The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford Volume I Part 74

(1135) Afterwards the well-known d.u.c.h.ess of Kingston.-D.

(1136) Charles Douglas, third Duke of Queensberry, and second Duke of Dover: died 1778.-D.

(1137) Mary Blount, d.u.c.h.ess of Norfolk, the wife of Duke Edward. She and her Husband were suspected of Jacobitism.-D.

(1138) Cardinal Riviera, promoted to the purple by the interest of the Pretender.

(1139) George Keppel, eldest son of the Earl of Albemarle, whom he succeeded in the t.i.tle in 1754.

(1140) Edward, brother of Earl Cornwallis, groom of the bedchamber to the King, and afterwards governor of Nova Scotia.

(1141) George, eldest son of George, Earl of Cholmondeley, and of Mary, second daughter of Sir Robert Walpole.

455 Letter 189 To sir Horace Mann.

Arlington Street, December 9, 1745.

I am glad I did not write to you last post as I intended; I should have sent you an account that would have alarmed you, and the danger would have been over before the letter had crossed the sea. The Duke, from some strange want of intelligence, lay last week for four-and-twenty hours under arms at Stone, in Staffordshire, expecting the rebels every moment, while they were marching in all haste to Derby.(1142) The news of this threw the town into great consternation but his Royal Highness repaired his mistake, and got to Northampton, between the Highlanders and London. They got nine thousand pounds at Derby, and had the books brought to them, and obliged every body to give them what they had subscribed against them. Then they retreated a few miles, but returned again to Derby, got ten thousand pounds more, plundered the town, and burnt a house of the Countess of Exeter. They are gone again, and got back to Leake, in Staffordshire, but miserably hara.s.sed, and, it is said, have left all their cannon behind them, and twenty wagons of sick.(1143) The Duke has sent General Hawley with the dragoons to hara.s.s them in their retreat, and despatched Mr.

Conway to Marshal Wade, to hasten his march upon the back of them. They must either go to North Wales, where they will probably all perish, or to Scotland, with great loss. We dread them no more We are threatened with great preparations for a French invasion, but the coast is exceedingly guarded; and for the people, the spirit against the rebels increases every day. Though they have marched thus into the heart of the kingdom, there has not been the least symptom of a rising, not even in the great towns of which they possessed themselves. They have got no recruits since their first entry into England, excepting one gentleman in Lancashire, one hundred and fifty common men, and two parsons, at Manchester, and a physician from York. But here in London the aversion to them is amazing: on some thoughts of the King's going to an encampment at Finchley, the weavers not Only offered him a thousand men, but the whole body of the Law formed themselves into a little army, under the command of Lord Chief-Justice Willes,(1144) and were to have done duty at St. James's, to guard the royal family in the King's absence.

But the greatest demonstration of loyalty appeared on the prisoners being brought to town from the Soleil prize - the young man is certainly Mr. Radcliffe's son; but the mob, persuaded of his being the youngest Pretender, could scarcely be restrained from tearing him to pieces all the way on the road, and at his arrival. He said he had heard of English mobs, but could not conceive they were so dreadful, and wished he had been shot at the battle of Dettingen, where he had been engaged. The father, whom they call Lord Derwent.w.a.ter, said, on entering the Tower, that he had never expected to arrive there alive. For the young man, he must only be treated as a French captive; for the father, it is sufficient to produce him at the Old Bailey, and prove that he is the individual person condemned for the last rebellion, and so to Tyburn.

We begin to take up people, but it is with as much caution and timidity as women of quality begin to p.a.w.n their Jewels; we have not ventured upon any great stone yet!

The Provost of Edinburgh is in custody of a messenger; and the other day they seized an, odd man, who goes by the name of Count St. Germain. he has been here these two years, and will not tell who he is, or whence, but professes that he does not go by his right name. He sings, plays on the violin wonderfully, composes, is mad, and not very sensible. He is called an Italian, a Spaniard, a Pole; a somebody that married a great fortune in Mexico, and ran away with her jewels to Constantinople; a priest, a fiddler, a vast n.o.bleman, The Prince of Wales has had unsatiated curiosity about him, but in vain. However, nothing has been made out against him -.' he is released: and, what convinces me that he is not a gentleman, stays here, and talks of his being taken up for a spy.

