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.

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 betrothed. 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,† 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-1 a-fight between Parker and the Dutch. I believe neither side had cause of

*The island of Tobago had, on the 23rd 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 command 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 con voy, 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. 11.-17

and its boundaries were no where discoverable.* It is true, it was closely planted, and consequently damp. Refined taste went to work: the vocal groves were thinned, modish shrubs replaced them, and light and three lanes broke in; and, if the Muses wanted to tie up their garters, there is not a nook to do it without being seen. Poor Niobe's children,† who now stand in a row, as if saying their catechism, will know how to pity them! I remember a story of old Thomas, Earl of Pembroke he one day took it into his grave head to give eye-balls with charcoal to all his statues at Wilton, and then called his wife and daughters to see how much livelier the gods, goddesses, and emperors were grown! Lively, indeed! for Mr. Arundel, his son-in-law, had improved on his lordship's idea, and with the same charcoal had distributed whole thickets of black hair over the bodies of the whole marble assembly. As Niobe and the Misses Niobes are in a French room, they may come off for a quantity of rouge.

LETTER CCCLVII.

Berkeley Square, Sept. 7, 1781.

THE Combined fleets, to the amount of forty-seven or forty-nine sail, brought news of their own arrival at the mouth of the channel a day or two before your letter, of August the 18th, brought an account of that probability, and of the detachment for Minorca. Admiral Darby, on a false alarm, or, perhaps, a true one, had returned to Torbay a week ago, where he is waiting for reinforcements. This is the fourth or fifth day since the appearance of the enemy off Scilly. It is thought, I find here, (whither I came to-day,) that the great object is our Jamaica fleet; but that a detachment is gone to Ireland to do what mischief they can on the coast before our ally, the Equinox, will beseech them to retire. Much less force than this Armada

:

* "There was," says Walpole, in his History of Modern Gardening, "a little af fected modesty in Pope, when he said, of all his works, he was most proud of his Garden and yet it was a singular effort of art and taste, to compress so much variety and scenery into five acres! The passing through the gloom from the grotto to the opening day and again assembling shades, the dusky groves, the larger lawn, and the solemnity of the termination at the cypresses that lead up to his Mother's tomb, are managed with exquisite judgment; and though Lord Peterborough assisted him To form his quincunx, and to rank his vines,'

those were not the most pleasing ingredients of his little perspective."-ED.

The Great-Duke had fetched from Rome the group of Niobe and her children, and placed them round a chamber; by which means they remained in strange un* meaning attitudes, and no longer expressed their story.

The combined French and Spanish fleets, after seeing the troops safe into the Mediterranean, returned, to the amount of about fifty ships of the line, to cruise at the mouth of the English Channel, in the hopes of intercepting some of our great homeward bound convoys, which were then daily expected; as well as a large outward bound fleet, on the point of its departure from Cork. So wretched was the condi

would have done more harm two years ago, when they left a card at Plymouth, than this can do; as Plymouth is now very strong, and that there are great disciplined armies now in both islands. Of Gibraltar we have no apprehensions. I know less of Minorca.

Lord George Gordon is standing candidate for the City of London on an accidental vacancy; but his premature alarm last year has had a sinister effect.* In short, those riots have made mankind sick of them, and give him no chance of success.

What can I say more? Nothing at present; but I will the moment any event presents itself. My hope is that, after a fermentation, there will be a settlement, and that peace will arise out of it.

The Decreet you sent me against high heads diverted me. as necessary here; but would not have such expeditious effect. The Queen has never admitted feathers at Court; but, though the nation has grown excellent courtiers, Fashion remained in opposition, and not a plume less was worn any where else. Some centuries ago, the clergy preached against monstrous head-dresses; but Religion had no more power than our Queen. It is better to leave the Mode to its own vagaries; if she is not contradicted, she seldom remains long in the same mood. She is very despotic; but, though her reign is endless, her laws are repealed as fast as made.

Mrs. Damer, General Conway's daughter, is going abroad to confirm a very delicate constitution-I believe, at Naples. I will say very few words on her after telling you that, besides being his daughter, I love her as my own child. It is not from wanting mat

tion of the combined fleet, that, in anticipation of the approaching gales, they made their way into port as speedily as possible. The French admiral, M. de Gruchen, returned with his division to Brest harbour, on the 11th of September.— ED.

*The vacancy in the City representation was occasioned by the death of Alderman Harley. Though he announced his intention of becoming a candidate, Lord George Gordon did not proceed to the poll. In the former parliament, this eccentric nobleman had set for the town of Luggershall. Sir Samuel Romilly, who was at that time a great frequenter of the gallery, gives the following account of his demeanour in the House of Commons: "Inever thought him a man from whom his country had much to dread: he spoke, indeed, upon all occasions, but his speeches were incoherent and ridiculous. One day, I remember, he read a newspaper as part of his speech at another time he kept the whole House waiting two hours while he read them an Irish pamphlet. He seemed the less dangerous as he had not the support of either party: one day he attacked the Ministry, the next the opposition, and sometimes both the one and the other. It has happened to him to divide the House, when he alone voted for a question, to which every other member gave his negative. Yet what dreadful effects may not a mistaken zeal produce even in such hands! though it must be confessed, that Lord George is not destitute of qualities which, in an age when religion had greater influence upon the minds of men than it has at present, might have raised him to be the scourge of his country. He is endowed with a spirit of enthusiasm, and with the most determined resolution; add to this, that his manner of speaking not being in the least declamatory, but in the style of conversation, is most capable of working an effect upon an ignorant audience." Life, vol. i. p. 130.—ED.

† An Ordinance of the Great-Duke against high head-dresses.

ter, but from having too much. She has one of the most solid understandings I ever knew, astonishingly improved, but with so much reserve and modesty, that I have often told Mr. Conway he does not know the extent of her capacity and the solidity of her reason. We have by accident discovered, that she writes Latin like Pliny, and is learning Greek. In Italy she will be a prodigy. She models like Bernini, has excelled the moderns in the similitudes of her busts, and has lately begun one in marble. You must keep all knowledge of these talents and acquisitions to yourself; she would never forgive my mentioning, at least her mental qualities. You may just hint that I have talked of her statuary, as you may assist her if she has a mind to borrow any thing to copy from the Great-Duke's collection. Lady William Campbell, her uncle's widow, accompanies her, who is a very reasonable woman too, and equally shy. If they return through Florence, pray give them a parcel of my letters. I had been told your nephew would make you a visit this autumn, but I have heard nothing from him. If you should see him, pray give him the parcel, for he will return sooner than they.

I have a gouty pain in my hand, that would prevent my saying more, had I more to say.

LETTER CCCLVIII.

Strawberry Hill, Sept. 11, 1781, 2 o'clock.

THOUGH this is to go by your own servant Cardini, I shall write but three words: for, in the first place, I don't know but he may be set out before this can possibly get to town, whence my own servant brought me yours this moment from him; and secondly, as he may be taken at sea, I shall say little. Not a tittle of event has happened since the combined fleets were at the entrance of the Channel, where they certainly will not venture to stay long: the wind blows very hard to-day, and may do them great mischief. They have no transports; and, if they mean any attempt on land, it will be on Ireland: but it will be no surprise, and it is generally thought they only wait to intercept our Jamaica fleet. Minorca I conclude will be taken. I am happy to hear you are so well, as I am.

LETTER CCCLIX.

Sept. 19, 1781.

I HAVE received your letter of the 4th to-day, in which you send me your late dates. I have no doubt of having received them all,