(760) An allusion to the scene in the last chapter of his Castle of Otranto.- E.

(761) Paul Henry Mallet was born at Geneva in 1731, and was for some time professor of history in his native city.  He afterwards became professor royal of the belles lettres at Copenhagen.  The introduction to his History of Denmark was afterwards translated by Dr. Percy, under the title of Northern Antiquities, including the Edda.-E.

(762) Dr. Charles Lyttelton, Bishop of Carlisle.  See ant`e, p. 207, letter 149.  On his death, in 1768, he made a very valuable bequest of manuscripts and printed books to the Society.-E.

Letter 242 To The Rev. Mr. Cole.  Strawberry Hill, Feb. 28, 1765. (page 377)

Dear sir, As you do not deal with newspapers, nor trouble Yourselves with occurrences of modern times, you may perhaps conclude from what I have told you, and from my silence, that I am in France.  This will tell you that I am not; though I have been long thinking of it, and still intend it, though not exactly yet.  My silence I must lay on this uncertainty, and from having been much out of order above a month with a very bad cold and cough, for which I am come hither to try change of air.  Your brother Apthorpe, who was so good as to call upon me about a fortnight ago in town, found me too hoarse to speak to him.  We both asked one another the same question—­news of you?

I have lately had an accession to my territory here, by the death of good old Franklin, to whom I had given for his life the lease of the cottage and garden cross the road.  Besides a little pleasure in planting, and in crowding it with flowers, I intend to make, what I am sure you are antiquarian enough to approve, a bower, though your friends the abbots did not indulge in such retreats, at least not under that appellation:  but though we love the same ages, you must excuse worldly me for preferring the romantic scenes of antiquity.  If you will tell me how to send it, and are partial enough to me to read a profane work in the style of former centuries, I shall convey to you a little story-book, which I published some time ago, though not boldly with my own name:  but it has succeeded so well, that I do not any longer entirely keep the secret.  Does the title, The Castle of Otranto(763) tempt you?  I shall be glad to hear you are well and happy.

(763) In the first edition of this work, of which but very few copies were printed, the title ran thus:—­“The Castle of Otranto, a Story, translated by William Marshal, Gent., from the original Italian of onuphrio Muralto, Canon of the church of St. Nicholas at Otranto.  London:  printed for Thomas Lownds, in Fleet Street, 1765."-E.

Letter 243 To The Rev. Mr. Cole.  Strawberry Hill, March 9, 1765. (page 378)