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stars but so many farthing candles, created to prevent his falling into a ditch as he goes home at night, a wiser and more rational being, and I am sure an honester than any of them. Oh! I am sick of visions and systems, that shove one another aside, and come over again, like the figures in a moving picture. Rabelais brightens up to me as I see more of the world; he treated it as it deserved, laughed at it all, and as I judge from myself, ceased to hate it; for I find hatred an unjust preference. Adieu! Yours ever.

TO THE RIGHT HON. LADY HERVEY.

Paris, Nov. 28, 1765.

WHAT, another letter! Yes, yes, madam; though I must whip and spur, I must try to make my thanks keep up with your favours: for any other return, you have quite distanced me. This is to acknowledge the receipt of the duchess d'Aiguillonyou may set what sum you please against the debt. She is delightful, and has much the most of a woman of quality of any I have seen, and more cheerfulness too; for, to show your ladyship that I am sincere, that my head is not turned, and that I retain some of my prejudices still, I avow that gaiety, whatever it was formerly, is no longer the growth of this country; and I will own too that Paris can produce women of quality that I should not call women of fashion: I will not use so ungentle a term as vulgar; but for their indelicacy, I could call it still Yet with these faults, and the latter is an enormous one in my English eyes, many of the women are exceedingly agreeable. I cannot say so much for the men-always excepting the duc de Nivernois. You would be entertained, for a quarter of an hour, with his duchess-she is the duke of Newcastle properly placed, that is, chattering incessantly out of devotion, and making interest against the devil that she may dispose of bishoprics in the next world.

worse.

Madame d'Egmont is expected to-day, which will run me again into arrears. I don't know how it is-Yes, I do it is natural to impose on bounty, and I am like the rest of the world: I am going to abuse your goodness, because I know nobody's so great. Besides being the best friend in the world, you are the best

commissionnaire in the world, madam: you understand from friendship to scissors. The enclosed model was trusted to me, to have two pair made as well as possible-but I really blush at my impertinence. However, all the trouble I mean to give your ladyship is, to send your groom of the chambers to bespeak them; and a pair besides of the common size for a lady, as well made as possible, for the honour of England's steel.

The two knotting-bags from madame Geoffrin went away by a clergyman two days ago; and I concerted all the tricks the doctor and I could think of, to elude the vigilance of the customhouse officers.

With this, I send your ladyship the Orpheline leguée: its intended name was the Anglomanie-my only reason for sending it; for it has little merit, and had as slender success, being acted but five times. However, there is nothing else new.

The dauphin continues in the same languishing and hopeless state, but with great coolness and firmness. Somebody gave him t'other day The preparation for death: he said, "C'est la nouvelle du jour."

I have nothing more to say, but what I have always to say, madam, from the beginning of my letters to the end, that I am Your ladyship's most obliged

and most devoted humble servant.

Nov. 28, three o'clock.

Oh, madam, madam, madam, what do you think I have found since I wrote my letter this morning? I am out of my wits! Never was any thing like my luck; it never forsakes me! I have found count Grammont's picture! I believe I shall see company upon it, certainly keep the day holy. I went to the Grand Augustins to see the pictures of the reception of the knights of the Holy Ghost: they carried me into a chamber full of their portraits; I was looking for Bassompierre; my laquais de louage opened a door, and said "Here are more." One of the first that struck me was Philibert comte de Grammont!

1 The title of a French book of devotion. [Or.]

2

2 The witty count de Grammont, who married Elizabeth, daughter of sir George Hamilton, fourth son of James first earl of Abercorn, by Mary, third sister of James first duke of Ormond. Tradition reports, that Grammont, who is not recorded to have been a man of personal courage, having

It is old, not at all handsome, but has a great deal of finesse in the countenance. I shall think of nothing now but having it copied.-If I had seen or done nothing else, I should be content with my journey hither.

TO THE HON. H. S. CONWAY.

Paris, Nov. 29, 1765.

As I answered your short letter with a very long one, I shall be shorter in answer to your long, which I received late last night from Fontainbleau: it is not very necessary; but as lord William Gordon sets out for England on Monday, I take that opportunity.

The duke of Richmond tells me that Choiseul has promised every thing. I wish it may be performed, and speedily, as it will give you an opportunity of opening the parliament with great éclat. My opinion you know is, that this is the moment for pushing them and obtaining.

