the history of the House of Farnese in prints; taken I believe, from one of their villas. There is the marriage of Horatio Farnese and the daughter of Henry the Second of France. In short, it is full of portraits and ceremonies of that time, and I should be most glad to have one, if you can procure it; though, as it came out so long ago, it may be scarce, even at Parma or Rome. If it is not-if it is common-I should wish for two copies; yet do not attempt two, if not quite easily attained. Adieu! I have not a moment more-but I believe there is nothing more worthy telling you.

LETTER CCCCII.

Berkeley Square, May 29, 1783.

I AM glad to have nothing to tell you worth telling. We have subsided suddenly into a comfortable calm. Not only war has disappeared, but also the jostling of ministries, the hostilities of factions, the turbulence of county associations, and the mutinous spirit of disbanded regiments. The signal repulse given to the proposed Reformation of Parliament seems to have dashed all that rashness of innovation. The ousted Ministers do not attempt a division in either House of Parliament. In the Lords, where most vigour was expected, Lord Shelburne and the late Chancellor made so ridiculous a figure, that even they themselves appear ashamed. Mr. William Pitt, though little supported, indulges himself in shining; and does shine marvellously. His language is thought equal to his father's; his reasoning much superior; and no wonder, if at all good! He is less deficient, even when speaking on affairs of money; and in his last speech had more fire than usual. Is not all this wonderful at twenty-three! Is not it wonderful, when he can shine, though within the orbit of Mr. Fox, and opposed to him.

This is all that is memorable, but a new suicide. A Mr. Powell, a tool of Lord Holland, and left by him in the Pay-office, was dismissed last year for a deficiency in his accounts of 70,000. It is not yet known whence this happened; nor do I know, however ill the appearance, that he was guilty of dishonesty. Still, he had sworn to a false account, and was to be prosecuted for perjury. Mr. Burke, on succeeding Colonel Barré in the Pay-office, restored this man and another disgraced at the same time,-as Burke says, from commiseration of their distracted shame. Great censure was passed on that restoration. Mr. Burke vehemently defended himself in the House,

studied under him. A quarrel with some of the distinguished persons about the Papal court lost him the patronage of Gregory XIII., and made it advisable for him to quit Rome. He retired first to France, and afterwards removed to England, where he grew into considerable repute, and painted a portrait of Queen Elizabeth. His friends at length succeeded in restoring him to favour at Rome.

and was supported; but the men were given up in two days; and in two days more Powell cut his throat.*

This happened as if to convince the newly-arrived French, that selfmurder is a weekly event in this country. We have not only the Duc de Chartres, but three ladies of the Court, the Ducs de Coigny, Fitz-James, and Polignac, husband of the Queen's Favourite, and various others, and more coming. These wise men from the East, like those of ancient time, are led by a star to a stable; their great object was Newmarket: at least, the Royal Duke's horses and dogs are so much his taste, that he has a brace of them engraved on his buttons, in the most indecent attitudes; and, at the first dinner made for him, pointed out the particular representations to Lady As our newspapers take as great liberties as any Prince of the Blood, they have made due mention of such vulgar indelicacy; and, as it gave great offence, his Serene Highness has not exhibited his stud and kennel any more.

The papers say that the Imperial Freebooters, male and female, have remitted their invasion of Turkey, on having all their demands complied with; but, as they covet all, I should not think pusillanimity would abate appetites. Are vultures tamed by one belly-full?

Our lawyers flatter me, that one more session will complete the discussion of Cavalier Mozzi's affair. Without Mr. Duane I do not know what we should have done. He is patient, cool, attentive, and