I think these accounts, upon which you may depend, must raise your spirits, and figure in Mr. Chute's royal journal.-But you don't get my letters: I have sent you eleven since I came to town; how many of these have you received? Adieu!

(1142) The consternation was so great as to occasion that day being named Black Friday. (Fielding, in his True Patriot, says, that, "when the Highlanders, by a most incredible march, got between the Duke's army and the metropolis, they struck a terror into it scarce to be credited." An immediate rush was made upon the Bank of England, which, it is said, only escaped bankruptcy by paying in sixpences, to gain time. The shops in general were shut up; public business, for the most part, was suspended, and the restoration of the Stuarts was expected by all as no improbable or distant occurrence. See Lord Mahon, vol. iii. p. 444.)

(1143 "Charles arrived at Derby in high spirits, reflecting that he was now within a hundred and thirty miles of the capital. Accordingly, that evening, at supper, he studiously directed his conversation to his intended progress and expected triumph--whether it would be best for him to enter London on foot or on horseback, in Highland or in English dress. Far different were the thoughts of his followers, who, early next morning, laid before him their earnest and unanimous opinion for an immediate retreat to Scotland, Charles said, that, rather than go back, he would wish to be buried twenty feet under ground. On the following day he sullenly consented to retreat, but added, that, in future, he would call no more councils; since he was accountable to n.o.body for his actions, excepting to G.o.d and his father, and would therefore no longer either ask or accept their advice."

See Sir Walter Scott's Tales of a Grandfather, vol. v. p. 226.-E.

(1144) Sir John Willes, knight, chief justice of the common pleas from 1737 to 1762.-D.

(1145) In the beginning of the year 1755, on rumours of a great armament at Brest, one Virette, a Swiss, who had been a kind of toad-eater to this St. Germain, was denounced to Lord Holderness for a spy; but Mr. Stanley going pretty surlily to his lordship, on his suspecting a friend of his, Virette was declared innocent, and the penitent secretary of state made him the honourable amends of a dinner in form. About the same time, a spy of ours was seized at Brest, but not happening to be acquainted with Mr. Stanley, was broken upon the wheel.

457 Letter 190 To Sir Horace Mann.

Arlington street, Dec. 20, 1745.

I have at last got your great letter by Mr. Gambier, and the views of the villas,(1146) for which I thank you much. I can't say I think them too well done. nor the villas themselves pretty; but the prospects are charming. I have since received two more letters from you, of November 30th and December 7th. You seem to receive mine at last, though very slowly.

We have at last got a spring-tide of good luck. The rebels turned back from Derby, and have ever since been flying with the greatest precipitation.(1147) The Duke, with all his horse, and a thousand foot mounted, has pursued them with astonishing rapidity; and General Oglethorpe, with part of Wade's horse, has crossed over upon them. There has been little prospect of coming up with their entire body, but it dismayed them; their stragglers were picked up, and the towns in their way preserved from plunder, by their not having time to do mischief. This morning an express is arrived from Lord Malton(1148) in Yorkshire, who has had an account of Oglethorpe's cutting a part of them to pieces, and of the Duke's overtaking their rear and entirely demolishing it. We believe all this; but, as it is not yet confirmed, don't depend upon it too much. The fat East India ships are arrived safe from Ireland--I mean the prizes; and yesterday a letter arrived from Admiral Townshend in the West Indies, where he has fallen in with the Martinico fleet (each ship valued at eight thousand pounds), taken twenty, sunk ten, and driven ash.o.r.e two men-of-war, their convoy, and battered them to pieces. All this will raise the pulse Of the stocks, which have been exceedingly low this week, and the Bank itself in danger. The private rich are making immense fortunes out of the public distress: the dread of the French invasion has occasioned this. They have a vast embarkation at Dunkirk; the Duc de Richelieu, Marquis Fimarcon, and other general officers, are named in form to command. Nay, it has been notified in form by the insolent Lord John Drummond,(1149) who has got to Scotland, and sent a drum to Marshal Wade, to announce himself commander for the French King in the war he designs to wage in England, and to propose a cartel for the exchange of prisoners. No answer has been made to this rebel; but the King has acquainted the Parliament with this audacious message. We have a vast fleet at sea; and the main body of the Duke's army is coming down to the coast to prevent their landing, if they should slip our ships. Indeed, I can't believe they will attempt coming hither, as they must hear of the destruction of the rebels in England; but they will probably, dribble away to Scotland, where the war may last considerably. Into England, I scarce believe the Highlanders will be drawn again:--to have come as far as Derby--to have found no rising in their favour, and to find themselves not strong enough to fight either army, will make lasting impressions!

