Books: The Letters of Horace Walpole, Volume 1

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(567) the once celebrated place of amusement was so called from
its site being that of a villa of' Viscount Ranelagh, near
Chelsea. The last entertainment given in it was the
installation ball of the Knights of the Bath, in 1802. It has
since been razed to the ground.-E.

(568) In the Olimpiade.

(569) A satirical medal: on one side was the head of Francis,
Duke of Lorrain (afterwards emperor) with this motto, aut
Caesar aut nihil: on the reverse, that of the Emperor Charles
Vii. Elector of Bavaria, who had been driven out of his
dominions, et Caesar et nihil.

(570) Sir H. Mann had mentioned, in one of his letters, the
appearance of several cracks in the walls of his house at
Florence. Mrs. Goldsworthy, the wife of the English consul,
had taken refuge in it when driven from Leghorn by
an earthquake.-D.

(571) Mrs. ('Goldsworthy.

(572) George Granville, Lord Lansdown, Pope's "Granville the
polite," one of Queen
Anne's twelve peers, and one of the minor
poets of that time. He died in 1734, without
male issue, and his honours
extinguished.-D.

(573) Princess Craon.

(574) The Chevalier de Sade.

249 Letter 64
To Sir Horace Mann.
London, April 29, 1742.

By yours of April 17, N. S. and some of your last letters, I find
my Lady Walpole is more mad than ever-why, there never was so
wild a scheme as this, of setting up an interest
through Lord Chesterfield! one who has no power; and, if he had,
would think of, or serve her, one of the last persons upon earth.
What connexion has he with what interest could he have in
obliging her? and, but from views, what has he ever done, or will
he ever do? But is Richcourt (575) so shallow, and so ambitious,
as to put any trust in there projects? My dear child, believe
me, if I was to mention them here, they would sound so
chimerical, so womanish, that I should be
laughed at for repeating them. For yourself, be quite at
rest, and laugh, as I do, at feeble, visionary malice, and assure
yourself, whoever mentions such politics to you, that my Lady
Walpole must have very frippery intelligence from
hence, if she can raise no better views and on no better
foundations. For the poem you mention, I never read it: upon
inquiry, I find there was such a thing though now quite
obsolete: undoubtedly not Pope's, and only proves what I said
before, how low, how paltry, how uninformed her ladyship's
correspondents must be.

We are now all military! all preparations for Flanders! no
parties but reviews; no officers, but "hope" they are to go
abroad-at least, it is the fashion to say so. I am studying
lists of regiments and Dames of colonels-not that "I hope I am to
go abroad," but to talk of those who do. Three thousand men
embarked yesterday and the day before, and the thirteen thousand
others sail as soon as the transports can return. Messieurs
d'Allemagne (576) roll their red eyes, stroke up their great
beards, and look fierce-you know one loves a
review and a tattoo.

We had a debate yesterday in the House on a proposal for
replacing four thousand men of some that are to be sent
abroad, that, in short, we might have fifteen thousand men to
guard the kingdom. This was strongly opposed by the Tories, but
we carried it in the committee, 214 against 123, and
to-day, in the House, 280 against 169. Sir John Barnard,
Pultney, the new ministry, all the Prince's people, except the
Cobham cousins,(577) the Lord Mayor, several of the
Opposition, voted with us; so you must interpret Tories in the
strongest sense of the word.

The Secret Committee has desired leave to-day to examine three
members, Burrel, Bristow, and Hanbury Williams: (578) the two
first are directors of the bank; and it is upon an agreement made
with them, and at which Williams was present, about
remitting some money to Jamaica, and in which they pretend Sir
Robert made a bad bargain, to oblige them as members of
Parliament. they all three stood up, and voluntarily offered to
be examined; so no vote passed upon it.

These are all the political news: there is little of any other
sort; so little gallantry is stirring, that I do not hear of so
much as one maid of honour who has declared herself with child by
any officer, to engage him not to go abroad. I told you once or
twice that Miss Hamilton is going to be married to Lord Brook:
somebody wished Lord Archibald joy. He replied, "Providence has
been very good to my family."

We had a great scuffle the other night at the Opera, which
interrupted it. Lord Lincoln was abused in the most shocking
manner by a drunken officer, upon which he kicked him, and was
drawing his sword, but was prevented. were they were put
under arrest, and the next morning, the man begged his pardon
before the Duke of Marlborough, Lord Albemarle, and other
officers, in the most submissive terms. I saw the quarrel from
the other side of the house, and rushing to get to Lord Lincoln,
could not for the crowd. I climbed into the front boxes, and
stepping over the shoulders of three ladies, before I knew where
I was, found I had lighted in Lord Rockingham's (579) lap. It
was ridiculous! Good night!

