Books: The Letters of Horace Walpole, Volume 1

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159. To the same, April 15.-Reflections on his father's death.
Compliments paid to his memory. Mediterranean miscarriages--
410

160. To the same, April 29.-Disadvantages of a distant
correspondence. Death of Mr. Francis Chute, and of poor
Patapan. Prospect of a battle in Flandders. Marshal Saxe--411

161. To the same, May 11.-Battle of Fontenoy. Bravery of the
Duke. Song, written after the news of the battle, by the
Prince of Wales--412

162. To George Montagu, Esq., May 18.-Condolence on the death
of Mr. Montigu's brother at Fontenoy--415

163. To Sir Horace Mann, May 24.-Popularity of the Duke of
Cumberland. Lady Walpole. Story of Lord Bath's parsimony--415

164. To George Montagu, Esq. may 25.-Family at Englefield
Green. Sir Edward Walpole. Dr. Styan Thirlby--416

165. To the Hon. H. S. conway, May 27.-Despairs of seeing his
friend a perfect hero. the Why!--417

166. To sir Horace Mann-Recommendatory, of Mr. Hobart,
afterwards Lord Buckinghamshire--418

167. to the same, June 24.-Expected arrival from Italy of the
sister-Countess. Surrender of the citadel of tournai. Defeat
of Charles Lorrain. Revolution of the Prince of Wales's court.
Miss Neville. Lady Abergavenny--419

168. to George Montagu, Esq. June 25.-Mistley, the seat of Mr.
Rigby, described. Fashionable at Homes. Lady Brown's Sunday
parties. Lady Archibald hamilton. Miss Granville. Jemmy
Lumley's assembly--421

169. To the Hon. H.S. Conway, July 1.-Tournai and Fontenoy.
Gaming act--422

170. To Sir Horace Mann, July 5.-Seizure of Ghent and Bruges
by the French--424

171. To the same, July 12.---425

172. to George Montagu, Esq. July 13.-Success of the French in
Flanders. Lord Baltimore. Mrs. Comyns--427

173. To sir Horace Mann, July 15.--428

174. To the same, July 26.-Projected invasion. Disgraces in
Flanders--430

175. To George Montagu, Esq. AUg. 1.-Portrait of M. de
Grignon. Livys patavinity. marshal Belleisle in London. Duke
of Newcastle described. Duches of Bolton's geographical
resolution--431

176. To sir Horace Mann, Aug. 7.-Rumours of an invasion.
Proclamation for apprehending the Pretender's son--432

177. To the Rev. Thomas Birch, Aug. 15.-Respecting a projected
History of George the Second--434

178. To Sir Horace Mann, Sept. 6.-Landing and progress of the
young Pretender. His manifestoes--435

179. To the same, Sept. 13.-Progress of the rebellion. The
Duke of Newcastle's speech to the Regency--436

179a. To George Montagu, Esq., Sept. 17.--
(Transcriber's note: this letter appears in the text but was
omitted from the printed table of contents--438

180. To the same, Sept. 20.-Edinburgh taken by the rebelsOur
strength at sea. Plan of raising regiments. Lady Orford's
reception in England.--439

181. To the same, Sept. 27.-Successes of Prince Charles in
Scotland--441

182. To the same, Oct. 4.-Operations against the rebels.
Spirited conduct of the Archbishop of York--443

183. To the same, Oct. 11.-Death of Lady Granville--445

184. To the same, Oct. 21.-Excesses of the rebels at
Edinburgh. Proceedings in Parliament--446

185. To the same, Nov. 4.-State of the rebellion. Debates
respecting the new raised regiments. Ministerial changes--447

186. To the same, Nov. 15.-Disturbance about the new
regiments. Advance of the rebels into England. Their desperate
situation. Lord Clancarty--449

187. To the same, Nov. 22.-The rebels advance to Penrith. The
Mayor of Carlisle's heroic letter, and surrender of the town.
Proceedings in Parliament--451

188. To the same, Nov. 29.-,rhe sham Pretender. Lord
Derwentwater taken. The rebels at Preston. Marshal Wade--453

189. To the same, Dec. 9.-Conduct of the rebels at Derby.
Black Friday. Preparations for a French invasion Rising spirit
of the people--455

190. To the same Dec. 20.-Flight of the rebels from Derby.
Capture of the Martinico fleet. Debate on employing the
Hessian troops.Marriage of the Duchess of Bridgewater and Dick
Lyttelton. A good Irish letter--457

1746.

