Books: The Letters of Horace Walpole, Volume 1

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(490) Arthur Mohun St. Leger, third Viscount Doneraile, in
Ireland, of the first creation.
He was at this time member for Winchilsea, was
appointed a lord of the bedchamber to Frederick Prince of Wales
in 1747, and died at Lisbon in 1749.-D.

(491) George Forbes, third Earl of Granard in Ireland; an
admiral, and a member of the House of Commons.-D.

(492) Third son of the first Duke of St. Albans, created in 1750
Lord Vere of Hanworth in Middlesex. He was the direct ancestor
of the present line of the St. Albans family. His wife was Mary,
daughter and heiress of Thomas Chambers, Esq. of Hanworth, by
Lady Mary Berkeley, the sister of lady Betty Germain.-D.

(493) William Richard Chetwynd 'second brother of the first
viscount of that name; member of parliament successively for
Stafford and Plymouth. He had been envoy at Genoa, and a lord of
the Admiralty; and he finally succeeded his two elder
brothers as third Viscount Chetwynd, in 1767.-D. [He was
familiarly called "Black Will," and sometimes "Oroonoka
Chetwynd," from his dark complexion. He died in 1770.]

(494) Nathaniel Hooke, a laborious compiler, but a very bad
writer. It is said, that the Duchess of Marlborough gave him
5000 pounds for the services he rendered her, in the
composition and publication of her apology. She, however,
afterwards quarrelled with him, because she said he tried to
convert her to Popery. Hooke was himself of that religion, and
was also a Quietist, and an enthusiastic follower of
Fenelon. It was Hooke who brought a Catholic priest to attend
the deathbed of Pope; a proceeding which excited such bitter
inclination in the infidel Bolingbroke. Hooke died July 19,
1763. [When Hooke asked Pope, "whether he should not send for a
priest, the dying poet replied, "I do not suppose that is
essential, but it will look right."-Spence, p. 322.)

(495) Edward second Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer, only son of
the minister, he was a great and liberal patron of
literature and learned men, and completed the valuable
collection of manuscripts commenced by his father, which is now
in the British Museum. He married the great Cavendish
heiress, Lady Henrietta Cavendish Holles, daughter of Holles,
Duke of Newcastle, and died June 16, 1741.-D.

(496) By Buranello, and called "Scipione in Cartagine."-E.
(497) Mary Mann, afterwards married to Mr. Foote.

(498) Of Cumberland. [William Augustus, third son of George II.)

234 Letter 57
To Sir Horace Mann.
March 10, 1742.

I will not work you up into a fright only to have the pleasure of
putting you out of it, but will tell you at once that we have
gained the greatest victory! I don't mean in the person of
Admiral Vernon, nor of Admiral Haddock; no. nor in that of his
Grace of Argyll. By we, I don't mean we; England, but we,
literally we; not you and I, but we, the House of Orford. The
certainty that the Opposition (or rather the Coalition, for that
is the new name they have taken) had of carrying every point they
wished, made them, in the pride of their hearts, declare that
they would move for the Secret Committee
yesterday (Tuesday), and next Friday would name the list, by
which day they should have Mr. Sandys from his reelection. It
was, however, expected to be put off, as Mr. Pultney could not
attend the House, his only daughter was dying-they say she is
dead.(499) But an affair of consequence to them, and indeed to
the nation in general, roused all their rage, and drove them to
determine on the last violences. I told you in my last, that the
new Admiralty was named, with a mixture of Tories; that is, it
was named by my Lord of Argyll; but the King
flatly put his negative on Sir John Cotton. They said he was no
Tory now, (and, in truth, he yesterday in the House
professed himself a Whig,) and that there were no Tories left in
the nation. The King replied, "that might be; but he was
determined to stand by those who had set him and his family upon
the throne." This refusal enraged them so much, that they
declared they would force him, not only to turn out all the old
ministry, but the new too, if he wished to save Sir R. and others
of his friends; and that, as they supposed he designed to get the
great bills passed, and then prorogue the
Parliament, they were determined to keep back some of the
chief bills, and sit all the summer, examining into the late
administration. Accordingly, yesterday, in a most full house,
Lord Limerick (500) (who, last year, seconded the famous
motion )501)) moved for a committee to examine into the
conduct of the last twenty years, and was seconded by Sir John
St. Aubin.(502) In short, (for I have not time to tell you the
debate at length,) we divided, between eight and nine, when there
was not a man of our party that did not expect to lose it by at
least fifteen or twenty, but, to our great
amazement, and their as great confusion, we threw out the
motion, by a majority of 244 against 242.(503) Was there ever a
more surprising event! a disgraced minister, by his personal
interest, to have a majority to defend him even from inquiry!
What was ridiculous, the very man who seconded the motion
happened to be shut out at the division; but there was one on our
side shut out too.

