The great Vernon is landed, but we have not been alarmed with any bonfires or illuminations; he has outlived all his popularity.  There is nothing new but the separation of a Mr. and Mrs. French, whom it is impossible you should know.  She has been fashionable these two winters; her husband has commenced a suit in Doctors’ Commons against her cat, and will, they say, recover considerable damages:  but the lawyers are of opinion, that the kittens must inherit Mr. French’s estate, as they were born in lawful wedlock.

The parliament meets again on Monday, but I don’t hear of any fatigue that we are likely to have; in a little time, I suppose, we shall hear what campaigning we are to make.

I must tell you of an admirable reply of your acquaintance the Duchess of Queensberry:(752) old Lady Granville, Lord Carteret’s mother, whom they call the Queen-Mother, from taking upon her to do the honours of her son’s power, was pressing the duchess to ask her for some place for herself or friends, and assured her that she would procure it, be it what it would.  Could she have picked out a fitter person to be gracious to?  The duchess made her a most grave curtsey, and said, “Indeed, there was one thing she had set her heart on."-"Dear child, how you oblige me by asking, any thing!  What is it? tell me.”  “Only that you would speak to my Lord Carteret to get me made lady of the bedchamber to the Queen of Hungary.”

I come now to your letter, and am not at all pleased to find that the Princess absolutely intends to murder you with her cold rooms.  I wish you could come on those cold nights and sit by my fireside; I have the prettiest warm little apartment, with all my baubles, and Patapans, and cats!  Patapan and I go to-morrow to New Park, to my lord, for the air, and come back with him on Monday.

What an infamous story that affair of Nomis is! and how different the ideas of honour among officers in your world and ours!  Your history of cicisbeosm is more entertaining:  I figure the distress of a parcel of lovers who have so many things to dread-the government in this world! purgatory in the next! inquisitions, villeggiaturas, convents, etc.

Lord Essex is extremely bad, and has not strength enough to go through the remedies that are necessary to his recovery.  He now fancies that he does not exist, will not be persuaded to walk or talk, because, as he sometimes says, “How should he do any thing? he is not.”  You say, “How came I not to see Duc d’Aremberg?” I did once at the opera; but he went away soon after:  and here it is not the way to visit foreigners, unless you are of the Court, or are particularly in a way of having them at your house:  consequently Sir R. never saw him either-we are not of the Court!  Next, as to Arlington Street:  Sir R. is in a middling kind of house, which has long been his, and was let; he has taken a small one next to it for me, and they are laid together.