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

Dec. 2.-Sir H. Mann, jun., confined with the gout. His daughter's treaty
of marriage broken off. Print of the old Pretender's marriage. The
"Fatti Farnesiani." Mr. Fox's bill for a new regulation of the East In-
dies. Comparison between Mr. Pitt and Mr. Fox. Balloons. Statues to
be erected in France to two balloonists. Violante's exploit at St. Martin's
Church. Astley, the horse-rider, under the protection of the Queen of
France. Sir Joseph Banks. Wicked result of men's talents. (Dec. 5.)

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294

-Defeat of the Opposition. Mr. Fox's India bill. Sinking of Mr. Pitt's

reputation

Dec. 15.-Rumoured change of Administration. Quiet state of Ireland.

The Earl of Bristol's speech in favour of the Roman Catholics. Capra-

rola. (Dec. 16.)-The Ministers beaten in the House of Lords on the

India Bill

Dec. 19.-Lord North and Mr. Fox displaced as Secretaries of State. Mr.

Pitt expected to be First Lord of the Treasury, and Lord Thurlow to have

PAGE

1784.

Jan. 8.-Meeting of the House of Commons. Cavalier Mozzi. Dying con-

dition of Sir Edward Walpole. Particulars of his illness. Gustavus III.

of Sweden with Sir Horace Mann. Errors of Lord Harwicke's "Wal-

poliana." George II.'s presents to Sir Robert Walpole. Character of

Lord Harwicke's works

Jan. 13.-Death of Sir Edward Walpole. Majority of the ex-Ministers in

the House of Commons. Expectation of the Parliament being dissolved.

Feb. 2.-Fluctuation and uncertainty of political affairs. Mozzi's affair.

Reflections thereon. Two prints of Cosimo's Duchess

Ex.

March 12.-Suspension of arms. The Opposition. The younger Sir Ho-

race Mann's intended withdrawal from Parliament. Ladies turned poli-

ticians. The Prince of Wales's ball. Cavalier Mozzi and Lord Orford.

Walpole's reflections on his conduct in the affair

March 26.-Dissolution of Parliament. Robbery of the Great Seal.

pectation of riot and violence. Erroneous report of the Pretender's

death. Cardinal Henry. "The puppet of the League." Ladies and

little girls politicians. Inclemency of the weather. Inundations in Ger-

many and Holland. Short lives of politics and tempests. Walpole's

dislike of elections, and retrospection of his former life

March 30.-The late revolution in the Administration. Mr. Fox's system

to correct India. Mr. Pitt's bold measure. Addresses of thanks to the

Crown. Precipitate and ignorant conduct of the country. Wretched

condition of the nation. The Cabinet of Versailles. A powerful fleet

sent by the French to India. Mr. Pitt and Mr. Fox. Insufficiency of the

Ambassador at Paris. Anecdote of Lord Shelburne. England in a state

of ruin. Retrospection. Woful change for the Opposition. Unpopularity

of the Coalition and Mr. Fox. Lord Hertford's six sons. Mr. Fox a can-

didate for Westminster. The King's endeavours to defeat him. Lord

Hood a candidate on the side of the Court. Riot between the sailors and

the Irish chairmen. The Duchess of Devonshire's support of Mr. Fox.

Horrible barbarity at Dover. (April 15.)-Sir H. Mann, jun., Mr. Mar-

sham, and Lord Mahon. The Court and the Opposition. Mr. Fox's elec-

tion for Westminster. Cloudy aspect of Ireland

April 29.-Cavalier Mozzi's affair. Elections. Lady politicians. English

politicians on the Continent. Satiric prints. Cav. Mozzi and Mr. Sharpe.

Illness of Lady Charlotte Herbert. Her father's profligacy and avarice.

Comparison between gout and rheumatism. Backwardness of spring.

Swarms of robbers

June 3.-Cavalier Mozzi's affair drawing to a close. Present of a snuff-box

to Cav. Mozzi. Portrait of Lady Orford. The new Parliament. The

Westminster election. Walpole's lack of interest in the affairs of the

world. Pleasures and grievances of old age. Doddington's " Memoirs."

Remarks on them

July 8.-Cavalier Mozzi. New taxes.

National debt. "The Arno Mis-

cellany." Marriage of Lord Southampton to Mrs. Keppel's second daugh-

ter. Genealogy of the bride and bridegroom. Death of the Dowager

Lady Harrington

July 10.-Cav. Mozzi's affair. Lucas's impertinence. Reflections on old

age. Messrs. Sharpe and Lucas. Walpole's vindication of his conduct

in the affair

Aug. 9.-The Pretender acknowledges his natural daughter. "The Arno

Miscellany," and its authors. Coldness of the summer. The rage for

balloons. Campaign of the Duc de Chartres in one. Recommendation

of Lord Mount Edgcumbe's son to Sir H. Mann. Mr. Edgcumbe's tra-

velling companion

Aug. 25.-Generous and honourable conduct of Mr. Duane in the Mozzi af-
fair. Rising of Parliament. Serious aspect of Ireland. Count Albany

and his daughter. The Cardinal-Duke of York. Restoration of the estates

forfeited in 1745. Vast number of letters written by Walpole to Mann.

Sept. 30.-The rage for balloons. Exploit of Lunardi, the airgonaut.
Stormy aspect of Ireland. Absurdity of Roman Catholics voting at elec-
tions. Quarrel of Joseph II. with the Dutch. Scandal from beldams,
and lies from newspapers. The Great Duke and the Medicean collection.
Sir H. Mann's munificence. Catalogue and prints of the curiosities at
Strawberry Hill. Description of Strawberry, its situation, and beautiful
prospects. Smallness of the whole. Transitoriness of our visions

Nov. 1.-Reflections on longevity. Arrival at Florence of the Duchess of

Albany. Project against Holland. The new Signora Mozzi. Mechani-

cal habit of writing letters. Falsehood of the maxim that “no one

knows himself."