intrinsic merit was preeminent, or which shed light on some great public transaction, or the character of some distinguished person. Scaliger thought it very impertinent in Montaigne to think the world cared which he liked best, white wine or red; but it is nevertheless true, an unfading freshness of interest hangs around these trivial details which brings us, as it were, into the familiar presence of famous men. And probably very few would sympathize with the sentiment of Wordsworth, that if records of Horace and his contemporaries, composed upon "the Boswellian plan," were unearthed from the ruins of Herculaneum, he would regret to hear it, "lest the beautiful ideal of those illustrious persons should be disfigured by incongruous features:" In the distribution of the letters, some have been found which could have been referred to either of several titles. An approximation, however, to an exact classification has, on the whole, seemed to the Editor much preferable to an arrangement on any other plan. With one or two exceptions, no translations of foreign letters have been introduced. The principal exception has been in the case of Madame de Sévigné, whose letters have given equal pleasure to men of the world like Horace Walpole, and such scholars as Sir James Mackintosh. The selections have been made with the permission of the publishers, Messrs. Mason Brothers, from the American Edition, edited by Mrs. Hale. It is to be hoped that the promised additions to the "Library of Standard Letters " may be soon forthcoming. NEW YORK, December, 1865. JAMES P. HOLCOMBE, TABLE OF CONTENTS. LETTER L-Madame de Sévigné to Madame de Grignan.-The Court of Louis the bler, page 8 LETTER II.—Lady M. Wortley Montagu to the Countess of Mar.—The Birthnight Ball— Not, to be taken out of the Commandments. Note.-Refreshing Contrast in Letters of Lady Russell-The Wretchedness of Lady Montagu's Life, LETTER III.-Samuel Pepys to Mrs. Steward-A curious Wedding between a Blue-coat Boy and a Blue-coat Girl in Christ's Hospital, LETTERS IV., V. VI., VII.—Madame de Sévigné to Madame de Coulanges.-A Slip be- tween Cup and Lip-Engagement of Mademoiselle, Daughter of the Duke of Orleans, to Monsieur de Lauzun-Immense Sensation it excites-Preliminary Gifts and Honors conferred upon Lauzun-Broken off by the King-Behavior of the Parties-Confes- sions of the Lady to Madame de Sévigné, LETTER VIII-Mrs. Bradshaw to Mrs. Howard.-Life of a Lady of Fashion in the Country, in 1722-Eating, Drinking (Ale), Dressing, and Flirtations-How a noble Cap- LETTER IX.-Lord Chesterfield to the Countess of Suffolk.-Diary of a Man of Fashion at Bath, in which the daily Life and Conversation of the Hon. Wm. Sawyer Herbert are LETTER X.-Lady Montagu to Lady Pomfret.-The House of Lords having excluded the Ladies from the Gallery, is besieged by a Mob of noble Dames, and finally entered. Note.-Incident in French Chamber of Deputies, LETTERS XI., XII.-Lady Russell to Lord Russell.-Simplicity of her Life-Family News LETTER XIII-Joseph Spence to his Mother.-Account of the Adepts or Alchemists- LETTER XIV.-Horace Walpole to Sir Horace Mann.-Popularity of the Duke of Cum- 80 LETTER XVI.-Horace Walpole to George Montagu.-Strawberry Hill a Paphos-Rage 84 LETTER XVII.-Horace Walpole to George Montagu.-Unceremonious Visit of the Duke LETTER XVIII.-Horace Walpole to George Montagu.-"Honeymoon" of the New Reign-Funeral of George the Second-Hypocrisy of the Duke of Newcastle, 40 LETTER XIX.-Horace Walpole to George Montagu.-Bewildered by the Crowd of Vic- LETTER XX.-Horace Walpole to George Montagu.-Description of Lady Wortley Mon- LETTER XXI.-Horace Walpole to George Montagu.—Bon mots of Quin-Bishop War- burton. Note.-Anecdote of Pope and Warburton-Character of the Latter, LETTER XXII.—Horace Walpole to Lady Suffolk.-Illness of the Dauphin-Dinner at La LETTER XXIII.-Horace Walpole to John Chute.-Visit to John Wesley's "Opera." Note.-Wesley's Reasons for adopting Secular Tunes-Knox's Account of his Char- LETTER XXIV.-Horace Walpole to H. S. Conway-Visit to Stowe, in Company of the LETTER XXV.-Horace Walpole to George Montagu.-Beauty of the Richmond Fire- Works-Display of Aristocracy-Anecdote of the Duchess of Queensbury Of Mary LETTER XXVI.-Bishop Warburton to Dr. Hurd.-Account of the Bishop's Visit to Court-Mrs. Mason's Illness-Reflections, LETTER XXVII.-Hannah More to her Sister.-Trial of the Duchess of Kingston for Bigamy-Demeanor of the Prisoner-Speeches of Counsel. Note.-Sketch of the 68 LETTER XXXI-Hannah More to her Sister.-A London The-Folly of the Custom, 73 LETTER XXXII-Hannah More to her Sister.-Dinner with Madame La Chevaliere LETTER XXXIII-William Cowper to John Newton.-Visit of Mr. Grenville, on an electioneering Tour, to Olney. Note.-Anecdote of Lord Wharton, LETTER XXXIV.-Dr. Beattie to Sir William Forbes.-Life in the Week and on Sunday in an English Country Parsonage-Behavior of the People at Church-Bishop Por- LETTER XXXV.—Mrs. John Adams to Miss Lucy Cranch.-First Impressions of Paris- LETTER XXXVI.—Mrs. Adams to Mrs. Cranch.-Description of a London "Rout"— LETTER XXXIX.—Dr. Chalmers to his Daughter.-Presentation of the Scotch Commis- sioners to William IV.-Description of the Ceremonial. Note.-Lord Jeffrey's Ac- LETTER XLL-Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton to Miss Buxton.-Dinner with Rothschild 93 LETTER XLIII.—Hugh & Legaré to his Sisters.—Visit of the Queen of France to Brus- sels-Account of a grand Diplomatic Dinner-A Concert at Court, LETTER XLIV.-Wm. H. Prescott to Miss Prescott.-Young Ladies not so much in So- ciety in England as in the United States-Description of the Ascot Races-The Coun- LETTER III-Alexander Pope to Dr. Swift.-Account of Lord Bolingbroke's Life in the LETTER IV.-Dr. Swift to Lord Bolingbroke.-Advice to write History-His own Tem- LETTER V.-Lord Bolingbroke to Dr. Swift.-The Philosophy for Old Age lies in the Regulation of the Passions-Lady Bolingbroke-Postscript from Pope as to his LETTER VI.-Alexander Pope to Mr. Gay.-Congratulations on his Recovery-Reflec- LETTER VII.-Bishop of Rochester (Dr. Atterbury) to Mr. Pope.-Written from the LETTER X.—Mrs. Penruddock to her Husband.-Feelings on the Eve of his Execution, LETTER XI.—Mr. Penruddock to his Wife.-Written in Reply to the preceding letter, 135 LETTER XII.-Lady M. W. Montagu to the Abbé.-Crossing the Channel in a Storm- LETTER XIII-Alexander Pope to Lady M. W. Montagu.-Two Rustic Lovers struck LETTER XX.-Mr. Gray to Dr. Wharton.-Amusements in Town-Reflections on Riches |