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Something, and Have Reduced an Annual Charge of Near Twelve Hun- Dred a Year,12 the Consequences of Which I Believe Were As Much

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Something, and Have Reduced an Annual Charge of Near Twelve Hun- Dred a Year,12 the Consequences of Which I Believe Were As Much 142 To LADY OSSORY I SEPTEMBER 1773 something, and have reduced an annual charge of near twelve hun­ dred a year,12 the consequences of which I believe were as much more, I mean the waste made and occasioned by bad servants, dogs and horses, still I very much doubt whether I must not resign, from causes not proper for a letter.^ In the shock and vexation of such a scene was I forced to act as if my mind was not only perfectly at ease, but as if I, who never understood one useful thing in my days, was master of every country business, and qualified to be a surveyor-general. Though you would have pitied my sensations, you would have smiled, Madam, I am sure, at my occupations, which lasted without interruption from nine every morning till twelve at night, except that, a few times, I stole from the steward14 and lawyer15 I carried with me, to peep at a room full of painters,16 who you and Lord Ossory will like to hear, are making drawings from the whole collection, which Boydell1? is going to engrave.18 Well, the morning was spent in visiting the ken­ nels, in giving away pointers, greyhounds and foreign beasts, in writing down genealogies of horses—with all my heraldry I never thought to be the Anstis10 of Newmarket—in selling bullocks, sheep, 12. See the itemized list, total reduc­ to advance the polite arts of painting and tion £1189 25., in HW to Thomas Walpole engraving, than any man in this kingdom, 4 Sept. 1773. not excepting majesty itself (newspaper 13. Chiefly Lady Orford's deception and clipping, 9 Sept. 1790, in Anecdotes, Vol. lack of cooperation (HW to Mann 2 V, ed. F. W. Hilles and P. B. Daghlian, Sept. 1773) but on 9 Sept. HW received a 1937, p. 208. satisfactory letter from her (HW to 18. Boydell issued the prints in num­ Mann 9 Sept. 1773). bers, ten plates to each number, at two 14. William Moone; see HW to Thomas guineas a number, under the tide of Walpole 4 Sept. 1773. The Houghton Gallery; the first part was 15. Lord Orford's lawyer (ante 26 June published in 1774 (Hazen, Cat. of HW's 1773)- Lib. 3572). The completed work appeared 16. Joseph Farington (1747-1821), land­ in 1788, published by John and Josiah scape painter, engraver, and diarist, and Boydell, with the title A Set of Prints his brother, George Farington (1752-88), Engraved after the Most Capital Paintings historical painter, copied many of the in the Collection of Her Imperial Majesty pictures (BERRY ii. 185 n. 4; R. W. Ketton- the Empress of Russia, Lately in the Pos­ Cremer, A Norfolk Gallery, 1948, p. 178). session of the Earl of Orford at Houghton Josiah Boydell (1752-1817), nephew of in Norfolk. In addition to 60 plates in John Boydell, and Richard Earlom (1743- Vol. I and 69 in Vol. II (with notes taken 1822) also copied (and engraved) some of from HW's Aides Walpoliana), it had 28 the Houghton collection. See A Set of plates of 'Plans, Elevations, Perspective Prints, mentioned in n. 18. On some of Views, Chimney Pieces, Ceilings, etc' Cf. the pictures the name of the copyist does COLE i. 385. not appear. 19. John Anstis (1669-1744), Garter 17. John Boydell (1719-1804), engraver King-of-Arms 1718-44, was succeeded by and print publisher; Lord Mayor of Lon­ his son John Anstis (ca 1709-54), who don 1790-1. 'He has contributed more held the post until 1754, he having served .
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