(692) The Duke of Newcastle, in a letter to Mr. Pitt of the 19th of October, says, “The many great losses, both public and private, which we have had this summer, have very greatly affected the Duchess; and the last of all, of her old friend and companion of above forty-five years, poor Mrs. Spence, has added much to the melancholy situation in which she was before.”  Chatham Correspondence, vol, ii. p. 295.-E.

(693) Edward, fifth son of the sixth Earl of Winchelsea.  Mrs. Hatton was his maternal aunt, sister of the last Viscount Hatton.-C.

Letter 230 To The Rev. Mr. Cole.  Strawberry Hill, Nov. 8, 1764. (page 352)

I am much disappointed, I own, dear Sir, at not seeing you:  more so, as I fear it will be long before I shall, for I think of going to paris early in February.  I ought indeed to go directly, as the winter does not agree with me here.  Without being positively ill, I am positively not well:  about this time of year, I have little fevers every night, and pains in my breast and stomach, which bid me repair to a more flannel climate.  These little complaints are already begun, and as soon as affairs will permit me, I mean to transport them southward.

I am sorry it is out of my power to make the addition you wish to Mr. Tuer’s article:  many of the following sheets are printed off, and there is no inserting any thing now, without shoving the whole text forward, which you see is impossible.  You promised to bring me a portrait of him:  as I shall have four or five new plates, I can get his head into one of them:  will you send it as soon as you can possibly to my house in Arlington-street; I will take great care of it-, and return it to you safe.

Letter 231 To The Earl Of Hertford.  Strawberry Hill, Nov. 9, 1764. (page 353)

I don’t know whether this letter will not reach you, my dear lord, before one that I sent to you last week by a private hand, along with one from your brother.  I write this by my Lord Chamberlain’s order—­you may interpret it as you please, either as by some new connexion of the Bedford squadron with the opposition, or as a commission to you, my lord ambassador.  As yet, I believe you had better take it upon the latter foundation, though the Duke of Bedford has crossed the country from Bath to Woburn, without coming to town.  Be that as it may, here is the negotiation intrusted to you.  You are desired by my Lord Gower to apply to the gentilhomme de la chambre for leave for Doberval(694) the dancer, who was here last year, to return and dance at our Opera forthwith.  If the court of France -will comply with this request, we will send them a discharge in full, for the Canada bills and the ransom of their prisoners, and we will permit Monsieur D’Estain to command in the West Indies, whether we will or not.  The city of London must not know a word of this treaty, for they