(155) Wife Of M. Chavigny de Blot, attached to the service of the Duke of Orleans:  she Was sister to the Comte d’Hennery, who died at St. Domingo, where he was commander-in-chief.

(156) An officer in the French service.

(157) Mademoiselle Sanadon, a lady who lived with Madame du Deffand.  She was niece to the P`ere Sanadon, well known by his translation of Horace, accompanied with valuable notes, and by his elegant Poems and orations in the Latin language.-E.

(158) The Russian minister at Paris.  See vol. iii., Letter to the Earl of Hertford, March 26, 1765, letter 245.  Madame du Deffand thus describes the Count in a letter to Walpole:—­“Je trouve notre bon ami un peu ennuyeux; il n’a nulle inflexion dans la parole, nul mouvement dans l’`ame; ce qu’il dit est une lecture sans p`en`etration."-E.

(159) By the Chevalier do Boufflers.

(160) He means, from their personal resemblance.

Letter 81 To The Hon. H. S. Conway.  Arlington Street, Nov. 27, 1774. (page 115)

I have received your delightful Plump packet with a letter of six pages, one from Madame du Deffand, the Eloges,(161) and the Lit de Justice.  Now, observe my gratitude:  I appoint you my resident at Paris, but you are not to resemble all our ministers abroad, and expect to live at home, which would destroy my Lord Castlecomer’s(162) view in your staying at Paris.  However, to prove to you that I have some gratitude that is not totally selfish, I will tell you what little news I know, before I answer your letter; for English news, to be sure, is the most agreeable circumstance in a letter from England.

On my coming to town yesterday, there was nothing but more deaths—­don’t you think we have the plague?  The Bishop of Worcester,(163) Lord Breadalbane, Lord Strathmore.  The first fell from his horse, or with his horse, at Bath, and the bishopric was incontinently given to Bishop North.

America is still more refractory, and I doubt will outvote the ministry.  They have picked General Gage’s pocket of three pieces of cannon,(164) and intercepted some troops that were going to him.  Sir William Draper is writing plans of pacification in our newspapers; and Lord Chatham flatters himself that he shall be sent for when the patient is given over; which I don’t think at all unlikely to happen.  My poor nephew is very political too:  so we shall not want mad doctors.  Apropos, I hear Wilkes says he will propose Macreth for Speaker.

The Ecclesiastical Court are come to a resolution that the Duchess of Kingston is Mrs. Hervey; and the sentence will be public in a -fortnight.  It is not so certain that she will lose the estate.  Augustus(165) is not in a much more pleasant predicament than she is.  I saw Lord Bristol last night:  he looks perfectly well, but his speech is much affected, and his right hand.