Thank you for all you say about my gout. We have had a week of very hard frost, that has done me great good, and rebraced me. The swelling of my legs is quite gone. What has done me more good, is having entirely left off tea, to which I believe the weakness of my stomach was owing, having had no sickness since. In short, I think I am cured of every thing but my fears. You talk coolly of going as far as Naples, and propose my going with you. I would not go so far, if Naples was the direct road to the new Jerusalem. I have no thought or wish but to get home, and be quiet for the rest of my days, which I shall most certainly do the first moment the season will let me ; and if I once get to London again, shall be scarce

attached, if not engaged himself to miss Hamilton, went off abruptly for France; the count George Hamilton pursued and overtook him at Dover, when he thus addressed him: "My dear friend, I believe you have forgot a circumstance that should take place before you return to France.” To which Grammont answered, "True, my dear friend; what a memory I have! I quite forgot that I was to marry your sister; but I will instantly accompany you back to London and rectify that forgetfulness." [Ed.]

I have refused to go to

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tempted ever to lie in an inn more. Aubigné, though I should lie but one night on the road. You may guess what I have suffered, when I am grown so timorous about my health. However, I am again reverted to my system of water, and trying to recover my hardiness-but nothing has at all softened me towards physicians.

You see I have given you a serious answer, though I am rather disposed to smile at your proposal. Go to Italy! for what?-Oh! to quit-do you know, I think that as idle a thought as the other. Pray stay where you are, and do some good to your country, or retire when you cannot--but don't put your finger in your eye and cry after the holidays and sugar-plums of Park-place. You have engaged and must go through, or be hindered. Could you tell the world the reason? Would not all men say you had found yourself incapable of what you had undertaken? I have no patience with your thinking so idly. It would be a reflection on your understanding and character, and a want of resolution unworthy of you.

My advice is, to ask for the first great government that falls, if you will not take your regiment again; to continue acting vigorously and honestly where you are. Things are never stable enough in our country to give you a prospect of a long slavery. Your defect is irresolution. When you have taken your post, act up to it; and if you are driven from it, your retirement will then be as honourable (and more satisfactory) than your administration. I speak frankly, as my friendship for you directs. My way of acting (though a private instance) is agreeable to my doctrine. I determined, whenever our opposition should be over, to have done with politics; and you see I have adhered to my resolution by coming hither; and therefore you may be convinced that I speak my thoughts. I don't ask your pardon, because I should be forced to ask my own if I did not tell you what I think the best for you. You have life and Park-place enough to come, and you have not had five months of gout. Make yourself independent honourably, which you may do by a government; but if you will take my advice, don't accept a ministerial place when you cease to be a minister. The former is a reward due to your profession and services, the latter is a degradation. You know the haughtiness of my spirit; I give you no advice but what I would follow.

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I sent lady Ailesbury The Orpheline leguée: a poor performance; but the subject made me think she would like to see it. I am over head and ears at count Caylus's' auction, and have bought half of it for a song-but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of count Grammont, after having been in search of one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing. A-propos, I promised you my own: but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck. I had rather stay till my return. Adieu!

Yours ever.

TO THE HON. H. S. CONWAY.

Paris, Dec. 5, 1765.

I HAVE not above a note's worth to say; but as lord Ossory sets out to-morrow, I just send you a line.

The dauphin, if he is still alive, which some folks doubt, is kept so only by cordials; though the bishop of Glandeve has assured the queen that he had God's own word for his recovery, which she still believes, whether her son is dead or not.

The remonstrance of the parliament of Paris, on the dissolution of that of Bretagne, is very decent; they are to have an audience next week. They do not touch on Chalotais, because the accusation against him is for treason. What do you think that treason is? A correspondence with Mr. Pitt, to whom he is made to say, that Rennes is nearer to London than Paris. It is now believed that the anonymous letters, supposed to be written by Chalotais, were forged by a jesuit-those to Mr. Pitt could not have even so good an author.

1 The count de Caylus, a member of the Royal Academy of Inscriptions and Belles-Lettres, and honorary member of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture, and author of the "Recueil d'Antiquités Egyptiennes, Etrusques, Grecques, Romaines, et Gauloises," in seven vols. 4to.; died at Paris in September 1765, in the 63d year of his age. He was said to be the protector of the arts and the torment of the artists, for though he assisted them with his advice, and better still, with his purse, he exacted from them, in return, the greatest deference to his opinion. [Ed.]

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