Books: The Letters of Horace Walpole, Volume 1

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I flatter myself that next post I shall write you a more
comfortable letter. I would not have written this, if it were
a time to admit deceit. Hope the best, and fear as little as
you would do if you were here in the danger. My best love to
the Chutes; tell them -I never knew how little I was a
Jacobite till it was almost my interest to be one. Adieu!

(900) "February 13. Talking upon this subject with Horace
Walpole, he told me confidentially, that Admiral Matthews
intercepted, last summer, a felucca in her passage from Toulon
to Genoa, on board of which were found several papers of great
consequence relating to a French invasion in concert with the
Jacobites; one of them particularly was in the style of an
invitation from several of the nobility and gentry of England
to the Pretender. These papers, he thought had not been
sufficiently looked into and were not laid before the cabinet
council until the night before the message was sent to both
Houses." Mr. P. York(,@'s Parliamentary Journal.-E.

(901) Afterwards Earl of Egmont.

(902) The Duke of Marlborough and Lord Stair had quitted the army
in disgust, after last campaign, on the King's showing such
unmeasurible preference to the Hanoverians.

361 Letter 130
To Sir Horace Mann.
Thursday, Feb. 23, 1744.

I write to you, in the greatest hurry, at eight o'clock at
night, whilst they are all at dinner round me. I am this
moment come from the House, where we have carried a great
Welsh election against Sir Watkyn Williams by 26. I fear you
have not had my last, for the packet-boat has been stopped on
the French stopping our messenger at Calais. There is no
doubt of the invasion: the young Pretender is at Calais, and
the Count de Saxe is to command the embarkation. Hitherto the
spirit of the nation is with us. Sir John Norris was to sail
yesterday to Dunkirk, to try to burn their transports; we are
in the utmost expectation of the news. The Brest squadron was
yesterday on the coast of Sussex. We have got two thousand
men from Ireland, and have sent for two more. The Dutch are
coming: Lord Stair is general. Nobody is yet taken up-God
knows why not! We have repeated news of Matthews having beaten
and sunk eight of the Toulon ships; but the French have so
stopped all communication that we don't yet know it certainly;
I hope you do. Three hundred arms have been seized in a
French merchant's house at Plymouth. Attempts have been made
to raise the clans in Scotland, but unsuccessfully.

My dear child, I write short, but it is much: and I could not
say more in ten thousand words. All is at stake we have great
hopes, but they are but hopes! I have no more time: I wait
with patience for the event, though to me it must and shall be
decisive.

361 Letter 131
To Sir Horace Mann.
March 1st, 1744.

I wish I could put you out of the pain my last letters must
have given you. I don't know whether your situation, to be at
such a distance on so great a crisis, is not more disagreeable
than ours, who are expecting every moment to hear the French
are landed. We had great ill-luck last week: Sir John Norris,
with four-and-twenty sail, came within a league of the Brest
squadron, which had but fourteen. The coasts were covered
with people to see the engagement; but at seven in the evening
the wind changed, and they escaped. There have been terrible
winds these four or five days . our fleet has not suffered
materially, but theirs less. Ours lies in the Downs; five of
theirs at Torbay-the rest at La Hague. We hope to hear that
these storms, which blew directly on Dunkirk, have done great
damage to their transports. By the fortune of the winds,
which have detained them in port, we have had time to make
preparations; if they had been ready three weeks ago. when the
Brest squadron sailed, it had all been decided. We expect the
Dutch in four or five days. Ten battalions, which make seven
thousand men, are sent for from our army in Flanders, and four
thousand from Ireland, two of which are arrived. If they
still attempt the invasion, it must be a bloody war!

The spirit of the nation has appeared extraordinarily in our
favour. I wish I could say as much for that of' the ministry.
Addresses are come from all parts, but you know how little
they are to be depended on-King James had them. The merchants
of London are most zealous: the French name will do more harm
to their cause than the Pretender's service. One remarkable
circumstance happened to Colonel Cholmondeley's regiment on
their march to London: the public-houses on all the road would
not let them pay any thing, but treated them, and said, "You
are going to defend us against the French." There are no signs
of any rising. Lord Barrymore,(903) the Pretender's general,
and Colonel Cecil, his secretary of state, are at last taken
up; the latter, who having removed his papers, had sent for
them back, thinking the danger over, is committed to the
Tower, on discoveries from them; but, alas! these discoveries
go on but lamely.(904) One may perceive who is not minister,
rather than who is. The Opposition tried to put off the
suspension of the Habeas Corpus -feebly. Vernon (905) and the
Grennvilles are the warmest: Pitt and Lyttelton went away
without voting.(906) My father has exerted himself most
amazingly - the other day, on the King's laying some
information before the House, when the ministry had determined
to make no address on it, he rose up in the greatest
agitation, and made a long and fine speech On the present
situation.(907) The Prince was so pleased with it, that he
has given him leave to go to his court, which he never would
before. He went yesterday, and was most graciously received.

