was boiled a little over the sun first: Mr. Bentley calls this the hard summer, and says he is forced to buy his fine weather at Newcastle. Adieu! Yours ever.

P.S. Pray acknowledge the receipt of your tickets. I don't know how you came not to see the advertisements of Xoho, which have been in continually; four editions were published in twelve days.

TO THE EARL OF STRAFFORD.

MY DEAR LORD,

Strawberry-hill, July 4, 1757.

It is well I have not obeyed you sooner, as I have often been going to do: what a heap of lies and contradictions I should have sent you! What joint ministries and sole ministries! What acceptances and resignations!-Viziers and bowstrings never succeeded one another quicker. Luckily I have staid till we have got an administration that will last a little more than for ever. There is such content and harmony in it, that I don't know whether it is not as perfect as a plan which I formed for Charles Stanhope, after he had plagued me for two days for news. I told him the duke of Newcastle was to take orders, and have the réver

sion of the bishoprick of Winchester; that Mr. Pitt was to have a regiment, and go over to the Duke; and Mr. Fox to be chamberlain to the princess, in the room of sir William Irby. Of all the new system I believe the happiest is O***; though in great humility he says he only takes the bedchamber to accommodate. Next to him in joy is the earl of Holderness-who has not got the garter. My lord Waldegrave has; and the garter by this time I believe has got fifty spots.'

Had I written sooner, I should have told your lordship too of the king of Prussia's triumphsbut they are addled too! I hoped to have had a few bricks from Prague to send you towards building Mr. Bentley's design, but I fear none will come from thence this summer. Thank God, the happiness of the menagerie does not depend upon administrations or victories! The happiest of beings in this part of the world is my lady Suffolk : I really think her acquisition and conclusion of her law-suit will lengthen her life ten years. You may be sure I am not so satisfied, as lady Mary 2 has left Sudbroke.

Are your charming lawns burnt up like our humble hills? Is your sweet river as low as our

1 He was apt to be dirty.

2 Lady Mary Coke, daughter of John Campbell, duke of Argyle, and sister to lady Strafford.

deserted Thames?—I am wishing for a handful or two of those floods that drowned me last year all the way from Wentworth-castle. I beg my best compliments to my lady, and my best wishes that every pheasant egg and peacock egg may produce as many colours as a harlequin-jacket.

I am hers and your lordship's

Most devoted humble servant.

Tuesday, July 5.

LUCKILY, my good lord, my conscience had saved its distance. I had writ the above last night, when I received the honour of your kind letter this morning. You had, as I did not doubt, received accounts of all our strange histories. For that of the pretty countess, I fear there is too much truth in all you have heard: but you don't seem to know that lord Corydon and captain Corydon his brother have been most abominable. I don't care to write scandal; but when I see you, I will tell you how much the chits deserve to be whipped. Our favourite general3 is at his camp: lady Ailesbury don't go to him these three weeks. I expect the pleasure of seeing her and miss Rich and Fred. Campbell here soon for a few days. I don't wonder your lordship likes St. Philippe better than Torcy except a few passages interesting

3 Conway.

to Englishmen, there cannot be a more dry narration than the latter. There is an addition of seven volumes of Universal History to Voltaire's Works, which I think will charm you: I almost like it the best of his works. It is what you have seen extended, and the memoirs of Louis XIV. refondues in it. He is a little tiresome with contradicting La Beaumelle out of pique-and there is too much about Rousseau. Between La Beaumelle and Voltaire, one remains with scarce a fixed idea about that time. I wish they would produce their authorities and proofs; without which, I am grown to believe neither. From mistakes in the English part, I suppose there are great ones in the more distant histories; yet altogether it is a fine work. He is, as one might believe, worst informed on the present times. He says eight hundred persons were put to death for the last rebellion - I don't believe a quarter of the number were: and he makes the first lord Derwentwater who, poor man! was in no such highspirited mood-bring his son, who by the way was not above a year and a half old, upon the scaffold to be sprinkled with his blood. -However, he is in the right to expect to be believed: for he believes all the romances in lord Anson's Voyage, and how admiral Almanzor made one man of war box the ears of the whole empire of China! I know nothing else new but a new edition of doctor Young's Works. If your lord

ship thinks like me, who hold that even in his most frantic rhapsodies there are innumerable fine things, you will like to have this edition. Adieu, once more, my best lord!

To JOHN CHUTE, Esq.

Strawberry-hill, July 12, 1757.

It would be very easy to persuade me to a Vinevoyage,' without your being so indebted to me, if it were possible. I shall represent my impediments, and then you shall judge. I say nothing of the heat of this magnificent weather, with the glass yesterday up to three-quarters of sultry. In all English probability this will not be a hinderance long; though at present, so far from travelling, I have made the tour of my own garden but once these three days before eight at night, and then I thought I should have died of it. For how many years we shall have to talk of the summer of fiftyseven! But hear: My lady Ailesbury and Miss Rich come hither on Thursday for two or three days; and on Monday next the Officina Arbuteana opens in form. The stationers' company, that is, Mr. Dodsley, Mr. Tonson, &c. are summoned to

1 To visiting Mr. Chute at the Vine, his seat in Hampshire.