and Talbot the Welsh judge, lords of trade; the Duke of Leeds cofferer, Lord Sandwich chief justice in eyre, Ellis and Lord Sandys (autre dishclout) divide the half of the treasury of Ireland, George Selwyn paymaster of the board of works, Arundel is to have a pension in Ireland, and Lord Hillsborough succeeds him -,is treasurer of the chambers, though I thought he was as fond of his white staff as my Lord Hobart will be, who is to have it.  There, if you love new politics!  You understand, to make these vacancies, that Charles Townshend and John Pitt are added to the dismissed and dead.

My Lord Townshend is dying; the young Lord Pembroke marries the charming Lady Betty Spencer.(649) The French are thought to have passed eldest as to England, and to intend to take in Hanover.  I know an old potentate who had rather have the gout in his stomach than in that little toe.  Adieu!  I have sent your letter; make my compliments, and come to town.

648) Lord Edgecumbe.

(649) Second daughter of Charles second Duke of Marlborough.-E.

298 Letter 166 To Sir Horace Mann.  Arlington Street, Dec. 12, 1755.

I am glad, my dear Sir, that you have not wasted many alarms on the invasion; it does not seem to have been ever intended by the French.  Our ministers, who are not apt to have any intelligence, have now only had bad:  they spread that idea; it took for some days, but is vanished.  I believe we tremble more really for Hanover:  I can’t say I do; for while we have that to tremble for, we shall always be to tremble.  Great expectations of a peace prevail; as it is not likely to be good, it is not a season for venturing a bad one.  The opposition, though not numerous, is now composed of very determined and very great men; more united than the ministry, and at least as able. the resistance to the treaties has been made with immense capacity:  Mr. Pitt has shone beyond the greatest horizon of his former lustre.  The Holidays are arrived, and now the changes are making; but many of the recruits, old deserters, old cashiered, old fagots, add very little credit to the new coalition.  The Duke of Newcastle and his coadjutor Mr. Fox squabble twice for agreeing once:  as I wish so well to the latter, I lament what he must wade through to real power, if ever he should arrive there.  Underneath I shall catalogue the alterations, with an additional letter to each name, to particularize the corps to which each belongs.

Sir George Lyttelton, N. chancellor of the exchequer, in the room of Mr. Legge, dismissed.

Duke of Leeds, N. Cofferer, in the room of Sir George Lyttelton,

Mr. T. Brudenell N., Deputy. in the room of mr.  Clare.

Mr. Doddington, F. Treasurer of the Navy, in the room of Sir G. Grenville, dismissed.

Lords Darlington N. and Duplin N. Joint Paymasters, in the room of mr.  Pitt, dismissed

Duke of Marlborough, F. Master of the Ordnance.  Long Vacant.