chased at considerable expense, and consigned to the possession of the Lord of Strawberry Hill. Among other things, Mr. Mann procured the ebony box with silver ornaments, representing the judgment of Paris, attributed to Benvenuto Cellini, from the Grand Duke's wardrobe ;* the bronze bust of Caligula, found at Herculaneum ;† the jewel casket of ebony and ormolu with tablets of Florentine mosaic in pietra dura, representing bouquets of flowers; a pair of vases of white porcelain, striped with blue and gold ;§ and the portrait of Bianca Capello from the Vitelli Palace.

On the 15th of February, 1755, Mr. Horace Mann was raised to the rank of a Baronet, with a reversion to his brother Galfridus. Mr. Walpole was extremely gratified at his friend's receiving a distinction he had so well merited, and knowing that it was necessary that he should have a motto for his new armorial bearings, he, after some research, found out two for his selection, which were,-Humani nihil alienum, (already, by the way, in the possession of the Talbot's,) and Homo Homini Lupus: in both evidently endeavouring to obtain some pun upon the new

*Sold at the sale for 361. 10s.

† Sold for 481. 6s.

Sold for 737. 10s. to Lord Charles Townshend.

§ Sold for 127. 1s. 6d.

Sold for 167. 16s.

The Salvator Rosa styled "Jacob travelling from Laban," sold for 421.; landscape by Gaspar Poussin, with man driving a flock of sheep, sold for 271. 6s.

Baronet's name. At a subsequent period Sir Horace received the additional honour of being made a Knight of the Bath. And one of the last interpositions of his friend Walpole, was to obtain for him from the administration the higher diplomatic grade of Envoy.

CHAPTER VIII.

HORCAE IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.-1741, 1742.

SIR ROBERT WALPOLE seems to have endeavoured to secure his youngest son's inclination for a political career by a very satisfactory evidence of its advantages, in the shape of a post in the Exchequer, the emoluments of which amounted to 2,000l. per annum. This was granted to Horace as early as February 4th, 1737, and early in November of the following year he was appointed Comptroller of the Great Roll and Clerk of the Foreign Estreats, with an addition to his income of 500l. per annum.

These appointments, if not exactly sinecures, gave the holder of them very little trouble. The gift of such offices showed that the Minister was not so indifferent to the interests of his son as the malicious world had declared. A handsome provision was thus provided for him at the threshold of his career, either as a retaining fee for his services or a stimulus to his exertions. We shall soon see in what manner it influenced his conduct. It may here be noticed that Sir Robert's other sons were equally well provided for:

the second, Edward, was in Parliament, and held the post of Clerk of the Rolls. He successively became Chief Secretary for Ireland, and Joint Secretary of the Treasury.

Scarcely had the young traveller returned home, when he found that his education was considered to be finished, and that he was expected at once to commence that career of honourable ambition to which his parent had destined him. Through the Government influence, the burgesses of Callington, a borough in Cornwall, were easily induced to elect him as their representative in the Imperial Parliament, chosen in the general election of June, 1741. Horace, on his arrival in England, experienced the gratification of possessing all the privileges of a member of the legislature. He was not long without making the discovery that he had, along with the dignity, incurred very serious responsibilities. The great Minister, though still possessed of extraordinary power, was beginning to experience the decline of his popularity. The House of Commons, just chosen, contained a numerous and active Opposition, the leading spirits of which were indefatigable in their exertions to drive him from office.

Great changes had occurred on the Continent which very much increased the Minister's difficulties. In the first place, the death of Frederick William, King of Prussia,* had placed on the throne a young

He died May 31, 1740.

Sovereign gifted with no less energy than ambition, and impelled by a yearning for military glory to employ the great resources for war he had inherited from his father, in carrying out his ambitious views on the first favourable opportunity. The demise of the King of Prussia was shortly followed by that of the Emperor Charles the Sixth, and of the Czarina Anne. The former, in accordance with the Pragmatic Sanction, was succeeded by his eldest daughter, Maria Theresa, married to Francis, Grand Duke of Tuscany. Her succession was disputed by the Elector of Bavaria, though sanctioned by all the Great European Powers, and the new King of Prussia was thus afforded the opportunity of making use of his armies, for which he had hitherto waited. Having successfully intrigued with France, he revived an obsolete claim against Silesia, a portion of the Austrian dominions, and marched an armament into the disputed territory, of which, after one battle, he remained the master. His example influenced the Electors of Bavaria and Saxony, and the Kings of Spain and Sardinia put forth claims upon other portions of the Austrian dominions. These Sovereigns would not have scrupled to attack the female ruler of Austria, already overmatched by her belligerent neighbour, but Maria Theresa had an ally in Great Britain, who was bound by the Pragmatic Sanction to furnish her

* He died on the 20th October.