I trust, my dear sir, that this is the last letter I shall write to you on the subject of Mozzi. Sharpe's expression, of apprehending the Chevalier meant the deed should be deposited with me, looks as if he had expected it himself; or that he is in the plot of representing me as acting in concert with Mozzi. On the other hand, I should not be surprised if Mozzi, from the unfavourableness of the decision, should suspect me of having acted too partially towards my Lord. I cannot help it if he does.

It will be some comfort to reflect, that, if I have dissatisfied both sides, it is a presumption that I have not been very partial to either. At Mozzi I shall not wonder. From the other side I have never met but ingratitude, distrust, and ill-usage, in return for behaviour, I will dare to say, unparallelled in tenderness, care, attention to his interest, and most scrupulous integrity. Should it ever come to the test, I know what my reward would be. Adieu!

LETTER CCCCXXIV.

Strawberry Hill, Aug. 9, 1784.

YOUR's of the 24th of July, which I have just received, tells me that Cavalier Mozzi is much disappointed at the small sum he is to receive on the winding up of his affair. I am not surprised, and can only tell him what I have said to my nephew; from whom I have, to my great surprise, received a letter of thanks, but saying that Cavalier Mozzi must be satisfied, as many points had been given up. I replied, "that I had done but my duty in undertaking the arbitration, to prevent a very disagreeable discussion in a public court; that I confessed I had favoured Mozzi to the utmost of my power, as far as I thought I might, that he, a stranger, and not acquainted with even his own lawyer or referee, might not think himself betrayed; and that I had done it the rather, lest he should suspect me of partiality too; that, for thanks, his Lordship owed me none; as I owned, that, if Mr. Duane had not given his opinion so much in favour of his Lordship, I should have been inclined to allow him less; and, consequently, I could not agree that any rights had been ceded on that side."

I do not doubt but Lucas had already acquainted him with what I have said, though, perhaps, neither the one nor the other expected I should be so frank. I did not expect to content either party, nor have even contented myself; but I could not act otherwise than I have done. And, as Cavalier Mozzi would not be persuaded by any thing I could urge to come over, he must blame himself, if his cause has not been better defended.

The history of Count Albani's daughter is no news to me;* I knew

*The Pretender had just acknowledged his natural daughter, declared her his heiress, and pretended to create her Duchess of Albany. He sent this declaration to be registered at Paris.

it from a physician who attended her at Paris: but you mistake the name of the mother, which was Walkinshaw, not Walsingham, and who has a sister now living, that was Woman of the Bedchamber to the late Princess of wales. The family of Fitzjames have always opposed the acknowledgment of the daughter, lest on her father's death they should be obliged to maintain her in a greater style than they wished.

I asked you a question in my last, about some poems lately printed at Florence: I know now that I did guess the right author.† I know no news, public or private. We have had, and it still continues, a most dismal summer; not only wet, but so cold, that for these two evenings I have had a fire. The rage of air-balloons still continues, both here and in France. The Duc de Chartrest made a campaign in one, that did not redound to his glory more than his for mer one by sea. As he has miscarried on three elements, he should try if he could purify himself by the fourth. He is now in England for the third time.

I have been writing to you this morning, but you will not receive my letter immediately. It is to recommend Lord Mount-Edgcumbe's only son, who is on his travels. The grandfather was my father's most intimate friend, and the late Lord¶ a friend of mine; and with the present I have been much acquainted from a boy; consequently, I should wish you to be kind to the son, even if you were not always disposed to be so. But I have been so unlucky in my protegés, and your goodness has been so thrown away upon them, that I desire no work of supererogation on my account. The son of an English peer, whose father has a considerable office, is entitled to attentions enough; but, after Mr. Windham, I will never trust any man with particular credentials, nor will expose you to rudeness by beseech

* Dr. Gem, an English physician settled at Paris. She had been educated in a convent in Paris, and at this time resided en pension, under the name of Lady Char lotte Stuart. The Pretender was desirous that she should reside with him in Flo rence, where he purposed to marry her to some Florentine noble.

† Mr. Walpole was misinformed; at least, it is not certain that Mr. Beckford had any hand in those poems which were written in concert by the persons whose initials are prefixed. "M." was Captain Merry, who had been in the Horse-guards, sold out, and retired to Florence. The second was old Alan Ramsay, the painter and author, son of Alan Ramsay, the Scotch poet. The son, who died at Dover about this time, on his return from Italy, whither he had been for his health, brought over some copies of these poems, and had ordered, or intended, a copy to be sent to Mr. Walpole, who from his family probably received it. The third was one Buignon, a Swiss governor to Mr. Dawkins.

