In the mean time there have been some distant grumblings of a war with Spain, which seem blown over:  a new Russian army in March has taken its place.  The Duke of Richelieu is said to be banished for appropriating some contributions(863) to his own use:  if he does not take care to prove that he meant to make as extravagant a use of them as ever Marquis Catiline did, it will be a very bourgeoise termination of such a gallant life!  By the rage of expense in our pleasures, in the midst of such dearness and distress, one would think we had opportunities of contributions too!  The simple Duke of St. Albans,(864) who is retired to Brussels for debt, has made a most sumptuous funeral in public for a dab of five months old that he had by his cookmaid.  But our glaring extravagance is the constant high price given for pictures:  the other day at Mr. Furnese’s(865) auction a very small Gaspar sold for seventy-six guineas; and a Carlo Maratti, which too I am persuaded was a Giuseppe Chiari, lord Egremont bought at the rate of two hundred and sixty pounds.  Mr. Spencer(866) gave no less than two thousand two hundred pounds for the Andrea Sacchi and the Guido from the same collection.  The latter is of very dubious originality:  my father, I think, preferred the Andrea Sacchi to his own Guido, and once offered seven hundred pounds for it, but Furnese said, “Damn him, it is for him; he shall pay a thousand.”  There is a pewterer, one Cleeve, who some time ago gave one thousand pounds for four very small Dutch pictures.  I know- but one dear picture not sold, Cooper’s head of Oliver Cromwell, an unfinished miniature; they asked me four hundred pounds for it!  But pictures do not monopolize extravagance; I have seen a little ugly shell called a Ventle-trap sold for twenty-seven guineas.  However, to do us justice, we have magnificence too that is well judged.  The Palmyra and Balbec are noble works to be undertaken and executed by private men.(867) There is now established a Society for the encouragement of Arts, Sciences, and Commerce, that is likely to be very serviceable;(868) and I was pleased yesterday with a very grand seigneurial design of the Duke of Richmond,(869) who has collected a great many fine casts of the best antique statues, has placed them in a large room in his garden, and designs to throw it open to encourage drawing.  I have offered him to let my eagle be cast.

Adieu!  If any thing happens, I will not, nor ever do wait for a regular interval Of Writing to you.

(862) On Admiral Vernon’s taking Porto Bello in 1740, the populace of London celebrated his birthday; and some doubts arising on the specific day, they celebrated it again, and I think continued to do so for two or three subsequent years.

(863) He plundered the Electorate so indecently, that on his return to Paris having built a pavilion in his garden, it was nicknamed le Pavillon d’Hanovre.

(864) The third Duke of that title.