Letters of Horace Walpole. 27 Feb 1752. I write this as a sort of letter of form on the occasion, for there is nothing worth telling you. The event that has made most noise since my last, is the extempore wedding of the youngest (age 18) of the two Gunnings, who have made so vehement a noise. Lord Coventry (age 29)²⁹⁵, a grave young lord, of the remains of the patriot breed, has long dangled after the eldest (age 19), virtuously with regard to her virtue, not very honourably with regard to his own credit. About six weeks ago Duke Hamilton (age 27)²⁹⁶, the very reverse of the Earl, hot, debauched, extravagant, and equally damaged in his fortune and person, fell in love with the youngest at the masquerade, and determined to marry her in the spring. About a fortnight since, at an immense assembly at my Lord Chesterfield's, made to show the house, which is really magnificent, Duke Hamilton made violent love at one end of the room, while he was playing at pharaoh at the other end; that is, he saw neither the bank nor his own cards, which were of three hundred pounds each: he soon lost a thousand. I own I was so little a professor in love, that I thought all this parade looked ill for the poor girl; and could not conceive, if he was so much engaged with his mistress as to disregard such sums, why he played at all. However, two nights afterwards, being left alone with her while her mother and sister were at Bedford House, he found himself so impatient, that he sent for a parson. The doctor refused to perform the ceremony without license or ring: the Duke swore he would send for the Archbishop-at last they were married with a ring of the bed-curtain, at half an hour after twelve at night, at Mayfair chapel²⁹⁷, The Scotch are enraged; the women mad that so much beauty has had its effect; and what is most silly, my Lord Coventry (age 29) declares that he now will marry the other.

Poor Lord Lempster has just killed an officer²⁹⁸ in a duel, about a play-debt, and I fear was in the wrong. There is no end of his misfortunes and wrong-headedness!-Where is Mr. Conway!-Adieu!

Note 295. George-William (age 29), sixth Earl of Coventry. He died in 1809, at the age of eighty-seven.-E.

Note 296. James, fourth Duke of Hamilton. He died in 1758.-D.

Note 297. On the 14th of February.-E.

Note 298. Captain Gray of the Guards (deceased). The duel was fought, with swords, in Marylebone Fields. Lord Lempster took his trial at the Old Bailey in April, and was found guilty of manslaughter.-E.