heard such a shout and laughter as it caused.  This debate was followed by as new a one in, the House of Lords, where the Duke of Bedford took the treaty, and in the conclusion of his speech, the ministry, to pieces.  His friend Lord Sandwich, by a most inconceivable jumble of cunning, spoke for the treaty, against the ministry; it is supposed, lest the ’Duke should be thought to have countenanced the Opposition:  you never heard a more lamentable performance! there was no division.(292) The next day the Tories in our House moved for a resolution against subsidiary treaties in line of peace:  Mr. Pelham, with great agitation, replied to the philippics of the preceding, day, and divided 180 to 52.

There has been an odd sort of codicil to these debates:  Vernon,(293) a very inoffensive, good-humoured young fellow, who lives in the strongest intimacy with all the fashionable young men, was proposed for the Old Club at White’s, into the mysteries of which, before a person is initiated, it is necessary that he should be well with the ruling powers:  unluckily, Vernon has lately been at Woburn with the Duke of Bedford.  The night of’ the ballot, of twelve persons present, eight had promised him white balls, being his particular friends—­however, there were six black balls!-this made great noise—­his friends found it necessary to clear up their faith to him—­ten of the twelve assured him upon their honour that they had given him white balls.  I fear this will not give you too favourable an idea of the honour of the young men of the age!

Your father, who has been dying, and had tasted nothing but water for ten days, the other day called for roast beef, and is well; cured, I suppose, by this abstinence, which convinces me that intemperance has been his illness.  Fasting and mortification will restore a good constitution, but not correct a bad one.

Adieu!  I write you but short letters, and those, I fear, seldom; but they tell you all that is material; this is not an age to furnish volumes.

(291) Mr. Pitt was so much pleased with Mr. Horatio Walpole’s speech on this occasion that he requested him to consign it to writing, and gave it as his opinion, that it contained much weighty matter, and from beginning to end breathed the spirit of a man who loved his country.  See Chatham Correspondence, vol. i. p. 63.-E.

(292) For an account of this d(@bate, taken by Lord Chancellor Hardwicke, see Parl.  Hist. vol. xiv. p. 1175.-E.

(293) Richard Vernon, Esq.  He married Lady Evelyn Leveson, widow of the Earl of Upper Ossory, and sister of Gertrude, Duchess of Bedford.-D.

123 Letter 54 To Sir Horace Mann.  Arlington Street, Feb. 27, 1752.

Gal. tells me that your eldest brother has written you an account of your affairs, the particulars of which I was most solicitous to learn, and am now most unhappy to find no better.(294) Indeed, Gal. would have most reason to complain, if his strong friendship for you did not prevent him from thinking that nothing is hard that is in your favour; he told me himself that the conditions imposed upon him were inferior to what he always proposed to do, if the misfortune should arrive of your recall.  He certainly loves you earnestly; if I were not convinced of it, I should be far from loving him so well as I do.