00000026.htm

INTBODUCTOKY ESSAY. 7

Chute of October 12, 1746 (wrongly assigned by Mr
Gosse to 1750), "I find Mr "Walpole then made some
mention of me to you; yes, we are together again.
It is about a year, I believe, since he wrote to me, to
offer it, and there has been (particularly of late), in
appearance, the same kindness and confidence almost
as of old. What were his motives, I cannot yet
guess. What were mine, you will imagine and
perhaps blame me. However as yet I neither repent,
nor rejoice overmuch, but I am pleased/'

The words ^< It is about a year' &c. enable us with
the aid of other evidence to fix the date of the
reconciliation itself and of the letter of Gray's which
gives an account of it to Nov. 1745¹. In this letter
Gray says,

" I wrote a note the night I came [to Stoke], and
immediately received a very civil answer. I went the
following evening to see th& party (as Mrs Foible says),
was something abashed at his confidence; he came

any extant letter. I am not able to say as much about Wai-
pole's. If Gray is addressing Walpole, it looks as if he was
reminding him of some friendly overtures, slighted at the time
they were made j if Walpole is addressing Gray at all, it is
soarcely possible to doubt that he is replying to Gray's pro-
posal of a visit, and that in a very reserved and formal
manner. But it is only the first document that is ol im-
portance.

¹ Walpole told Mason that in the year 1744 a reconciliation
was effected between them by 'a Lady who wished well to both
parties.' I think he must be mistaken as to the year.



	INTBODUCTOKY ESSAY. 7 Chute of October 12, 1746 (wrongly assigned by Mr Gosse to 1750), "I find Mr "Walpole then made some mention of me to you; yes, we are together again. It is about a year, I believe, since he wrote to me, to offer it, and there has been (particularly of late), in appearance, the same kindness and confidence almost as of old. What were his motives, I cannot yet guess. What were mine, you will imagine and perhaps blame me. However as yet I neither repent, nor rejoice overmuch, but I am pleased/' The words ^< It is about a year' &c. enable us with the aid of other evidence to fix the date of the reconciliation itself and of the letter of Gray's which gives an account of it to Nov. 1745¹. In this letter Gray says, " I wrote a note the night I came [to Stoke], and immediately received a very civil answer. I went the following evening to see th& party (as Mrs Foible says), was something abashed at his confidence; he came any extant letter. I am not able to say as much about Wai- pole's. If Gray is addressing Walpole, it looks as if he was reminding him of some friendly overtures, slighted at the time they were made j if Walpole is addressing Gray at all, it is soarcely possible to doubt that he is replying to Gray's pro- posal of a visit, and that in a very reserved and formal manner. But it is only the first document that is ol im- portance. ¹ Walpole told Mason that in the year 1744 a reconciliation was effected between them by 'a Lady who wished well to both parties.' I think he must be mistaken as to the year.