our House:  but except the poor Attorney-general,(390) “Who is nurse indeed. to all intents and purposes, and did amply gossip over it, not one of them said a word.  Nugent shone extremely in opposition to the bill, and, though every now and then on the precipice of absurdity, kept clear of it, with great humour and wit and argument, and was unanswered-yet we were beat.  Last Monday it came into the committee:  Charles Townshend acted a very good speech with great cleverness, and drew a picture of his own story and his father’s tyranny, with at least as much parts as modesty.  Mr. Fox mumbled the Chancellor and his lawyers, and pinned the plan of the bill upon a pamphlet he had found of Dr. Gally’s,(391) where the doctor, recommending the French scheme of matrimony, says, “It was found that fathers were too apt to forgive.”  “The Gospel, I thought,” said Mr. Fox, “enjoined forgiveness; but pious Dr. Gal] v thinks fathers are too apt to forgive.”  Mr. Pelham, extremely in his opinion against the bill, and in his inclination too, was forced to rivet it, and, without speaking one word for it, taught the House how to vote for it; and it was carried against the Chairman’s leaving the chair by 165 to 84.  This Is all the news I know, or at least was all when I came out of town; for I left the tinkering of the bill, and came hither last Tuesday to my workmen.  I flatter myself I shall get into tolerable order to receive my Lady Ailesbury and you at your return from Sligo, from whence I have received ’your letter, and where I hope you have had my first.  I say nothing of the exile of the Parliament of Paris for I know no more than you will see in the public papers; only, as we are going to choose a new Parliament, we could not do better than choose the exiles:  we could scarce choose braver or honester men.  I say as little of Mademoiselle Murphy,(392) for I conclude you hear nothing but her health drank in whiskey.  Don’t all the nailed Irish flatter themselves with preferment, and claim relation with her?  Miss Chudleigh says, there is some sense in belonging to a king who turns off an old mistress when he has got a new one.

Arlington Street, May 29.

I am Come to town for a day or two, and find that the Marriage-bill has not only lasted till now-in the committee, but has produced, or at least disclosed, extreme heats.  Mr. Fox and Mr. Pelham have had very high words on every clause, and the former has renewed his attacks on the Chancellor under the name of Dr. Gally.  Yesterday on the nullity clause they sat till half an hour after three in the morning, having just then had a division On adjournment, which was rejected by the ministry by above 80 to 70.  The Speaker, who had spoken well against the clause, was so misrepresented by the Attorney-general, that there was danger of a skimmington between the great wig and the coif, the former having given a flat lie to the latter.  Mr. Fox I am told, outdid himself for spirit, and severity on the Chancellor and the