You are so good and punctual, that I will complain no more of your silence, unless you are silent.  You must not relax, especially until you can give me better accounts of your health and spirits.  I was peevish before with the weather; but, now it prevents your riding, I forget hay and roses, and all the comforts that are washed away, and shall only watch the weathercock for an east wind in Yorkshire.  What a shame that I should recover from the gout and from bruises, as I assure you I am entirely, and that you should have a complaint left!  One would think that it was I was grown young again; for while just now, as I was reading your letter in my bedchamber, while some of my customers(644) are seeing the house, I heard a gentleman in the armoury ask the housekeeper as he looked at the bows and arrows, “Pray, does Mr. Walpole shoot?” No, nor with pistols neither.  I leave all weapons to Lady Salisbury(645) and Mr. Lenox;(646) and, since my double marriage, have suspended my quiver in the Temple of Hymen.  Hygeia shall be my goddess, if she will send you back blooming to this region.

I wish I had preserved any correspondence in France, as you are curious about their present history; which I believe very momentous indeed.  What little I have accidentally heard, I will relate, and will learn what more I can.  On the King,’s being advised to put out his talons, Necker desired leave to resign, as not having been consulted, and as the measure violated his plan.  The people, hearing his intention, thronged to Versailles; and he was forced to assure them from a balcony, that he was not to retire.  I am not accurate in dates, nor warrant my intelligence, and therefore pretend only to send you detached scraps.  Force being still in request, the Duc du Chatelet acquainted the King that he could not answer for the French guards.  Chatelet, who, from his hot arrogant temper, I should have thought would have been One of the proudest opposers of the people, is suspected to lean to them.  In short, Marshal Broglio is appointed commander-in-chief, and is said to have sworn on his sword, that he will not sheathe it till he has plunged it into the heart of ce gros banquier Genevois.  I cannot reconcile this with Necker’s stay at Versailles.  That he is playing a deep game is certain.  It is reported that Madame Necker tastes previously every thing he swallows.(647) A vast camp is forming round Paris; but the army is mutinous—­the tragedy may begin on the other side.  They do talk of an engagement at Metz, where the French troops, espousing the popular cause, were attacked by two German regiments, whom the former cut to pieces.  The Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, who were at Paris, have thought it prudent to leave it; and My Cousin, Mr. Thomas Walpole, who is near it, has just written to his daughters, that he is glad to be Out of the town, that he may Make his retreat easily.