Chevert, the best and most sensible of the French officers, has been beat by a much smaller number under the command of Imhoff, who, I am told, would be very stupid, if a German could be so.  I think they hope a little still for Hanover, from this success.  Of the King of Prussia—­not a word.

My lady Bath has had a paralytic stroke, which drew her mouth aside and took away her speech.  I never heard a greater instance of cool sense; she made sign for a pen and ink, and wrote Palsy.  They got immediate assistance, and she is recovered.

As I wrote to you but a minute ago, I boldly conclude this already.  Adieu!

(937) General George Augustus, third Viscount Howe.  He was succeeded in the title by his brother Richard, the celebrated admiral.  Mr. George Grenville, in a letter to Mr. Pitt, of the 28th, pays the following tribute to his memory:-"I admired his virtuous, gallant character, and lament his loss accordingly:  I cannot help thinking it peculiarly unfortunate for his country and his friends, that he should fall in the first action of this war, before his spirit and his example, and the success and glory which, in all human probability, would have attended them, had produced their full effect on our troops, and those of the enemy.”  Chatham Correspondence, vol. i. p. 339.-E.

(938) Inscription on a silver coin of the republic of Florence, who declared Jesus Christ their King, to prevent the usurpation of Pope Clement VII.

445 Letter 281 To The Hon. H. S. Conway.  Strawberry Hill, Sept. 2, 1758.

It is well I have got something to pay you for the best letter that ever was!  A vast victory, I own, does not entertain me so much as a good letter; but you are bound to like any thing military better than your own wit, and therefore I hope you will think a defeat of the Russians a better bon-mot than any you sent me.  Should you think it clever if the King of Prussia has beaten them?  How much cleverer if he has taken three lieutenant-generals and an hundred pieces of cannon?  How much cleverer still, if he has left fifteen thousand Muscovites dead on the Spot?(939) Does the loss of only three thousand of his own men take off from or sharpen the sting of this joke?  In short, all this is fact, as a courier arrived at Sion Hill this morning affirms.  The city, I suppose, expect that his Majesty will now be"at leisure to step to Ticonderoga and repair our mishaps.(940) But I shall talk no more politics; if this finds you at Chatworth, as I suppose it will, you will be better informed than from me.

lady Mary Coke arrived at Ragley between two and three in the morning; how unlucky that I was not there to offer her part of an aired bed!  But how could you think of the proposal you have made me?  Am not I already in love with “the youngest, handsomest, and wittiest widow in England?” As Herculean a labourer as I am, as Tom Hervey says, I don’t choose another.  I am still in the height of my impatience for the chest of old papers from Ragley, which, either by the fault of their servants, or of the wagoner, is not yet arrived.  I shall go to London again on Monday in quest of it; and in truth think so much of it, that, when I first heard of the victory this morning, I rejoiced, as we were likely now to recover the Palatinate.  Good night!