casion. He snapped her up at once as voraciously as she did John Harding. They passed a week together at Calais, and he then consigned her over to a marching regiment at Ardres. Alfieri* told this story himself to Monsieur Francès, from whom I had it fresh. Alfieri's sentiments, that had resisted so many trials, could not digest this last chapter; he has given her up. I wish, when she has run the gauntlet through all the troops on the road to Paris, she may replace Madame du Barry, and prove la fiancée du Roi de France.+ Yours ever, H. WALPOLE. LORD GRANTHAM. THOMAS ROBINSON, second Baron Grantham, was born at Vienna, November 30, 1738. In 1761 he was employed as Secretary of the Embassy at the Congress of Augsburg; on the 1st of October, 1766, he was appointed a Commissioner of Trade and Plantations, and, at the period when this letter was written, was Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary at the Court of Madrid. He sub * Alfieri had recently visited England, where he had distinguished himself by his numerous gallantries. + Walpole, of course, alludes to La Fontaine's lively tale la Fiancée du Roi de Garbe, in which la fiancée meets with several piquant and not very creditable adventures, on her way to meet le Roi de Garbe. sequently succeeded Fox as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in 1782. By his wife, Jemima, daughter and co-heir of Philip, second Earl of Hardwicke, he was the father of Thomas Philip and Frederick John, the present Earls De Grey and Ripon. Lord Grantham died on the 20th of July, 1786. LORD GRANTHAM TO GEORGE SELWYN. DEAR GEORGE, Escurial, 31st October, 1771. I AM delighted with your account of Carlisle and his family. You are pleased to call yourself an old Hun; be it so: but I am glad you told me the little girl was handsome; more because it is a proof of her health, than any pledge of future beauty. The very post before I received yours I had written to Carlisle. I hope he will sometimes let me hear from him, and I shall in my next desire him not to let you be idle. Thank you for thinking of fixing some scheme of rotation at the Club, for writing to me. I really wish to know the true story of Richard's* winnings, and why they are to be concealed, unless the loser is afraid of his father, and the winner of his creditors. I fear James is not well; he does not give a good account of himself. You ask me if there are good prints of Penoushen? I believe not, except you like Saints, * Probably General Fitzpatrick. of whom there are innumerable, and there is one just published of the venerable Palafox, who expects to be called up to that house very soon. The nourriture, which you hope agrees with me, is much better than I expected, and, what is remarkable, the sea-fish is as fresh here as on the coast. What does St. John do about Miss Kennedy?* Your account of Harry pleased me much; pray give my compliments to him. Believe me, Most sincerely yours, GRANTHAM. THE EARL OF CARLISLE TO GEORGE SELWYN. MY DEAR GEORGE, Friday. [Circ. Nov. 1771.] WE shall leave this place in about three weeks. I can assure you it will give me great pleasure to see you again. I think I can account for your headache after Lord Clermont's † dinner. I suppose, while they were talking of horses you drank all the red wine within your reach. I have made Mr. Car, of York, give me a plan for stables, of a * This is apparently an allusion to the sister of the unfortunate Kennedys, in whose fate Mr. St. John had interested himself. See antè, vol. ii. p. 384. + William Henry Fortescue, Earl of Clermont in Ireland, Knight of St. Patrick, and Governor of the county of Monaghan. He was born August 5th, 1722, and died at his house on the Steyne, at Brighton, September 30th, 1806. VOL. III. с very different kind from that of Mr. Chambers in point of expense. This fine weather agrees with us all, particularly the little girl. I hear Mr. Delaval met the Duchess of Cumberland at Calais, and kissed her hand. She said it was disagreeable at first, but she should soon Everybody here desires to be remem be used to it. bered to you. I am, Yours most affectionately, C. [The Duchess of Cumberland, alluded to in this letter, was Lady Anne Luttrell, daughter of the Earl of Carhampton, and widow of Christopher Horton, Esq., of Catton, in Derbyshire. She was married, on the 2nd of October, 1771, to Henry Frederic, Duke of Cumberland, brother of George the Third. Their union was first announced to the world in the public journals of the day, and caused so much annoyance to the King, that he immediately issued an order, forbidding the duke and duchess to appear at Court. A bill was subsequently passed, which precluded any member of the royal family from contracting marriage under the age of twenty-five without the permission of the sovereign; nor after that age, unless with the joint and express sanction of the sovereign and both Houses of Parliament, to whom the law compelled them to give due notification.] THE EARL OF CARLISLE TO GEORGE SELWYN. [1771.] MY DEAR GEORGE, I HAVE been out shooting till my hand shakes so that I can hardly hold the pen. I think Lord Robert's affair will be kept secret if he manages well, though too many people know it, not to have fears for him. The first word I saw in your letter this morning was "hazard," which made me tremble. Little Caroline* is very well, and shall thank you, as soon as she is able, for all your kindness to her. Did you see the advertisement in the papers to desire Lady Harrington would not disturb the audience at the play-house with her snuffling gabble? Lady Louisa is in doubt, whether she shall begin reading Locke, Blackstone, or Eden on the penal law. Lady Carlisle, Hare, &c., desire their compliments to you. I am, my dear George, Yours most affectionately, &c. &c. [Charles James Fox, of whom an interesting notice will be found in the following letter, was at this period rendering himself no less an object of won * Lady Caroline Howard, Lord Carlisle's eldest child; the present Dowager Lady Cawdor. She was born September 3, 1771. |