Walpole's Letters, he likens them, among other productions, to the "Annual Register," and "Hansard's Debates!" And yet, in the very same page in which he institutes this strange comparison, he confesses that no painter was ever more ready to sacrifice accuracy of details to a tone of colour than Walpole, and he carries this system of embellishment to a degree that diminishes, even in indifferent matters, our confidence in his veracity. Whenever he takes offence, he distorts facts, discolours motives, and disparages persons with the most ingenious and inveterate malignity." In another page it is added, "to look to Walpole for strict accuracy and impartiality would be to expect from a harlequin the gait and garb of an undertaker." Now, it is well known, that the chief-and indeed the sole-merit of the "Annual Register," and more especially of Hansard's Debates," is that they uniformly maintain a tone of scrupulous impartiality, and are mere matter-of-fact chronicles, nothing more. And yet the Works of a man who, we are told, "sacrifices accuracy of details to a system of embellishment," and whose " veracity" cannot be relied on, are coolly and gravely compared to these two most rigidly faithful records of modern times!

LONDON, April, 1844.

UNIV OF
CALIFORNIA

LETTERS

FROM

THE HON. HORACE WALPOLE

TO

SIR HORACE MANN.

LETTER CCLXII.

Arlington Street, Dec. 20, 1776. I CANNOT Write to you myself, my dear sir, for I have the gout in my right hand and wrist, and feel enough of it about me to fear that it will make its general tour; which, by this third year's experience, seems to have grown annual instead of bienial: however, I am still so partial to the bootikins, as to believe that it is they that save me from having near so much pain as other gouty people complain of; and, while I do not suffer much, there is no great hardship in an old man's being confined to his own house. It is not, however, to talk of myself that I send you this; but to tell you that I have received your letter for Lord North, and, as I could not carry it myself, I sent it to him by a friend, and do not doubt but so just a request will be attended to.

*

It looks very much as if we should know soon whether America is to be subdued or saved by a French war. We heard on Tuesday last that Dr. Franklin himself was landed in France-no equivocal step; and on Wednesday came a full explanation. General Howe had made two movements, which threatened enclosing Washington, and cutting him off from his magazines: a small engagement ensued, in which the Americans were driven from a post without much loss on either side. Washington has since retired with his whole army to other heights,

* In September, 1776, three Commissioners were appointed by Congress to take charge of the affairs of America in Europe, and endeavour to procure a treaty of alliance with France. The Commissioners were Dr. Franklin, Silas Deane, and Arthur Lee. The Commission continued till February, 1778, when a treaty of amity and commerce, and also a treaty of alliance, were concluded, and Dr. Franklin appointed Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of France.-ED.

VOL. II.-3

about five miles off, seeming to intend to protract the war, as was always thought would be their wisest way; but, as the Americans do not behave very heroically, and as the King's fleet will now be masters of the coast, it is supposed that Washington must retire northward, and that the Howes will make great progress in the south, if not prevented by the rigour of the season. As nearly as I can make out, Dr. Franklin must have sailed a day or two after Washington's retreat;* and therefore it is natural to conclude that he is come to tell France, that she must directly interpose and protect the Americans, or that the Americans must submit to such terms as they can obtain. If I am not wrong in my reasons, the question is thus brought to a short issue, and there I leave it. I am never fond of speculations, and not at all so when I am not quite well. Adieu!

LETTER CCLXIII.

Arlington Street, Jan. 24, 1777.

In my last, a month ago, I told you I had the gout. It is now gone, and I have been once out to take the air. As I love to make the best of every thing, I call this a short and favourable fit, having, from its first moment to my airing, lasted but six weeks; and, though I had it in both hands, wrists, and elbows, there was not much pain for above thirty hours; and my feet escaped. These douceurs I attribute to the bootikins. It is true that, for the last three years, the fits have been annual, instead of biennial; but if they are split into more frequent, though much shorter portions, I must still be satisfied; for could I go through five months and a half of pain? I am already so shattered with these attacks, that my nerves are as alarmable as the sensitive plant. The clapping of a door makes me start and tremble; and yet I don't

*Washington's retreat took place about the 20th of October, and Dr. Franklin sailed from Philadelphia on the 26th, and reached Paris on the 21st of December. Madame du Deffand, in a letter to Walpole of the 18th, says, "The object of M. Franklin's visit remains a problem; and what is still more singular, no body can tell whether he is actually in Paris or not. For the last three or four days, we have been told in the morning that he had arrived, and in the evening that he had not yet come." On the 22nd she again wrote, "Yesterday Franklin arrived at two in the afternoon. He slept the night before at Versailles. He was accompanied by two of his grandsons, one seven years old, the other seventeen, and by his friend, M. Penet. He has taken lodgings in the Rue de l'Université."-Ed.

Mr. Burke, in a letter of the 6th of January, to the Marquis of Rockingham, throws out the following conjecture as to the object of Franklin's visit. "I persuade myself he is come to Paris to draw from that Court a definitive and satisfactory answer concerning the support of the Colonies. If he cannot get such an answer (and I am of the opinion that, at present, he cannot,) then it is to be presumed he is authorized to negotiate with Lord Stormont on the basis of dependence on the Crown. This I take to be his errand; for I never can believe that he has come thither as a fugitive from his cause in the hour of its distress, or that he is going to conclude a long life, which has brightened every hour it has continued, with so foul and dishonourable a flight."-ED.

find my spirits affected. In fact, my inside is so strong, and the case so very week, that I believe the cottage will tumble down, and I shall have nothing but the inside left. I am thinking of going to Bath or to the sea-side, which has often been of service; not, to say the truth, that I suppose it will, but one is to try, and to pretend to suppose it will. Old people always talk as if they expected cures but surely they cannot; surely they cannot forget how they used to laugh at their seniors who had such idle hopes! But enough, and too much of myself.

