I stoop to court his rascally creatures. Oh! Oh! my dear .sir, I am sixty-four, and am infirm and breaking. I do not look beyond the life of a younger man, nor have a single view left; scarce a wish but to pass the short remainder in tranquillity, and, as much as I can, without pain, and with preservation of my senses.

You are quite mistaken about the descent of the barony of Clinton. Should my lord leave every shilling to his father's relations, that peerage, coming by his mother, would go away. Another barony, that of Say and Sele, has just now been adjudged to a Mr. Twisleton, and occasioned examination into the honours that have been in the earldom of Lincoln. It struck me that the barony of Clinton, if Lord Orford dies without children, would revert to the present Duke of Newcastle, and thence to Lady Lincoln's only child, a daughter. I mentioned this to her father, Lord Hertford; he has had the pedigree sifted, and it comes out that I was in the right, though it had occurred to nobody else: so, I have at least contributed to give a peerage to one of my relations.

But I ought not to have wandered so far when I was thanking you for a friendly hint, but should have thanked you for a positive present. You told me, months ago, that you had sent me a lump of crystal before my last positive prohibition. That lump I have just received, and what you spoke of so irreverently proves a beautiful sculptured vase of rock crystal. There is no end of your gifts-but there must be ! remember, reflect, how little time I may have to enjoy

them; they will only figure in my inventory at my death.

The Duchess Dowager of Beaufort breakfasted here the other day, and, after inquiring about you most particularly, told me the transport you expressed on attaining the silver chest of Benvenuto Cellini for me. Oh! how sad is the thought that you are never to see your presents arranged and displayed here with all the little honour I can confer on them; but they are all recorded in my catalogue, and whoever reads it will think I had no shame or gratitude. To put a stop to your magnificence, I must be brutal, and treat you as Lord Hunsdon did Queen Elizabeth, when she laid the robes of an earl on his death-bed. I must finish; for I am at this instant in pain with the rheumatism, and going to bed. I wish us both a good night.

The town says, Lord Mulgrave is returned from a design against Flushing, which failed, as his pilots were so ignorant. I hear, too, that an account came to-day of the junction of Lord Cornwallis and Arnold in Virginia, which will revive our hopes-to be again disappointed. The Parliament will adjourn next week. This was an hors-d'œuvre, and you must excuse my brevity.

LETTER CCCLV.

Berkeley Square, Aug. 1, 1781.

Do not be surprised that, though I write so frequently, I tell you so little news: I know none but

what you see in all the papers. Tobago is allowed to be taken by the French, and there is scarce more doubt of Pensacola being taken by the Spaniards.*

Lord Walpole's son was married last week to my niece, Sophia Churchill. It is more than your friend, Sir John Dick, is to his betrothed. He has acted very foolishly, both in engaging and disengaging himself. He sent his future bride an abrupt letter, to say he found himself too old and infirm to proceed. Did not he know three months ago that he was sixty-four? Some say, he discovered that Mademoiselle was not very fond of him: did he expect she would be? In short, it is unlucky to look well at three-score,+ for, in reality, nobody can fall in love with one at that age but one's self.

I have not received Galluzzi's history, nor heard a word of its arrival. I will not be impatient, lest, as I am on the brink of sixty-four too, I should find I have forgotten my Italian and cannot enjoy it.

* The island of Tobago had, on the 23rd of May, been compelled to surrender to a considerable body of land-forces under the command of M. de Blanchelande, the late governor of St. Vincent's; and in the same month Pensacola, the capital of the province of West Florida, was deliver ed up to the Spanish forces under the command of Don Bernardo de Galvez, governor of Louisiana.-ED.

"I lived during several years," says Wraxall," in habits of familiar acquaintance with Sir John Dick, who retained, at fourscore, all the activity of middle life, together with the perfect possession of his memory and faculties. He was an agreeable, entertaining, and well-bred man, who had seen much of the world." Hist. Mem. vol. i. p. 193.—Ed.

LETTER CCCLVI.

Strawberry Hill, Aug. 23, 1781.

YOUR last but one mentioned your head being disordered by the gout; but, as the last said nothing of it, I trust it was a very transient attack.

I

You have seen in the papers all that I could know of the sea-fight between Parker and the Dutch.* believe neither side had cause of triumph: however, we boast of having driven back their trading-vessels. The King and Prince have been to thank the Admiral and Fleet. The vast storm that hangs over Gibraltar does

* On the 5th of August, while in charge of a convoy, Admiral Hyde Parker fell in with a Dutch squadron, escorting a large convoy, on the Doggerbank. The following is the Admiral's own account of this memorable action: "I was happy to find that I had the wind of them; as the great number of their large frigates might otherwise have endangered my convoy. Having separated the men-of-war from the merchant-ships, and made a signal to the last to keep their wind, I bore away with a general signal to chase. The enemy formed their line, consisting of eight two-decked ships, on the starboard tack: ours, including the Dolphin, consisting of seven. Not a gun was fired on either side, until within distance of half musket-shot. The Fortitude then being abreast of the Dutch Admiral, the action began, and continued, with an unceasing fire, for three hours and forty minutes. By this time our ships were unmanageable. I made an effort to form the line, in order to renew the action, but found it impracticable. The Bienfaisant had lost her main-top-mast, and the Buffalo her fore-yard; the rest of the ships were not less shattered in their masts, rigging, and sails. The enemy appeared to be in as bad a condition. Both squadrons lay to, a considerable time, near to each other; when the Dutch, with their convoy, bore away for the Texel. We were not in a condition to follow them."

The imputed neglect in the Admiralty of furnishing Admiral Parker with a force equal to the accomplishment of his object, excited much dissatisfaction; and to this dissatisfaction was in some measure attributed the extraordinary favour shown to the Admiral, by a royal visit, upon his ar

not seem to alarm us. Indeed, they,* of whose judgment I have an opinion, do not believe it will be taken; however, I pity the brave men who are cooped up in it. I know nothing from any other quarter; but everything is a theme for moralizing, from Gibraltar to the Tribune + at Florence. If that inestimable chamber is not inviolate, what mortal structure is? Zoffani's picture, however, will rise in value, as a portrait of what that room was; yet its becoming more precious will not, I doubt, expedite the sale of it. It is pity that they who love to display taste will not be content with showing their genius without making alterations, and then we should have more samples of the styles of different ages. Some monuments of our predecessors ought to be sacred. Sir William Stanhope was persuaded by Sir Thomas Robinson and Mr. Ellis (the present possessor) to improve Pope's garden here in my neighbourhood. The Poet had valued him

rival with his shattered squadron at the Nore. It was rumoured, that the visit was intended to be distinguished by some signal mark of royal approbation; but it was soon understood, that no promotion whatever would be accepted. The sturdy Admiral had the honour of dining with the King and the Prince of Wales on board the royal yacht; upon which occasion he is said to have hinted his dissatisfaction and intention of retiring, by wishing his Majesty younger officers and better ships: he resigned his command immediately after. By the death of his brother, in the following year, he became a baronet; and on the change of Administration, being nominated to the chief command of the British fleet in the East Indies, he embarked in the Juno, in October, but never reached his destination; no tidings being ever heard of the ship, or any of her crew, after she had passed the Cape of Good Hope.—ED.

* General Conway.

The Great-Duke had removed many of the curiosities, and pratique'd another door in it, so that it was become a passage-room.