In the approach to his villa at Hammersmith, Mr. Doddington erected a noble obelisk, surmounted by an urn of bronze, to the memory of his wife, who died before him. Mr. Wyndham, his heir, took down the obelisk, and sold it. The Diary was certainly not published entire. A gentleman, who saw it five years before it was published, missed some particular passages.--H. W., June 7th, 1784. Another instance of Doddington’s wit. Doddington was very lethargic: falling asleep one day, after dinner, with Sir Richard Temple, Lord Cobham, the General, the latter reproached Doddington with his drowsiness; Doddington denied having been asleep, and to prove he had not, offered to repeat all Lord Cobham had been saying. Cobham challenged him to do so. Doddington repeated a story, and Lord Cobham owned he had been telling it. “Well,” said Doddington, “and yet I did not hear a word of it; but I went to sleep because I knew that about this time of day you would tell that story.” * * * * (_Vide page 98._) In the Sackville family a son of talents had frequently succeeded a father below mediocrity. The following epigram, founded on that circumstance, was ascribed to Sir Charles Hanbury Williams, but never acknowledged by him, or included in the manuscript copies of his poems. The last stanza was unjust, as well as severe; but there is so much arch humour in the first, that it is worth preserving:-- Folly and sense in Dorset’s race Alternately do run, As Carey one day told his Grace, Praising his eldest son. But Carey must allow for once Exception to this rule; For Middlesex is but a dunce, Though Dorset be a fool. * * * * (_Vide page 164._) The following inscription, though professedly written on a Swedish nobleman, the English reader will at once apply to a certain great statesman of British manufacture:-- “HIC SITUS EST SENATUS PRINCEPS, et REGNI PRÆFECTUS; Vir nobilis, splendidus, affabilis, blandus, At animo non magno, nec magnâ corporis dignitate. Cujus nomen et laudes tota jamdiu celebrat Academia; Quem sacerdotes aulici omnes imprimis observant; Quem reverendissimi Præsules, ut Deum colunt. Qui cibi conquisitissimi perquàm intelligens, Et convivia sumptuosè apparandi unicus instructor, Doctissimos Trimalchionis coquos, Mercede amplissimâ conductos, In patriam, inque patriæ, scilicet, honorem, Primus curavit arcessendos. Qui indisertus, loquax, obscurus, Disertissimos oratores, et sapientissimos Non modò vicit omnes, Sed hos ipsos semper habuit Sententiæ suæ astipulatores. Quippe populi captandi, et corrumpendi mirus artifex, Atque ad conservandam, quam consecutus est, potentiam, Ut alius nemo, callidus, Summam Imperii diu tenuit. Rei tamen publicæ administrandæ, Perinde atque suæ, Minimè peritus.