Lord Stair is at last appointed general. General Oglethorpe
(908) is to have a commission for raising a regiment of
Hussars, to defend the coasts. The Swiss servants in London
have offered to form themselves into a regiment; six hundred
are already clothed and armed, but no colonel or officers
appointed. We flatter ourselves, that the divisions in the
French ministry will repair what the divisions in our own
undo.

The answer from the court of France to Mr. Thomson on the
subject of the boy (909) is most arrogant: "that when we have
given them satisfaction for the many complaints which they
have made on our infraction of treaties, then they will think
of giving us des `eclaircissements."

We have no authentic news yet from Matthews: the most credited
is a letter from Marseilles to a Jew, which says it was the
most bloody battle ever fought; that it lasted three days;
that the two first we had the worst, and the third, by a lucky
gale, totally defeated them. Sir Charles Wager always said,
"that if a sea-fight lasted three days, he was sure the
English suffered the most for the two first, for no other
nation would stand beating for two days together."

Adieu! my dear child. I have told you every circumstance I
know: I hope you receive my letters; I hope their accounts
will grow more favourable. I never found my spirits so high,
for they never were so provoked. hope the best, and believe
that, as long as I am, I shall always be yours sincerely.

P. S. My dear Chutes, I hope you will still return to your own
England.

(903) James Barry, fourth Earl of Barrymore. He died in 1747.
See ant`e, p. 269. Letter 74.

(904) "Some treasonable papers of consequence were found in
Cecil's pockets, which gave occasion to the apprehending of
Lord Barrymore. They were both concerned in the affair of
transmitting the Pretender's letter to the late Duke of
Argyle; which it was now lamented had not then undergone a
stricter examination. I observed the Tories much struck with
the news of this being secured." Mr. P. Yorke's Parl.
Journal.-E.

(905) Admiral Vernon.

(906) "Lord Barrington's motion for deferring the suspension
was thrown out by 181 against 83. Pitt and Lyttelton walked
down the House whilst Lord Barrington was speaking, and went
away; so did Mr. Crowne, though a Tory; but most of that party
voted with the Ayes. Lord Chesterfield told the chancellor
there was no opposition to this bill intended amongst the
Lords; not even a disposition to it in any body; and greatly
approved the limiting it to so short a time." Mr. P. Yorke's
Parl. journal.-E.

(907) "Lord Orford, though he had never spoken in the House of
Lords, having remarked to his brother Horatio that he had left
his tongue in the House of Commons, yet on this occasion his
eloquent voice was once more raised, beseeching their
lordships to forget their cavils and divisions, and unite in
affection round the throne. It was solely owing to him, that
the torrent of public opposition was braved and overcome."
Lord Mahon, Hist. vol. iii. p. 273.-E.

(908) General James Oglethorpe, born in 1698. His activity in
settling the colony of Georgia obtained for him the friendship
and panegyric of Pope-

"One, driven by strong benevolence of soul,
Shall fly, like Oglethorpe, from pole to pole."

He was one of the earliest patrons of Johnson's "London," on
its first appearance, and the Doctor, throughout life,
acknowledged the kind and effectual support given to that
poem. The General sat in five parliaments, and died in 1785,
at the age of eighty-seven. For a striking pen-and-ink
whole.length sketch, taken a few months before that event,
while the General was attending the sale of Dr. Johnson's
library at Christie's auction-room, see "Johnsoniana," 8vo.
edit. p. 378.-E.

(909) Charles Edward, the young Pretender. His person, at
this time, is thus described by Lord Mahon: "The Prince was
tall and well-formed; his limbs athletic and active. He
excelled in all manly exercises, and was inured to every kind
of toil, especially long marches on foot, having applied
himself to field-sports in Italy, and become an expert walker.
His face was strikingly handsome, of a perfect oval, and a
fair complexion; his eyes light blue; his features high and
noble. Contrary to the custom of the time, which prescribed
perukes, his own fair hair usually in long ringlets on his
neck. This goodly person was enhanced by his graceful
manners; frequently condescending to the most familiar
kindness, yet always shielded by a regal dignity: he had a
peculiar talent to please and to persuade, and never failed to
adapt his conversation to the taste or to the station of those
whom he addressed." Hist. vol. iii. p. 280.-E.