Afterwards Duke of Orleans, and unhappily distinguished in the French Revolution as Philippe Egalité. He was the father of the present King of the French. On the 15th of July 1784, he ascended from the park of St. Cloud in a balloon with three companions, and after a very perilous voyage descended safely.-ED.

George, third Lord Edgcumbe, created Viscount Mount-Edgcumbe by George III. He was an Admiral, and Captain of the band of Pensioners.

Richard, the first baron created by George II., had been Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

TRichard, second baron, was Controller of the Household to Geo. II.

ing you to fling your pearls before swine. I even restrain myself from recommending the gentleman who travels with Mr. Edgcumbe, though I think him a sensible prudent young man. I did recommend him to Lord Mount Edgcumbe. He is a youngish French Protestant, of a very good gentleman's family, and left the service on, I believe, an affair of honour. He was addressed to the Duke of Richmond and to me, by the Prince de Bauffremont in the strongest terms imaginable. He passed three years in this country in a manner that fully justified his character. He speaks and writes English well; his name is De Soyres. It was not in my power to serve him but in the manner I did; and he gives great satisfaction in his present situation. As the Mentor is so much a gentleman, I hope the Telemachus will give you no trouble. But, were it Minerva herself, I prefer your peace; and therefore pray lay yourself out in no attentions beyond what you find received with "reciprocity."* Your nephew, I hope, is not leaving you yet; in him, I am sure, neither you nor I shall be disappointed. Adieu !†

A term used by Lord Shelburne on the peace with America, and much ridiculed at that time.

f Sir Horace Mann thus writes to Walpole at this time: "I have not heard any thing more relating to the daughter of Count Albany and Mrs. Walkinshaw; but it is said in his family that she is expected here [Florence] soon, and that the delay is owing to the preparations necessary to equip her out properly to appear first at Paris, and then here, under the new title her father has given her of Duchess d'Albany. She is not to be accompanied by her mother, who would disgrace her, but by some great lady, who must ask that honour as dame de compagnie, as the discarded Countess has, who is a chanoinesse and sister of a Prince Malsan. It will require time to settle all these matters; and, after all, there may be some difficulty in the etiquette. If the Count has not erred in his calculations, the family of Fitzjames need not be under any apprehension of their cousine being a future expense to them, for the Count purposes to marry her here, not indeed to one of the Archdukes, but to a Florentine nobleman; and to leave her twelve thousand crowns a year, a sum which would tempt any of them more than the tincture of royalty. I know the little book which was left at your house; it was composed in my neighbourhood by the persons indicated by the initials affixed to each performance, Merry and Ramsay. The first was known in England by the name of Captain, as he was then in the Horse-guards, but has since sold out, and has resided here some years. Ramsay's name is well known to you, both by his pen and pencil: he was in a decrepit state here, and died lately at Dover, on his way to London to meet General Campbell, who married his daughter, on their return from Jamaica. The third is a Swiss governor of a Mr. Dawkins, named Buignon. Mr. Ramsay promised me to cut out the last performance from all the copies he proposed to send to England, to be distributed by his sister as a tribute to his learned friends or patrons. I formerly knew Lord Mount-Edgcumbe, and shall be glad to see his son. You interpreted what I wrote of Mr. Windham too severely. I was only offended at the violence of his political sentiments, and the great indiscretion with which he spoke of the King, and all those whom I was obliged to respect."-From an unpublished Letter.-ED.

LETTER CCCCXXV.

Strawberry Hill, Aug. 25, 1784.

I THOUGHT I had done corresponding with you about Cavalier Mozzi; but here is a letter which you must deliver to him. Good Mr. Duane came to me two days ago, and insisted on my sending it. He protests that he declared at first to Mr. Sharpe that he would accept no reward for his trouble; that he undertook it to oblige Mr. Morice, and says he has had little trouble: and, though I thought it decent to press him to accept the draft, he would not hear of it; and it is here inclosed. I own I am charmed with his handsome behaviour; it confirms the character I gave of him when I recommended him to Cavalier Mozzi, and, I think, ought to convince the latter that Mr. Duane was clear in the judgment he pronounced. Still, I must regret that my Lord was advised to make the claim, and shall never be persuaded but that Lucas had multiplied documents that it was impossible to fathom without a waste of years; but which, if they could have been probed to the bottom, would not have stood the test. All the comfort that remains is, that the duration of a law-suit would probably have cost as much to Mozzi as he has now lost.

