We are in danger of losing our sociable box at the Opera.  The new Queen is very musical, and if Mr. Deputy Hodges and the city don’t exert their veto, will probably go to the Haymarket.  George Pitt, in imitation of the Adonises in Tanzai’s retinue, has asked to be her Majesty’s grand harper.  Dieu s`cait quelle raclerie il y aura!  All the guitars are untuned; and if Miss Conway has a mind to be in fashion at her return, she must take some David or other to teach her the new twing twang, twing twing twang.  As I am still desirous of being in fashion with your ladyship, and am, over and above, very grateful, I keep no company but my Lady Denbigh and Lady Blandford, and learn every evening, for two hours, to mask my English.  Already I am tolerably fluent in saying she for he.(174)

Good night, Madam!  I have no news to send you:  one cannot announce a royal wedding and a coronation every post.

P. S. Pray, Madam, do the gnats bite your legs?  Mine are swelled as big as one, which is saying a deal for me.

July 22.

I had writ this, and was not time enough for the mail, when I receive your charming note, and this magnificent victory!(175) Oh! my dear Madam, how I thank you, how I congratulate you, how I feel for you, how I have felt for you and for myself!  But I bought it by two terrible hours to-day—­I heard of the battle two hours before I could learn a word of Mr. Conway—­I sent all round the world, and went half around it myself.  I have cried and laughed, trembled and danced, as you bid me.  If you had sent me as much old china as King Augustus gave two regiments for, I should not be half so much obliged to you as for your note.  How could you think of me, when you had so much reason to think of nothing but yourself?—­And then they say virtue is not rewarded in this world.  I will preach at Paul’s Cross, and quote you and Mr. Conway; no two persons were ever so good and happy.  In short, I am serious in the height of all my joy.  God is very good to you, my dear Madam; I thank him for you; I thank him for myself:  it is very unalloyed pleasure we taste at this moment!- -Good night!  My heart is so expanded, I could write to the last scrap of my paper; but I won’t.  Yours most entirely.

(170) Lady Cecilia West, daughter of John Earl of Delawar, afterwards married to General James Johnston.

(171) Wife of the Count de Welderen, one of the lords of the States of Holland.-E.

(172) The first words of a favourite French air, with Madame Welderen’s confusion of p’s, t’s’ etc.

(173) A character in Steele’s comedy of The Tender Husband, or the Accomplished Fools brought out at Drury-lane in 1709.-E.

(174) A mistake which these ladies, who were both Dutch women, constantly made.

(175) The battle of Kirckdenckirck, on the 15th and 16th of July, in which the allied army, under Prince Ferdinand, gained a great victory over the French, under the Prince of Soubise.-E.