Books: The Letters of Horace Walpole, Volume 1

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(520 Grandson of Dean Prideaux; he was just returned out of
Italy, with his son.

241 Letter 60
To Sir Horace Mann.
Downing Street, April 1, 1742.

I received your letter of March 18th, and would be as
particular in the other dates which you have sent me in the end
of your letter, but our affairs having been in such
confusion, I have removed all my papers In general from hence,
and cannot now examine them. I have, I think, received all
yours: but lately I received them two days at least after
their arrival, and evidently opened; so we must be cautious now
what we write. Remember this, for of your last the seal had been
quite taken off and set on again.

Last Friday we balloted for the Secret Committee. Except the
vacancies, there were but thirty-one members absent: five
hundred and eighteen gave in lists. At six that evening they
named a committee of which Lord Hartington was chairman, (as
having moved for it,) to examine the lists. This lasted from
that time, all that night, till four in the afternoon of the next
day; twenty-two hours without remission. There were
sixteen people, of which were Lord Hartington and Coke, who sat
up the whole time, and one of theirs, Velters
Cornwall,(521) fainted with the fatigue and heat, for people of
all sorts were admitted into the room, to see the lists drawn; it
was in the Speaker's chambers. On the conclusion, they found the
majority was for a mixed list, but of which the Opposition had
the greater number. Here are the two lists, which were given out
by each side, but of which people altered several in their
private lists.

THE COURT LIST.

William Bowles.
*Lord Cornbury.(522)
*William Finch.(523)
Lord Fitzwilliam.
Sir Charles Gilmour.
*Charles Gore.
H. Arthur Herbert.(524)
Sir Henry Liddel.(525)
John Plumptree (526)
Sir John Ramsden.
Strange, Solicitor-General.
Cholmley Turnor.
John Talbot.(527)
General Wade.(528)
James West.(529)

THE OPPOSITION LIST.

Sir John Barnard.
Alexander Hume Campbell.(530)
Sir John Cotton.
George Bubb Doddington.(531)
Nicholas Fazakerley.
Henry Furnese.
Earl of Granird.
Mr. Hooper.(532)
Lord Limerick.(533)
George Lyttelton.(534)
John Philips-(535)
William Pitt.(536)
Mr. Prouse.
Edmund Waller.(537)
Sir Watkyn Williams Wynn.

Besides the following six which were in both lists-

These Six, On casting up the numbers, had those marked against
their names, and were consequently chosen. Those with this mark
(*) were reckoned of the Opposition.

*George Compton 515
*William Noell 512 (538)
*Lord Quarendon 512 (539)
*Sir John Rushout 516 (540)
*Samuel Sandys 516 (541)
Sir John St. Aubin 518

On casting up the numbers, the lists proved thus:-

*Sir John Barnard 268
*Nicholas Fazakerley 262 (542)
*Henry Furnese 282
*Earl of Granard 258
*Mr. Hooper 265
*William Pitt 259
*Mr. Prouse 259
*Edmund Waller 259
William Bowles 259
*Lord Cornbury 262
Solicitor-General 259
Cholmley Turnor 259

This made eighteen: Mr. Finch, Sir Harry Liddel, and Mr.
Talbot, had 258 each, and Hume Campbell 257, besides one in which
his name was mis-written, but allowed; out of these
four, two were to be chosen: it was agreed that the Speaker was
to choose them; he, with a resolution not supposed to be in him,
as he has been the most notorious affecter of
popularity, named Sir Harry Liddel and Mr. 'albot; so that, on
the whole, we have just five that we can call our own.(543)
These will not be sufficient to stop their proceedings, but by
being privy, may stop any iniquitous proceedings. They have
chosen Lord Limerick chairman. Lord Orford returns tomorrow from
Houghton to Chelsea, from whence my uncle went in great fright to
fetch him.

I was yesterday presented to the Prince and Princess; but had not
the honour of a word from either: he did vouchsafe to talk to
Lord Walpole the day before.

