one to the other; and ill the whole time, for he has a bad constitution, and treats it as if he had been dipped in the immortal river: but I doubt his heel at least will be vulnerable.*

There is a topic† which begins to predominate, but not proper for the post, nor one that shall be so to me; for I recollect under what King I was born, and consequently can have nothing to do with a reign so far removed as the next will be. As I too am always partial to youth, having not at least the spleen of age,-I make the greatest allowances for inexperience and novel passions. In one word, I give no ear to the commencement of future history; it is

page I shall not peruse: and what are the first leaves of a book to one that can make no progress in it? I see no prospect of conclusion to the war -occupation enough, one should think, for every body at present; and yet, unless roused by some event, which too is forgotten in three days, no one seems to care about the general face of affairs, but is as indifferent as if we were in a dead calm.

Your nephew is to come here to-morrow morning to show my house to some company; my nephew is to command a small camp this summer.

My lord has answered your nephew's letter, and tells him he is not legally bound to pay his father's debts, and refers him to Lucasmon Chancelier vous dira le reste, as Kings say when they are ashamed of what they are going to do.

says, "As I came up St. James's-street, I saw a cart and porters at Charles's door; coppers and old chests of drawers loading. In short, his success at Faro had awakened his host of creditors; but unless his bank had been swelled to the size of the Bank of England, it could not have yielded a sop for each. Epsom, too, had been unpropitious, and one creditor had actually seized and carried off his goods, which did not seem worth removing. As I returned full of this scene, whom should I find sauntering by my own door but Charles? He came up and talked to me at the coach-window, on the Marriage-Bill, with as much sang froid as if he knew nothing of what had happened. I have no admiration for insensibility to one's own faults, especially when committed out of vanity. Perhaps the whole philosophy consists in the commission. The more marvellous Fox's parts are, the more one is provoked at his follies, which comfort so many rascals and blockheads, and make all that is admirable and amiable in him only matter of regret to those who like him as I do."-ED.

* "As early as 1781," says Sir Nathaniel Wraxall, "Fox was attacked with frequent complaints of the stomach and bowels, attended by acute pain; to moderate the symptoms of which he usually had recourse to laudanum. He had already im. paired his bodily powers by every variety of excess, added to the most violent mental agitation." Hist. Mem. vol. ii. p. 246.—Ed.

The Prince of Wales. [The topic of general conversation at this time was the connexion which the Prince had formed with the youthful and beautiful actress, Mrs. Robinson, who first attracted his Royal Highness's notice when performing the part of Perdita, in the Winter's Tale.-ED.

t Lord Orford.

LETTER CCCLIII.

Berkeley Square, June 8, 1781. THE late Gazette, boiled down from Lord Cornwallis's relation, will still convince you how transient our prospects are from his lordship's successes. In truth, as we draw prospects from the faintest hints, no wonder they have no lasting body of colours. We expect something about Necker's fall*-no ill compliment to him. I am amazed how he could hope, or at least expect, to stand. A general reformer, a Protestant, and a man of no birth, was an outrage to all interests and all prejudices. Sully, with some less objections, could not have stemmed the same torrent without a Henri Quatre to descry his merit and support it.

The Parliament will sit to the middle of next month on India affairs, but I trouble myself with neither.

LETTER CCCLIV.

Strawberry Hill, July 5, 1781.

YOUR last is of the 26th of May, and mine of the 8th of June; since that, I have had no public news to tell you. Gazettes will perhaps have made you think that the Duke of Gloucester's visit to the Emperor was political. If it was, the business was despatched in an instant, for no visit was ever shorter. Nothing has come to my knowledge here that looks towards peace; but indeed nothing does come to my knowledge, nor do I inquire about any thing else. The war is not even entertaining; nothing but miscarriages and drawn bat

*The expected reforms which Necker had recommended in the administration of the finances, being represented to the King as inconsistent with the dignity of the Crown, he was dismissed from his office of Controller-general, and M. Jolly de Fleuri was appointed in his stead.-ED.

