The opera is begun, but is not so well as last year.  The Rosa Maricini, who is second woman, and whom I suppose you have heard, is now old.  In the room of Amorevoli, they have got a dreadful bass, who, the Duke of Montagu says he believes, was organist at Aschaffenburgh.

DO you remember a tall Mr. Vernon,(871) who travelled with Mr. Cotton?  He is going to be married to a sister of Lord Strafford.

I have exhausted my news, and you shall excuse my being short to-day.  For the future, I shall overflow with preferments, alterations, and parliaments.

Your brother brought me yesterday two of yours together, of Oct. 22 and 27, and I find you still overwhelmed with Richcourt’s folly and the Admiral’s explanatory ignorance.  It is unpleasant to have old Pucci (872) added to your embarrassments.

Chevalier Ossorio (873) was with me the other morning, and we were talking over the Hanoverians, as every body does.  I complimented him very sincerely on his master’s great bravery and success:  he answered very modestly and sensibly, that he was glad amidst all the clamours, that there had been no cavil to be found with the subsidy paid to his King.  Prince Lobkowitz makes a great figure, and has all my wishes and blessings for having put Tuscany out of the question.

There is no end of my giving you trouble with packing me up cases:  I shall pay the money to your brother.  Adieu!  Embrace the Chutes, who are heavenly good to you, and must have been of great use in all your illness and disputes.

(869) Her name was Mademoiselle Doublette, and she is called in the Peerages “the niece of M. Van Haaren, of the Province of Holland."-D.

(870) Lady Anne Lennox, sister of the Duke of Richmond, and wife of William Anne van Keppel, Earl of Albemarle:  she had been lady of the bedchamber to the Queen; and this year conducted Princess Louisa to Altona, to be married to the Prince Royal of Denmark.

(871) Henry Vernon, Esq. a nephew of Admiral Vernon, married to Lady Henrietta Wentworth, daughter of Thomas, first Earl of Strafford, of the second creation.-D.

(872) Signor Pucci was resident from Tuscany at the Court of England.

(873) Chevalier Ossorio was several years minister in England from the King of Sardinia, to whom he afterwards became first minister.

351 Letter 124 To Sir Horace Mann.  Arlington Street, Nov. 30, 1743.

I have had two letters from you since I wrote myself This I begin against to-morrow, for I should have little time to write.  The parliament opens, and we are threatened with a tight Opposition, though it must be vain, if the numbers turns out as they are calculated; three hundred for the Court, two hundred and five opponents; that is, in town; for, you know, the whole amounts to five hundred and fifty-eight.  The division of the ministry has been more violent than between parties; though now, they tell you, it