there its parts and invention. Europe profited of the maturity of its judgment and good sense, and experience and observation. Africa never partook of the illumination of the two continents but in Egypt, and at Carthage for a moment. America has begun to announce itself for a successor to old Europe, but I already doubt whether it will replace its predecessors; genius does not seem to make great shoots there. Buffon says, that European animals degenerate across the Atlantic; perhaps its migrating inhabitants may be in the same predicament. If my reveries are true, what pity that the world will not retire into itself and enjoy a calm old age!

I could carry my speculations on the general decay still farther. Is not the universal inactivity of all religions a symptom of decrepitude? The aged are seldom converted; they die in the faith they are used to: still seldomer do the ancients invent new systems. The good ladies Mahometanism, Popery, and Protestanism adhere to their old rites, but hobble after no new teachers.

You perceive, by this rhapsody, that I have nothing new to tell you, and therefore I shall adjourn the conclusion of my letter to next week. May not one hope, from the lethargy of the war, that all sides may be sinking into a disposition towards peace? It is a consummation devoutly to be wished!

18th.

I might as well have sent away my letter last week, for it has not increased by allowing it time to grow. The eye of expectation is fixed on Charlestown, whence nothing is yet come. There are rumours of an attempt to be made by the French and Spaniards on your neighbour, Minorca; the latter having no hopes of taking Gibraltar. The languor of the war makes one expect both sides will be weary of it; at least, I flatter myself we shall pass a more tranquil summer at home than the last.

19th.

Sir Charles Hardy is dead, suddenly, at Portsmouth. I trust it is a good omen: it cannot be a bad one.*

P.S. I had sealed my letter, but open it again to tell you that I have this instant received your long despatch about Mr. Windham and Mr. Bagnal, and am very sorry so well laid a plan had no better success. I advise you, however, to watch any opportunity of reviving it.

I am grieved to hear you complain of your nerves, and know how to pity you. My own are so shattered, that the sudden clapping of a door makes me tremble for some minutes. I should think seabathing might be of use to you. I know, though I have neglected it myself, that the sea-air, even for four-and-twenty hours, is incredibly strengthening. I would not have you bathe without advice; but I

*On the death of Sir Charles Hardy, Admiral Geary was called upon to take the chief command.

do beg you to go to Leghorn, if but for three days. I will communicate yours to your nephew. I think his conduct, as far as I know, is very proper. I am sure it is, if it pleases you; for it is you I wish him to study. I have not time to say more now. Only remember to be casy when you do not hear from me, as you may be sure I have nothing material to tell you.

LETTER CCCXXX.

Strawberry Hill, June 5, 1780.

Nor a syllable yet from General Clinton. There has been a battle at sea in the West Indies, which we might have gained; know we did not, but not why: and all this is forgotten already in a fresher event. I have said for some time that the field is so extensive, and the occurrences so numerous, and so much pains are taken to involve them in falsehoods and mystery, and opinions are so divided, that all evidences will be dead before a single part can be cleared up; but I have not time, nor you patience, for my reflections. I must hurry to the history of the day. The Jack of Leyden of the age, Lord George Gordon, gave notice to the House of Commons last week, that he would, on Friday, bring the petition of the Protestant Association;* and he openly declared to his disciples, that he would not carry it unless a noble army of martyrs, not fewer than forty thousand, would accompany him. Forty thousand, led by such a lamb, were more likely to prove butchers than victims; and so, in good truth, they were very near being. Have you faith enough in me to believe that the sole precaution taken was, that the Cabinet Council on Thursday empowered the First Lord of the Treasury to give proper orders to the civil magistrates to keep the peace, and his lordship forgot it!

Early on Friday morning the conservators of the Church of England assembled in St. George's Fields to encounter the dragon, the old serpent, and marched in lines of six and six-about thirteen thousand only, as they were computed-with a petition as long as the procession, which the apostle himself presented; but, though he had given out most Christian injunctions for peaceable behaviour, he did every thing in his power to promote a massacre. He demanded im

mediate repeal of toleration, told Lord North he could have him torn to pieces, and, running every minute to the door or windows, bawled to the populace that Lord North would give them no redress, and that now this member, now that, was speaking against them.

