Apropos to Indian historians, half our thoughts are taken up—­that is, my Lord Halifax’s are—­with colonizing in Nova Scotia:  my friend Colonel Cornwallis is going thither commander-in-chief.  The Methodists will scarce follow him as they did Oglethorpe; since the period of his expedition,(17) their lot is fallen in a better land.  Methodism is more fashionable than any thing but brag; the women play very deep at both—­as deep, it is much suspected, as the matrons of Rome did at the mysteries of the Bona Dea.  If gracious Anne was alive, she would make an admirable defendress of the new faith, and build fifty more churches for female proselytes.

If I had more paper or time, I could tell you an excellent long history of my brother Ned’S(18) envy, which was always up at highwater-mark, but since the publication of my book of Houghton (one should have thought a very harmless performance), has overflowed on a thousand ridiculous occasions.  Another great object of his jealousy is my friendship with Mr. Fox:  my brother made him a formal visit at nine o’clock the other morning, and in a set speech of three quarters of an hour, begged his pardon for not attending the last day of the Mutiny bill, which, he said was so particularly brought in by him, though Mr. Fox assured him that he had no farther hand in it than from his office.  Another instance:  when my brother went to live at Frogmore, Mr. Fox desired him to employ his tradesmen at Windsor, by way of supporting his interest in that borough.  My brother immediately went to the Duke of St. Albans, to whom he had never spoke, (nor indeed was his acquaintance with Mr. Fox much greater), and notified to him, that if seven years hence his grace should have any contest with Mr. Fox about that borough, he should certainly espouse the latter.  Guess how the Duke stared at so strange and unnecessary a declaration!

Pigwiggin’s Princess has mis-pigged, to the great joy, I believe, of that family, for you know a child must have eaten.  Adieu!

(11) It was entitled, A bill for amending, explaining, and reducing into one act, the laws relating to the Navy. “it was,” says Sir John Barrow, “a most desirable and highly useful measure.  The principal and , indeed, the only novelties attempted to be introduced, were, first, that of subjecting half pay officers to courts-martial, which after much opposition was thrown out; the second was the administration of an oath of secrecy to the members, which was carried, and continues to the present time.”  See Life of Lord Anson, p. 218.—­E.

(12) The Hon. Edward Boscawen, third son of Hugh, first Viscount Falmouth.  He was a distinguished naval commander, and had a large share in the success of Lord Anson’s engagement with the French fleet off Cape Finisterre in 1747.  He died in 1761.-D.

(13) The Dukes of Bedford and Newcastle.-D.

(14) Eldest son of Lord Barnard, and afterwards first Earl of Darlington. he died in 1758.-E.