I don't know what violent step they will take next; it must be by
surprise, for when they could not carry this, it will be
impossible for them to carry any thing more personal. We
trust that the danger is now past, though they had a great
meeting to-day at Doddington 'S,(504) and threaten still. He was
to have made the motion, but was deterred by the treatment he met
last week. Sir John Norris was not present; he has resigned all
his employments, in a pique for not being named of the new
Admiralty. His old Grace of Somerset (505) is
reconciled to his son, Lord Hertford, on his late affair of
having the regiment taken from him: he sent for him, and told him
he had behaved like his son.

My dearest child, I have this moment received a most
unexpected and most melancholy letter from you, with an
account of your fever and new operation. I did not in the least
dream of your having any more trouble from that
disorder! are YOU never to be delivered from it? Your letter has
shocked me extremely; and then I am terrified at the
Spaniards passing so near Florence. If they should, as I fear
they will, stay there, how inconvenient and terrible it would be
for you, now you are ill! You tell me, and my good Mr.
Chute tells me, that you are out of all danger, and much
better; but to what can I trust, when you have these continual
relapses? The vast time that passes between your writing and my
receiving your letters, makes me flatter myself, that by now you
are out of all pain: but I am miserable, with finding that you
may be still subject to new torture! not all your courage, which
is amazing can give me any about you. But how can you write to
me? I will not suffer it-and now, good Mr. Chute will write for
you. I am so angry at your writing
immediately after that dreadful operation, though I see your
goodness in it, that I will not say a word more to you. All the
rest is to Mr. Chute.

What shall I say to you, my dearest Sir, for all your
tenderness to poor Mr. Mann and me? as you have so much
friendship for him, you may conceive how much I am obliged to
you. How much do I regret not having had more opportunities of
showing you my esteem and love, before this new attention, to Mr.
Mann. You do flatter me, and tell me he is
recovering--nay I trust you? and don't you say it, only to
comfort me?-Say a great deal for me to Mr. Whithed; he is
excessively good to me; I don't know how to thank him. I am
happy that you are so well yourself, and so constant to your
fasting. To reward your virtues, I will tell you the news I
know; not much, but very extraordinary. What would be the most
extraordinary event that you think could happen? Would not-next
to his becoming a real patriot-the Duke of Argyll's resigning be
the most unexpected? would any thing be more surprising than his
immediately resigning power at having felt the want of them? Be
that as it will, he literally, actually, resigned all his new
commissions yesterday, because the King refused to employ the
Tories.(506) What part he will act next is yet to come. Mrs.
Boothby said, upon the occasion, "that in one month's time he had
contrived to please the whole
nation-the Tories, by going to court; the Whigs, by leaving it."

They talk much of impeaching my father, since they could not
committee him; but as they could not, I think they will scarce be
able to carry a more violent step. However, to show how little
Tory resentments are feared, the King has named a new Admiralty;
Lord Winchilsea, Admiral Cavendish, Mr. Cockburn, Dr. Lee, Lord
Baltimore, young Trevor,(507) (which is much disliked, for he is
of no consequence for estate, and less for parts, but is a
relation of the Pelhams,) and Lord Archibald Hamilton,(508)-to
please his Royal Highness. Some of his
people (not the Lytteltons and Pitts) stayed away the other night
upon the Secret Committee, and they think he will at last rather
take his father's part, than Argyll's.

Poor Mr. PUltney has lost his girl: she was an only daughter, and
sensible and handsome. He has only a son left, and, they say, is
afflicted to the greatest degree.

I will say nothing about old Sarah's Memoirs; for, with some
spirit they are nothing but remnants of old women's frippery.
Good night! I recommend my poor Mr. Mann to you, and am
yours, most faithfully.

P. S. My dearest child, how unhappy I shall be, till I hear you
are quite recovered

(499) The young lady died on the preceding evening. She was in
her fourteenth year.-E.

(500) William Hamilton, Lord Viscount Limerick. (According to the
peerages, Lord Limerick's Christian name was James, and not
William.-D.)