*Two individuals, Powell and Bambridge, the one cashier, the other accountant of the Military Pay-Office, having been accused of malversation in the discharge of their functions, had been dismissed by Colonel Barré from their situations, while he was Paymaster of the Forces, under Lord Shelburne's Administration. One of the first acts of Mr. Burke, on coming again into that office, was to reinstate, without previously consulting Mr. Fox, both these individuals. On Mr. Martin having said, in the House of Commons, that he looked upon their restoration as a gross and daring insult to the public, Mr. Burke rose in great heat, and exclaimed, “It is a gross and daring"-but, before he proceeded further, Mr. Sheridan pulled him down on his seat. This took place on the 2nd of May. On the 19th, Sir Cecil Wray having expressed his astonishment that the new Paymaster should have reinstated two persons suspected of so great a crime as the embezzlement of public money, Mr. Burke apologized for the violence he had displayed on the former evening; but said, that "nothing was farther from his intention than to offer an excuse for what he had done relating to the two unfortunate gentlemen; he felt such a sunshine of contempt within, that, if the act was undone, he was convinced he should do it again. He called Messrs. Powell and Bambridge two unfortunate men, and said they had been committed to his protection by Providence; one of them had been with him, and appeared almost distracted; he was absolutely afraid the poor man would lose his senses; this much he was sure of, that the sight of his gray hairs, and the condition in which he had seen him, had so affected and overcome him, that he was scarcely able to come down to the House." Several members expressed their strong disapprobation of Mr. Burke's conduct, and the business would have been agitated anew, had not Powell a few days after put an end to his existence with a razor, and Mr. Rigby announced that Bambridge was removed from his situation. In July, Bambridge was tried on an information filed against him in the Court of King's Bench, for conniving at the concealment of forty-eight thousand pounds, and found guilty; and, in November, he was sentenced to pay a fine of two thousand pounds, and be confined in the King's Bench prison for six months.-ED.

very intelligent. I must do justice to Mr. Sharpe, who really is very active and zealous for the Cavalier.

Mr. Robert Walpole, your diplomatic brother at Lisbon, is come over for a few months; and has brought a young wife, the daughter of a Scottish merchant settled there, who is the phenomenon of the day.* She is a regular beauty, but in my eyes less pleasing than my nieces, the Waldegraves and Miss Keppel. The last, with a little too much plumpness, has a most divine face, with exact features, beautiful skin, and sweet countenance. Lady Horatia is extremely pretty, and like the Duchess; but not of that great style and commanding glory. Lady Maria, the handsomest of the three sisters, has a spirit and sensible vivacity, with a perfect person and lovely hands and arms, that make her more charming than an irreproachable beauty, as Mrs. Robert Walpole is. The Duchess of Devonshire,‡ the empress of fashion, is no beauty at all. She was a very fine woman, with all the freshness of youth and health, but verges fast to a coarseness. A more perfect model than any of them, but in minature, Lady Jersy,§ is going to Paris, and will be very angry if they do not admire her as much as she intends they should. Good night! You perceive by my babble that I have nothing to say, and fill my paper with any trifle.

LETTER CCCCIII.

Strawberry Hill, June 11, 1783.

You never gave me a commission before, my dear sir, that I was unwilling even to try to execute; but you will see in a moment that I am the most improper person in the world to attempt what is required. I say nothing of my gratitude to you for all the trouble you have taken for me on a thousand occasions, which ought to make me decline no task to oblige you. In the present case, I should have a stronger incitement-zeal for the cause of inoculation, which I hope will not suffer by the absurdity of a Leyden Gazette, though falling in with the prejudices of Italy and Germany. Absurdity catches

*The Hon. Robert Walpole, fourth and youngest son of Horatio first Lord Walpole, and Envoy at Lisbon, married, in 1780, Diana, daughter of Walter Grosett, Esq., a merchant of that city.

Anna Maria, eldest daughter of Frederick Keppel, Bishop of Exeter.

Lady Georgiana, eldest daughter of John, first Earl Spencer, born in 1757, and married in 1774 to William, fourth Duke of Devonshire.

Frances, sole daughter and heir of Dr. Philip Twysden, Bishop of Raphoe, younger son of Sir William Twysden, of Royden Hall in Kent, Baronet; and wife of George Bussy, fourth Earl of Jersey.

The Great-Duke of Tuscany was going to inoculate his children, when he saw in a Leyden Gazette, that Prince Octavius had been killed by inoculation, and immediately desired Sir Horace Mann to inquire of Mr. Walpole (with whom he knew Sir Horace corresponded) whether it was true. Mr. Walpole knew, on his

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and spreads like the rapid mischief of fire. In general I can assure you that the death of Prince Octavius has neither been imputed to inoculation, nor checked the practice. He was recovered of the small-pox, and died of a sudden illness; and the two other children are quite recovered, though they had been unhealthy before; and some of them were bathed in the sea for two years together, along with Prince Alfred, who died last year, and was not inoculated.

