Wilkes, who has been chosen member of Parliament almost as often as Marius was consul, was again re-elected on Thursday.  The House of Commons, who are as obstinate as the county, have again rejected him.  To-day they are to instate Colonel Luttrell in his place.(1062) What is to follow I cannot say, but I doubt grievous commotions.  Both sides seem so warm, that it Will be difficult for either to be in the right.  This is not a merry subject, and therefore I will have done with it.  If it comes to blows, I intend to be as neutral as the gentleman that was going out with his hounds the morning of Edgehill.  I have seen too much of parties to list with any of them.

You promised to return to town, but now say nothing of it.  You had better come before a passport is necessary:  Adieu!

(1061) The Letters of Junius, the first of which appeared on the 21st of January, were now in course of publication, and exciting great attention, not only in this country, but, as it would seem, also in France:  “On parle ici beaucoup de votre `ecrit de Junius,” writes Madame du Deffand to Walpole.-E.

(1062) Wilkes, having been expelled the House of Commons on the 3d of February 1769, was a third time elected for Middlesex on the 16th of March.  On the 17th, the election was declared by the House to be null and void, and a new writ was ordered to be issued.  On the day of election, the 13th of April, Wilkes, Luttrell, and Serjeant Whitaker presented themselves as candidates, when the former, having a majority, was declared duly elected.  On the 14th, this election was pronounced void, and on the 15th Henry Laws Luttrell, Esq. was duly elected, by 197 against 143, and took his seat accordingly.-E.

Letter 359 To George Montagu, Esq.  Arlington Street, May 11, 1769. (page 540)

You are so wayward, that I often resolve to give you up to your humours.  Then something happens with which I can divert you, and my good-humour returns.  Did not you say you should return to London long before this time?  At least, could you not tell me you had changed your mind? why am I to pick it out from your absence and silence, as Dr. Warburton found a future state in Moses’s saying nothing of the matter!  I could go on with a chapter of severe interrogatories, but I think it more cruel to treat You as a hopeless reprobate; yes, you are graceless, and as I have a respect for my own scolding, I shall not throw it away upon you.

Strawberry has been in great glory; I have given a festino there that will almost mortgage it.  Last Tuesday all France dined there:  Monsieur and Madame du Chatelet,(1063) the Duc de Liancourt,(1064) three more French ladies, whose names you will find in the enclosed paper, eight other Frenchmen, the Spanish and Portuguese ministers, the Holdernesses, Fitzroys, in short we were four-and-twenty.  They arrived at two.  At the gates of the castle I received