Books: Letters of Horace Walpole, V4

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You must not expect to be Madame du Deffand's first favourite.
Lady Ailesbury has made such a progress there, that you will
not easily supplant her. I have received volumes in her
praise.(139) You have a better chance with Madame de Cambis,
who is very agreeable; and I hope you are not such an English
husband as not to conform to the manners of Paris while you are
there.

I forgot to mention one or two of my favourite objects to Lady
Ailesbury, nay, I am not sure she will taste one of them, the
church of the C`elestines. it is crowded with beautiful old
tombs; one of Francis II. whose beatitude is presumed from his
being husband of the martyr Mary Stuart. - Another is of the
first wife of John Duke of Bedford, the Regent Of France. I
think you was once there with me formerly. The other is
Richelieu's tomb, at the Sorbonne--but that every body is
carried to see. The H`otel de Carnavalet,(140) near the Place
Royale, is worth looking at, even for the fa`cade, as you drive
by. But of all earthly things the most worth seeing is the
house at Versailles, where the King's pictures, not hung up,
are kept. There is a treasure past belief, though in sad
order. and piled one against another. Monsieur de Guerchy once
carried me thither; and you may certainly get leave. At the
Luxembourg are some hung up, and one particularly is worth
going to see alone: it is the Deluge by Nicolo Poussin, as
winter. The three other seasons are good for nothing: but the
Deluge is the first picture in the world of its kind. You will
be shocked to see the glorious pictures at the Palais Royal
transplanted to new canvasses, and new painted and varnished,
as if they were to be scenes at the Opera-at least, they had
treated half-a-dozen of the best so, three years ago, and were
going on. The Prince of Monaco has a few fine, but still worse
used; one of them shines more than a looking glass. I fear the
exposition of pictures is over for this year; it is generally
very diverting.(141) I, who went into every church of Paris,
can assure you there are few worth it, but the Invalids-except
the scenery at St. Roch, about one or two o'clock at noon, when
the sun shines; the Carmelites, for the Guido and the portrait
of Madame de la Vali`ere as a Magdalen; the Val de Grace, for a
moment; the treasure at Notre Dame; the Sainte Chapelle, where
in the ante-chapel are two very large enamelled portraits; the
tomb of Cond`e at the Great Jesuits in the Rue St. Antoine, if
not shut up; and the little church of St. Louis in the Louvre,
where is a fine tomb of Cardinal Fleury, but large enough to
stand on Salisbury-plain. One thing some of u must remember,
as you return; nay, it is better to go soon to St. Denis, and
Madame du Deffand must get you a particular order to be shown
(which is never shown without) the effigies of the Kings.(142)
They are in presses over the treasure which is shown, and where
is the glorious antique cameo-cup; but the countenance of
Charles IX. is so horrid and remarkable, you would think he had
died on the morrow of the St. Barthelemi, and waked full of the
recollection. If you love enamels and exquisite medals, get to
see the collection of a Monsieur d'Henery, who lives in the
corner of the street where Sir John Lambert lives--I forget its
name. There is an old man behind the Rue de Colombier, who has
a great but bad collection of old French portraits; I delighted
in them, but perhaps you would not. I, you may be sure, hunted
out every thing of that sort. The convent and collection of
St. Germain, I mean that over against the H`otel du Parc Royal,
is well worth seeing--but I forget names strangely--Oh!
delightful!--Lord Cholmondeley sends me word he goes to Paris
on Monday: I shall send this and my other letter by him. It
was him I meant; I knew he was going and had prepared it.

Pray take care to lock up your papers in a strong box that
nobody can open. They imagine you are at Paris on some
commission, and there is no trusting French hotels or servants.
America is in a desperate situation, The accounts from the
Congress are not expected before the 10th, and expected very
warm. I have not time to tell you some manoeuvres against them
that will make your blood curdle. Write to me when you can by
private hands, as I will to you. There are always English
passing backwards and forwards.

(140) Where Madame de S`evign`e resided.

(141) He means from their extreme bad taste.

(142) The abbey of St. Denis was shorn of its glories during
the Revolution. On the 16th of October 1793, the coffin of
Louis XV. was taken out of the vaults; and, after a stormy
debate, it was decided to throw the remains of all the kings,
even those of Henry IV. and Louis XIV. which were yet to a
great degree preserved entire, into a pit, to melt down their
leaden coffins on the spot, and to take
away and cast into bullets whatever
lead remained in the church; not even excepting the roof.-E.

