Introduction

follow in alphabetical order. The quotations are from the Cunningham edition and for purposes of reference, the number of the Letter as it appears in that edition, the person to whom it was addressed, and the date are shown in the margin in each case. Care has been taken to avoid repetitions as many of the excerpts, very naturally, embrace more than one person. The whole is done primarily for my own pleasure and entertainment and it is not likely that this book done by my own hand throughout will ever be duplicated. It's merit will be due almost entirely to the fact that the edition is limited to one copy.

W.R.G.

X

Horace Walpole

present Secretaries of State, but foresaw it possible that, if one of them should die, his successor might be the most dissolute and abandoned sad dog in the Kingdom. There sat Sandwich under the gallery, while the whole House applied the picture to him! Not a word was offered in his defence. You will ask if he was thunder struck? Yes, say those who were near him. Yet, so well did he recover the blow that at three in the morning, he commenced an intirique with a coffee girl who attends in the Speakers chambers.

981
Earl of Beresford
May 12, 1765

Barré, who will very soon be our first orator, especially as some are a little afraid to dispute with him, attacked it [the Bill of Rezeney] admirably.

1020
Sir Horace Mann
Nov 13, 1765

Colonel Barré arrived last night but had sent a ref-
usal before him to England of the place of Irish Vice-Treas-
urer. I dined where he did to-day, and thought he was 2
not quite so determined as he had imagined. I never was;
in a room with him before; his style is vulgar, but that
did not surprise me.

2432
Countess of Ossory
Dec 15, 1767

You shall not lose a very good-humored story,
of Lord North. Colonel Barré made him a visit,
lately. Lord North said, — "Colonel Barrie, nobody
will suspect us of insincerity, if we say that we should
always be overjoyed to see each other. [Lord North
had been totally blind for a number of years, while
Colonel Barré was blind of one eye and the other
was far from strong.]

Horace Walpole

nor care a straw about Sir John Mordaunt, but as it is
known that you differed with him, it will do you the great-
est honor to vindicate him instead of disculpating yourself.
My most earnest desire always is, to have your character
continue as amiable and respectable as possible.

536
Sir Horace Mann
Jan. 11. 1758

You express so much tenderness and concern for Mr. Conway and me in your letter of Dec. 17th, which I received two days ago, that I am impatient and happy to tell you, that after keeping the report of the court-martial a week, the King yesterday approved the sentence, which is a full acquittal of Sir John Mordaunt, and was unanimous. If the commander-in-chief is so fully cleared, what must the subordinate generals be?

1972
Rev. W. Mason
Nov. 1. 1780

Sir John Mordaunt's red ribbon is to be given to
Rodney, and not to Lord Cornwallis - I suppose because
not crimson enough for him. [Evidently Sir John had
died shortly before this.]

140

Horace Walpole

St. Aubyn, Sr John; (1696-1744) was of Clowance in Cornwall, third baron of that family. Yesterday, in a most full house, Lord Limerick (who last year seconded the famous motion - for removing Sir Robert Walpole) moved for a committee to examine into the conduct of the last twenty years, and was seconded by Sir John St Aubin. In short, (for I have not time to tell you the debate at length,) we divided, between eight and nine, when there was not a man of our party that did not expect to lose it by at least fifteen or twenty, but to our great amazement, and, their as great confusion, we threw out the motion by a majority of 244 to 242. Was there ever a more surprising event? a dissipated minister, by his personal interest to have a majority to defend him even from inquiry! What was ridiculous, the very man who seconded the motion happened to be shut out at the division; but there was one on our side shut out too.

65
Sir Horace Mann
March 19, 1742

I promised you in my last letter to send you the event of yesterday. It was not such as you would wish, for on the division, at nine o'clock at night, we lost it by 242 to 245. We had three people shut out so that a majority of three is so small that it is scarce doubted but that on Friday, when we ballot for the twenty one to form the committee, we shall carry a list composed of our people so that then it will be better that we lost it yesterday, as they never can trouble my Lord Orford more, when the Secret Committee consists of his own friends. The motion was made and seconded by the same people as before [Lord Limerick and Sir John St Aubyn].

