Pelham Grenville Wodehouse - "Psmith, Journalist"

William Morris - "Poems by the Way"

Charles M. Sheldon - "In His Steps"

D. P. Thompson - "The Rangers"

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Books: The Letters of Horace Walpole Volume 3

H >> Horace Walpole >> The Letters of Horace Walpole Volume 3




You may be easy about this letter, for Monsieur de Guerchy sends
it for me by a private hand, as I did the last. I wish, by some
Such conveyance, you would tell me a little of your mind on all
this embroil, and whether you approve or disapprove my conduct.
After the liberties you have permitted me to take with you, my
dear lord, and without them, as you know my openness, and how
much I am accustomed to hear of my faults, I think you cannot
hesitate. Indeed, I must, I have done, or tried to do, just what
you would have wished. Could I, who have at least some
experience and knowledge of the world, have directed, our party
had not been in the contemptible and ridiculous
situation it is. Had I had more weight, things still more
agreeable to you had happened. Now, I could almost despair; but
I have still perseverance, and some resources left. Whenever I
can get to you, I will unfold a great deal; but in this critical
situation, I cannot trust what I can leave to no management but
my own.

Your brother would have writ, if I had not: he is gone to
Park-place to-day, with his usual phlegm, but returns tomorrow.
What would I give you were here yourself; perhaps you do not
thank me for the wish.

Do not wonder if, except thanking you for D'Alembert's book,(824)
I say not a word of any thing but politics. I have not had a
single other thought these three weeks. Though in all the bloom
of my passion, lilac-tide, I have not been at Strawberry this
fortnight. I saw things arrive at the point(825) I wished, and
to which I had singularly contributed to bring them, as you shall
know hereafter, and then I saw all my Work kicked down by two or
three frantic boys, and I see what I most dread, likely to
happen, unless I can prevent it,--but I have said enough for you
to understand me. I think we agree. However, this is for no ear
or breast but your own. Remember Monsieur de Nivernois,(826) and
take care of the letters you receive. Adieu!

(814) It seems from the next letter, that this alludes to Charles
Townshend.-C.

(815) Lord George and Lord Frederick.-E.

(816) Probably Messrs. Thomas Townshend, senior and junior, and
Charles Townshend, a cousin of the great Charles Townshend's, who
sat with Sir Edward Walpole for North Yarmouth.-C.

(817) Colonel Charles Fitzroy, afterwards Lord Southampton.-E.

(818) John Morton, Esq. member for Abingdon, and chief-justice of
Chester.-E.

(819) The following is Lord Temple's account of this debate, in a
letter of the 10th, to his sister, Lady Chatham: "Inability and
meanness are the characteristics of this whole proceeding,. I
shall pass over the very uninteresting parts of this matter, and
relate only the phenomenon of Morton's motion yesterday, seconded
by Kynaston, without a speech, and thirded by the illustrious Sam
Martin. The speech of the first was dull, and of the latter very
injudicious; saying that the House of Lords had passed a stigma
on the Princess of Wales; disclaiming all knowledge of her
wishes, but concluding, with a strong affirmative. George Onslow
opposed the motion, with very bad reasons; Lord Palmerston, with
much better. George Grenville seemed to convey, that the
alteration made in the Lords was not without the King's
knowledge; but that, to be sure, in his opinion, such a testimony
of zeal and affection which now manifested itself in the House of
Commons in favour of his royal mother, could not but prove
agreeable to his Majesty, and that therefore he should concur in
it. The Cocoa-tree have thus her Royal Highness to be regent; it
is well they have not given us a king, if they have not; for many
think Lord Bute is king. No division: many noes." Chatham
Correspondence, vol. ii. p. 309.-E.

(820) It was, indeed, a black and scandalous intrigue, by which
the character of the Sovereign's mother, and the peace and
comfort of the Royal Family, were thus made the counters with
which contending factions played their game; and if we may
believe Mr. Walpole himself, the motives which actuated those who
attacked, and those who seemed to defend the Princess
Dowager, were equally selfish and unworthy.-C.

(821) Probably Brook Forrester, Esq. of Lincoln's Inn, member for
Great Wenlock, a barrister-at-law. See ante, p. 281, letter
191.-C.

(822) It certainly does seem, from the foregoing account of his
own motives, that conscience had little to do with Mr. Walpole's
conduct on this affair: as to his pledge, that Mr. Onslow would
take a place before him, we must observe that it is not quite so
generous as it may seem; for Mr. Walpole was already, by the
provident care of his father, supplied with three sinecure
places, and two rent-charges on two others, producing him
altogether about 6300 pounds per annum. See Quarterly Review,
Vol. xxvii. P. 198.-C.

