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116 In an additional note to the new edition, Dr. Kippis, quoting this passage, added, ‘that whenever the editors should come in the course of the new publication to the article of his father, Sir Robert, he might probably find that the work was not a panegyric upon everybody.’ Notwithstanding, however, this threat, Dr. Kippis a few days ago waited on Mr. W., with whom he had no acquaintance, to request he would furnish the new work with his father’s life. He replied, that he certainly should not, giving the reasons he assigned to me that he should trust his father’s memory to the justice of posterity. If, however, when Dr. Kippis had drawn up his account he would lay it before him, should anything be grossly misstated, he should point out such mistakes, but not go a step further.’

“Among the anecdotes of Sir Robert Walpole, I wonder the following should not have come to the knowledge of Lord Hardwicke. In the height of Pultney’s opposition, an old gentleman had constantly voted with the minister, and often attended his levee; but never asked him for any favour. Sir Robert, who was plagued with daily solicitations, felt some surprise at this, and at length observed to him that he was much obliged by his support, and should be happy to know how he could serve him. The other replied, that he wanted nothing. Sir Robert, who believed every man acted from interested motives, exclaimed, ‘How then, my dear sir, comes it to pass that I am honoured with your support?’ “Why, I’ll tell you,” said the old gentleman, ‘I have lived a great deal in foreign countries where