know not whether she has received any of them. I must shorten this, from the weakness both of my head and hand.

TO THE COUNTESS OF BUTE.

June 22, N.S. [1750].

MY DEAR CHILD,-Since you tell me my letters (such as) they are) are agreeable to you, I shall for the future indulge myself in thinking upon paper when I write to you.

I cannot believe Sir John's' advancement is owing to his merit, though he certainly deserves such a distinction; but I am persuaded the present disposers of such dignities are neither more clear-sighted or more disinterested than their predecessors. Ever since I knew the world, Irish patents have been hung out to sale, like the laced and embroidered coats in Monmouth-street, and bought up by the same sort of people; I mean those who had rather wear shabby finery than no finery at all; though I do not suppose this was Sir John's case. That good creature (as the country saying is) has not a bit of pride in him. I dare swear he purchased his title for the same reason he used to purchase pictures in Italy; not because he wanted to buy, but because somebody or other wanted to sell. He hardly ever opened his mouth but to say "What you please, sir;" "-"At your service; "-"Your humble servant;" or some gentle expression to the same effect. It is scarce credible that with this unlimited complaisance he should draw a blow upon himself; yet it so happened that one of his own countrymen was brute enough to strike him. As it was done before many witnesses, Lord Mansel heard of it; and thinking that if poor Sir John took no notice of it, he would suffer daily insults of the same kind, out of pure good nature resolved to spirit him up, at least to some show of resentment, intending to make up their matter afterwards in as honourable a manner as he could for the poor patient. He represented to him very warmly that no gentleman could take a box on the ear. Sir John answered with great calmness, "I know that, but this was not a box on the ear, it was only a slap of the face."

1 Sir John Rawdon, created an Irish peer April 9, 1750, by the title of Baron Rawdon of Moira.-T.

She will then know

I was as well acquainted with his two first wives as the difference of our ages permitted. I fancy they have broke their hearts by being chained to such a companion. 'Tis really terrible, for a well-bred virtuous young woman to be confined to the conversation of the object of their [sic] contempt. There is but one thing to be done in that case, which is a method I am sure you have observed practised with success by some ladies I need not name: they associate the husband and the lap-dog, and manage so well, that they make exactly the same figure in the family. My lord and Dell tag after madam to all indifferent places, and stay at home together whenever she goes into company where they would be troublesome. I pity ***, if the D. of K. [Duke of Kingston] marries. that her mean compliances will appear as despicable to him as they do now to other people. Who would have thought that all her nice notions and pious meditations would end in being the humble companion of M. [Mademoiselle] de la Touche ? I do not doubt she has been forced to it by necessity, and is one proof (amongst many I have seen) of what I always thought, that nobody should trust their virtue with necessity, the force of which is never known till it is felt, and it is therefore one of the first duties to avoid the temptation of it. I am not pleading for avarice— far from it. I can assure you I equally contemn who can forget she was born a gentlewoman, for the sake of money she did not want. That is indeed the only sentiment that properly deserves the name of avarice. A prudential care of one's affairs, or (to go further) a desire of being in circumstances to be useful to one's friends, is not only excusable but highly laudable; never blamed but by those who would persuade others to throw away their money, in hopes to pick up a share of it. The greatest declaimers for disinterestedness I ever knew, have been

*

A natural daughter of M. Bernard, the Paris banker. The young duke fled with her to England, and a prosecution for the abduction was commenced before the Parliament of Paris in 1737, but the French king arbitrarily put a stop to the proceedings. Lord Bathurst writes to Swift from Gearcliffe Farm," on the 6th of December, 1737 : "I want no foreign commodities. My neighbour, the Duke of Kingston, has imported one but I do not think it worth the carriage." The duke lived with the lady many years.-T.

capable of the vilest actions on the least view of profit; and the greatest instances of true generosity, given by those who were regular in their expenses and superior to the vanities in fashion.

I believe you are heartily tired of my dull moralities. I confess I am in very low spirits; it is hotter weather than has been known for some years, and I have got an abominable cold, which has drawn after it a troop of complaints I will not trouble you with reciting. I hope all your family are in good health. I am humble servant to Lord Bute. I give my blessing to my G[rand] children, and am ever your most affectionate mother.1

TO MR. WORTLEY MONTAGU.

Lovere, Sept. 3, N.S. [1750].

