I wish you joy on your preferment in the militia, though I do not think it quite so safe an employment as it used to be.  If George Townshend’s disinterested virtue should grow impatient for a regiment, he will persuade Mr. Pitt that the militia arc the only troops in the world for taking Rochfort.  Such a scheme would answer all his purposes — would advance his own interest, contradict the Duke’s opinion, who holds militia cheap, and by the ridiculousness of the attempt would furnish very good subjects to his talent of buffoonery in black-lead.

The King of Prussia you may believe is in Petersburg, but he happens to be in Dresden.  Good night!  Mine and Sir Harry Hemlock’s services to my Lady Ailesbury.

(950) Now first printed.

(951) Dr. Shebbeare had just before been sentenced to fine, imprisonment, and the pillory for his Sixth Letter to the People of England.  The under-sheriff, however, allowed him to stand on, instead of in, the pillory; for which lenity he was prosecuted.-E.

(952 On the news of the death of Lord Howe reaching the dowager Lady Howe, she addressed the gentry, clergy, and freeholders of Nottingham, whom the deceased represented in Parliament, in favour of his next younger brother, Colonel Howe, to supply his place in the House of Commons.  “Permit me,” she says, “to implore the protection of every one of you, as the mother of him whose life has been lost in the service of his country.”  The appeal was responded to, and Colonel, afterwards General Sir William Howe, was returned.-E.

(953) The Hon. Caroline Howe, daughter of the above-mentioned lady , who married her namesake, John Howe, Esq. of Hemslop.-E.

(954) The Duchess of Norfolk.  She had planted a game of the goose in hornbean, at Worksop.

451 Letter 285 To Sir Horace Mann.  Strawberry Hill, Sept. 22, 1758.

The confusion of the first accounts and the unwelcomeness of the subject, made me not impatient to despatch another letter so quickly after my last.  However, as I suppose the French relations will be magnified, it is proper to let you know the exact truth.  Not being content with doing nothing at St. Maloes, and with being suffered to do all we could at Cherbourg, (no great matter,) our land and sea heroes, Mr. Pitt and Lord Howe, projected a third—­I don’t know what to call it.  It seems they designed to take St. Maloes, but being disappointed by the weather, they—­what do you think? landed fifteen miles from it, with no object nor near any—­and lest that should not be absurd enough, the fleet sailed away for another bay, leaving the army with only two cannons. to scramble to them across the country as they could.  Nine days they were staring about France; at last they had notice of twelve battalions approaching, on which they stayed a little before they hurried to the transports.  The French followed them at a distance, firing from the upper grounds.  When the greatest part were reimbarked, the French