Your friend Walpole hath lately done one of the cruelleft actions that ever I knew, even in a minifter of ftate, these thirty years paft; which, if the Queen hath not intelligence of, may my right hand forget it's cunning.

LETTER XLIV,

To the fame. *

MY LORD,

About May 10, 1728.

TOLD your Excellency that you were to

run on my errands. My Lord Burlington hath a very fine monument of his anceftor the Earl of Cork, in my cathedral, which your Excellency hath feen. I and the chapter have written to him in a body to have it repaired, and I in perfon have defired he would do it. And I defired likewise, that he would fettle a parcel of land, worth five pounds a year, (not an annuity) to keep it always in repair. He said he would do any thing to oblige me; but was afraid that, in future times, the five pounds a year would be mifapplied, and fecured by the

This letter is not dated, but endorfed " To Lord Lieute"nant Carteret before his going off."

dean

dean and chapter to their own ufe. I anfwered, that a dean and twenty-four members of fo great a chapter, who, in livings, eftates, &c. had about 4000 l. a year amongst them, would hardly divide four fhillings among them to cheat his pofterity; and that we could have no view but to confult the honour of his family. I therefore command your Excellency to lay this before him, and the affront he hath put upon us, in not answering a letter written to him by the dean and chapter in a body.

The great Duke of Schomberg is buried under the altar in my cathedral. My Lady Holderness is my old acquaintance, and I writ to her about a small fum, to make a monument for her grandfather. I writ to her myself; and also, there was a letter from the dean and chapter, to defire she would order a monument to be raised for him in my cathedral. It feems Mildmay, now Lord F ***, her husband, is a covetous fellow; or, whatever is the matter, we have had no anfwer. I defire you will tell Lord F***, that, if he will not fend fifty pounds to make a monument for the old Duke, I and the chapter will erect a fmall one of ourselves for ten pounds; wherein it shall be expreffed, That the pof

terity of the Duke, naming particularly Lady Holderness and Mr. Mildmay, not having the generosity to erect a monument, we have done it of ourselves. And if, for an excufe, they pretend they will fend for his body, let them know it is mine; and, rather than fend it, I will take up the bones, and make of it a skeleton, and put it in my registry-office, to be a memorial of their bafeness to all pofterity. This I expect your Excellency will tell Mr. Mildmay, or, as you now call him, Lord F***: And I expect likewise, that he will let Sir Conyers Darcy know how ill I take his neglect in this matter; although, to do him justice, he averred, that Mildmay was fo avaricious a wretch, that he would let his own father be buried without a coffin, to fave charges.

I expect likewise, that, if you are acquainted with your fucceffor, you will let him know how impartial I was in giving you characters of clergymen, without regard to party; and what weight you laid on them: And that, having but one clergyman who had any relation to me, I let him pafs unpreferred. And, lastly, that you will let your faid fucceffor know, that you lament the having done nothing for Mr. Robert Gratton; and give him such

a recom

a recommendation, that he may have fomething to mend his fortune.

These are the matters I leave in charge to your Excellency: And I defire that I, who have done with courts, may not be used like a courtier. For, as I was a courtier when you were a schoolboy, I know all your arts. And fo God bless you, and all your family, my old friends: And remember, I expect you fhall not dare to be a courtier to me. I am, &c.

IF

SIR,

LETTER XLV.

To Mr. POPE.

March 6th, 1728-9.

F I am not a good correfpondent, I have bad health; and that is as good. I paffed eight months in the country, with Sir Arthur and my Lady Achefon, and had at leaft half a dozen returns of my giddinefs and deafnefs, which lafted me about three weeks a piece; and, among other inconveniencies, hindered me from visiting my chapter, and punishing enormities, but did not fave me the charges of a visitationdinner. This disorder neither hinders my flceping, nor much my walking, yet is

the

the most mortifying malady I can fuffer. I have been juft a month in town, and have juft got rid of it in a fortnight: And, when it is on me, I have neither spirits to write, or read, or think, or eat. But I drink as much as I like; which is a refource you cannot fly to when you are ill. And I like it as little as you: But I can bear a pint better than you can a spoonful. You were very kind in your care for Mr. Whalley; but I hope you remembered, that Daniel is a damnable poet, and confequently a public enemy to mankind. But I despise the Lords decree, which is a jeft upon common fense: For, what did it fignify to the merits of the cause, whether George the Old, or the Young, were on the throne?

No: I intended to pafs laft winter in England, but my health faid No: And I did defign to live a gentleman, and, as Sancho's wife faid, to go in my coach to court. I know not whether you are in earnest to come hither in fpring: If not, pray God you may never be in jeft. Dr. Delany shall attend you at Chester, and your apartment is ready; and I have a most excellent chaise, and about fixteen dozen of the best cyder in the world; and you fhall command the town and kingdom, and digito monftrari, ¿c.