Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford, to Sir Horace Mann

May 17.-Retreat of the King's army from Boston, Rumours of the loss of
Quebec. Death of Sir Horace Mann's youngest sister. New Peers and Peer-
esses. Great numbers of foreigners in England. Excuses for the shortness
of the letter. American affairs fruitful of great events. (May 18th.)-Lady
Lucy Mann. Sir. H. Mann's proxy hood. Revolution in the French Parlia
ment. Malesherbes. Turgot. M. de Noailles. Lady Holderness

May 27.-Death of Mr. Chute. Walpole's love for him. Particulars of his last

illness. His character. His abilities and wit. Superiority of old friends to

new. The Stocks. America. Wisdom of cheerfulness and contentment

June 5.-Repulse of the American rebels. General Howe and Admiral Hop-

kins. Total change in the Royal Penetralia. Lord and Lady Bruce. Youth

and age. Changes in society during a long life

July 16. Preparations in France for war. The Earl of Bristol and his wife.

Irish Lords. Anecdote of George I. Lady Lucy Mann. Benefit of sea-

breezes. Pains and pleasures of old age. Death of the Duchess of New-

castle. Total change of things since Walpole's youth. Great increase of

the size of London

Aug. 11.-Successes in America. General Howe. State of the revolt in New

York. General Conway. Debts. of his son-in-law, John Damer. The late

Lord Holland. Excessive extravagance of Lord Foley's sons. Newspaper

lies

Aug. 20.-Debts of Mr. Damer and his two brothers. Suicide of Mr. Damer.

Lord Milton's harsh conduct to Mrs. Damer. Cruel extravagance of Lord

Coleraine and his brothers. (Aug. 22.)-Repulse of the King's troops in

America

Sept. 20.-State of the American contest. Lord Howe. Sir William Hamilton.

The Duchess of Kingston. Lord Cowper and his son. Lady Lucy Mann.

PAGE

406

Oct. 13.-Successes in America. Excellent conduct of Lord Howe. Duke of

Ostrogothia. "The great journey"

417

Nov. 1.-New York. Warlike preparations. Rumours of a war with France,

and of France aiding the Colonies. Proceedings in Parliament. Monsieur

Necker. The Pretender and the Court of Rome. Lady Lucy Mann. Mr.

Giles. (Nov. 4.)-Successes at New York. Incendiarism. State of the

rebel army

Nov. 24.-More successes in America. Intentions of General Howe. War

in Europe. Warlike preparations in England and France. The Opposition.

Lord Rockingham made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Admiral Keppel (Nov.

26.)-Naval victory. Resignation of Grimaldi, the Spanish Minister

Dec. 1.-Degenerate state of England. Monsieur de Marchais' absurd love for

every thing English. Horse-racing introduced among the French. News-

paper scandal. Voltaire's abuse of Shakespeare. Anecdote of Mrs. Montagu

THE SECOND VOLUME.

1776.

Dec. 20.-Walpole complains of the gout. Dr. Franklin appointed Pleni-
potentiary to the Court of France. War in America. General Howe
and Washington. Retreat of the latter

1777.

Jan. 24.-Nervousness occasioned by the gout. Tide of victories in Ame-
rica. France inclined for war with England. Meeting of Parliament.
Attempts to fire Bristol and Portsmouth. Intended visit to Paris of the
Emperor of Germany.

PAGE

Dearth of news.

Storms brewing in the

Feb. 6.-Walpole's dislike to the change in manners.

The American campaign over for the winter.

North. England stark-mad. Reflections.

March. 5.-The bootikins. General Washington.

war. Wisdom of the retreat of the Americans.

Robinson and Lady Shadwell. Methusalems. Walpole's old age agree-

able to him. Curious story

Probability of a French

Death of Sir Thomas

April 3.-Bad position of affairs in America. Lord Pigot treacherously

imprisoned in India. Reflections. Walpole's health better in London

than in the country. Specifics for the gout

April 28.-Lord Orford's phrenzy. Miserable house in which he was con-

fined. Dr. Jebb. Walpole's endeavours to serve his nephew. Insanity

of the latter

May 14.-Mann afflicted with the gout. The Duchess of Gloucester. Ap-

proaching war with France and Spain. Lord Orford's madness. Wal-

pole's chequered life. Reflections. The Duchess of Gloucester's chil-

dren. Policy of France. Probable loss of America. New Prince of

Nassau

June 18.-Lord Chatham's reappearance in the House of Lords. Advan-

tages gained by Lord Cornwallis and Governor Tryon. Lord Percy.

