In the room with the bow-window on the first-floor of the same house, Mr. Pope[284] produced some excellent portraits in crayons, of persons of the first fashion, many of them little inferior in every respect to those of the celebrated Francis Cotes;[285] the inimitable whole-length portrait of Grattan, of which there is an engraving, will be a lasting and mutual record of the artist and patriot. The following letter, given to me by my late worthy friend Dr. Mathew, was written by Mrs. Pope, to her friend Mrs. Mathew, of Rathbone Place:—
“Dublin, July 6th.
“I flatter myself that my ever loved and most highly esteemed friends will be pleased to receive the assurance of my health, and to know that I am in the possession of as much comfort as my mind is capable to receive out of England. Thank God, all things as yet go on well, and the exertions of business do not seem to do that injury to my health which I had great reason to fear. We have acted six nights, Jane Shore first, a very great house, well received, and Pope’s speech to Gloster twice repeated, which I think proves in a great degree the loyalty of the people.
“Gloster’s speech, thus:—
“‘What if some patriot for the public good
Should vary from your scheme,—new mould the State?
“‘Hastings.—Curse on the innovating hand that ’tempts it!
Remember him, the villain, righteous Heaven,