I now see he was in the right to see was wrong, and yet what he would have done; and as I am commander, which he was not, I have the melancholy power of doing what he was prevented doing." Poor man! his life has paid the price of his injustice; and as his death has purchased such benefit to his country, I lament him, as I am sure you, who have twenty times more courage and good nature than I have, do too. In short, I, who never did any thing right or prudent myself (not, I am afraid, for want of knowing what was so), am content with your being perfect, and with suggesting any thing to you that may tend to keeping you so :-and (what is not much to the present purpose) if such a pen as mine can effect it, the world hereafter shall know that you was so. In short, I have pulled down my lord Falkland, and I desire you will take care that I may speak truth when I erect you in his place; for remember, I love truth even better than I love you. I always confess my own faults, and I will not palliate yours. But, laughing apart, if you think there is no weight in what I say, I shall gladly meet you at Park-place, whither I shall go on Monday, and stay as long as I can, unless I hear from you to the contrary. If you should think I have hinted any thing to you of consequence, would not it be handsome, if, after receiving leave, you should write to my lord Ligonier, that though you had been at home but one week in the whole summer, yet as there might be occasion for your presence in the camp, you should decline the permission he had given you?-See what it is to have a wise relation, who preaches a thousand fine things to you which he would be the last man in the world to practise himself. Adieu!

Yours ever.

Το GEORGE MONTAGU, Ese.

Strawberry-hill, October 21, 1759.

Your pictures shall be sent as soon as any of us go to London, but I think that will not be till the parliament meets. Can we easily leave the remains of such a year as this? It is still all gold. I have not dined or gone to bed by a fire till the day before yesterday. Instead of the glorious and ever-memorable year 1759, as the newspapers call it, I call it this ever-warm and victorious year. We have not had more conquest than fine weather: one would think we had plundered East and West Indies of sunshine. Our bells are worn threadbare with ringing for victories. I believe it will require ten votes of the House of Commons before people will believe it is the duke of Newcastle that has done this and not Mr. Pitt. One thing is very fatiguing - all the world is made knights

or generals. Adieu! I don't know a word of news less than the conquest of America.

Adieu; yours ever.

P. S. You shall hear from me again if we take Mexico or China before Christmas.

2d P. S. I had sealed my letter, but break it open again, having forgot to tell you that Mr. Cowslade has the pictures of lord and lady Cutts, and is willing to sell them.

TO THE EARL OF STRAFFORD.

MY DEAR LORD,

Strawberry-hill, Oct. 30, 1759.

It would be very extraordinary indeed if I was not glad to see one whose friendship does me so much honour as your lordship's, and who always expresses so much kindness to me. I have an additional reason for thanking you now, when you are erecting a building after the design of the Strawberry-committee. It will look, I fear, very selfish, if I pay it a visit next year; and yet it answers so many selfish purposes that I certainly shall.

My ignorance of all the circumstances relating to Quebec is prodigious; I have contented myself with the rays of glory that reached hither, without going to London to bask in them. I have not even seen the conqueror's mother, though I hear she has covered herself with more laurel-leaves than were heaped on the children in the wood. Seriously it is very great; and as I am too inconsiderable to envy Mr. Pitt, I give him all the honour he deserves.

I passed all the last week at Park-place, where one of the bravest men in the world, who is not permitted to contribute to our conquests, was indulged in being the happiest by being with one of the most deserving women-forCampbell-goodness no more wears out than Campbell-beauty - all their good qualities are huckaback. You see the duchess has imbibed so much of their durableness, that she is good-humoured enough to dine at a tavern at seventy-six.

Sir William Stanhope wrote to Mrs. Ellis, that he had pleased himself, having seen much of Mr.

Nugent and lady Berkeley, this summer, and having been so charmed with the felicity of their menage, that he could not resist marrying again. His daughter replied, that it had always been her opinion, that people should please themselves, and that she was glad he had; but as to taking the precedent of my lady Berkeley, she hoped it would answer in nothing but in my lady Stanhope having three children the first year. You see, my lord, Mrs. Ellis has bottled up her words, till they sparkle at last!

I long to have your approbation of my Holbeinchamber; it has a comely sobriety that I think answers very well to the tone it should have. My new printing-house is finished, in order to pull down the old one, and lay the foundations next summer of my round tower. Then follows the gallery and chapel-cabinet. - I hear your lordship has tapped your magnificent front too. Well, when all your magnificences and my minimificences are finished, then, we - won't sit down and drink, as Pyrrhus said, -no, I trust we shall never conclude our plans so filthily; then- I fear we shall begin others.-Indeed, I don't know what the countess may do: if she imitates her mother, she will go to a tavern at fourscore, and then she and