Letter 78 To The Countess Of Ailesbury.
Strawberry Hill, Nov. 7, 1774. (page 110)

I have written such tomes to Mr. Conway, Madam, and have so
nothing new to write, that I might as well, methinks, begin and
like the lady to her husband: "Je vous `ecris parce que je n'ai
rien `a faire: je finis parce que je n'ai rien `a vous dire."
Yes, I have two complaints to make, one of your ladyship, the
other of myself. You tell me nothing of Lady Harriet; have you
no tongue, or the French no eyes? or are her eyes employed in
nothing but seeing? What a vulgar employment for a fine
woman's eyes, after she has risen from her toilet! I declare I
will ask no more questions--what is it to me, whether she is
admired or not? I should know how charming she is, though all
Europe were blind. I hope I am not to be told by any barbarous
nation upon earth what beauty and grace are.

For myself, I am guilty of the gout in my elbow; the left-
-witness my handwriting. Whether I caught cold by the deluge
in the night, or whether the bootikins, like the water of Styx,
can only preserve the parts they surround, I doubt they have
saved me but three weeks, for so long my reckoning has been
out. However, as I feel nothing in my feet, I flatter myself
that this Pindaric transition will not be a regular ode, but a
fragment, the more valuable for being imperfect.

Now for my gazette.--Marriages--Nothing done. Intrigues--More
in the political than civil way. Births--Under par since Lady
Berkeley left off breeding. Gaming--Low water. Deaths--Lord
Morton, Lord Wentworth, Duchess Douglas. Election stock--More
buyers than sellers. Promotions--Mr. Wilkes as high as he can
go.--Apropos, he was told the Lord Chancellor intended to
signify to him, that the King did not approve the City's
choice: he replied, "Then I shall signify to his lordship, that
I am at least as fit to be Lord Mayor as he to be Lord
Chancellor." This being more gospel than every thing Mr.
Wilkes says, the formal approbation was given.

Mr. Burke has succeeded in Bristol, and Sir James Peachey will
miscarry in Sussex. But what care you, Madam, about our
Parliament? You will see the rentr`ee of the old one, with
songs and epigrams into the bargain. We do not shift our
Parliaments with so much gaiety. Money in one hand, and abuse
in t'other--those are all the arts we know. Wit and a gamut I
don't believe ever signified a Parliament,(143) whatever the
glossaries may say; for they never produce pleasantry and
harmony. Perhaps you may not taste this Saxon pun, but I know
it will make the Antiquarian Society die with laughing.

Expectation hangs on America. The result of the general
assembly is expected in four or five days. If one may believe
the papers, which one should not believe, the other side of the
waterists are not doux comme des moutons, and yet we do intend
to eat them. I was in town on Monday; the Duchess of Beaufort
graced our loo, and made it as rantipole as a Quaker's meeting.
Louis Quinze ,(144) I believe, is arrived by this time, but I
fear without quinze louis.

Your herb-snuff and the four glasses are lying in my warehouse,
but I can hear of no ship going to Paris. You are now at
FOntainbleau, but not thinking of Francis 1. the Queen of
Sweden, and Monaldelschi. It is terrible that one cannot go to
courts that are gone! You have supped with the Chevalier de
Boufflers: did he act every thing in the world, and sing every
thing in the world, and laugh at every thing in the world? Has
Madame de Cambis sung to you "Sans d`epit, sans
l`egert`e?"(145) Has Lord Cholmondeley delivered my pacquet?
I hear I have hopes of Madame d'Olonne.(146) Gout or no gout, I
shall be little in town till after Christmas. My elbow makes
me bless myself that I am not at Paris. Old age is no such
uncomfortable thing, if one gives oneself up to it with a good
grace, and don't drag it about

"To midnight dances and the public show."

If one stays quietly in one's own house in the country, and
cares for nothing but oneself, scolds one's servants, condemns
every thing that is new, and recollects how charming a thousand
things were formerly that were very disagreeable, one gets over
the winters very well, and the summers get over themselves.

(143) Witenagemoot.

(144) This was a cant name given to Lady Powis, who was very
fond of loo, and had lost much money at the game.

(145) The first words of a favourite French air.

(146) The Portrait in enamel of Madame d'Olonne by Petitot,
which Walpole afterwards purchased.-E.

