Books: The Letters of Horace Walpole, Volume 2

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The little that I believe you would care to know relating to
the Strawberry annals, is, that the great tower is finished on
the outside, and the whole whitened, and has a charming effect,
especially as the verdure of this year is beyond what I have
ever seen it: the grove nearest the house comes on much; you
know I had almost despaired of its ever making a figure. The
bow-window room over the supper-parlour is finished; hung with
a plain blue paper, with a chintz bed and chairs; my father and
mother over the chimney in the Gibbons frame, about which you
know we were in dispute what to do. I have fixed on black and
gold, and it has a charming effect over your chimney with the
two dropping points, which is executed exactly; and the old
grate of Henry VIII. which you bought, is within it. In each
panel around the room is a single picture; Gray's, Sir Charles
Williams's, and yours, in their black and gold frames; mine is
to match yours; and, on each side the doors, are the pictures
of Mr. Churchill and Lady Mary, with their son, on one side,
Mr. Conway and Lady Ailesbury on the other. You can't imagine
how new and pretty this furniture is.-I believe I must get you
to send me an attestation under your hand that you knew nothing
of it, that Mr. Rigby may allow that at least this one room was
by my own direction. - AS the library and great parlour grow
finished, you shall have exact notice.

>From Mabland(481) I have little news to send you, but that the
obelisk is danced from the middle of the rabbit-warren into his
neighbour's garden, and he pays a ground-rent for looking at it
there. His shrubs are hitherto unmolested, Et
MaryboniaCoS(482) gaudet revirescere lucos!

The town is as busy again as ever on the affair of Canning, who
has been tried for perjury. The jury would have brought her in
guilty of perjury, but not wilful, till the judge informed them
that that would rather be an Irish verdict: they then brought
her in simply guilty, but recommended her. In short, nothing
is discovered: the most general opinion is, that she was
robbed, but by some other gipsy. For my own part, I am not at
all brought to believe her story, nor shall, till I hear that
living seven-and-twenty days without eating is among @ one of
those secrets for doing impossibilities, which I suppose will
be at last found out, and about the time that I am dead, even
some art of living for ever.

You was in pain for me, and indeed I was in pain for myself, on
the prospect of the sale of Dr. Mead's miniatures. You may be
easy; it is more than I am quite; for it is come out that the
late Prince of Wales had bought them every one.

I have not yet had time to have your granite examined, but will
next week. If you have not noticed to your sisters any present
of Ormer shells, I shall contradict myself, and accept them for
my Lady Lyttelton,(483) who is making a grotto. As many as you
can send conveniently, and any thing for the same use, will be
very acceptable. You will laugh when I tell you, that I am
employed to reconcile Sir George and Moore;(484) the latter has
been very flippant, say impertinent, on the former's giving a
little place to Bower, in preference to him. Think of my being
the mediator!

The Parliament is to meet for a few days the end of this month,
to give perfection to the Regency-bill. If the King dies
before the end of this month, the old Parliament revives, which
would make tolerable confusion, considering what sums have been
laid out on seats in this. Adieu! This letter did not come
kindly; I reckon it rather extorted from me, and therefore hope
it will not amuse. However, I am in tolerable charity with
you, and yours ever.

(481) A cant name which Mr. Walpole had given to Lord Radnor's
whimsical house and grounds at Twickenham.

(482) Lord Radnor's garden was full of statues, etc. like that
at Marylebone. (gray, in a letter to Wharton, of the 13th of
August in this year says, "By all means see Lord Radnor's place
again. He is a simple old Phobus, but nothing can spoil so
glorious a situation, which surpasses every thing round it."
Works, vol. iii. p. 119.-E).

(483) Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Robert Rich, Bart. was the
second wife of George Lord Lyttelton. She was separated from
her husband and survived him many years.-E.

(484) Author of The World, and some plays and poems. Moore had
written in defence of lord Lyttelton against the Letters to the
Whigs; which were not known to be Walpole's.

