father, she will not have sixpence. Sure my brother has risked too much! Stosch, who is settled at Salisbury, has writ to me to recommend him to somebody or other as a travelling governor or companion. I would, if I knew anybody; but who travels now? He says you have notified his intention to me—so far from it, I have not heard from you this age: I never was so long without a letter-but you don't take Montreals and Canadas every now and then. You repose like the warriors in Germany-at least I hope so-I trust no ill health has occasioned your silence. Adieu! LETTER CCCLX. Arlington-Street, Oct. 28, 1760. THE deaths of Kings travel so much faster than any post, that I cannot expect to tell you news, when I say your old master* is dead. But I can pretty well tell you what I like best to be able to say to you on this occasion, that you are in no danger. Change will scarce reach to Florence when its hand is checked even in the capital. But I will move a little regularly, and then you will form your judgment more easily. This is Tuesday; on Friday night the King went to bed in perfect health, and rose so the next morning at his usual hour of six; he called for and drank his chocolate. At seven, for every thing with him was exact and periodic, he went into the closet to dismiss his chocolate. Coming from thence, his valet de chambre heard a noise; waited a moment, and heard something like a groan. He ran in, and in a small room between the closet and bedchamber he found the King on the floor, who had cut the right side of his face against the edge of a bureau, and who after a gasp expired. Lady Yarmouth was called, and sent for Princess Amelia; but they only told the latter that the King was ill and wanted her. She had been confined some days with a rheumatism, but hur * King George II. † Madame de Walmoden, Countess of Yarmouth, the King's mistress. ried down, ran into the room without farther notice, and saw her father extended on the bed. She is very purblind, and more than a little deaf. They had not closed his eyes: she bent down close to his face, and concluded he spoke to her, though she could not hear him-guess what a shock when she found the truth. She wrote to the Prince of Wales--but so had one of the valets de chambre first. He came to town, and saw the Duke* and the Privy Council. He was extremely kind to the first-and in general has behaved with the greatest propriety, dignity and decency. He read his speech to the council with much grace, and dismissed the guards on himself to wait on his grandfather's body. It is intimated, that he means to employ the same Ministers, but with reserve to himself of more authority than has lately been in fashion. The Duke of York and Lord Bute† are named of the cabinet council. The late King's will is not yet opened. To-day everybody kissed hands at Leicesterhouse, and this week, I believe, the King will go to St. James's. The body has been opened; the great ventricle of the heart had burst. What an enviable death! In the greatest period of the glory of this country, and of his reign, in perfect tranquillity at home, at seventy-seven, growing blind and deaf, to die without a pang, before any reverse of fortune, or any distasted peace, nay, but two days before a ship load of bad news: could he have chosen such another moment? The news is bad indeed! Berlin taken by capitulation, and yet the Austrians behaved so savagely that even Russians felt delicacy, were shocked, and checked them! Nearer home, the hereditary Prince§ has been much beaten. by Monsieur de Castries, and forced to raise the siege of Wesel, whither Prince Ferdinand had sent him most unadvisedly we have scarce an officer unwounded. The secret expedition will now, I conclude, sail, to give an éclat to the * William Duke of Cumberland. John Stewart, Earl of Bute. The Russians and Austrians obtained possession of Berlin, while Frederick was employed in watching the great Austrian army. They were, however, soon driven from it.-D. § Of Brunswick, afterwards the celebrated Duke of that name.-D. 456 THE HON. H. WALPOLE TO SIR H. MANN. new reign. Lord Albemarle does not command it, as I told you, nor Mr. Conway, though both applied. Nothing is settled about the parliament; not even the necessary changes in the household. Committees of Council are regulating the mourning and the funeral. The town, which between armies, militia, and approaching elections, was likely to be a desert all the winter, is filled in a minute, but every thing is in the deepest tranquillity. People stare; the only expression. The moment anything is declared, one shall not perceive the novelty of the reign. A nation without parties is soon a nation without curiosity. You may now judge how little your situation is likely to be affected. I finish; I think I feel ashamed of tapping the events of a new reign, of which probably I shall not see half. If I was not unwilling to balk your curiosity, I should break my pen, as the great officers do their white wands, over the grave of the old King. Adieu! P. S. I think this will be a lucky event for the sale of Stosch's cabinet. INDEX. A. Abercorn, Lady, anecdote of, i. 158 Agdollo, Gregorio, negotiation of, i. 46. Akenside, Mr., Odes of, i. 332 Albemarle, George Keppel, (third Earl William Anne Keppel, (se- 158 Antwerp, taken by the French, i. 411 John, Duke of, i. 94, 108; resigns Arts, Sciences, &c. Society for the en- Arundel, Lady Frances, some account Ashton, Mr. ingratitude of, ii. 130 Authors, Noble, Catalogue of, ii. 388 B. Balancing Captain, his late gallant ex- Ballads, new ones, i. 172 Balmerino, Lord, taken prisoner, i. 410; Banff, Lord, vessel captured by, i. 123 111; generally disliked, ii. 107, 287 Barrymore, James, (fourth Earl of,) par. Barton, Dr. excuse made by, ii. 126 the Hon. Henry, particulars Beavor, Captain, spirited reply of, ii. 376 Duke of, honour conferred on, Bedingfield, Sir Harry, ii. 271 Behn, Mrs. her character and writings, Bell, Mr. set at liberty, i. 167 er, i. 321. 327; assertion of, 351; killed, Bergen-op-Zoom besieged by the French, Berkeley, (Augustus fourth Earl,) mar- Dr. (Bishop of Cloyne,) book Blackerby, Justice, motion for punishing Blackiston, the grocer, particulars relat- Blandy, Miss, condemnation of, ii. 188; Bloxholme, Dr. called in to Mr. Win- Bocage, Madame, her translation of Mil- Bolingbroke, Lord, work by, ii. 84; hy- pocrisy of, 89; death of his wife, 121; his Bootle, Sir Thomas, stupid speech made strikes to him, ii. 74; defeats the on the second vol. ii. 127; some ac- count of him, 128. 270; book written Bracegirdle, Mrs. anecdote of, i. 143 - Bramston, Lord, lines by, i. 148 Brest squadron, appears off the Land's Bretton, Mr. anecdote of, i. 357 Duke of, his death, ii. 47 i. 79; his expected alliance to Miss Brown, Sir Robert, displaced from office, Brumoy, Père, his translation of Aristo- Buckingham, Duchess of, goes to the Burdett, Sir William, his character and Burlettas, success of, ii. 59 Bury, Lord, (afterwards third Earl of Butler, Joseph, becomes Bishop of Dur- Byng, Admiral, intention of, ii. 280; be- C Cadogan, Lord Charles, his reported Hume, some account of, i. Cape Breton, taken by the British, ii. 376 Madame, ii. 134 135 |