(823) On the question for the third reading of the bill, the
numbers were 150 and 24.-E.

(824) De la Destruction des
J`esuites."-E.

(825 This seems to imply that Mr. Walpole thought, that if the
Opposition had taken up the cause of the Princess Dowager when
she had been abandoned by the ministers, the latter might have
been removed, and the former brought into power.-C.

(826) He alludes to the infidelity of D'Eon to the Duke of
Nivernois. See ant`e, p. 253, letter 181.-C.



Letter 252 To The Earl Of Hertford.
Arlington Street, Monday evening, May 20, 1765. (page 399)

I scarce know where to begin, and I am sure not where I shall
end. I had comforted myself with getting over all my
difficulties: my friends opened their eyes, and were ready, nay,
some of them eager, to list under Mr. Pitt; for I must tell you,
that by a fatal precipitation,(827) the King,--when his ministers
went to him last Thursday, 16th, to receive his commands for his
speech at the end of the sessions which was to have been the day
after to-morrow, the 22d,--forbid the Parliament to be prorogued,
which he said he would only have adjourned: they were
thunderstruck, and asked if he intended to make any change in his
administration? he replied, certainly; he could not bear it as
it was. His uncle(828) was sent for, was ordered to form a new
administration, and treat with Mr. Pitt. This negotiation
proceeded for four days, and got wind in two. The town, more
accommodating than Mr. Pitt, settled the whole list of
employments. The facilities, however, were so few. that
yesterday the hero of Culloden went down in person to the
Conqueror of
America, at Hayes, and though tendering almost carte blanche,--
blanchissime for the constitution, and little short of it for the
whole red-book of places,--brought back nothing but a flat
refusal. Words cannot paint the confusion into which every thing
is thrown. The four ministers, I mean the Duke of Bedford,
Grenville, and the two Secretaries, acquainted their master
yesterday, that they adhere to one another, and shall all resign
to-morrow, and, perhaps, must be recalled on Wednesday,--must
have a carte noire, not blanche, and will certainly not expect
any stipulations to be offered for the constitution, by no means
the object of their care!

You are not likely to tell in Gath, nor publish in Ascalon, the
alternative of humiliation to which the crown is reduced. But
alas! this is far from being the lightest evil to which we are at
the eve of being exposed. I mentioned the mob of weavers which
had besieged the Parliament, and attacked the Duke of Bedford,
and I thought no more of it; but on Friday, a well
disciplined, and, I fear too well conducted a
multitude, repaired again to Westminster with red and black
flags; the House of Lords, where not thirty were present, acted
with no spirit;--examined Justice Fielding, and the magistrates,
and adjourned till to-day. At seven that evening, a prodigious
multitude assaulted Bedford-house, and began to pull down the
walls, and another party surrounded the garden, where there were
but fifty men on guard, and had forced their way, if another
party of Guards that had been sent for had arrived five minutes
later. At last, after reading the
proclamation, the gates of the court were thrown open, and sixty
foot-soldiers marched out; the mob fled, but, being met by a
party of horse, were much cut and
trampled, but no lives lost. Lady Tavistock, and every thing
valuable in the house, have been sent out of town. On Saturday,
all was pretty quiet; the Duchess
was blooded, and every body went to visit them. I hesitated,
being afraid of an air of triumph: -however, lest it should be
construed the other way, I went last night at eight o'clock; in
the square I found a great multitude, not of weavers, but
seemingly of Sunday-passengers. At the gate, guarded by
grenadiers, I found so large a throng, that I had not only
difficulty to make my way, though in my chariot, but was hissed
and pelted; and in two minutes after, the glass of Lady
Grosvenor's coach was broken, as those of Lady Cork's chair were
entirely demolished afterwards. I found Bedford-house a perfect
garrison, sustaining a siege, the court full of horse-guards,
constables, and gentlemen. I told the Duke that however I might
happen to differ with him in politics, this was a common cause,
and that every body must feel equal indignation at it. In the
mean time the mob grew so riotous, that they were forced to make
both horse and foot parade the square before the tumult was
dispersed.

