The Letters of Horace Walpole (Volume 5 ); Fourth Earl of Orford (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1906. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... friends to stab heroes and martyrs. There are repeated informations from France that preliminaries of strict union are signed between that Court and ours; Lord Stormont is the negotiator, and Lord Mansfield, who has not courage enough even to be Chancellor, hopes the Chancellor of France has courage and villany enough to assist him in enslaving us, as the French Chancellor Maupeou] has enslaved his own country If you mind not me, depend upon it you will meet the indignant shade of Sidney in your moonlight walk by your cold bath, who will frown inspiration. You see what you can do, what Milton trusted to prose, what Pope had not principles elevated enough to do, and for doing what Gray's bards will bless you. In short, you have seated yourself close to all three, and you must now remain in full display of your dignity. When Gray's Life is finished, you are not permitted to write anything inferior to the 'Dispensary.' Thank you for your admirable remark on Barillon's letter: I will communicate it to Mrs. Macaulay, without naming you. She will defend Sidney in her next volume, but he demands a higher pen. I am extremely pleased with the easy unaffected simplicity of your MS., nor have found any thing scarce I would wish added, much less retrenched; unless the paragraph on Lord Bute, which I do not think quite clearly expressed, and yet perhaps too clearly, while you choose to remain unknown for author of the 'Epistle.' The paragraph I mean might lead to a suspicion: might it not look a little too, as if Gray, at least his friends for him, had been disappointed? especially as he asked for the place, and accepted it afterwards from the Duke of Grafton? Since Gray (and I am sorry he did not) has left no marks of indignation against the present times, I do not know w...