“What power can withstand Gt. Britain’s King, Where for a Queen he has so fair a thing? Nations fight Nations, and one fool beats t’other, And Frederick[308] pommels his dear Polish brother. He burns a town and then knocks down a Church, Then Daun comes thundering with a rod of birch. He scampers, then he rallies, whip goes Daun, Old boy, I’ll meet you on a Torgau[309] lawn. They meet, they fight, and then more bloody noses, And then great victories, as our news supposes. They both are Victors, yet both beaten well, And who’s best man the Devil himself can’t tell. Things are by both into confusion hurled, Montagu speaks, and she subdues the world.” [308] Frederick “the Great.” [309] The battle of Torgau, fought on November 3, 1760. Lord Bath had been most anxious about his son, Lord Pulteney, who had been appointed to the secret expedition which Mr. Pitt designed to send to France. This scheme was given up, and Mrs. Montagu wrote to congratulate Lord Bath upon this. [Page heading: BERENGER MADE MASTER OF THE HORSE] In a letter to Mr. Montagu his wife informs him that “Lord Bute has given Mr. R. Berenger[310] a place of £300 per annum, with a house in the Meuse: it came _à propos_, for a few weeks ago he was in danger of a perpetual lodging at the Fleet.” It will be remembered Berenger was nephew to Mr. Gilbert West, his mother being a Temple. [310] Master of the Horse; author of “The History and Art of Horsemanship.” Lady Forbes, mother of Mrs. Gregory, wrote on December 20 to Mr. Montagu to ask his influence in procuring for Doctor Gregory the Professorship of Botany at the University of Edinburgh. [Page heading: GEORGE COLMAN, THE ELDER] In a letter dated 1760, presumably in February, Lord Bath writes to Mrs. Montagu-- “MADAM, “There is more easy natural witt in any two of your most careless lines than there is in all Colman’s Play,[311] and as for his dedication you may be sure the Rogue meant to abuse me for pretending to chide him for his neglect of Lord Cooke;[312] however, I have this day, to amend his manners, constituted him a Judge in Shropshire, on condition that he never makes another Rhime, unless it be an Epithalamium twenty years hence, when the Millenium begins. “I return you many thanks for the kind present you sent me, and will keep them till you do me the honour to dine with me, which I hope will be Wednesday or Thursday, as you chuse, but on Tuesday evening I cannot be sure of being free, since Sir Phil Boteler, Miss Desbouveries, and some other company are to dine with me, and stay the evening at cards.” George Colman was nephew, by marriage, to Lord Bath, his mother being a Miss Gumley, sister of Lady Bath.