making me one.  I have not made any alteration in my dress, and certainly did not study it In England.  Had I had any such ridiculous thoughts, the gout is too sincere a monitor to leave one under any such error.  Pray, Madam, tell Lord and Lady Holland what I say:  they have heard these idle tales; and they know so many of my follies, that I should be sorry they believed more of me than are true.  If all arose from madame Geoffrin calling me in Joke le nouveau Richelieu, I give it under my hand that I resemble him in nothing but wrinkles.

Your ladyship is much in the right to forbear reading politics.  I never look at the political letters that come hither in the Chronicles.  I was sick to death of them before I set out; and perhaps should not have stirred from home, if I had not been sick of them and all they relate to.  If any body could write ballads and epigrams, `a la bonne heure!  But dull personal abuse in prose is tiresome indeed.  A serious invective against a pickpocket, or written by a pickpocket, who has so little to do as to read?

The Dauphin continues languishing to his exit, and keeps every body at Fontainbleau.  There is a little bustle now about the parliament of Bretagne; but you may believe, Madam, that when I was tired of the squabbles at London, I did not propose to interest myself in quarrels at Hull or Liverpool.  Indeed, if the Duc de Chaulnes(908) commanded at Rennes, or Pomenars(909) was sent to prison, I might have a little curiosity.  You wrong me in thinking I quoted a text from my Saint(910) ludicrously.  On the contrary I am so true a bigot, that if she could have talked nonsense, I should, like any other bigot, believe she was inspired.

The season and the emptiness of Paris, prevent any thing new from appearing.  All I can send your ladyship is a very pretty logogriphe, made by the old blind Madame du Deffand, whom perhaps you know—­certainly must have heard of.  I sup there very often;(911) and she gave me this last night-you must guess it.

Quoique je forme un corps, je ne suis qu’une id`ee;
Plus ma beaut`e vieillit, plus elle est decid`ee: 
Il faut, pour me trouver, ignorer d’o`u je viens;
Je tiens tout de lui, qui reduit tout `a rien.(912)

Lady Mary Chabot inquires often after your ladyship.  Your other two friends are not yet returned to Paris; but I have had several obliging messages from the Duchess d’Aiguillon.

It pleased me extremely, Madam, to find no mention of your own gout in your letter.  I always apprehend it for you, as you try its temper to the utmost, especially by staying late in the country, which you know it hates.  Lord! it has broken my spirit so, that I believe it might make me leave Strawberry at a minute’s warning.  It has forbidden me tea, and been obeyed; and I thought that one of the most difficult points to carry with me.  Do let us be well, Madam, and have no gouty notes to compare!  I am your ladyship’s most faithful, humble servant.