(501) For removing Sir Robert Walpole.

(502) Sir John St. Aubyn, of Clowance in Cornwall, third
baronet of that family.-D. [He died in 1744.

(503) March 9. Motion in the House of Commons for a secret
committee to inquire into our affairs for twenty or twenty-one
years. The Speaker said Ayes had it: one that was for it
divided the House. The Noes carried it by 244 against 242. Mr.
Sandys at Worcester, Mr. Pulteny at home-his daughter
dying. The Prince at New. Several of his servants, and
several Scotch members, not at the House; nor Lord
Winchelsea's brothers. Gibbon, Rushout, Barnard voted for the
committee, but did not speak. It is said that the Prince had
before this written to Lord Carteret, to desire that Lord
Archibald Hamilton and Lord Baltimore might be lords of the
Admiralty, and that this had been promised."-Secker, MS.-E.

(504) "Never was there," writes Mr. Orlebar to the Rev. Mr.
Elough, "a greater disappointment. Those who proved the
minority, were so sure of being the majority, that the great Mr.
Dodington harangued in the lobby those who went out at the
division to desire them not to go away, because there were
several other motions to be made in consequence of that: and
likewise to bespeak their attendance at the Fountain, in order to
settle the committee. Upon which Sir George Oxenden, after they
found it was lost, whispered -@t friend thus: I Suppose we were
to desire Mr. D. to print the speeches he has just now made in
the lobby."

(505) Charles, commonly called "the proud Duke of Somerset." An
absurd, vain, pompous man, who appears to have been also most
harsh and unfeeling to those who depended on him.-D.

(506) March 10. Duke of argyle resigned his places to the
King. He gave for a reason, that a proposal had been made to him
for going ambassador to Holland, which he understood to be
sending him out of the way." Secker MS.-E.

(507) The Hun. John Trevor, second son of Thomas, first Lord
Trevor. He succeeded his elder brother Thomas, as third Lord
Trevor, in 1744.-D.

(508) Lord Archibald Hamilton was the seventh and youngest son of
Anne, Duchess of Hamilton, in her own right, and of
William, Earl of Selkirk, her husband, created by Charles II.
Duke of Hamilton, for life b. Lord Archibald married Lady Jane
Hamilton, daughter of James, Earl of Abercorn, and by her had
three sons; of whom the youngest was Sir William
Hamilton, so long the British envoy at the court of Naples.-D.

237 Letter 58
To Sir Horace Mann.
Monday, March 22, 1742.
[Great part of this letter is lost.]

*** I have at last received a letter from you in answer to the
first I wrote you upon the change in the ministry. I hope you
have received mine regularly since, that you may know all the
consequent steps. I like the Pasquinades you sent me, and think
the Emperor's(509) letter as mean as you do. I hope his state
will grow more abject every day. It is amazing, the progress and
success of the Queen of Hungary's arms! It is said to-day, that
she has defeated a great body of the
Prussians in Moravia. We are going to extend a helping hand to
her at last. Lord Stair (510) has accepted what my Lord Argyll
resigned, and sets out ambassador to Holland in two days; and
afterwards will have the command of' the troops that are to be
sent into Flanders. I am sorry I must send away this to-night,
without being able to tell you the event of to-morrow; but I will
let you know it on Thursday, if I write but two lines. You have
no notion how I laughed at Mrs.
Goldsworthy's "talking from hand to mouth."(511) How happy I am
that you have Mr. Chute still with you; you would have been
distracted else with that simple woman; for fools prey upon one
when one has no companion to laugh Them off.

I shall say every thing that is proper for you to the earl, and
shall take care about expressing you to him, as I know you have
your gratitude far more at heart, than what I am thinking of for
you, I mean your stay at Florence. I have spoken very warmly to
Lord Lincoln about you, who, I am sure, will serve you to his
power. Indeed, as all changes are at a stop, I am convinced
there will be no thought of removing you. However, till I see
the situation of next winter, I cannot be easy on your account.

I have made a few purchases at Lord Oxford's sale; a small
Vandyke, in imitation of Teniers; an old picture of the
Duchess of Suffolk, mother of Lady Jane Grey, and her young
husband; a sweet bronze vase by Flamingo, and two or three other
trifles. The things sold dear; the antiquities and
pictures for about five thousand pounds, which yet, no doubt,
cost him much more, for he gave the most extravagant prices. His
coins and medals are now selling, and go still dearer. Good
night! How I wish for every letter to hear how you mend!

