(36) John Duke of Bedford, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

(37) Archibald Earl of Islay and Duke of Argyle.

(38) The Duke of argyle had been suspected of temporizing in the last rebellion.

(39) Alluding to our expensive invasions on the coast of France.

Letter 16 To Sir Horace Mann.  Arlington Street, March 4, 1760. (page 48)

never was any romance of such short duration as Monsieur Thurot’s!  Instead of the waiting for the viceroy’s army, and staying to see whether it had any ammunition, or was only armed with brickbats `a la Carrickfergienne, he re-embarked on the 28th, taking along with him the mayor and three others—­I suppose, as proofs of his conquest.  The Duke of Bedford had sent notice of’ the invasion to Kinsale, where lay three or four of our best frigates.  They instantly sailed, and came up with the flying invaders in the Irish Channel.  You will see the short detail of the action in the Gazette; but, as the letter was written by Captain Elliot himself, you will not see there, that he with half the number of Thurot’s crew, boarded the latter’s vessel.  Thurot was killed, and his pigmy navy all taken and carried into the Isle of Man.  It is an entertaining episode; but think what would have happened, if the whole of the plan had taken place -it the destined time.  The negligence of the Duke of Bedford’s administration has appeared so gross, that one may believe his very kingdom would have been lost, if Conflans had not been beat.  You will see, by the deposition of Ensign hall, published in all our papers, that the account of the siege of Carrickfergus, which I sent you in my last, was not half so ridiculous as the reality—­because, as that deponent said, I was furnished with no papers but my memory.  The General Flobert, I am told, you may remember at Florence; he was then very mad, and was to have fought Mallet.—­but was banished from Tuscany.  Some years since he was in England; and met Mallet at lord Chesterfield’s, but without acknowledging one another.  The next day Flobert asked the Earl if Mallet had mentioned him?—­No-"Il a donc,” said Flobert, “beaucoup de retenue, car surement ce qu’il pourroit dire de moi, ne seroit pas `a mon avantage.”—­it was pretty, and they say he is now grown an agreeable and rational man.

The judges have given their opinion that the court-martial on lord George Sackville is legal; so I suppose it will proceed on Thursday.

I receive yours of the 16th of last month:  I wish you had given me any account of your headaches that I could show to Ward.  He will no more comprehend nervous, than the physicians do who use the word.  Send me an exact description; if he can do you no good, at least it will be a satisfaction to me to have consulted him.  I wish, my dear child, that what you say at the end of your letter, of appointments and honours, was not as chronical as your headaches-that