letters to his son, 1766-71-第2章

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named　everyone　of　them：　but　what　would　you　think　he　named　himself　for？
Lord　Privy　Seal；　and　（what　will　astonish　you；　as　it　does　every　mortal
here）　Earl　of　Chatham。　　The　joke　here　is；　that　he　has　had　A　FALL　UP
STAIRS；　and　has　done　himself　so　much　hurt；　that　he　will　never　be　able　to
stand　upon　his　leg's　again。　　Everybody　is　puzzled　how　to　account　for　this
step　；　though　it　would　not　be　the　first　time　that　great　abilities　have
been　duped　by　low　cunning。　　But　be　it　what　it　will；　he　is　now　certainly
only　Earl　of　Chatham；　and　no　longer　Mr。　Pitt；　in　any　respect　whatever。
Such　an　event；　I　believe；　was　never　read　nor　heard　of。　　To　withdraw；
in　the　fullness　of　his　power　and　in　the　utmost　gratification　of　his
ambition；　from　the　House　of　Commons　（which　procured　him　his　power；　and
which　could　alone　insure　it　to　him）；　and　to　go　into　that　hospital　of
incurables；　the　House　of　Lords；　is　a　measure　so　unaccountable；　that
nothing　but　proof　positive　could　have　made　me　believe　it：　but　true　it　is。
Hans　Stanley　is　to　go　Ambassador　to　Russia；　and　my　nephew；　Ellis；　to
Spain；　decorated　with　the　red　riband。　　Lord　Shelburne　is　your　Secretary
of　State；　which　I　suppose　he　has　notified　to　you　this　post；　by　a　circular
letter。　　Charles　Townshend　has　now　the　sole　management　of　the　House　of
Commons；　but　how　long　he　will　be　content　to　be　only　Lord　Chatham's
vicegerent　there；　is　a　question　which　I　will　not　pretend　to　decide。
There　is　one　very　bad　sign　for　Lord　Chatham；　in　his　new　dignity；　which
is；　that　all　his　enemies；　without　exception；　rejoice　at　it；　and　all　his
friends　are　stupefied　and　dumbfounded。　　If　I　mistake　not　much；　he　will；
in　the　course　of　a　year；　enjoy　perfect　'otium　cum　dignitate'。　　Enough　of
politics。

Is　the　fair；　or　at　least　the　fat；　Miss　C　with　you　still　？　　It　must　be
confessed　that　she　knows　the　arts　of　courts；　to　be　so　received　at
Dresden；　and　so　connived　at　in　Leicester…fields。

There　never　was　so　wet　a　summer　as　this　has　been；　in　the　memory　of　man；
we　have　not　had　one　single　day；　since　March；　without　some　rain；　but　most
days　a　great　deal。　　I　hope　that　does　not　affect　your　health；　as　great
cold　does；　for；　with　all　these　inundations；　it　has　not　been　cold。　　God
bless　you！




LETTER　CCLXXXIX

BLACKHEATH；　August　14；　1766。

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　I　received　yesterday　your　letter　of　the　30th　past；　and　I
find　by　it　that　it　crossed　mine　upon　the　road；　where　they　had　no　time　to
take　notice　of　one　another。

