408 Letter 249
To George Montagu, Esq. 
Sunday evening.

I leave Mr. M`untz in commission to do the honours of Strawberry to you:  if he succeeds well, will you be troubled with him in your chaise to london on Wednesday?

He will tell you the history of’ Queen Mab being attacked-not in her virtue, but in her very palace:  if all this does not fill up the evening, and you shall have no engagement to your aunt Cosby, or to your grandmother, you know how welcome you will be at Clivden.  Adieu!

408 Letter 250 To George Montagu, Esq.  Dec. 23, 1757.

You, who have always cultivated rather than stifled tender sensations, well know how to feel for me, who have at last lost my dear friend, Mr. Mann, not unexpectedly certainly; but I never could find that one grew indifferent to what pains, as one does to what pleases one.  With all my consciousness of having been more obliged to your brother than I could possibly deserve, I think I should have trespassed on his kindness, and have asked him to continue his favours to Mr. Mann’s son and brother, if I had not known that he was good beyond doubt:  it is just necessary for me, as transferring my friendship to the family, to tell you, that if the contrary should be insinuated, they do continue the business.

Had I any thing to tell you, it would be unpardonable in me to communicate my grief to you and neglect your entertainment, but Mr. Pitt’s gout has laid up the nation; we adjourn to-morrow for the holidays, and have not had a single division.  Mr. Pitt, Mr. Fox, France, and the King of Prussia will not leave us idle much longer.  Adieu!  I am most unaffectedly grieved, and most unfeignedly yours.

409 Letter 251 To Dr. Ducarel.(853) Arlington Street, Dec. 25, 1757.

Sir, The Dean of Exeter(854) having showed me a letter in which you desire the name of the ms. which contains the illumination I wished to see, I take the liberty of troubling you with this.  The book is called “The Dictes and Sayings of the Philosophers:  translated out of Latyn into Frenshe, by Messire Jehan de Jeonville; and from thence rendered into English, by Earl Rivers."(855)—­I am perfectly ashamed, Sir, of giving you so much trouble, but your extreme civility and good-nature, and your great disposition to assist in any thing that relates to literature, encouraged me to make my application to you; and the politeness with which you received it I shall always acknowledge with the greatest gratitude.  The Dean desired me to make his excuses to you for not writing himself; and my Lord Lyttelton returns you a thousand thanks for your kind offers of communication, and proposes to wait on you himself and talk those matters over with you.  I shall not fail of paying my respects to you on Friday next, at one o’clock; and am, Sir, yours, etc.

(853) Dr. Andrew Coltee Ducarel.  This eminent arcaeologist was born at Caen in Normandy, but educated at Eton and at Oxford.  He had recently been appointed librarian at Lambeth palace.-E.