The House of Commons were at this time closely occupied on Lord North's bill, for securing to the public a participation in the profits of the East India Company. On the subject of this bill, Mr. Wilberforce thus wrote, on the 9th of June, to a friend: "We have a blessed prospect of sitting till the end of next month. Between business in the morning and pleasure at night, my time is pretty well filled up. You say, the Lord Advocate (Mr. Dundas) will give them a trimming on the Indian affairs. I agree with you in thinking him the first speaker on the ministerial side in the House of Commons, and there is a manliness in his character, which prevents his running away from the question; he grants all his adversaries' premises, and fights them upon their own ground. The only India affairs we have yet had before us relate to Lord North's claim on the Company of 600,000l., and it is not in the power even of the Lord Advocate to put a good face on that transaction. Upon my honour, I believe it to be a transaction which, were it to take place in private life, would be considered as a direct robbery. The matter is too long to be explained in a letter; but we will have some conversation on the subject, and, to use your own mode of arguing, I will lay you any sum that you will be finally of my opinion." Life, vol. i. p. 21.-ED.

tles. I believe the expense of the sum total will be the only striking

event.

You are, as usual, very kind about the Rolle estate, but be assured I shall never concern myself about it. All my views for my family were cut up by the roots when the pictures were sold; nor would I for the world make interest to influence my lord's will, even were I younger. You say he is kinder to me-yes, to serve himself. If my real services have had so little weight, I will not be obliged to him indirectly, nor will I stoop to court his rascally creatures. Oh! my dear sir, I am sixty-four, and am infirm and breaking. I do not look beyond the life of a younger man, nor have a single view left; scarce a wish but to pass the short remainder in tranquillity, and, as much as I can, without pain, and with preservation of my senses.

You are quite mistaken about the descent of the barony of Clinton. Should my lord leave every shilling to his father's relations, that peerage, coming by his mother, would go away. Another barony, that of Say and Sele, has just now been adjudged to a Mr. Twisleton, and occasioned examination into the honours that have been in the earldom of Lincoln. It struck me that the barony of Clinton, if Lord Orford dies without children, would revert to the present Duke of Newcastle, and thence to Lady Lincoln's only child, a daughter. I mentioned this to her father, Lord Hertford; he has had the pedigree sifted, and it comes out that I was in the right, though it had occurred to no body else: so, I have at least contributed to give a peerage to one of my

relations.

But I ought not to have wandered so far when I was thanking you for a friendly hint, but should have thanked you for a positive present. You told me, months ago, that you had sent me a lump of crystal before my last positive prohibition. That lump I have just received, and what you spoke of so irreverently proves a beautiful sculptured vase of rock crystal. There is no end of your gifts-but there must be ! remember, reflect, how little time I may have to enjoy them; they will only figure in my inventory at my death.

The Duchess Dowager of Beaufort breakfasted here the other day, and, after inquiring about you most particularly, told me the transport you expressed on attaining the silver chest of Benvenuto Cellini for me. Oh! how sad is the thought that you are never to see your presents arranged and displayed here with all the little honour I can confer on them; but they are all recorded in my catalogue, and who ever reads it will think I had no shame or gratitude. To put a stop to your magnificence, I must be brutal, and treat you as Lord Hunsdon did Queen Elizabeth, when she laid the robes of an earl on his death-bed. I must finish; for I am at this instant in pain with the rheumatism, and going to-bed. I wish us both a good night.

The town says, Lord Mulgrave is returned from a design against

*The estate of the Rolles was come to Lord Orford on his mother's death, and he had power to cut off the entail, and leave it to whom he pleased, as well as the Walpole estate.

Flushing, which failed, as his pilots were so ignorant. I hear, too, that an account came to-day of the junction of Lord Cornwallis and Arnold in Virginia, which will revive our hopes-to be again disappointed. The Parliament will adjourn next week.

This was an hors-d'œuvre, and you must excuse my brevity.

LETTER CCCLV.

Berkeley Square, Ang. 1, 1781.

Do not be surprised that, though I write so frequently, I tell you so little news: I know none but what you see in all the papers. Tobago is allowed to be taken by the French, and there is scarce more doubt of Pensacola being taken by the Spaniards.*

Lord Walpole's son was married last week to my niece Sophia Churchill. It is more than your friend, Sir John Dick, is to his be trothed. He has acted very foolishly, both in engaging and disengaging himself. He sent his future bride an abrupt letter, to say he found himself too old and infirm to proceed. Did not he know three months ago that he was sixty-four? Some say, he discovered that Madamoiselle was not very fond of him: did he expect she would be? In short, it is unlucky to look well at three-score,t for, in reality no body can fall in love with one at that age but one's self.

I have not received Galluzzi's history, nor heard a word of its arrival. I will not be impatient, lest, as I am on the brink of sixty-four too, I should find I have forgotten my Italian and cannot enjoy it.

