L30/14/188/7

Sent from Castle Howard to Grantham in Spain:

14 Jan 1774

From: 1774 To: 1774

Apologies for not writing recently. Lord Ligonier is married - "he broke off and renew'd the match twenty times in a week". Ste Fox is acting plays at Winterslow. Duke of Leinster has left the opposition in Ireland, "he thinks them wrongheaded", although "it is hardly credible they should be so". Queen gave Lady Carmarthen a very fine pair of bracelets on her marriage and a great deal of advice. Mr Chomley of Horsham has married his two daughters, one to a Mr Grimes and the other to a Mr Fane, a natural son of Lord Westmorlands. Carlisle will send letters published last year upon the present state of Poland, if Grantham wishes. Fire burnt down Stephen's house, "but no lives lost or any person the least hurt except some small birds in cages". When all the company were safely lodged in neighbouring cottages, and Stephen Fox went with Charles and Richard to view the desolation, his mind was diverted "by betting upon the beams of the house while they were consuming, and laying wagers which and which fell first." The play at Cashiobery [Casiobury, Herts.] went very well. J. [John St John?] is to second the address in the Commons. Mrs St John has made Harry fit up their new house as much like Lord March's as possible, with the same expence. Miss Leveson is dead, and has left Lord Gower an estate of about £700 a year and Lady Louisa a very considerable addition to her fortune. Latin verses by Carlisle, and translation, on "a very delightful spot which is called Tempe" at Trentham, "to be put up upon some marble if you approve of them". Lady Holland is ill at Bath, Lord Holland is well enough to attend her. Lady Sarah's name is little mentioned in the world, except for some malicious stories about a flirtation between her and her nephew Charles, which Carlisle believes to be without foundation. Carlisle provoked by Bunbury while at Barton, who had given Sir J Reynolds "God know how much, to paint him a brace of whores, and he has hung them up in his best room." Fish Crauford has been here on his way from Scotland, where he has been canvassing a county. Carlisle had hoped that the Duke of Buccleugh/Buccleuch had got out of difficulties with the Air Bank in Scotland, "but I hear since neither he nor rest of the proprieters are yet free, it is a dreadful thing for his whole estate is answerable to the bank, and in case of failure the creditors may chuse upon whom they will, first come, which I fear would be upon our friend in preference to those of smaller estates." Selwyn has had 2 severe illnesses, but is getting better, Richard is the same vagabond as ever; Charles affairs are come to a crisis, and it is difficult to know what Lord Holland will do about them. Price is high Sheriff for Hertfordshire. "Conway plays all night at all fours and very seldom puts on a clean shirt."

item

Ligonier,
Fox, Stephen,
Leinster,
Carmarthen,
Chomley,
Grimes,
Fane,
Westmorland,
Fox, Stephen,
St. John,
March,
Leveson,
Gower,
Holland,
Bunbury,
Reynolds, J.,
Crauford, Fish,
Buccleuch, Henry Scott, 3rd Duke of,
Price,
Conway

MARRIAGE, FIRE, DEATH