Yesterday the Lord Mayor brought in their favourite bill for
repealing the Septennial Act, but we rejected it by 284 to
204.(544)

You shall have particular accounts of the Secret Committee and
their proceedings: but It will be at least a month before they
can make any progress. You did not say any thing about
yourself in your last; never omit it, my dear child.

(521) Velters Cornwall, Esq., of Meccas Court, in
Herefordshire, and member for that county.-D.

(522) Son of the Earl of Clarendon.

(523) Afterwards vice-chamberlain.

(524) Afterwards Earl of Powis.

(525) Afterwards Lord Ravensworth.

(526) He had a place in the Ordnance.

(527) Son of the late lord chancellor, and afterwards a judge.

(528) Afterwards field.marshal.

(529) Afterwards secretary of the treasury.

(530) Afterwards solicitor to the Prince.

(531) Had been a lord of the treasury.

(532) Had a place on a change of the ministry. (He was a
Hampshire gentleman, and member for Christchurch.-D.)

(533) Afterwards King's remembrancer.

(534) Afterwards cofferer.

(535) Afterwards a lord of trade and baronet.

(536) Afterwards paymaster.

(537) Afterwards cofferer.

(538) Afterwards a judge.

(539) Afterwards Earl of Lichfield.

(540) Afterwards treasurer of the navy.

(541) Afterwards chancellor of the exchequer, then cofferer, and
then a baron.

(542) Nicholas Fazakerley, Esq. Walpole calls him "a tiresome
Jacobite lawyer." He, however, appears to have been a speaker of
some weight in the House of Commons, and distinguished
himself by his opposition to Lord Hardwicke's mischievous
marriage bill in the year 1753.-D. (He died in 1767.)

(543) "March 26, 27. The House of commons balloted for their
committee, being called over, and each opening his list at the
table, and putting it into a vessel which stood there. This was
ended by five. Then a committee began to examine the
lists, and sat from that time till four the next afternoon: for,
though two lists were given out, many delivered in
consisted partly of one, and partly of the other; and many were
put in different order. Sir Thomas Drury, a friend of Lord
Orford's, put down four of the opposite side in his list. Lord
Orford's friends hoped it would bring moderate persons over to
them, if they put some on their list who were not
partial to him."-" March 29. The decision between Sir H.
Lyddel, Mr. J. Talbot. and Mr. W. Finch, was left to the
Speaker, who chose the two former." Secker MS.-E.

(544) This is not correct. It appears, by the Journals, that the
motion passed in the negative by 204 against 184. The debate is
thus noticed by the Bishop of Oxford:-"March 31. Sir Robert
Cotschall, Lord Mayor, moved for the repeal of the
Septennial Bill. Mr. Pultney said, he thought annual
parliaments would be best, but preferred septennial to
triennial and voted against the motion. In all, 204 against it,
and 184 for it." Secker MS.-E.

243 Letter 61
To Sir Horace Mann.
London, April 8, 1742.

You have no notion how astonished I was, at reading your
account of Sir Francis Dashwood!-that it should be possible for
private and personal pique so to sour any man's temper and
honour, and so utterly to change their principles! I own I am
for your mentioning him in your next despatch: they may at least
intercept his letters, and prevent his dirty
intelligence. As to Lady Walpole,(545) her schemes are so wild
and so ill-founded, that I don't think it worth while to take
notice of them. I possibly may mention this new one of changing
her name, to her husband, and of her coming-over
design, but I am sure he will only laugh at it.

The ill-situation of the King, which you say is so much talked of
at the Petraia,(546) Is not true; indeed he and the Prince are
not at all more reconciled for being reconciled; but I think his
resolution has borne him out. All the public
questions are easily carried, even with the concurrence of the
Tories. Mr. Pultney proposed to grant a large sum for
assisting the Queen of Hungary, and got Sir John Barnard to move
it. They have given the King five hundred thousand
pounds for that purpose.(547) The land-tax of four shillings in
the pound is continued. Lord Stair is gone to Holland, and
orders are given to the regiments and guards to have their camp
equipages ready. As to the Spanish war and Vernon, there is no
more talk of them; one would think they had both been taken by a
privateer.

