I laughed at myself prodigiously the other day for a piece of absence; I was writing on the King’s birthday, and being disturbed with the mob in the street, I rang for the porter, and, with an air of grandeur, as if I was still at Downing Street, cried, “Pray send away those marrowbones and cleavers!” The poor fellow with the most mortified air in the world, replied, “Sir, they are not at our door, but over the way at my Lord Carteret’s.”  “Oh,” said I, “then let them alone; may be he does not dislike the noise!” I pity the poor porter, who sees all his old customers going over the way too.

Our operas begin to-morrow with a pasticcio, full of most of my favourite songs:  the Fumagalli has disappointed us; she had received an hundred ducats, and then wrote word that she had spent them, and was afraid of coming through the Spanish quarters; but if they would send her an hundred more, she would come next year.  Villettes has what been written to in the strongest manner to have her forced hither (for she is at Turin.) I tell you this by way of key, in case you should receive a mysterious letter in cipher from him about this important business.

I have not seen Due d’Aremberg; but I hear that all the entertainments for him are suppers, for he -will dine at his own hour, eleven in the morning.  He proposed it to the Duchess of Richmond when she invited him; but she said she did not know where to find company to dine with him at that hour.

I must advise YOU to be cautious how you refuse humouring our captains (729) in any of their foolish schemes; for they are popular, and I should be very sorry to have them out of humour with you when they come home, lest it should give any handle to your enemies.  Think of it, my dear child!  The officers in Flanders, that are members of parliament, have had intimations, that if they asked leave to come on their private affairs, and drop in, not all together, they will be very well received; this is decorum.  Little Brook’s little wife is a little with child.  Adieu!

(728) Lord Hervey.

(729) The captains of ships in the English fleet at Leghorn.

296 Letter 89 To Sir Horace Mann.  London, Nov. 15, 1742.

I have not written to you lately, expecting letters from you; last I have received two.  I still send mine through France, as I am afraid they would get to you with still more difficulty through Holland.

Our army is just now ordered to march to Mayence, at the repeated instances of the Queen of Hungary; Lord Stair goes with them, but almost all the officers that arc in parliament arc come over, for the troops are only to be in garrison till March, when, it is said, the King will take the field with them.  This step makes a great noise, for the old remains of the Opposition are determined to persist, and have termed this a H(inoverian measure.  They begin to-morrow, with opposing the address on the King’s speech:  Pitt is to be the leading mail; there are none but he and Lyttelton of the Prince’s court, who do not join with the ministry:  the Prince has told them, that he will follow the advice they long ago gave him, “turning out all his people who do not vote as he would have them.”