At the conclusion of the year deceased two men in great offices, whose deaths made remarked what their lives might have done; how little they were worthy of their exaltation. The one, Lord Gower, Lord Privy Seal, had indeed a large fortune, and commanded boroughs. Lord Albemarle, the other, died suddenly at Paris, where his mistress sold him to that Court. Yet the French Ministry had little to vaunt; while they were purchasing the instructions of our Embassador, attentive only to acquire the emptiest of their accomplishments, they employed at our Court a man too empty to learn even the dullest of ours. Lord Albemarle made great proficience in the study of their manners, while Monsieur de Mirepoix could not learn even to pronounce the names of one or two of our games at cards, which, however, engaged most of the hours of his negotiation. Our Colonies were to be protected by the copy of a _Petit Maitre_; we were to be bullied out of them by an apprentice to whist! How serious a science, Politics! FOOTNOTES: [240] The Duke of Newcastle. This was written in 1756. [241] Expression of Shakspeare in the Tempest, in one of the scenes of sailors. [242] In the reign of George the First. [243] [There are no traces of this in Mr. Fox’s papers. On the contrary, he and Sir Charles continued intimate friends till the illness and death of the latter.]--E. [244] [If as the Author asserts, this was written at the time, it is a very remarkable passage.]--E. [245] And as remarkable for being the first action in which Washington was mentioned, who near thirty years afterwards became the principal figure in America. [246] [It is wonderful that Lord Orford should have allowed this expression to remain after he had lived to witness and admire the subsequent career of that great man, General Washington.]--E. [247] This young man also was afterwards a considerable person in America. [248] His Grace had formerly pretended to be in love with Princess Emily, but hated her now, on her connexion with her brother, the Duke, and the Bedfords. [249] She carried her cause against a road for coaches and carts, but some few years afterwards lost a suit commenced against her for a footway, on which she abandoned the park. [250] Oxford. [251] Pitt and Lord Temple resented Lyttelton’s negotiating for them, though it is certain he had used all his endeavours to serve them--but as they had meant to have the sole power of serving, not to be served, they treated him as ill as if he had sold them. APPENDIX. APPENDIX. B. (_Vide page 9._) _Constitutional Queries, earnestly recommended to the serious Consideration of every true Briton, dispersed in 1751, and ascribed to Lord Egmont._ Whether this capital may not be beset with troops, under such orders and commands, as may render the power of King, Lords, and Commons precarious; and subject our liberties, property, and laws, once more, to a military regulation?