(575) Count Richcourt was a Lorrainer, and chief minister of
Florence; there was a great connexion between him and Lady
Walpole.

(576)The royal family.

(577) Pitts, Grenvilles, Lytteltons, all related by marriage, or
female descent, to Lord Cobham.-D.

(578) Sir Charles Hanbury Williams, a devoted follower of Sir
Robert Walpole. His various satirical poems against the
enemies and successors of that minister are well known, and must
ever be admired for their ease, their spirit, and the wit and
humour of their sarcasm. It was said at the time that Sir
Charles's poetry had done more in three months to lower and
discredit those it was written against, than the Craftsman and
other abusive papers had been able to effect against Sir
Robert in a long series of years.-D.

(579) Lewis Watson, second Earl of Rockingham. He married
Catharine, second daughter and coheir of George Sondes, Earl of
Feversham, and died in 1745.-D.

251 Letter 65
To Richard West, Esq.
London, May 4, 1742.

Dear West,
Your letter made me quite melancholy, till I came to the
postscript of fine weather. Your so suddenly finding the
benefit of it makes me trust you will entirely recover your
health and spirits with the warm season: nobody wishes it more
than I: nobody has more reason, as few have known you so long.
Don't be afraid of your letters being dull. I don't deserve to
be called your friend, if I were impatient at hearing your
complaints. I do not desire you to suppress them till the causes
cease; nor should I expect you to write cheerfully
while you are Ill. I never desire to write any man's life as a
stoic, and consequently should not desire him to furnish me with
opportunities of assuring posterity what pains he took not to
show any pain.

If you did amuse yourself with writing any thing in poetry, you
know how pleased I should be to see it; but for
encouraging you to it, d'ye see, 'tis an age most unpoetical!
'Tis even a test of wit to dislike poetry; and though Pope has
half a dozen old friends that he has preserved from the taste of
last century, yet, I assure you, the generality of readers are
more diverted with any paltry prose answer to old
Marlborough's secret history of Queen Mary's robes. I do not
think an author would be universally commended for any
production in verse, unless it were an ode to the Secret
Committee, with rhymes of liberty and property, nation and
administration.

Wit itself is monopolized by politics; no laugh would be
ridiculous if it were not on one side or t'other. Thus,
Sandys thinks he has spoken an epigram, when he crincles up his
nose and lays a smart accent on ways and means.

We may, indeed. hope a little better now to the declining
arts. The reconciliation between the royalties is finished, and
fifty thousand pounds a-year more added to the heir
apparent's revenue. He will have money now to tune up Glover,
and Thomson, and Dodsley again: Et spes
et ratio studiorum in Caesare tantUM.

Asheton is much yours. He has preached twice at Somerset
Chapel with the greatest applause. I do not mind his pleasing
the generality, for you know they ran as much after Whitfield as
they could after Tillotson; and I do not doubt but St. Jude
converted as many Honourable women as St. Paul. But I am sure
you would approve his compositions, and admire them still more
when you heard him deliver them. He will write to you himself
next post, but is not mad enough with his fame to write you a
sermon. Adieu, dear child! Write me the progress of your
recovery,(580) and believe it will give me a sincere pleasure;
for I am, yours ever.

(580) Mr. West died in less than a month from the date of this
letter, in the twenty-sixth year of his age. (see ant`e, p. 121,
Letter 1.) In his last letter to Grey, written a few days before
his death, he says, "I will take my leave of you for the present,
with a vale et vive paulisper cum vivis:" so little was he aware
of the short time that he himself would be
numbered among the living. But this is almost constantly the
case with those who die of that most flattering of all
diseases, a consumption. "Shall humanity," says Mason, "be
thankful or sorry that it is so? Thankful, surely! for as this
malady generally attacks the young and the innocent, it seems the
merciful intention of Heaven, that to these death should come
unperceived, and, as it were, by stealth; divested of one of its
sharpest stings, the lingering expectation of their
dissolution."-E.

