Many of the pictures were selected and bargained for by Vertue, who, in Flanders, purchased the Market Pieces referred to, for L428; but did not secure the ‘Fish Market,’ and the ‘Meat Market,’ by the same painter.  In addition to the pictures, the stateliness and beauty of the rooms were enhanced by rich furniture, carving, gilding, and all the subsidiary arts which our grandfathers loved to add to high merit in design or colouring.  Besides his purchases, Sir Robert received presents of pictures from friends, and expectant courtiers; and the gallery at Houghton contained at last 222 pictures.  To our sorrow now, to our disgrace then, this splendid collection was suffered to go out of the country:  Catherine, empress of Russia, bought it for L40,000, and it adorns the Hermitage Palace of St. Petersburgh.

After Sir Robert’s retirement from power, the good qualities which he undoubtedly possessed, seemed to re-appear as soon as the pressure of party feeling was withdrawn.  He was fast declining in health when the insurrection of 1745 was impending.  He had warned the country of its danger in his last speech, one of the finest ever made in the House of Lords:  after that effort his voice was heard no more.  The gallant, unfortunate Charles Edward was then at Paris, and that scope of old experience

  ——­’which doth attain
  To somewhat of prophetic strain,’

showed the ex-minister of Great Britain that an invasion was at hand.  It was on this occasion that Frederick, Prince of Wales, took Sir Robert, then Lord Orford, by the hand, and thanked him for his zeal in the cause of the royal family.  Walpole returned to Norfolk, but was summoned again to London to afford the ministry the benefit of his counsels.  Death, however, closed his prosperous, but laborious life.  He suffered agonies from the stone; large doses of opium kept him in a state of stupor, and alone gave him ease; but his strength failed, and he was warned to prepare himself for his decease.  He bore the announcement with great fortitude, and took leave of his children in perfect resignation to his doom.  He died on the 28th of March, 1745.

Horace Walpole—­whatsoever doubts may rest on the fact of his being Lord Orford’s son or not—­writes feelingly and naturally upon this event, and its forerunner, the agonies of disease.  He seems, from the following passages in his letters to Sir Horace Mann, to have devoted himself incessantly to the patient invalid:  on his father having rallied, he thus expresses himself:—­

’You have heard from your brother the reason of my not having written to you so long.  I have been out but twice since my father fell into this illness, which is now near a month, and all that time either continually in his room, or obliged to see multitudes of people:  for it is wonderful how everybody of all kinds has affected to express their concern for him!  He has been out of danger this week; but I can’t say he mended at all perceptibly till these last three days.  His spirits are amazing, and his constitution more, for Dr. Hulse said honestly from the first, that if he recovered it would be from his own strength, not from their art.  How much more,’ he adds, mournfully, ’he will ever recover, one scarce dare hope about; for us, he is greatly recovered; for himself—­’ He then breaks off.