Is not my Lady Ailesbury(1442) weary of her travels? Pray make her my compliments,-unless she has made you any such declaration as Lady Mary Coke's. I am delighted with your description of the bedchamber of the House of Orange, as I did not see it; but the sight itself must have been very odious, as the hero and heroine are so extremely ugly. I shall give it my Lady Townshend as a new topic of matrimonial satire.
Mr. Churchill and Lady Mary have been with me two or three days, and are now gone to Sunning. I only tell you this, to hint that my house will hold a married pair; indeed, it is not quite large enough for people who lie, like the patriarchs, with their whole genealogy, and men-servants, and maid-servants, and oxes, and asses, in the same chamber with them. Adieu! do let this be the last letter, and come home.
(1440) Now first printed.
(1441) See ant`e, p. 498 (Letter 215).-E.
(1442) On the 19th of the preceding December, Mr. Conway had married Caroline, widow of Charles Bruce, Earl of Ailesbury, and only daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel John Campbell, afterwards fourth Duke of Argyle.-E.
554 Letter 255 To Sir Horace Mann. Mistley, July 14, 1748.
I would by no means resent your silence while you was at Pisa, if it were not very convenient; but I cannot resist 'the opportunity of taking it ill, when it serves to excuse my being much more to blame; and therefore, pray mind, I am very angry, and have not written, because you had quite left me off-and if I say nothing from hence,(1443) do not imagine it is because I am at a gentleman's house whom you don't know, and threescore miles from London, and because I have been but three days in London for above this month: I could say a great deal if I pleased, but I am very angry, and will not. I know several pieces of politics from Ipswich that would let you into the whole secret of the peace; and a quarrel at Denham assembly, that is capable of involving all Europe in a new war-nay, I know that Admiral Vernon(1444) knows of what you say has happened in the West Indies, and of which nobody else in England knows a word-but please to remember that you have been at the baths, and don't deserve that I should tell you a tittle-nor will I. In revenge, I will tell you some- thing that happened to me four months ago, and which I would not tell you now. if I had not forgot to tell it you when it happened-nay, I don't tell it you now for yourself, only that you may tell it the Princess: I truly and seriously this winter won and was paid a milleleva at pharaoh; literally received a thousand and twenty-three sixpences for one: an event that never happened in the annals of pharaoh, but to Charles II.'s Queen Dowager, as the Princess herself informed me: ever since I have treated myself as Queen Dowager, and have some thoughts of being drawn so.
There are no good anecdotes yet arrived of the Duke of Newcastle's travels, except that at a review which the Duke made for him, as he passed through the army, he hurried about with his glass up to his eye, crying, "Finest troops! finest troops! greatest General!" then broke through the ranks when he spied any Sussex man, kissed him in all his accoutrements,-my dear Tom such an one! chattered of Lewes races; then back to the Duke with "Finest troops! greatest General!"-and in short was a much better show than any review.
The Duke is expected over immediately; I don't know if to stay, or why he comes-I mean, I do know, but am angry, and will not tell.
I have seen Sir James Grey, who speaks of you with great affection, and recommends himself extremely to me by it, when I am not angry with you; but I cannot possibly be reconciled till I have finished this letter, for I have nothing but this quarrel to talk of, and I think I have worn that out-so adieu! you odious, shocking, abominable monster!