252 Letter 66
To Sir Horace Mann.
Downing Street, May 6, 1742.

I have received a long letter from you of the 22d of April. It
amazes me! that our friends of Florence should not prove our
friends.(581) Is it possible? I have always talked of their
cordiality, because I was convinced they could have no shadow of
interest in their professions:--of that, indeed, I am convinced
still-but how could they fancy they had? There is the wonder!
If they wanted common honesty, they seem to have wanted common
sense more. What hope of connexion could there ever be between
the British ministry and the Florentine nobility! The latter
have no views for being, or knowledge for being envoys, etc.
They are too poor and proud to think of trading with us; too
abject to hope for the restoration of their liberty from us-and,
indeed, however we may affection our own, we have showed no
regard for their liberty-they have had no reason ever to expect
that from us! In short, to me it is mystery! But how could you
not tell me some particulars? Have I so little interested myself
with Florence, that you should think I can be satisfied without
knowing the least particulars? I must know names. Who are these
wretches that I am to scratch out of my list? I shall give them
a black blot the moment I know who have behaved ill to you. Is
Casa Ferroni of the number? I suspect it:-that was of your first
attachments. Are the prince and princess dirty?-the Suares?-tell
me, tell me! Indeed, my dear Mr. Chute, I am not of your
opinion, that he should shut himself up and despise them; let him
go abroad and despise them. Must he mope because the Florentines
are like the rest of the world? But that is not true, for the
world in England have not declared themselves so suddenly. It
has not been the fashion to desert the earl and his friends: he
has had more concourse, more professions, and has still, than in
the height of his power. So your neighbours have been too hasty:
they are new style, at least, eleven days before us. Tell them,
tell Richcourt, tell his Cleopatra,(582) that all their hopes are
vanished, all their faith in Secret Committees-the reconciliation
is made, and whatever reports their secretships may produce,
there will be at least above a hundred votes added to our party.
Their triumph has been but in hope, and their hope has failed in
two months.

As to your embroil with Richcourt, I condemn you excessively: not
that you was originally in fault, but by seeming to own yourself
so. He is an impertinent fellow, and will be so if you'll let
him. My dear child, act with the spirit of your friends here;
show we have lost no credit by losing power, and that a little
Italian minister must not dare to insult you. Publish the
accounts I send you; which I give you my honour are authentic.
If they are not, let Cytheris, your Antony's travelling
concubine, contradict them.

You tell me the St. Quintin is arrived at Genoa: I see by the
prints of to-day that it is got to leghorn: I am extremely glad,
for I feared for it, for the poor boy, and for the things. Tell
me how you like your secretary. I shall be quite happy, if I
have placed one with you that you like.

I laughed much at the family of cats I am to receive. I believe
they will be extremely welcome to Lord Islay now: for he appears
little, lives more darkly and more like a wizard than ever.
These huge cats will figure prodigiously in his cell: he is of'
the mysterious, dingy nature of Stosch.

As words is what I have not rhetoric to
find out to thank you, for sending me this paragraph of Madame
Goldsworthy, I can only tell you that I have laughed for an hour
at it. This was one of my Lady Pomfret's correspondents.

There seems to be a little stop in our embarkations: since the
first, they have discovered that the horse must not go till all
the hay is provided. Three thousand men will make a fine figure
towards supporting the balance of power! Our whole number was to
be but sixteen; and if all these cannot be assembled before the
end of July, what will be said of it?

The Secret Committee go on very pitifully: they are now inquiring
about some customhouse officers that were turned out at Weymouth
for voting wrong at elections. Don't you think these articles
will prove to the world what they have been saying of Sir Robert
for these twenty years? The House still sits in observance to
them; which is pleasant to me, for it keeps people in town. We
have operas too; but they are almost over, and if it were not for
a daily east wind, they would give way to Vauxhall and Chelsea.
The new directors have agreed with the Fumagalli for next year,
but she is to be second woman: they keep the Visconti. Did I
never mention the Bettina, the first dancer. It seems she was
kept by a Neapolitan prince, who is extremely jealous of her
thither. About a fortnight ago, she fell ill, upon which her
Neapolitan footman made off immediately. She dances again, but
is very weak, and thinks herself poisoned.

Adieu! my dear child; tell me you are well, easy, and in
spirits: kiss the Chutes for me, and believe me, etc

(581) This alludes to an account given by Sir Horace Mann, in one
of his letters, of the change he had observed in the manner of
many of the Florentines towards himself since Sir Robert
Walpole's retirement from office, upon the supposition
entertained by them that he was intimately connected with the
fallen minister@D.

(582) Lady Walpole.

254 Letter 67
To Sir Horace Mann.
London, May 13, 1742.

As I am obliged to put my letter into the secretary's office by
nine o'clock, and it now don't want a quarter of it, I can say
but three words, and must defer till next post answering Your
long letter by the courier. I am this moment come from the
House, where we have had the first part of the Report from the
Secret Committee. It is pretty long; but, unfortunately for them,
there is not once to be found in it the name of the Earl of
Orford: there is a good deal about Mr. Paxton and the borough of
Wendover; and it appears that in eleven years Mr. Paxton has
received ninety-four thousand pounds unaccounted for: now, if
Lady Richcourt can make any thing of all this, you have freely my
leave to communicate it to her. Pursuant to this report, and Mr.
Paxton's contumacy, they moved for leave to bring in a bill to
indemnify all persons who should accuse themselves of any crime,
provided they do but accuse Lord Orford, and they have carried it
by 251 to 228! but it is so absurd a bill, that there is not the
least likelihood of its passing the Lords. By this bill, whoever
are guilty of murder, treason, forgery, etc. have nothing to do
but to add perjury, and swear Lord Orford knew of it, and they
may plead their pardon. Tell Lady Richcourt this. Lord Orford
knew of her gallantries: she may plead her pardon. Good night! I
have not a moment to lose.

