APPENDICES 307 



but she was in great haste to get them back again ; I 

 believe she was afraid they might be seized upon by some 

 of the opera people if they remained in my house. 



Charles Townshend, I hear, is to be Secretary of State 

 in the room of Mr. Conway. Elliot thinks there is no 

 danger from the Opposition. If Lord Chatham is strong 

 in the closet, which in all appearance he is, and likely to 

 be so, he will certainly be strong everywhere else. I 

 think the Bedfords were wrong. They might have come 

 in. There was no room for everybody. Gower was to 

 have been Master of the Horse ; Rigby, Cofferer ; Wey- 

 mouth, Postmaster. I would rather you did not speak to 

 Lauregais' brother, it is not worth while ; I shall meet 

 Lauregais himself some time or other. Sir J. Moor and 

 Thynne are just returned from Longleat, where they have 

 been living in the usual manner. Sandwich has not been 

 in town this winter, and does not come till after Christ- 

 mas. I never heard his name or Lord Halifax's in all these 

 negotiations. I am in waiting for Orford. I suppose 

 Nugent and Shelley will kiss hands to-morrow. 



Pray let me know exactly the day you are to set out, 

 that I may secure a lodging for the Rena. I shall be very 

 glad to see her. I hope she will have more sense than to 

 affect any ill-humour about this opera-girl. There is no 

 harm in your saying that you hear I am very fond of her, 

 and that they have been down with me at Newmarket, 

 which Avill prepare her for a hundred stories. — Etc. etc. 