67
Sir Horace Mann
March 24, 1742

173

Horace Walpole

Sleevens George; (1736-1800)
the celebrated Shakespearean scholar.
Mr Steevens, I hear, has been allowed to ransack Mrs
Hogarth's house for obsolete and unfinished plates, which are:
to be completed and published. Though she was not pleased
with my accord of her husband, and seems by these trans-
actions to have encouraged the second, I assure you I have much
more reason to be satisfied than she has, the editor or editors being
much civiller to living me than to dead Hogarth - yet I should
not have complained. Everybody has the same right to speak
their sentiments. I say, in general I have gentler treatment than
Expected, and I think the world and I part good friends.
I more willingly assure you that I shall like to see
Mr Steevens, and to show him Strawberry. You never sent me
a person you commended, that I did not find deserved it.
I have seen Mr Steevens..... I wish you had told me
it was the editor of Shakespeare, for, on his mentioning Dr.
Farmer, I launched out and said, he was by much the most
 rational of Shakespeare's commentators, and had siven the only
 sensible account of the authors our great poet had consulted.
I really meant those who wrote before Dr Farmer; Mr Steevens
seemed a little surprised, which made me discover the blunder
I had made, for which I was very sorry, though I had meant
nothing by it; however, do not mention it. I hope he has too much
sense to take it ill, as he must have seen I had no intention of
offending him; on the contrary, that my whole behavior marked

2045
Rev. William Cole
June 16/1781

2103
Rev. William Cole
Dec. 20/1781

2111
Rev. William Cole
Jan. 27/1782

176

Horace Walpole

a desire of being civil to him as your friend, in which light
only you have named him to me. Pray take no notice of it,
though I could not help mentioning it as it lies on my conscience
to have been even undesignedly and indirectly unpolite to any
body you recommend. I should not I trust, have been so
unintentionally to anybody, nor with intention, unless provoked
to it by great folly or dirtiness. Adieu!

I was so impatient to peruse all the literary stores you
sent me, dear Sir, that I stayed at home on purpose to give up,
a whole evening to them. I have done through all your own
manuscript, which Ienvy Mr Goush his specimen, and the
four letters to you from the latter and Mr Steevens. I am glad
they were both satisfied with my reception. In truth you know
I am neither formal nor austere, nor have any grave aversion
to our antiquaries, though I do now and then divert myself,
with their solemnly about arrant trifles; yet perhaps we
owe much to their thinking those trifles of importance, or the
Lord knows how they would have patience to investigate
them so indefinitely. Mr Steevens seemed pleasant, but
I doubt I shall never be demure enough to conciliate Mr
Goush. Then I have a wicked quality in an antiquary,
nay, one that annihilates the essence; that is, I cannot
bring myself to a habit of minute accuracy about very
indifferent points.

2118
Rev. William Cole
Feb 15/1782

177

["Horace Walpole", "Talbot Lord, The R.N. on William-2nd\nson of Charles, whom he succeeded 1736-7.\nOld Nusent came fuddled to the Opera last\nweek and jostled an ancient Lord Irwin, and then called\nhim fool for being in his way; they were going to fish;\nbut my Lord Talbot, professing he did not care if they\nwere both hanged, advised them to go back and not expose\nthemselves.", "159\nNon N.S. Conway\nMarch 4/1756", "You have heard, I suppose, a horrid story, ... of Lord\nTerrers murdering his steward in the most barbarous and-\ndeliberate manner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Horace Walpole

816
Sir Horace Mann
Sept 26/1762

Somebody said to other day, "Vet sure the Duke of
Newcastle does not want parts;" — "No," replied Lord Galbot,
"for he has done without them for forty years."

1171
Geo Montagu Else
March 26/1769

I bes your pardon; I promised to send you news, and I
had quite forgot that we have had a rebellion; at least the Duke
of Bedford says so. Six or eight hundred merchants English,
Dutch, Jews, Gentiles, had been entreated to protect the Protestant
succession and consented. They set out on Wednesday noon in
their coaches and chariots, chariots not armed with scythes like our
Gothic ancestors. At Temple bar they met several regiments of foot
dreadfully armed with mud, who discharged a steed of dirt on the
loyal troop. Minerva who had forgotten her dreadful Eois, and
who, in the shape of M[+][h]oehm, carried the Address was forced
to take shelter in Nando's coffee-house being more afraid of a
Duchorse than ever Venus was of Diomed; in short it was a
dismal day; and if Lord Galbot had not recollected the patriot
feats of his youth, and recommenced bruiser, I don't know but
the Duchess of Kingston, who has so long preserved her modesty,
from both of her husbands, might not have been ravished in the
Drawing-room.

