(206) That of Grey, Duke of Kent, see avove.-E.

(207) Miss Jane Conway, half-sister to Henry Seymour Conway.  She died unmarried in 1749.

(208) Afterwirds married to John Harris, Esq. of Hayne in Devonshire.

159 Letter 25 To Richard West, Esq.  Florence, July 31, 1740, N. S.

Dear West, I have advised with the most notable antiquarians of this city on the meaning of Thur gut Luetis.  I can get no satisfactory interpretation.  In my own opinion ’tis Welsh.  I don’t love offering conjectures on a language in which I have hitherto made little proficiency, but I will trust you with my explication.  You know the famous Aglaughlan, mother of Cadwalladhor, was renowned for her conjugal virtues, and grief on the death of her royal spouse.  I conclude this medal was struck in her regency, by her express order, to the memory of her lord, and that the inscription Thur gut Luetis means no more than her dear Llewis or Llewellin.

In return for your coins I send you two or three of different kinds.  The first is a money of one of the kings of Naples; the device, a horse; the motto, Equitas regni.  This curious pun is on a coin in the Great Duke’s collection, and by great chance I have met with a second.  Another is, a satirical medal struck on Lewis xiv.; ’tis a bomb, covered with flower-de-luces, bursting; the motto, Se ipsissimo.  The last, and almost the only one I ever saw with a text well applied, is a German medal with a Rebellious town besieged and blocked up; the inscription, This kind is not expelled but by fasting.  Now I mention medals, have they yet struck the intended one on the taking of Porto-Bello?  Admiral Vernon will shine in our medallic history.  We have just received the news of the bombarding Carthagena, and the taking Chagre. (209) We are in great expectation of some important victory obtained by the squadron under Sir John Norris. we are told the Duke is to be of the expedition; is it true? (210) All the letters, too, talk of France suddenly declaring war; I hope they will defer it for a season, or one shall be obliged to return through Germany.

The conclave still subsists, and the divisions still increase; it was very near separating last week, but by breaking into two popes; they were on the dawn of a schism.  Aldovrandi had thirty-three voices for three days, but could not procure the requisite two more; the Camerlingo having engaged his faction to sign a protestation against him and each party were inclined to elect.  I don’t know whether one should wish for a schism or not; it might probably rekindle the zeal for the church in the powers of Europe which has been so far decaying.  On Wednesday we expect a third she-meteor.  Those learned luminaries the Ladies Pomfret and Walpole are to be joined by the Lady Mary Wortley Montague.  You have not been witness to the rhapsody of mystic nonsense which these two fair ones debate incessantly, and consequently cannot figure what must be the issue of this triple alliance:  we have some idea of it.  Only figure the coalition of prudery, debauchery, sentiment, history, Greek, Latin, French, Italian, and metaphysics; all, except the second, understood by halves, by quarters, or not at all.  You shall have the journals of this notable academy.  Adieu, my dear West!  Yours ever,