in the farce' says to the old gentleman, "You are villainously old; you are sixty-six; you can't have the impudence to think of living above two years." The old gentleman in the stage-box turned about in a passion, and said, "This is d-d stuff!"

Pray have you got Mr. Conway yet! Adieu!

334. TO SIR HORACE MANN.

Dec. 12, 1751.

I HAVE received yours and Mr. Conway's letters, and am transported that you have met at last, and that you answer so well to one another, as I intended. I expect that you tell me more and more all that you think of him. The inclosed is for him; as he has never received one of my letters since he left England, I have exhausted all my news upon him, and for this post you must only go halves with him, who I trust is still at Florence. In your last, you mentioned Lord Stormont and commend him; pray tell me more about him. He is cried up above all the young men of the time-in truth we want recruits! Lord Bolingbroke is dead, or dying,' of a cancer, which was thought cured by a quack plaster; but it is not everybody can be cured at seventy-five, like my monstrous uncle.

What is an uomo nero ?-neither Mr. Chute nor I can recollect the term. Though you are in the season of the villegiatura, believe me, Mr. Conway will not find Florence duller than he would London: our diversions, politics, quarrels, are buried all in our Alphonso's grave!' The only thing talked of, is a man who draws teeth with a sixpence, and puts them in again for a shilling. I believe it; not that it seems probable, but because I have long been persuaded that the most incredible discoveries will be made, and that, about the time, or a little after, I die, the secret will be found out of how to live for ever and that secret, I believe, will not be discovered by a physician. Adieu!

P.S. I have tipped Mr. Conway's direction with French, in case it should be necessary to send it after him.

1 The 'Intriguing Chambermaid' [by Fielding] was performed at Drury-lane on the 6th of November.-WRIGHT.

2 Lord Bolingbroke died on the 15th.-WRIGHT.

3 The late Prince of Wales: it alludes to a line in The Mourning Bride.'WALPOLE.

335. TO GEORGE MONTAGU, ESQ.

THE ST. JAMES'S EVENING POST.

Thursday, Jan. 9, 1752.

MONDAY being the Twelfth-day, his Majesty according to annual custom offered myrrh, frankincense, and a small bit of gold; and at night, in commemoration of the three kings or wise men, the King and Royal Family played at hazard for the benefit of a prince of the blood. There were above eleven thousand pounds upon the table; his most sacred Majesty won three guineas, and his Royal Highness the Duke, three thousand four hundred pounds.

On Saturday was landed at the Custom-house a large box of truffles, being a present to the Earl of Lincoln from Theobald Taaffe, Esq. who is shortly expected home from his travels in foreign parts.

To-morrow the new-born son' of the Earl of Egremont is to be baptised, when his Majesty, and the Earl of Granville (if he is able to stand), and the Duchess of Somerset, are to be sponsors.

We are assured that on Tuesday last, the surprising strong woman was exhibited at the Countess of Holdernesse's, before a polite assembly of persons of the first quality: and some time this week, the two dwarfs will play at brag at Madame Holman's. N.B. The strong man, who was to have performed at Mrs. Nugent's, is indisposed.

There is lately arrived at the Lord Carpenter's, a curious male chimpanzee, which had had the honour of being shown before the ugliest princes in Europe, who all expressed their approbation; and we hear that he intends to offer himself a candidate to represent the city of Westminster at the next general election. Note: he wears breeches, and there is a gentlewoman to attend the ladies.

Last night the Hon. and Rev. Mr. James Brudenel was admitted a a doctor of opium in the ancient university of White's, being received ad eundem by his grace the Rev. father in chess the Duke of Devonshire, president, and the rest of the senior fellows. At the same time the Lord Robert Bertie and Colonel Barrington were

1 George O'Brien Wyndham, afterwards third Earl of Egremont and a great patron of English Artists. Born 1751, died 1837.-CUNNINGHAM,

2 Lord Granville was a great drinker.-CUNNINGHAM,

rejected, on account of some deficiency of formality in their testimonials.

Letters from Grosvenor Street mention a dreadful apparition, which has appeared for several nights at the house of the Countess Temple, which has occasioned several of her ladyship's domestics to leave her service, except the coachman, who has drove her sons and nephews for several years, and is not afraid of spectres. The coroner's inquest have brought in their verdict lunacy.

Last week the Lord Downe received at the Treasury the sum of a hundred kisses from the Auditor of the Exchequer, being the reward for shooting at a highwayman.

On Tuesday the operation of shaving was happily performed on the upper lip of her grace the Duchess of Newcastle, by a celebrated artist from Paris, sent over on purpose by the Earl of Albemarle. The performance lasted but one minute and three seconds, to the great joy of that noble family; and in consideration of his great care and expedition, his grace has settled four hundred pounds a-year upon him for life. We hear that he is to have the honour of shaving the heads of the Lady Caroline Petersham, the Duchess of Queensberry, and several other persons of quality.

By authority, on Sunday next will be opened the Romish chapel at Norfolk House; no persons will be admitted but such as are known well-wishers to the present happy establishment. Mass will begin exactly when the English liturgy is finished.

