Horace Walpole's Letters
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The Letters of Horace Walpole, Volume 1 by Horace Walpole The Letters of Horace Walpole, Volume 1 by Horace Walpole editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we usually do not keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. The "legal small print" and other information about this book may now be found at the end of this file. Please read this important information, as it gives you specific rights and tells you about restrictions in how the file may be used. *** This etext was produced by Marjorie Fulton. For easier searching, letters have been numbered. Only the page numbers that appear in the table of contents have been retained in the text of letters. Footnotes have been regrouped as endnotes following the letter to which they relate. THE LETTERS of HORACE WALPOLE, EARL OF ORFORD: page 1 / 793 INCLUDING NUMEROUS LETTERS NOW FIRST PUBLISHED FROM THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPTS. IN FOUR VOLUMES VOL. 1. 1735-1748. CONTENTS OF VOL. 1. PREFACE--25 Advertisement--33 Second advertisement--40 Sir Charles Grey's Letter connecting Walpole with Junius--41 Sketch of the Life of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford, by Lord Dover--47 REMINISCENCES OF THE COURTS OF GEORGE THE FIRST AND SECOND. CHAPTer 1.--67 page 2 / 793 Motives to the Undertaking-Precedents-George the First's Reign-a Proem to the History of the Reigning House of Brunswick-The Reminiscent introduced to that Monarch-His Person and Dress-The Duchess of Kendal-her Jealousy of Sir Robert Walpole's Credit with the King-the Intrigues to displace him, and make Bolingbroke Minister CHAPTER 2.--73 Marriage of George the First, while Electoral Prince, to the Princess Sophia Dorothea-Assassination of Count Konigsmark-Separation from the Princess-Left-handed espousal-Piety of the Duchess of Kendal-Confinement and Death of Sophia Dorothea in the Castle of Alden-French Prophetess-The King's Superstition-Mademoiselle Schulemberg-Royal Inconsistency-Countess of platen-Anne Brett- Sudden Death of George the First CHAPTER 3.--79 Quarrel between George the First and his Son-Earl of Sunderland-Lord Stanhope-South Sea Scheme-Death of Craggs-Royal Reconcilement-Peerage Bill Defeated-Project for seizing the Prince of Wales and conveying him to America-Duke of Newcastle-Royal Christening-Open rupture-Prince and Princess of Wales ordered to leave the Palace CHAPtER 4.--83 page 3 / 793 Bill Of Pains and Penalties against Bishop Atterbury-Projected Assassination of Sir Robert Walpole-Revival of the Order of the Bath-Instance of George the First's good-humoured Presence of Mind CHAPTER 5.--86 Accession of George the Second-Sir Spencer Compton-Expected Change in Administration-Continuation of Lord Townshend -and Sir Robert Walpole by the Intervention of Queen Caroline-Mrs. Howard, afterwards Countess of Suffolk-Her character by Swift-and by Lord Chesterfield CHAPTER 6.--89 Destruction of George the First's Will. CHAPTER 7.91 History of Mrs. Howard, afterwards Countess of Suffolk-Miss Bellenden-Marriage with Colonel John Carnl)bell, afterwards Fourth Duke of Argyle-Anecdotes of Queen Caroline-Her last Illness and Death-Anecdotes of Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough-Last Years of George the Second-Mrs. Clayton, afterwards Lady Sundon-Lady Diana Spencer-Frederick, Prince of Wales-Sudden Removal of the Prince and Princess from Hampton Court to St. James's-Birth of a Princess-Rupture with the King-Anecdotes of Lady Yarmouth page 4 / 793 CHAPTER 8.--101 George the Second's Daughters-Anne, Princess of Orange-Princess Amelia-Princess Caroline-Lord Hervey-Duke of Cumberland CHAPTER 9.--103 Anecdotes of Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough-and of Catherine, Duchess of Buckingham EXTRACTS FROM THE LETTERS OF SARAH, DUCHESS OF MARLBOROUGH, TO THE EARL OF STAIR, ILLUSTRATIVE OF "THE REMINISCENCES." (NOW FIRST PUBlished) 111 LETTERS OF HORACE WALPOLE. (Those Letters now first collected are marked N.) 1735 1. To Richard West, Esq. November 9.-Picture of a University life. Cambridge sophs. Juvenile quadruple alliance--121 page 5 / 793 1736. 2. To George Montagu, Esq. May 2.-Marriage of Frederick, Prince of Wales, with the Princess Augusta of Saxe Gotha--122 3. To the same, May 6.-Pleasures of youth, and youthful recollections--123 4. To the same, May 20.-Jaunt to Oxford. Wrest House. Easton Neston. Althorp--124 5. To the same, May 30.-Petronius Arbiter. Coventry's Dialogue between Philemon and Hydaspes on False Religion. Artemisia-- 126 6. To Richard West, Esq. Aug. 17.-Gray, and other schoolfellows. Eton recollections. Course of study at the University--127 1737. 7. To George Montagu, Esq. March 20.-French and English manners contrasted--128 page 6 / 793 8. To the same.-Feelings on revisiting Eton--129 1739. 