363 Letter 132
To Sir Horace Mann.
March 5th, 1744, eight o'clock at night.

I have but time to write you a minute-line, but it will be a
comfortable one. There is just come advice, that the great
storm on the 25th of last month, the very day the embarkation
was to have sailed from Dunkirk, destroyed twelve of their
transports, and obliged the whole number of troops, which were
fifteen thousand, to debark. You may look upon the invasion
is at an end, at least for the present; though, as every thing
is coming to a crisis, one shall not be surprised to hear of
the attempt renewed. We know nothing yet certain from
Matthews; his victory grows a great doubt.

As this must go away this instant, I cannot write more-but
what could be more? Adieu! I wish you all joy.

364 Letter 133
To Sir Horace Mann.
March 15th, 1744

I have nothing new to tell you: that great storm certainly
saved us from the invasion-then.(910) Whether it has put an
end to the design is uncertain. They say the embargo at
Dunkirk and Calais is taken off, but not a vessel of ours is
come in from thence. They have, indeed, opened again the
communication with Ypres and Nieuport, etc. but we don't yet
hear whether they have renewed their embarkation. However, we
take it for granted it is all over-from which, I suppose it
will not be over. We expect the Dutch troops every hour.
That reinforcement, and four thousand men from Ireland, will
be all the advantage we shall have made of gaining time.

At last we have got some light into our Mediterranean affair,
for there is no calling it a victory. Villettes has sent a
courier, by which it seems we sunk one great Spanish ship; the
rest escaped, and the French fled shamefully; that was, I
suppose, designedly, and artfully. We can't account for
Lestock's not coming up with his seventeen ships, and we have
no mind to like it, which will not amaze you. We flatter
ourselves that, as this was only the first day, we shall get
some more creditable history of some succeeding day.

The French are going to besiege Mons: I wish all the war may
take that turn; I don't desire to see England the theatre of
it. We talk no more of its becoming so, nor of the plot, than
of the gunpowder-treason. Party is very silent; I believe,
because the Jacobites have better hopes than from
parliamentary divisions,-those in the ministry run very high,
and, I think, near some crisis.

I have enclosed a proposal from my bookseller to the
undertaker of the Museum Florentinum, or the concerners of it,
as the paper called them; but it was expressed in such
wonderfully-battered English, that it was impossible for
Dodsley or me to be sure of the meaning of it. He is a
fashionable author, and though that is no sign of perspicuity,
I hope, more intelligible. Adieu!

(910) "The pious motto," says Mr. P. Yorke, "upon the medal
struck by Queen Elizabeth after the defeat of the Armada, may,
with as much propriety, be applied to this event-"Flavit
ventO, et dissipati sunt;' for, as Bishop Burnet somewhere
observes, 'our preservation at this juncture was one of those
providential events, for which we have much to answer."' MS.
Parl. Journal.-E.

365 Letter 134
To Sir Horace Mann.
London, March 22, 1744.

I am .sorry this letter must date the era of a
new correspondence, the topic of which must be blood!
Yesterday, came advice from Mr. Thompson,(911) that Monsieur
Amelot had sent for him and given him notice to be gone, for a
declaration of war with England was to be published in two
days. Politically, I don't think it so bad; for the very name
of war, though in effect, on foot before,, must make
our governors take more precautions; and the French declaring
it will range the people more on our side than on the
Jacobite: besides, the latter will have their communication
with France cut off. But, my dear child, what lives, what
misfortunes, must and may follow all this! As a man, I feel my
humanity more touched than my spirit-I feel myself more an
universal man than an Englishman! We have
already lost seven millions of money and thirty thousand men
in the Spanish war-and all the fruit of all this blood and
treasure is the glory of having Admiral Vernon's head on
alehouse signs! for my part, I would not purchase another Duke
of Marlborough at the expense of one life. How I should be
shocked, were I a hero, when I looked on my own laurelled head
on a medal, the reverse of which would be widows and orphans.
How many such will our patriots have made!

