I hear you was alarmed in the night by a violent squabble in your
retinue. I hope Robert behaves well; as a native of Castle Howard I
have the most partiality to him, although I really believe Louis to
be a very good servant. I shall be glad to know if Rover is still in
being; he shall have his picture at the dilitanti (sic'), if he
returns.

I hope you will not travel Eastward but upon the map. L'appetit
vient en mangeant, but pray let me not find that in respect to your
travelling; I cannot be so selfish as not to be glad that you make
the tour of Italy, but I can carry my disinterestedness no further I
confess; more than 18 months' quarantine will be too much for me.

Lord March is much obliged to you for your kind and constant mention
of him; he is extremely well, and' not plagued with Zamparini's(68)
or anything that I know of. The Duchess of North[umberlan]d(69)
according to her present arrangement sets out for Paris, or some
place or places abroad, next week. If she is not constantly wagging,
as I'm told, she is in danger of a lethargy. Mrs. Horton sets out
for Nice on Friday.

There has been a very long debate in the House of Commons to-day
upon a motion of Ald. Beckford's(70) concerning a Bill he intends to
bring in for the more effectual prevention of bribery and keeping
out nabobs, commissaries, and agents of the House of Commons, or at
least from their encroachments upon the claims of persons
established in towns and boroughs, by descent, family interest, and
long enjoyed property; the principle of his scheme is certainly
good.

The Mayor and Corporation of Oxford are to appear at the Bar in
defence of themselves, for having offered themselves to sale for
7,500 pounds. They had the honnetete to offer the refusal to their
old members, who told them in answer to their modest proposal that
as they had no intention to sell them, so they could not afford to
buy them. I was not at the House, but this is likely to make a great
noise. Bully's petition has been presented by Lord Sandw.,(71) and
will probably be carried through this Session. Some of the Bishops
intend to make speeches against it, as I hear.

Charles Boon has married a squint-eyed, chitten-face citizen with
about 5,000 pounds fortune. Sir G. Mac(72) wedding will be about
Monday or Tuesday next. They consummate at Comb, Vernon's house. Sir
Ch[arles] is returned from Barton, and Lady Sarah gone to the Opera.
You may be sure that we do not pass an