(494) Nathaniel Hooke, a laborious compiler, but a very bad writer.  It is said, that the Duchess of Marlborough gave him 5000 pounds for the services he rendered her, in the composition and publication of her apology.  She, however, afterwards quarrelled with him, because she said he tried to convert her to Popery.  Hooke was himself of that religion, and was also a Quietist, and an enthusiastic follower of Fenelon.  It was Hooke who brought a Catholic priest to attend the deathbed of Pope; a proceeding which excited such bitter inclination in the infidel Bolingbroke.  Hooke died July 19, 1763. [When Hooke asked Pope, “whether he should not send for a priest, the dying poet replied, “I do not suppose that is essential, but it will look right."-Spence, p. 322.)

(495) Edward second Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer, only son of the minister, he was a great and liberal patron of literature and learned men, and completed the valuable collection of manuscripts commenced by his father, which is now in the British Museum.  He married the great Cavendish heiress, Lady Henrietta Cavendish Holles, daughter of Holles, Duke of Newcastle, and died June 16, 1741.-D.

(496) By Buranello, and called “Scipione in Cartagine."-E. (497) Mary Mann, afterwards married to Mr. Foote.

(498) Of Cumberland. [William Augustus, third son of George ii.)

234 Letter 57 To Sir Horace Mann.  March 10, 1742.

I will not work you up into a fright only to have the pleasure of putting you out of it, but will tell you at once that we have gained the greatest victory!  I don’t mean in the person of Admiral Vernon, nor of Admiral Haddock; no. nor in that of his Grace of Argyll.  By we, I don’t mean we; England, but we, literally we; not you and I, but we, the House of Orford.  The certainty that the Opposition (or rather the Coalition, for that is the new name they have taken) had of carrying every point they wished, made them, in the pride of their hearts, declare that they would move for the Secret Committee yesterday (Tuesday), and next Friday would name the list, by which day they should have Mr. Sandys from his reelection.  It was, however, expected to be put off, as Mr. Pultney could not attend the House, his only daughter was dying-they say she is dead.(499) But an affair of consequence to them, and indeed to the nation in general, roused all their rage, and drove them to determine on the last violences.  I told you in my last, that the new Admiralty was named, with a mixture of Tories; that is, it was named by my Lord of Argyll; but the King flatly put his negative on Sir John Cotton.  They said he was no Tory now, (and, in truth, he yesterday in the House professed himself a Whig,) and that there were no Tories left in the nation.  The King replied, “that might be; but he was determined to stand by those who had set him and his family upon the throne.”  This refusal enraged them so much, that they declared they would force