We talk of adjourning, soon for a month or six weeks, to give the
Secret Committee time to proceed, which yet they have not done.
Their object is returned from Houghton in great health and
greater spirits. They are extremely angry with him for laughing
at their power. The concourse to him is as great as ever; so is
the rage against him. All this week the mob has been carrying
about his effigies in procession, and to the Tower. The chiefs
of the Opposition have been so mean as to give these mobs money
for bonfires, particularly the Earls of Lichfield, Westmoreland,
Denbigh, (548) and Stanhope:(549) the servants of these last got
one of these figures, chalked out a place for the heart and shot
at it. You will laugh at me, who, the other day, meeting one of
these mobs, drove up to it to see what was the matter: the first
thing I beheld was a maulkin, in a chair, with three footmen, and
a label on the breast, inscribed "Lady mary." (550)

The Speaker, who has been much abused for naming two of our
friends to the Secret Committee, to show his
disinterestedness, has resigned his place of treasurer of the
navy. Mr. Clutterbuck,(551) one of the late treasury is to have
it; so there seems a stop put to any new persons from the
Opposition.

His Royal Highness is gone to Kew his drawing-rooms Will not be
so crowded at his return, as he has disobliged so many
considerable people, particularly the Dukes of Montagu (552) and
Richmond, Lord Albemarle,(553) etc. The Richmond went twice, and
yet was not spoken to; nor the others; nay, he has vented his
princely resentment even upon the women, for to Lady Hervey, not
a word.

This is all the news except that little Brook (554) is on the
point of matrimony with Miss Hamilton, Lady Archibald's
daughter. She is excessively pretty and sensible, but as
diminutive as he.

I forgot to tell you that the Place Bill has met with the same
fate from the Lords as the Pension Bill (555) and the
Triennial Act; so that, after all their clamour and changing of
measures, they have not been able to get one of their
popular bills passed, though the newspapers, for these three
months, have swarmed with instructions for these purposes, from
the constituents of all parts of Great Britain to their
representatives.

We go into mourning on Sunday for the old Empress Amelia.(556)
Lord Chedworth, (557) one of three new Peers, is dead. We hear
the King of Sardinia is at Piacenza, to open the
campaign. I shall be in continual fears lest they disturb you at
Florence. All love to the Chutes, and my compliments to all my
old acquaintance. I don't think I have forgot one of Them.
Pataman is entirely yours, and entirely handsome. Good night!

(545) Margaret Rolle, a great Devonshire heiress, the wife of
Robert, Lord Walpole, afterwards second Earl of Orford, the
eldest son of the minister. She was separated from her
husband, and had quarrelled violently with his whole family. She
resided principally at Florence, where she died in 1781; having
married secondly, after the death of Lord Orford, the Hon.
Sewallis Shirley. She was a woman of bad character, as well as
Half mad: which last quality she to communicated to her
unfortunate son George, third Earl of Orford. She
succeeded, in her own right, to the baronies of Clinton and Say,
upon the death, in 1751, of Hugh, Earl and Baron
Clinton.-D. (This lady was married to Lord Walpole in 1724. In
a letter to the Countess of mar, written in that year, Lady Mary
Wortley Montagu says:- "I have so good an opinion of your taste,
to believe harlequin in person will not make you laugh so much as
the Earl of Stair's furious passion for Lady
Walpole, aged fourteen and some months. Mrs. Murray undertook to
bring the business to bear, and provided the opportunity, a great
ingredient You'll Say but the young lady proved
skittish. She did not only turn his heroic flame into present
ridicule, but exposed all his generous sentiments, to divert her
Husband and father-in-law." Works, vol. ii. p. 188.]

