Books: The Letters of Horace Walpole, Volume 1

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The parliament meets the fifteenth of November. ****
Amorevoli has been with me two hours this evening; he is in
panics about the first night, which is the next after the
birthday.

I have taken a master, not to forget my Italian-don't it look
like returning to Florence'!-some time or other. Good night.
Yours
ever and ever, my dear child.

178 Letter 37
To Sir Horace Mann.
London, Oct. 19, 1741, O. S.
[Great part wanting.]

I write to you up to the head and ears in dirt, straw, and
unpacking. I have been opening all my cases from the
Custom-house the whole morning; and-are not you glad?-every
individual safe and undamaged. I am fitting up an apartment in
Downing Street ***(258) was called in the morning, and was asleep
as soon as his head touched the pillow, for I have
frequently known him snore ere they had drawn his curtains, now
never sleeps above an hour without waking; and he, who at dinner
always forgot he was minister, and was more gay and thoughtless
than all his company, now sits without speaking, and with his
eyes fixed for an hour together. Judge if this is the Sir Robert
you knew.

The politics of the age are entirely suspended; nothing is
mentioned; but this bottling them up, will make them fly out with
the greater violence the moment the parliament meets; till *** a
word to you about this affair.

I am sorry to hear the Venetian journey of the Suares family; it
does not look as if the Teresina was to marry PandOlfini; do you
know, I have set my heart upon that match.

You are very good to the Pucci, to give her that advice,
though I don't suppose she will follow it. The Bolognese
scheme *** In return for Amorevoli's letter, he has given me
two. I fancy it will be troublesome to you; so put his wife into
some other method of correspondence with him.

Do you love puns? A pretty man of the age came into the
playhouse the other night, booted and spurred: says he, "I am
come to see Orpheus"-"And Euridice- You rid I see," replied
another gentleman.

(258) The omissions in these letters marked with stars occur in
the original MS.-D.

179 Letter 38
To Sir Horace Mann.
London, Oct. 22, 1741, O. S.

Your brother has been with me this morning, and we have talked
over your whole affair. He thinks it will be impossible to find
any servant of the capacities you require, that will live with
you under twenty, if not thirty pounds a-year, especially as he
is not to have your clothes: then the expense of the journey to
Florence, and of back again, in case you should not like him,
will be considerable. He is for your taking one from Leghorn;
but I, who know a little more of Leghorn than he does, should be
apprehensive of any person from thence being in the interest of
Goldsworthy, (259) or too attached to the merchants: in short, I
mean, he would be liable to prove a spy upon you. We have agreed
that I shall endeavour to find out a proper man, if such a one
will go to you for twenty pounds a-year, and then you shall ficar
from me. I am very sensible that Palombo (260) is not fit for
you, and shall be extremely diligent in equipping you with such a
one as you want. You know how much I want to be of service to
you even in trifles.
I have been much diverted privately, for it is a secret that not
a hundred persons know yet, and is not to be spoken of. Do but
think on a duel between Winnington (261) and Augustus Townshend;
(262) the latter a pert boy, captain of an
Indiaman; the former declared cicisbeo to my Lady Townshend. The
quarrel was something that Augustus had said of them; for since
she was parted from her husband, she has broke with all his
family. Winnington challenged; they walked into Hyde Park last
Sunday morning, scratched one another's fingers, tumbled into two
ditches-that is Augustus did,-kissed, and walked home together.
The other night at Mrs. Boothby's-

Well, I did believe I should never find time to write to you
again; I was interrupted in my letter last post, and could not
finish it; to-day I came home from the King's levee, where I
Kissed his hand, without going to the drawing-room, on purpose to
finish my letter, and the moment I sat down they let
somebody in. That somebody is gone, and I go on-At Mrs.
Boothby's Lady Townshend was coquetting with Lord Baltimore:
(263) he told her, if she meant any thing with him he was not for
her purpose; if only to make any one jealous, he would throw away
an hour with her with all his heart.

