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bearing date from 1756 to 1762, is extremely curious. As they were privately distributed, they are of course seldom to be met with. I never saw but one complete set, now in the possession of W. Little, esq. of Richmond, who has obligingly allowed me to copy the one in question, which is submitted to the reader's inspection. We have Lord Orford's testimony to prove that this book was the production of Lord George Townshend. Lord Orford has described the first of the series, Vol. II. p. 68, "A new species of this manufacture now first appeared, invented by Lord George Townshend; they were caricatures on cards. The original one, which had amazing vent, was of Newcastle and Fox, looking at each other, and crying, with Peachum in the Beggar's Opera, Brother, brother, we are both in the wrong.' On the Royal Exchange a paper was affixed, advertising 'Three kingdoms to be let: enquire of Andrew Stone, broker, in Lincoln's Inn Fields.""

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The whole series forms a curious collection. Those on Lord George Sackville were very severe. In return for so gross a breach of decorum in triumphing over a fallen friend, Junius takes occasion to retaliate, by charging Lord Townshend with cowardice at the battle of Dettingen, and in the next letter points out a few public cha

racters to his notice, as suitable subjects for his ingenuity.

Sept. 16, 1767, he says,-" His Excellency the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland is said to have a singular turn for portrait painting, which he willingly employs in the service of his friends. He performs gratis, and seldom gives them the trouble of sitting for their pictures. But I believe the talents of this ingenious nobleman never had so fair an occasion of being employed to advantage as at present. It happens very fortunately for him that he has now a set of friends, who seem intended by nature for the subjects of such a pencil. In delineating their features to the public, he will have an equal opportunity of displaying the delicacy of his hand, and, upon which he chiefly piques himself, the benevolence of his heart. But considering the importance of his present cares, I would fain endeavour to save him the labour of the design, in hopes that he will bestow a few moments more upon the execution. Yet I will not presume to claim the merit of invention. The blindness of chance has done more for the painter than the warmest fancy could have imagined, and has brought together such a group of figures, as I believe never appeared in real life or upon canvass before.

"Your principal character, my Lord, is a young

duke [the Duke of Grafton] mounted upon a lofty phaëton, his head grows giddy, his horses carry him violently down a precipice, and a bloody carcase, the fatal emblem of Britannia, lies mangled under his wheels. By the side of this furious charioteer, sits Caution without Foresight [Mr. Conway], a motley thing, half military, scarce civil. He too would guide, but, let who will drive, is determined to have a seat in the carriage. If it be possible, my Lord, give him to us in the attitude of an orator eating the end of a period, which may begin with, I did not say I would pledge my self. The rest he eats. Your next figure must bear the port and habit of a judge [Lord Camden]; the laws of England under his feet, and before his distorted vision a dagger, which he calls the law of nature, and which marshalls him the way to the murder of the constitution. In such good company, the respectable president of the council [Lord Northington] cannot possibly be omitted: a reasonable number of decrees must be piled up behind him, with the word REVERSED in capital letters upon each of them, and out of his decent lips a compliment à la tilbury.

*

"There is still a young man, my Lord, who, I think, will make a capital figure in the piece: his features are too happily marked to be mistaken; a single line of his face will be sufficient

to give us the heir apparent of Loyola and all the College. A little more of the devil, my Lord, if you please, about the eye-brows: that's enough, a perfect Malagrida I protest [Lord Shelburne]. So much for his person: and, as for his mind, a blinking bull-dog placed near him, will form a very natural type of all his good qualities. These are the figures, which are to come forward to the front of the piece. Your friendship for the Earl of Bute will naturally secure a corner in the retirement for him and his curtain, provided you discover him

"If there be still any vacancies in the canvass, you will easily fill them up with fixtures or still life. You may show us half a paymaster, for instance [Lord North*], with a paper stuck upon the globe of his eye, and a label out of his mouth, no sir, I am of t'other side, sir. How I lament that sounds cannot be conveyed to the eye! You may give us a commander-in-chief [Marquis of Granby], and a secretary at war [Lord Barrington], seeming to pull at two ends of a rope; while a slip-knot in the middle may really strangle three fourths of the army or a lunatic brandishing a crutch [Lord Chatham], or bawling through a grate, or writing with desperate char

* Lord North and Sir G. Cooke were joint paymasters-general at this period. Lord North is the person alluded to.

coal a letter to North America; or a Scotch secretary [Sir Gilbert Elliot], teaching the Irish people the true pronunciation of the Irish language. That barbarous people are but little accustomed to figures of oratory, so that you may represent him in any attitude you think proper, from that of Sir Gilbert Elliot down to Governor Johnstone. These however are but the slighter ornaments of composition, and so I leave them to the choice of your own luxurious fancy.

"The back-ground may be shadowed with the natural obscurity of Scotch clerks and Scotch secretaries, who may be itched out to the life, with one hand grasping a pen, the other riveted in their respective

Your

southern writers are apt to rub their foreheads in the agony of composition; but with Scotchmen the seat of inspiration lies in a lower place, which, while the furor is upon them they lacerate without mercy.

"But amidst all the license of your wit, my Lord, I must entreat you to remember that there is one character too high and too sacred even for the pencil of a peer, though your Lordship has formerly done business for the family. Besides, the attempt would be unnecessary. The true character of that great person* is engraven

*Junius here alludes to his father Lionel, Duke of Dorset, who was several years lord lieutenant of Ireland. No one can walk up and down that fine street, Sackville street, without

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