as I told you in my last. At present we wait for an answer from Cavalier Mozzi to Mr. Sharpe's last, and expect it in a week. Upon the whole, I shall have done sadly; and at best shall only have saved him from an eternal suit in Chancery.

Your nephew is in town, but confined by the gout. I called on him, but did not see him; yet you may be very easy, for he expects to be abroad in a day or two. I can make you as easy about another point, too; but, if you have not learnt it from him, do not take notice to him that you know it. Mrs. Noel has informed me that his daughter's treaty of marriage is broken off, and in a fortunate way. The peer, father of the lover, obliged him to declare off; and Mrs. Noel says that your niece is in good spirits. All this is just what one should have wished. Your nephew has sent me a good and most curious print from you of the old Pretender's marriage: I never saw one before. It is a great present to my collection of English portraits. The Farnesian books I have not yet received, and have forgotten the name of the gentleman to whom you entrusted them, and must search among your letters for it; or tell it me again.

The politicians of London, who at present are not the most numerous corporation, are warm on a bill for a new regulation of the East Indies, brought in by Mr. Fox. Some even of his associates apprehended his being defeated, or meant to defeat him; but his marvellous abilities have hitherto triumphed conspicuously, and on two divisions in the House of Commons he had majorities of 109 and 114. On that field he will certainly be victorious: the forces will be more nearly balanced when the Lords fight the battle; but, though the Opposition will have more generals and more able, he is confident that his troops will overmatch theirs; and, in Parliamentary engagements, a superiority of numbers is not vanquished by the talents of the commanders, as often happens in more martial encounters. His competitor, Mr. Pitt, appears by no means an adequate rival. Just like their fathers, Mr. Pitt has brilliant language, Mr. Fox solid sense; and such luminous powers of displaying it clearly, that mere eloquence is but a Bristol stone, when set by the diamond Reason.

Do not wonder that we do not entirely attend to things of earth: Fashion has ascended to a higher element. All our views are di- rected to the air. Balloons occupy senators, philosophers, ladies, every body. France gave us the ton; and, as yet, we have not come up to our model. Their monarch is so struck with the heroism of two of his subjects who adventured their persons in two of these new floating batteries, that he has ordered statues of them, and contributed a vast sum towards their marble immortality. All this may be very important: to me it looks somewhat foolish. Very early in my life I remember this town at gaze on a man who flew down a rope from the top of St. Martin's steeple ;* now, late in my day, people

.*

* On the 1st of June, 1727 one Violante, an Italian, descended head foremost by a rope, with his legs and arms extended, from the top of the steeple of St. Martin's church, over the houses in St. Martin's Lane, to the farthest side of the Mews, a

are staring at a voyage to the moon. The former Icarus broke his neck at a subsequent flight: when a similar accident happens to modern knights-errant, adieu to air-balloons!

Apropos, I doubt these new kites have put young Astley's nose out of joint, who went to Paris lately under their Queen's protection, and expected to be Prime Minister, though he only ventured his neck by dancing a minuet on three horses at full gallop, and really in that attitude has as much grace as the Apollo Belvedere. When the arts are brought to such perfection in Europe, who would go, like Sir Joseph Banks, in Search of Islands in the Atlantic, where the natives have in six thousand years not improved the science of carving fishing-hooks out of bones or flints! Well! I hope these new mechanic meteors will prove only play-things for the learned and the idle, and not be converted into new engines of destruction to the human race, as is so often the case of refinements or discoveries in science. The wicked wit of man always studies to apply the result of talents to enslaving, destroying, or cheating his fellow-creatures. Could we reach the moon, we should think of reducing it to a province of some European kingdom.

P.S. 5th.

