painter.  In order to keep your talent alive, I shall next week send you flake white, brushes, oil, and the enclosed directions from Mr. Muntz, who is still at the Vine, and whom, for want of you, we labour hard to form.  I shall put up in the parcel two or three prints of my eagle, which, as you never would draw it, is very moderately performed; and yet the drawing was much better than the engraving.  I shall send you too a trifling snuff-box, only as a sample of the new manufacture at Battersea, which is done with copper-plates.  Mr. Chute is at the Vine, where I cannot say any works go on in proportion to my impatience.  I have left him an inventionary of all I want to have done there; but I believe it may be bound up with the century of projects of that foolish Marquis of Worcester, who printed a catalogue of titles of things which he gave no directions to execute, nor I believe could.(611) Adieu!

(607) “Our Gen’rals now, retired to their estate, Hang their old trophies o’er the garden gate.”  Pope, in this couplet, is said to have alluded to the entrance of Lord Peterborough’s lawn at Bevismount.-E.

(608) Gray, who visited Netley Abbey in the preceding month, calls it “a most beautiful ruin in as beautiful a situation."-E.

(609) william Henry, brother of Sir George, afterwards Lord Lyttelton.  The man-of-war in which he was proceeding to South Carolina was captured by the French squadron under Count Guay, and sent into Nantes, but was shortly afterwards restored.-E.

(610) “The Bard” was commenced this year, but was for some time left unfinished; but the accident of seeing a blind Harper (Mr. Parry) perform on a Welsh harp, again put his Ode in motion, and brought it at last to a conclusion, See Works, vol. i. p. xxxiii.-E.

(611) Vol. i. letter 259 to H. S. Conway, Aug. 29, 1748.

275 Letter 149 To The Hon. H. S. Conway.  Strawberry Hill, Sept. 23, 1755.

Dear harry, Never make me excuses for a letter that tells me so many agreeable things -as your last; that you are got well to Dublin;(612) that you are all well, and that you have accommodated all your politics to your satisfaction—­and I may be allowed to say, greatly to your credit ’What could you tell me that would please me so much When I have indulged a little my joy for your success and honour, it is natural to consider the circumstances you have told me; and you will easily excuse me if I am not quite as much satisfied with the conduct of your late antagonists, as I with yours.  You have tranquillized a nation, have repaired your master’s honour, and secured the peace of your administration;-but what shall one say to the Speaker, Mr. Malone and the others?  Don’t they confess that they have gone the greatest lengths, and risked the safety of their country on a mere personal pique?  If they did not contend for profit, like our patriots (and you don’t tell me that they have made any lucrative stipulations),