if, by way of distinguishing you from others of your name, you should happen to be called Muttering Stanhope, Absent Stanhope, Ill-bred Stanhope, or Awkward, Left-legged Stanhope; therefore, take great care to put it out of the power of ridicule itself to give you any of these ridiculous epithets; for, if you get one, it will stick to you like the envenomed shirt. The very first day that I see you, I shall be able to tell you, and certainly shall tell you, what degree of danger you are in; and I hope that my admonitions, as censor, may prevent the censures of the public. [Same date.]
Young Stanhope's Portrait.—I send you here
a portrait, drawn by a lady at Venice, by my orders:
"In compliance to your orders, I have examined
young Stanhope carefully, and think I have penetrated
into his character. This is his portrait, which
I take to be a faithful one. His face is pleasing, his
countenance sensible, and his look clever. His figure
is at present rather too square; but if he shoots
up, which he has matter and years for, he will then
be of a good size. He has, undoubtedly, a great
fund of acquired knowledge; I am assured that he
is master of the learned languages. As for French,
I know he speaks it perfectly, and I am told German,
as well. The questions he asks are judicious,
and denote a thirst after knowledge. I cannot say
