We are in pain for the Duchess of Richmond, who, instead of the jaundice, has relapsed into a fever.  She has blooded twice last night, and vet had a very bad night.  I called at the door at three o’clock, when they thought the fever rather diminished, but spoke of her as very ill.  I have not seen your brother or Lady Aylesbury to-day, but found they had been very much alarmed yesterday evening.(527) Lord Suffolk,(528) they say, is going to be married to Miss Trevor Hampden.

Your brother has told me, that among Lady Hertford’s things seized at Dover, was a packet for me from you.  Mr. Bowman has undertaken to make strict inquiry for it.  Adieu, my dear lord.

P. S. We had, last Monday, the prettiest ball that ever was seen, at Mrs. Ann Pitt’s,(529) in the compass of a silver penny.  There were one hundred and four persons, of which number fifty-five supped.  The supper-room was disposed with tables and benches back to back in the manner of an alehouse.  The idea sounds ill; but the fairies had so improved upon it, had so be-garlanded, so sweetmeated, and so desserted it, that it looked like a vision.  I told her she Could only have fed and stowed so much company by a miracle, and that, when we were gone, she would take up twelve basketsfull of people.  The Duchess of Bedford asked me before Madame de Guerchy, if I would not give them a ball at Strawberry?  Not for the universe!  What! turn a ball, and dust, and dirt, and a million of candles, into my charming new gallery!  I said, I could not flatter myself that people would give themselves the trouble of going eleven miles for a ball—­(though I believe they would go fifty)—­“Well, then,” says she, “it shall be a dinner."- -"With all my heart, I have no objection; but no ball shall set its foot within my doors.”

(519) It related, as we have seen, to General Conway’s vote in opposition to the government.-C.

(520) “Droit le Roy, or the Rights and Prerogatives of the Imperial Crown of Great Britain.”  In the examination of Griffin, the printer, before the Peers, he stated that Timothy Becknock afterwards hanged in Ireland as an accomplice of George Robert Fitzgerald, had sent the pamphlet to the press, and was, Griffin believed, the author of it.-C.

(521) Gray writes to Dr. Wharton, on the 21st of February:—­“The House of Lords, I hear, will soon take in hand a book lately published, by some scoundrel lawyer, on the prerogative; in which is scraped together all the flattery and blasphemy of our old law-books in honour of kings.  I presume it is understood, that the court will support the cause of this impudent scribbler.”  Works, vol. iv. p. 30.-E.

(522) Mr. Wilkes was tried on the 21st of February, for republishing the North Briton, No. 45, and for printing the Essay on Woman, and found guilty of both.-E.