254 Letter 68
To Sir Horace Mann.
May 20, 1742.

I sent you a sketch last post of the division on the Indemnity
Bill. As they carried the question for its being brought in,
they brought it in on Saturday; but were prevailed on to defer
the second reading till Tuesday. Then we had a long debate till
eight at night, when they carried it, 228 against 217, only
eleven majority: before, they had had twenty-three. They
immediately went into the committee on it,-and reported it that
night. Yesterday it came to the last reading; but the House,
having sat so late the night before, was not so full, and they
carried it, 216 to 184. But to-day it comes into the
Lords,-where they do not in the least expect to succeed; yet, to
show their spirit, they have appointed a great dinner at the
Fountain to-morrow to consider on methods for supporting the
honour of the Commons, as they call it, against the Lords, So now
all prospect of quiet seems to vanish! The noise this bill makes
is incredible; it is so unprecedented, so violent a step! Every
thing is inflamed by Pultney, who governs both parties only, I
think, to exasperate both more. Three of our own people of the
committee, the Solicitor,(582) Talbot, and Bowles, vote against
us in the Indemnity Bill, the two latter have even spoke against
us. Sir Robert said, at the
beginning, when he was congratulated on having some of his own
friends in the committee, "The moment they are appointed, they
will grow so jealous of the honour of their committee, that they
will prefer that to every other consideration."(583)

Our foreign news are as bad as our domestic: there seem little
hopes of the Dutch coming into our measures; there are even
letters, that mention strongly their resolution of not
stirring-so we have Quixoted away sixteen thousand men! On
Saturday we had accounts of the Austrians having cut off two
thousand Prussians, in a retreat; but on Sunday came news of the
great victory,(584) which the latter have gained, killing six,
and taking two thousand Austrians prisoners, and that Prince
Charles is retired to Vienna wounded. This will but too much
confirm the Dutch in their apprehensions of Prussia.
As to the long letter you wrote me, in answer to a very
particular one of mine, I cannot explain myself, till I find a
safer conveyance than the post, by which, I perceive all our
letters are opened. I can only tell you, that in most things you
guessed right; and that as to myself (585) all is quiet.
I am in great concern, for you seem not satisfied with the boy we
sent you. Your brother entirely agreed with me that he was what
you seem to describe; and as to his being on the foot of a
servant, I give you my honour I repeated it over and over to his
mother. I suppose her folly was afraid of shocking him. As to
Italian, she assured me he had been learning it some time. If he
does not answer your purpose, let me know if you can dispose of
him any other way, and I will try to
accommodate you better. Your brother has this moment been here,
but there was no letter for me; at least, none that they will
deliver yet.

I know not in the least how to advise Mr. Jackson.(586) I do not
think Mr. Pelham the proper person to apply to; for the Duke of
Newcastle is as jealous of him as of any body.(587) Don't say
this to him. For Lord Hervey, though Mr. Jackson has interest
there, I would not advise him to try it, for both hate him. The
application to the Duke of Newcastle by the Most direct means, I
should think the best, or by any one that can be serviceable to
the government.

You will laugh at an odd accident that happened the other day to
my uncle:(588) they put him into the papers for Earl of
Sheffield. There have been little disputes between the two
Houses about coming into each other's House; when a lord comes
into the Commons, they call out, withdraw: that day, the
moment my uncle came in, they all roared out, Withdraw!
withdraw!

The great Mr. Nugent has been unfortunate, too, in parliament;
besides being very ill heard, from being a very indifferent
speaker, the other day on the Place Bill, (which, by the way, we
have new modelled and softened, and to which the Lords have
submitted to agree to humour Pultney,) he rose, and said, "He
would not vote, as he was not determined in his opinion; but he
would offer his sentiments; which were, particularly, that the
bishops had been the cause of this bill being thrown out before."
Winnington called him to order, desiring he would be tender of
the Church of England. You know he was a papist. In answer to
the beginning of his speech, Velters Cornwall, who is of the same
side, said, "He wondered that when that gentleman could not
convince himself by his eloquence, he
should expect to convince the majority."

