I am charmed with the Castle of Hercules;(197) it is the boldest pile I have seen since I travelled in Fairyland.  You ought to have delivered a princess imprisoned by enchanters in his club:  she, in gratitude, should have fallen in love with you; your constancy should have been immaculate.  The devil knows how it would have ended—­I don’t—­and so I break off my romance.

You need not beer the French any more this year:  it cannot be ascribed to Mr. Pitt; and the mob won’t thank you.  If we are to have a warm campaign in Parliament, I hope you will be sent for.  Adieu!  We take the field tomorrow se’nnight.

P. S. You will be sorry to hear that Worksop is burned.  My Lady Waldegrave has got a daughter, and your brother an ague.

(197) Alluding to a description of a building in Hesse Cassel, given by Mr. Conway in one of his letters.

Letter 101 To George Montagu, Esq.  Arlington Street, Nov. 7, 1761. (page 159)

You will rejoice to hear that your friend Mr. Amyand is going to marry the dowager Lady Northampton; she has two thousand pounds a-year, and twenty thousand in money.  Old Dunch(198) is dead, and Mrs. Felton Hervey(199) was given over last night, but is still alive.

Sir John Cust is Speaker, and bating his nose, the chair seems well filled.  There are so many new faces in this Parliament, that I am not at all acquainted with it.

The enclosed print will divert you, especially the baroness in the right-hand corner—­so ugly, and so satisfied:  the Athenian head was intended for Stewart; but was so like, that Hogarth was forced to cut off the nose.  Adieu!

(198) Widow of Edmund Dunch, Esq. comptroller of the household of George the First.-E.

(199) Wife of the Hon. Felton Hervey, ninth son of John, first Earl of Bristol.-E.

Letter 102 To George Montagu, Esq.  Arlington Street, Nov. 28, 1761. (page 159)

I am much obliged for the notice of Sir Compton’s illness; if you could send me word of peace too, I should be completely satisfied on Mr. Conway’s account.  He has been in the late action, and escaped, at a time that, I flattered myself, the campaign -was at an end.  However, I trust it is now.  You will have been concerned for young Courtney.  The war, we hear, is to be transferred to these islands; most probably to yours.  The black-rod I hope, like a herald, is a sacred personage.

There has been no authentic account of the coronation published; if there should be, I will send it.  When I am at Strawberry, I believe I can make you out a list of those that walked; but I have no memorandum in town.  If Mr. Bentley’s play is printed in Ireland, I depend on your sending me two copies.

There has been a very private ball at court, consisting of not above twelve or thirteen couple; some of the lords of the bedchamber, most of the ladies, the maids of honour, and six strangers, Lady Caroline Russell, Lady Jane Stewart, Lord Suffolk, Lord Northampton, Lord Mandeville, and Lord Grey.  Nobody sat by, but the Princess, the Duchess of Bedford, and Lady Bute.  They began before seven, danced till one, and parted without a supper.