flame. The D. [Duke] lives here in great magnificence, is quite inoffensive, and seems to have forgot every part of his past life, and to be of no party; and indeed this is perhaps the town in the whole world where politics are the least talked of. I receive this minute a letter from our son, dated from Senlis. He says you have ordered him to return. I know not whether he means to England or Holland, neither does he give any direction to write to him. As soon as I have one, I will not fail to do it. TO THE COUNTESS OF POMFRET. Avignon, Nov. 4, N.S. [1742]. I AM very much obliged to your ladyship for judging so rightly both of my taste and inclinations as to think it impossible I should leave a letter of yours unanswered. I never received that which you mention; and I am not surprised at it, since I have lost several others, and all for the same reason; I mean mentioning political transactions; and 'tis the best proof of wisdom that I know of our reigning ministers, that they will not suffer their fame to travel into foreign lands; neither have I any curiosity for their proceedings; being long ago persuaded of the truth of that histori-prophetical verse, which says, "The world will still be ruled by knaves I desire no other intelligence from my friends but teatable chat, which has been allowed to our sex by so long a prescription. I believe no lady will dispute it at present. I am very much diverted with her grace's passion, which is, perhaps, excited by her devotion; being piously designed to take a strayed young man out of the hands of a wicked woman. I wish it may end as those projects often do, in making him equally despise both, and take a bride as charming as Lady Sophia; who, I am glad, has had a legacy from Mrs. Bridgeman, though I could have wished it had been more important. I hear the Duke of Cleveland will be 1 happily disposed of to Miss Gage; who, I do not doubt, will furnish his family with a long posterity, or I have no skill in airs and graces. This place affords us no news worth telling. I suppose you know Lady Walpole has been near dying; and that Mrs. Goldsworthy being detected en flagrant délit, is sent back to England with her children; 2 some of which, I hear, he disowns. I think her case not unlike Lady Abergavenny's; her loving spouse being very well content with her gallantries while he found his account in them, but raging against those that brought him no profit. Be pleased to direct your next to Avignon, and I believe it will come safe to your ladyship's 1 No such marriage took place.-T. 2 See note, antè, p. 101.-T. Faithful humble servant. Catherine, daughter of Lieutenant-General Talton. Lady Abergavenny's case created much sensation, and was scarcely less celebrated than the "misfortune" of Sophia Howe. She was detected in an intrigue with Richard Liddel, Esq., "her lord's intimate friend," in November, 1729. The newspapers say "she was sent up the same day to London; where she died in December, about a fortnight after her delivery of a son, who died in the January following. Mr. L-1, to avoid paying the £10,000 damages, fled beyond sea." Her matrimonial adventures were otherwise sufficiently remarkable. Her first husband, the thirteenth Lord Abergavenny, died in his nineteenth year, leaving no issue; and she thereupon married his cousin and successor. The Grubstreet Journal inserted upon her death the following "Character of the Lady A-y:" "Young, thoughtless, gay, unfortunately fair, At once from ease, from wealth, from honour torn, The lines were attributed to the Duke of Dorset.-T. TO MR. WORTLEY MONTAGU. April 24 [1743]. 1 I RECEIVED yesterday yours of March 24th. I am clearly of your opinion touching the distemper that has reigned all over Europe. The progress of it convinced me long since that it has been entirely owing to infection, and they say begun in Prague. Mr. Boswell [sic] and his lady, Sir William Wentworth's daughter, arrived here two days ago. I invited them to dinner, and have shown them all the civilities in my power. They desire their compliments to you. She is a pretty, agreeable young woman. The Duke of Berwick passed here last week, and many other Spanish officers. As to what regards my son, I have long since fixed my opinion concerning him. Indeed, I am not insensible of the misfortune, but I look upon it as on the loss of a limb, which ceases to give solicitude by being irretrievable. TO MR. WORTLEY MONTAGU. Avignon, June 1, N.S. [1743]. I HOPE you will take care not to return to London while it is in this unhealthy state. We are now very clear in these parts. Mrs. Bosville is gone to Turin, where they intend to reside; she had the good fortune to meet an English man-of-war on the coast, without which she would have found the passage very difficult. She had so much her journey at heart, that she undertook to ride over the mountains from Nissa to Savona, but I believe (notwithstanding her youth and spirit) would have found the execution impossible. She has chosen the most agreeable court in Europe, where the English are extremely caressed. But it is necessary to be young and gay for such projects. All mine terminate in quiet; and if I can end my days without great pains, it is the utmost of my ambition. 