Letter 79 To The Earl Of Strafford.
Strawberry Hill, Nov. 11, 1774. (page 112)

I am sorry there is still time, my dear lord, to write to you
again; and that though there is, I have so little to amuse you
with. One is not much nearer news for being within ten miles
of London than if in Yorkshire; and besides, whatever reaches
us, Lady Greenwich catches at the rebound before me, and Sends
you before I can. Our own circle furnishes very little.
Dowagers are good for propagating news when planted, but have
done with sending forth suckers. Lady Blandford's coffee-house
is removed to town, and the Duchess of Newcastle's is little
frequented, but by your sister Anne, Lady Browne, and me. This
morning, indeed, I was at a very fine concert at old Franks's
at Isleworth, and heard Leoni,(147) who pleased me more than
any thing I have heard these hundred years. There is a full
melancholy melody in his voice, though a falsetto, that nothing
but a natural voice ever compasses. Then he sung songs of
Handel in the genuine simple style, and did not put one in pain
like rope-dancers. Of the Opera I hear a dismal account; for I
did not go to it to sit in our box like an old King dowager by
myself. Garrick is treating the town, as it deserves and likes
to be treated, with scenes, fireworks, and his own writing. A
good new play I never expect to see more, nor have seen since
The Provoked Husband, which came out when I was at school.

Bradshaw is dead, they say by his own hand: I don't know
wherefore. I was told it was a great political event. If it
is, our politics run as low as our plays. From town I heard
that Lord Bristol was taken speechless with a stroke of the
palsy. If he dies, Madam Chudleigh(148) must be tried by her
peers, as she is certainly either duchess or countess. Mr.
Conway and his company are so pleased with Paris, that they
talk of staying till Christmas. I am glad; for they will
certainly be better diverted there than here. Your lordship's
most faithful servant.

(147) Leoni, a celebrated singer of the day, considered one of
the best in England. He was a Jew, and engaged at the
synagogues, from which he is said to have been dismissed for
singing in the Messiah of Handel.-E.

(148) The Duchess of Kingston; against whom an indictment for
bigamy was found on the 8th of December, she having married the
Duke of Kingston, having been previously married to the Hon.
Augustus John Hervey, then living, and who, by the death of his
brother, in March, 1775, became Earl of Bristol.-E.

Letter 80 To The Hon. H. S. Conway.
Strawberry Hill, Nov. 12, 1774. (page 112)

I have received a delightful letter from you of four sheets,
and another since. I shall not reply to the campaigning part
(though much obliged to you for it), because I have twenty
other subjects -more pressing to talk of The first is to thank
you for your excessive goodness to my dear old friend-she has
some indiscretions, and you must not have any to her; but she
has the best heart in the world, and I am happy,, at her great
age, that she has spirits enough not to he always upon her
guard. A bad heart, especially after long experience,, is but
too apt to overflow inwardly with prudence. At least, as I am
but too like her, and have corrected too few of my faults, I
would fain persuade myself that some of them flow from a good
principle--but I have not time to talk of myself, though you
are much too Partial to me, and give me an opportunity; yet I
shall not take it.

Now for English news, and then your letter again. There has
been a great mortality here; though Death has rather been pri`e
than a volunteer. Bradshaw, as I told Lady Ailesbury last
post, shot himself. He is dead, totally undone. Whether that
alone was the cause, or whether he had not done something
worse, I doubt. I cannot conceive that, with his resources, he
should have been hopeless--and, to suspect him of delicacy,
impossible!

A ship is arrived from America, and I doubt with very bad
news; for none but trifling letters have yet been given out-
-but I am here, see nobody that knows any thing,,and only hear
by accident from people that drop in. The sloop that is to
bring the result of the general assembly is not yet come.
There are indeed rumours, that both the non-importation, and
even non-exportation have been decreed, and that the flame is
universal. I hope this is exaggerated! yet I am told the
stocks will fall very much in a day or two.

I have nothing to tell Lady Ailesbury, but that I hear a
deplorable account of the Opera. There is a new puppet-show at
Drury Lane, as fine as scenes can make it, called "The Maid of
the Oaks,"(149) and as dull as the author could not help making
it.

