Old Fontenelle is dead at last;(759) they asked him as he was dying “s’il sentoit quelque mal?” He replied, “Oui, je sens le mal d’`etre.”  My uncle, a young creature compared to Fontenelle, is grown something between childish and mad, and raves about the melancholy situation of politics;(760) one should think he did not much despair of his country, when at seventy-eight he could practice such dirty arts to intercept his brother’s estate from his brother’s grandchildren! conclusion how unlike that of the honest good-humoured Pope!  I am charmed with his bon-mot that you sent me.  Apropos!  Mr, Chute has received a present of a diamond mourning ring from a cousin; he calls it l’anello del Piscatore.(761)

Mr. Pitt is still confined, and the House of Commons little better than a coffee-house.  I was diverted the other day with P`ere Brumoy’s translation of Aristophanes; the Harangueses, or female orators, who take the Government upon themselves instead of their husbands, might be well applied to our politics:  Lady Hester Pitt, Lady Caroline Fox, and the Duchess of Newcastle, should be the heroines of the piece; and with this advantage, that as lysistrata is forced to put on a beard, the Duchess has one ready grown.

Sir Charles Williams is returning, on the bad success of our dealings with Russia.  The French were so determined to secure the Czarina, that they chose about seven of their handsomest young men to accompany their ambassador.  How unlucky for us, that Sir Charles was embroiled with Sir Edward Hussey Montagu, who could alone have outweighed all the seven!  Sir Charles’s daughter, Lady Essex, had engaged the attentions of Prince Edward,(762) who has got his liberty, and seems extremely disposed to use it, and has great life and good-humour.  She has already made a ball for him.  Sir Richard Lyttelton was so wise as to make her a visit, and advise her not to meddle with politics; that the Princess would conclude it was a plan laid for bringing together Prince Edward and Mr. Fox!(763) As Mr. Fox was not just the person my Lady Essex was thinking of bringing together with Prince Edward, she replied very cleverly, “And my dear Sir Richard, let me advise you not to meddle with politics neither.”  Adieu!

(754) From the Duke of Cumberland, commander-in-chief of the army.  Mr. Galfridus and James Mann were clothiers to many regiments.

(755) Voltaire’s letter to Admiral Byng was written in English, and is as follows:@’ Aux D`elices, pr`es de Gen`eve.  Sir, though I am almost unknown to you, I think ’tis my duty to send you the copy of the letter which I have just received from the Marshal Duc de Richelieu; honour, humanity, and equity order me to convey it into your hands.  The noble and unexpected testimony from one of the most candid as well as the most generous of my countrymen, makes me presume your judges will do you the same justice.”  Sir John Barrow, in his Life of Lord Anson, proves that these letters got into the hands of those who were not friendly to the Admiral, and he suspects that they never reached the unfortunate person for whose benefit they were intended.-E.