The embarkation at Dunkirk does not seem to go on, though, to
be sure, not laid aside. We received yesterday the
particulars of the Mediterranean engagement from Matthews. We
conclude the French squadron retired designedly, to come up to
Brest, where we every day expect to hear of them. If Matthews
does not follow them, adieu our triumphs in the Channel-and
then! Sir John Norris has desired leave to come back, as
little satisfied with the world as the world is with him. He
is certainly very unfortunate;(912) but I can't say I think he
has tried to correct his fortune. If England is ever more to
be England, this sure is the crisis to exert all her vigour.
We have all the disadvantage of Queen Elizabeth's prospect,
without one of her ministers. Four thousand Dutch are landed,
and we hope to get eight or twelve ships from them. Can we
now say, Quatuor maria vindico?"(913)

I will not talk any more politically, but turn to hymeneals,
with as much indifference as if I were a first minister. Who
do you think is going to marry Lady Sophia Fermor?(914)-only
Lord Carteret!-this very week!-a drawing-room conquest. Do
but imagine how many passions will be gratified in that
family! her own ambition, vanity, and resentment-love she
never had any; the politics, management, and pedantry of the
mother, who will think to govern her son-in-law out of
Froissart.(915) Figure the instructions she will give her
daughter! Lincoln is quite indifferent, and laughs. My Lord
Chesterfield says, "It is only another of Carteret's vigorous
measures." I am really glad of it; for her beauty and
cleverness did deserve a better fate, than she was on the
point of having determined for her for ever,. How graceful,
how charming, and how haughtily condescending she will be!
how, if Lincoln should ever hint past history, she will

"Stare upon the strange man's face,
As one she ne'er had known!"(916)

I wonder I forgot to tell you that Doddington had owned a
match of seventeen years' standing with Mrs. Behan, to whom
the one you mention is sister.

I have this moment received yours of March 10th, and thank you
much for the silver medal, which has already taken its place
in my museum.

I feel almost out of pain for your situation, as by the motion
of the fleets this way, I should think the expedition to Italy
abandoned. We and you have had great escapes, but we have
still occasion for all Providence!

I am very sorry for the young Sposa Panciatici, and wish all
the other parents joy of the increase of their families. Mr.
Whithed is en bon train; but the recruits he is raising will
scarce thrive fast enough to be of service this war. My best
loves to him and Mr. Chute. I except you three out of my want
of public spirit. The other day, when the Jacobites and
patriots were carrying every thing to ruin, and had made me
warmer than I love to be, one of them said to me, "Why don't
you love your country?" I replied, "I should love my country
exceedingly,'If it were not for my countrymen." Adieu!

(911) Chaplain to the late Lord Waldegrave; after whose death
he acted as minister at Paris, till the war, when he returned,
and was made a dean in Ireland.

(912) He was called by the seamen "Foul-weather Jack."

(913) Motto of a medal of Charles the Second.

(914) Eldest daughter of Thomas, Earl of Pomfret.

(915) lady Pomfret had translated Froissart.

(916) Verses in Congreve's Doris.

366 Letter 135
To Sir Horace Mann.
April 2, 1744.

I am afraid our correspondence will be extremely disjointed,
and the length of time before you get my letters will make you
very impatient, when all the world will be full of events; but
I flatter myself that you will hear every thing sooner than by
my letters; I mean, that whatever happens will be on the
Continent; for the danger from Dunkirk seems blown over. We
declared war on Saturday: that is all I know, for every body
has been out of town for the Easter holidays. To-morrow the
Houses meet again: the King goes, and is to make a speech.
The Dutch seem extremely in earnest, and I think we seem to
put all our strength in their preparations.

The town is persuaded that Lord Clinton (916) is gone to Paris
to make peace - he is certainly gone thither, nobody knows
why. He has gone thither every year -all his life, when he
was in the Opposition; but, to be sure, this is a very strange
time to take that journey. Lord Stafford, who came hither
just before the intended invasion, (no doubt for the defence
of the Protestant religion, especially as his father-in-law,
Bulkeley,(917), was colonel of one of the embarked regiments,)
is gone to carry his sister to be married to a Count de
Rohan,(918) and then returns, having a sign manual for leaving
his wife there.

We shall not be surprised to hear that the Electorate(919) has
got a new master; shall you? Our dear nephew of Prussia will
probably take it, to keep it safe for us.

I had written thus far on Monday, and then my lord came from
New Park: and I had no time the rest of the day to finish it.
We have made very loyal addresses to the King on his speech,
which I suppose they send you. There is not the least news,
but that my Lord Carteret's wedding has been deferred on Lady
Sophia's falling dangerously ill of a scarlet fever; but they
say it is to be next Saturday. She is to have sixteen hundred
pounds a-year jointure, four hundred pounds pin-money, and two
thousand of jewels. Carteret says, he does not intend to
marry the mother and the whole family. What do you think my
lady intends? Adieu! my dear Sir! Pray for peace.

(916) Hugh Fortescue, afterwards Earl of Clinton and Knight of
the Bath. Not long after he received that order he went into
Opposition, and left off his riband and star for one day, but
thought better of it, and put them on the next. He was created
Lord Fortescue and Earl of Clinton in 1746, and died in 1751.)

