(846) this very lively letter is the first of a series, hitherto unpublished, addressed by Mr. Walpole to John Chute, Esq. of the Vine, in the county of Hants.  Mr. Chute was the grandson of Chaloner Chute, Esq.  Speaker of the House of Commons to Richard Cromwell’s parliament.  On the death of his brother Anthony, in 1754, he succeeded to the family estates, and died in 1776.-E.

(847) According to Lord Byron—­

“Ennui is a growth of English root,
Though nameless in our language:  we retort
The fact for words, and let the French translate
That awful yawn, which sleep cannot abate.”

(848) Thus described by Walpole in his Description Of the Pictures at Houghton Hall:- “The Virgin and Child, a most beautiful, bright, and capital picture, by Dominichino:  bought out of the Zambeccari palace at Bologna by Horace Walpole, junior."-E.

340 Letter 118
To Sir Horace Mann. 
Houghton, Aug. 29, 1743.

You frighten me about the Spaniards entering Tuscany:  it is so probable, that I have no hopes against it but in their weakness.  If all the accounts of their weakness and desertion are true, it must be easy to repel them.  If their march to Florence is to keep pace with Prince Charles’s entering Lorrain, it is not yet near:  hitherto, he has not found the passage of the Rhine practicable.  The French have assembled greater armies to oppose it than was expected.  We are marching to assist him:  the King goes on with the army.  I am extremely sorry for the Chevalier de Beauvau’s(849) accident; as sorry, perhaps, as the prince or princess; for you know he was no favourite.  The release of the French prisoners prevents the civilities which I would have taken care to have had shown him.  You may tell the princess, that though it will be so much honour to us to have any of her family it) our power, vet I shall always be extremely concerned to have such an opportunity of showing my attention to them. there’s a period in her own style-"Comment!  Monsieur des attentions:  qu’il est poli! qu’il s`cait tOUrner une civilit`e!”

“Ha!(850) la brave Angloise! e viva!” What would I have given to have overheard you breaking it to the gallant!  But of all, commend me to the good man Nykin!  Why, Mamie (851) himself could not have cuddled up an affair for his sovereign lady better.

I have a commission from my lord to send you ten thousand thanks for his bronze-.  He admires it beyond measure.  It came down last Friday, on his birthday,(852) and was placed at the upper end of the gallery, which was illuminated on the occasion:  indeed, it is incredible what a magnificent appearance it made.  There were sixty-four candles, which showed all the pictures to great advantage.  The Dominichin did itself and us honour.  There is not the least question of its being original:  one might as well doubt the originality of King Patapan!  His patapanic majesty is not one of the least curiosities