(546) A villa belonging to the Great Duke, where Prince Craon
resided in summer.

(547) "April 2. In the Commons, 500,000 pounds voted for the
Queen of Hungary; I believe nem. con. Sir John Barnard moved it;
which, Mr. Sandys told me, was that day making himself the
chancellor of the exchequer. He told me, also, the King was
unwilling to grant the Prince 50,000 pounds a-year; and I am told
from other hands, that he saith he never promised it. The Bishop
of Sarum (Sherlock) says, Sir Robert Walpole told him, the King
would give 30,000 pounds, but no more. Mr.
Sandys appeared determined against admitting Tories, and said it
was wonderful their union had held so long, and could not be
expected to hold longer; that he could not imagine why
every body spoke against Lord Carteret, but that he had better
abilities than any body; that as soon as foreign affairs could be
settled, they would endeavour to reduce the expenses of the crown
and interest of the debts." Secker MS.

(548) William Fielding, fifth Earl of Denbigh, died 1755.-D.

(549) Philip, second Earl Stanhope, eldest son of the general and
statesman, who founded this branch of the Stanhope family. Earl
Philip was a man of retired habits, and much devoted to
scientific pursuits. He died in 1786.-D.

(550) Lady Mary Walpole, daughter of Sir R. W.

(551) This Mr. Clutterbuck had been raised by Lord Carteret, when
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whom he betrayed to Sir R. Walpole;
the latter employed him, but never would trust him. He then
ingratiated himself with Mr. Pelham, under a pretence of candour
and integrity, and was continually infusing
scruples into him on political questions, to distress Sir R. On
the latter's quitting the ministry, he appointed a board of
treasury at his own house, in order to sign some grants; Mr.
Clutterbuck made a pretence to slip away, and never returned. He
was a friend, too, of the Speaker's: when Sir R. W. was told that
Mr. Onslow had resigned his place, and that Mr.
Clutterbuck was to succeed him, said, "I remember that the Duke
of Roxburgh, who was a great pretender to conscience, persuaded
the Duke of Montrose to resign the seals of'
Secretary of state, on some scruple, and begged them himself the
next day." Mr. Clutterbuck died very soon after this
transaction. [Mr. Clutterbuck was appointed treasurer of the navy
in May, and died in November following.]

(552) John, second and last Duke of Montagu, of the first
creation. He was a man of Some talent, and great eccentricity.
Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, his mother-in-law, Used to say of
him, "My son-in-law Montagu is fifty, and he is still as mere a
boy as if he was only fifteen.".-D. On his death, in 1749),the
title became extinct.)

(553) William-Anne Keppel, second Earl of Albemarle. An
amiable prodigal who filled various great offices, through the
favour of Lady Yarmouth, who died insolvent.-D. [He married. in
1723, Lady Anne Lennox, daughter of Charles, first Duke of
Richmond, and, whilst ambassador to the French court, died
suddenly at Paris, in 1755.]

(554) Francis Greville, Lord Brooke, created an earl in 1746.
[And, in 1759, raised to the dignity of Earl of Warwick. He died
in 1773.]

(555) "March 26. The Pension Bill read a second time in the
Lords. Duke of Devonshire said a few words against it. Lord
Sandwich pleaded for it, that some persons now in the ministry
had patronized it, and for their sakes it should be committed;
Lord Romney, that some objections against it had been obviated by
alterations. These three speeches lasted scarce half a quarter
of an hour. The question being put for committing, not-content,
76; content, 46. I was one of five bishops for it; Lord Carteret
and Lord Berkeley against it." Secker
318.-E.

(556) Widow of the Emperor Joseph. She was of the house of
Wolfenbuttle.

(557) John Bowe, Esq. of Stowell, created a baron in May 1741.