In the mean time the Peers, going to their own Chamber, and as

In giving notice of his intention to present the petition of the Protestant Association, praying the repeal of the late Act in favour of Popery, Lord George informed the House, that the whole Association intended to accompany him to the House.ED.

yet not concerned in the petition, were assaulted ;* many of their glasses were broken, and many of their persons torn out of the carriages. Lord Boston was thrown down and almost trampled to death; and the two Secretaries of State, the Master of the Ordnance, and Lord Willoughby were stripped of their bags or wigs, and the three first came into the House with their hair all dishevelled. The chariots of Sir George Savile and Charles Turner, two leading advocates for the late toleration, though in Opposition, were demolished; and the Duke of Richmond and Burke were denounced to the mob as proper objects for sacrifice.† Lord Mahon laboured to pacify the tempest, and, towards eight and nine, prevailed on so many to disperse, that the Lords rose and departed in quiet; but every avenue to the other House was besieged and blockaded, and for four hours they kept their doors locked, though some of the warmest members proposed to sally out, sword in hand, and cut their way. Lord North and that House behaved with great firmness, and would not submit to give any other satisfaction to the rioters, than to consent to take the Popish laws into consideration on the following Tuesday; and calling the justices of the peace, empowered them to call out the whole force of the county to quell the riot.

The magistrates soon brought the horse and foot guards, and the pious ragamuffins soon fled, so little enthusiasm fortunately had inspired them; at least all their religion consisted in outrage and plunder; for the Duke of Northumberland, General Grant, Mr. Mackinsy, and others had their pockets picked of their watches and snuff-boxes. Happily, not a single life was lost.

This tumult, which was over between nine and ten at night, had

"It is hardly possible," wrote one who was present, "to conceive a more grotesque appearance than the House exhibited. Some of their lordships, with their hair about their shoulders; others smutted with dirt; most of them as pale as the Ghost in Hamlet, and all of them standing up, in their several places, and speaking at the same time." Lord Mansfield came in with his wig dishevelled; the Archbishop of York had his long sleeves torn off and flung in his face; the Bishop of Lincoln's carriage was destroyed, and himself taken, in a fainting fit, into a house; the Duke of Northumberland was robbed of his watch and purse; and Lord Sandwich narrowly escaped destruction."-ED.

+ Mr. Burke, in his way to the House, on the 6th, was surrounded by some of the most respectable of the petitioners, who expostulated with him on his conduct, in abetting Sir George Savile's motion for the Roman Catholic Bill: he said, he certainly had seconded it, and thought himself justified in so doing; he understood he was a marked man, and therefore he had walked out singly amongst them, conscious of having done nothing that deserved their censure, having always been the advocate of the people. Mr. Burke's residence in the Broad Sanctuary was more than once threatened; and he himself reviled as a Jesuit in disguise, nicknamed Neddy St. Omer's, and caricatured as a monk stirring up the fires of Smithfield. He thus notices the above adventure, in a letter written shortly after to a friend in Ireland:-" My wife being safely lodged, I spent part of the next day in the street amidst this wild assembly, into whose hands I delivered myself, informing them who I was. Some of them were malignant and fanatical, but I think the far greater part of those whom I saw were rather dissolute and unruly than very ill-disposed. I even found friends and well-wishers amongst the blue-cockades,”—En.

scarce ceased before it broke out in two other quarters. Old Haslang's chapel was broken open and plundered; and as he is a Prince of Smugglers as well as Bavarian Minister, great quantities of run tea and contraband goods were found in his house. This one cannot lament; and still less, as the old wretch has for these forty years usurped a hired house, and though the proprietor for many years has offered to remit his arrears of rent, he will neither quit the house nor pay for it.

Monsieur Cordon, the Sardinian Minister, suffered still more. The mob forced his chapel, stole two silver lamps, demolished every thing else, threw the benches into the street, set them on fire, carried the brands into the chapel, and set fire to that; and, when the engines came, would not suffer them to play till the guards arrived, and saved the house and probably all that part of the town. Poor Madame Cordon was confined by illness. My cousin, Thomas Walpole, who lives in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, went to her rescue, and dragged her, for she could scarce stand with terror and weakness, to his own house.

