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My constitution was never ftrong. I am really thankful that it was not fo. My health is a true, and no very irksome, excufe, to avoid those scenes, that would hurt my body, and offend my mind. Converfation, unless very good, is to me deteftable. The idlenefs of coffee-houses, where heretofore I have whiled away fo many hours, is now defpicable and dangerous. The profeffors of party are either the subtlest knaves, or the weakest fools. The clergy, in general, very unworthy of their calling. Can you wonder then that I leave my native country? I have long been concerting this scheme. Till now, I could not bring it to bear. Such valuable and efteemed friends as you, my chaplain, Mr. Jeffreys, and fome others, I leave with

* See vol. ii, letter xcii, note 1. On the death of this gentleman, in 1755, his lordship expressed himself as follows: "You brought a tear or two from "me by your account of Mr. Jeffreys. I am truly "forry he is gone, but receive great comfort by "hearing the manner of his departure. Integrity "and elegance fhone very eminently in his counteVOL. III.

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great regret. That pang over, methinks I go on eagle's wings into Tuscany. I want no friendships, for I take my wife and daughter * with me. I want inftructive companions, and in them I fhall be very wary. There is no fipping; no jarrings of the fame kind in Italy as in England. Ours is a scene of personal feuds and private animofities. Foreigners perceive it, and laugh at us. They are polite, and live at ease with each other. We still preserve the liberty and manners of the ancient Britons; to be rude and to quarrel among our felves,

The town is a defert. Even the court is thin at Kensington. In a fortnight the

"nance and manners. His age attracted veneration. "He moved and fpoke the gentleman. I shall honour "his name and memory as long as I live; fo will "every one who knew him."

Lady Lucy Boyle, now vifcountefs Torrington.

+ Of this the next letter may be confidered as a palinody,

king returns, though I cannot look upon his refidence as out of town. With him

will appear blue garters, and a numerous train of people, "who ftrut their hour

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upon the ftage, and then are heard no "more." I have filled this paper to fhew you, that my heart is full of you, and I am in thefe (were they the laft) moments of my departure, to you, and to my namefake, a true and faithful fervant,

CORKE *.

LETTER CLIV.

Earl of CORKE to Mr. DUNCOMBE.

Marignolle, July 18, 1755.

YOUR kind letter, dear Sir, should have been fooner anfwered by me, if a

His lordship left London September 20, and arrived at Florence October 23.

Marignolle is one of the pleasantest fituations

which the environs of Florence afford.

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Some of the

windows

gouty winter, and an unhealthy fpring, had not rendered my correfpondence irkfome, because it must have been plaintive. I judge of my friends by myself, and therefore would at least hide from them all complaints 'till entirely over; well knowing what the heart feels on these occafions. The heat of Italy is univerfally acknowledged; fo ought the cold to be: yet have feldom heard it mentioned. Being perfectly idle, I have kept a diary of the weather, and it would amaze you to see the account from December to the middle of May. The uncertainty of the weather was

windows of the house, in which his lordship refided, command a view of the ancient Fiezole, the remains of which moulder on the fummit of a very high hill, inconvenient for want of water, most beautiful in point of profpect. That Etrurian city was enlarged by Sylla the dictator. The renowned triumvirate, Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus, improved it: it was then called Florentia, and when removed, for the acquifition of water, "Fluentia, quod ad Arni fluenta extructa fit." See lord Corke's "Letters from Italy," (lately published) p. 236.

ftill more furprising than the cold: we have had all kinds of seasons in a day. For the future, think better of the situation of our own ifland than you have done. I have been a terrible finner in my opinion of England. Travelling has corrected and opened my eyes in that particular. I repent, and shall fin no more.

We are fettled in a country-house near Florence. The fituation is high, the prof pect pleasant, and the distance from the town (only two miles) allows my daughter the benefit of all her mafters, which are many and excellent in their kind. Forgive the Florentines their morals, (which appear not openly bad to ftrangers) and they are an obliging, civil people; who, though without liberty themselves, love to fee instances of it in others; fo that we live here very much at our ease, and if not with great pleafure, at least not with difcontent.

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