The　newspapers　have　informed　you；　before　now；　of　the　changes　actually
made；　more　will　probably　follow；　but　what；　I　am　sure；　I　cannot　tell　you；
and　I　believe　nobody　can；　not　even　those　who　are　to　make　them：　they　will；
I　suppose；　be　occasional；　as　people　behave　themselves。　　The　causes　and
consequences　of　Mr。　Pitt's　quarrel　now　appear　in　print；　in　a　pamphlet
published　by　Lord　T；　and　in　a　refutation　of　it；　not　by　Mr。　Pitt
himself；　I　believe；　but　by　some　friend　of　his；　and　under　his　sanction。
The　former　is　very　scurrilous　and　scandalous；　and　betrays　private
conversation。　My　Lord　says；　that　in　his　last　conference；　he　thought　he
had　as　good　a　right　to　nominate　the　new　Ministry　as　Mr。　Pitt；　and
consequently　named　Lord　G…；　Lord　L；　etc。；　for　Cabinet　Council
employments；　which　Mr。　Pitt　not　consenting　to；　Lord　T…　broke　up　the
conference；　and　in　his　wrath　went　to　Stowe；　where　I　presume　he　may　remain
undisturbed　a　great　while；　since　Mr。　Pitt　will　neither　be　willing　nor
able　to　send　for　him　again。　　The　pamphlet；　on　the　part　of　Mr。　Pitt；　gives
an　account　of　his　whole　political　life　；　and；　in　that　respect；　is　tedious
to　those　who　were　acquainted　with　it　before；　but；　at　the　latter　end；
there　is　an　article　that　expresses　such　supreme　contempt　of　Lord　T…；
and　in　so　pretty　a　manner；　that　I　suspect　it　to　be　Mr。　Pitt's　own：　you
shall　judge　yourself；　for　I　here　transcribe　the　article：　〃But　this　I　will
be　bold　to　say；　that　had　he　（Lord　T…）　not　fastened　himself　into
Mr。　Pitt's　train；　and　acquired　thereby　such　an　interest　in　that　great
man；　he　might　have　crept　out　of　life　with　as　little　notice　as　he　crept
in；　and　gone　off　with　no　other　degree　of　credit；　than　that　of　adding　a
single　unit　to　the　bills　of　mortality〃　　I　wish　I　could　send　you　all　the
pamphlets　and　half…sheets　that　swarm　here　upon　this　occasion；　but　that　is
impossible；　for　every　week　would　make　a　ship's　cargo。　　It　is　certain；
that　Mr。　Pitt　has；　by　his　dignity　of　Earl；　lost　the　greatest　part　of　his
popularity；　especially　in　the　city；　and　I　believe　the　Opposition　will　be
very　strong；　and　perhaps　prevail；　next　session；　in　the　House　of　Commons；
there　being　now　nobody　there　who　can　have　the　authority　and　ascendant
over　them　that　Pitt　had。

People　tell　me　here；　as　young　Harvey　told　you　at　Dresden；　that　I　look
very　well；　but　those　are　words　of　course；　which　everyone　says　to
everybody。　　So　far　is　true；　that　I　am　better　than　at　my　age；　and　with　my
broken　constitution；　I　could　have　expected　to　be。　　God　bless　you！




LETTER　CCXC

BLACKHEATH；　September　12；　1766。

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　I　have　this　moment　received　your　letter　of　the　27th　past。
I　was　in　hopes　that　your　course　of　waters　this　year　at　Baden　would　have
given　you　a　longer　reprieve　from　your　painful　complaint。　　If　I　do　not
mistake；　you　carried　over　with　you　some　of　Dr。　Monsey's　powders。　　Have
you　taken　any　of　them；　and　have　they　done　you　any　good　？　　I　know　they　did
me　a　great　deal。　　I；　who　pretend　to　some　skill　in　physic；　advise　a　cool
regimen；　and　cooling　medicines。

I　do　not　wonder；　that　you　do　wonder；　at　Lord　C…'s　conduct。　　If　he　was
not　outwitted　into　his　peerage　by　Lord　B；　his　accepting　it　is　utterly
inexplicable。　　The　instruments　he　has　chosen　for　the　great　office；
I　believe；　will　never　fit　the　same　case。　　It　was　cruel　to　put　such　a　boy
as　Lord　G…　over　the　head　of　old　Ligonier；　and　if　I　had　been　the　former；
I　would　have　refused　that　commission；　during　the　life　of　that　honest　and
brave　old　general。　　All　this　to　quiet　the　Duke　of　R　to　a　resignation；
and　to　make　Lord　B　Lieutenant　of　Ireland；　where；　I　will　venture　to
prophesy；　that　he　will　not　do。　　Ligonier　was　much　pressed　to　give　up　his
regiment　of　guards；　but　would　by　no　means　do　it；　and　declared　that　the
King　might　break　him　if　he　pleased；　but　that　he　would　certainly　not　break
himself。