I doubt this narrative will not reapproach you and Mr. Windham. I have received yours of the 20th of last month.

You will be indignant that such a mad dog as Lord George should not be knocked on the head. Colonel Murray did tell him in the House, that, if any lives were lost, his lordship should join the number.t -Nor yet is he so lunatic as to deserve pity. Besides being very debauched, he has more knavery than mission. What will be decided on him, I do not know; every man that heard him can convict him of the worst kind of sedition: but it is dangerous to constitute a rascal a martyr. I trust we have not much holy fury left; I am persuaded that there was far more dissoluteness than enthusiasm in the mob: yet the episode is very disagreeable. I came from town yesterday to avoid the birthday. We have a report here that the Papists last night burnt a Presbyterian meeting-house, but I credit nothing now on the first report. It was said to be intended on Saturday, and the guards patrolled the streets at night; but it is very likely that Saint George Gordon spread the insinuation himself.

My letter cannot set out before to-morrow; therefore I will postpone the conclusion. In the mean time I must scold you very seriously for the cameo you have sent me by Mr. Morrice. This house

* Count Haslang, Minister from the Elector of Bavaria: he had been here from the year 1740. [He died in May 1783, at the age of eighty-three, after an embassy of forty-four years.-ED.]

+ Lord George went out several times and harangued the people, pointing out such members as were opposing the petition, particularly Mr. Burke. An eye-witness states, that General Conway and several other members expostulated with him very warmly on the mischiefs that might arise from such conduct, and that Colonel Gordon, a near relation, went up to him and accosted him in the following words, "My Lord George, do you intend to bring your rascally adherents into the House? If you do, the first man of them that enters, I will plunge my sword-not into his, but into your body."-Ed.

is full of your presents and of my blushes. I love any one of them as an earnest of your friendship; but I hate so many. You force upon me an air most contrary to my disposition. I cannot thank you for your kindness; I entreated you to send me nothing more. You leave me no alternative but to seem interested or ungrateful. I can only check your generosity by being brutal. If I had a grain of power, I would affront you and call your presents bribes. I never gave you any thing but a coffee-pot. If I could buy a diamond as big as the Caligula, and a less would not be so valuable, I would send it you. In one word, I will not accept the cameo, unless you give me a promise under your hand that it shall be the last present you send me. I cannot stir about this house without your gifts staring me in the face. Do you think I have no conscience? I am sorry Mr. Morrice is no better, and wonder at his return. What can invite him to this country? Home never was so homely.

6th.

It is not true that a meeting-house has been burnt. I believe a Popish chapel in the city has been attacked: and they talk here of some disturbance yesterday, which is probable; for, when grace, robbery, and mischief make an alliance, they do not like to give over-but ten miles from the spot are a thousand from truth. My letter must go to town before night, or would be too late for the post. If you do not hear from me again immediately, you will be sure that this bourrasque has subsided.

Thursday 8th.

I am exceedingly vexed. I sent this letter to Berkeley Square on Tuesday, but by the present confusions my servant did not receive it in time. I came myself yesterday, I found a horrible scene. Lord Mansfield's house was just burnt down, and at night there were shocking disorders. London and Southwark were on fire in six places; but the regular troops quelled the sedition by daybreak, and every thing now is quiet. A camp of ten thousand men is formed in Hyde Park, and regiments of horse and foot arrive every hour.

Friday morn. 9th. All has been quiet to-night. I am going to Strawberry for a little rest. Your nephew told me last night that he sends you constant journals just now.

LETTER CCCXXXI.

Strawberry Hill, June 14, 1780. THE Pope needs not be alarmed: the rioters thought much more of plundering those of their own communion, than his holiness's flock. To demolish law and prisons was their next great object; and to release prisoners, the only gospel-work they performed. What was the view of the arch-incendiary I do not know, nor what seditious