9. To Richard West, Esq. April 21. Paris society. Amusements. Funeral of the Duke de Tresmes. St. Denis. Church of the Celestins. French love of show. Signs. Notions of honour--130 10. To the same.-, Description of Versailles. Conventof the Chartreux. History of St. Bruno, painted by Le Soeur. Relics-- 132 11. To the same, June 18.-Rheims. Brooke's "Gustavus Vasa"-- 134 12. To the same, July 20.-Rheims. Compiegne. Self-introduction--134 13. To the same, Sept. 28.-Mountains of Savoy. Grande Chartreuse. Aix. English visitors. Epigram--136 14. To the same, Nov. 11.-Passage of Mount Cenis. Cruel accident. Chamberri. Inscription. Pas de Suza. Turin. Italian comedy. "L'Anima Damnata." Conversazione--138 page 7 / 793 15. To the same.-Bologna. Letter-writing. Curl. Whitfield's Journal. Jingling epitaph. Academical exercises at the Franciscans' church. Dominicans' Church. Old verses in a new light--140 1740. 16. To the same, January 24.-Florence. Grand Duke's gallery. Effect of travel. English and Italian character contrasted. Story of the prince and the nut--142 17. To the same, February 27.-Florence. The Carnival. Character of the Florentines. Their prejudice about nobility. Mr. Martin. Affair of honour--143 18. To the Hon. Henry Seymour Conway, March 6.-Complaints of his not writing. Attachment to Florence--145 19. To richard West, Esq. March 22.-Description of Siena. Romish superstitions. Climate of italy. Italian customs. Radicofani. Dome of Siena. Inscription. Entrance to Rome--146 20. To the same, April 16.-Rome. Ruins of the temple of page 8 / 793 Minerva Medica. Ignorance and poverty of the present Romans. The Coliseum. Relics--148 21. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, April 23.-Society at Rome. The Moscovita. Roman Conversations. The Conclave. Lord Deskford-- 150 22. To Richard West, Esq., May 7.-The Conclave. Antiquities of Rome. State of the public a century hence--152 23. To the same, June 14.-Naples. Description of Herculaneum. Passage in Statius picturing out this latent city--153 24. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, July 5.-Reasons for leaving Rome. Malaria. Radicofani described. Relics from Jerusalem. Society at Florence. Mr. Mann. Lady pomfret. Princess Craon. Hosier's ghost. The Conclave. Lord Chancellor Hardwicke--155 25. To Richard West, Esq.-Medals and inscriptions. Taking of Porto Bello. The Conclave. Lady Mary Montagu. Life at Florence--159 26. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, Sept. 25.-Character of the Florentines. Lady Mary Wortley Montagu described. Sortes Virgiliane--161 page 9 / 793 27. To Richard West, Esq. Oct. 2.-Effect of travel- A wedding at Florence. Addison's Italy. Dr. Cocchi. Bondelmonti. A song. Bronzes and medals. Tartini. Lady Walpole. Platonic love--163 28. To the same, Nov.-Disastrous flood at Florence--166 1741. 29. To the Rev. Joseph Spence, Feb. 21.-Hopes to renew in England an acquaintance begun in Italy. Owns him his master in the antique--[N.) 168 30. To the Hon. H. S. Conway, March 25.-Rejoices at George Selwyn's recovery And at the result of Mr. Sandvs' motion for the removal of Sir Robert Walpole. Middleton's Life of Cicero- -169 31. To Richard West, Esq., May 10.-His opinion of the first act of West's tragedy of Pausanias. Description of Rome during fair-time--170 32. To Sir Horace Mann, Sept.-Calais on his return to England. Amorevoli. The Viscontina. Passage to Dover. Comfort and page 10 / 793 snugness of English in country towns. The distinction of "meddling people" nowhere but in England. Story of Mr. Pope and the Prince of Wales--172 33. To the same, Oct.-Corsica. Bianca Colonna. Baron Stosch, and his Maltese cats--174 34. To the Hon. H. S. Conway.-On his return to England. Changes produced by travel--175 35. To Sir Horace Mann, Oct. 8.-Illness of Sir Robert Walpole. The Opera. Sir Benjamin Keene. Dominichino's Madonna and Child. Lady Dorothy Boyle. State of parties--176 36. To the same, Oct. 13--178 37. To the same, Oct. 19.-Unfavourable state of his father's health--178 38. To the same, Oct. 22.-Duel between Winnington and Augustus Townshend. Long Sir Thomas Robinson. Mrs. Woffington. "Les Cours de l'Europe"--179 39. To the same, Nov. 2.-Sir Thomas Robinson's ball. The page 11 / 793 Euston embroil. The Neutrality. "The Balancing Captain," a new song--182 40. To the same, Nov. 5.-Opera House management--186 41. To the same, Nov. 12.-Admiral Vernon. The Opera. The Viscontina--187 42. To the same, Nov. 23.-Spanish design on Lombardy. Sir Edward Walpole's courtship. Lady Pomfret. "Going to Court." Lord Lincoln. Paul Whitehead. "Manners"--189 43. To the same, Nov. 26.-His mother's tomb. Intaglio of the Gladiator--191 44. To the same, Dec. 3.-Admiral Haddock. Meeting of Parliament. State of parties. Colley Cibber--192 45. To the same, Dec. 10.-Debate on the King's speech. Westminster petition. Triumph of Opposition.