Horace Walpole

Townshend, Charles; (1725-1767)...
2nd son of Charles 3rd Viscount Townshend; an
English politician; introduced into Parliament the bill for taxing
tea and which ultimately caused the loss of the American colonies.

288
Geo. Montagu, 4th
May 18, 1749

I must tell you a good story of Charles Townshend; you know his political propensity and importance; his brother George was at supper at the King's Arms with some more young men. The conversation somehow or other rambled into politics, and it was slated that the national debt was a benefit. I am sure it is not, said Mr Townshend; "I can't tell why, but my brother Charles can and I will send to him for arguments." Charles was at supper at another tavern, but so much the dupe of this message, that he literally called for ink and paper, wrote four long sides of arguments, and sent word that, when his company broke up, he would come and give them more, which he did at one o'clock in the morning.

361
Geo. Montagu, 4th
May 22, 1753

We have had two days in the House of Commons, that had something of the air of Parliament; there has been a Marriage bill, invented by my Lord Bath, and cooked up by the Chancellor, which was warmly opposed by the Duke of Bedford in the Lords, and with us by a Fox and Duzenl; the latter made an admirable speech last week against it, and Charles Townshend another very good one yesterday, when we sat till near ten o'clock, but were beat, we minority, by 165 to 84.

423
Richard Bentley, 4th
July 17, 1755

Charles Townshend marries the real dowager Dalkeith; his parts and presumption are prodigious. He wanted nothing but independence to let him loose; I propose great entertainment from him; and now perhaps, the times will admit it.

182

Horace Walpole

Maldegrave, The Rt. Hon. James Lord and Baron of Chewton (1685-1741).

Vol 1, page 130

[Lord] Maldegrave's mother was the natural daughter of King James II - Walpole. James, first Earl Maldegrave, appointed ambassador to the Court of France in 1730; died in 1741 - DOVER.]

62
Sir Horace Mann
Feb 18/1741-2

During the recess, they have employedrazakerley to draw up four impeachments; against Sir Robert, my uncle [old Horace], Mr Keene, and Colonel Bladen, who was only commissioner for the tariff at Antwerp. One of the articles against Sir Robert is, his having at this conjuncture trusted Lord Maldegrave as ambassador, who is so near a relation of the Pretender; but these impeachments are likely to grow absolute manuscripts.

164
Sir Horace Mann
July 14, 1745

I have given my uncle the letter from M. de Magnan; he had just received another from him at Venice, to desire his recommendation to you. His history is, first, -the present picked him up, (I don't know from whence but he is of the Greek church,) to teach the present Duke of Orleans the Russian, when they had a scheme for marrying him into Muscovy. At Paris, Lord Maldegrave met with him, and sent him over hither, where they pensioned him, and he was to be a spy, but made nothing out till the King was weary of giving him money, and then they dispatched him to Vienna with a recommendation to Count d'Uhlefeldt, who I suppose, has tacked him upon the Great Duke.

