(15) Theodore, King of Corsica.-D.

(16) Their story is briefly this:  A Moorish king, who had entertained with great hospitality a British captain trafficking on the coast of Africa, reposed such confidence in him, as to intrust him with his son, about eighteen years of age, and another sprightly youth, to be brought to England and educated in the European manners.  The captain received them, and basely sold them for slaves.  He shortly after died; and, the ship coming to England, the officers related the whole affair:  upon which the government sent to pay their ransom, and they were brought to England and put under the care of the Earl of Halifax, then at the head of the board of trade, who had them clothed and educated in a suitable manner.  They were afterwards received in the higher circles, and introduced to the King.  On the first of February in this year, they appeared at the Covent-Garden theatre, to see the tragedy of Oroonok; where they were received with a loud clap of applause, which they returned with a genteel bow.  The tender interview between Imoinda and Oroonoko so affected the Prince, that he was obliged to retire at the end of the fourth act.  His companion remained, but wept all the time so bitterly that it affected the audience more than the play.-E.

(17) General Oglethorpe was the great promoter of the colony of Georgia.  See vol. i.-E.

(18) Sir Edward Walpole, K. B.-D.

19 Letter 3
To Sir Horace Mann. 
Strawberry Hill, May 3, 1749.

I am come hither for a few days, to repose myself after a torrent of diversions, and am writing to you in my charming bow-window with a tranquillity and satisfaction which, I fear, I am grown old enough to prefer to the hurry of amusements, in which the whole world has lived for this last week.  We have at last celebrated the peace, and that as much in extremes as we generally do everything, whether we have reason to be glad or sorry, pleased or angry.  Last Tuesday it was proclaimed:  the King did not go to St. Paul’s, but at night the whole town was illuminated.  The next day was what was called “a jubilee-masquerade in the Venetian manner” at Ranelagh:  it had nothing Venetian in it, but was by far the best understood and the prettiest spectacle I ever saw:  nothing in a fairy tale ever surpassed it.  One of the proprietors, who is a German, and belongs to court, had got my Lady Yarmouth to persuade the King to order it.  It began at three o’clock, and, about five, people of fashion began to go.  When you entered, you found the whole garden filled with masks and spread with tents, which remained all night very commodely.  In one quarter was a May-pole dressed with garlands, and people dancing round it to a tabor and pipe and rustic music, all masqued,’as were all the various bands of music that were disposed in different parts of the garden; some like huntsmen with French-horns, some like peasants, with a troop of harlequins and