I RECEIVED yesterday yours dated June 24th. I am very well persuaded that the delay of all my letters, and the loss of many, is occasioned by the posts in Italy. I receive none but what are carelessly resealed, and some of them quite open. I am not surprised at it, considering the present circumstances, of which I would give you the detail, if it were safe to do it. I have now changed the method of conveyance, sending this to the English minister at Venice, who I have desired to put it in his packet. On the top of one of the highest hills with which this place is surrounded, here has been, two months since, accidentally discovered a remarkable piece of antiquity; a stone vault, in which was

1

[From the Hunter MSS. :

"TO THE COUNTESS OF Oxford.

"June 23, 1750.

"My illness was a defluxion fallen on my teeth and gums-pain increased for a month-applied to the surgeon of the village who was alarmed-sent to Cremona, twenty-five miles off, for a more celebrated surgeon in those parts, who applied redhot irons to the gums, but said he could not have hopes of her cure till twenty-four hours were past, the tongue being infected and swollen so that she could not speakrecovered."

"TO THE COUNTESS OF Oxford.

"July 13, 1750. "Sends this by one who was previously governor to her son." [?]]

the remains of a human body, a table, a spoon and a knife, and about a hundred pieces of coin, of a mixed metal, in none of which there is any legible inscription. Most of them, with the rest of the things I have mentioned, are in the possession of the parish priest. I am endeavouring to get them into mine. If I do, and you have any curiosity to see them, I will send them to you. It is certain there is no fraud in this discovery; the people here having no notion of the value of anything of this kind. I am of opinion it is a Gothic antiquity, there being no trace of any inscription having ever been upon the stone. Direct your next, "Recommandé au Chev. James Gray, Ministre de Sa M. Brittannique, à Venise."'

TO THE COUNTESS OF BUTE.

[Salo, Oct. 17, 1750.]

DEAR CHILD,-I received yours of August 25th this morning, October 17th, N.S. It was every way welcome to me, particularly finding you and your family in good health. You will think me a great rambler, being at present far distant from the date of my last letter. I have been persuaded to go to a palace near Salo, situate on the vast lake of Gardia, and do not repent my pains since my arrival, though I have passed a very bad road to it. It is indeed, take it altogether, the finest place I ever saw the King of France has nothing so fine, nor can have in his situation. It is large enough to entertain all his court, and much larger than the royal palace of Naples, or any of those of Germany or England. It was built by the great Cosmo, Duke of Florence, where he passed many months, for several years, on the account of his health, the air being esteemed one of the best in Italy. All the offices and con

1 [From the Hunter MSS. :

:

"TO THE COUNTESS OF Oxford.

"Oct. 11, 1750.

"The waters of Louvere [?] have recovered all her complaints-It is one of the prettiest places in the world, but the road to it is one of the worst, being all over precipices, which I believe is one reason that makes it unknown to travellers, though well worthy their curiosity."]

veniences are suitably magnificent: but that is nothing in regard to the beauties without doors. It is seated in that part of the lake which forms an amphitheatre, at the foot of a mountain near three miles high, covered with a wood of orange, lemon, citron, and pomegranate trees, which is all cut into walks, and divided into terraces, that you may go into a several [sic] garden from every floor in the house, diversified with fountains, cascades, and statues, and joined by easy marble staircases, which lead from one to another. There are many covered walks, where you are secure from the sun in the hottest part of the day, by the shade of the orange-trees, which are so loaded with fruit, you can hardly have any notion of their beauty without seeing them: they are as large as lime-trees in England. You will think I say a great deal: I will assure you I say far short of what I see, and you must turn to the fairy tales to give any idea of the real charms of this enchanting palace, for so it may justly be called. The variety of the prospects, the natural beauties, and the improvements by art, where no cost has been spared to perfect it, render it the most complete habitation I know in Europe. While the poor present master of it (to whose ancestor the Grand-Duke presented it, having built it on his land), having spent a noble estate by gaming and other extravagance, would be glad to let it for a trifle, and is not rich enough to live in it. Most of the fine furniture is sold; there remains only a few of the many good pictures that adorned it, and such goods as were not easily to be transported, or for which he found no chapman. I have said nothing to you of the magnificent bath, embellished with statues, or the fish-ponds, the chief of which is in the midst of the garden to which I go from my apartment on the first floor. It is circled by a marble baluster, and supplied by water from a cascade that proceeds from the mouth of a whale, on which Neptune is mounted, surrounded with reeds on each side of him are Tritons, which, from their shells, pour out streams that augment the pond. Higher on the hill are three colossal statues of Venus, Hercules, and Apollo. The water is so clear, you see the numerous fish that inhabit it, and it is a great pleasure to me to throw them bread, which they come to the surface to eat with great greediness. I pass by many