The talk of peace is blown over; nine or ten battalions were ordered for Flanders the day before yesterday, but they are again countermanded; and the operations of this campaign again likely to be confined within the precincts of Covent Garden, where the army- surgeons give constant attendance.  Major Johnson commands (I can’t call it) the corps de reserve in Grosvenor Street.  I wish you had seen the goddess of those purlieus with him t’other night at Ranelagh; you would have sworn it had been the divine Cucumber in person.

The fame of the Violetta(1212) increases daily; the sister-Countesses of Burlington and Talbot exert all their stores of sullen partiality in competition for her- the former visits her, and is having her picture, and carries her to Chiswick, and she sups at Lady Carlisle’s, and lies—­indeed I have not heard where, but I know not at Leicester House, where she is in great disgrace, for not going once or twice a week to take lessons of Denoyer, as he(1213) bid her:  you know, that is politics in a court where dancing-masters are ministers.

Adieu! dear George:  my compliments to all at the farm.  Your cocks and hens would write to you, but they are dressing in haste for the masquerade — mind, I don’t say that Asheton is doing any thing like that; but he is putting on an odd sort of a black gown — but, as Di Bertie says on her message cards, “mum for that.”  Yours ever.

(1209) Edward Hussey, afterwards Earl of Beaulieu. [He married Isabella, widow of William, second Duke of Manchester, the heroine of Sir Charles Hanbury Williams’s poem entitled “Isabella; or, the Morning;” and died in 1802.]

(1210) The Princess Mary, who was married to the Prince of Hesse Cassel, in 1740.-E.

(1211) Afterwards married to Samuel, second and last Lord Masham, who died in 1776.-E.

(1212) Afterwards Mrs. Garrick.

(1213) The Prince of Wales; with whom the dancing-master was a great favourite.

482 Letter 204 To sir Horace Mann.  Arlington Street, June 6, 1746.

It was a very unpleasant reason for my not hearing from you last post, that you was ill; but I have had a letter from you since of May 24th, that has made me easy again for your health:  if you was not losing the good Chutes, I should have been quite satisfied; but that is a loss you will not easily repair, though I were to recommend you Hobarts(1214) every day.  Sure you must have had flights of strange awkward animals, if you can be so taken with him!  I shall begin to look about me, to see the merits of England:  he was no curiosity here; and yet heaven knows there are many better, with whom I hope I shall never be acquainted.  As I have cautioned you more than once against minding my recommendatory letters, (which one gives because one can’t refuse them,) unless I write to you separately, I have no scruple in giving them.  You are extremely good to give so much credit to my bills at first sight; but don’t put down Hobart to my account; I used to call him the Clearcake; fat, fair, sweet, and seen through in a moment.  By what you tell me, I should conclude the Countess was not returning; for Hobart is not a morsel that she can afford to lose.