(1066) The American general.

510 Letter 333
To The Earl Of Strafford. 
Arlington Street, Sept. 13, 1759.

My dear lord, You are very good to say you would accept of my letters, though I should have no particular news to tell you; but at present it would be treating heroes and conquerors with great superciliousness, if I made use of your indulgence and said nothing of them.  We have taken more places and ships in a week than would have set up such pedant nations as Greece and Rome to all futurity.  If we did but call Sir William Johnson “Gulielmus Johnsonus Niagaricus,” and Amherst “Galfridus Amhersta Ticonderogicus,” we should be quoted a thousand years hence as the patterns of valour, virtue, and disinterestedness; for posterity always ascribes all manner of modesty and self-denial to those that take the most pains to perpetuate their own glory.  Then Admiral Boscawen has, in a very Roman style, made free with the coast of Portugal, and used it to make a bonfire of the French fleet.  When Mr. Pitt was told of this infraction of a neutral territory, he replied, “It is very true, but they are burned.”  In short, we want but a little more insolence and a worse cause to make us a very classic nation.

My Lady Townshend, who has not learning enough to copy a Spartan mother, has lost her youngest son.(1067) I saw her this morning —­her affectation is on t’other side she affects grief—­but not so much for the son she has lost, as for t’other that she may lose.

Lord George is come, has asked for a court-martial, was put off; and is turned out of every thing.  Waldegrave has his regiment, for what he did; and Lord Granby the ordnance—­for what he would have done.

Lord Northampton is to be married(1068) to-night in full Comptonhood.  I am indeed happy that Mr. Campbell(1069) is a general; but how will his father like being the dowager-general Campbell?

You are very kind, my lord (but that is not new,) in interesting Yourself about Strawberry Hill.  I have just finished a Holbein-chamber, that I flatter myself you will not dislike; and I have begun to build a new printing-house, that the old one may make room for the gallery and round tower.  This noble summer is not yet over us—­it seems to have cut a colt’s week-.  I never write without talking of it, and should be glad to know in how many letters this summer has been mentioned.

I have lately been at Wilton, and was astonished at the heaps of rubbish.  The house is grand, and the place glorious; but I should shovel three parts of the marbles and pictures into the river.  Adieu, my lord and lady!

(1067) The Hon. Roger Townshend, third son of Viscount Townshend, killed at Ticonderoga on the 25th of July.-E.

(1068) To Lady Anne Somerset.

(1069) Afterwards Duke of Argyle.

511 Letter 334
To The Hon. H. S. Conway.(1070)
Arlington Street, Sept. 13, 1759.