The whole town is to be to-morrow night at Sir Thomas
Robinson's (264) ball, which he gives to a little girl of the
Duke of Richmond's. There are already two hundred invited, from
miss in bib and apron, to my lord chancellor (265) in bib and
mace. You shall hear about it next post.

I wrote you word that Lord Euston is married: in a week more I
believe that I shall write you word that he is divorced. He is
brutal enough; and has forbid Lady Burlington (266) his house,
and that in very ungentle terms. The whole family is in
confusion: the Duke of Grafton half dead. and Lord
Burlington half mad. The latter has challenged Lord Euston, who
accepted the challenge, but they were prevented. There are
different stories: some say that the duel would have been no
breach of consanguinity; others, that there's a contract of
marriage come out in another place, which has had more
consanguinity than ceremony in it: in short, one cannot go into a
room but you hear something of it. Do you not pity the poor
girl? of the softest temper, vast beauty, birth, and
fortune, to be so sacrificed!

The letters from the West Indies are not the most agreeable. You
have heard of the fine river and little town which Vernon took,
and named, the former dugusta, the latter Cumberland. Since
that, they have found out that it is impracticable to take St.
Jago by sea - on which Admiral Vernon and Ogle
insisted that Wentworth, with the land forces, should march to it
by land, which he, by advice of all the land-officers, has
refused; for their march would have been of eighty miles, through
a mountainous, unknown country, full of defiles, where not two
men could march abreast; and they have but four
thousand five hundred men, and twenty-four horses. Quires of
paper from both sides are come over to the council, who are to
determine from hence what is to be done. They have taken a
Spanish man-of-war and a register ship, going to Spain,
immensely valuable.

The parliament does not meet till the first of December, which
relieves me into a little happiness, and gives me a little time
to settle myself. I have unpacked all my things, and have not
had the least thing suffer. I am now only in a
fright about my birthday clothes, which I bespoke at Paris:
Friday is the day, and this is Monday, without any news of them!

I have been two or three times at the play, very unwillingly; for
nothing was ever so bad as the actors, except the company. There
is much in vogue a Mrs. Woffington, (267) a bad actress; but she
has life.

Lord Hartington (268) dines here: it is said (and from his
father's partiality to another person's father, I don't think it
impossible) that he is to marry a certain miss:(269) Lord
Fitzwilliam is supposed another candidate.

Here is a new thing which has been much about town, and liked;
your brother Gale (270) gave me the copy of it:

"Les cours de l'Europe

L'Allemagne craint tout;
L'Autriche risque tout;
La Bavi`ere esp`ere touut;
La Prusse entreprend tout;
La Mayence vend tout;
Le Portugal regarde tout;
L'Angleterre veut faire tout;
L'Espagne embrouille tout;
La Savoye se d`efie de tout;
Le Mercure se m`ele de tout;
La France sch`ete tout;
Les Jesuites se trouvent par tout;
Rome b`enit tout'
Si dieu ne pourvoye `a tout,
Le diable emportera tout."

Good night, my dear child: you never say a word of your own
health; are not you quite recovered? a thousand services to Mr.
Chute and Mr. Whithed, and to all my friends: do they
begin to forget me? I don't them. Yours, ever.

(259) Consul at Leghorn, who was endeavouring to supplant Mr.
Mann.

(260)An Italian, secretary to Mr. Mann.

(261"Winnington," says Walpole, (Memoirs, i. P. 151), "had been
bred a Tory, but had left them in the height of Sir
Robert Walpole's power -. when that minister sunk. he had
injudiciously, and, to please my Lady Townshend, who had then the
greatest influence over him, declined visiting him, in a manner
to offend the steady old Whigs; and his jolly way of laughing.at
his own want of principles had revolted all the graver sort, who
thought deficiency of honesty too sacred and profitable a
commodity to be profaned and turned into
ridicule. He had infinitely more wit than any man I ever
knew, and it was as ready and quick as it was constant and
Unmeditated. His style was a little brutal, his courage not at
all so; his good-humour inexhaustible; it was impossible to hate
or to trust him." Winnington was first Ynade lord of the
admiralty, then of the treasury, then cofferer, and lastly
paymaster of the forces: to which office, on his death in
1746, Mr. Pitt succeeded.-E.