Did I tell you that Lord Rochford,(589) has at last married Miss
Young?(590) I say, at last, for they don't pretend to have been
married this twelvemonth; but they were publicly married last
week. Adieu!

(582) John Strange, Esq. made Solicitor-general in 1736, and
Master of the Rolls in 1750, he died in 1754.-E.

(583) Voltaire has since made the same kind of observation in his
"Life of Louis XlV." Art of Calvinism;-"Les hommes se
piquent toujours de remplir un devoir qui les distingue."

(584) The battle of Chotusitz, or Czaslau, gained by the King of
Prussia over the very superior forces of the Austrians. This
victory occasioned the peace between the contending
powers, and the cession of Silesia to the Prussian monarchy.- D.

(585) This relates to some differences between Mr. Walpole and
his father, to which the former had alluded in one of his
letters. They never suited one another either in habits,
tastes, or opinions; in addition to which, Sir Robert appears to
have been rather a harsh father to his youngest son. If such was
the case, the latter nobly revenged himself, by his earnest
solicitude through life for the Honour of his parent's memory.-D.
[See ant`e,
p. 207, Letter 50.)

(586) He had been consul at Genoa.

(587) Sir Robert Walpole used to say of the Duke of Newcastle,
"He has a foolish head and a perfidious heart. His name is
perfidy."-E.

(588) Horace Walpole the elder@D.

(589) William Henry Zulestein Nassau, fourth Earl of Rochford.
He filled many diplomatic situations, and was also at
different times, groom of the stole and secretary of state.
He died in 1781.-D.

(590) Daughter of Edward Young, Esq. She had been maid of honour
to the Princess of Wales.

256 Letter 69
To Sir Horace Mann
Downing Street, May 26, 1742.

To-day calls itself May the 26th, as you perceive by the date;
but I am writing to you by the fireside, instead of going to
Vauxhall. if we have one warm day in seven, "we bless our stars,
and think it luxury." And yet we have as much
waterworks and fresco diversions, as if we lay ten degrees nearer
warmth. Two nights ago Ranelagh-gardens were opened at Chelsea;
the Prince, Princess, Duke, much nobility, and much mob besides,
were there. There is a vast amphitheatre, finely gilt, painted,
and illuminated, into which every body that loves eating,
drinking, staring, or crowding, is admitted for twelvepence. The
building and disposition of the gardens cost sixteen thousand
pounds. Twice a-week there are to be
ridottos, at guinea tickets, for which you are to have a
supper and music. I was there last night, but did not find the
joy of it. Vauxhall is a little better; for the garden is
pleasanter, and one goes by water. Our operas are almost
over; there were but three-and-forty people last night in the pit
and boxes. There is a little simple farce at Drury Lane, called
"Miss Lucy in Town,"(591) in which Mrs. Clive (592) mimes the
Muscovita admirably, and Beard, Amorevoli tolerably. But all the
run is now after Garrick, a wine-merchant, who is turned player,
at Goodman's-fields. He plays all parts, and is a very good
mimic. His acting I have seen, and may say to you, who will not
tell it again here, I see nothing wonderful in it.(593) but it
is heresy to say so: the Duke of Argyll says, he is superior to
Betterton. Now I talk of players, tell Mr. Chute that his friend
Bracegirdle breakfasted with me this morning. As she went out,
and wanted her clogs, she
turned to me, and said, "I remember at the playhouse, they used
to call Mrs. Oldfield's chair! Mrs. Barry's clogs! and Mrs.
Bracegirdle's pattens!"

I did, indeed, design the letter of this post for Mr. Chute; but
I have received two such charming long ones from you of the 15th
and 20th of May (N. S.), that I must answer them, and beg him to
excuse me till another post; so must the
Prince,(594) Princess, the Grifona, and Countess Galli. For the
Princess's letter, I am not sure I shall answer it so
soon, for hitherto I have not been able to read above every third
word; however, you may thank her as much as if I
understood it all. I am very happy that mes bagatelles (for I
still insist they were so) pleased. You, my dear child, are very
good to be pleased with the snuff-box.. I am much obliged to the
superior lumi`eres of old Sarasin (595) about the
Indian ink: if' she meant the black, I am sorry to say I had it
into the bargain with the rest of the Japan: for the
coloured, it is only a curiosity, because it has seldom been
brought over. I remember Sir Hans Sloane was the first who ever
had any of it, and would on no account give my mother the least
morsel of it. since that, She afterwards got a good deal of it
from China; and more has come over; but it is even less valuable
than the other, for we never could tell how to use it; however,
let it make its figure.