the Duke of Newcastle after much the same sort of ill usage) said the motion was improper, and moved to adjourn.(566) T’other Earl said, “Then pray, my Lords, what is to become of my motion?” The House burst out a-laughing:  he divided it, but was single.  He then advertised his papers as lost.  Legge, in his punning style, said, “My Lord Poulet has had a stroke of an apoplexy; he has lost both his speech and motion.”  It is now printed; but not having succeeded in prose, he is turned poet—­you may guess how good!

The Duke(567) is at the head of the Regency-you may guess if we are afraid! -Both fleets are sailed.  The night the King went, there was a magnificent ball and supper at Bedford House.  The Duke was there:  he was playing at hazard with a great heap of gold before him; somebody said, he looked like the prodigal son and the fatted calf both.  In the dessert was a model of Walton Bridge in glass.  Yesterday I gave a great breakfast at Strawberry Hill to the Bedford court.  There were the Duke and Duchess, Lord Tavistock and Lady Caroline, my Lord and Lady Gower, Lady Caroline Egerton, Lady Betty Waldegrave, Lady Mary Coke, Mrs. Pitt,(568) Mr. Churchill and Lady Mary, Mr. Bap.  Leveson,(569) and Colonel Sebright.  The first thing I asked Harry was, “Does the sun shine?” It did; and Strawberry was all gold, and all green.  I am not apt to think people really like it, that is, understand it—­, but I think the flattery of yesterday was sincere; I judge by the notice the Duchess took of your drawings.  Oh! how you will think the shades of Strawberry extended!  Do you observe the tone of satisfaction with which I say this, as thinking it near?  Mrs. Pitt brought her French horns:  we placed them in the corner of the wood, and it was delightful.  Poyang has great custom:  I have lately given Count Perron some gold fish, which he has carried in his post-chaise to Turin:  he has already carried some before.  The Russian minister has asked me for some too, but I doubt their succeeding there; unless, according to the universality of my system, every thing is to be found out at last, and practised every where.

I have got a new book that will divert you, called Anecdotes Litteraires:  it is a collection of stories and bons-mots of all the French writers; but so many of their bons-mots are impertinences, follies, and vanities, that I have blotted out the title, and written Mis`eres des S`cavants.  It is a triumph for the ignorant.  Gray says, very justly, that learning never should be encouraged, it only draws out fools from their obscurity; and you know I have always thought a running footman as meritorious a being as a learned man.  Why is there more merit in having travelled one’s eyes over so many reams of paper than in having carried one’s legs over so many acres of ground?  Adieu, my dear Sir!  Pray don’t be taken prisoner to France, just when you are expected at Strawberry!

(565) Member for the county of Suffolk.  He died in 1759.-E.