187

ARTHUR HERTZBERG & CRAFTSMEN

["Horace Walpole", "Webb,", "Philip Carterel. (1700-1770).", "857\nEarl of Harford\nDec. 9. 1763", "English antiquary, legal & political pamphleteer.", "Well! but we have had a prodigious riot; are not you impatient to know the particulars? It was so prodigious a tumult, that I verily thought half the administration would have run away to Harrowsale. 'The North Briton' was ordered to be burned by the hangman at Cheapside, on Saturday last. The mob rose; the greatest mob, says Mr. Sheriff Blunt, that he has known in forty years. They were armed with that most bloody instrument, the mud out of the kennels; they hissed in the most murderous manner; broke Mr. Sheriff Harley's coach-glass in the most transient manner, scratched his forehead, so that he is forced to wear a little patch in the most becoming manner; and obliged the hangman to burn the paper with a link, though fagots were prepared to execute it in a more solemn manner. Numbers of Gentlemen, from windows and balconies, encouraged the mob, who, in about an hour and half, were so undulyl to the ministry, as to retire without doing any mischief, or, giving Mr. Carterel Webb the opportunity of a single information, except against an ignorant lad, who had been in town but ten days.", "Spot Note\nVol IV page 144", "[Philip Carterel Webb, Solicitor to the Treasury and M.P. for Haslemere. - \"Whilst Martin flutters only to betray, And Webb gives up his dirty soul for pay.\"", "Churchill App. to Nos. 43, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 249, 250, 251, 252, 253, 254, 255, 256, 257, 258, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 264, 265, 266, 267, 268, 269, 270, 271, 272, 273, 274, 275, 276, 277, 278, 279, 280, 281, 282, 283, 284, 285, 286, 287, 288, 289, 290, 291, 292, 293, 294, 295, 296, 297, 298, 299, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 308, 309, 310, 311, 312, 313, 314, 315, 316, 317, 318, 319, 320, 321, 322, 323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 330, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 337, 338, 339, 340, 341, 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, 347, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356, 357, 358, 359, 360, 361, 362, 363, 364, 365, 366, 367, 368, 369, 370, 371, 372, 373, 374, 375, 376, 377, 378, 379, 380, 381, 382, 383, 384, 385, 386, 387, 388, 389, 390, 391, 392, 393, 394, 395, 396, 397, 398, 399, 400, 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 407, 408, 409, 410, 411, 412, 413, 414, 415, 416, 417, 418, 419, 420, 421, 422, 423, 424, 425, 426, 427, 428, 429, 430, 431, 432, 433, 434, 435, 436, 437, 438, 439, 440, 441, 442, 443, 444, 445, 446, 447, 448, 449, 450, 451, 452, 453, 454, 455, 456, 457, 458, 459, 460, 461, 462, 463, 464, 465, 466, 467, 468, 469, 470, 471, 472, 473, 474, 475, 476, 477, 478, 479, 480, 481, 482, 483, 484, 485, 486, 487, 488, 489, 490, 491, 492, 493, 494, 495, 496, 497, 498, 499, 500, 501, 502, 503, 504, 505, 506, 507, 508, 509, 510, 511, 512, 513, 514, 515, 516, 517, 518, 519, 520, 521, 522, 523, 524, 525, 526, 527, 528, 529, 530, 531, 532, 533, 534, 535, 536, 537, 538, 539, 540, 541, 542, 543, 544, 545, 546, 547, 548, 549, 550, 551, 552, 553, 554, 555, 556, 557, 558, 559, 560, 561, 562, 563, 564, 565, 566, 567, 568, 569, 570, 571, 572, 573, 574, 575, 576, 577, 578, 579, 580, 581, 582, 583, 584, 585, 586, 587, 588, 589, 590, 591, 592, 593, 594, 595, 596, 597, 598, 599, 600, 601, 602, 603, 604, 605, 606, 607, 608, 609, 610, 611, 612, 613, 614, 615, 616, 617, 618, 619, 620, 621, 622, 623, 624, 625, 626, 627, 628, 629, 630, 631, 632, 633, 634, 635, 636, 637, 638, 639, 640, 641, 642, 643, 644, 645, 646, 647, 648, 649, 650, 651, 652, 653, 654, 655, 656, 657, 658, 659, 660, 661, 662, 663, 664, 665, 666, 667, 668, 669, 670, 671, 672, 673, 674, 675, 676, 677, 678, 679, 680, 681, 682, 683, 684, 685, 686, 687, 688, 689, 690, 691, 692, 693, 694, 695, 696, 697, 698, 699, 700, 701, 702, 703, 704, 705, 706, 707, 708, 709, 710, 711, 712, 713, 714, 715, 716, 717, 718, 719, 720, 721, 722, 723, 724, 725, 726, 727, 728, 729, 730, 731, 732, 733, 734, 735, 736, 737, 738, 739, 740, 741, 742, 743, 744, 745, 746, 747, 748, 749, 750, 751, 752, 753, 754, 755, 756, 757, 758, 759, 760, 761, 762, 763, 764, 765, 766, 767, 768, 769, 770, 771, 772, 773, 774, 775, 776, 777, 778, 779, 780, 781, 782, 783, 784, 785, 786, 787, 788, 789, 790, 791, 792, 793, 794, 795, 796, 797, 798, 799, 800, 801, 802, 803, 804, 805, 806, 807, 808, 809, 810, 811, 812, 813, 814, 815, 816, 817, 818, 819, 820, 821, 822, 823, 824, 825, 826, 827, 828, 829, 830, 831, 832, 833, 834, 835, 836, 837, 838, 839, 840, 841, 842, 843, 844, 845, 846, 847, 848, 849, 850, 851, 852, 853, 854, 855, 856, 857, 858, 859, 860, 861, 862, 863, 864, 865, 866, 867, 868, 869, 870, 871, 872, 873, 874, 875, 876, 877, 878, 879, 880, 881, 882, 883, 884, 885, 886, 887, 888, 889, 890, 891, 892, 893, 894, 895, 896, 897, 898, 899, 900, 901, 902, 903, 904, 905, 906, 907, 908, 909, 910, 911, 912, 913, 914, 915, 916, 917, 918, 919, 920, 921, 922, 923, 924, 925, 926, 927, 928, 929, 930, 931, 932, 933, 934, 935, 936, 937, 938, 939, 940, 941, 942, 943, 944, 945, 946, 947, 948, 949, 950, 951, 952, 953, 954, 955, 956, 957, 958, 959, 960, 961, 962, 963, 964, 965, 966, 967, 968, 969, 970, 971, 972, 973, 974, 975, 976, 977, 978, 979, 980, 981, 982, 983, 984, 985, 986, 987, 988, 989, 990, 991, 992, 993, 994, 995, 996, 997, 998, 999, 1000", "902\nEarl of Harford\nFeb. 15. 1764", "We sat all Monday hearing evidence against Mr. Wood, that dirty wretch Webb, and the messengers, for their illegal proceedings against Mr. Wilkes.", {"bbox": [397, 1239, 771, 1272], "

