Letters of Horace Walpole — Volume Ii

Volume Ii

London

T. FISHER UNWIN

PATERNOSTER SQUARE

NEW YORK: G.P. PUTNAM'S SONS

MDCCCXC

CONTENTS.

1764-1795.

81. TO MANN, Dec. 20, 1764.--Madame de Boufflers at Strawberry--The French Opinion of the English Character--Richardson's Novels--Madame de Beaumont

82. TO THE EARL OF HERTFORD, Feb. 12, 1765.--Debate on American Taxes--Petition of the Periwig-Makers--Female Head-dresses--Lord Byron's Duel--Opening of Almack's--No. 45

83. TO COLE, March 9, 1765.--His "Castle of Otranto"--Bishop Percy's Collection of Old Ballads

84. TO THE EARL OF HERTFORD, March 26, 1765.--Illness of the King--French and English Actors and Actresses: Clairon, Garrick, Quin, Mrs. Clive

85. TO MANN, May 25, 1765.--Riots of Weavers--Ministerial Changes--Factious Conduct of Mr. Pitt

86. TO MONTAGU, July 28, 1765.--Prospects of Old Age when joined to Gout

87. TO LADY HERVEY, Sept. 14, 1765.--Has reached Paris--The French Opera--Illness of the Dauphin--Popularity of Mr. Hume

88. TO MONTAGU, Sept. 22, 1765.--Is Making New Friends in Paris--Decay of the French Stage--Le Kain--Dumenil--New French inclination for Philosophy and Free-Thinking--General Admiration of Hume's History and Richardson's Novels

89. TO CHUTE, Oct. 3, 1765.--His Presentation at Court--Illness of the Dauphin--Description of his Three Sons

90. TO CONWAY, Jan. 12, 1766.--Supper Parties at Paris--Walpole Writes a Letter from Le Roi de Prusse à Monsieur Rousseau

91. TO GRAY, Jan. 25, 1766.--A Constant Round of Amusements--A Gallery of Female Portraits--Madame Geoffrin--Madame du Deffand--Madame de Mirepoix--Madame de Boufflers--Madame de Rochfort--The Maréchale de Luxemburg--The Duchesse de Choiseul--An old French Dandy--M. de Maurepas--Popularity of his Letter to Rousseau

92. TO MANN, Feb. 29, 1766.--Situation of Affairs in England--Cardinal York--Death of Stanilaus Leczinski, Ex-King of Poland

93. TO CONWAY, April 8, 1766.--Singular Riot in Madrid--Changes in the French Ministry--Insurrections in the Provinces

94. TO MONTAGU, June 20, 1766.--The Bath Guide--Swift's Correspondence

95. TO CHUTE, Oct. 10, 1766.--Bath--Wesley

96. TO MANN, July 20, 1767.--Ministerial Difficulties--Return of Lord Clive

97. TO THE SAME, Sept. 27, 1767.--Death of Charles Townshend and of the Duke of York--Whist the New Fashion in France

98. TO GRAY, Feb. 18, 1768.--Some New Poems of Gray--Walpole's "Historic Doubts"--Boswell's "Corsica"

99. TO MANN, March 31, 1768.--Wilkes is returned M.P. for Middlesex--Riots in London--Violence of the Mob

100. TO MONTAGU, April 15, 1768.--Fleeting Fame of Witticisms--"The Mysterious Mother"

101. TO MANN, June 9, 1768.--Case of Wilkes

102. TO MONTAGU, June 15, 1768.--The English Climate

103. TO VOLTAIRE, July 27, 1768.--Voltaire's Criticisms on Shakespeare--Parnell's "Hermit"

104. TO THE EARL OF STRAFFORD, Aug. 16, 1768.--Arrival of the King of Denmark--His Popularity with the Mob

105. TO MANN, Jan. 31, 1769.--Wilkes's Election--The Comtesse de Barri--The Duc de Choiseul's Indiscretion

106. TO MONTAGU, May 11, 1769.--A Garden Party at Strawberry--A Ridotto at Vauxhall

107. TO MANN, June 14, 1769.--Paoli--Ambassadorial Etiquette

108. TO CHUTE, Aug. 30, 1765.--His Return to Paris--Madame Deffand--A Translation of "Hamlet"--Madame Dumenil--Voltaire's "Mérope" and "Les Guèbres"

109. TO MONTAGU, Sept. 17, 1769.--The French Court--The Young Princes--St. Cyr--Madame de Mailly

110. TO MANN, Feb. 27, 1770.--A Masquerade--State of Russia

111. TO THE SAME, May 6, 1770.--Wilkes--Burke's Pamphlet--Prediction of American Republics--Extravagance in England

112. TO MONTAGU, May 6, 1770.--Masquerades in Fashion--A Lady's Club

113. TO MANN, June 15, 1770,--The Princess of Wales is gone to Germany--Terrible Accident in Paris

114. TO THE SAME, Dec. 29, 1770.--Fall of the Duc de Choiseul's Ministry

115. TO THE SAME, Feb. 22, 1771.--Peace with Spain--Banishment of the French Parliament--Mrs. Cornelys's Establishment--The Queen of Denmark 116. TO THE SAME, April 26, 1771.--Quarrel of the House of Commons with the City--Dissensions in the French Court and Royal Family--Extravagance in England

