1753.

as I always must be when I dispute with her Grace about Lady Caroline's admission, for it was with difficulty I could bring about her being sent to, to be of the party. Mrs. Pitt tells me she has been a buck-hunting three days in the week at five o'clock in the morning, and drinking strong beer with the freeholders at that hour, to convince them she is an Englishwoman. She returns to-morrow to assist her worst half* at the meeting of the seventh at Dorchester. I do not doubt but that upon a like occasion, where you now are, has gone off as you could wish; and desire you will inform your little candidate, that though she is not quite so robust as your Dorsetshire friend, that she must follow her example as far as she is able. I am afraid it won't be of use to us to draw a parallel, or else we would strike out the word hunting, and insert the word dancing. The latter though, you must insist upon, if one of the fiddlers don't run away, and so make it impossible to go on.

I am sure I shall tire you if I rattle on any further, and therefore begging my best compliments to the Duchess and Lady Caroline, only add, that I am, &c.

Pall Mall, 7 o'clock,

Aug. 3. 1753.

Her husband, John Pitt,
Esq., member for Dorchester,

RICHARD RIGBY.

one of the Commissioners for Trade and Plantations.

MR. RIGBY TO THE DUKE OF BEDFORD.

Pall Mall, Oct. 13. 1753.

My dear Lord Duke,

Since I had the pleasure of seeing your Grace last, though I have got the better of one antagonist at Sudbury, I now find myself attacked by one who brings the united force of Sir Joshua Vaneck and the Treasury against me; young Walpolet, that married this naturalised baronet's daughter, has been there, throwing away money as if the land tax was still at four shillings in the pound, or old Horace has touched a considerable share of the money for the Jew's bill. My intelligence from the town is, that he met with but a cold reception from my friends the weavers, who, though they have no objection to his money, have declared many against him; indeed, I had sufficient notice of his intentions to accompany his public entry with a letter from me, that I had read to most of the people of the place as a true character of the young man's father; that must naturally give them a hatred to the son, as I just hinted he was likely to prove equally worthy. I am going there to-morrow, the mayor's feast being on Monday, and if I am but able to draw, as I shall endeavour to do, a true character of the parents of this fresh

Created a baronet, 1751. Father of the first Baron Huntingfield.

pole of Woollerton, younger bro-
ther of Sir Robert Walpole; he
married, Nov. 1753, Elizabeth,
eldest daughter of Sir Joshua

Thomas Walpole, second son of Horatio, first Lord Wal- Vanneck.

1753.

1753.

opponent, I think it must cost another large heap to wipe off the odium it must naturally cast on the offspring. I dare say Mr. Pelham enjoys this as a masterstroke of his inveteracy against me, to attack me by one of a family to whom I had many obligations in the beginning of life; but I look upon this imp, or rather his father, to be as unlike him for whom I have always expressed a veneration, in every instance, as he himself is in his parts; I only dread his being like him in the length of his administration, which he could have no other chance of being, but by the means the most agreeable to him, of betraying, deceiving, cajoling every man who is honest and open enough to believe he is not putting himself into the hands of a dark, designing hypocrite. I wish he may open this letter, if he is to be taught my opinion of him; or rather I wish, though this very personal attack has not altered the one I had of him a jot, that it may give me spirits to let him hear it. I cannot bear myself for not trying, and cannot help owning, to my shame, that I think I do discredit to the greatest honour of my life, your Grace's countenance of me, in not making the attempt. Promises upon the subject I hint at, your Grace knows the nature of it too well but to think it would be absurd in me to make; nor do you, am sure, desire to receive them; if pique can get the better of idleness, and resentment make me forego a bottle, I may, I know I ought to, use my best endeavours at least.

I

You have had so many people from hence lately,

that if there was any news of any kind stirring,
they must have told it. I must only add what
Mr. Fox told me concerning Sudbury election.
The day Robinson was to have entertained the
town, a review was appointed for his regiment,
which Mr. Pelham's jealousy thought was the effect
of Fox's friendship for me; but Mr. Fox told me he
had wrote him such a letter upon it, that he be-
lieved would make him ashamed of imagining he
could be so very weak a politician. I beg a thousand
pardons for troubling you with such a long detail
about myself, but your repeated goodness to me
has made me flatter myself I have some share in
your esteem, and I am not willing to part with the
thought.
I am, &c.

RICHARD RIGBY.

1753.

MR. RALPH TO THE DUKE OF BEDFORD.

My Lord,

Chiswick, Nov. 10. 1753.

My health being greatly impaired with repeated attacks of the gout, having reason to apprehend that a prosecution of the heaviest kind was ready to be let loose against me, and seeing no probability of a stand to be made in Parliament, without which no effort of mine would be of any signification to the public, I have returned to Mr. Beckford's agent 150l. of the 2007. I had received on account, and have laid down the pen.

1753.

Persuading myself that neither your Grace nor any other considerate person will find just cause to complain of a measure which the current of the times has rendered unavoidable, I have the honour to be, with the utmost respect, my Lord,

Your Grace's &c.

J. RALPH.*

MR. RIGBY TO THE DUKE OF BEDFORD.

My dear Lord,

Leicester fields, Nov. 15. 1753.

I am but just come from Lady Betty's, from dinner, with Trentham and Johnny, and therefore must begin with begging your excuse for all the blunders a quantity of claret may occasion in the narrative I meant to send you when I came from the House of Lords, at half an hour after four. One thing, previous to my going there, and of

It would appear from this letter that the Protester, mentioned, page 129., was not continued. Notwithstanding the unfavourable opinion of Ralph by Pope, Warburton, and H. Walpole, Mr. Fox calls him an historian of considerable reputation. Mr. Hallam", "the most diligent historian we possess for the times

a Preface to James II. p. 17. b Constitutional History of England, vol. ii. p. 575.

of Charles II." Dr. Routh c, "he has obtained a praise of impartiality which he well deserves." While, on the other hand, a writer in the Edinburgh Review, says "he is not impartial or always fair; a strong dislike to William III. leavening his second volume."

c Preface to Burnet's own Time, vol. i. p. 26.

d Vol. liii. p. 13.