Rev. William Robinson — Botham and Bishop Sherlock — Death of Dr. Chesilden — The Scott separation — South Lodge, Enfield — “Chinese pomp” — A letter to Edward Montagu — Mount Morris — Archibald Bower — “Madonna” — Inoculation — Books to read — History of the Popes — G. L. Scott — The Delany lawsuit — Turkey Pye — The joyous Berenger — Death of Bishop Berkeley — A woman in vapours — Mrs. Laurence Sterne — Lady Bute’s Assembly — A perfect woman — Pitt’s insomnia — Rent of lodgings — The Penshurst pictures — Trinity College, Cambridge, Library — Gibside — Stonelands — “Minouets” — Beau Nash — Pitt at Hayes — The new post-chaise — Bullstrode menagerie — Richardson’s Sir Charles Grandison — Lucian’s Triumph of the Gout — Schoolgirls’ bills — Death of Pelham — “Tom” Lyttelton — West appointed to Chelsea Hospital — Elizabeth Canning — Molière’s Precieuses Ridicules — Hateley the artist — Lillingston Dayrell — History of Bath — Pitt’s engagement and marriage — Bishop Warburton and Bolingbroke — Pitt’s honeymoon — “Gossip” Joan — Nathaniel Hooke
1–66
CHAPTER II.
Lord Montfort’s suicide — Mrs. Pococke — Lord Baltimore’s house — Mr. Bower’s cottage — Torriano’s marriage — Hatchlands — Sheep Leas — Painshill — Reading — Sarah Scott’s daily life — The calm, meek Miss Pococke — The Garrett Wellesleys — Fears of French invasion — Garrick at Drury Lane — Earthquake at Lisbon — Death of West — Wortley Montagu’s pious pamphlet — Captain Robert Robinson’s death — Byng — David Hume — Morris Robinson’s marriage — The eccentric Matthew Robinson — Pitt buys Hayes house — Viscount Pitt’s birth — Lyttelton a peer — The famous bas bleu assemblies — Emin — Windsor election riot — Stillingfleet — Culham Court — George Stevens — Battle of Hastenbeck — The Severn and Wye — Elizabeth Wilmot — Battle of Kollin — A description of Emin — “Is got pure well” — The Mordaunt Expedition — Dr. Monsey — Admiral and Mrs. Boscawen — Battle of Rosbach
67–122
CHAPTER III.
The Delany trial — Death of Dr. Clayton — Emin applies to Pitt — The attack on St. Malo — Death and will of John Rogers — The Garricks — Letters to Mrs. Elizabeth Carter (passim) — Lyttelton and Monsey — The Louisburg blockade — Correspondence with Lyttelton (passim) — Molly West’s marriage — Newcastle — Denton Hall — Lumley Castle — Hampton Court, Herefordshire — Battle of Zorndorff — Emin on Frederick the Great — The eau de luce disaster — Mrs. Garrick — Current price of food — Athenian Stuart — Viper broth — “Brusher” Mills the snake-catcher — Illness of George II. — Young Mr. Pitt — The Session opened — Monsey’s doggerel — Admiral Boscawen thanked by Parliament — Lady Emily Butler — Helvetius’ De l’Esprit — Attempted assassination of King of Portugal — Lyttelton’s History of Henry II. — Burke’s Sublime and Beautiful — Dr. Johnson — Emin off to Armenia — Calves Pluck water — Harleyford — Inverary Castle — Alnwick — York — Glamis Castle — Scotch characteristics — Burke’s appeal for Madrid Consulship — Quebec taken — Bonus, the picture-cleaner — The Laurence Sternes
123–177
CHAPTER IV.
Correspondence with Lyttelton (passim) — Lord Bath — The Lisbon Embassy — Dialogues of the Dead — Lord Chesterfield — Earl Ferrers executed — William Robinson’s marriage — Tunbridge Wells — The Stanley family — Ned, the groom — Lord Bath’s character — Lord Mansfield — “Montagu’s main” — Sophocles — Hagley House rebuilt — Dr. Monsey’s ways — Allan Ramsay, portrait painter — Letter to Duchess of Portland — Macpherson’s Highland Poems — Bishop Sherlock’s letter — Dr. Young — George Bowes’ funeral — Miss Bowes — Greek Plays and Shakespeare — Green tea and snuff — Death of George II. — George III. king — George II.’s will — Floods at Newark — A great lady’s avarice — The King’s first speech — Attendance at Court — A fashionable dentist — A languid campaign — Bishop Sherlock’s letter to the King — Billets doux — Chesterfield’s bon mot — An impetuous lover of fourscore — Monsey’s fresh doggerel — George Colman the elder
178–227
CHAPTER V.
Admiral Boscawen’s illness and death — Wortley Montagu’s death — “Montagu Minerva” — Voltaire’s Tancred — Macpherson’s Fingal — Lord Bath’s gift to Mrs. Carter — Dr. Young’s letters — Another Dialogue of the Dead — An anonymous letter — the British Museum — A country gentlewoman — Gesner’s Mort d’Abel — Lord Bath’s character — The future queen — Mrs. Montagu’s advice to Tom Lyttelton — Monsey’s bloom-coloured coat — Dr. Young’s Resignation — Lord Bath’s portrait — The Coronation — Lady Pomfret — Lord Bath at Sandleford — Position of Ministers — An act of humility — Widows’ weeds — The Bas-Bleus and shells — Laurence Sterne
228–273
APPENDICES.
“Long” Sir Thomas Robinson
275
Sandleford Priory, Berks
278
Denton Hall, near Newcastle-on-Tyne, Northumberland