LXII. MR. GRAY TO DR. WHARTON

Stoke, Oct. 15, 17

I HAVE not been dead, but only gone to [

]* was seized with a cruel fit o gout, which held him five weeks, and as he ha other company in the house, it was impossib leave him in that condition. Since my retu have made a visit of four days at Twickenham shall probably stay here till the middle of month, and then transplant myself to London Mrs. Wharton and you de bon cœur have no obj tion to me. If any thing has happened, since saw you, to make it inconvenient, I insist up being told so. I have heard the story of the Ly and its consequences, though you say not a wo about it. Pray inform me how Miss Peggy g over her operation. Leicester-house is (as I su pose you know) settling upon its own term £40,000 a year for the Prince; 5000 for P. Ed no removing to St. James's; Earl of Bute, Groom of the Stole, (there is for you); Mr. Stone, Con troller of the [ ] (a concession by way o thanks). Lords of the Bedchamber I have forgot

LXIII. MR. GRAY TO DR. WHARTON

Nov. 12, 17

I GROW impatient to be in town, and hope for pleasure of seeing you on Tuesday next. confess, the present revolution of affairs, which settling so slowly, is some spur to my curios though my own interests have no more concer it than those of any cottager in the nation. flatter myself that necessity will at last throw management of affairs into more capable, if more honest hands, than usual.* My Gazette sa that Mr. Pitt will be Secretary of State, and accepted it (though ill of the gout in the country that the D. of Devonshire has consented (whi was one of the conditions of acceptance) to be the head of the Treasury; Lord Temple, of t Admiralty; G. Grenville, Paymaster; Mr. Legg Chanc of the Exchequer; Sir G. Lee, Sec. at Wa Mr T. + nothing. How far all this is fact, yo know by this time. I do not forget your letter

See Walpole's Letter to H. Mann, vol. iii. p. 168 Ditto to Montagu, p. 142. Lord Chesterfield's Letters vol. iv. p. 104. Ellis's Letter on English History, vol. iv p. 390, Second Series. Letter cccclxvi.-Ed.

+ Mr. T. is (I suppose) Mr. C. Townshend, who wished for the place of Secretary of War in this Administration