We have had nothing remarkable in Parliament, but a sort of secession the other day on the Mutiny-bill, when Lord Egmont and the Opposition walked out of the House, because the ministry would go upon the Report, when they did not like It.  It is a measure of the Prince’s court to lie by, and let the ministry demolish one another, which they are hurrying to do.  The two secretaries(96) are on the brink of declaring war:  the occasion is likely to be given by a Turnpike-bill, contested between the counties of Bedford and Northampton; and it (,rows almost as vehement a contest as the famous one between Aylesbury and Buckingham.  The Westminster election is still hanging in scrutiny:  the Duke of Bedford paid the election,(97) which he owns to have cost seven thousand pounds; and Lord Gower pays the scrutiny, which will be at least as much.  This bustling little Duke has just had another miscarriage in Cornwall, where he attacked a family-borough of the Morrices.  The Duke(97) espouses the Bedford; and Lord Sandwich is espoused by both.  He goes once or twice a-week to hunt with the Duke; and as the latter has taken a turn of gaming, Sandwich, to make his court and fortune carries a box and dice in his pocket; and so they throw a main, whenever the hounds are at a fault, “upon every green hill, and under every green tree.”

But we have one shocking piece of news, the dreadful account of the hurricane in the East Indies:  you will see the particulars in the papers; but we reckon that we don’t yet know the worst..  Poor Admiral Boscawen(99) has been most unfortunate during his whole expedition; and what increases the horror is, that I have been assured by a very intelligent person, that Lord Anson projected this business on purpose to ruin Boscawen, who, when they came together from the victory off Cape Finisterre, complained loudly of Anson’s behaviour.  To silence and to hurt him, Anson despatched him to Pondicherry, upon slight intelligence and upon improbable views.

Lord Coke’s suit is still in suspense; he has been dying; she was to have died, but has recovered wonderfully on his taking the lead.  Mr. Chute diverted me excessively with a confidence that Chevalier Lorenzi made him the other night-I have told you the style of his bon-mots!  He said he should certainly return to England again, and that whenever he did, he would land at Bristol, because baths are the best places to make acquaintance, just as if Mr. Chute, after living seven years in Italy, and keeping the best company, should return thither, and land at Leghorn, in order to make Italian acquaintance at Pisa!

Among the robberies, I might have told you of the eldest Miss Pelham leaving a pair of diamond earrings, which she had borrowed for the birth-day, in a hackney chair; she had put them under the seat for fear of being attacked, and forgot them.  The chairmen have sunk them.  The next morning, when they were missed, the damsel began to cry:  Lady Catherine(100) grew frightened, lest her infanta should vex herself sick, and summoned a jury of matrons to consult whether she should give her hartshorn or lavender drops?  Mrs. Selwyn,(101) who was on the panel, grew very peevish, and said, “Pho! give her brilliant drops.”  Such are the present anecdotes of the court of England!  Adieu!