1 Diana, daughter of Sir William Wentworth of Bratton, county of York. She married Godfrey Bosville, Esq., of Gunthwaite.-T. TO MR. WORTLEY MONTAGU. [Oct. 18, N.S., 1743.] I RECEIVED yours of September 21st, O.S., this day, October 18th, N.S., and am always glad to hear of your health. I can never be surprised at any sort of folly or extravagance of my son. Immediately on leaving me at Orange, after the most solemn promises of reformation, he went to Montelimart, which is but one day's post from thence, where he behaved himself with as much vanity and indiscretion as ever. I had my intelligence from people who did not know my relation to him; and I do not trouble you with the particulars, thinking it needless to expose his character to you, who are well acquainted with it. I am persuaded whoever protects him will be very soon convinced of the impossibility of his behaving like a rational creature. I know the young Lady Carlisle; she is very agreeable; but if I am not mistaken in her inclinations, they are very gay. Lady Oxford wrote to me last post that L. Strafford was then with her; she informs me that the Duke of Argyll is in a very bad state of health. I hope you will take care to preserve yours. TO MR. WORTLEY MONTAgu. Avignon, Nov. 20, N.S. [1743]. I HAVE just received yours of October 24th, O.S., and am always very glad to hear of the continuation of your health. As to my son's behaviour at Montelimart, it is nothing more than a proof of his weakness; and how little he is to be depended on in his most solemn professions. 1 The first wife of Lord Carlisle died in 1742. He married secondly, in June, 1743, Isabel, daughter of Lord Byron. She will be found included in Park's edition of Horace Walpole's Catalogue of Royal and Noble Authors (iv. 363); her claim to that distinction being founded on a poem entitled "The Fairy Answer to Mrs. Greville's Prayer for Indifference," written by her, and a volume "On the Education of Daughters," of which she was the reputed author.-T. 2 The Duke of Argyll was the father-in-law of Lord Strafford.-T. He told me that he had made acquaintance with a lady on the road, who has an assembly at her house at Montelimart, and that she had invited him thither. I asked immediately if she knew his name. He assured me no, and that he passed for a Dutch officer by the name of Durand. I advised him not to go thither, since it would raise a curiosity concerning him, and I was very unwilling it should be known that I had conversed with him, on many accounts. He gave me the most solemn assurances that no mortal should know it; and agreed with me in the reasons I gave him for keeping it an entire secret; yet rid straight to Montelimart, where he told at the assembly that he came into this country purely on my orders, and that I had stayed with him two days at Orange; talking much of my kindness to him, and insinuating that he had another name, much more considerable than that he appeared with. I knew nothing of this, till several months after, that a lady of that country came hither, and meeting her in company, she asked me if I was acquainted with Monsieur Durand. I had really forgot he had ever taken that name, and made answer no; and that if such a person mentioned me, it was probably some chevalier d'industrie who sought to introduce himself into company by a supposed acquaintance with me. She made answer, the whole town believed so, by the improbable tales he told them; and informed me what he had said; by which I knew what I have related to you. I expect your orders in relation to his letters. TO MR. WORTLEY MONTAGU. Avignon, Dec. 20, N.S. [1743]. I RECEIVED yours of the 24th of November, O.S., yesterday. I send you the enclosed for my son, not knowing where to direct to him. I have endeavoured to write it according to your minutes, which are entirely just and reasonable. You may, perhaps, hear of a trifle which makes a great noise in this part of the world, which is, that I am building; but the whole expense which I have contracted for is but twenty-six pounds sterling. You |