sum:  I think the medium account is two thousand pounds a-year, and thirty thousand pounds in money.  This Sir William Pynsent, whose fame, like an aloe, did not blow till near an hundred, was a singularity.  The scandalous chronicle of Somersetshire talks terribly of his morals(734) *****.  Lady North was nearly related to Lady Pynsent, which encouraged Lord North to flatter himself that Sir William’s extreme propensity to him would recommend even his wife’s parentage for heirs; but the uncomeliness of Lady North, and a vote my lord gave against the Cider-bill, offended the old gentleman so much, that he burnt his would-be heir in effigy.  How will all these strange histories sound at Paris!

This post, I suppose, will rain letters to my Lady Hertford. on her death and revival.  I was dreadfully alarmed at it for a moment; my servant was so absurd as to wake me, and bid me not be frightened—­an excellent precaution!  Of all moments, that between sleeping and waking is the most subject to terror.  I started up, and my first thought was to send for Dr. Hunter; but, in two minutes, I recollected that it was impossible to be true, as your porter had the very day before been with me to tell me a courier was arrived from you, was to return that evening.  Your poor son Henry, whom you will doat upon for it, was not tranquillized so soon.  He instantly sent away a courier to your brother, who arrived in the middle of the night.  Lady Milton,(735) Lady George SackVille,(736) and I, agreed this evening to tell my Lady Hertford, that we ought to have believed the news, and to have imputed it to the gaming rakehelly life my lady leads at Paris, which scandalizes all us prudes, her old friends.  In truth, I have not much right to rail at any body to.- living in a hurricane.  I found myself with a violent cold on Wednesday, and till then had not once reflected on all the hot and cold climates I have passed through the day before:  I had been at the Duke of Cumberland’s levee; then at the Princess Amelia’s drawing-room; from thence to a crowded House of Commons; to dinner at your brother’s; to the Opera; to Madame Seillern’s; to Arthur’s; and to supper at Mrs. George Pitt’s;—­it is scandalous; but, who does less?  The Duke looked much better than I expected; is gone to Windsor, and mends daily.

It was Lady Harcourt’s(737) death that occasioned the confusion, and our dismay.  She died at a Colonel Oughton’s; such a small house, that Lord Harcourt has been forced to take their family into his own house.  Poor Lady Digby(738) is dead too, of a fever, and was with child.  They were extremely happy, and -her own family adored her.  My sister has begged me to ask a favour, that will put you to a little trouble, though only for a moment.  It is, if you will be so good to order one of your servants when you have done with the English newspapers, to put them in a cover, and send them to Mr. Churchill, au Chateau de Nubecourt, pr`es de Clermont, en Argone; they cannot get a gazette that does not cost them six livres.