We have had another trial this week, still more solemn, though less interesting, and with more serious determination:  I mean that of Lord Ferrers.  I have formerly described this solemnity to you.  The behaviour, character, and appearance of the criminal, by no means corresponded to the dignity of the show.  His figure is bad and villanous, his crime shocking.  He would not plead guilty, and yet had nothing to plead; and at last to humour his family, pleaded madness against his inclination:  it was moving to see two of his brothers brought to depose the lunacy in their blood.  After he was condemned, he excused himself for having used that plea.  He is to be hanged in a fortnight, I believe, in the Tower, and his body to be delivered to the surgeons, according to the tenour of the new act of parliament for murder.  His mother was to present a petition for his life to the King to-day.  There were near an hundred and forty peers present; my Lord Keeper was lord high steward, but was not at all too dignified a personage to sit on such a criminal:  indeed he gave himself no trouble to figure.  I will send you both trials as soon as they are published.  It is astonishing with what order these shows are conducted.  Neither within the hall nor without was there the least disturbance,(53) though the one so full, and the whole way from Charing-cross to the House of Lords was lined with crowds.  The foreigners were struck with the awfulness of the proceeding-it is new to their ideas, to see such deliberate justice, and such dignity of nobility, mixed with no respect for birth in the catastrophe, and still more humiliated by anatomizing the criminal.

I am glad you received safe my history of Thurot:  as the accounts were authentic, they must have been useful and amusing to you.  I don’t expect more invasions, but I fear our correspondence will still have martial events to trade in, though there are such Christian professions going about the world.  I don’t believe their Pacific Majesties will waive a campaign, for which they are all prepared, and by the issue of which they will all hope to improve their terms.

You know we have got a new Duke of York(54) and were to have had several new peers, but hitherto it has stopped at him and the lord keeper.  Adieu!

P. S. I must not forget to recommend to you a friend of Mr. Chute, who will ere long be at Florence, in his way to Naples for his health.  It is Mr. Morrice, clerk of the green cloth, heir of Sir William Morrice, and of vast wealth.  I gave a letter lately for a young gentleman whom I never saw, and consequently not meaning to incumber you with him, I did not mention him particularly in my familiar letters.