(262) The Hon. Augustus Townshend was second son of the
minister, Lord Townshend, by his second wife, the sister of Sir
Robert Walpole. He was consequently half-brother to
Charles, the third viscount, husband to Ethelreda, Lady
Townshend.-D.

(263) Charles Calvert, sixth Lord Baltimore in Ireland. He was
at this time member of parliament for the borough of St.
Germains, and a lord of the admiralty.-D.

(264) Sir Thomas Robinson, of Rokeby Park, in Yorkshire,
commonly called "Long Sir Thomas," on account of his stature, and
in order to distinguish him from the diplomatist, Sir
Thomas Robinson, afterwards created Lord Grantham. [He has
elsewhere been styled the new Robinson Crusoe by Walpole, who
says, when speaking of him, " He was a tall, uncouth man; and his
stature was often rendered still more remarkable by his
hunting-dress, a postilion's cap, a tight green jacket, and
buckskin breeches. He was liable to sudden whims, and once set
off on a sudden in his hunting suit to visit his sister, who was
married and settled at Paris. He arrived while there was a large
company at dinner. The servant announced M.
Robinson, and he came in to the great amazement of the hosts.
Among others, -a French abb`e thrice lifted his fork to his mouth
and thrice laid it down, with an eager stare of
surprise. Unable to restrain his curiosity any longer, he burst
out with I Excuse me, sir, are you the famous Robinson Crusoe so
remarkable in history?'"]

(265) Philip Yorke, Lord Hardwicke.-D.

(266) Lady Dorothy Savile, eldest daughter and co-heiress of
William second Marquis of Halifax, the mother of the unhappy Lady
Euston.-D.

(267) Margaret Woffington, the celebrated beauty.-D.

(268) William, Marquis of Hartington, afterwards fourth Duke of
Devonshire. He married Lady Charlotte Boyle, second
daughter of Richard, third Earl of Burlington.-D.

(269) Miss Mary Walpole, daughter of Sir Robert Walpole by his
second wife, Maria Skerrett, but born before their marriage.
When her father was made an earl, she had the rank of an
earl's daughter given to her.-D.

(270) Galfridus Mann.

182 Letter 39
To Sir Horace Mann.
London, Nov. 2, 1741.

You shall not hear a word but of balls and public places: this
one week has seen Sir T. Robinson's ball, my lord mayor's, the
birthday, and the opera. There were an hundred and
ninety-seven persons at Sir Thomas's, and yet was it so well
conducted that nobody felt a crowd. He had taken off all his
doors, and so separated the old and the young, that neither were
inconvenienced with the other. The ball began at eight; each man
danced one minuet with his partner, and then began country
dances. There were four-and-twenty couple, divided into twelve
a@d twelve: each set danced two dances, and then retired into
another room, while the other set took their two; and so
alternately. Except Lady Ancram, (271) no married
woman danced; so you see, in England, we do not foot it till
five-and-fifty. The beauties were the Duke of Richmond's two
daughters (272) and their mother, still handsomer than they: the
duke (273) sat by his wife all night, kissing her hand: how this
must sound in the ears of Florentine cicisbeos, cock or hen! Then
there was Lady Euston, Lady Caroline Fitzroy, (274) Lady Lucy
Manners, (275) Lady Camilla Bennett, (276) and Lady Sophia, (277)
handsomer than all, but a little out of humour at the scarcity of
minuets; however, as usual, she
danced more than any body, and, as usual too, took out what men
she liked or thought the best dancers. Lord Holderness (278) is a
little what Lord Lincoln (279) will be to-morrow; for he is
expected. There was Churchill's daughter (280) who is prettyish,
and dances well; and the Parsons (281) family from Paris, who are
admired too; but indeed it is `a force des muscles. Two other
pretty women were Mrs. Colebroke (did you know the he-Colebroke
in Italy?) and a Lady Schaub, a
foreigner, who, as Sir Luke says, would have him. Sir R. was
afraid of the heat, and did not go. The supper was served at
twelve; a large table of hot for the lady-dancers; their
partners and other tables stood round. We danced (for I
country-danced) till four, then had tea and coffee, and came
home.-Finis Balli.

