Totnes, Feb. 21. 1850.

* * * * *

LETTER ATTRIBUTED TO SIR ROBERT WALPOLE.

In Banks's _Dormant Peerage_, vol. iii. p. 61., under the account of
_Pulteney, Earl of Bath_, is the following extraordinary letter, said to
be from Sir Robert Walpole to King George II., which is introduced as
serving to show the discernment of Walpole, as well as the disposition
of the persons by whom he was opposed, but evidently to expose the
vanity and weakness of Mr. Pulteney, by exhibiting the scheme which was
to entrap him into the acceptance of a peerage, and so destroy his
popularity. It is dated Jan. 24. 1741, but from _no place_, and has but
little appearance of authenticity.

"Most sacred,

"The violence of the fit of the stone, which has tormented me
for some days, is now so far abated, that, although it will not
permit me to have the honour to wait on your majesty, yet is
kind enough to enable me so far to obey your orders, as to write
my sentiments concerning that troublesome man, Mr. Pulteney; and
to point out (what I conceive to be) the most effectual method
to make him perfectly quiet. Your majesty well knows how by the
dint of his eloquence he has so captivated the mob, and attained
an unbounded popularity, that the most manifest wrong appears to
be right, when adopted and urged by him. Hence it is, that he
has become not only troublesome but dangerous. The inconsiderate