117. TO CONWAY, July 30, 1771.--Great Distress at the French Court

118. TO CHUTE, August 5, 1771.--English Gardening in France--Anglomanie--He is weary of Paris--Death of Gray

119. TO COLE, Jan. 28, 1772.--Scantiness of the Relics of Gray--Garrick's Prologues, &c.--Wilkes's Squint

120. TO MANN, April 9, 1772.--Marriage of the Pretender--The Princess Louise, and her Protection of the Clergy--Fox's Eloquence

121. TO COLE, Jan. 8, 1773.--An Answer to his "Historic Doubts"--His Edition of Grammont

122. TO MANN, July10, 1774.--Popularity of Louis XVI.--Death of Lord Holland--Bruce's "Travels"

123. TO THE SAME, Oct. 6, 1774.--Discontent in America--Mr. Grenville's Act for the Trial of Election Petitions--Highway Robberies

124. TO THE SAME, Oct. 22, 1774.--The Pope's Death--Wilkes is returned for Middlesex--A Quaker at Versailles

125. TO THE COUNTESS OF AILESBURY, Nov. 7, 1774.--Burke's Election at Bristol--Resemblance of one House of Commons to Another--Comfort of Old Age

126. TO MANN, Nov. 24, 1774.--Death of Lord Clive--Restoration of the French Parliament--Prediction of Great Men to arise in America--The King's Speech

127. TO CONWAY AND LADY AYLESBURY, Jan. 15, 1775.--Riots at Boston--A Literary Coterie at Bath-Easton

128. TO GEM, April 4, 1776.--Opposition of the French Parliaments to Turgot's Measures

129. TO CONWAY, June 20, 1776.--His Decorations at "Strawberry"--His Estimate of himself, and his Admiration of Conway

130. TO MANN, Dec. 1, 1776.--Anglomanie in Paris--Horse-Racing

131. TO COLE, June 19, 1777.--Ossian--Chatterton

132. TO MANN, Oct. 26, 1777.--Affairs in America--The Czarina and the Emperor of China

133. TO THE SAME, May 31, 1778.--Death of Lord Chatham--Thurlow becomes Lord Chancellor

134. TO COLE, June 3, 1778.--Exultation of France at our Disasters in America--Franklin--Necker--Chatterton

135. TO MANN, July 7, 1778.--Admiral Keppel's Success--Threats of Invasion--Funeral of Lord Chatham

136. TO CONWAY, July 8, 1778.--Suggestion of Negotiations with France--Partition of Poland

137. TO MANN, Oct. 8, 1778.--Unsuccessful Cruise of Keppel--Character of Lord Chatham

138. TO THE SAME, March 22, 1779.--Capture of Pondicherry--Changes in the Ministry--La Fayette in America

139. TO THE SAME, July 7, 1779.--Divisions in the Ministry--Character of the Italians and of the French

140. TO THE SAME, Sept. 16, 1779.--Eruption of Vesuvius--Death of Lord Temple

141. TO THE SAME, Jan. 13, 1780.--Chances of War with Holland--His Father's Policy--Pope--Character of Bolingbroke

142. TO THE SAME, Feb. 6, 1780.--Political Excitement--Lord G. Gordon--Extraordinary Gambling Affairs in India

143. TO THE SAME, March 3, 1780.--Rodney's Victory--Walpole inclines to Withdraw from Amusements

144. TO THE SAME, June 5, 1780.--The Gordon Riots

145. TO DALRYMPLE, Dec. 11, 1780.--Hogarth--Colonel Charteris--Archbishop Blackburne--Jervas--Richardson's Poetry

146. TO MANN, Dec. 31, 1780.--The Prince of Wales--Hurricane at Barbadoes--A "Voice from St. Helena"

147. TO THE SAME, Sept. 7, 1781.--Naval Movements--Siege of Gibraltar--Female Fashions

148. TO THE SAME, Nov. 29, 1781.--Capitulation of Lord Cornwallis--Pitt and Fox

149. TO COLE, April 13, 1782.--The Language proper for Inscriptions in England--Fall of Lord North's Ministry--Bryant

150. TO MANN, Sept. 8, 1782.--Highwaymen and Footpads

151. TO THE SAME, Dec. 2, 1783.--Fox's India Bill--Balloons

152. TO CONWAY, Oct. 15, 1784.--Balloons

153. TO PINKERTON, June 22, 1785.--His Letters on Literature--Disadvantage of Modern Writers--Comparison of Lady Mary Wortley with Madame de Sévigné

