has been the Denbighshire election, on the petition of Sir Watkyn William .  ’They have voted him into parliament and the high-sheriff into Newgate.  Murray (478) was most eloquent:  Lloyd,(479) the counsel on the other side, and no bad one, (for I go constantly, though I do not stay long, but “leave the dead to bury their dead,” said that it was objected to the sheriff, that he was related to the sitting member; but, indeed, in that country (Wales) it would be difficult not to be related.  Yesterday we had another hearing of the petition of the Merchants, when Sir Robert Godschall shone brighter than even his usual.  There was a copy of a letter produced, the original having been lost:  he asked whether the copy had been taken before the original was lost, or after!

Next week they commence their prosecutions, which they will introduce by voting a committee to inquire into all the offices:  Sir William Yonge is to be added to the impeachments, but the chief whom they wish to punish is my uncle.(480) He is the more to be pitied, because nobody will pity him.  They are not fond of a formal message which the States General have sent to Sir Robert, “to compliment him on his new honour, and to condole with him on being out of the ministry, which will be so detrimental to Europe!

The third augmentation in Holland is confirmed, and that the Prince of Hesse is chosen generallissimo, which makes it believed that his Grace of Argyll will not go over, but that we shall certainly have a war with France in the spring.  Argyll has got the Ordnance restored to him, and they wanted to give him his regiment; to which Lord Hertford (481) was desired to resign it, with the offer of his old troop again.  He said he had received the regiment from the King; if his Majesty pleased to take it back, he might, but he did not know why he should resign it.  Since that, he wrote a letter to the King, and sent it by his son, Lord Beauchamp, resigning his regiment, his government, and his wife’s pension, as lady of the bedchamber to the late Queen.

No more changes are made yet.  They have offered the Admiralty to Sir Charles Wager again, but he refused it:  he said, he heard that he was an old woman, and that he did not know what good old women could do any where.

A comet has appeared here for two nights, which, you know, is lucky enough at this time and a pretty ingredient for making prophecies.

These are all the news.  I receive your letters regularly, and hope you receive mine so:  I never miss one week.  Adieu! my dearest child!  I am perfectly well; tell me always that you are.  Are the good Chutes still at Florence?  My best love to them, and services to all.

Here are some new Lines much in vogue:(482)

1741.

Unhappy England, still in forty-one (483)
By Scotland art thou doom’d to be undone! 
But Scotland now, to strike alone afraid,
Calls in her worthy sister Cornwall’s (484) aid;
And these two common Strumpets, hand in hand,
Walk forth, and preach up virtue through the land;
Start at corruption, at a bribe turn pale,
Shudder at pensions, and at placemen rail. 
Peace, peace! ye wretched hypocrites; or rather
With Job, say to Corruption, " Thou’rt our Father.”