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Rh in the hundred in Holland by carrying dollars instead of the depreciated gold coin of France." They followed his advice and on their arrival at Amsterdam found it to be true.

Windham rode with him and Mrs Lukin round by Cromer in the autumn of 1790 and called on him at Wisbeach on 9 May 1807. Metcalfe's house at Brighton provided many of his literary friends in London with the opportunity of an agreeable sojourn by the seaside. Malone one year stayed with him for three weeks and he brought into the circle some of his Irish acquaintances. One of them praised "la cuisine douce" of the establishment and drew an amusing simile from the vehicles in use in his country, by comparing a fellow-guest with his host "as a well-hung double-springed coach to the wheel part of a jaunting car without springs." Metcalfe generally went to lady Jersey's to whist, making a fourth in the rubber "with Mrs. Stratford and lady Heron her only companions." He and Malone dined one day with "some fine folks" —nowadays it would be with "a smart set" — in the house of Sir Godfrey Webster "who is not a bit depressed by the loss of his wife" from whom he had been divorced some months before and who had now become lady Holland. Nor is his gaiety to be wondered at when we remember the differences of temperament and the large sums of money which he had extracted from his separated spouse. Metcalfe's house at No. 3 South Parade was one of those at which the hon. William Hervey records in his voluminous journals that he rested for some days in 1802. The first public breakfast in the new gardens at Brighton took place on Saturday 13 July 1793, tickets being priced half a guinea each. It was given in the "promenade grove" between Church Street and North street and Metcalfe was one of the fashionable crowd that attended the festivities. He was present also on the birthday 12 August 1794, of the Prince of Wales, when the gardens were illuminated.