(765) Madame Sarasin.
(766) Sir H. Mann says, in his letter of January 7, 1743, 11 I must be so just as to tell you, @my friend, the Senator Rucellai, is, as you always thought, a sad fellow. He has quite abandoned me for fear of offending."-D.
(767) "Apropos of duels, two of our young nobles, Marquis BagneSi and Strozzi, have fought about a debt of' fifteen shillings; the latter, the creditor and the occasion of the fight, behaved ill."-Letter from Sir H. Mann, dated Jan. 7, 1743.-D.
(768) A Beffana was a puppet, which was carried about the town on the evening of the Epiphany. The word is derived from Epifania. It also means an ugly woman. The Electress happened to go out for the first time after an illness on the Epiphany, and said in joke to Prince Craon, that the "Beffane all went abroad on that day."-D.
(769) The Electress Palatine Dowager, the last of the House of Medici.
(770) A street at Florence, in which the Opera house stands.
308 Letter 96 To Sir Horace Mann. Arlington Street, Feb. 2, 1743.
Last night at the Duchess of Richmond's I saw Madame Goldsworthy: what a pert, little, unbred thing it is! The duchess presented us to one another; but I cannot say that either of us stepped a foot beyond the first civilities. The good duchess was for harbouring her and all her brood: how it happened to her I don't conceive, but the thing had decency enough to refuse it. She is going to live with her father at Plymouth-tant mieux!
The day before yesterday the lords had a great day: Earl Stanhope(771) moved for an address to his Britannic Majesty, in consideration of the heavy wars, taxes, etc. far exceeding all that ever were known, to exonerate his people of foreign troops, Hanoverians,) which are so expensive, and can In no light answer the ends for which they were hired. Lord Sandwich seconded: extremely well, I hear, for I was not there. Lord Carteret answered, but was under great concern. Lord Bath spoke too, and would fain have persuaded that this measure was not Solely Of one minister, but that himself and all the council were equally concerned in it. The late Privy Seal(772) Spoke for an hour and a half, with the greatest applause, against the Hanoverians: and my Lord Chancellor extremely well for them. The division was, 90 for the Court, 35 against it The present Privy Seal(773) voted with the Opposition: so there will soon be another. Lord Halifax, the Prince's new Lord, was with the minority too; the other, Lord Darnley,(774) with the Court. After the division, Lord Scarborough, his Royal Highness's Treasurer, moved an address of approbation of the measure, which was carried by 78 to the former 35. Lord Orford was ill, and could not be there, but sent his proxy: he has got a great cold and slow fever, but does not keep his room. If Lord Gower loses the Privy Seal, (as it is taken for granted he does not design to keep it,) and Lord Bath refuses it, Lord Cholmondeley stands the fairest for it.
I will conclude abruptly, for you will be tired of my telling you that I have nothing to tell you-but so it is literally- oh! yes, you will want to know what the Duke of Argyle did-he was not there; he is every thing but superannuated. Adieu!