easantry, some
wit, and perpetual verse-making--the name of poetry is not to be stooped
to such compositions as his; but their liveliness and locality, their
application to existing times and persons, and their occasional hits at
politics and principles, made both them and their author popular. But the
fashionable language of the day had tendencies which would not now be
tolerated; and Sir Charles, a fashionable voluptuary, is charged with
having written what none should wish to revive. After a residence of ten
years on the Continent, he fell into a state of illness which deranged his
understanding. From this he recovered, but subsequently relapsed into the
same unhappy state, and died, it was surmised, by his own hand in 1759.
His letter details, in his own flighty style, one of the frolics of
fashion.

"The town-talk for some time past has been your child, (a note says
'apparently the Honourable John Hobart, afterwards Earl of
Buckinghamshire;') the moment you turned your back he flew out, went to
Lady Tankerville's drum-major, (a rout,) having unfortunately dined that
day with Rigby, who plied his head with too many bumpers, and also made
him a present of some Chinese crackers. Armed in this manner, he entered
the assembly, and resolving to do something that should make a noise, he
gave a string of four and twenty crackers to Lady Lucy Clinton, and bid
her put it in the candle, which she very innocently did, to her and the
whole room's astonishment. But when the first went off she threw the rest
upon the tea-table, where, one after the other, they all went off, with
much noise and not a little stench, to the real joy of most of the women
present, who don't dislike an opportunity of finding fault. Lady Lucy,
indeed, was plentifully abused, and Mr Hobart had his share; and common
fame says he has never had a card since. Few women will curtsy to him; and
I question if he ever will lead any one to their chair again as long as he
lives. I leave you to judge how deeply he feels this wound. Every body
says it would never have happened if you had not retired to your studies;
and you are a little blamed for letting him out alone. He has sunk his
chairman's wages 5s. a-week upon this accident, and intends to turn them
off in Passion week, because he then can go nowhere at all. All private
houses are already shut against him, and at that holy time no public place
is open."

We have then some letters written in a time of great