To-morrow we expect much worse. The weavers have declared they
will come down to the House of Lords for redress, which they say
they have been promised. A body of five hundred sailors were on
the road from Portsmouth to join them, but luckily the admiralty
had notice of their intention, and stopped them.(829) A large
body of weavers are on the road from Norwich, and it is said have
been joined by numbers in Essex; guards are posted to prevent, if
possible, their
approaching the city. Another troop of manufacturers are coming
from Manchester; and what is worst of' all, there is such a
general spirit of mutiny and dissatisfaction in the lower people,
that I think we are in danger of a rebellion in the heart of the
capital in a week. In the mean time, there is neither
administration nor government. The King is out of town, and this
is the crisis in which Mr. Pitt, who could stop every evil,
chooses to be more unreasonable than ever.(830)

Mr. Craufurd, whom you have seen at the Duchess of Grafton's,
carries this, or I should not venture being so explicit.
Wherever the storm may break out at first, I think Lord Bute
cannot escape his share of it. The Bedfords may triumph over
him, the Princess, and still higher, if they are fortunate enough
to avoid the present ugly appearances; and yet how the load of
odium will be increased, if they return to power! One can name
many in whose situation one would not be,-not one who is not
situated unpleasantly.

Adieu my dear lord; you shall hear as often as I can find a
conveyance but these are not topics for the post! Poor Mrs.
Fitzroy has lost her eldest girl. I forgot to tell you that the
young Duke of Devonshire goes to court to-morrow. Yours ever.

Wednesday evening.

I am forced to send you journals rather than letters. Mr.
Craufurd, who was to carry this, has put off his journey till
Saturday, and I choose rather to defer my despatch than trust it
to Guerchy's courier, though he offered me that conveyance
yesterday, but it is too serious to venture to their inspection.

Such precautions have been taken, and so many troops brought into
town, that there has been no rising, though the sheriffs of
London acquainted the Lords on Monday that a very
formidable one was preparing for five o'clock the next morning.
There was another tumult, indeed, at three o'clock yesterday, at
Bedford-house, but it was dispersed by reading the Riot-act. In
the mean time, the revolution has turned round again. The
ministers desired the King to commission Lord Granby, the Duke of
Richmond, and Lord Waldegrave, to suppress the riots, which, in
truth, was little short of asking for the power of the sword
against himself. On this, his Majesty determined to name the
Duke of Cumberland captain-general but the tranquillity of the
rioters happily gave H. R. H. occasion to persuade the King to
suspend that resolution. Thank God! From eleven o'clock
yesterday, when I heard it, till nine at night, when I learned
that the resolution had dropped, I think I never passed such
anxious hours! nay, I heard it was done, and looked upon the
civil war as commenced. During these events, the Duke was
endeavouring to form a ministry, but, luckily, nobody would
undertake it when Mr. Pitt had refused so the King is reduced to
the mortification, and it is extreme, of taking his old ministers
again. They are insolent enough, you may believe. Grenville has
treated his master in the most impertinent manner, and they are
now actually digesting the terms that they mean to impose on
their captive, and Lord Bute is the chief object of their rage;
though I think Lord Holland will not escape, nor Lord
Northumberland, whom they treat as an encourager of the rioters.
Both he and my lady went on Monday night to Bedford-house, and
were received with every mark of insult.(831) The Duke turned
his back on the Earl, without speaking to him, and he was kept
standing an hour exposed to all their railery. Still I have a
more extraordinary event to tell you than all I have related.
Lord Temple and George Grenville were reconciled yesterday
morning, by the intervention of Augustus Hervey; and, perhaps,
the next thing you wilt hear, may be that Lord Temple is sent by
this ministry to Ireland, though Lord Weymouth is again much
talked of for it.

The report of Norwich and Manchester weavers on the road is now
doubted. If Lord Bute is banished, I suppose the Duke of Bedford
will become the hero of this very mob, and every act of power
which they (the ministers] have executed, let who will have been
the adviser, will be forgotten. It will be entertaining to see
Lord Temple supporting Lord Halifax on general warrants!

You have more than once seen your old master(832) reduced to
surrender up his closet to a cabal--but never with such
circumstances of insult, indignity, and humiliation! For our
little party, it is more humbled than ever. Still I prefer that
state to what I dread; I mean, seeing your brother embarked in a
desperate administration. It was proposed first to make him
secretary at war, then secretary of state, but he declined both.
Yet I trembled, lest he should think bound in honour to obey the
commands of the King and Duke of Cumberland; but, to my great
joy, that alarm is over, unless the triumphant faction exact more
than the King can possibly suffer. It will rejoice you, however,
my dear lord, to hear that Mr. Conway is perfectly restored to
the King's favour; and that if he continues in opposition, it
will not be against the King, but a most abominable faction, who,
having raged against the constitution and their country to pay
court to Lord Bute, have even thrown off that paltry mask, and
avowedly hoisted the standard of their own power. Till the King
has signed their demands, one cannot look upon this scene as
closed.