* * Friday was the birthday; it was vastly full, the ball
immoderately so, for there came all the second edition of my lord
mayor's, but not much finery: Lord Fitzwilliam (282) and myself
were far the most superb. I did not get mine till nine that
morning.

The opera will not tell as well as the other two shows, for they
were obliged to omit the part of Amorevoli, who has a fever. The
audience was excessive, without the least
disturbance, and almost as little applause; I cannot conceive
why, for Monticelli ***** be able to sing to-morrow.

At court I met the Shadwells; (283) Mademoiselle Misse Molli,
etc. I love them, for they asked vastly after you, and
kindly. Do you know, I have had a mind to visit Pucci, the
Florentine minister, but he is so black, and looks so like a
murderer in a play, that I have never brought it about yet? I
know none of the foreign ministers, but Ossorio, (284) a
little; he is still vastly in fashion, though extremely
altered. Scandal, who, I believe, is not mistaken, lays a Miss
Macartney to his charge; she is a companion to the
Duchess of Richmond, as Madame Goldsworthy was; but Ossorio will
rather be Wachtendonck (285) than Goldsworthy: what a lamentable
story is that of the hundred sequins per month! I have mentioned
Mr. Jackson, as you desired, to Sir R., who says, he has a very
good opinion of him. In case of any
change at Leghorn, you will let me know. He will not lose his
patron, Lord Hervey, (286) so soon as I imagined; he begins to
recover.

I believe the Euston embroil is adjusted; I was with Lady
Caroline Fitzroy on Friday evening; there were her brother and
the bride, and quite bridal together, quite honeymoonish.

I forgot to tell you that the prince was not at the opera; I
believe it has been settled that he should go thither on
Tuesdays, and Majesty on Saturdays, that they may not meet.
The Neutrality (287) begins to break out, and threatens to be an
excise or convention. The newspapers are full of it, and the
press teems. It has already produced three pieces: "The Groans
of Germany," which I will send you by the first
opportunity: "Bedlam, a poem on His Maj'esty's happy escape from
his German dominions, and all the wisdom of his conduct there."
The title of this is all that is remarkable in it. The third
piece is a ballad, which, not for the goodness, but for the
excessive abuse of it, I shall transcribe:

THE LATE GALLANT EXPLOITS OF A FAMOUS BALANCING CAPTAIN.
A NEW SONG. TO THE TUNE OF THE KING AND THE MILLER.

Mene tekel. The handwriting on the wall.

1. I'll tell you a story as strange as 'tis new,
Which all, who're concerned, will allow to be true,
Of a Balancing Captain, well-known herabouts,
Returned home, God save him as a mere King of Clouts.

2. This Captain he takes, in a gold-ballast'd ship,
Each summer to Terra damnosa a trip,
For which he begs, borrows, scrapes all he can get,
And runs his poor Owners most vilely in debt.

3. The last time he set out for this blessed place,
He met them, and told them a most piteous case,
Of a Sister of his, who, though bred up at court,
Was ready to perish for want of support.

4. This Hungry Sister, he then did pretend,
Would be to his Owners a notable friend,
If they would at that critical junction supply her-
They did-but alas! all the fat's in the fire!

5. This our Captain no sooner had finger'd the cole,
But he hies him abroad with his good Madam Vole-
Where, like a true tinker, he managed this metal,
And while he stopp'd one hole, made ten in the kettle.

6. His Sister, whom he to his Owners had,,;worn,
To see duly settled before his return,
He gulls with bad messages sent to and fro,
Whilst he underhand claps up a peace with her foe.

