For the Ministry, it is all in shatters:  the Duke of Newcastle is returned more averse to the Bedfords than ever:  he smothered that Duke with embraces at their first meeting, and has never borne to be in the room with him since.  I saw the meeting of Octavia and Cleopatra;(192) the Newcastle was all haughtiness and coldness.  Mr. Pelham, who foresaw the storm, had prudently prepared himself for the breach by all kind of invectives against the house of Leveson.  The ground of all, besides Newcastle’s natural fickleness and jealousy, is, that the Bedford and Sandwich have got the Duke.  A crash @as been expected, but people now seem to think that they will rub on a little longer, though all the world seems indifferent whether they will or not.  Mankind is so sick of all the late follies and changes, that nobody inquires or cares whether the Duke of Newcastle is prime minister, or whom he will associate with him.  The Bedfords have few attachments, and Lord Sandwich is universally hated.  The only difficulty is, who shall succeed them; and it is even a question whether some of the old discarded must not cross over and figure in again.  I mean, it has even been said, that Lord Granville(193) will once more be brought upon the stage:-if he should, and should push too forward, could they again persuade people to resign with them?  The other nominees for the secretaryship are, Pitt, the Vienna Sir Thomas Robinson, and even that formal piece of dulness -,it the Hague, Lord Holderness.  The talk of the Chancellor’s being president, in order to make room, by the promotion of the Attorney to the seals, for his second son(194) to be solicitor, as I believe I once mentioned to you, is revived; though he told Mr. Pelham, that if ever he retired, it should be to Wimple.(195) In the mean time, the Master of the Horse, the Groom of the Stole, the Presidentship, (vacant by the nomination of Dorset to Ireland in the room of Lord Harrington, who is certainly to be given up to his master’s dislike,) and the Blues, are still vacant.  Indeed, yesterday I heard that Honeywood(196) was to have the latter.  Such is the Interregnum of our politics!  The Prince’s faction lie still, to wait the event, and the disclosing of the new treaty.  Your friend Lord Fane,(197) some time ago had a mind to go to Spain:  the Duke of Bedford, who I really believe is an honest man, said very bluntly, “Oh! my lord, nobody can do there but Keene.”  Lord North is made governor to Prince George with a thousand a-year, and an earl’s patent in his pocket; but as the passing of the patent is in the pocket of time, it would not sell for much.  There is a new preceptor, one Scott,(198) recommended by Lord Bolingbroke.  You may add that recommendation to the chapter of our wonderful politics.  I have received your letter from Fiesoli Hill; poor Strawberry blushes to have you compare it with such a prospect as yours.  I say nothing to the abrupt sentences about Mr. B. I have long seen his humour—­and a little of your partiality to his wife.