1799. 
{pife. Would you believe that, after find- 
ing his oppofition to the miniftry fruitlefs, 
and, what galled him ftili more, contemned, 
he fummoned up refolution to wait on Sir 
Robert Walpole? Sir Robert feeing Swift 
look pale and ill, inquired the ftate of his 
health, with his ufual old Englifh good 
humour and urbanity. They were ftand- 
ing by a_ window that looked into the 
court-yaid, where was an ancient ivy 
dropping towards the ground, * Sir, 
faid Swift, with an emphatic look, I am 
like that ivy: I want fupport.’’ Sir Ro- 
bert anfwered, “* Why then, doétor, did 
you attach yourfelf to a falling wall?” 
Swift took the hint, made his bow, and 
retired, 
CL. ATTERBURY. 
Atterbury was nothing more nor lefs 
than a jacobite prieft. His writings were 
extolled by that fa&tion, but his letter on 
Clarendon’s Hiftory is truly excellent. 
CLI. GEORGE J. 
On a journey to Hanover the coach of 
George I. breaking down, he was obliged 
to take fhelter in the next country-houfe, 
which belonyd to a gentleman attached to 
the abdicated family. The king was of 
courfe fhewn into the beft room ; where, 
in the moft honourable place, appeared— 
the portrait of the pretender. ‘The pof- 
feffor, in great confufion, was about to 
apologize by pleading obligations, &c. 
when the king ftopped him, by faying, with 
a {mile of indifference, ‘‘ Upon my word 
it is very Jike the family.’ © 
CLI, WILLIAM DUKE OF CWMBER- 
LAND, 
William Duke of Cumberland gave 
promifes of talents that were never ac-~ 
complifhed. One day he had given fome 
offence to his royal mother, and was re- 
manded to the confinement of his cham- 
ber. After what the queen thought a 
fufiicient duration of his punifhment, fhe 
fent for him. He returned in a very ful- 
len humour, ‘* What have you been do- 
ing?’’ faid the queen.—** Reading.”’— 
*© What book?’’—* The New Tefta- 
ment.”°—** Very well. What part ?”— 
«© Where it is faid, Woman why troublef 
thou me?” 
CLIIl. DUCHESS OF MARLBOROUGH. 
I am told that the fecret letters between 
Queen Anne and the Ducheis of Mazrl- 
borough, in the firft glow of their paflion, 
are ftiJl extant in a certain houfe in the 
Green Park. They ufed to correfpond 
under feigned and romantic names. When 
this intenfe friendfhip abated, the duchefs 
was certainly more in fault than the queen. 
fuch was the equality produced by their 
_ Montuty Mac, No, xii, 
Walpoliana, No. X1. 
217 
intimacy, that almoft the fole remaining’ 
idea of fuperiority remained with her whe 
had the advantage in perfonal charms— 
and in this there was unfortunately no : 
comparifon. ‘The duchefs became fo 
prefumptuous that fhe would give the 
queen her gloves to hold, and on taking 
them again would affect fuddenly to turn 
her head away, as if her royal miftreis had 
perfpired fome difagreeable effluvia! 
CLIV. LADY SUNDON. 
Lady Sundon was bribed with a pair of 
diamond ear-rings, and procured thedonor 
a good place at court. Though the mat- 
ter was notorioully known, fhe was {o im- 
prudent as to wear them conftantly in 
public. ‘This being blamed ina company, 
Lady Wortley Montague, like Mrs. Can- 
dour, undertook Lady Sundoni’s defence. 
<¢ And pray, fays fhe, where is the harm? 
1, for my part, think Lady Sundon acts 
wilely—tor does not the bufh thew where . 
the wine is fold ?”* 
CLV. POPE. 
Pope received a thoufand pounds from 
the Duchefs of Marlborough, on condi- 
tion that he would fupprefs the character 
of Atoffa—yet it is printed. 
CLVI. BURNET. 
_ Bifhop Burnet’s abfence of mind is 
well known. Dining with the Duchefs 
of Marlborough, after her hufband’s dif- 
grace, he compared this great general to 
Belifarius. ‘* But, faid the Duchels, ea- 
gerly, how came it that fuch aman was 
fo miferable and univerfally deferted.’— 
‘¢ Oh madam, (exclaimed the /frait pre- 
late) he had fuch a brimftone of a wite!”” 
CLVII. ORIGINAL LETTER. * 
Sirawherry Hill, Auguf? 18, 1735. 
Iam forry, dear fir, that I muft give 
you unanfwerable reafons, why I cannot 
print the work you recommend. I have 
been fo much folicited fince I fet up my 
prefs to employ it for others, that I was 
forced to make it a rule to liften to no 
fuch applications. Ivrefufed Lord Hard- 
wicke to print a publication of his ; Lady 
Mary Forbes, to print letters of her an- 
ceftor Lord Effex; and the Countefs of 
Aldborough, to print her father’s poems, 
though in a piece as finall as what you 
mention, Thefe I recollect at once, be- 
fide others whofe recommendations do not 
immediately occur tomy memory ; though 
I dare fay they do remember them, and 
woud refent my breaking my rule. I will 
* About a hundred letters of compliment 
or civility, will be omitted. Thofe only are 
fele€ted which contain literary faéts, or un- 
common thoughts. 
Re 

only 
