1728: British noble asks another about the action in Vienna

In 1728, the British diplomat Philip Stanhope, fourth Earl of Chesterfield, was stationed in The Hague. In October, he wrote to his fellow peer and diplomat, Earl Waldegrave, who was representing Britain in Austria.

Pausing from matters of state, Chesterfield enquired into Waldegrave’s “private pleasures”, asking whether he had taken mistresses in Vienna:

“As I know that both your rammer and balls are made for a German calibre, you may certainly attack with infinite success… So I expect some account of your performances. As for mine, they are not worth reciting… the warmest thing I have met with here between a pair of legs has been a stove.”

Several weeks later Chesterfield wrote to Waldegrave again, reporting that he had found the means to engage “a little into pleasures… provided it is at my own expense”.

Source: Letter from Chesterfield to Waldegrave, dated October 12th 1728. Content on this page is © Alpha History 2019-23. Content may not be republished without our express permission. For more information please refer to our Terms of Use or contact Alpha History.