As you and M. de Bareil are on such amicable terms, you will take care to soften to him a new conquest we have made.  Keppel has taken the island of Goree.  You great ministers know enough Of its importance:  I need not detail it.  Before your letters came we had heard of the death of the Princess Royal:(999) you will find us black and all black.  Lady Northumberland and the great ladies put off their assemblies:  diversions begin again to-morrow with the mourning.

You perceive London cannot furnish half so long a letter as the little town of Sluys; at least I have not the art of making one out.  In truth, I believe I should not have writ this unless Lady Ailesbury had bid me; but she does not care how much trouble it gives me, provided it amuses you for a moment.  Good night!

P. S. I forgot to tell you that the King has granted my Lord Marischall’s pardon, at the request of M. de Knyphausen.(1000) I believe the Pretender himself could get his attainder reversed if he would apply to the King of Prussia.

(997) Afterwards Duke of Argyle.

(998) “There never was so quiet or so silent a session of Parliament as the present:  Mr. Pitt declares only what he would have them do, and they do it, nemine contradicente, Mr. Vyner only excepted.”  Lord Chesterfield.-E.

(999) The Princess of Orange died on the 12th of January.-E.

(1000) By a letter from Sir Andrew Mitchell, of the 8th of January, in the Chatham correspondence, it will be seen that the Lord of Marischal’s pardon was granted at the earnest request of the King of Prussia, who said he " should consider it as a personal favour done to himself.”  The Earl Marischal was attainted for his share in the rebellion of 1715.-E.

475 Letter 301 To John Chute, Esq.(1001) Arlington Street, Feb. 1, 1759.

Well! my dear Sir, I am now convinced that both Mr. Keate’s panic and mine were ill-founded; but pray, another time, don’t let him be afraid of being afraid for fear of frightening me:  on the contrary, if you will dip your gout in lemonade, I hope I shall be told of it.  If you have not had it in Your stomach, it is not your fault:  drink brandy, and be thankful.  I would desire you to come to town, but I must rather desire you not to have a house to come to.  Mrs. H. Grenville is passionately enamoured of yours, and begged I would ask you what will be the lowest price, with all the particulars, which I assured her you had stated very ill for yourself.  I don’t quite like this commission; if you part with your house in town, you will never come hither; at least, stow your cellars with drams and gunpowder as full as Guy Fawkcs’s-you will be drowned if you don’t blow yourself up.  I don’t believe that the Vine is within the verge of the rainbow:  seriously, it is too damp for you.  Colonel Campbell marries the Duchess of Hamilton forthwith. the house of Argyle is content, and think that the head of the Hamilton’s had purified the blood of Gunning; but I should be afraid that his grace was more likely to corrupt blood than to mend it.