(865) Henry Furness had been a lord of the treasury.  He was a friend of Lord Bath, and personally an enemy to Sir Robert Walpole.

(866) John first Earl Spencer.

(867) Robert Wood, Esq. under secretary of state, Mr. Dawkins, and Mr. Bouverie.  For a notice of these splendid works, see ant`e, p. 191, letter 89.-E.

(868) Mr. William Shipley, of Northampton, being persuaded that a society to give premiums, in the manner of one in Ireland, would be highly beneficial to the country, came to London several times in the year 1752 and 1753, and talked about it to Mr. Henry Baker, who was of the same opinion, but doubted the possibility of bringing it into effect.  However, in 1753, a general recommendation of such a society was drawn up, printed, and dispersed; and indefatigable pains taken by Mr. Shipley to put it into the hands of persons of quality and fortune, this scheme was carried into execution.  See Nichols’s Lit.  Anecdotes, vol. v. p. 275.-E.

(869) Charles Lenox, third Duke of Richmond.  His grace had recently ordered a room to be opened at his house in Whitehall, containing a large collection of original plaster casts from the best antique busts and statues at Rome -and Florence, to which all artists, and youths above twelve years of age, had access.  For the encouragement of genius, he also bestowed two medals annually on those who executed the two best models.-E.

413 Letter 255 To Sir Horace Mann.  Arlington Street, Feb. 10, 1758.

This campaign does not open with the vivacity of the last; the hero of the age has only taken Schweidnitz yet—­he had fought a battle Or two by this time last year.  But this is the case of Fame.  A man that astonishes at first, soon makes people impatient if he does not continue in the same andante key.  I have heard a good answer of one of the Duke of Marlborough’s generals, who dining with him at a city feast, and being teased by a stupid alderman, who said to him, “Sir, yours must be a very laborious employment!” replied, “Oh, no; we fight about four hours in a morning, and two or three after dinner, and then we have all the rest of the day to ourselves.”  I shall not be quite so impatient about our own campaign as I was last year, though we have another secret expedition on foot—­they say, to conquer France, but I believe we must compound for taking the Isle of Wight, whither we are sending fourteen thousand men.  The Hero’s uncle(870 reviewed them yesterday in Hyde Park on their setting out.  The Duke of Marlborough commands, and is, in reality, commanded by Lord George Sackville.  We shall now see how much greater generals we have than Mr. Conway, who has pressed to go in any capacity, and is not suffered!