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WALPOLIANA;: 
Or Bons-Mots, Apophthegms, Obfervations on Life and Literature 
Extradts from Original Letters 
OF THE LATE HORACE WALPOLE, EARL OF ORFORD. 
NUMBER V. 


LXXIV. ANECDOTES OF THE STREETS. 
HERE is a French book called 
Anecdotes des Rues de Paris. 1 had 
begun a fimilar work, ‘¢ Anecdotes of 
the Streets of London.”” I intended, in 
imitation of the French original, to have. 
pointed out the ftreets and houfes where 
any remarkable incident had happened. 
But I round the labour would be too 
great, in collecting materials from vari- 
ous refources: and I abandoned the de- 
fign, after having written about ten or 
twelve pages. 
LXXV. BONS-MOTS. 
I have made a colleétion of the witty 
fayings of Charles II, I have alfo a col- 
lection of bons-mots, by people who only 
faid one witty thing in the whole courfe of 
their lives. 
Charles IT. hearing a high character of 
a preacher in the country, attended one 
of his fermons. Exprefling his diflatis- 
faction, one of the courtiers replied that 
the preacher was applauded to the fkies 
by his congregation. ‘* Ayé,”’ obferved 
the king: < I fuppofe his nonfenfe fuits 
their nenfenfe.”” 
LXXVI. SIR ROBERT WALPOLE. 
George the Firft did not underftand 
Englith. George the Second fpoke the 
language pretty welly but with a broad 
German accent. My tather “* brathed up 
his old latin,” to ule a phrafe of queen 
Elizabeth, in order to converfe with the 
firft Haneverian fovereign: and ruled 
both kings in fpite of even their mitrefles . 
LXXVEH. GEORGE I. 
E can tell you, from unquettionable 
authority, a remarkable fact generally 
fufpected, but not accurately known. The 
count Koningfimark, who affafinated Mr. 
‘Thynne in Pall-mall, afterwards became 
an admirer of the wife of the EisGoral 
Prince of Hanover, who was to fucceed 
fo the Englifh throne by the ityle of 
- George. “The prince was often abient 
im the army, and Koninefinark was fuf- 
pected to have cecupted his place. The 
_€leGior Leimg enraged at the real or 
fuppofed infult, ordered Koningfmark to 
be ttrangled, When George II. made 
~ his firft journey to Hanover, he ordered 
4 

» with 
fome repairs in the palace, and the body 
was found under-the floor of the princefs’ 
drefling room. 
It is fuppofed the firft caufe of fufpicion 
arofe from Koningfmark’s hat being 
found in the apartment of the princefs. 
Dr. Hoadley, in’his ‘¢ Sufpicious Huf- 
band,’ introduces a fimilar incident 
while the lady remains immaculate. This 
pleafed George the Second, who was con- 
vinced of his mother’s innocence. It is 
whimiical that this prince often exprefled _ 
his anger by throwing down his hat, and 
kicking it about the room. . 
George I. was however feparated from 
his wife; and there was no queen in his 
reign. He had two miftrefles. One was 
Mifs Schulenberg, afterwards created 
Ducheis of Kendal, a tall thin gawky, 
The other was the Countefs of Platen, 
who was created Countefs of Darlington: 
and who for fize might have been com- 
pared to an elephant and caftle. This 
couple of rabbits occafioned much jocu- 
larity on their firft importation. 
LXXVIII. UNIVERSITIES. 
King William afked Mr. Locke how 
Jong he thought the revolution-principles 
might laftin England. The philofopher 
anfwered, ‘€ Till this generation hall 
have pafied away; and our univerfities 
fhali have had time to breed a new one.’ 
Many thines I difapprove in our univer- 
fities, where the country gentlemen. are 
educated in toryifm-by tory clergy. 
LXXIX. HISTORY, 
 Smollett’s hiftory of England was writ- 
ten in two years, and is very defective. 
Thinking to amufe my father once, 
‘after his retirement from the miniftry, } 
offered to read a book of hiftory. « Any 
thing but hiftory, daid he, fer hittory 
mutt be falfe.’” 
EXXX. STYLES oY Ree 
With regard to ityle I think Addifoy 
far inferior to Dryden—and Swift is muck 
yore correc. . 
Every newfpaper is now written in a 
good ftyle. When I am coffulted about 
ityle, J] often fay, **Ge to the chandler’s 
shop for a ftyle.” . 
- Our common converfatien is new im 2 
een os fee 
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