10, 1778.

I DO assure you, Madam, your Royal Highness is totally mistaken about Lord Ch[ewton?], whom I have not seen this month. I received my account from no relation or friend, but from a gentleman of the strictest honour, who came to me as not knowing else how to convey the information to you. I will upon no account name him, as I gave him my word I would not. I am extremely happy there is no

truth in the idea, though it came to me in so serious a manner and from a man so incapable of an ill-meaning, that it was my duty to acquaint you with it; and as I desired to be named to your daughters, they will know how kind my intention was, and that I am, as I have professed to them, as affectionate as if I was their father.

I shall be very glad, Madam, of your brother's picture, and will try to find a place for it; but it is far from being the only near relation of whom I have no portrait-I have none of Lord Dysart of the Bishop [of Exeter], of Lady Malpas, of Mr. and Mrs. Cholmondeley, of Lady Cadogan, &c.-and therefore the remark of the persons that observed your brother's being wanting, was not very good-natured to him or me. Many of the family pictures I happened to have; others I begged as I wanted them for particular places; and, indeed, furnished my house to please myself, not to please such people as those who have been so obliging as to tell your Royal Highness that my not having your brother's picture was a mark of contempt. I have no desire of pleasing those who were capable of saying such a thing to you. Your affection for his memory is most amiable, and I shall obey you with pleasure; but allow me to say, Madam, that I hope you will always judge of me by what you know of me, and not from comments of others. I have been taxed with partiality for you, long before there was a question of your present rank; nor do I believe you suspect me of attachment to you from that motive. I am too old, too independent, and too contented, to have hopes or fears from anybody. I have the highest respect for his Royal Highness's character and virtues, and always shall have; and am proud of paying my court to him, when it can only flow from personal reverence. Were he in the situation he ought to be, I should be but the less anxious to show it.

Indeed I little expected to be suspected of wanting attachment to any part of my family. I have been laughed at, perhaps deservedly, for family pride, which certainly is not always a proof of family affection. I trust I have given proofs that they are not disunited in me; and yet, except from my father, I never received either benefits or favours; and from him only my places, and a small fortune not paid. Thus, whatever I have, except my share of Mr. Shorter's fortune' that came to me by his leaving no will, and consequently was no obligation, I neither received from my family

1 See vol i., p. lxvii.-CUNNINGHAM.

nor owe to it. It has been saved by my own prudence, is my own to dispose of as I please, and, however I distribute it, or to whom, will be a gift, not a claim.

I should not say thus much, Madam, but when any one can think it worth while to make invidious remarks to you on a tender point with you, on what is or is not in my house, you will allow me to justify myself, and even open my heart to you, to whom I desire it should be known, though I certainly owe no account to anybody on so trifling a subject as the furniture of a house which I am master to do what I please with, living or dead. It was from no disregard for your brother that I had not his picture. I love Lady Cadogan very much, as I do, surely, your daughters and nieces, yet have not happened to have their pictures: and though I have probably said a great deal too much, like an old man, it is always a mark of affection when I submit myself on an unjust accusation; and as tenderness for my family is the duty in which I have in my whole life been the least culpable, though very blamable in a thousand other respects, it is very pardonable to be circumstantial and prolix to her whose reproach was kind and good, and whom I desire to convince that I have neither wanted affection for my family, nor am unjust to it. I have the honour to be, Madam, your Royal Highness's most faithful, humble servant.

1725. TO THE REV. WILLIAM MASON.

May 12, 1778.

I NOW and then write a letter for, rather than to, you; that is, when they will bear delay, and be equally fresh, and when they contain anecdotes that I do not care to send by the post if they are too personal, and I have not a prospect of sudden conveyance. The following will have all these ingredients, and will rather be an epitome of the manners of the time, than a letter. The characteristics of the age are frenzy, folly, extravagance, and insensibility; no wonder when such stars are predominant, that Ruin both stalks on, and is not felt or apprehended.

About ten days ago, I wanted a housemaid, and one presented herself very well recommended. I said, "But, young woman, why do you leave your present place?" She said she could not support the hours she kept; that her lady never went to bed till three or four in the morning. "Bless me, child," said I, "why, you tell me

you live with a bishop's wife: I never heard that Mrs. North' gamed or raked so late." "No, Sir," said she, "but she is three hours undressing." Upon my word, the edifice that takes three hours to demolish, must at least be double the time in fabricating! Would not you for once sit up till morning to see the destruction of the Pyramid and distribution of the materials? Do not mention this, for I did not take the girl, and she still assists at the daily and nightly revolutions of Babel.

On Tuesday I supped after the Opera at Mrs. Meynel's with a set of the most fashionable company, which, take notice, I very seldom do now, as I certainly am not of the age to mix often with young people. Lady Melbourne' was standing before the fire, and adjusting her feathers in the glass, says she, "Lord! they say the stocks will blow up that will be very comical."

These would be features for Comedy, if they would not be thought caricatures, but to-day I am possessed of a genuine paper, that I believe I shall leave to the Museum, and which, though its object will, I suppose, to-morrow become record, cannot be believed authentic an hundred years hence. It would in such a national satire as Gulliver be deemed too exaggerated. In short, Lord Foley and his brother have petitioned the House of Lords to set aside their father's Will, as it seems he intended to have raised an hundred thousand pounds to pay their debts, but died before he could execute his intention. All the ladies, Melbournes, and all the Bishops' wives that kill their servants by vigils are going about the town lamenting these poor orphans, and soliciting the peers to redress their grievances; but no words, no ridicule, can attain to the ridiculous pathetic of the printed case itself, which now lies before me, and of which the four first lines are these-upon my honour they are exactly these:

"The present Lord Foley and his brother Mr. Edward Foley having contracted large bond debts to the amount of about 1., and encumbered themselves by granting annuities for their lives to the amount of about seventeen thousand four hundred and fifty pounds a year, explained their situation to their father the late Lord." Poor unfortunate children! before thirty, the eldest had spent an

1 Wife of the Hon. Brownlow North, at this time Bishop of Worcester. He died in 1820 Bishop of Winchester.-CUNNINGHAM.

* Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Ralph Milbanke, of Halnaby, Bart., wife of the first Viscount Melbourne (died 1828), and mother of Lord Melbourne, the Prime Minister. She died in 1818.-CUNNINGHAM.