209 Letter 101
To George Montagu, Esq.
Arlington Street, May 21, 1754.

I did not intend to write to you till after Thursday, when all
your Boscawens, Rices, and Trevors(485) are to dine at
Strawberry Hill; but an event has happened, of which I cannot
delay giving you the instant pleasurable notice: now will you,
according to your custom, be guessing, and, according to your
custom, guessing wrong; but lest you should from my spirits
make any undutiful or disloyal conjectures for me, know, that
the great C`eu(486) of the Vine is dead, and that John the
first was yesterday proclaimed undoubted Monarch. Nay,
champion Dimmock himself shall cut the throat of any Tracy,
Atkins, or Harrison, who shall dare to gainsay the legality of
his title. In' short, there is no more will than was left by
the late Erasmus Shorter of particular memory. I consulted
Madame Rice, and she advised my directing to you at Mrs.
Whettenhall's; to whom I beg as many compliments as if she
wrote herself "La blanche Whitnell." As many to your sister
Harriot and to your brother, who I hear is with you. I am
sure, though both you and I had reason to be peevish with the
poor tigress, that you grieve with me for her death. I do most
sincerely, and for her Bessy: the man-tiger will be so sorry,
that I am sure he will marry again to comfort himself. I am so
tired with letters I have written on this event, that I can
scarce hold the pen. How we shall wish for you on Thursday-and
shan't you be proud to cock your tail at the Vine? Adieu!

(485) The daughters of Mr. Montagu's uncle, John Morley Trevor,
of Glynd in Sussex; Anne, married to General Boscawen; Lucy,
married to Edward Rice, Esq.; and Miss Grace Trevor, who was
living at Bath in 1792.-E.

(486) Anthony Chute, Esq. of the Vine, Hants; who had been
member for Newport, Hants.-E.

210 Letter 102
To Sir Horace Mann.
Strawberry Hill, May 23, 1754.

Pray continue your M`emoires of the war of the Delmontis;(487)
I have received two tomes, and am delighted with them. The
French and Irish Parliaments proceed so heavily, that one
cannot expect to live to the setting up the first standard; and
it is so long since the world has furnished any brisk event,
that I am charmed with this little military entremets. My Lady
Orford will certainly wish herself at Florence again on the
behalf of her old friend:(488) I always wish myself there; and,
according to custom, she and I should not be of the same party:
I cannot help wishing well to the rebellious. You ask, whether
this Countess can deprive her son of her estate?-by no means,
but by another child, which, at her age, and after the variety
of experiments which she has made in all countries, I cannot
think very likely to happen. I sometimes think her succession
not very distant: she is very asthmatic. Her life is as
retired as ever, and passed entirely with her husband, who
seems a martyr to his former fame, and is a slave to her
jealousy. She has given up nothing to him, and pays such
attention to her affairs, that she will soon be vastly rich.
But I won't be talking of her wealth, when the chief purpose of
my writing to-night is, to announce the unexpected riches and
good fortune of our dear Mr. Chute, I say our dear Mr. Chute,
for though you have not reason to be content with him, yet I
know your unchangeable heart-and I know he is so good, that if
you will take this occasion to write him a line of joy, I am
persuaded it will raccommode every thing; and though he will be
far from proving a regular correspondent, we shall all have
satisfaction in the re-establishment of the harmony.-In short,
that tartar his brother is dead: and having made no will, the
whole, and a very considerable whole, falls to our friend.
This good event happened but three days ago, and I wait with
the utmost impatience for his return from the Vine, where he
was at the critical instant. As the whole was in the tyrant's
power, and as every art had been used to turn the vinegar of
his temper against his brother, I had for some time lived
persuaded that he would execute the worst purposes-but let us
forgive him!

I like to see in the Gazette that Goldsworthy(489) is going to
be removed far from Florence: his sting has long been out-and
yet I cannot help feeling glad that even the shadow of a
competitor is removed from you.

We are going to have a week of Parliament-not to taste the new
one, of which there is no doubt, but to give it essence: by the
Regency-bill, if the King had died before it had sat, the old
one must have revived.

There is nothing else in the shape of news but small-pox and
miliary fevers, which have carried off people you did not know.
If I had not been eager to notify Mr. Chute's prosperity to
you, I think I must have deferred writing for a week or two
longer: it is unpleasant to be inventing a letter to send so
far, and must be disappointing when it comes from so far, and
brings so little. Adieu!

(487) This alludes to the proceedings of a mad prior of the
family of the Marchese Delmonti; who, with a party of ruffians,
had seized upon a strong castle called Monta di Santa Maria,
belonging to his brother the Marchese, and situated near
Cortona. From whence he and his band ravaged the neighbouring
country; and it was only with great difficulty that the troops
of the Grand Duke of Tuscany succeeded in dislodging them-D.

(488) Marquis del Monti.

(489) Consul to Lisbon.

