Your brother has gone over the way with Mr. Whithed, to choose some of Lord Cholmondeley’s pictures for his debt; they are all given up to the creditors, who yet scarce receive forty per cent. of their money.

It is wrong to send so short a letter as this so far, I know; but what can one do?  After the first fine shower, I will send you a much longer.  Adieu!

(1367) Upon this occasion Admiral Anson took six French men-of war and four of their East Indiamen, and sunk or destroyed the rest of their fleet.-D.

(1368) Thomas Grenville, youngest brother of Richard, Earl Temple.  As soon as he was struck by the cannon-ball, he exclaimed, gallantly, “well! it is better to die thus, than to be tried by a court-martial!” [His uncle Lord Cobham, erected a column to his memory in the gardens at Stowe.]

(1369) ,,b Solomon Dayrolles, Esq.  There are many letters addressed to him in Lord Chesterfield’s Miscellaneous Correspondence.-D.

528 Letter 235 To Sir Horace Mann Arlington Street, June 5, 1747.

Don’t be more frightened at hearing the Parliament is to be dissolved in a fortnight, than you are obliged to be as a good minister.  Since this Parliament has not brought over the Pretender, I trust the death of it will not.  You will want to know the reason of this sudden step:  several are given, as the impossibility of making either peace or war, till they are secure of a new majority; but I believe the true motive is to disappoint the Prince, who was not ready with his elections.  In general, people seem to like the measure, except the Speaker, who is very pompous about it, and speaks constitutional paragraphs.  There are rumours of changes to attend its exit.  People imagine Lord Chesterfield(1370) is to quit, but I know no other grounds for this belief, than that they conclude the Duke of Newcastle must be jealous of him by this time.  Lord Sandwich is looked upon as his successor, Whenever it shall happen.  He is now here, to look after his Huntingdonshire boroughs.  We talk nothing but elections-however, it is better than talking them for a year together.  Mine for Callington (for I would not come in for Lynn, which I have left to Prince Pigwiggin(1371)) is so easy, that I shall have no trouble, not even the dignity of being carried in triumph, like the lost sheep, on a porter’s shoulders but may retire to a little new farm that I have taken just out of Twickenham.  The house is so small, that I can send it you in a letter to look at:  the prospect is as delightful as possible, commanding the river, the town, and Richmond Park; and being situated on a hill descends to the Thames through two or three little meadows, where I have some Turkish sheep and two cows, all studied in their colours for becoming the view.  This little rural bijou was Mrs. Chenevix’s, the toy-woman `a la mode, who in every dry season is to furnish me with the best rain-water from Paris, and now and then with some Dresden-china cows, who are to figure like wooden classics in a library:  so I shall grow as much a shepherd as any swain in the Astrea.