246 Letter 62
To Sir Horace Mann.
April 15, 1742.

The great pleasure I receive from your letters is a little abated
by my continually finding that they have been opened. It is a
mortification as it must restrain the freedom of our
correspondence, and at a time when more than ever I must want to
talk to you. Your brother showed me a letter, which I
approve extremely, yet do not think this a proper time for it;
for there IS not only no present prospect of any further
alterations, but, if there were, none that will give that
person any interest. He really has lost himself so much, that it
will be long before he can recover credit enough to do any body
any service. His childish and troublesome behaviour,
particularly lately (,but I Will not mention instances,
because I would not have it known whom I mean), has set him in
the lowest light imaginable. I have desired your brother to keep
your letter, and when we see a necessary or convenient
opportunity, which I hope will not arrive, it shall be
delivered. However, if you are still of that opinion, say so,
and your brother shall carry it. At present, my dear child, I am
much more at repose about you, as I trust no more will
happen to endanger your situation. I shall not only give you the
first notice, but employ all the means in my power to
prevent your removal.

The Secret Committee, it seems, are almost aground, and, it is
thought, will soon finish. They are now reduced, as I hear, to
inquire into the last month, not having met with any
foundation for proceeding in the rest of the time. However, they
have this week given a strong instance of' their
arbitrariness and private resentments. They sent for
Paxton,(558) the solicitor of the treasury, and examined him
about five hundred pounds which he had given seven years ago at
Lord Limerick's election. The man, as it directly tended to
accuse himself, refused to answer. They complained to the House,
and after a long debate he was committed to the
sergeant-at-arms -, and to-day, I hear, for still refusing, will
be sent to Newgate.(559) We adjourn to-day for ten days, but the
committee has leave to continue sitting. . But, my dear child,
you may be quite at ease, for they themselves seem to despair of
being able to effect any thing.

The Duke (560) is of age to-day, and I hear by the guns, is just
gone with the King, to take his seat in the Lords.

I have this morning received the jar of cedrati safe, for
which I give you a million of thanks. I am impatient to hear of
the arrival of your secretary and the things at Florence; it is
time for you to have received them.

Here! Amorevoli has sent me another letter. Would you believe
that our wise directors for next year will not keep the
Visconti, and have sent for the Fumagalli? She will not be heard
to the first row of the pit.

I am growing miserable, for it is growing fine weather-that is,
every body is going out of town. I have but just begun to like
London, and to be settled in an agreeable set of' people, and now
they are going to wander all over the kingdom.
Because they have some chance of having a month of good
weather they will bury themselves three more in bad.

The Duchess of Cleveland (561) died last night of what they call
a miliary fever, which is much about: she had not been ill two
days. So the poor creature, her duke, is again to be let; she
paid dear for the hopes of being duchess dowager. Lady Catherine
Pelham,(562) has miscarried of twins; but they are so miserable
with the loss of their former two boys, that they seem glad now
of not having any more to tremble for.

There is a man who has by degrees bred himself up to walk upon
stilts so high, that he now stalks about and peeps into one pair
of stairs windows. If this practice should spread,
dining-rooms will be as innocent as chapels. Good night! I never
forget my best loves to the Chutes.

P. S. I this moment hear that Edgecombe (563) and Lord
Fitzwilliam are created English peers: I am sure the first is,
and I believe the second.

(558) Commemorated in a line of Pope-"'Tis all a libel,
Paxton, Sir, will say."-D.

(559) On a division of 180 against 128, Paxton was this day
committed to Newgate where he remained till the end of the
session, July 15. He died in April 1744.-E.

(560) The Duke of Cumberland, third Son of George the
Second.-E.

(561) Lady Henrietta Finch, sister of the Earl of Winchilsea,
wife of William, Duke of Cleveland. [On whose death, in 1774, the
title became extinct.]

(562) Catherine, sister of John Manners, Duke of Rutland, and
wife of Henry Pelham. They lost their two sons by an epidemic
sore-throat, after which she would never go to Esher, or any
house where she had seen them.