6

At the theatre royal in the House of Lords, 'The Royal Slave,' with Lethe.' At the theatre in St. Stephen's chapel, The Fool in Fashion.'

The Jews are desired to meet on the 20th inst. at the sign of Fort L'Evêque in Pharaoh Street, to commemorate the noble struggle made by one of their brethren' in support of his property.

Deserted-Miss Ashe."

Lost-an Opposition.

To be let an ambassador's masquerade, the gentleman going abroad.

To be sold the whole nation.

Lately published, The Analogy of political and private quarrels, or the Art of healing family-differences by widening them; on these words, "Do evil that good may ensue; a sermon preached before

1 Abraham Payba, a Jew, alias James Roberts; the complainant in the charges against Montagu and Taaffe.-CUNNINGHAM.

2 See vol. ii. p. 273.-CUNNINGHAM.

the Right Hon. Henry Pelham, and the rest of the society for propagating Christian charity, by William Levenson, chaplain to her R. H. the Princess Amelia; and now printed at the desire of several of the family.

For capital weaknesses, the Duke of Newcastle's true spirit of crocodiles.

Given gratis at the Turn-stile, the corner of Lincoln's-inn-fields,' Anodyne Stars and Garters.

336. TO SIR HORACE MANN.

Arlington Street, Feb. 2, 1752.

WE are much surprised by two letters which my Lady Aylesbury has received from Mr. Conway, to find that he had not yet heard of his new regiment. She, who is extremely reasonable, seems content that he went to Rome before he got the news, as it would have been pity to have missed such an opportunity of seeing it, and she flatters herself that he would have set out immediately for England, if he had received the express at Florence. Now you know him, you will not wonder that she is impatient; you would wonder, if you knew her, if he were not so too.

After all I have lately told you of our dead tranquillity, you will be surprised to hear of an episode of Opposition: it is merely an interlude, for at least till next year we shall have no more: you will rather think it a farce, when I tell you, that that buffoon my old uncle acted a principal part in it. And what made it more ridiculous, the title of the drama was a subsidiary treaty with Saxony." In short, being impatient with the thought that he should die without having it written on his tomb, "Here lies Baron Punch," he spirited up-whom do you think?-only a Grenville! my Lord Cobham, to join with him in speaking against this treaty: both did : the latter retired after his speech; but my uncle concluded his (which was a direct answer to all he has been making all his life), with declaring, that he should yet vote for the treaty! You never heard such a shout and laughter as it caused. This debate was followed by as new a one in the House of Lords, where the Duke of Bedford

1 The residence of the Duke of Newcastle.-WRIGHT.

2 Mr. Pitt was so much pleased with Mr. Horatio Walpole's speech on this occasion, that he requested him to consign it to writing, and gave it as his opinion, that it contained much weighty matter, and from beginning to end breathed the spirit of a man who loved his country. See Chatham Correspondence, vol. i. p. 63.—WRIght.

took the treaty, and in the conclusion of his speech the ministry, to pieces. His friend Lord Sandwich, by a most inconceivable jumble of cunning, spoke for the treaty, against the ministry; it is supposed, lest the Duke should be thought to have countenanced the Opposition you never heard a more lamentable performance! there was no division.' The next day the Tories in our House moved for a resolution against subsidiary treaties in time of peace: Mr. Pelham, with great agitation, replied to the philippics of the preceding day, and divided 180 to 52.

There has been an odd sort of codicil to these debates: Vernon,' a very inoffensive, good-humoured young fellow, who lives in the strongest intimacy with all the fashionable young men, was proposed for the Old Club at White's, into the mysteries of which, before a person is initiated, it is necessary that he should be well with the ruling powers: unluckily, Vernon has lately been at Woburn with the Duke of Bedford. The night of the ballot, of twelve persons present eight had promised him white balls, being his particular friends however, there were six black balls!-this made great noise his friends found it necessary to clear up their faith to himten of the twelve assured him upon their honour that they had given him white balls. I fear this will not give you too favourable an idea of the honour of the young men of the age!

Your father, who has been dying, and had tasted nothing but water for ten days, the other day called for roast beef, and is well; cured, I suppose, by this abstinence, which convinces me that intemperance had been his illness. Fasting and mortification will restore a good constitution, but not correct a bad one.

Adieu! I write you but short letters, and those, I fear, seldom; but they tell you all that is material: this is not an age to furnish volumes.

337. TO SIR HORACE MANN.

Arlington Street, Feb. 27, 1752.

GAL. tells me that your eldest brother has written you an account of your affairs, the particulars of which I was most solicitous to learn, and am now most unhappy to find no better." Indeed, Gal.

1 For an account of this debate, taken by Lord Chancellor Hardwicke, see Parl. Hist. vol. xiv. p. 1175.-WRIGHT.

2 Richard Vernon, Esq. He married Lady Evelyn Leveson, widow of the Earl of Upper Ossory, and sister of Gertrude, Duchess of Bedford.-DOVER.

* Mr. Mann's father was just dead.- WALPOLE. See vol. i. p. 274.