154. TO THE SAME, June 26, 1785.--Criticism on various Authors: Greek, Latin, French, and English--Humour of Addison, and of Fielding--Waller--Milton--Boileau's "Lutrin"--"The Rape of the Lock"--Madame de Sévigné

155. TO MANN, Aug. 26, 1785.--Ministerial Difficulties--The Affair of the Necklace in Paris--Fluctuating Unpopularity of Statesmen--Fallacies of History

156. TO THE SAME, Oct. 4, 1785.--Brevity of Modern Addresses--The old Duchess of Marlborough

157. TO THE SAME, Oct. 30, 1785.--Lady Craven--Madame Piozzi--"The Rolliad"--Herschel's Astronomical Discovery

158. TO MISS MORE, Oct. 14, 1787.--Mrs. Yearsley--Madame Piozzi--Gibbon--"Le Mariage de Figaro"

159. TO THE SAME, July 12, 1788.--Gentlemen Writers--His own Reasons for Writing when Young--Voltaire--"Evelina"--Miss Seward--Hayley

160. TO MANN, Feb. 12, 1789.--Divisions in the Royal Family--The Regency--The Irish Parliament

161. TO MISS BERRY, June 30, 1789.--"The Arabian Nights"--The Aeneid--Boccalini--Orpheus and Eurydice

162. TO CONWAY, July 15, 1789.--Dismissal of Necker--Baron de Breteuil--The Duc D'Orléans--Mirabeau

163. TO THE SAME, July 1, 1790.--Bruce's "Travels"--Violence of the French Jacobins--Necker

164. TO MISS BERRYS, June 8, 1791.--The Prince of Wales--Growth of London and other Towns

165. TO THE SAME, Aug. 23, 1791.--Sir W. and Lady Hamilton--A Boat-race--The Margravine of Anspach

166. TO THE SAME, Oct. 15, 1793.--Arrest of the Duchesse de Biron--The Queen of France--Pythagoras

167. TO CONWAY, July 2, 1795.--Expectations of a Visit to Strawberry by the Queen

168. TO THE SAME, July 7, 1795.--Report of the Visit

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

I. LADY MARY WORTLEY-MONTAGU

II. THOMAS GRAY, THE POET

Photographed from a drawing in the National Portrait Gallery, made by JAMES BASIRE, the engraver, from a sketch from life by Gray's friend, the Rev. WILLIAM MASON.

III. STRAWBERRY HILL, FROM THE NORTH-WEST

IV. SIR ROBERT WALPOLE

From a mezzotint by J. SIMON, after a picture by Sir GODFREY KNELLER.

V. VIEW OF GARDEN, STRAWBERRY HILL, FROM THE GREAT BED-CHAMBER

VI. REPRODUCTIONS OF HANDWRITING OF THOMAS GRAY AND HORACE WALPOLE

A SELECTION

FROM THE

LETTERS OF HORACE WALPOLE.

Volume Ii.

MADAME DE BOUFFLERS AT STRAWBERRY--THE FRENCH OPINION OF THE ENGLISH CHARACTER--RICHARDSON'S NOVELS--MADAME DE BEAUMONT.

TO SIR HORACE MANN.

ARLINGTON STREET, Dec. 20, 1764.

... My journey to Paris is fixed for some time in February, where I hear I may expect to find Madame de Boufflers, Princess of Conti. Her husband is just dead; and you know the House of Bourbon have an alacrity at marrying their old mistresses. She was here last year, being extremely infected with the Anglomanie, though I believe pretty well cured by her journey. She is past forty, and does not appear ever to have been handsome, but is one of the most agreeable and sensible women I ever saw; yet I must tell you a trait of her that will not prove my assertion. Lady Holland asked her how she liked Strawberry Hill? She owned that she did not approve of it, and that it was not digne de la solidité Angloise. It made me laugh for a quarter of an hour. They allot us a character we have not, and then draw consequences from that idea, which would be absurd, even if the idea were just. One must not build a Gothic house because the nation is solide. Perhaps, as everything now in France must be à la Grecque, she would have liked a hovel if it pretended to be built after Epictetus's--but Heaven forbid that I should be taken for a philosopher! Is it not amazing that the most sensible people in France can never help being domineered by sounds and general ideas? Now everybody must be a géomètre, now a philosophe, and the moment they are either, they are to take up a character and advertise it: as if one could not study geometry for one's amusement or for its utility, but one must be a geometrician at table, or at a visit! So the moment it is settled at Paris that the English are solid, every Englishman must be wise, and, if he has a good understanding, he must not be allowed to play the fool. As I happen to like both sense and nonsense, and the latter better than what generally passes for the former, I shall disclaim, even at Paris, the profondeur, for which they admire us; and I shall nonsense to admire Madame de Boufflers, though her nonsense is not the result of nonsense, but of sense, and consequently not the genuine nonsense that I honour. When she was here, she read a tragedy in prose to me, of her own composition, taken from "The Spectator:" the language is beautiful and so are the sentiments.

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