191. To Sir Horace Mann, Jan. 3.-Recapture of Carlisle.
General Hawley. Preparations at Dunkirk. Ministerial
movements--460

192. To the same, Jan. 17.-The rebels fortifying themselves in
Scotland. Hawley's executions. Anecdotes of him. The French
invasion laid aside--461

193. To the same, Jan. 28.-Battle of Falkirk--463

194. To the same, Feb. 7.-Plight of the rebels. The new
regiments. Confusion at court--464

195. To the same, Feb. 14.-Insurrection in the closet. The
Pelhams throw up the seals. Reconciliation and return to
office. History--466

196. To the same, March 6.-Reunion of the dispersed clans.
Lord Lovat--469

197. To the same, March 21.-The rebels take Fort Augustus. The
Prince of Wales's new opposition--470

198. To the same, March 28.-The rebels out of spirits. Lady
Walpole. Peggy Banks. The opera. Shocking murder--471

199. To the same, April 15.-The rebellion at its last gasp.
Supplies from France taken. Hanoverian troops. Trial of
Hawley. Marriage of Lord Kildare. An odd discovery. Strange
event--473

200. To the same, April 25.-Battle of Culloden. Escape of the
young Pretender. Fireworks and illuminations. Death of Mr.
Winnington--476

201. To the same, May 16.-End of the rebellion. Old
Tullybardine. Lords Kilmarnock, Balmerino, and Ogilvie
prisoners. Antwerp taken--478

202. To George Montagu, Esq. May 22.-Visit to Langley. The
Sidney Papers. Sir Philip's defence of the Earl of Leicester--
479

203. To the same, June 6.-Character of the Prince of Hesse.
Fame of the Violette--480

204. To Sir Horace Mann, June 6.-Marriage of the Princess Mary
to the Prince of Hesse--482

205. To George Montagu, Esq. June 12.-Anecdotes of the Prince
of Hesse. Lady Caroline Fitzroy. Dick Edgecumbe--483

206. To the same, June 17.-Prospect of Peace. Death of
Augustus Townshend--484

207. To Sir Horace Mann, June 20.-Battle of Placentia. Old
Tullybardine and Lord Cromartie in the Tower. Death of Jack
Spenser--485

208. To George Montagu, Esq. June 24.-Ministerial changes.
Arrival of rebel prisoners. Jack Spenser's will. Lady
Townshend's bon-mots. Anecdotes of Lords Bath and Sandys, and
the Duke of Cumberland--486

209. To the same, July 3.-Promotions and marriages--487

210. To Sir Horace Mann, July 7.-Lord Lovat, and Murray, the
Pretender's secretary,taken.--488

211. To the same, Aug, 1.-Trials of the rebel Lords.
Description of Lords Kilmarnock, Cromartie, and Balmerino.
Intercessions in their behalf. Confessions of Murray--489

212. To George Montagu, Esq. Aug. 2.-Trials of the rebel
Lords. Anecdotes--494

213. To the same, Aug. 5.-Discoveries of Murray. Lady
Cromartie's petition. Anecdotes of the rebel lords. The Duke
of Cumberland's ball--495

214. To George Montagu, Esq. Aug. 11.-Lord Cromartie's pardon.
Lady Caroline Fitzroy's marriage--497

215. TO Sir Horace mann, Aug. 12.-Opera squabbles. The
Violette. Lord Sandwich's embassy. Marriage of Lady Charlotte
Fermor, and of the Princess Louisa to the King of Denmark.
Wanderings of the young Pretender. Conduct of the rebel Lords.
Story of Lord Balmerino--497

216. To George Montagu, Esq. Aug. 16.-Anecdotes of the rebel
Lords under sentence--500

217. To Sir Horace Mann, Aug. 21.-Account of the execution of
Lords Balmerino and Kilmarnock--501

218. To the same, Sept. 15.-Lady Orford and Mr. Shirley--504

219. To the same, Oct. 2.-Arrival of Mr. Chute from Italy. Mr.
Whithed described--506

220. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Oct. 3.-Enclosing Gray's Ode on
a distant Prospect of Eton College--507

