oil-paper, painted by one of her servants; but it really was fine and pretty.  The Duke of Kingston was in a frock, comme chez lui.  Behind the house was a cenotaph for the Princess Elizabeth, a kind of illuminated cradle; the motto, All the honours the dead can receive.  This burying-ground was a strange codicil to a festival; and, what was more strange, about one in the morning, this sarcophagus burst out into crackers and guns.  The Margrave of Anspach began the ball with the Virgin.  The supper was most sumptuous.

[Footnote 1:  In a subsequent letter he represents Mme. de Boufflers as giving them the same character, saying, “Dans ce pays-ci c’est un effort perpetuel pour sedivertir.”]

[Footnote 2:  Miss Chudleigh, who had been one of the Princess Dowager’s maids of honour, married Mr. Hervey, afterwards Earl of Bristol, but, having taken a dislike to him, she procured a divorce, and afterwards married the Duke of Kingston; but, after his death, his heirs, on the ground of some informality in the divorce, prosecuted her for bigamy, and she was convicted.]

You ask, when do I propose to be at Park-place.  I ask, shall not you come to the Duke of Richmond’s masquerade, which is the 6th of June?  I cannot well be with you till towards the end of that month.

The enclosed is a letter which I wish you to read attentively, to give me your opinion upon it, and return it.  It is from a sensible friend of mine in Scotland [Sir David Dalrymple], who has lately corresponded with me on the enclosed subjects, which I little understand; but I promised to communicate his ideas to George Grenville, if he would state them—­are they practicable?  I wish much that something could be done for those brave soldiers and sailors, who will all come to the gallows, unless some timely provision can be made for them.—­The former part of his letter relates to a grievance he complains of, that men who have not served are admitted into garrisons, and then into our hospitals, which were designed for meritorious sufferers.  Adieu!

THE ORDINARY WAY OF LIFE IN ENGLAND—­WILKES—­C.  TOWNSHEND—­COUNT LALLY—­LORD CLIVE—­LORD NORTHINGTON—­LOUIS LE BIEN AIME—­THE DRAMA IN FRANCE.

TO THE EARL OF HERTFORD.

ARLINGTON STREET, Dec. 29, 1763

You are sensible, my dear lord, that any amusement from my letters must depend upon times and seasons.  We are a very absurd nation (though the French are so good at present as to think us a very wise one, only because they, themselves, are now a very weak one); but then that absurdity depends upon the almanac.  Posterity, who will know nothing of our intervals, will conclude that this age was a succession of events.  I could tell them that we know as well when an event, as when Easter, will happen.  Do but recollect these last ten years.  The beginning of October, one is certain that everybody will be at Newmarket, and the Duke of Cumberland will lose, and Shafto win,