I am grieved that you have still any complaints left.  Dissipation, in my opinion, will be the best receipt; and I do not speak merely for my own sake, when I tell you, how much I wish to have you keep your resolution of coming to town before Christmas.  I am still more pleased with the promise you make to Strawberry, which you have never seen in its green coat since it cut its teeth.  I am here all alone, and shall stay till Tuesday, the day after the birthday.  On Thursday begins our warfare, and if we may believe signs and tokens, our winter will be warlike-.  I mean at home; I have not much faith in the invasion.  Her Royal Highness and His Royal Highness(634) are likely to come to an open rupture.  His grace of Newcastle, who, I think, has gone under every nickname, waits, I believe to see to which he will cling.  There have been two Worlds by my Lord Chesterfield lately, very pretty, the rest very indifferent.

(634) The Princess Dowager and the Duke of Cumberland.

289 Letter 159 To The Hon. H. S. Conway.  Arlington street, Nov. 15, 1755.

I promised you histories, and there are many people that take care I should have it in my power to keep my word.  To begin in order, I should tell you that there were 289 members at the Cockpit meeting, the greatest number ever known there:  but Mr. Pitt, who is too great a general to regard numbers, especially when there was a probability of no great harmony between the commanders, did not, however, postpone giving battle.  The engagement was not more decisive than long:  we sat till within a quarter of five in the morning; an uninterrupted serious debate from before two.  Lord Hillsborough moved the address, and very injudiciously supposed an opposition.  Martin, Legge’s secretary, moved to omit in the address the indirect approbation of the treaties, and the direct assurances of protection to Hanover.  These questions were at length divided:  and against Pitt’s inclination, the last, which was the least unpopular, was first decided by a majority of 311 against 105.  Many then went away; and on the next division the numbers were 290 to 89.  These are the general outlines.  The detail of the speeches, which were very long, and some extremely fine, it would be impossible to give you in any compass.  On the side of the opposition, (which I must tell you by the way, though it set out decently, seems extremely resolved) the speakers (I name them in their order) were:  the 3d Colebrook, Martin, Northey, Sir Richard Lyttelton, Doddington, George Grenville, Sir F. Dashwood, Beckford, Sir G. Lee, Legge, Potter, Dr. Hay, George Townshend, Lord Egmont, Pitt, and Admiral Vernon on the other side were, Lord Hillsborough, Obrien, young Stanhope,(635) Hamilton, Alstone, Ellis, Lord Barrington, Sir G. Lyttelton, Nugent, Murray, Sir T. Robinson, my uncle, and Mr. Fox.  As short as I can, I will give you an account of them.  Sir Richard, Beckford, Potter, G. Townshend, the