and insures the same pin-money to Damon, in case they part.  This deed she has vested out of her power, by sending it to Lord Mansfield,(683) whom she makes her trustee; it is drawn up in her own hand, and Lord Mansfield says is as binding as any lawyer could make it.  Did one ever hear of more reflection in a delirium!  Well, but hear more:  she has given away all her clothes, nay, and her ladyship, and says, linen gowns are properest for a footman’s wife, and is gone to his family in Ireland, plain Mrs. Henrietta Surgeon.  I think it is not clear that she is mad, but I have no doubt but Lady Bel(684) will be so who could not digest Dr. Duncan, nor even Mr. Milbank.

My last told you of my sister’s promotion.(685) I hear she is to be succeeded at Kensington by Miss Floyd, who lives with Lady Bolingbroke; but I beg you not to report this till you see it in a Gazette of better authority than mine, who have it only from fame and Mrs. A. Pitt.

I have not seen M. de Guerchy yet, having been in town but one night since his return.  You are very kind in accepting, on your own account, his obliging expressions about me:  I know no foundation on which I should like better to receive them,:  the truth is he has distinguished me extremely, and when a person in his situation shows much attention to a person so very insignificant as I am, one is apt to believe it exceeds common compliment:  at least, I attribute it to the esteem which he could not but see I conceived for him.  His civility is so natural, and his good nature so strongly marked, that I connected much more with him than I am apt to do with new acquaintances.  I pitied the various disgusts he received, and I believe he saw I did.  If I felt for him, you may judge how much I am concerned that you have your share.  I foresaw it was unavoidable, from the swarms of your countrymen that flock to Paris, and generally the worst part; boys and governors are woful exports.  I saw a great deal of it when I lived with poor Sir Horace Mann at Florence-but you have the whole market.  We are a wonderful people-I would not be our King,(686) our minister, or our ambassador, for the Indies.  One comfort, however, I can truly give you; I have heard their complaints, if they have any, from nobody but yourself.  Jesus! if they are not content now, I wish they knew how the English were received at Paris twenty years ago—­why, you and I know they were not received at all.  Ay, and when the fashion of admiring English is past, it will be just so again; and very reasonably--who would open their house to every staring booby from another country?

Arlington Street, Nov. 3.

I came to town to-day to meet your brother, who is going to Euston and Thetford,(687) and hope he will bring back a good account of the domestic history,(688) of which we can learn nothing authentic.  Fitzroy(689) knows nothing.  The town says the Duchess is going thither.