The Opposition in the House of Commons were so humbled by their two defeats, that, though Mr. Pitt had declared he would contest every clause (of the India bill) in the committee, (where in truth, if the bill is so bad as he says, he ought at least to have tried to amend it,) that he slunk from the contest, and all the blanks were filled up without obstruction, the opponents promising only to resist it in its last stage on Monday next; but really, having no hopes but in the House of Lords, where, however, I do not believe they expect to succeed. Mr. Pitt's reputation is much sunk; nor, though he is a much more correct logician than his father, has he the same firmness and perseverance. It is no wonder that he was dazzled by his own premature fame; yet his late checks may be of use to him, and teach him to appreciate his strength better, or to wait till it is confirmed. Had he listed under Mr. Fox, who loved and courted him, he would not only have discovered modesty, but have been more likely to succeed him, than by commencing his competitor. But what have I to do to look into futurity?

distance of about three hundred yards, in half a minute. The crowd was immense; and the young princesses, with several of the nobility, were in the Mews.-ED.

Sir Joseph Banks, having previously made a voyage to Newfoundland and the Labrador coast, obtained an appointment in the ship which took out Captain Cook on his first voyage of discovery; and, in order to fulfil his own share in the enterprise in the most efficient manner possible, prevailed on Dr. Solander to accompany him, and engaged draftsmen and painters, to delineate such objects of interest as should not admit of transportation or preservation. This voyage occupied him three years.-ED.

LETTER CCCCXII.

Berkeley Square, Dec. 15, 1783.

I WRITE you in great haste a few lines, which will surprise and perplex you, as I cannot enter into any explanation.

The town is full of rumour of a change of Administration. No such thing has happened; but enough has happened at least to countenance such a report. You will be cautious, therefore, till you hear farther, what you write. Mention no politics, but to the Ministers, as you ought to do.

Every thing goes as well as possible in Ireland. You are much too candid when you impute no bad designs to the person whose speech has been Italianized.

I have received the two books of Caprarola from Lord Algernon Percy I had quite forgotten to whom you had consigned them. It is not a way of speaking, but I do insist on your letting me know what they cost, that I may pay your nephew. You would deprive me of the pleasure of troubling you now and then with a little commission, if you do not let my reimburse you. I shall employ Sir W. Hamilton in that way, if you forbid me applying to you; which you will do effectually, if you do not send me the prices of the Fatti Far

nesiani.

No answer is come yet to Sharpe from Cavalier Mozzi.

Tuesday, 16th.

An event has now happened that is decisive. The Ministers were beaten last night in the house of Lords by eight votes on the India Bill. An Administration beaten often implies a Court beaten; at present, the reverse is true. It is not proper to say more: but, as our newspapers seldom leave any thing unexplained, though commonly falsified or blundered, you will not remain long in the dark. Adieu.

LETTER CCCCXIII.

Friday, Dec. 19, 1783.

I HAVE Only a moment's time to tell you, that, at one this morning, his Majesty sent to Lord North and Mr. Fox for their seals of Se

* Dr. Hervey, Bishop of Derry and Earl of Bristol. He had sent to Rome a speech he had made in favour of the Roman Catholics: it was translated into Italian, printed, and dispersed.

The King had sent for Lord Temple, and ordered him to declare that his Majesty did not approve of the India Bill, but wished to have it thrown out by the House of Lords; yet he had never signified that disapprobation to the Duke of Portland and the Ministers. He went farther, and commanded the Lords of the Bed-chamber to vote against it.

cretary of State. It is said that Mr. Pitt is to be First Lord of the Treasury, and that the Parliament will be dissolved immediately. I know nothing more. You will learn the new arrangements from the Gazette of to-morrow night or Tuesday, which last day is the soonest I could write again, for this must go away this evening. The Great Seal has been sent for from the Commissioners, and, it is supposed, will be given again to Lord Thurlow.

Friday evening.

I saw nobody after Court; so, do not know what passed there, nor if any body kissed hands; nor am likely to hear before the end of the evening, for I almost always dine alone and early, and do not go out till eight o'clock, when it would be too late to send this to the Secretary's office.

If the Parliament is dissolved, as it may be by this time for ought I know, I shall go to Strawberry Hill, for nobody will be left in town, but all gone to their re-elections; so, I could only transcribe the Gazette, and be able to send you little news.

LETTER CCCCXIV.

Berkeley Square, Jan. 8, 1784.