Except M. d'Herouville, I know all the people you name. C. I
doubt, by things I have heard formerly, may have been a
concessionnaire. The Duke, your protecteur(150) is mediocre
enough; You would have been more pleased with his wife. The
Chevalier's(151) bon-mot is excellent, and so is he. He has as
much buffonnerie as the Italians, With more wit and novelty.
His impromptu verses often admirable. Get Madame du Deffand to
show you his embassy to the Princess Christine, and his verses
on his eldest uncle, beginning Si Monsieur de Veau. His second
uncle has parts, but they are not so natural. Madame de
Caraman is a very good kind of woman, but has not a quarter of
her sister's parts.(152) Madame de Mirepoix is the agreeable
woman of the world when she pleases-but there, must not be a
card in the room. Lord * * * * has acted like himself; that
is, unlike any body else. You know, I believe, that I think
him a very good spetcr; but I have little opinion of his
judgment and knowledge of the world, and a great Opinion of his
affectation and insincerity. The Abb`e Raynal, though he wrote
that fine work on the Commerce des Deux Indes, is the most
tiresome creature in the world. The first time I met him was
at the dull Baron d'Olbach's: we were twelve at table: I
dreaded opening My Mouth in French, before so many people and
so many servants: he began questioning me, cross the table,
about our colonies, which I understand as little as I do
Coptic. I made him signs I was deaf. After dinner, he found I
was not, and never forgave me. Mademoiselle do Raucoux I never
saw till you told me Madame du Deffand said she was d`emoniaque
sans chaleur! What painting! I see her now. Le Kain sometimes
pleased me, oftener not. Mol`e is charming in genteel, or in
pathetic comedy, and would be fine in tragedy, if he was
stronger. Preville is always perfection. I like his wife in
affected parts, though not animated enough. There was a
delightful woman who did the Lady Wishforts, I don't know if
there still, I think her name Mademoiselle Drouin; and a fat
woman, rather elderly, who sometimes acted the soubrette. But
you have missed the Dumenil, and Caillaut! What irreparable
losses! Madame du Deffand, perhaps--I don't know--could obtain
your hearing the Clairon, yet the Dumenil was infinitely
preferable.

I could now almost find in my heart to laugh at you for liking
Boutin's garden.(153) Do you know, that I drew a plan of it,
as the completest absurdity I ever saw. What! a river that
wriggles at right angles through a stone gutter, with two tansy
puddings that were dug out of it, and three or four beds in a
row, by a corner of the wall, with samples of grass, corn, and
of en friche, like a tailor's paper of patterns! And you like
this! I will tell Park-place--Oh! I had forgot your audience in
dumb show--Well, as Madame de S`evign`e said, "Le Roi de
Prusse, c'est le plus grand Roi du monde still."(154) My love
to the old Parliament; I don't love new ones.

I went several times to Madame do Monconseil's, who is just
what you say. Mesdames de Tingri et de la Vauguion I never
saw: Madame de Noailles once or twice, and enough. You say
something of Madame de Mallet, which I could not read; for, by
the way, your brother and I agree that you are grown not to
write legibly: is that lady in being? I knew her formerly.
Madame de Blot(155) I know, and Monsieur de Paulmy I know; but
for Heaven's sake who is Colonel Conway?(156) Mademoiselle
Sanadon is la sana donna, and not Mademoiselle Celadon,(157) as
you call her. Pray assure my good Monsieur Schouwalov(158)of
my great regard: he is one of the best of beings.

I have said all I could, at least all I should. I reserve the
rest of my paper for a postscript; for this is but Saturday,
and my letter cannot depart till Tuesday: but I could not for
one minute defer answering your charming volumes, which
interest me so much. I grieve for Lady Harriet's swelled face,
and wish for both their sakes .She could transfer it to her
father. I assure her I meant nothing by desiring you to see
the verses to the Princess Christine,(159) wherein there is
very profane mention of a pair of swelled cheeks. I hear
nothing of Madame d'Olonne. Oh! make Madame du Deffand show
you the sweet portrait of Madame de Prie, the Duke of Bourbon's
mistress. Have you seen Madame de Monaco, and the remains of
Madame de Brionne? If -you wish to see Mrs. A * * *, ask for
the Princesse de Ligne. If you have seen Monsieur de Maurepas,
you have seen the late Lord Hardwicke.(160) By your not naming
him, I suppose the Duc de Nivernois, is not at Paris. Say a
great deal for me to M. de Guisnes.. You will not see my
passion, the Duchess de Chatillon. if You see Madame de
Nivernois, you will think the Duke of Newcastle is come to life
again. Alas! where is my Postscript? Adieu! Yours ever.

(149) Written by General Burgoyne. Walpole's opinion of the
General's abilities as a writer totally changed upon the
appearance of "The Heiress", which he always called the
greatest comedy in the English language.-E.

(150) The Duc de la Vali`ere: whom Mr. Conway had said, that,
when presented to him, "his reception was what might be called
good but rather de protection."

(151) The Chevalier de Boufflers; well known for his "Letters
from Switzerland," addressed to his mother; his "Reine de
Golconde," a tale; and a number of very pretty vers de
soci`et`e.-E.

(152) Madame de Cambis.-E.

(153) See another ludicrous description of this garden in a
letter to Mr. Chute; ante, P. 55, letter 31.-E.

(154) This alludes to Mr. Conway's presentation to the King of
France, Louis XVI. at Fontainbleau, of which, in his letter to
Mr. Walpole he gives the following account:-- "on St. Hubert's
day in the morning I had the honour of being presented to the
King: 'twas a good day, and an excellent deed. You may be sure
I was well received! the French are so polite! and their court
so Polished! The Emperor, indeed, talked to me every day; so
did the King of Prussia, regularly and much; but that was not
to be compared to the extraordinary reception of his most
Christian Majesty, who, when I was presented, did not stop nor
look to see what sort of an animal was offered to his notice,
but carried his head, as it seemed, somewhat higher, and passed
his way."

