William Duke of Cumberland. William, Duke of Cumberland, gave promifes of talents that were never accomplished. One day he had given fome offence to his royal mother, and was remanded to the confinement of his chamber. After what the Queen thought a fufficient duration of his punishment, fhe fent for him. He returned in a very fullen humour. "What have you been doing?" faid the Queen. "Reading.""What book?"-" The New Teftament."-" Very Well. "Where it is faid, Woman, why troubleft thou me?" What Duchefs of Marlborough. part I am told that the fecret letters between Queen Anne and the Duchefs of Marlborough, in the first glow of their paffion, are still extant in a certain house in the Green Park. They ufed to correfpond under feigned and romantic names. When this intenfe friendship abated, the Duchefs was certainly more in fault than the Queen. Such was the equality produced by their intimacy, that almost the fole remaining idea of fuperiority remained with her who had the advantage in perfonal charms---and in this there was unfortunately no comparifon. The Duchefs became fo prefumptuous that the would give the Queen her gloves to hold, and on taking them again would affect fuddenly to turn her head away, as if her royal mistress had perfpired fome disagreeable effluvia!, Lady Lady Sundon. Lady Sundon was bribed with a pair of diamond ear-rings, and procured the donor a good place at court. Though the matter was notoriously known, fhe was fo imprudent as to wear them conftantly in public. This being blamed in a company, Lady Wortley Montague, like Mrs. Candour, undertook Lady Sundon's defence. "And pray," fays fhe, "where is the harm? I, for my part, think Lady Sundon acts wifely for does not the bufh fhew where the wine is fold ?" Pope. Pope received a thousand pounds from the Duchefs of Marlborough, on condition that he would fupprefs the character of Atoffa-yet it is printed. Burnet. Bishop Burnet's abfence of mind is well known. Dining with the Duchefs of Marlborough, after her husband's difgrace, he compared, this great general to Belifarius. "But," faid the Duchefs, eagerly, "how came it that fuch a man was fo miferable, and univerfally deferted?"" Oh, madam (exclaimed the dif trait prelate), he had fuch a brimstone of a wife! Original Original Letter.* Strawberry-Hill, August 18, I am forry, dear Sir, that I muft give you unanfwerable reasons, why I cannot print the work you recommend. I have been fo much folicited fince I fet up my prefs to employ it for others, that I was forced to make it a rule to liften to no fuch applications. I refufed Lord Hardwicke to print a publication of his; Lady Mary Forbes, to print letters of her ancestor Lord Effex; and the Countefs of Aldborough, to print her father's poems, though in a piece as fmall as what you mention. These I recollect at once, beside others whofe recommendations do not immediately occur to my memory ; though I dare fay they do remember them,, and would refent my breaking my rule. I will only beg you not to treat me with so much ceremony, nor ever use the word humbly to me, who am no ways entitled to fuch refpect. One private gentleman is not fuperior to another, in effentials; I fear the virtues of an untainted young heart, are preferable to thofe of an old man long converfant with the world: and in foundnefs of understanding you have fhewn, and will fhew, a depth which has not fallen to the lot of Your fincere humble fervant, HOR. WALPOLE. P. S. I will call on you in a few days, and fay more on the particulars of your letter. Heroifm About a hundred letters of compliment or civility will be omitted. Those only are selected which contain literary facts, or uncommon thoughts. Heroifm of a Peafant. The following generous action has always ftruck me extremely; there is fomewhat even of fublime in it. A great inundation having taken place in the north of Italy, owing to an exceffive fall of fnow in the Alps, followed by a speedy thaw, the river Adige carried off a bridge near Verona, except the middle part, on which was the houfe of the toll-gatherer, or porter, I forget which; and who, with his whole family, thus remained imprisoned by the waves, and in momentary danger of deftruction. They were discovered from the banks, ftretching forth their hands, fcreaming, and imploring fuccour, while fragments of this remaining arch were continually dropping into the water. In this extreme danger, a nobleman, who was prefent, a count of Pulverini, I think, held out a purfe of one hundred fequins, as a reward to any adventurer who would take a boat, and deliver this unhappy family. But the risk was fo great of being borne down by the rapidity of the ftream, of being dafhed against the fragment of the bridge, or of being crushed by the falling ftones, that not one, in the vast number of fpectators, had courage enough to attempt fuch an exploit. A peafant, paffing along, was informed of the propofed reward. Immediately jumping into a boat, he, by ftrength of oars, gained the middle of the river, brought his boat under the pile; and the whole family fafely defcended, by means of a rope.. "Courage" cried he. "Now "Now you are fafe." By a ftill more ftrenuous effort, and great ftrength of arm, he brought the boat and family to fhore. "Brave fellow," exclaimed the Count, handing the purfe to him, "here is the promised recompence."-" I fhall never expofe my life for money," anfwered the peafant. "My labour is a fufficient livelihood for myself, my wife, and children. Give the purse to this poor family, which has loft all.” Sentiment. What is called fentimental writing, though it be understood to appeal folely to the heart, may be the product of a bad one. One would imagine that Sterne had been a man of a very tender heart-yet I know, from indubitable authority, that his mother, who kept a fchool, having run in debt, on account of an extravagant daughter, would have rotted in jail, if the parents of her scholars had not raised a subscription for her. Her fon had too much fentiment to have any feeling. A dead afs was more important to him than a living mother. Vertot. In writing the Hiftory of the Knights of Malta, Vertot had fent to Italy for original materials, concerning the Siege of Rhodes: but, impatient of the long delay, he completed his narrative from his own imagination. At length the packet arrived, when Vertot was fitting with a friend: he opened it, and threw it contemp |