The little that I believe you would care to know relating to the Strawberry annals, is, that the great tower is finished on the outside, and the whole whitened, and has a charming effect, especially as the verdure of this year is beyond what I have ever seen it:  the grove nearest the house comes on much; you know I had almost despaired of its ever making a figure.  The bow-window room over the supper-parlour is finished; hung with a plain blue paper, with a chintz bed and chairs; my father and mother over the chimney in the Gibbons frame, about which you know we were in dispute what to do.  I have fixed on black and gold, and it has a charming effect over your chimney with the two dropping points, which is executed exactly; and the old grate of Henry viii. which you bought, is within it.  In each panel around the room is a single picture; Gray’s, Sir Charles Williams’s, and yours, in their black and gold frames; mine is to match yours; and, on each side the doors, are the pictures of Mr. Churchill and Lady Mary, with their son, on one side, Mr. Conway and Lady Ailesbury on the other.  You can’t imagine how new and pretty this furniture is.-I believe I must get you to send me an attestation under your hand that you knew nothing of it, that Mr. Rigby may allow that at least this one room was by my own direction. — As the library and great parlour grow finished, you shall have exact notice.

>From Mabland(481) I have little news to send you, but that the obelisk is danced from the middle of the rabbit-warren into his neighbour’s garden, and he pays a ground-rent for looking at it there.  His shrubs are hitherto unmolested, Et MaryboniaCoS(482) gaudet revirescere lucos!

The town is as busy again as ever on the affair of Canning, who has been tried for perjury.  The jury would have brought her in guilty of perjury, but not wilful, till the judge informed them that that would rather be an Irish verdict:  they then brought her in simply guilty, but recommended her.  In short, nothing is discovered:  the most general opinion is, that she was robbed, but by some other gipsy.  For my own part, I am not at all brought to believe her story, nor shall, till I hear that living seven-and-twenty days without eating is among @ one of those secrets for doing impossibilities, which I suppose will be at last found out, and about the time that I am dead, even some art of living for ever.

You was in pain for me, and indeed I was in pain for myself, on the prospect of the sale of Dr. Mead’s miniatures.  You may be easy; it is more than I am quite; for it is come out that the late Prince of Wales had bought them every one.

I have not yet had time to have your granite examined, but will next week.  If you have not noticed to your sisters any present of Ormer shells, I shall contradict myself, and accept them for my Lady Lyttelton,(483) who is making a grotto.  As many as you can send conveniently, and any thing for the same use, will be very acceptable.  You will laugh when I tell you, that I am employed to reconcile Sir George and Moore;(484) the latter has been very flippant, say impertinent, on the former’s giving a little place to Bower, in preference to him.  Think of my being the mediator!