ideas of ghastliness, hypocrisy discovered, and the height of damnation, pain and cursing.  A Benedictine monk, who was there at the same time, said to me of this picture C’est une fable, mais on la croyoit autrefois.  Another, who showed me relics in one of their churches, expressed as much ridicule for them.  The pictures I have been speaking of are ill preserved, and some of the finest heads defaced, which was done at first by a rival of Le Soeur’s.  Adieu! dear West, take care of your health; and some time or other we will talk over all these things with more pleasure than I have had in seeing them.

Yours ever.

(162) For Gray’s description of Versailles, which he styles " a huge heap of littleness,” see his letter to West of the 22nd of May, 1739. (Works, by Mitford, vol. ii.  P. 46).edited by the Rev. John Mitford.-E.

134 Letter 11 To Richard West, Esq.  Rheims, (163) June 18, 1739, N. S.

Dear West, How I am to fill up this letter is not easy to divine.  I have consented that Gray shall give an account of our situation and proceedings; (164) and have left myself at the mercy of my own’ invention—­a most terrible resource, and which I shall avoid applying to if I can possibly help it.  I had prepared the ingredients for a description of a ball, and was just ready to serve it up to you, but he has plucked it from me.  However, I was resolved to give you an account of a particular song and dance in it, and was determined to write the words and Sing the tune just as I folded up my letter:  but as it would, ten to one, be opened before it gets to you, I am forced to lay aside this thought, though an admirable one.  Well, but now I have put it into your head, I suppose you won’t rest without it.  For that individual one, believe me ’tis nothing without the tune and the dance; but to stay your stomach, I -will send you one of their vaudevilles or Ballads, (165) which they sing at the comedy after their petites pi`eces.

You must not wonder if all my letters resemble dictionaries, with French on one side and English on t’other; I deal in nothing else at present, and talk a couple of words of each language alternately, from morning till night.  This has put my mouth a little out of tune at present but I am trying to recover the use of it by reading the newspapers aloud at breakfast, and by shewing the title-pages of all my English books.  Besides this, I have paraphrased half of the first act of your new GustavUS (166) which was sent us to Paris:  a most dainty performance, and just what you say of it.  Good night, I am sure you must be tired:  if you are not, I am. yours ever.

(163) Mr. Walpole, with his cousin Henry Seymour Conway and Mr. Gray, resided three months at Rheims, principally to acquire the French language.

(164) Gray’s letter to West has not been preserved; but one addressed to his mother, on the 21 st of June, containing an account of Rheims and the society, is printed in his Works, vol. ii. p. 50.-E.