00000034.htm

1774] To the Countess of Upper Ossory 21

Pray, Madam, tell the Duchess of Bedford how sensible
I am of her goodness. I am thoroughly so of the merite
of the whole Fitzpatrickhood, but it is very hard to set me
on thrumming a lyre like an old blind harper when you
have such a cygnet amongst you as Mr. Eichard °. I shall
certainly let him know immediately how glad I shall be to
see him, if he will bring his own company with him, or
I can assemble any he would like; but do not think I will
punish him with a tete-ti-tete, and my stories of the last age.
Nothing upon earth is so insipid as my life to anybody but
myseE For example, how do you think, Madam, he would
have found me employed if he had called yesterday?
Writing the history of Twickenham, and surrounded with
books of peerages to find out who an ancient Lady West-
moreland ⁶ was that Eved in the back lane here. Think of
my joy when I discovered that she was sister of Grammont's
Lady Shrewsbury⁷, and aunt of Myra⁸, of the first Ihichess
of Richmond⁹, and of a Lady Molyneux¹⁰, who was a toast
of the Kit Cat Club, and died smoking a pipe! Judge how
much Mr. Fitzpatrick would be amused with such game !

There is little probability of my accompanying Lady
Ailesbury and Mrs. Darner to Paris. I am within two
months of my biennial fit of the gout, and for the last four
days have been alarmed with symptoms of it, as great

⁵ Horn. IRichard Fitzpatrick. as * Myra' by Lord Lansdowne and

⁶ I^dyBorothyBradeneU,yonngest by Dr. "William King (nephew of her
daughter of second Bail of Cardigan; third husband) in, a mock-heroic
m. (1) Charles Fane, third Earl of poem called Tke Toast.
Westmorland j (2) Robert Constable, ⁹ Hon. Anne Brudenell, m. (1)
third Viscount Xhmbar j d, 1740. Henry Belasyse, second Baron Bela-

⁷ Lady Anna Maria Brudenell, m, syse of "Worlaby; (2) Charles Lenox,
(1) Francis Talbofc, eleventh Earl first Duke of Bichmond; d. 1722,

of Shrewsbury; (2) George Bodney ¹⁰ Hon. Mary Brudenell (d. 1766),

Bridges; d. 1702. m, (1) Richard Molyneux, third Vis-

⁸ Hon. Frances Brudenell, m. (1) count Molyneux; (2) Captain. Peter
Charles Livingston, second Earl of Osborne. These ladies were daugh-
Newburgh j (2) Biohard Bellew, third ters of Francis Brudenell, Lord
Baron Bellew of Duleekj (8) Sir Brudenell, eldest son of second Earl
Thomas Smythe. She was celebrated of Cardigan, whom he predeceased,