7. on He then turns this Sister adrift, and declares
Her most mortal foes were her Father's right heirs-
"G-d z-ds!" cries the world, "such a step was ne'er taken!"
"O, ho!" says Nol Bluff, "I have saved my own bacon."

8. Let France damn the Germans, and undam the Dutch,
And Spain on Old England pish ever so much,
Let Russia bang Sweden, or Sweden bang that,
I care not, by Robert! one kick of my hat.

9. So I by myself can noun substantive stand,
Impose on my Owners, and save my own land;
You call me masculine, feminine, neuter, or block,
Be what will the gender, sirs, hic, haec, or hoc.

10. Or should my choused Owners begin to look sour,
I'll trust to Mate Bob to exert his old power,
Regit animos dictis, or nummis, with ease,
So, spite of your growling, I'll act as I please."

11. Yet worse in this treacherous contract, 'tis said,
Such terms are agreed to, such promises made,
That his Owners must soon feeble beggars become-
"Hold!" cries the crown office, "'twere scandal-so, mum!"

12. This secret, however, must out on the day
When he meets his poor Owners to ask for more pay;
And I fear when they come to adjust the account,
zero for balance will prove their amount.

One or two of the stanzas are tolerable; some, especially the
ninth, most nonsensically bad. However, this is a specimen of
what we shall have amply commented upon in parliament.

I have already found out a person, who, I believe, will please
you, in Palombo's place: I am to see your brother about it
to-morrow, and next post you shall hear more particularly.
I am quite in concern for the poor prinCess,(289) and her
conjugal and amorous distresses: I really pity them; were they in
England, we should have all the old prudes dealing out
judgments on her, and mumbling toothless ditties to the tune of
Pride will have a fall. I am bringing some fans and
trifles for her, si mignons! Good night.
Yours ever.

(271) Lady Caroline D'Arcy, daughter of Robert third Earl of
Holdernesse, and wife of William Henry fourth Marquis of
Lothian, at this time, during his father's lifetime, called Earl
of Ancram.-D

(272) Lady Caroline and Lady Emily Lenox. [The former was
married, in 1744, to Henry Fox, the first Lord Holland; the
latter in 1746-7, to James, twentieth Earl of Kildare, in 1766
created Duke of Leinster.]

(273) Charles, second Duke of Richmond, and Lady Sarah
Cadogan, his duchess, eldest daughter of William Earl
Cadogan.-D.

(274) Eldest daughter of Charles Duke of Grafton.-[In 1746
married to Lord Petersham, afterwards Earl of Harrington.]

(275) Sister to John Duke of'Rutland; married in 1742, to the
Duke of Montrose.

(276) Only daughter of Charles second Earl of Tankerville. She
married, first, Gilbert Fane Fleming, Esq. and secondly, Mr.
Wake, of Bath.-D.

(277) Lady Sophia Fermor.-D.

(278) Robert D'Arcy, fourth and last Earl of Holdernesse.-E.

(279) Lord Lincoln was at this time an admirer of Lady Sophia
Fermor,-D.

(280) Harriet, natural daughter of General Churchill;
afterwards married to Sir Everard Fawkener.

(281) The son and daughters of Alderman Parsons, a Jacobite
brewer, who lived much in France, and had, somehow or other, been
taken notice of by the king.

(282) William third Earl Fitzwilliam, in Ireland; created an
English peer in 1742; and in 1746 an English earl.-D.

(283) Sir John Shadwell, a physician, his wife and daughters, the
youngest of whom was pretty, and by the foreigners
generally called Mademoiselle Misse Molli, had been in Italy,
when Mr. W. was there.

(284) The Chevalier Ossorio, minister from the King of
Sardinia.

(285) General Wachtendonck, commander of the great dukes
troops at Leghorn, was cicisbeo to the conslil's wife there.