LETTER CCCLVI.

Strawberry Hill, Aug. 23, 1781.

YOUR last but one mentioned your head being disordered by the gout; but, as the last said nothing of it, I trust it was a very transient attack.

You have seen in the papers all that I could know of the sea-fight between Parker and the Dutch. I believe neither side had cause of

* The island of Tobago had, on the 23 d of May, been compelled to surrender to a considerable body of land-forces under the command of M. de Blanchelande, the late governor of St. Vincent's; and in the same month Pensacola, the capital of the province of West Florida, was delivered up to the Spanish forces under the com. mand of Don Bernardo de Galvez, governor of Louisiana.-ED.

"I lived during several years," says Wraxail, "in habits of familiar acquaintance with Sir John Dick, who retained, at fourscore, all the activity of middle life, together with the perfect possession of his memory and faculties. He was an agreeable, entertaining, and well-bred man, who had seen much of the world." Hist. Mem. vol. i. p. 193.-ED.

On the 5th of August, while in charge of a convoy, Admiral Hyde Parker fell in with a Dutch squadron, escorting a large convoy, on the Doggerbank. The fol

triumph: however, we boast of having driven back their trading-vessels. The King and Prince have been to thank the Admiral and Fleet. The vast storm that hangs over Gibraltar does not seem to alarm us. Indeed they,† of whose judgment I have an opinion, do not believe it will be taken; however, I pity the brave men who are cooped up in it. I know nothing from any other quarter; but every thing is a theme for moralizing, from Gibraltar to the Tribunet at Florence. If that inestimable chamber is not inviolate, what mortal structure is? Zoffani's picture, however, will rise in value, as a portrait of what that room was; yet its becoming more precious will not, I doubt, expedite the sale of it. It is pity that they who love to display taste will not be content with showing their genius without making alterations, and then we should have more samples of the styles of different ages. Some monuments of our predecessors ought to be sacred. Sir William Stanhope was persuaded by Sir Thomas Robinson and Mr. Ellis (the present possessor) to improve Pope's garden here in my neighbourhood. The Poet had valued himself on the disposition of it, and with reason. Though containing but five square acres, enclosed by three lanes, he had managed it with such art and deception, that it seemed a wood,

lowing is the Admiral's own account of this memorable action: "I was happy to find that I had the wind of them; as the great number of their large frigates might otherwise have endangered my convoy. Having separated the men-of-war from the merchant-ships, and made a signal to the last to keep their wind, I bore away with a general signal to chase. The enemy formed their line, consisting of eight twodecked ships, on the starboard tack: ours, including the Dolphin, consisting of seven. Not a gun was fired on either side, until within distance of half musket-shot. The Fortitude then being abreast of the Dutch Admiral, the action began, and continued, with an unceasing fire for three hours and forty minutes. By this time our ships were unmanageable. I made an effort to form the line, in order to renew the action, but found it impracticable. The Bienfaisant had lost her main-topmast, and the Buffalo her fore-yard; the rest of the ships were not less shattered in their masts, rigging, and sails. The enemy appeared to be in as bad a condition. Both squadrons lay to, a considerable time, near to each other; when the Dutch, with their convoy, bore away for the Texel. We were not in a condition to follow them."

The imputed neglect in the Admiralty of furnishing Admiral Parker, with a force equal to the accomplishment of his object, excited much dissatisfaction; and to this dissatisfaction was in some measure attributed the extraordinary favour shown to the Admiral, by a royal visit, upon his arrival with his shattered squadron at the Nore. It was rumoured, that the visit was intended to be distinguished by some signal mark of royal approbation; but it was soon understood, that no promotion whatever would be accepted. The sturdy Admiral had the honour of dining with the King and the Prince of Wales on board the royal yacht; upon which occasion he is said to have hinted his dissatisfaction and intention of retiring, by wishing his Majesty younger officers and better ships: he resigned his command immediately after. By the death of his brother, in the following year, he became a baronet; and on the change of Administration, being nominated to the chief command of the British fleet in the East Indies, he embarked in the Juno, in October, but never reached his destination; no tidings being ever heard of the ship, or any of her crew, after she had passed the Cape of Good Hope.-ED.

+ General Conway.

The Great-Duke had removed many of the curiosities, and pratique'd another door in it, so that it was become a passage-room.

VOL. II.—17

1