How I laughed at your picture of the shrine of Notre Dame de Straberri, and of the vows hung up there!  I little thought that when I converted my castle into a printing office, the next transformation Would be into an hospital for the “filles repenties” from Mrs. Naylor’s and Lady Fitzroy’s.(826) You will treat the enclosed I trust with a little more respect; not for the sake of the hero, but of the poet.  The poet, poor soul! has had a relapse, but is again recovering.  As I know no earthly history, you must accept the sonnet as if it was written into my letter; and therefore supposing this the end of the third page, I bid you good night.

(826) Elizabeth, daughter of Colonel Cosby, governor of New York, by Lucy Montagu, aunt of George Montagu, and widow of Lord Augustus Fitzroy; by whom she had two sons, Au_gusttis Henry, afterwards Duke of Grafton, and General Fitzroy, who was created Lord Southampton.-E.

396 Letter 239 To The Right Hon. Lady Hervey.(827) Strawberry Hill, Sept. 13, 1757.

Madam, After all the trouble your ladyship has been so good as to take voluntarily, you will think it a little hard that I should presume to give you more; but it is a cause, Madam, in which I know you feel, and I can suggest new motives to your ladyship’s zeal.  In short, Madam, I am on the crisis of losing Mademoiselle de l’Enclos’s picture, or of getting both that and her letters to Lady Sandwich.  I enclose Lord Sandwich’s letter to me, which will explain the whole.  Madame Greffini, I suppose, is Madame Graphigny;(828) whom some of your ladyship’s friends, if not yourself, must know; and she might be of use, if she could be trusted not to detain so tempting a treasure as the letters.  From the effects being sealed up, I have still hopes; greater, from the goodness your ladyship had in writing before.  Don’t wonder, Madam, at my eagerness:  besides a good quantity Of natural impatience, I am now interested as an editor and printer.  Think what pride it would give me to print original letters of Ninon at Strawberry Hill!  If your ladyship knows any farther means of serving me, of serving yourself, good Mr. Welldone, as the widow Lackit says in Oroonoko, I need not doubt your employing them.  Your ladyship and I are of a religion, with regard to certain saints, that inspires more zeal than such trifling temptations as persecution and fagots infuse into bigots of other sects.  I think a cause like ours might communicate ardour even to my Lady Stafford.  If she will assist in recovering, Notre Dame des Amours, I will add St. Raoul(829) to my calendar.  I am hers and your ladyship’s most obedient and faithful humble servant.

(827) Lady Hervey was only daughter of Brigadier-General Nicholas Lepel.  She was maid of honour to Queen Caroline, and was one of the principal ornaments of her court.  In 1720, she was married to John Lord Hervey, eldest son of John Earl of Bristol, by whom she had four sons and four daughters.  She died in September, 1768.  A collection of her Letters, with a Memoir and Illustrative Notes, by Mr. Croker, was published in 1821.-E.