This is all the satisfaction I can give you. To make inquiry of the King's physicians would in me be highly blameable. Consider, in the first place, how I am connected; and in the next, should the physicians tell me, which is not probable they would, (and if they did not, what could I say?) that the child died of any other complaint, would it be decent for me to repeat it? would it not be trumpeted about till it would reach both London and Anspach? and, the more credit given to my report, the more I should be quoted. I choose therefore to remain in perfect ignorance of what the child died, only convinced that it was not killed by inoculation. You may tell the Great-Duke what is most true, that I am in the country, and not à portée to see the royal physicians: persuade him to wait, and he will hear that inoculation has not lost a grain of character; and do not let him deprive his children of such a blessing, because the Leyden Gazette is a fool and liar. Were the fact truth, is one child lost an argument against millions preserved? if the child was unhealthy before, would it be a reason for not inoculating children that are well?

I am very sorry that your nephew has any embarrassment in his family. Parents are much to be pitied! how difficult for fondness and prudence to be both satisfied, and to conduct their charges safely into port! At present, the incumbrance seems double. Sons can scarce avoid the contagion of gaming: daughters make unworthy choices-for how can they make good? If they marry titles and wealth, may they not be sent back to their parents in two or there years to be maintained-or even before they are married? Such rascals are some of our young fellows! Just such an instance has happened in Lord 's family.

P.S. Since I wrote my letter, I have seen a person who tells me the young Prince was at the sixth day of the small pox in the most favourable manner, was seized with convulsions, and died-it is supposed, from a pock on the brain; which has sometimes happened, and may just as well happen in the natural way. This is a hors d'oeuvre, nor do I know a word of news.

side, that the Great-Duke opened letters; and therefore did not choose to speak

out.

LETTER CCCCIV.

Strawberry Hill, July 8, 1783. Two days ago, who should walk into my room but Sir Horace Mann, not the Sir Horace indeed that I could have most wished to see, and whom I have not seen in two and forty years; and whom, alas!-yet one I was very glad to see! I turned him round to look for his wings; for he certainly flies! He tells me charming miracles of your health and youth. I hope the Goddess of correspondence is proud of us, and intends we shall write to one another as long as Abraham and Methusalem would have done if they had learnt to write.

Your nephew had not unpacked his portmanteau; so I have not rereceived Cavalier Mozzi's or my own letters, but shall have them before this departs.

News I have none, or I should have written to you before now. We have had one or two qualms, which looked very much as if the new Ministers did not sit easy upon a certain stomach. They were very near discharged on the Establishment of the Heir; but all was compromised.* The Parliament rises next week. If nothing happens then, the summer will probably conclude tranquilly.

My name-sake,† cousin, and nephew has got a son. As it will be the descendant of my father, as well as of my uncle, I hope it will be the heir of the family. One symptom looks as if it would be. Its father wrote to Lord Orford to ask him to be god father; he not only consented graciously, but invited the parents to Houghton, with this frantic though promising addition," that though he had sold his collection of pictures, of which too many were by the same hands, [as if one could have too many Carlo Marattis, Rubens's, and Vandykes !] he hoped my cousin would be satisfied, as his Lordship had gotten two excellent Ciprianis !" This Cipriani would not have been worthy to paint the dogkennel, when the house possessed its original collection; Cipriani is to Guido, as his Lordship is to his grandfather.

*The Prince of Wales approaching the period of his majority, a separate establishment became necessary for him; and Carlton House, which had not been inhabited since the death of the Princess Dowager of Wales in 1772, was chosen for his future residence. The income proper for his Royal Highness's support produced great difference of opinion among members of the Administration. Mr. Fox thought a hundred thousand pounds would not be more than adequate to maintain his state; while Lord John Cavendish, in whose immediate department the business lay, considered a moiety of that sum sufficient, in the actual circumstances of the country, and the heavy incumbrances on the Civil List. The King being of the same opinion, Lord John Cavendish, on the 24th of June, acquainted the House with his Majesty's gracious determination not to call for any additional aid to the List, but to take on himself the present expense of the Heir Apparent, and limit his demand to sixty thousand pounds, as a temporary supply to the crown, and an outfit. A resolution to that effect was agreed to.-ED.

Horatio, eldest son of the second Lord Walpole, had married Sophia, youngest daughter of Charles Churchill, Esq., by Lady Maria Walpole, daughter of Sir Robert Walpole by his second wife, and half-sister of the writer of these Letters.