The Parliament is risen; and, having lasted so late in the year, is not likely to meet again till after Christmas. Consequently, no events are to be expected, unless the scene should grow very serious in Ireland, as it threatens; but it is to be hoped that our American experience has taught us discretion.

I interest myself little in novelties, but I own I have some remains of curiosity from ancient impressions. Pray send me the sequel of the Count Albany and Lady Charlotte Fitzcharles, his daughter, the new Duchess.* I shall like to know, too, whether the Cardinal assumes

In a letter to Walpole, dated Florence, September 18th, Sir Horace Mann says, "The affair relating to Count Albany and his natural daughter is drawing to a conclusion. Lady Charlotte Stuart (not Fitz-Charles,) to which her father has on this occasion added the title of Duchess of Albany, is supposed to be on the road hither, attended by two ladies and two gentlemen, and is expected in the beginning of next month. The Count is very busy in furnishing his house with all the valua bles that he has lately received from Rome that his father left, which are numer ous and costly; besides these, he has received a large quantity of plate, and his share of his mother's jewels, except the great ruby, and one lesser, which were pawned by the republic of Poland for a very large sum to his grandfather Sobieski, with a power, it is said, of redeeming them in the space of a hundred years, which are nearly elapsed. These, therefore, the Cardinal would not trust to his brother, being persuaded that, if he could find a purchaser, he would sell them, or even part with them for a large rente viagère, to an Empress of Russia or some other Court; but it is not probable that he will ever have the disposal of them, and that, when they fall to the Cardinal, he will rather give them to the Madonna di Loretto than to his niece, with whose adoption he is not pleased, nor was consulted about it. Nobody can foresee what the Cardinal will do with his crown after his brother's death. The Pope cannot permit him to wear it, as he never acknowledged or per mitted the elder brother to assume it. You may remember the struggle which I

the royal title when his brother dies. I recollect but two King Cardinals, Henry of Portugal and the Cardinal of Bourbon, whom the League called Charles the Tenth, but who attained the crown no more than the Cardinal of York will do. If the Count himself has any feeling left, he must rejoice to hear that the decendants of many of his martyrs are to be restored to their forfeited estates in Scotland, by an Act just passed.*

As this was meant but for a cover to the inclosed, I will not pique myself on making it longer, when I have no more materials. In good truth, I may allow myself a brief epistle now and then. I have been counting how many letters I have written to you since I landed in England in 1741: they amount-astonishing !-to above eight hundred; and we have not met in three and forty years! A correspondence of near half a century is, I suppose, not to be parallelled in the annals of the post-office.

LETTER CCCCXXVI.

Strawberry Hill, Sept. 30, 1784.

I Do not recollect having ever been so totally at a stand for want of matter since our correspondence began. The Duchess of Gloucester, in her last to me, told me that my letters contain nothing but excuses for having nothing to say; so, you see, my silence is not particular to you. I can only appeal to my usual vouchers, the newspapers, who let no event escape them; and I defy you to produce one they have told you that was worth knowing. I cannot fill my paper, as they do, with air-balloons; which, though ranked with the invention of then had with the Marquis D'Aubterre, the French Ambassador at Rome, which he never forgave, and some years after expressed himself to the Marquis de Barbantane, who questioned him about it, in these words: Ha! Monsieur le Marquis, je croyais faire le plus beau coup possible, mais je ne fis qu'un pas de clerc. Ce diable de M. Mann m'avait prévenu, et gâta mon projet ;' which was to take the Pope by surprise. But in my letters to old Cardinal Albani, which were read in the Consistory held on that subject, I asserted that the French Ambassador could not have received orders from his Court, whose engagements with that of England had made it inconsistent with its honour to insist upon it; that the Ambassador had laid a snare for the Pope, which he might avoid by only waiting for an answer from Paris, which I was very sure would bring a disavowal of the Ambassador's conduct. That encouraged the Pope to tell him, that, if his master would be the first, he would be the second, to acknowledge him under the titles he contended for. The answer from France was such as I foretold; and General Conway, who was then Secretary of State, conveyed to me the King's approbation of what I had done. From all this I conclude that no future Pope will permit the Cardinal York to instal himself King of England."-(From an unpublished Letter of Sir Horace Mann. -Ed.)

The bill for restoring the estates forfeited in 1745 was introduced to Parliament by Mr. Dundas, and passed with little difficulty; it omitted from its provisions those forfeited under similar circumstances in 1715.-ED.