211 Letter 103
To Sir Horace Mann.
Arlington Street, June 5, 1754.

Though I wrote to you but a few days ago, when I told you of
Mr. Chute's good fortune, I must send you a few lines to-night
upon a particular occasion. Mr. Brand,(490) a very intimate
friend of mine, whom I believe you have formerly seen in Italy,
is just set out for Germany on his way to Rome. I know by long
and uninterrupted experience, that my barely saying he is my
friend, will secure for him the kindest reception in the world
from you: it would not express my conviction, if I said a word
more on that head. His story is very melancholy: about six or
seven years ago he married Lady Caroline Pierpoint,(491)
half-sister of Lady Mary Wortley;(492) a match quite of esteem,
she was rather older than he; but never were two people more
completely, more reasonably happy. He is naturally all
cheerfulness and laughter; she was very reserved, but quite
sensible and faultless. She died about this time twelvemonth
of a fever, and left him, with two little children, the most
unhappy man alive. He travels again to dissipate his grief:
you will love him much, if he stays any time with you. His
connexions are entirely with the Duke of Bedford.

I have had another letter from you to-day, with a farther
journal of the Delmonti war, which the rebels seem to be
leaving to the Pope to finish for them. It diverted me
extremely. had I received this letter before Mr. Brand set
out, I would have sent you the whole narrative of the affair of
Lord Orford and Miss -Nicholl; it is a little volume. The
breach, though now by time silenced, was, I assure you, final.

We have had a spurt of Parliament for five days, but it was
prorogued to-day. The next will be a terrible session from
elections and petitions. The Oxfordshire(493) will be endless;
the Appleby outrageous in expense. The former is a revival of
downright Whiggism and Jacobitism,, two liveries that have been
lately worn indiscriminately by all factions. The latter is a
contest between two young Croesus's, Lord Thanet(494) and Sir
James Lowther:(495) that a convert; this an hereditary Whig. A
knowing lawyer said, to-day, that with purchasing tenures,
votes, and carrying on the election and petition,
five-and-fifty thousand pounds will not pay the whole expense--
it makes one start! Good night! you must excuse the
nothingness of a supernumerary letter.

(490) Thomas Brand, of the Hoo, in Hertfordshire.

(491) Daughter of Evelyn, Duke of Kingston, by his second wife.

(492) Lady Mary, in a letter to her daughter, of the 23d of
July, 1753, says, "The death of Lady Carolina naturally raises
the mortifying reflection, on how slender a thread hangs all
worldly prosperity! I cannot say I am otherwise much touched
with it. It is true she was my sister, as it were, and in some
sense; but her behaviour to me never gave me any love, nor her
general conduct any esteem."-E.

(493) This was the great Oxfordshire contest between the
Jacobites and the Whigs. The candidates of the former party
were Viscount Wenman and Sir Edward Turner, Bart. those of the
latter, Viscount Parker, eldest son of the Earl of
Macclesfield, and Sir James Dashwood, Bart. Great sums were
spent on both sides: in the election the Jacobites carried it;
but on petition to the House of Commons, the ministers, as
usual, seated their own friends.-D.

(494) Sackville Tufton, eighth Earl of Thanet.-D.

(495) Sir James Lowther had succeeded his collateral relation,
Henry, third Viscount Lonsdale, in his vast estates. He became
afterwards remarkable for his eccentricities, and we fear, we
must add, for his tyranny and cruelty. Mr. Pitt created him
Earl of Lonsdale, in the year 1784. He died in 1802.-D. [In
1782, he offered to build, and Completely furnish and man, a
ship of war of seventy guns for the service of the country at
his own expense; but the proposal, though sanctioned by the
King, was rendered unnecessary to be carried into execution by
the peace.]

212 Letter 104
To George Montagu, Esq.
Strawberry Hill, Saturday, June 8, 1754.

By my computation you are about returned to Greatworth: I was
so afraid of my letters missing you on the road, that I
deferred till now telling you how much pleasure I shall have in
seeing you and the Colonel at Strawberry. I have long been
mortified that for these three years you have seen it only in
winter: it is now in the height of its greenth, blueth,
gloomth, honey-suckle and seringahood. I have no engagement
till Wednesday se'nnight, when I am obliged to be in town on
law business. You will have this to-morrow night; if I receive
a letter, which I beg you will direct to London, on Tuesday or
Wednesday, I will meet you here whatever day you will be so
good as to appoint. I thank the Colonel a thousand times. I
cannot write a word more; for I am getting into the chaise to
whisk to the Vine for two days, but shall be in town on Tuesday
night. Adieu!

213 Letter 105
To George Montagu, Esq.
Strawberry Hill, June 29, 1754.

I shall take care to send your letter the first time I write to
Mr. Bentley. It is above a fortnight since I heard from him.
I am much disappointed at not having seen you yet; I love you
should execute your intentions while you intend them, because
you are a little apt to alter your mind, and as I have set mine
on your seeing Strawberry Hill this summer, while it is in its
beauty, you will really mortify me by changing your purpose.