Horace Walpole

Wilberforce, William (1759-1833) - Noted English philanthropist and politician.

Jest-nole, Vol. IX, No. 220
Miss Hannah Moore
to
Horace Walpole

[Your project for relieving our poor slaves by machine work is so far from being wild or chimerical, that of three 25 persons deep and able in the concern (Mr Wilberforce among others), not one but has thought it rational and practicable, and - that a plough may be so constructed as to save much misery. -WRIGHT]

2496
Miss Hannah Moore
Nov. 4-1789

You rejoice me, not my vanity, by telling me my idea of a mechanic succedaneum to the labor of Negroes is not visionary, but thought practicable. Oh! how I wish I understood sugar and ploughs, and could marry them! Alas! I understand nothing useful. My head is as un-mechanic as it is un-arithmetic, un-geometric, un-metaphysic, un-commercial; but will not some one of those superior heads to whom you have talked on my undigested hint reduce it to practicability? Now a feasible scheme would stun those who call humanity romantic, and show, from the books of the Custom-house, that murder is a great improvement of the revenue! Even the present situation of France is favorable. I could not - Mr Wilberforce obtain to have the enfranchisement of the negroes started there? The Jews are claiming their natural rights there; and blacks are certainly not so great defaulters as the Hebrews, - though they too have undergone ample persecutions.

(See *Ex Libris Journal* Vol. X page 167 & *English Bookplates* page 83)

ANNUAL HERSTON & CRAFTSMEN

Horace Walpole

Wilkes, John Esq. (1727-1797)
English politician, editor of the North Briton.
You say you have seen the North Briton' [No 2],
in which I make a capital figure. Wilkes, the author I hear,
says, that if he had thought I should have taken it so well, he
would have been damned before he would have written it—but
I am not sore where I am not sore.

83Y
Hon. D. S. Conway
Feb. 26 1763

There has been much doings in Parliament about
the tax on cider; and in the western counties the discontent is so
great, that if Mr. Wilkes will turn patriot-hero or patriot-incent
diary in earnest and put himself at their head, he may obtain a
rope of martyrdom before the summer is over.

840
Geo. Montagu Esq.
April 6 1763

The plot thickens: Mr. Wilkes is sent to the Tower for the last North Briton; [No. 45]; a paper whose fame must have reached you. It said Lord Bute had made the King utter a gross falsehood in his last speech. This hero is as bad a fellow as ever hero was, abominable in private life, dull in Parliament, but they say, very entertaining in a room, and certainly no bad writer, besides having had the honor of contributing a great deal to Lord Bute's fall. Wilkes thought Lord Calbot in the autumn, whom he had abused; and lately in Calais, when the Prince de Troy, the Governor, asked how far the liberty of the press extended in England, replied, I cannot tell, but I am trying to know. I don't believe this will be the only paragraph I shall send you on this affair.

