I read yesterday in the P(ublic) Advertiser an account of your box at the play.  I am not knowing enough in what is called humour, to be sure, if that was such, and pure invention, or not.  I hear that you did not produce yourself enough, but retired too much within the box, which did not please the Irish, who do not so well comprehend what it is to be out of countenance.  I wish to know if Lady C(arlisle) will find for Caroline masters to her satisfaction, and a country house.  I have not seen as yet Lord Fitzwilliam, or had any answer about the pictures.  Eden they tell me calls too soon for coffee.  But upon the whole, the reports concerning you, and your Court, and your ministers, &c. is [are] good.  I do not expect this business in which you are engaged to be quite couleur de rose.  I hope you will preserve your health, and the peace of your mind, your temper, and your fortune.  I am in no pain about anything else.

Lord W(—–­) had yesterday an air more egare than usual; he is enlaidi, et mal vetu, et enfin il avait plus l’air de pendard que son frere.  Vous pouvez bien vous imaginer que nous n’avons pas parle de corde, pas meme celle du mariage.  The Marechal de Rich(e)lieu was told that the mob intended to have hung me, but que je m’en suis tire comme un loial chevalier.  This was their notion in Paris of the mob which insulted me at Gloucester.

(146) Page 314.

(147) Dr. John Warner (1736-1800) was the son of a clergyman and educated at Trinity College, Cambridge.  He took orders, but had a literary and social, rather than theological, bent.  He was a confidential friend of Selwyn’s, and after his death wrote a defence of him in regard to witnessing executions.

(148) Edmund Burke (1729-1797).  The only political office that the great publicist ever held was that of Paymaster of the Forces for a few months under Lord Rockingham and the Coalition Government.

(1781,) Feb. 11, Sunday morning, Cleveland Court.—­I received your letter of the 5th, yesterday, in the afternoon, and another of the same date from Dr. Ekins, at the same time the day before:  why they did not come together, I know not.  But so it has happened, I believe more than once before, since my connections with Ireland, which I wish to God were at an end.  There is one indeed which will plague me, while I live, and that is an annuity upon Mr. Gore’s estate, which I must sue for as regularly as it becomes due.

I was prevented from writing to you yesterday by I do not know how much disagreeable occupation.  I had a Drum, and that began early; I was to prepare for it, I was to be served in ambigu, and it was to be the easiest, most agreeable, best understood thing in the world.  It was to my apprehension the very antipode of this.  I do not know how my company felt, but I was not at my ease a moment.  I had a Commerce table, and one of Whist.  My company were Middletons,(149) Bostons,(150) Townshends, and Selwyns.