The Northumberlands are returned; Hamilton is dismissed,(614) and the Earl of Drogheda(615) made secretary in his room.

Michell(616) is recalled by desire of this court, who requested to have it done without giving their reasons, as Sir Charles Williams(617) had been sent from Berlin in the same manner.

Colonel Johnson is also recalled from Minorca.  He had been very wrongheaded with his governors Sir Richard;(618) that wound was closed, when the judicious deputy chose to turn out a brother-in-law of Lord Bute.  Lady Falkener’s daughter is to be married to a young rich Mr. Crewe,(619) a maccarone, and of our loo.  Mr. Skreene has married Miss Sumner, and her brother gives her 10,000 pounds.  Good night!  The watchman cries three!

(609) It seems that Mr. Walpole, in one of the letters not found, had expressed a desire that Lord Hertford should resent, in some decided manner, the dismissal of his brother:  but he, in the course of this letter, recollects that as the younger brother had acted not only without concert with Lord Hertford, but in direct opposition to his opinion and advice, there was no kind of reason why his lordship should take any extreme steps.-C.

(610) Yet, in frequent preceding passages, Mr. Walpole represents the conflicts of parties as only a contention for power and place.-C.

(611) He means the Duke’s political friends, Mr. Rigby, etc.-C.

(612) The Earl of Northington.

(613) Mr. Rigby.

(614) See ant`e, p. 256, Letter 182.

(615) Charles, Earl and first Marquis of Drogheda, Who married Lord Hertford’s sister; he died in 1823, at a great age.-E.

(616) Minister from the court of Prussia to London.-E.

(617) Sir C. H. Williams had been minister, both at Berlin and St. Petersburgh.-E.

(618) Sir Richard Lyttelton.-E.

(618) John Crewe, Esq. married, 17th May, 1764, to Miss Fawkener, the daughter of sir Everard Fawkener, who died in 1758, one of the postmasters-general.-E.

Letter 211 To The Hon. H. S. Conway.  Arlington Street, June 5, 1764. (page 325)

You will wonder that I have been so long without giving you any signs of life; yet, though not writing to you, I have been employed about you, as I have ever since the 21st of April; a day your enemies shall have some cause to remember.  I had writ nine or ten sheets of an answer to the “Address to the Public,” when I received the enclosed mandate.(620) You will see my masters order me, as a subaltern of the exchequer, to drop you and defend them—­but you will see too, that, instead of obeying, I have given warning.  I would not communicate any part of this transaction to you, till it was out of my hands, because I knew your affection for me would not approve of in going so far—­but it was necessary.  My honour required that I should declare my adherence to you in the most authentic manner.