221. To Sir Horace Mann, Oct. 14.-Defeat of the allies in
Flanders. Capitulation of Genoa. Acquittal of Cope. General
Oglethorpe's sentence--508

222. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Oct. 24.-Campaign in Scotland--
509

223. To George Montagu, Esq. Nov. 3.-His Epilogue to
Tamerlane--510

224. To Sir Horace Mann, Nov. 4.-Ministerial changes. Lord
Chesterfield accepts the seals. Expedition to Quiberon.
Admiral Matthews's court-martial--511

225. To the same, Nov. 12--513

226. To the same,, Dec. 5.-Marriages. Reformations in the
army. Arrest of Orator henley. theatricals--514

227. To Sir Horace Mann, Dec. 25.-Trial of Lord Lovat.
Mr.Davis's copy of the Dominichino--515

1747.

228. To Sir Horace Mann, Jan. 27.-The Prince's new Opposition-
-517

229. To the same, Feb. 23.-The Opera. Debates on places and
pensions. Lord Kildare's marriage. Panciatici. Anecdotes of
Lord Holderness and Lord Hervey--519

230. to the same, March 20.-Lord Lovat's trial. Anecdotes--521

231. To the same, April 10.-Account of Lord Lovat's execution.
The Independents. Tottering state of the ministry. Civil war
in the house of Finch--522

232. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, April 16.-Mutability of fame
and popularity. Lord Lovat's burial. Story of George Selwyn.
Debate on the Heritable Jurisdictions Bill--525

233. To Sir Horace Mann, May 5.-The new Stadtholder. Scotch
Clanships Bill. Bill for allowing counsel to prisoners on
impeachments for treason. Resignations. Holland House--526

234. To the same, May 19.-Anson's victory. Death of Captain
Grenville. Mr. Dayrolies--527

235. To the same, June 5.-Sudden dissolution of Parliament.
Rumoured ministerial changes. Purchase (of Strawberry Hill--
528

236. TO the Hon. H. S. Conway, June 8.-Description of
Strawberry Hill. Dissolution of Parliament. Measures for
carrying elections--530

237. To Sir Horace Mann, June 26.-Election tumults. Sir Jacob
Botiverie's peerage. The Duchess of Queensberry at court.
Instance of English bizarrerie--531

238. To George Montagu, Esq. July 2.-Ill success of the army
in the Netherlands. Battle of Laffeldt. Gallant conduct of Mr.
Conway. Naval captures--533

239. To Sir Horace Mann, July 3.-Battle of Laffeldt. Capture
of the Domingo fleet. Progress of the elections--534

240. To the same, July 28.-Piedmontese victory over the
French. Death of the Chevalier Belleisle--535

241. To the same, Sept. 1.-Bergen-op-Zoom. Sir James Grey.
Pantiatici--536

242. To George Montagu, Esq. Oct. 1.-Cardinal Polignac's
Anti-Lucretius. George Selwyn. Anecdotes--537

243. To Sir Horace Mann, Oct. 2.-Capture of Bergen-op-Zoom.
Character of Mr. Chute. Chit-chat. Anecdote of Lord Bath--537

244. To the same, Nov. 10.-Admiral Hawke's victory. Meeting of
the new Parliament. The musical clock--539

245. To the same, Nov. 24.-Meditates a journey to Florence.
Congress at Aix-la-Chapelle. Ministerial interference in the
Seaford election. Mr. Potter. Lady Mary Wortley Montagu's
Eclogues--539

1748.

246. To Sir Horace Mann, Jan. 12.-General dispositions for
war. Diplomatic Changes. Lord and Lady Coke. Matrimonial
fracas--541

247. To the same, Jan. 26.-Mr. Legge's embassy to the King of
Prussia. Mr. Villiers. Ministers triumphant in Parliament.
Admiral Vernon's letters--542

248. To the same, Feb. 16.-Resignation of Lord Chesterfield.
Ministerial changes. Hitch in Mr. Legge's embassy. Discontents
in the army. Public amusements. Comedy of the Foundling--544

249. To Sir Horace Mann, March 11.-Prevalence of miliary
fever. Death of the Marquis of Powis. Private theatricals.
Attempt to damn the Foundling. Animosities in the House of
Commons. Buckingham assizes. The Duchess of Queensberry's
masquerade--545

