LETTER XLVIII. Prince's Court, Friday, July 21, 1786. MY DEAREST POLLY, I HAVE at last recovered all the things which you sent by Lord Northington's servant. He very idly went into the country, and only on his return was I able to recover the parcel by sending to St. James's Place. It is however come very well, and I thank you for your care. Yesterday in the afternoon I received your letter, dated the 16th, and the parcel by the diligence, containing the Arrêt du Parlement, Mercure, &c. I saw Mr. Swinburne yesterday, and from delays in the law part of Administration, he has again put off his journey, nor can he yet fix a day, to the real grief I fear the Dutchess of Madame will not receive the egg-grotto by her birthday, and therefore the prints may be the succedaneum. Mrs. S. has likewise a parcel for you, containing a letter from Mrs. Molineux, of no consequence, she says; one to me from Mr. Paice, about your late tenant in Red Lion Court, and what is worth them both, the Trial of Jack Townsend for Crim. Con. with Mrs. Fawkener, the Duke of Devonshire's evidence on the occasion, &c. &c. I could not take the egggrotto, nor the parcel, from Mrs. Sw. and she did not offer to return them, as she should have done in the uncertain state of her journey. I send you by the diligence, the genuine trial of Fitzgerald, Brecknock, &c. one of the wonderful events of this age; and a letter, which Mrs. Gordon has just sent here for you from Byfleet. To-morrow I dine in Harley Street with Count Woronzow, and I suppose Count Nesselrod, Monsieur Barthelemi, &c. I wish you to state to the Dutchess the cause of the delay about the egggrotto. In a post or two I mean to send her an excellent print of the Prince of Wales, on satin. It will go in a letter. The wise-acres of the City have ordered the 15,000l. of the Bridge-house cash, which was not a month ago laid out in stock, to be replaced in the Chamberlain's hands, by the sale of this very stock, on account of the building the Compters, an event which I foresaw and foretold, but claim little sagacity by the prophecy. I am glad that you were so well entertained at Livry. Adieu! LETTER XLIX. Prince's Court, Tuesday, July 25, 1786. I RECEIVED yesterday, my dearest Polly, your letter of the 20th instant, and a parcel by the diligence, containing two Mercures, the Leiden Gazettes, &c. &c.; and I hope the same day you had the parcel of Fitzgerald's Trial and Life, and the letter from Byfleet. I passed an agreeable day with Count Woronzow, Monsieur Barthelemi, and most of the foreign ministers. He lives in a great style, and every thing passes in the most perfect order, and with great ease. I am much pleased with his society, and of all the Russians him only I admire. D'Eon was with us. The Count does not confirm every part of the Chevalière's account of her transactions in Russia, and denies her ever having been femme de chambre to the Empress Elizabeth. I shall be very glad to see Madame de Warens's justification. Mr. and Mrs. Hastings are just come to town on business. I saw them for a moment at Mrs. Motte's. She looks ill, and complains much. They inquired very affectionately after you. I met George Pitt yesterday, just alighting from his horse at Carlton House, where he was to dine with the Prince of Wales, who came from Brighthelmstone for the day. Mr. Barthelemi had no commissions from France for any of his stud. I greatly admire the propriety of conduct in Louis XVI. during his stay at Cherburg, but I wish that he had never taken the journey. I desire you to assure the good Dut |