Friday evening.

You will think, my dear lord, and it is natural you should, that
I write my letters at once, and compose one part with my
prophecies, and the other with the completion of them; but you
must recollect that I understand this country pretty well,--
attend closely to what passes,--have very good intelligence,--and
know the characters of the actors thoroughly. A little sagacity
added to such foundation, easily carries one's sight a good way;
but you will care for my narrative more than my reflections, so I
proceed.

On Wednesday, the ministers dictated their terms; you will not
expect much moderation, and, accordingly, there was not a grain:
they demanded a royal promise of never consulting Lord Bute,
Secondly, the dismission of Mr. Mckinsy from the direction of
Scotland; thirdly, and lastly, for they could go no further, the
crown itself--or, in their words the immediate nomination of Lord
Granby to be captain-general. You may figure the King's
indignation--for himself, for his favourite, for his uncle. In
my own opinion, the proposal of grounds for taxing his majesty
himself hereafter with breaking his word,(833) was the bitterest
affront of all. He expressed his anger and astonishment, and
bade them return at ten at night for his answer; but, before
that, he sent the Chancellor to the junta, consenting to displace
Mekinsy,(834) refusing to promise not to consult Lord Bute,
though acquiescing to his not interfering in business, but with a
peremptory refusal to the article of Lord Granby. The rebels
took till next morning to advise on their answer; when they gave
up the point of Lord Granby, and contented themselves with the
modification on the chapter of Lord Bute. However, not to be too
complimentary, they demanded Mekinsy's place for Lord Lorn,(835)
and the instant removal of Lord Holland; both of which have been
granted. Charles Townshend is paymaster, and Lord Weymouth
viceroy of Ireland; so Lord Northumberland remains on the pav`e,
which, as there is no place vacant for him, it was not necessary
to stipulate. The Duchess of bedford, with colours flying,
issued out of her garrison yesterday, and took possession of the
drawing-room. To-day their majesties are gone to Woburn; but as
the Duchess is a perfect Methodist against all suspicious
characters, it is said, to-day, that Lord Talbot is to be added
to the list of proscriptions, and now they think themselves
established for ever.--Do they so? Lord Temple declares himself
the warmest friend of the present administration;--there is a
mystery still to be cleared up,--and, perhaps, a little to the
mortification of Bedford-house.--We shall see.

The Duke of Cumberland is retired to Windsor: your brother gone
to Park-place: I go to Strawberry to-morrow, lest people should
not think me a great man too. I don't know whether I shall not
even think it necessary to order myself a fit of the gout.(836)
I have received your short letter of the 16th, with the memorial
of the family of Brebeuf;--now my head will have a little
leisure, I will examine it,. and see if I can do any thing in the
affair. In that letter you say, you have been a month without
hearing from any of your friends. I little expected to be taxed
on that head: I have written you volumes almost every day; my
last dates have been of April 11th, 20th, May 5th, 12th, and
16th. I beg you will look over them, and send me word exactly,
and I beg you not to omit it, whether any of these are missing.
Three of them I trusted to Guerchy, but took care they should
contain nothing which it signified whether seen or not on t'other
side of the water, though I did not care they should be perused
on this. I had the caution not to let him have this, though by
the eagerness with which he proffered both to-day and yesterday,
to send any thing by his couriers, I suspected he wished to help
them to better intelligence than he could give them himself. He
even told me he should have another courier depart on Tuesday
next; but I excused myself, on the pretence of having too much to
write at once, and shall send this, and a letter your brother has
left me, by mr. Craufurd, though he does not set out till Sunday;
but you had better wait for it from him, than from the Duc de
Choiseul. Pray commend my discretion--you see I grow a
consummate politician; but don't approve of it too much, lest I
only send you letters as prudent as your own.

You may acquaint Lady Holland with the dismission of her lord, if
she has not heard it, he being at Kingsgate. Your secretary(837)
is likely to be prime minister in Ireland. Two months ago the
new Viceroy himself was going to France for debt, leaving his
wife and children to be maintained by her mother.(838)

I will be much obliged to you, my dear lord, if you will contrive
to pay Lady Stanhope for the medals; they cost, I think, but 4
pounds 7 shillings or thereabout--but I have lost the note.