250. To the same, April 29.-Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle.
Masquerade at the Hay market--547

251. To George Montagu, Esq. May 18.-Lord Anson's voyage with
Lady Elizabeth Yorke. His voyage. Anecdotes. Marshal Wade's
house--549

252. To the same, May 26.-Ranelagh. Anecdotes. Sir Thomas
Bootle. Story of Prince Edward--550

253. To the same, June 7.-The Duke of Newcastle's journey to
Holland. Strawberry Hill," the old name of his house--551

254. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, June 27.-His rural occupations.
Lord Coke. Friendly advice from White's. F`ete at Vauxhall--
(N.). 553

255. To SirHorace Mann, July 14.@The Duke of Newcastle's
travels. Anecdote--554

256. To the same.-Bad state of Lord Orford's health.
Reflections. Has finished his Aedes Walpolianae. Improvements
at Strawberry Hill--555

257. To George Montagu, Esq. July 25.-Account of a visit to
Nugent. Family of the Aubrey de Versa, Earls of Oxford.
Henningham Castle Gosfield--556

258. To the same, Aug. 11.-Anecdotes of the House of Vere.
Kitty Clive. Garrick and Lee. Visit to Esher. Claremont House.
Mrs. Pritchard--558

259. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Aug. 29.-His progress in
planting. Anticipations of future discoveries--561

260. To George Montagu, Esq. Sept. 3.-Bonmot of the duke of
Cumberland. "The new light." Whitfield and the Methodists.
Smell of thieves. Story of Handsome Tracy. Gray, the worst
company in the world--563

261. To Sir Horace Mann, Sept. 12-Death of Bishop Gibson--565

262. To George Montagu, Esq. Sept. 25.-Disinterested
friendship. passage in Chillingworth. The Duchess of Ireland's
Hennins, or piked horns--566

263. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Oct. 4.-Meeting of Parliament.
Preparations for proclaiming the peace. Lady Cadogan--567

264. TO George Montagu, Esq. Oct. 20--568

265. To Sir Horace Mann, Oct. 24.-Adventure of Milord Richard
Onslow. Character of lord Walpole. Unpopularity, of the peace.
Death of old Tom Walker--569

266. To the same, Dec. 2.-The King's return. Prospects of a
stormy session. League Of the tories with the Prince's party.
Bon-mots of Mr. Chute. The Opera. Pertici. Lord Marchmont and
Hume Campbell. Treason at Oxford--570

267. To the same, Dec. 11.-Imprisonment of the young Pretender
at Vincennes. Death of the proud Duke of Somerset; his will.
Bon-mot of John Stanhope. hogarth at Calais--571

268. To the same, Dec. 26.-Improvements at Strawberry Hill.
Diplomatic movements. Old Somerset's will. Trial of the
Vice-Chancellor of Oxford.Story of sir William Burdett--574

PREFACE.

The letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford, as hitherto
published, have consisted of,-

1. The letters contained in the quarto edition of his works,
published in the year 1798.

2. His letters to George Montagu, Esq. from 1738 to 1770,
which formed one quarto volume, published in 1818.

3. His letters to the Rev. William Cole and others, from 1745
to 1782, published in the same form and year.

4. His letters to the Earl of Hertford, during his lordship's
embassy to Paris, and also to the Rev. Henry Zouch, which
appeared in quarto, in 1825.

And 5. His letters to Sir Horace Mann, British Envoy at the Court
of Tuscany, from 1741 to 1760, first published in 1833, in three
volumes octavo, from the originals in the possession of the Earl
of Waldegrave; edited by Lord Dover, with an original memoir of
the author.

To the above are now added several hundred letters, which have
hitherto existed Only in manuscript, or made their appearance
singly and incidentally in other works. In this new
collection, besides the letters to Miss Berry, are some to the
Hon. H. S. Conway, and John Chute, Esq. omitted In former
editions; and many to Lady Suffolk, his brother-in-law,
Charles Churchill, Esq., Captain Jephson, Sir David Dalrymple,
Lord Hailes, the Earl of Buchan, the Earl of Charlemont, Mr.
Gibbon, Mr. Pitt, afterwards Earl of Chatham, George Hardinge,
Esq., Mr. Pinkerton, and other distinguished characters. The
letters to the Rev. William Cole have been carefully examined
with the originals, and many explanatory notes added, from the
manuscript collections of that indefatigable antiquary,
deposited in the British museum.

