(1319) George, eldest son of Lord Cholmondeley, married, in January 1747, Miss Edwards. (She was the, daughter and heiress of Sir Francis Edwards, Bart. of Grete, in Shropshire.-D.)

(1320) James Douglas, ninth Earl of Morton.-D.

(1321) He was, a few days after, admitted to bail.-E.

(1322) Heydon.

515 Letter 227
To Sir Horace Mann. 
Arlington Street, Christmas-day, 1746.

We are in great expectation of farther news from Genoa, which the last accounts left in the greatest confusion, and I think in the hands of the Genoese;,(1323) a circumstance that may chance to unravel all the fine schemes in Provence!  Marshal Bathiani, at the Hague, treated this revolt as a trifle; but all the letters by last post make it a reconquest.  The Dutch do all the Duke asks:  we talk of an army of 140,000 men in Flanders next campaign.  I don’t know how the Prince of Orange relishes his brother-in-law’s dignities and success.

Old Lovat has been brought to the bar of the House of Lords:  he is far from having those abilities for which he has been so cried up.  He saw Mr. Pelham at a distance and called to him, and asked him if it were worth while to make all this fuss to take off a gray head fourscore years old?  In his defence he complained of his estate being seized and kept from him.  Lord Granville took up this complaint very strongly, and insisted on having it inquired into.  Lord Bath went farther, and, as some people think, intended the Duke; but I believe he only aimed at the Duke of Newcastle, who was so alarmed with this motion, that he kept the House above a quarter of an hour in suspense, till he could send for Stone,(1324) and consult what he should do.  They made a rule to order the old creature the profits of his estate till his conviction.  He is to put in his answer the 13th of January.

Lord Lincoln is cofferer at last, in the room of Waller,(1325) who is dismissed.  Sir Charles Williams has kissed hands, and sets out for Dresden in a month:  he has hopes of Turin, but I think Villettes is firm.  Don’t mention this.

Did I ever talk to you of a Mr. Davis, a Norfolk gentleman, who has taken to painting?  He has copied the Dominichin, the third picture he ever copied in his life:  how well, you may judge; for Mr. Chute, who, I believe you think, understands pictures if any body does, happened to come in, just as Mr. Davis brought his copy hither.  “Here,” said I, “Mr. Chute, here is your Dominichin come to town to be copied.”  He literally did not know it; which made me very happy for Mr. Davis, who has given me this charming picture.  Do but figure to yourself a man of fifty years old, who was scarce ever out of the county of Norfolk, but when his hounds led him; who never saw a tolerable picture till those at Houghton four years ago who plays and composes as well as he paints, and who has no more of the Norfolk dialect than a Florentine!  He is the most decent, sensible man you ever saw.