view than to render the riot act useless? and then they may rise for the Pretender whenever they please.  Then they moved to punish Justice Blackerby for calling in the soldiers; and when it was desired that he might be heard in his own defence, they said he had already confessed his crime.  Do but think on it! without being accused, without knowing, or being told it was a crime, a man gives evidence in another cause, not his own, and then they call it his-own accusation of himself, and would condemn him for it.  You see what justice we may expect if they actually get the majority.  But this was too strong a pill for one of their own leaders to swallow:  Sir John Barnard(369 did propose and persuade them to give him a day to be heard.  In short we sat till half an hour after four in the morning; the longest day that ever was known.  I say nothing of myself, for I could but just speak when I came away; but Sir Robert was as well as ever, and spoke with as much spirit as ever, at four o’clock.  This way they will not kill him; I Will not answer for any other.  As he came out, Whitehead,(370) the author of Manners, and agent with one Carey, a surgeon, for the Opposition, said “D-n him, how well he looks!” Immediately after their success, Lord Gage (371) went forth, and begged there might be no mobbing; but last night we had bonfires all over the town, and I suppose shall have notable mobbing at the new election; though I do not believe there will be any opposition to their Mr. Edwin and Lord Perceval.(372) Thank God! we are now adjourned for three weeks.  I shall go to Swallowfield (373) for a few days:  so for one week you will miss hearing from me.  We have escaped the Prince’S (374) affair hitherto, but we shall have it after the holidays.  All depends upon the practices of both sides in securing or getting new votes during the recess.  Sir Robert is very sanguine:  I hope, for his sake and for his honour, and for the nation’s peace, that he will get the better:  but the moment he has the majority secure, I shall be very earnest with him to resign.  He has a constitution to last some years, and enjoy some repose; and for my own part (and both my brothers agree with me in it), we wish most heartily to see an end of his ministry.  If I can judge of them by myself, those who want to be in our situation, do not wish to see it brought about more than we do.  It is fatiguing to bear so much envy and ill-will undeservedly.-Otium Divos rogo; but adieu, politics, for three weeks!

The Duchess of Buckingham, (375) who is more mad with pride than any merchant’s wife in Bedlam, came the other night to the opera en princesse, literally in robes, red velvet and ermine.  I must tell you a story of her:  last week she sent for Cori,(376) to pay him for her opera-ticket; he was not at home, but went in an hour afterwards.  She said, “Did he treat her like a tradeswoman?  She would teach him to respect women of her birth; said he was in league with Mr. Sheffield (377) to abuse her, and bade him come the next morning at nine.”  He came, and she made him wait till eight at night, only sending him an omlet and a bottle of wine, “as it was Friday, and he a Catholic, she supposed he did not eat meat.”  At last she received him in all the form of a princess giving audience to an ambassador.  “Now,” she said, “she had punished him.”