It is in vain that you ask for news: I was in town two days
ago, but heard nothing; indeed there were not people enough to
cause or make news. Lady Caroline Petersham had scraped
together a few foreigners, after her christening; but I cannot
say that the party was much livelier than if it had met at
Madame Montandre's.(496) You must let me know a little
beforehand when you have fixed your time for coming, because,
as I am towards flying about on my summer expeditions, I should
be unhappy not to be here just when you would like it. Adieu!

P. S. I supped at White's the other night with the great C`u,
and he was by far more gracious, both on your topic and my own,
than ever I knew him.

(496) Widow of Francis de la Rochefaucauld, Marquis de
Montandre, who came to England with William the Third, and
served in all the wars of that monarch, and of Queen Anne. He
was made a marshal in July 1739, and died in the following
August.-E.

213 Letter 106
To Sir Horace Mann.
Strawberry Hill, July 5, 1754.

I believe you never receive a letter from me at this season of
the year, without wishing for winter, that I might have
something to tell you. Warm weather in England disperses all
the world, except a few old folks, whose day of events is past,
and who contribute nothing to the society of news. There is a
court indeed as near as Kensington, but where the monarch is
old, the courtiers are seldom young: they sun themselves in a
window like flies in autumn, past even buzzing, and to be swept
away in the first hurricane of a new reign. However, as little
novelty as the season or the times produce, there is an
adventuress in the world, who even in the dullest times will
take care not to let conversation stagnate: this
public-spirited dame is no other than a Countess-dowager, my
sister-in-law, who has just notified to the town her intention
of parting from her second husband-a step which, being in
general not likely to occasion much surprise,-she had, however,
taken care to render extraordinary, by a course of inseparable
fondness and wonderful jealousy, for the three years since
these her second nuptials. The testimonials which Mr. Shirley
had received in print from that living academy of love-lore, my
Lady Vane, added to this excessive tenderness of one, little
less a novice, convinced every body that he was a perfect hero.
You will pity poor Hercules! Omphale, by a most unsentimental
precaution, has so secured to her own disposal her whole estate
and jointure, that he cannot command so much as a distaff; and
as she is not inclined to pay much for nothing, her offers on
the article of separation are exceedingly moderate. As yet he
has not accepted them, but is gone to Scarborough, and she into
the west, to settle her affairs, and from thence embarks for
France and Italy. I am sorry she will plague you again at
Florence; but I shall like to hear of what materials she
composes her second volume, and what reasons she will allege in
her new manifestoes: her mother, who sold her, is dead; the
all-powerful minister, who bought her, is dead! whom will she
charge with dragging her. to the bed of this second tyrant,
from whom she has been forced to fly--On her son's account, I
am really sorry for this second `equip`ee: I can't even help
pitying her! at her age nobody can take such steps, without
being sensible of their ridicule, and what snakes must such
passions be, as can hurry one over such reflections? Her
original story was certainly very unhappy; and the forcing so
very young a creature against her inclinations, unjustifiable:
but I much question whether any choice of her own could have
tied down her inclinations to -any temper--at least, I am sure
she had pitched upon a Hercules then, who of all men living was
the least proper to encounter such labours, my Lord
Chesterfield!

I have sent your letter to Mr. Chute, who is at his own Vine;
he had written to you of his own accord, and I trust your
friendship will be re-established as strongly as ever,
especially as there was no essential fault on either side, and
as you will now be prepared not to mind his aversion to
writing. Thank Dr. Cocchi for the book(497) he is so good as
to intend for me; I value any thing from him, though I scarce
understand any thing less than Greek and physic; the little I
knew of the first I have almost forgot, and the other, thank
God! I never had any occasion to know. I shall duly deliver
the other copies.

The French are encroaching extremely upon us in all the distant
parts of the world, especially in Virginia, from whence their
attempts occasion great uneasiness here. For my own part, I
think we are very lucky, when they will be so good as to begin
with us at the farther end. The revocation of the Parliament
of Paris, which is done or doing, is thought very bad for us: I
don't know but it may: in any other time I should have thought
not, as it is a concession or yielding from the throne, and
would naturally spirit up the Parliament to struggle on for
power; but no other age is a precedent for this. As no
oppression would, I believe, have driven them into rebellion,
no concession will tempt them to be more assuming. The King of
France will govern his Parliament by temporizing; the
Parliament of Ireland is governed by being treated like a
French one. Adieu!

