statue of the King, and that “honori, laudi, virtuti divae Carolinae,” make one smile, when one sees the ceiling where Britannia rejects and hides the reign of King * * * * But I have no patience at building and planting a satire!  Such is the temple of modern virtue in ruins!  The Grecian temple is glorious:  this I openly worship:  in the heretical corner of my heart I adore the Gothic building, which by some unusual inspiration Gibbs had made pure and beautiful and venerable.  The style has a propensity to the Venetian or mosque Gothic, and the great column near it makes the whole put one in mind of the Place of St. Mark.  The windows are throughout consecrated with painted glass; most of it from the priory at Warwick, a present from that foolish Greathead, who quarrelled with me (because his father was a gardener) for asking him if Lord Brook had planted much—­Apropos to painted glass.  I forgot to tell you of a sweet house which Mr. Montagu carried me to see, belonging to a Mr. Holman, a Catholic, and called Warkworth.  The situation is pretty, the front charming, composed of two round and two square towers.  The court within is incomplete on one side; but above stairs is a vast gallery with four bow-windows and twelve other large ones, all filled with the arms of the old peers of England, with all their quarterings entire.  You don’t deserve, after deserting me, that I should tempt you to such a sight; but this alone is worth while to carry you to Greatworth.

Adieu, my dear Sir!  I return to Strawberry to-morrow, and forgive you enough not to deprive myself of the satisfaction of seeing you there whenever you have nothing else to do.

(413) In not accompanying Mr. Walpole on a visit to Mr. George Montagu at Greatworth.

(414) A phrase of Mr. Montagu’s.

(415) Whiteknights.

(416) At High Wycombe.

(417) Middleton.

(418) The cousin and friend of Madame de S`evign`e, and frequently mentioned in her letters.-E.

(419) Lieutenant of the Tower.  His daughter was the wife of the first Earl of Downe.-E.

179 Letter 84
To George Montagu, Esq. 
Strawberry Hill, Aug. 16, 1753.

Don’t you suspect, that I have not only forgot the pleasure I had at Greatworth and Wroxton,(420) but the commissions you gave me too?  It looks a little ungrateful not to have vented a word of thanks; but I stayed to write till I could send you the things, and when I had them, I stayed to send them by Mr. Chute, who tells you by to-night’s post when he will bring them.  The butter-plate is not exactly what You ordered, but I flatter myself you will like it as well.  There are a few seeds; more shall follow at the end of the autumn.  Besides Tom Harvey’s letter, I have sent you maps of Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire, having felt the want of them when I was with you.  I found the road to Stowe above twelve miles, very bad, and it took me up two hours and a half:  but the formidable