THE Gazettes have told you all the changes. The House of Commons is to meet on Monday, and all expectation hangs thereon. Each party promises itself-or others the majority. I never deal in prophecies; and, not having more knowledge than prophets, I shall not pretend to foretell the event, much less the consequences it will produce either way.

I have no other reasons for writing to you. Cavalier Mozzi's message by you, and his letter to Mr. Duane, will, I think, put an end to our arbitrage. I do not imagine that Mr. Lucas will give up the interest upon interest, at least not without such strong reluctance as will make it very difficult for me, as my Lord's nominee, to decide against him. On the other hand, I do not see how Mr. Duane, or even I, can pronounce for that accumulated interest, after such earnest protests of Cavalier Mozzi. My inclination, therefore, as I must, either way, give such dissatisfaction, and as the lawyers are so positive in their contradictory opinions, as to decline the arbitrage. At present we can do nothing. Lucas is in the West, looking after Lord Orford's boroughs, in case the Parliament should be dissolved. I myself have an avocation or occupation of a more melancholy kind.

My brother, Sir Edward,* is, I fear, dying: yesterday we had no hopes; a sort of glimmering to-day, but scarce enough to be called a

"Sir Edward Walpole's three natural daughters were, Mrs. Keppel, wife to the Hon. Frederick Keppel, Bishop of Exeter; the Countess of Waldegrave, afterwards Duchess of Gloucester; and the Countess of Dysart."-Lord Dover's Life of Horace Walpole.-(See Collective Edit. of Walpole's letters, 1840.)

ray of hope. He has for a great number of years enjoyed perfect health, and even great beauty, without a wrinkle, to seventy-seven; but last August his decline began by an aversion to all solids. He came to town in the beginning of November; his appetite totally left him; and in a week he became a very infirm, wrinkled, old man. We think that he imagined he could cure himself by almost total abstinence. With great difficulty he was persuaded to try the bark; it restored some appetite, and then he would take no more. In a word, he has starved himself to death, and is now so emaciated and weak, that it is almost impossible he should be saved, especially as his obstinacy continues; nor will he be persuaded to take sustenance enough to give him a chance, though he is sensible of his danger, and cool, tranquil, perfectly in his senses as ever. A cordial, a little whey, a dish of tea, it costs us all infinite pains to induce him to swallow. I much doubt whether entire tractability could save him!

I am very sorry your Sweedish King is so expensive to you. Should he think of any return, do not be disappointed, if, on opening a weighty bale, you find nothing but a heap of copper-money.

Lord Hardwicket is a great oaf, both in the book he has written, and in thinking it worth being sent so far as to Florence. The ignorance in it is extreme, and so are the blunders. The fable of the late King giving my father a large sum of money towards building Houghton must have been borrowed from some vulgar pamphlet or magazine. There is not a shadow of truth in it, nor did one of the family ever hear of it. I do not mean to impeach the late King's goodness to him; but, for presents, he most assuredly never made him but two: a very large diamond, but with a great flaw in it, which Lady Mary had; and, after the Queen's death, her crystal huntingbottle, with a golden stopper and cup. I have often heard my father mention these as the only presents. He was too grateful and too frank to have been silent on money; nor would it have escaped the Opposition, who were reduced to charge him with falsehoods, in want of truths. This pretended friend was reduced to fish in the kennels of Grub Street, to eke out his meagre anectodes of a man whose long administration might have furnished so many; but, like his lordship's other publications, they are all dead before him! He has all his life resembled an angler, who stands for hours and days by a river with a line and hook, and at last catches a paltry dace or bleak, which no mortal will touch.

Some events next week must produce; I perhaps shall be shut up in the house of mourning, and know little of the matter! Parliamentary

* Gustavus III. In 1783, having been advised by his physicians to spend the winter in a milder climate than Sweden, he set out in the beginning of October for Italy, and remained during the winter and ensuing spring at Pisa, Rome, Naples, Florence and Genoa.

Philip, second Earl of Hardwicke. The book alluded, to was a collection of anecdotes respecting Sir Robert Walpole, called "Walpoliana," printed in 4to. but not published. Lord Hardwicke died in 1790.