Vernon, I hear, is recalled for his absurdities, and at his own request, and Martin named for his successor.(1150) We had yesterday a very remarkable day in the House: the King notified his having sent for six thousand Hessians into Scotland. Mr. Pelham, for an address of thanks. Lord Cornbury (indeed, an exceedingly honest man(1151)) was for thanking for the notice, not for the sending for the troops; and proposed to add a representation of the national being the only const.i.tutional troops, and to hope we should be exonerated of these foreigners as soon as possible. Pitt, and that clan, joined him; but the voice of the House, and the desires of the whole kingdom for all the troops we can get, were so strong, that, on the division, we were 190 to 44: I think and hope this will produce some Hanoverians too. That it will produce a dismission of the Cobhamites is pretty certain; the Duke of Bedford and Lord Gower arc warm for both points.

The latter has certainly renounced Jacobitism.

Boetslaar is come again from Holland, but his errand not yet known. You will have heard of another victory,(1152) which the Prussian has gained over the Saxons; very b.l.o.o.d.y on both sides--but now he is master of Dresden.

We again think that we have got the second son,(1153) under the name of Macdonald. n.o.body is permitted to see any of the prisoners.

In the midst of our political distresses, which, I a.s.sure you, have reduced the town to a state of Presbyterian dulness, we have been entertained with the marriage of the d.u.c.h.ess of Bridgewater(1154) and d.i.c.k Lyttelton - she, forty, plain, very rich, and with five children; he, six-and-twenty, handsome, poor, and proper to get her five more. I saw, the other day, a very good Irish letter. A gentleman in Dublin, full of the great qualities of my Lord Chesterfield, has written a panegyric on them, particularly on his affability and humility; with a comparison between him and the hauteur of all other lord-lieutenants. As an instance, he says, the earl was invited to a great dinner, whither he went, by mistake, at one, instead of three. The master was not at home, the lady not dressed, every thing in confusion. My lord was so humble as to dismiss his train and take a hackney-chair, and went and stayed with Mrs. Phipps till dinner-time--la belle humilit'e!

I am not at all surprised to hear of my cousin Don Sebastian's stupidity. Why, child, he cannot articulate; how would you have had him educated? Cape Breton, Bastia, Martinico! if we are undone this year, at least we go out with 'eclat. Good night.

1146) Villas of the Florentine n.o.bility.

(1147) "Now few there were," says Captain Daniel, in his MS.

Memoirs, " who would go on foot if they could ride; and mighty taking, stealing, and pressing of horses there was amongst us!

Diverting it was to see the Highlanders mounted, without either breeches, saddle, or any thing else but the bare back of the horses to ride on; and for their bridle, only a straw rope! in this manner do we march out of England." See Lord Mahon's Hist. vol. iii. p. 449.-E.

(1148) Sir Thomas Watson Wentworth, Knight of the Bath and Earl of Malton. [In April 1746, he was advanced to the dignity of Marquis of Rockingham. He died in 1750, was succeeded by his second son, Charles Watson Wentworth, second marquis; on whose death, in 1782, all the t.i.tles became extinct.]

