' He was,
as we have seen, overruled, and henceforth the New Style was adopted;
and no special calamity has fallen on the nation, as was expected, in
consequence. Nevertheless, after Chesterfield had made his speech in the
House of Lords, and when every one had complimented him on the clearness
of his explanation--'God knows,' he wrote to his son, 'I had not even
attempted to explain the Bill to them; I might as soon have talked
Celtic or Sclavonic to them as astronomy. They would have understood it
full as well.' So much for the 'Lords' in those days!
After his _furore_ for politics had subsided, Chesterfield returned to
his ancient passion for play. We must linger a little over the still
brilliant period of his middle life, whilst his hearing was spared;
whilst his wit remained, and the charming manners on which he had formed
a science, continued; and before we see him in the mournful decline of a
life wholly given to the world.
He had now established himself in Chesterfield House. Hitherto his
progenitors had been satisfied with Bloomsbury Square, in which the Lord
Chesterfield mentioned by De Grammont resided; but the accomplished
Chesterfield chose a site near Audley Street, which had been built on
what was called Mr.
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