Did I ever tell you what happened at my Lord Hertford’s wedding?  You remember that my father’s style was not purity itself.  As the bride was so young and so exceedingly bashful, and as my Lord Hertford is a little of the prude himself, great means were used to keep Sir Robert within bounds.  He yawned, and behaved decently.  When the dessert was removed, the Bishop, who married them, said, “Sir Robert, what health shall we drink?” It was just after Vernon’s conquest of Porto Bello.  “I don’t know,” replied my father:  “why, drink the admiral in the straights of Bocca Cieca.”

We have had a sort of debate in the House of Commons on the bill for fixing the augmentation of the salaries of the judges:  Charles Townshend says, the book of Judges was saved by the book of Numbers.

Lord Weymouth(1033) is to be married on Tuesday, or, as he said himself, to be turned off.  George Selwyn told him he wondered that he had not been turned off before, for he still sits up drinking all night and gaming.

Well! are you ready to be invaded? for it seems invasions from France are coming into fashion again.  A descent on Ireland at least is expected.  There has been a great quarrel -between Mr. Pitt and Lord Anson, on the negligence of the latter.  I suppose they will be reconciled by agreeing to hang some admiral, who will come too late to save Ireland, after it is impossible to save it.

Dr. Young has published a new book,(1034) on purpose. he says himself, to have an opportunity of telling a story that he has known these forty years.  Mr. Addison sent for the young Lord Warwick, as he was dying, to show him in what peace a Christian could die—­unluckily he died of brandy-nothing makes a Christian die in peace like being maudlin! but don’t say this in Gath, where you are.  Adieu!

P. S. I forgot to tell you two good stories of the little Prince Frederick.  He was describing to Lady Charlotte Edwin the eunuchs of the Opera; but not easily finding proper words, he said, “I can’t tell you, but I will show you how they make them,” and began to unbutton.  T’other day as he was with the Prince of Wales, Kitty Fisher passed by, and the child named her; the Prince, to try him, asked who that was?  “Why, a Miss.”  “A Miss,” said the Prince of Wales; “why, are not all girls Misses?” “Oh! but a particular sort of Miss—­a Miss that sells oranges.”  “Is there any harm in selling oranges?” “Oh! but they are not such oranges as you buy; I believe they are a sort that my brother Edward buys.”

(1033) Afterwards created Marquis of Bath.  He married Lady Elizabeth Cavendish Bentinck, daughter of William, third Duke of Portland.-E.

(1034) “Conjectures on Original Composition; in a letter to the author of Sir Charles Grandison.”  The article on this work in the Critical Review was written by Oliver Goldsmith.  See the recent edition of his Miscellaneous Works, vol. iv. p. 462.-E.