Besides being the only complete edition ever published of the
incomparable letters of this "prince of epistolary writers,"
as he has been designated by an eminent critic, the present
work possesses the further advantage of exhibiting the letters
themselves in chronological order. Thus the whole series
forms a lively and most interesting commentary on the events
of the age, as well as a record of the most important
transactions, invaluable to the historian and politician, from
1735 to 1797-a period of more than sixty years.

To Lord Dover's description of these letters (1) little need
be added. Of Horace Walpole it is not too much to say, that
he knew more of the Courts of George I., George II., and
George III., during the early years of the last monarch, than
any other individual; and, though he lived to an extreme age,
the perpetual youthfulness of his disposition rendered him as
lively a chronicler when advanced in life, as when his
brilliant career commenced. It is to this unceasing spring,
this unfading juvenility of spirit, that the world is indebted
for the gay colours with which Walpole invests every thing he
touches. If the irresistible court beauties-the Gunnings, the
Lepels, and others-have been compelled, after their hundred
conquests, to yield to the ungallant liberties of Time, and to
Death, the rude destroyer, it is a delight to us to know that
their charms are destined to bloom for ever in the sparkling
graces of the patrician letter-writer. In his epistles are to
be seen, even in more vivid tints than those of Watteau, these
splendid creatures in all the pride of their beauty and of
their wardrobe, pluming themselves as if they never could grow
old, and casting around them their piercing glances and no
less poignant raillery. But Horace Walpole is not content
with thus displaying his dazzling bevy of heroines; he reveals
them in their less ostentatious moments, and makes us as
familiar with their weaknesses as with the despotic power of
their beauty. Nothing that transpired in the great world
escaped his knowledge, nor the trenchant sallies of his wit,
rendered the more cutting by his unrivalled talent as a
raconteur. Whatever he observed found its way into his
letters, and thus is formed a more perfect narrative of the
Curt-of its intrigues, political and otherwise-of the
manoeuvres of statesmen, the cabals of party, and of private
society among the illustrious and the fashionable of the last
century, at home and on the continent-than can elsewhere be
obtained. And how piquant are his disclosures! how much of
actual truth do they contain! how perfectly, in his
anecdotes, are to be traced the hidden and often trivial
sources of some of the most important public events! "Sir
Joshua Reynolds," say the Edinburgh reviewers, "used to
observe, that, though nobody would for a moment compare Claude
to Raphael, there would be another Raphael before there was
another Claude; and we own, that we expect to see fresh Humes
and fresh Burkes, before we again fall in with that peculiar
combination of moral and intellectual qualities to which the
writings of Horace Walpole owe their extraordinary
popularity."

As a suitable introduction, prefixed to the whole collection
of letters, are the author's admirable "Reminiscences of the
Courts of George the First and Second," which were first
narrated to, and, in 1788, written for the amusement of Miss
Mary and Miss Agnes Berry. To the former of these ladies the
public is indebted for a curious commentary on the
Reminiscences, contained in extracts from the letters of Sarah
Duchess of Marlborough, to the Earl of Stair, now first
published from the original manuscripts. Of the Reminiscences
themselves it has been truly observed, that, both in manner
and matter, they are the very perfection of anecdote writing,
and make us better acquainted with the manners of George the
First and Second and their Courts, than we should be after
perusing a hundred heavy historians.

Of the most valuable of all Walpole's correspondence-his
letters to Sir Horace Mann-the history will appear in the
following Preface to that work, from the pen of the lamented
editor, the late Lord Dover:-

"In the Preface to the 'Memoires of the last Ten Years of the
Reign of George II. by Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford,'
published in the year 1822, is the following statement:-

"'Among the papers found at Strawberry Hill, after the death
of Lord Orford, was the following memorandum, wrapped in an
envelope, on which was written, Not to be opened till after my
will."