(917) Mr. Bulkeley, an Irish Roman Catholic, married the widow
Cantillon, mother of the Countess of Stafford. He rose high
in the French army, and had the cordon bleu: his
sister was second wife of the first Duke of Berwick.

(918)Afterwards Duke of Rohan Chabot.-D.

(919) Of Hanover.-D.

367 Letter 136
To Sir Horace Mann.
London, April 15, 1744.

I could tell you a great deal of news, but it would not be
what you would expect. It is not of battles, sieges, and
declarations of war; nor of invasions, insurrections, and
addresses. It is the god of love, not he of war, who reigns
in the newspapers. The town has made up a list of six and
thirty weddings, which I shall not catalogue to you; for you
would know, them no more than you do Antilochum, fortemque
Gyan, fortemque Cloanthum.

But the chief entertainment has been the nuptials of our great
Quixote and the fair Sophia. On the point of matrimony she
fell ill of a scarlet fever, and was given over, while he had
the gout, but heroically sent her word, that if she was well,
he would be so. They corresponded every day, and he used to
plague the cabinet council with reading her letters to them.
Last night they were married; and as all he does must have a
particular air in it, they supped at Lord Pomfret's: at
twelve, Lady Granville, his mother, and all his family went to
bed, but the porter: then my lord went home, and waited for
her in the lodge: she came alone in a hackney-chair, met him
in the hall, and was led up the back stairs to bed. What is
ridiculously lucky is, that Lord Lincoln goes into waiting,
to-day, and will be to present her! On Tuesday she stands
godmother with the King to Lady Dysart's(920) child, her new
grand-daughter. I am impatient to see the whole m`enage; it
will be admirable. There is a wild young Venetian
ambassadress(921) come, who is reckoned very pretty. I don't
think so; she is foolish and childish to a degree. She said,
"Lord! the old secretary is going to be married!" hey told
her he was but fifty-four. "But fifty-four! why," said she,
"my husband is but two-and-forty, and I think him the oldest
man in the world." Did I tell you that Lord Holderness(922)
goes to Venice with the compliments of accommodation, and
leaves Sir James Grey resident there?

The invasion from Dunkirk seems laid aside. We talk little of
our fleets - Sir John Norris has resigned -. Lestock is coming
home, and sent before him great complaints of Matthews; so
that affair must be cleared up. the King talks much of going
abroad, which will not be very prudent. The campaign is not
opened yet, but I suppose will disclose at once with great
`eclat in several quarters.

I this instant receive your letter of March 31st, with the
simple Demetrius, for which, however, I thank you. I hope by
this time you have received all my letters, and are at peace
about the invasion; which we think so much over, that the
Opposition are now breaking out about the Dutch troops, and
call it the worst measure ever taken. Those terms so
generally dealt to every measure successively, will at least
soften the Hanoverian history.

Adieu! I have nothing more to tell you: I flatter myself you
content yourself with news; I cannot write sentences nor
sentiments. My best love to the Chutes, and now and then let
my friends the Prince and Princess and Florentines know that I
shall never forget their goodness to me. What is become of
Prince Beauvau?

(920) Lady Grace Carteret, eldest daughter of Lord Carteret.
She was married in 1729 to Lionel Tollemache, third Earl of
Dysart; by whom she had fifteen children.-E.

(921) Wife of Signor Capello.

(922) Robert Darcy, Earl of Holderness, ambassador at Venice
and the Hague, and afterwards secretary of state.

369 Letter 137
To Sir Horace Mann.
London, May 8, 1744.

I begin to breathe a little at ease; we have done with the
Parliament for this year: it rises on Saturday. We have had
but one material day lately, last Thursday. The Opposition
had brought in a bill to make it treason to correspond with
the young Pretenders:(923) the Lords added a clause, after a
long debate, to make it a forfeiture of estates, as it is for
dealing with the father. We sat till one in the morning, and
then carried it by 255 to 106. It was the best debate I ever
heard.(924) The King goes to Kensington to-morrow, and not
abroad. We hear of great quarrels between Marshal Wade and
Duc d'Aremberg. The French King is at Valenciennes with
Monsieur de Noailles, who is now looked upon as first
minister. He is the least dangerous for us of all. It is
affirmed that Cardinal Tencin is disgraced, who was the very
worst for us. If he is, we shall at least have no invasion
this summer. Successors of ministers seldom take up the
schemes of their predecessors; especially such as by failing
caused their ruin, which, I believe, was Tencin's case at
Dunkirk.