OF HORACE WALPOLE EARL OF ORFORD, ΤΟ SIR HORACE MANN, BRITISH ENVOY AT THE COURT OF TUSCANY. NOW FIRST PUBLISHED FROM THE ORIGINALS IN THE POSSESSION OF THE EDITED BY LORD DOVER. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. NEW-YORK: GEORGE DEARBORN, PUBLISHER. SOLD BY COLLINS & HANNAY, NEW-YORK; CARTER, HENDEE & 1833. PREFACE. IN the Preface to the "Memoires of the last Ten Years of the Reign of George the II. by Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford," published in the year 1822, is the following statement. 66 Among the papers found at Strawberry Hill, after the death of Lord Orford, was the following memorandum, wrapped in an envelope, on which was written, 'Not to be opened till after my will.' "In my library at Strawberry Hill are two wainscot chests or boxes, the larger marked with an A, the lesser with a B:I desire that as soon as I am dead, my executor and executrix will cord up strongly and seal the larger box, marked A, and deliver it to the Honourable Hugh Conway Seymour, to be kept by him unopened and unsealed till the eldest son of Lady Waldegrave, or whichever of her sons, being Earl of Waldegrave, shall attain the age of twenty-five years; when the said chest, with whatever it contains, shall be delivered to him for his own. And I beg that the Honourable Hugh Conway Seymour, when he shall receive the said chest, will give a promise in writing, signed by him, to Lady Waldegrave, that he or his representatives will deliver the said chest, unopened and unsealed, by my executor and executrix, to the first son of Lady Waldegrave who shall attain the age of twenty-five years. The key of the said chest is in one of the cupboards of the green closet, within the blue breakfast-room, VOL. I.-1* |