and in the army:  he is with the Duke-his wife and his clan with the rebels.  The head of the mackintosh’s is acting just the same part.  The clan of the Grants, always esteemed the most Whig friendly tribe, have literally in all the forms signed a neutrality with the rebels.  The most honest instance I have heard, is in the town of Forfar, there they have chosen their magistrates; but at the same time entered a memorandum in their town-book, that they shall not execute their office “till it is decided which King is to reign.”

The Parliament is adjourned for the Easter holidays.  Princess Caroline is going to the Bath for a rheumatism.  The countess, whose return you seem so much to dread, has entertained the town with an excellent vulgarism.  She happened One night at the Opera to sit by Peggy Banks,(1178) a celebrated beauty, and asked her several questions about the singers and dancers, which the other naturally answered, as one woman of fashion answers another.  The next morning Sir Bourchier Wrey sent Miss Banks an opera-ticket, and my lady sent her a card, to thank her for her civilities to her the night before, and that she intended to wait on her very soon.  Do but think of Sir B. Wrey’s paying a woman of fashion for being civil to my Lady O.!  Sure no apothecary’s wife in a market-town could know less of the world than these two people!  The operas flourish more than in any latter years; the composer is Gluck, a German:  he is to have a benefit, at which he is to play on a set of drinking-glasses, which he modulates with water—­I think I have heard you speak of having seen some such thing.

You will see in the papers long accounts of a most shocking murder, that has been committed by a lad(1179) on his mistress, who was found dead in her bedchamber, with an hundred wounds; her brains beaten out, stabbed, her face, back, and breasts slashed in twenty places- one hears of nothing else wherever one goes.  But adieu! it is time to finish a letter, when one is reduced for news to the casualties of the week.

(1177) William Mackenzie, fifth Earl of Seaforth, the father of Kenneth Lord Fortrose, had been engaged in the rebellion of 1715, and was attainted.  He died in 1740.  In consequence of his attainder, his son never assumed the title of Seaforth, but continued to be called Lord Fortrose, the second title of the family.  He was member of parliament in 1741 for the burghs of Fortrose, etc., and in 1747 and 1754, for the county of Ross, He died in 1762.  His only son, Kenneth, was created Viscount Fortrose, and Earl of Seaforth in Ireland.-D.

(1178_ Margaret, sister of John Hodgkinson Bank,.;, Esq.; married, in 1757, to the Hon. Henry Grenville, fifth son of the Countess Temple, who was appointed governor of Barbadoes in 1746, and ambassador to the Ottoman Porte in 1761.-D.

(1179) One Henderson, hanged for murdering Mrs. Dalrymple.

473 Letter 199 To Sir Horace Mann.  Arlington Street, April 15, 1746.