(1149) Brother of the t.i.tular Duke of Perth. [And a general officer in the French army. "The amount of supplies brought by him reminds us," says Sir Walter Scott, "of those administered to a man perishing of famine, by a comrade, who dropped into his mouth, from time to time, a small shelfish, affording nutriment enough to keep the sufferer from dying, but not sufficient to restore him to active exertion."]

(1150) On the 2d of January, Admiral Vernon, having arrived in the Downs from a cruise, struck his flag; upon which, Admiral Martin took the command, in his room.-E.

(1151) Henry Hyde, only son of Henry, the last Earl of Clarendon. He was called up to the House of Peers, by the style of Lord Hyde, and died unmarried, before his father, at Paris, 1753. (When Lord Cornbury returned from his travels, Lord Ess.e.x, his brother-in-law, told him, with a great deal of pleasure, that he had got a handsome pension for him, All Lord Cornbury's answer was, "How could you tell, my Lord, that I was to be sold? or, at least, how came you to know my price so exactly?"--"It was on this account," says Spence, "that Pope complimented him with this pa.s.sage-

"Would you be bless't? despise low joys, low gains; Disdain whatever Cornbury disdains; Be virtuous, and be happy for your pains."

On the death of the earl, a few months after his son, the viscounty of Cornbury and earldom of Clarendon became extinct.-E.]

(1152) The battle of Kesselsdorf, gained by Prince Leopold of Anhalt Dessau over the Saxon army, commanded by Count Rutowsky. This event took place on the 15th of December, and was followed by the taking of Dresden by the King of Prussia.-D.

(1153) Henry Stuart, afterwards Cardinal of York. This intelligence did not prove true.-D.

(1154) lady Rachel Russel, eldest sister of John, Duke of Bedford, and widow of Scrope Egerton, Duke of Bridgewator; married to her second husband, Colonel Richard Lyttelton, brother of Sir George Lyttelton, and afterwards Knight of the Bath.

460 Letter 191 To Sir Horace Mann.

Arlington Street, Jan, 3, 1746.

I deferred writing to you till I could tell you that the rebellion was at an end in England. The Duke has taken Carlisle, but was long enough before it to prove how basely or cowardly it was yielded to the rebel: you will see the particulars' in the Gazette. His Royal Highness is expected in town every day; but I still think it probable that he will go to Scotland.(1155) That country is very clamorous for it.

If the King does send him, it should not be with that sword of mercy with which the present family have governed those people. All the world agrees in the fitness of severity to highwaymen, for the sake of the innocent who suffer; then can rigour be ill-placed against banditti. who have so terrified, pillaged, and injured the poor people in c.u.mberland, Lancashire, Derbyshire, and the counties through which this rebellion has stalked? There is a military magistrate of some fierceness sent into Scotland with Wade's army, who is coming to town; it is General Hawley.(1156) He will not sow the seeds of future disloyalty by too easily pardoning the present.

The French still go on with their preparations at Dunkirk and their sea-ports; but I think, few people believe now that they will be exerted against us: we have a numerous fleet in the Channel, and a large army on the sh.o.r.es opposite to France.

The Dutch fear that all this storm is to burst on them. Since the Queen's making peace with Prussia, the Dutch are applying to him for protection; and I am told, wake from their neutral lethargy.

We are in a good quiet state here in town; the Parliament is reposing itself for the holidays; the ministry is in private agitation; the Cobham part of the coalition is going to be disbanded; Pitt's wild ambition cannot content itself with what he had asked, and had granted: and he has driven Lyttelton and the Grenvilles to adopt all his extravagances.

But then, they are at 'variance again within themselves: Lyttelton's wife(1157) hates Pitt, and does not approve his governing her husband and hurting their family; so that, at present, it seems, he does not care to be a martyr to Pitt's caprices, which are in excellent training; for he is governed by her mad Grace of Queensberry. All this makes foul weather; but, to me, it is only a cloudy landscape.