(509) Charles VII. the Emperor of the Bavarian family.-D.

(510) John Dalrymple, second Earl of Stair, a man much
distinguished both as a general and a diplomatist. [He served
with credit at Dettingen; but, after that battle, resigned his
military rank, indignant at the King's unjust partiality to the
Hanoverians. However, on the rebellion of 1745, he was made
commander-in-chief, and materially assisted the Duke of
Cumberland in the campaign which ended at Culloden. He died in
1747.]

(511) An expression of Mr. Chute.

238 Letter 59
To sir Horace Mann.
March 24, 1742.

I promised you in my last letter to send you the event of
yesterday.(512) It was not such as you would wish, for on the
division, at nine o'clock at night, we lost it by 242 against
245. We had three people shut out, so that a majority of
three (513) is so small that it is scarce doubted, but that, on
Friday, when we ballot for the twenty-one to form the
committee, we shall carry a list composed of our people, so that
then it will be better that we lost it yesterday, as they never
can trouble my Lord Orford more, when the Secret
Committee consists of his own friends. The motion was made and
seconded by the same people as before: Mr. Pultney had been
desired, but refused, yet spoke very warmly for it. He declared,
"that if they found any proofs against the earl, he would not
engage in the prosecution;" and especially protested against
resumptions of grants to his family, of which. he
said, "there had been much talk, but they were what he would
never come into, as being very illegal and unjust." The motion
was quite personal against lord Orford, singly and by name, for
his last ten years-the former question had been for twenty years,
but as the rules of Parliament do not allow of
repeating any individual motion in the same session of its
rejection, and as 'every' evasion is allowed in this country,
half the term was voted by the same House of Commons that had
refused an inquiry into the whole; a sort of proof that every
omne majus does not continere in se minus-but Houses of
Commons can find out evasions to logical axioms, as well as to
their own orders. If they carry their list, my lord will be
obliged to return from Houghton.

After the division. Mr. Pultney(514) moved for an address to the
King; to declare their resolution of standing by him,
especially in assisting the Queen of Hungary-but I believe, after
the loss of the question, he will not be in very good humour with
this address.

I am now going to tell you what you, will not have
expected-that a particular friend of yours opposed the motion,
and it was the first time he ever spoke. To keep you not in
suspense, though you must have guessed, it was 220.(515) As the
speech was very favourably heard, and has done him
service, I prevailed with him to give me a copy-here it is:-

Mr. Speaker,(516)-I have always thought, Sir, that incapacity and
inexperience must prejudice the cause they undertake to defend;
and it has been diffidence of myself, not distrust of the cause,
that has hitherto made me so silent upon a point on which I ought
to have appeared so zealous.

"While the attempts for this inquiry were made in general
terms, I should have thought it presumption in me to stand up and
defend measures in which so many abler men have been
engaged, and which, consequently, they could so much better
support; but when the attack grows more personal, it grows my
duty to oppose it more particularly, lest I be suspected of an
ingratitude which my heart disdains. But I think, Sir, I
cannot be suspected of that, unless my not having abilities to
defend my father can be construed into a desire not to defend
him.

"My experience, Sir, is very small; I have never been
conversant in business and politics, and have sat a very short
time in this house -with so slight a fund, I must much
mistrust my power to serve him-especially as in the short time I
have sat here, I have seen that not his own knowledge,
innocence, and eloquence, have been able to protect him
against a powerful and determined party. I have seen, since his
retirement, that he has many great and noble friends, who have
been able to protect him from farther violence. But, Sir, when
no repulses can calm the clamour against him, no motives should
sway his friends from openly undertaking his defence. When the
King has conferred rewards on his services; when the Parliament
has refused its assent to any inquiries of complaint against him;
it is but maintaining the King's and our own honour, to reject
this motion-for the repeating which, however, I cannot think the
authors to blame, as I suppose now they have turned him out, they
are willing to inquire whether they had any reason to do so.

"I shall say no more, Sir, but leave the material part of this
defence to the impartiality, candour, and credit of men who are
no ways dependent on him. He has already found that
defence, Sir, and I hope he always will! It is to their
authority I trust-and to me, it is the strongest proof of
innocence, that for twenty years together, no crime could be
solemnly alleged against him; and since his dismission, he has
seen a majority rise up to defend his character in that very
House of Commons in which a majority had overturned his power.
As, therefore, Sir, I must think him innocent, I stand up to
protect him from injustice-had he been accused, I should not have
given the House this trouble: but I think, Sir, that the
precedent of what was done upon this question a few days ago, is
a sufficient reason, if I had no other, for me to give my
negative now."