(286) John Lord Hervey, lord privy seal, and eldest son of John
first Earl Of Bristol. He was a man of considerable
celebrity in his day; but is now principally known from his
unfortunate rivalry with Pope, for the good graces of Lady Mary
Wortley Montagu. He died August 5, 1743, at the age of
forty-seven.-D.

(287) The Neutrality for the electorate of Hanover.(

(288) This song is a satire upon George II., ,the balancing
Captain," and upon that in his vacillating and doubtful
conduct, which his fears for the electorate of Hanover made him
pursue, whenever Germany was the seat of war. His Sister, whom
he is accused of deserting, was Maria Theresa, Queen of
Hungary.-E.

(289) The Prince de Craon, and the princess his wife, who had
been favourite mistress to Leopold, the last Duke of Lorrain,
resided at this time at Florence, where the prince was head of
the council of regency; but they were extremely ill-treited and
mortified by the Count de Richcourt, a low Lorrainer, who, being
a creature of the great duke's favourite minister, had the chief
ascendant and power there.

186 Letter 40
To Sir Horace Mann.
Downing Street, Nov. 5, 1741, O. S.

I just mentioned to you in my letter on Monday, that I had found
such a person as you wanted; I have since seen your
brother, who is so satisfied with him, that he was for sending
him directly away to you, without staying six weeks for an answer
from you, but I chose to have your consent. He is the son of a
tradesman in this city, so not yet a fine gentleman. He is
between fifteen and sixteen, but very tall of his age: he was
disappointed in not going to a merchant at Genoa, as was
intended; but was so far provided for it as to have
learned Italian three months: he speaks French very well,
writes a good hand, and casts accounts; so, you see there will
not be much trouble in forming him to your purpose. He will go
to you for twenty pounds a-year and his lodging. If you like
this, Nvrite me word by the first post, and he shall set out
directly.

We hear to-day that the Toulon squadron is airived at
Barcelona; I don't like it of' all things, for it has a look
towards Tuscany. If it is suffered to go thither quietly, it
will be no small addition to the present discontents.

Here is another letter, which I am entreated to send you, from
poor Amorevoli; he has a continued fever, though not a high one.
Yesterday, Monticelli was taken ill, so there will be no opera on
Saturday; nor was on Tuesday. MOnticelli is
infinitely admired; next to Farinelli. The Viscontina is
admired more than liked. The music displeases every body, and
the dances. I am quite uneasy about the opera, for Mr. Conway is
one of' the directors, and I fear they will lose
considerably, which he cannot afford. There are eight; Lord
Middlesex, (290) Lord Holderness, Mr. Frederick, (291) Lord
Conway, (292) Mr. Conway, (293) Mr. Damer, (294) Lord Brook,
(295) and Mr. Brand. (296) The five last are directed by the
three first; they by the first, and he by the Abb`e Vanneschi,
(297) who will make a pretty sum. I Will give YOU Some
instances; not to mention the improbability of eight young
thoughtless men of fashion understanding economy -. it is
usual to give the poet fifty guineas for composing the
books-Vanneschi and Rolli are allowed three hundred. Three
hundred more VannesChi had for his journey to Italy to pick up
dancers and performers, which was always as well transacted by
bankers there. Be has additionally brought over an Italian
tailor-because there are none here! They have already given this
Taylorini four hundred pounds, and he has already taken a house
of thirty pounds a-year. Monticelli and the Visconti are to have
a thousand guineas apiece; Amorevoli eight hundred and fifty:
this at the rate of the great singers, is not so extravagant; but
to the Muscovita (though the second woman never had above four
hundred,) they give six; that is for
secret services. (298) By this you may judge of their
frugality! I am quite uneasy for poor Harry, who will thus be to
pay for Lord Middlesex's pleasures! Good night; I have not time
now to write more.
Yours, ever.

(290) Charles Sackville, Earl of Middlesex, and subsequently
second Duke of Dorset, eldest son of Lionel, first Duke of
Dorset. He was made a lord of the treasury in 1743, and
master of the horse to Frederick, Prince of Wales, in 1747-D.