Adieu! here ends volume the first. Omnia mutantur, sed non
mutamur in illis. Princess Amelia, who has a little veered round
to northwest, and by Bedford, does not speak tenderly of her
brother--but if some families are reconciled, others are
disunited. The Keppels are at open war with the Keppels, and
Lady Mary Coke weeps with one eye over Lady Betty Mackinsy, and
smiles with t'other on Lady Dalkeith;(839) but the first eye is
the sincerest. The Duke of Richmond, in exactly the same
proportion, is divided between his sisters, Holland and Bunbury.

Thank you much for your kindness about Mr. T. Walpole-I have not
had a moment's time to see him, but will do full justice to your
goodness. Yours ever, H. W.

Pray remember the dates of my letters--you will be strangely
puzzled for a clue, if one of them has miscarried. Sir Charles
Bunbury is not to be secretary for Ireland, but Thurlow the
lawyer:(840) they are to stay five years without returning. Lord
Lorn has declined, and Lord Frederic Campbell is to be lord privy
seal for Scotland. Lord Waldegrave, they say, chamberlain to the
Queen.(841)

(831) From the family, not from the rioters.-C.

(832) George the Second.

(833) This alludes to the required promise not to consult Lord
Bute.

(834) The Following is from Mr. Stuart Mackenzie's own account of
his removal, in the Mitchell MSS:--"They demanded certain terms,
without which they declined coming in; the principal of which
was, that I should be dismissed from the administration of the
affairs of Scotland, and likewise from the office of privy seal.
His Majesty answered, that as to the first, it would be no great
punishment, he believed, to me, as I had never been very fond of
the employment; but as to the second, I had his promise to
continue it for life. Grenville replied to this purpose: 'In
that case, Sir, we must decline coming in.'--'No,' says the King,
'I will not, on that account, put the whole kingdom in confusion,
and leave it without a government at all; but I will tell you how
that matter stands --that he has my royal word to continue in the
office; and if you force me, from the situation of things, to
violate my royal word, remember you are responsible for it, and
not I.' Upon that very solemn charge, Grenville answered, 'Sir,
we must make some arrangement for Mr. Mackenzie.' The King
answered, 'If I know any thing of him, he will give himself very
little trouble about your arrangements for him.' His Majesty
afterwards sent for me to his closet, where I was a very
considerable time with him; and if it were possible for me to
love my excellent prince now better than I ever did before, I
should certainly do it; for I have every reason that can induce a
generous mind to feel his goodness for me; but such was his
Majesty's situation at this time, that, had he absolutely
rejected my dismission, he would have put me in the most
disagreeable situation in the world; and, what was of much higher
consequence, he would leave greatly distressed his affairs."-E.

(835) John Marquis of Lorn, afterwards fifth Duke of Argyle; a
lieutenant-general in the army: he was brother of (General
Conway's lady.-C.

(836) An allusion to Mr. Pitt.-C.

(837) Sir Charles Bunbury, secretary of embassy at Paris, was
nominated secretary to Lord Weymouth, and held that office for
about two months.-E.

(838) The straitened circumstances of Lord Weymouth made his
nomination very unpopular in Ireland: he never went over.-C.

(839) In the recent arrangement, Lady Betty's husband was, as we
have seen, dismissed from, and Lady Dalkeith's (Charles
Townshend) acceded to, office.-C.

(840) This was a mistake.-E.

(841) This is the last of the series of letters written by
Walpole to Lord Hertford: to the publication is subjoined the
following postscript:-"The state of the administration, as
described in the foregoing letters, could evidently not last; and
after the failure of several attempts to induce Mr. Pitt to take
the government on terms which the King could grant, the Duke of
Cumberland, at his Majesty's desire, succeeded in forming the
Rockingham administration, in which General Conway was secretary
of state and leader of the House of Commons, and Lord Hertford,
lord lieutenant of Ireland. There can be little doubt, that
during these transactions, Mr. Walpole (although he had in the
interval a severe fit Of the gout) wrote to Lord Hertford, but no
other letter of this series has been discovered; which is the
more to be regretted, as the state of parties was it that moment
particularly interesting. The refusal of Mr. Pitt raised the
ministers to a pitch of confidence, (perhaps@, we might say,
-arrogance,) which, as Mr. Walpole foresaw, accelerated their
fall. So blind were they to their true situation, that Mr.
Rigby, who was as deep as any man in the ministerial councils,
writes to a private friend "I never thought, to tell you the
truth, that we were in any danger from this last political cloud.
The Duke of Cumberland's political system, grafted upon the Earl
of Bute's stock, seems, of all others, the least capable of
succeeding.' This letter was written on the 7th of July, and on
the 10th the new ministry was formed."-C.