The tide of victories continues: Fort Washington was taken at the end of the year, and Rhode Island since. A great deal is still to do, and not much less if the war was over. It does not appear yet that Dr. Franklin has persuaded France to espouse America openly. One hears a great deal of underhand support, and in general the disposition of the French for war with us; but I never believe but on facts, seldom reports, and seldomer prophecies and conjectures; chance being the great mistress of human affairs in the dernier ressort.

It

The Parliament is met, but, as the Opposition does not attend, for these last two days they could not get a House of one hundred members; which is necessary, since Mr. Grenville's Bill, if an election is to be heard. We were alarmed on Sunday with an account of Bristol being in flames, and of several attempts to fire that city and Portsmouth. turns out almost nothing at all, and not above the pitch of insurers. There was a silly story of two new-invented engines for firing being found in the lodgings of the supposed incendiary, together with an account of the St. Barthelemi and Dr. Price's pamphlet for the Americans. If true, it indicated a madman.

Your lord paramount, the Emperor,‡ is coming to Paris: he does

* These attempts to fire Bristol and Portsmouth were work of the wretched incen diary, James Aitken, commonly called John the Painter. After committing numer ous highway robberies, burglaries, and petty thefts, he shipped himself off to Ameri ca, where he continued three years. On his return, he formed the detestable design of destroying the maritime force of England by setting fire to the royal dock-yards, and burning the principal trading cities and towns, with their shipping. For this purpose he took extraordinary pains in the construction of his fireworks and combustibles; and it was owing to the unaccountable failure in one of his infernal machines, that the nation was saved from so dreadful a shock. He succeeded in setting fire to the rope-house at Portsmouth, but failed in his attempt on Bristol, where he only destroyed six or seven warehouses. He was tried at Winchester in March, and conveyed for execution to Portsmouth dock-gate. Before he was turned off he acknowledged the justice of his sentence, and recommended strict vigilance at all the dockyards," because," he said, "it was in the power of any determined, resolute man to do a great deal of mischief."-ED.

This celebrated pamphlet was entitled "Observations on the Nature of Civil Liberty, the Principles of Government, and the Justice and Policy of the War with America." It was circulated with profusion, and, for writing it, the Common Council of London voted the Doctor their thanks, and presented him with the freedom of the city in a gold box. Being translated into the Dutch language, it is supposed to have influenced the Hollanders in withdrawing their property from the British funds. It was repeatedly quoted in both Houses.-ED.

↑ Joseph II., Emperor of Germany and brother of Marie Antoinette, Queen of France, arrived at Paris in the middle of April. Under the name of Count Falkenstein he lived and travelled like a very private gentleman. He visited but little at

not come hither-he needs not. We have transplanted the flowers of our follies thither-horse-racing and gaming; and our chief missionaries preside over the rites.* My poor hand is so weak that you must dispense with my writing you no longer a letter. For eight days I underwent the humiliation of being fed; and, when one comes to one's pap again, no wonder one thinks one's self ancient ! Adieu !

LETTER CCLXIV.

Arlington Street, Feb. 6, 1777.

AFTER a confinement of seven weeks, I begin to go about again. I feel no great joy in my liberty; and, had I any excuse for bringing people to me, I should not feel concerned to live at home; for all England is a public place, and nothing so difficult to find as any private society. Every thing is changed; as always must happen when one grows old, and is prejudiced to one's old ways. I do not like dining at nearly six, nor beginning the evening at ten at night. If one does not conform, one must live alone; and that is more disagreeable and more difficult in town than in the country, where old useless people ought to live. Unfortunately, the country does not agree with me; and I am sure it is not fancy; for my violent partiality to Strawberry Hill cannot be imposed upon. I am persuaded that it is the dampness of this climate that gives me so much gout; and London, from the number of fires and inhabitants, must be the dryest spot in the nation.

There is nothing new of any sort. As there is no Opposition, there is no Parliament; I mean none that is talked of more than the Assizes. In America the campaign seems to be over. It is to be very warm next summer; but there will be a spring between of some consequence. Then will be seen what we are to expect from France. Your brother, the Emperor, has put off his journey thither: some think, rebuffed from Versailles; others, that storms are brewing in the North, or deathst approaching that will open the flood-gates. I but just touch these points; for I have no private intelligence from every Court in Europe. I can see very little way into futurity, and when I think I do, I am commonly mistaken. That this country is stark mad in every respect, I am very clear; a death that great countries are apt to die of. I have but few years to come, have no children to leave, and therefore it is no wonder

Court, and spent no part of his time in forms; but laid it out, with the attention of a philosopher and the inquisitiveness of a statesman, in examining the different establishments of that country.--ED.

*The sport of horse-racing, with a mixture of gambling, was at this time greatly on the increase in France. There had recently been two in one day: the first between the Prince de Nassau and the Marquis de Fénélon, who both rode their own horses; the other between the Duc de Chartres and the Duc de Lauzun. Louis XVI. and Marie Antoinette were present. Of the six exalted individuals four perished, a few years after, by the guillotine!-ED.

Probability of the death of the King of Prussia.