845
Sir. Horace Mann
April 30 1763

The complexion of the times is a little altered since the
beginning of this last winter. Prerogative, that save itself such airs in-

848
Hon. H. S. Conway
May 6 1763

192

CARSTEN HERTZBERG & CRAFTSMEN

Horace Walpole

November and would speak to nothing but a story, has had a rap, this morning that will do it some good unless it is weak enough to do itself more harm. The judges of the Common Pleas have unanimously dismissed Wilkes from his imprisonment, as a breach of privilege; his offence not being a breach of the peace, only tending to it. The people are in transports; and it will require all the vanity and confidence of those able ministers, Lord Sandwich and Mr. C., to keep up the spirits of the Court.

The Parliament met on Tuesday. We-for you know I have the honor of being a senator-sat till two in the morning; and, had it not been that there is always more oratory, more good sense, more knowledge, and more sound reasoning in the House of Commons than in the rest of the universe put together, the House of Lords only excepted, I should have thought it as tedious, dull, and unentertaining, debate as ever I heard in my days. The business was a complaint made by one King George of a certain paper called the North Brilon, No. 45, which the said King asserted was written by a much more famous man called Mr. Wilkes--Well! and so you imagine that Mr. Wilkes and King George went from the House of Commons and fought out their quarrel in Hyde Park? And which do you guess was killed? Again you are mistaken. Mr. Wilkes with all the impartiality in the world and with the philosophy of an Areopagite sat and heard the whole matter discussed, and now and then put in a word, as if the affair did not concern him. The House of Commons, who would be wisdom itself, if they could but all agree on which side of a question wisdom lies, and

882
Sir Horace Mann
1 Nov. 1717-1763

193

Horace Walpole

Winchelsea and Nott, Finch, Earl of.
Danie Finch, Seventh Earl of Winchelsea,
and Third Earl of Nottingham.

62

Sir Horace Mann

Feb. 18, 1742-3

I write to you more tired and with more headache, than any one but you could conceive! I came home at five this morning from the Duchess of Norfolk's masquerade, and was forced to rise before eleven, for my father, who came from Richmond to take his seat in the Lords, for the Houses met to-day. He is gone back to his retirement. Things wear a better aspect; at the great meeting on Friday, at the Fountain, Lord Marlaret and Lord Winchelsea refused to go, only saying that they never dined at a tavern.

64

Sir Horace Mann

March 31, 1742

The new Admiralty is named; at the head is to be
Lord Winchelsea, with Lord Granard, Mr. Cockburn, his Grace's
friend, Dr. Lee, the chairman, Lord Vere, Beaulieu; one of the
old set, by the interest of the Duke of Dorset, and the connection of
Lady Betty Germain, whose niece Lord Vere married; and
two; Sir John Hinch, Cotton and Will Chelwynd, an
agent of Bolinsbroke's - all this is not declared yet, but is believed.

161

Sir Horace Mann

Nov. 26, 1744

About a month ago the whole cabinet-council, except a
Lord Bath, Lord Winchelsea, Lord Tweedale, the Duke of
Bolton, and my good brother-in-law George, Earl of
Cholmondeley, (the last two severally bribed with the promise
of Ireland,) did venture to let the King know that he must
part with them or with Lord Granville. The monarch does not
love to be forced, and his son is full as angry. Both tried to

197

Horace Walpole

avoid the rupture. My father was sent for, but excused himself.
From coming till last Thursday, and even then would not go to the
King; and at last gave his opinion very unwillingly. But on,
Saturday it was finally determined: Lord Granville resigned,
the seals which are given back to my Lord President Harrington.
Lord Winchelsea quils too; but for all the rest of that connection,
they have agreed not to quit, but to be forced out; so Mr. Pelham,
must have a new strut to remove everyone.

The Granville faction are still the constant and only
countenanced people at Court. Lord Winchelsea, one of the
disgraced, played at Court on Twelfth-night, and won the King
asked him next morning, how much he had for his own share?
He replied, "Sir, about a quarter's salary." I liked the spirit,
and was talking to him of the next night at Lord Granville's:
"Why, yes," said he, "I think it showed familiarity at least; tell
it to your father; I don't think he will dislike it."

164
Sir Horace Mann
Jan 14/17-45

198