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1752.

*

Madame Pompadour. Lord Pulteney is certainly
going to be married to Miss Gunter Nicholls;
they are at Scarborough together, have been at
Castle Howard, since every thing was fixed;
where Lady Carlisle observed, the lady must
have as much humility as money to bear such an
address. Mr. Fox told it me as a good thing,
and as she is a friend of the Duchess, I transmit it
to you. He is very angry with me for not re-
membering which cornice, in the pattern he sent,
the Duchess most approves of, for he is going to alter
his seat, and would have done it according to her
taste. By the way, before I have done with Lord
Waldegrave's intelligence, Lord Anson had a letter
yesterday from his brother with an account of
Lord Gower's being much worse.
I called upon
Mr. Bab since to inquire, but he has been gone
this week to Trentham.

And now to descend to my conversation with Harris; he asked me who the Duke of Bedford had set up at Lyme, to which I pleaded ignorance. He answered he did not believe me, but he would tell me all he knew as much as if he did. That there were three brothers there disposed to give Frank Fane disturbance, in so much that Harry Fane of the Treasury, his brother, was now gone down to the place; that though they were alarmed they were not terrified, though so great a name was made use of, for that the right of election was such,

Only son of the Earl of Bath: he died unmarried in the lifetime of his father, in 1763.

they were not to be dispossessed, and that Frank Fane who does not love it, would yet spend anything rather than part with it; the candidate is another brother, Thomas by name, who has been in trade at Bristol all his life. And, which is the most extraordinary part of the whole, old Scrope's breath had not been out of his body four and twenty hours, before Mr. Pelham gave Frank Fane a caution against the Duke of Bedford's nominating somebody there against him. Frank Fane himself told Harris this.

So far I wrote you this morning, but as I intended dining at White's, would not seal up my letter in hopes of some further intelligence. Alas! I have got none, for there were only Lord Waldegrave, Charles Stanhope, and Willis, who knew nothing more than what all the world knows, that Sir G. Vandeput was nominated last night at the Crown and Anchor in a very cold manner in a very slender meeting. In going to dinner I met Lady Caroline Duncannon* in her chair, who gave me a very gracious smiling bow, which I own I deserve from her; her Lord and she set out to-morrow for Chatsworth, and I don't in the least doubt will return your Grace's visit in kind. This instant Harris is come, and tells me of your Grace's great civility in sending him half a buck; I must return you my joint thanks, as I believe I am partly included in the present. He desires me to make his

Lady Caroline Cavendish, eldest daughter of William, Duke of Devonshire.

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1752.

1752.

most grateful compliments to you, and to assure
you, that in all matters except those of adminis-
tration, he is your most devoted servant; and that
if you can find out any way he can serve you in,
except by mere starving him, he will most readily
obey you but must add, that as he cannot live
upon venison alone, you must consent to Mr. Pel-
ham's finding the claret; whose health of the two
he will most sincerely drink over it, I can guess as
well as if I was to toast. I shall, however, not par-
take, for I have a letter from Dick to meet him at
dinner to-morrow at Tunbridge, which I mean to
obey. Lord Waldegrave talks of going with me,
but he is appointed plenipotentiary between Fanny
Murray and Mr. Robinson, in a treaty of peace that
I believe will engross too much of his time to allow
of
any absence. You are like to enjoy some more
of the great Mr. Pitt's company, for I hear he is
gone to Bath, to make a long stay there for a violent
disorder in his stomach. I hope the waters are not
a cure for ambition, as at this time I wish no per-
turbed spirit rest. He was going to Cornwall, not
I presume to figure in Waldegrave's parliament, if
he had been well but more likely to purchase his
brother's estate there. I think I have heard no
other earthly thing that I can scribble to you, but
that things go on bitter bad with our Betty's mis-
tress* about New Park; there are not only claims
set up of thoroughfare by several parishes, but

• Princess Amelia, ranger of ness refused admission to the Richmond park. Her royal high- park.

a right of timber to mend parish hedges, and fuel for the poor, and an immense sum is subscribed to try who is to prevail. I own I am not sorry who avenges my private quarrels with her. When I look back I find I have wrote enough to tire any body, even with your partiality to me, and begging your pardon for it conclude with having the honour to be, &c.

Aug. 13th 1752.

1752.

MR. RIGBY TO THE DUKE OF BEDFORD.

October 5. 1752.

I should have informed your Grace by the first opportunity after my arrival here, that I had brought your Tavistock safe to Bedford House, but that he promised me he would do it himself by last night's post, through the more agreeable channel of Car.* I called upon him to-day, and find he has kept his word, and you will know to-morrow morning that I will do my best to prevent his coming to any harm whilst in my hands. Indeed, if I had not the great regard that it is my pride to profess for his father and mother, I should, for his own sake, have an equal affection for him. I find I never knew him till I was tête-à-tête with him; I am enamoured at his understanding, and with all your own doting upon him, I am sure you may

* Lady Caroline Russell, sister of Lord Tavistock.

1752.

safely be so at his prudence. I introduced him to Lord Chesterfield, as I imagine he has told you, at Newbury. At Windsor, Aldworth came to invite us to a turtle feast, but if we had loved it ever so much, should not have chose coming into town in the dark. We saw both the Duke's lodges*, his hounds, and his wild beasts, and I flatter myself, were very little tired of one another when we found a necessity to part. He tells me he is gone into Terence to-day, and I propose going to Mistley tomorrow. Newmarket has made this place emptier than it has been even the whole summer. I found Jack Sebright on Sunday night, but he went yesterday morning to the races. I called at Lord Trentham's, but they know nothing of him. Aldsworth informed me that Lord Fane had declared for Reading, and there is a report that Lord Chief Justice Lee's son is to do the same for Westminster. I met Miss Carter† in the park this morning coming from Greenwich, and had a gracious smile from her, but she seemed, I am sorry to say it, as well satisfied with the thoughts of setting out for Lee's Court on Friday next, as if she was to go to Mistley. I can't bear her for preferring her own coach to the Colchester stage. She makes Mr. Watson as happy as he is capable of being on Thursday; if she makes him perceive even that he exists, she must have some secret charms.

* Duke of Cumberland.
+ Grace daughter of Mr. Pel-
ham, married October 13. 1752,

Lewis Watson of Lee's Court,
Kent; subsequently created Baron
Sondes.

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