(155) Wife Of M. Chavigny de Blot, attached to the service of
the Duke of Orleans: she Was sister to the Comte d'Hennery, who
died at St. Domingo, where he was commander-in-chief.

(156) An officer in the French service.

(157) Mademoiselle Sanadon, a lady who lived with Madame du
Deffand. She was niece to the P`ere Sanadon, well known by his
translation of Horace, accompanied with valuable notes, and by
his elegant Poems and orations in the Latin language.-E.

(158) The Russian minister at Paris.
See vol. iii., Letter to the Earl of Hertford, March 26, 1765,
letter 245. Madame du Deffand thus describes the Count in a
letter to Walpole:--"Je trouve notre bon ami un peu ennuyeux;
il n'a nulle inflexion dans la parole, nul mouvement dans
l'`ame; ce qu'il dit est une lecture sans p`en`etration."-E.

(159) BY the Chevalier do Boufflers.

(160) He means, from their personal resemblance.

Letter 81 To The Hon. H. S. Conway.
Arlington Street, Nov. 27, 1774. (page 115)

I have received your delightful Plump packet with a letter of
six pages, one from Madame du Deffand, the Eloges,(161) and the
Lit de Justice. Now, observe my gratitude: I appoint you my
resident at Paris, but you are not to resemble all our
ministers abroad, and expect to live at home, which would
destroy my Lord Castlecomer's(162) view in your staying at
Paris. However, to prove to you that I have some gratitude
that is not totally selfish, I will tell you what little news I
know, before I answer your letter; for English news, to be
sure, is the most agreeable circumstance in a letter from
England.

On my coming to town yesterday, there was nothing but more
deaths--don't you think we have the plague? The Bishop of
Worcester,(163) Lord Breadalbane, Lord Strathmore. The first
fell from his horse, or with his horse, at Bath, and the
bishopric was incontinently given to Bishop North.

America is still more refractory, and I doubt will outvote the
ministry. They have picked General Gage's pocket of three
pieces of cannon,(164) and intercepted some troops that were
going to him. Sir William Draper is writing plans of
pacification in our newspapers; and Lord Chatham flatters
himself that he shall be sent for when the patient is given
over; which I don't think at all unlikely to happen. My poor
nephew is very political too: so we shall not want mad doctors.
Apropos, I hear Wilkes says he will propose Macreth for
Speaker.

The Ecclesiastical Court are come to a resolution that the
Duchess of Kingston is Mrs. Hervey; and the sentence will be
public in a -fortnight. It is not so certain that she will
lose the estate. Augustus(165) is not in a much more pleasant
predicament than she is. I saw Lord Bristol last night: he
looks perfectly well, but his speech is much affected, and his
right hand.

Lady Lyttelton, who, you know, never hears any thing that has
happened, wrote to me two days ago, to ask if it would not be
necessary for you to come over for the meeting of the
Parliament. I answered, very gravely, that to be sure you
ought: but though Sir James Morgan threatened you loudly with a
petition, yet, as it could not be heard till after Christmas, I
was afraid you could not be persuaded to come sooner. I hope
she will inquire who Sir James Morgan is, and that people will
persuade her she has made a confusion about Sir James Peachy.
Now for your letter.

I have been in the Chambre de Parlement, I think they call it
the Grande Chambre; and was shown the corner in which the
monarchs sit, and do not wonder you did not guess where it was
they sat. It is just like the dark corner, under the window,
where I always sat in the House of Commons. What has happened,
has passed exactly according to my ideas. When one King breaks
one parliament, and another, what can the result be but
despotism? or of what else is it a proof? If a Tory King
displaces his father's Whig lord
chamberlain, neither lord chamberlain has the more or the less
power ,over the theatres and court mournings and birthday
balls. All that can arrive is, that the people will be still
more attached to the old parliament, from this seeming
restitution of a right--but the people must have some power
before their attachment can signify a straw. The old
parliament, too, may some time or other give itself more airs
on this confession of right; but that too cannot be but in a
minority, when the power of the crown is lessened by reasons
that have nothing to do with the parliament. I will answer for
it, they will be too grateful to give umbrage to their
restorer. Indeed, I did not think the people would be so
quick-sighted at once, as to see the distinction of old and new
was without difference. Methinks France and England are like
the land and the sea; one gets a little sense when the other
loses it.