self 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, and its boundaries were nowhere 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

"There was," says Walpole, in his History of Modern Gardening, 66 a little affected 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 unmeaning attitudes, and no longer expressed their story.

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

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 cruize 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 condition 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.

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.

In

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.* 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

* 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 sat 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: "I never 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.

is that, after a fermentation, there will be a settlement, and that peace will arise out of it.

The Decree* you sent me against high heads diverted me. It is 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 anywhere 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 matter, 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

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

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 anything 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