(497) An edition of some of the Greek physicians.

215 Letter 107
To The Hon. H. S. Conway.
Strawberry Hill, Saturday, July 6, 1754.

Your letter certainly stopped to drink somewhere by the way, I
suppose with the hearty hostess at the Windmill; for, though
written on Wednesday, it arrived here but this morning: it
could not have travelled more deliberately in the Speaker's
body-coach. I am concerned, because, your fishmonger not being
arrived, I fear you have stayed for my answer. The fish(498)
are apprised that they are to ride over to Park-place, and are
ready booted and spurred; and the moment their pad arrives,
they shall set forth. I would accompany them on a pillion if I
were not waiting for Lady Mary,(499) who has desired to bring a
poor sick girl here for a few days to try the air. You know
how courteous a knight I am to distressed virgins of five years
old, and that my castle-gates are always open to them. You
will, I am sure, accept this excuse for some days: and as soon
as ever my hospitality is completed, I will be ready to obey
your summons, though you should send a water-pot for me. I am
in no fear of not finding you in perfect verdure; for the sun,
I believe, is gone a great way off to some races or other,
where his horses are to run for the King's plate: we have not
heard of him in this neighbourhood. Adieu!

(497) Gold fish.

(499) Lady Mary Churchill.

215 Letter 108
To Sir Richard Bentley, Esq.
Strawberry Hill, July 9, 1754.

I only write a letter for company to the enclosed one. Mr.
Chute is returned from the Vine, and gives you a thousand
thanks for your letter; and if ever he writes, I don't doubt
but it will be to you. Gray and he come hither to-morrow, and
I am promised Montagu and the Colonel(500) in about a
fortnight--How naturally my pen adds, but when does Mr. Bentley
come! I am sure Mr. Wicks wants to ask me the same question
every day--"Speak to it, Horatio!" Sir Charles Williams
brought his eldest daughter hither last week: she is one of
your real admirers, and, without its being proposed to her,
went on the bowling-green, and drew a perspective view of the
castle from the angle, in a manner to deserve the thanks of the
Committee.(501) She is to be married to my Lord Essex in a
Week,(502) and I begged she would make you overseer of the
works at Cashiobury. Sir Charles told me, that on the Duke of
Bedford's wanting a Chinese house at Woburn, he said, "Why
don't your grace speak to mr. Walpole? He has the prettiest
plan in the world for one." --"Oh," replied the Duke, "but
then it would be too dear!" I hope this was a very great
economy, or I am sure ours would be very great extravagance:
only think of a plan for little Strawberry giving the alarm to
thirty thousand pounds a year! My dear sir, it is time to
retrench! Pray send me 'a slice of granite(503) no bigger than
a Naples biscuit.

The monument to my mother is at last erected; it puts me in
mind of the manner of interring the Kings of France: when the
reigning one dies, the last before him is buried. Will you
believe that I have not yet seen the tomb? None of my
acquaintance were in town, and I literally had not courage to
venture alone among the Westminster-boys at the Abbey: they are
as formidable to me as the ship-carpenters at Portsmouth. I
think I have showed you the inscription, and therefore I don't
send it yet].

I was reading t'other day the Life of Colonel Codrington,(504)
who founded the library at All Souls - he left a large estate
for the propagation of the Gospel, and ordered that three
hundred negroes should constantly be constantly employed upon
it. Did one ever hear a more truly Christian charity, than
keeping a perpetuity of three hundred slaves to look after the
Gospel's estate? How could one intend a religious legacy, and
miss the disposition of that estate for delivering three
hundred negroes from the most shocking slavery imaginable?
Must devotion be twisted into the unfeeling interests of trade?
I must revenge myself for the horror this fact has given me,
and tell you a story of Gideon.(505) He breeds his children
Christians: he had a mind to know what proficience his son had
made in his new religion; "So," says he, "I began, and asked
him, who made him; He said 'God.' I then asked him, who
redeemed him? He replied very readily, 'Christ.' Well, then I
was at the end of my interrogatories, and did not know what
other question to put to him. I said, Who--who--I did not know
what to say; at last I said, Who gave you that hat? 'The Holy
Ghost,' said the boy." Did you ever hear a better catechism?
The great cry against Nugent at Bristol was for having voted
for the Jew-bill: one old woman said, "What, must we be
represented by a Jew and an Irishman?" He replied with great
quickness, "My good dame, if you will step aside with me into a
corner, I will show you that I am not a Jew, and that I am an
Irishman."