(563) Richard Edgecombe, a great friend of Sir R. Walpole, was
Created a baron to prevent his being examined by the Secret
Committee concerning the management of the Cornish boroughs. (He
was created Lord Edgecumbe on the 20th of April, and in December
appointed chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster. He died in
1758.]

247 Letter 63
To Sir Horace Mann.
London, April 22, 1742.

You perceive, by the size of my paper, how little I have to say.
The whole town is out of town for Easter, and nothing left but
dust, old women, and the Secret Committee. They go on warmly,
and have turned their whole thoughts to the
secret-service money, after which they are inquiring by all
methods. Sir John Rawdon (564) (you remember that genius in
Italy) voluntarily swore before them that, at the late
election at Wallingforrd, he spent two thousand pounds, and that
one Morley promised him fifteen hundred more, if he would lay it
out. "Whence was Morley to have it?"-"I don't know; I believe
from the first minister." This makes an evidence. It is thought
that they will ask leave to examine members, which was the reason
of Edgecumbe's going into the peerage, as they supposed he had
been the principal agent for the Cornish
boroughs. Sir John Cotton said, upon the occasion, "Between
Newgate (565 and the House of Lords the committee will not get
information."

The troops for Flanders go on board Saturday se'nnight, the first
embarkation of five thousand men: the whole number is to be
sixteen thousand. It is not yet known what success Earl Stair
has had at the Hague. We are in great joy upon the news of the
King of Prussia's running away from the Austrians:
(566) though his cowardice is well established, it is yet
believed that the flight in question was determined by his head,
not his heart; in short, that it was treachery to his allies.

I forgot to tell you, that of the Secret Committee Sir John
Rushout and Cholmley TurnOr never go to it, nor, which is more
extraordinary, Sir John Barnard. He says he thought their views
were more general, but finding them so particular
against one man, he Will not engage with them.

I have been breakfasting this morning at Ranelagh-garden:
(567) they have built an immense amphitheatre, with balconies
full of little ale-houses; it is in rivalry to Vauxhall, and
costs above twelve thousand pounds. The building is not
finished, but, they get great sums by people going to see it and
breakfasting in the house: there were yesterday no less than
three hundred and eighty persons, at eighteen pence
a-piece. You see how poor we are, when, with a tax of four
shillings in the pound, we are laying out such sums for cakes and
ale.

We have a new opera, with your favourite song, se cerca, se dice:
(568) Monticelli sings it beyond what you can conceive. Your
last was of April 8th. I like the medal of the Caesars and
Nihils (569) extremely; but don't at all like the cracking of
your house, (570) except that it drives away your
Pettegola. (571) What I like much worse is your recovering your
strength so slowly; but I trust to the warm weather.

Miss Granville, daughter of the late Lord Lansdown, (572) is
named maid of honour, in the room of Miss Hamilton, who I told
you is to be Lady Brook-they are both so small! what little eggs
they will lay!

How does my Princess?(573) does not she deign to visit you too?
Is Sade (574) there still? Is Madame Suares quite gone into
devotion yet? Tell me any thing-I love any thing that you write
to me. Good night!

(564) He was afterwards made an Irish lord. (Lord Rawdon in 1750,
and Earl of Moira in 1761. His first two wives were the
daughters of the Earl of Egmont and Viscount Hillsborough. His
third wife, by whom he was the father of the late Lord Hastings,
was the daughter, and eventually the heiress, of Theophilus,
ninth Earl of Huntingdon.-D.)

(565) Alluding to Paxton, who was sent thither for refusing to
give evidence.

(566) this must allude to the King of Prussia's abandonment of
his design to penetrate through Austria to Vienna, which he gave
of) in consequence of the lukewarmness of his Saxon and the
absence of his French allies. It is curious now, when the mist
of contemporary prejudices has passed away, to hear
Frederick the Great accused of cowardice.-D.