Avarice of the Duke of Marlborough, Stores and officers sent by France

to America. The Portuguese Queen. Increase of silly dissipation. Late

hours. Anecdote. Lady Lucy Mann. Efficacy of sea-air

July 17.-Illness of the Duke of Gloucester. Anxiety of the Duchess. Her

three daughters. Uncertainty of American affairs. Our coast infested

with American privateers. Open protection and countenance given by

France to America

Aug. 11.-Dangerous state of the Duke of Gloucester. The American

General Howe. General Burgoyne's pompous manifesto. Mar-

riage of Lady Mary Churchill's daughter to Lord Cadogan

war.

VOL. II.-46

Sep. 1.-The Duke of Gloucester's illness. Capture by General Burgoyne

of Ticonderoga. General Howe. Fluctuation of affairs in America.

Contradictory reports. Alienation of America from this country. Con-

tinued malady of Lord Orford. Reflections on age.

Sep. 18.-Changes in the Duke of Gloucester's condition. His recovery.

Ravages of the disease. The King's kindness to his brother. Uncer-

tainty as to America. Walpole's family vexations. Reports from Ame-

rica. Strange accident to Lord Harcourt. Arrest of Count Virry. The

Prince Masserano

Oct. 26.-Uncertainty of the state of affairs in America. General uneasi

ness as to the result of the war. Arrival in England of the Duke of Glou-

cester. His appearance and that of the Duchess. Their children. In-

undation of Petersburgh. The Empress of Russia and the Duchess of

Kingston. Anecdote of the Czarina and the Emperor of China

Nov. 7.-Report of a total defeat of Washington. Distress of Burgoyne's

army. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. Disastrous prospect of a

French war. Speculations on the war in America.

Dec. 4.-Confirmation of news from America. Sir William Howe and

Washington. General Clinton. Total annihilation of Burgoyne's army.

Parliamentary skirmishes. America nearly lost. Beginning of our trou-

bles. Reflections on sickness and age

1778.

Jan. 4. Speculations on the war in America. Rumoured treaty of France

with the Americans. High road to foreign war and domestic calamity.

Death of the Bishop of Exeter. Noble conduct of Sir Edward Walpole

to his daughter. Bad news from America. Mrs. Anne Pitt ..

Feb. 6.-Parliamentary campaign. Coolness between Lord Chatham and

General Rockingham. Renewed illness of the Duke of Gloucester. In-

quiries in Parliament into the conduct of the war. Walpole's politics.

Indifference of age

Feb. 18.-Lord North's conciliatory plan. Peace solicited with America.

Suspension of hostilities. Treaty between France and America. To-

tal concession of every thing by England to America. Retrospection of

the last eight-and-thirty years

March 5.-Death of Lady Lucy Mann. Lord North's conciliatory plan.
National humiliation. Reflections. State of the Duke of Gloucester's
health. Death of Sir Thomas Hesketh. Lord Cowper's principality.
Affectation of wearing orders of different countries. (March 10.)-Cap-
tain Digby despatched in pursuit of a French squadron. Popular dissatis-
faction. Dr. Franklin's boast. Lord Temple

March 17.-Insult from France.

Lord Stormont recalled from Paris. Eu-

rope about to be a theatre of blood. Political reflections

March 27.-Embargo on our vessels in French ports. Rumours of wars

beget other reports. England occupied in defending itself. New-raised

regiments. Independence of America. Cruelty of royal ambition.

Lord Orford's recovered sanity.

April 9-Lord Chatham's last appearance in the House of Lords. Affect-

ing scene. Incertitude of our general situation. Demand by the King

of a provision for his younger children, and for the children of the Duke

of Gloucester. Lord Orford's absurdity

May 9.-Sailing of the Toulon squadron. Depradations by an American