(73) Marie de Vichy Chamroud, Marquise du Deffand (1697-1780).  She married, in 1718, the Marquis du Deffand, from whom she soon separated, and lived the life of pleasure so common in the period.  At the age of sixty-two she became totally blind.  This misfortune but made her the more celebrated and sought after.  In 1764 occurred the quarrel with Mlle. Lespinasse, which divided her salon and left her quite alone with her faithful secretary, Wiart.  With the exception of her correspondence with the Duchesse de Choiseul, she bequeathed all her letters to Horace Walpole.  She was seventy and Walpole fifty when they met and their famous attachment and correspondence began.

(74) President Henault (1685-1770).  He was President of the Parliament, a member of the Academy, and author of “L’abrege Chronologique de l’Histoire de France.”  His devotion to Mme. du Deffand lasted until his death, which preceded hers by ten years.

(75) At White’s.

(1768) Feb. 2, Tuesday Morning.—­Yesterday Sir T. Stapleton and Mr. Lee, the members for the town of Oxford, read in their places, by order of the House, the letter which they had received a year and a half ago from the Mayor, Bailiffs, and Council of Oxford to offer them a quiet election, and absolute sale of themselves, for 5,670 pounds sterling; the sum which the Corporation is indebted, and otherwise as they declare unable to pay.  Eleven sign, of which [whom] one is since dead; all the rest are ordered to attend at our Bar on Friday with the Mace Bearer, &c.  Their Regalia has been pawned for their high living.  The House was excessively crow[d]ed; Thurloe and Rigby,(76) for the Duke of Marl(borough’s) sake, made weak efforts to bring them off.  Some of these people are fled to Calais, as it is said, to avoid Newgate; it may be that none of them will appear who signed.

Mr. Walpole’s(77) book(78) came out yesterday, but I got it from him on Saturday, and my (?) Lord Molyneux carried it for me that morning to Sir John Lamb[er]t to be forwarded to your Lordship immediately.  I’m confident that it will entertain you much, and, what is more extraordinary, convince you; because I have that good opinion of your understanding as not to think that ages and numbers can sanctify falsehood, and that such is your love of truth as to be glad to find it, although at the expense of quitting the prejudice of your whole precedent life.  I will not forestall your judgment by saying anything more of this book, but only wish it may afford as much entertainment as it has me.  This historic doubter dined with me yesterday, Williams, Lord March, Cadogan, and Fanshaw, qui m’a demande a diner, at the House.

Horry seemed mightily pleased with the success which his new book has met with; nobody cavils at anything, but here and there an expression; his hypothesis is approved of from the most reasonable conjectures, and the most indisputable authorities.  I would have had Bully [to] have dined with us, but he was engaged to his brother, qui donne a diner fort souvent.  I told him, that if he would pay his court to Horry he might give him a lick of his vernis, that would do his repu[ta]tion no harm.  He is in high spirits; his divorce is making a rapid progress through your House.