"'In my library at Strawberry Hill are two wainscot chests or
boxes, the larger marked with an A, the lesser with a B:-
I desire, that as soon as I am dead, my executor and executrix
will cord up strongly, and sell the larger box, marked A, and
deliver it to the Honourable Hugh Conway Seymour, to be kept
by him unopened and unsealed till the eldest son of Lady
Waldegrave, or whichever of her sons, being Earl of
Waldegrave, shall attain the age of twenty-five years; when
the said chest, with whatever it contains, shall be delivered
to him for his own. And I beg that the Honourable Hugh Conway
Seymour, when be shall receive the said chest, will give a
promise in writing, signed by him, to Lady Waldegrave, that he
or his representatives will deliver the said chest, unopened
and unsealed, by my executor and executrix, to the first son
of Lady Waldegrave who shall attain the age of' twenty-five
years. The key of the said chest is in one of the cupboards
of the green closet, within the blue breakfast room, at
Strawberry Hill; and that key, I desire, may be delivered to
Laura, Lady Waldegrave, to be kept by her till her son shall
receive the chest.'
"'March 21st, 1790.'"

(Signed) HON. HORACE WALPOLE, EARL OF ORFORD.'
Aug. 19, 1796.'

"In obedience to these directions, the box described in the
preceding memorandum was corded an(] sealed with the seals of
the Honourable Mrs. Damer and the late Lord Frederick
Campbell, the executrix and executor of Lord Orford, and by
them delivered to the late Lord Hugh Seymour, by whose
representatives it was given up, unopened and unsealed, to the
present Earl of Waldegrave, when he attained the age of
twenty-five. On examining the box, it was found to contain a
number of manuscript volumes and other papers, among which
were the Memoires now published.' "

"The correspondence of Horace Walpole with Sir Horace Mann,
now first published, was also contained in the same box. It
appears that Walpole, after the death of Sir Horace, became
again the possessor of his own letters. He had them copied
very carefully in three volumes, and annotated them with short
notes, explanatory of the persons mentioned in them, with an
evident view to their eventual publication.
"It is from these volumes that the present publication is
taken. The notes of the author have also been printed
verbatim. As, however, in the period of time which has
elapsed since Walpole's death, many of the personages
mentioned in the letters, whom he appears to have thought
sufficiently conspicuous not to need remark, have become
almost forgotten, the Editor has deemed it necessary to add,
as shortly as possible, some account of them; and he has taken
care, whenever he has done so, to distinguish his notes from
those of the original author, by the letter D. placed at the
end of them.

"This correspondence is perhaps the most interesting one of
Walpole's that has as yet appeared; as, in addition to his
usual merit as a letter-writer, and the advantage of great
ease, which his extreme intimacy with Sir Horace Mann gives to
his style, the letters to him are the most uninterrupted
series which has thus far been offered to the public. They
are also the only letters of Walpole which give an account of
that very curious period when his father, Sir Robert Walpole,
left office. In his letters hitherto published, there is a
great gap at this epoch; probably in consequence of his other
correspondents being at the time either in or near London. A
Single letter to Mr. Conway, dated 'london, 1741,'-one to Mr.
West, dated 'May 4th, 1742,'-(none in 1743,) and one to Mr.
Conway, dated 'Houghton: Oct. 6th, 1744,' are all that appear
till 'may 18th, 1745,' when his letters to George Montagu
recommence, after an interval of eight years. Whereas, in the
correspondence now published, there are no less than one
hundred and seventeen letters during that interval.

The letters of Walpole to Sir Horace Mann have also another
advantage over those of the same author previously published,
namely, that Sir Horace's constant absence from home, and the
distance of his residence from the British Islands, made every
occurrence that happened acceptable to him as news. It)
consequence, his correspondent relates to him every thing that
takes place, both in the court and in society,-whether the
anecdotes are of a public or private nature,-hence the
collection of' letters to him becomes a most exact chronicle
of the events of the day, and elucidates very amusingly both
the manners of the time, and the characters of the persons
then alive. In the sketches, however, of character, which
Walpole has thus left us, we must always remember that, though
a very quick and accurate observer, he was a man of many
prejudices; and that, above all, his hostility was unvarying
and unbounded with regard to any of his contemporaries, who
had been adverse to the person or administration of Sir Robert
Walpole. This, though an amiable feeling, occasionally
carries him too far in his invectives, and renders him unjust
in his judgments.