William Pitt, some time after, in the debate, said, how very
commendable it was in him to have made the above speech, which
must have made an impression upon the House; but if It was
becoming in him to remember that he was the child of the
accused, that the House ought to remember too that they are the
children of their country. It was a great compliment from him,
and very artful too.

I forgot to tell you in my last, that one of our men-of-war,
commanded by Lord Bamffe,(518) a Scotchman, has taken another
register ship, of immense value.

You will laugh at a comical thing that happened the other day to
Lord Lincoln. He sent the Duke of Richmond word that he would
dine with him in the country, and if he would give him leave,
would bring lord Bury with him. It happens that Lord Bury is
nothing less than the Duke of Richmond's nephew.(519) The Duke,
very properly, sent him word back, that Lord Bury might bring
him, if he pleased.

I have been plagued all this morning with that oaf of unlicked
antiquity, Prideaux,(520) and his deaf boy. He talked through
all Italy, and every thing in all Italy. Upon mentioning
Stosch, I asked if he had seen his collection. He replied, very
few of his things, for he did not like his company; that he never
heard so much heathenish talk in his days. I
inquired what it was, and found that Stosch had one day said
before him, "that the soul was only a little glue." I laughed so
much that he walked off; I suppose, thinking, that I
believed so too. By the way, tell Stosch that a gold Alectus
sold at Lord Oxford's sale for above threescore pounds. Good
night, my dear child! I am just going to the ridotto; one hates
those places, comes away out of humour, and yet one goes again!
How are you! I long for your next letter to answer me.

(512) The debate in the House of Commons on Lord Limerick's
motion for a Secret Committee to inquire into the conduct of the
Earl of Orford during the last ten years of his
administration.-E.

(513) The motion was carried by a majority of seven, the
numbers being 252 against 245.-E.

(514) This was much mentioned in the pamphlets written against
the war, which was said to have been determined "by a
gentleman's fumbling in his pocket for a piece of paper at ten
o'clock at night," and the House's agreeing to the motion
without any consideration.

(515) The author of these letters.

(516) There is a fictitious speech printed for this in several
Magazines of that time, but which does not contain one
sentence of the true one.

(517) The following note of this debate is from the Bishop of
Oxford's diary.-,, March 23. Motion by Lord Limerick, and
seconded by Sir J. St. Aubin, on the 9th instant, for a Secret
Committee of twenty-one, to examine into the Earl of Orford's
conduct for the last ten years of his being chancellor of the
exchequer and lord of the treasury. Mr. Pultney said,
ministers should always remember the account they must make; that
he was against rancour in the inquiry, desired not to be named
for the committee, particularly because of a rash word he had
used, that he would pursue Sir Robert Walpole to his destruction;
that now the minister was destroyed, he had no ill-will to the
man; that from his own knowledge and
experience of many of the Tories, he believed them to be as
sincerely for the King and this family as himself; that he was
sensible of the disagreeable situation he was in, and would get
out of it as soon as he could. Mr. Sandys spoke for the motion,
and said, he desired his own conduct might always be strictly
inquired into. Lord Orford's son, and Mr. Ellis
spoke well against the motion. It was carried by 252 against
245. Three or four were shut out, who would have been against
it. Mr. William -Finch against it. The Prince's servants for it.
Then Mr. Pultney moved for an address of duty to the King &e.
which he begged might pass without opposition; and
accordingly it did so. But Mr. W. W. wynne and several
others, went out of the House; which was by some understood to be
disapprobation, by others accident or weariness," Secker MS.-E.

(518) alexander Ogilvy, sixth Lord Banff, commanded the
Hastings man-of war in 1742 and 1743, and captured, during that
time, a valuable outward-bound Spanish register-ship, a Spanish
privateer of twenty guns, a French polacca with a rich cargo, and
other vessels. He died at Lisbon in November 1746, at the early
age of twenty-eight.-D.

(519) George Lord Bury, afterwards third Earl of Albemarle. His
mother was Lady Anne Lennox, sister of the Duke of
Richmond.-D. His lordship served as aide-de-camp) to the Duke of
Cumberland at the battle of Fontenoy and at Culloden, and
commanded in chief at the reduction of the Havannah. He died in
1772.)