I　have　no　political　events　to　inform　you　of；　they　will　not　be　ripe　till
the　meeting　of　the　parliament。　　Immediately　upon　the　receipt　of　this
letter；　write　me　one；　to　acquaint　me　how　you　are。

God　bless　you；　and；　particularly；　may　He　send　you　health；　for　that　is　the
greatest　blessing！




LETTER　CCXCI

BLACKHEATH；　September　30；　1766。

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　I　received；　yesterday；　with　great　pleasure；　your　letter
of　the　18th；　by　which　I　consider　this　last　ugly　bout　as　over；　and；　to
prevent　its　return；　I　greatly　approve　of　your　plan　for　the　south　of
France；　where　I　recommend　for　your　principal　residence；　Pezenas　Toulouse；
or　Bordeaux；　but　do　not　be　persuaded　to　go　to　Aix　en　Provence；　which；　by
experience；　I　know　to　be　at　once　the　hottest　and　the　coldest　place　in　the
world；　from　the　ardor　of　the　Provencal　sun；　and　the　sharpness　of　the
Alpine　winds。　　I　also　earnestly　recommend　to　you；　for　your　complaint　upon
your　breast；　to　take；　twice　a…day；　asses'　or　（what　is　better　mares'　milk；
and　that　for　these　six　months　at　least。　　Mingle　turnips；　as　much　as　you
can；　with　your　diet。

I　have　written；　as　you　desired；　to　Mr。　Secretary　Conway；　but　I　will
answer　for　it　that　there　will　be　no　difficulty　to　obtain　the　leave　you
ask。

There　is　no　new　event　in　the　political　world　since　my　last；　so　God　bless
you！




LETTER　CCXCII

LONDON；　October　29；　7766。

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　　The　last　mail　brought　me　your　letter　of　the　17th。　　I　am
glad　to　hear　that　your　breast　is　so　much　better。　　You　will　find　both
asses'　and　mares'　milk　enough　in　the　south　of　France；　where　it　was　much
drank　when　I　was　there。　　Guy　Patin　recommends　to　a　patient　to　have　no
doctor　but　a　horse；　and　no　apothecary　but　an　ass。　　As　for　your　pains　and
weakness　in　your　limbs；　'je　vous　en　offre　autant'；　I　have　never　been　free
from　them　since　my　last　rheumatism。　　I　use　my　legs　as　much　as　I　can；　and
you　should　do　so　too；　for　disuse　makes　them　worse。　　I　cannot　now　use　them
long　at　a　time；　because　of　the　weakness　of　old　age；　but　I　contrive　to
get；　by　different　snatches；　at　least　two　hours'　walking　every　day；　either
in　my　garden　or　within　doors；　as　the　weather　permits。　　I　set　out　to…
morrow　for　Bath；　in　hopes　of　half　repairs；　for　Medea's　kettle　could　not
give　me　whole　ones；　the　timbers　of　my　wretched　vessel　are　too　much
decayed　to　be　fitted　out　again　for　use。　　I　shall　see　poor　Harte　there；
who；　I　am　told；　is　in　a　miserable　way；　between　some　real　and　some
imaginary　distempers。

I　send　you　no　political　news；　for　one　reason；　among　others；　which　is　that
I　know　none。　　Great　expectations　are　raised　of　this　session；　which　meets
the　11th　of　next　month；　but　of　what　kind　nobody　knows；　and　consequently
everybody　conjectures　variously。　　Lord　Chatham　comes　to　town　to…morrow
from　Bath；　where　he　has　been　to　refit　himself　for　the　winter　campaign；　he
has　hitherto　but　an　indifferent　set　of　aides…decamp；　and　where　he　will
find　better；　I　do　not　know。　　Charles　Townshend　and　he　are　already　upon
ill　terms。　　'Enfin　je　n'y　vois　goutte'；　and　so　God　bless　you！




LETTER　CCXCIII

BATH；　November　15；　1766。

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　I　have　this　moment　received　your　letter　of　the　5th
instant　from　Basle。　　I　am　very　glad　to　find　that　your　breast　is　relieved；
though　perhaps　at　the　expense　of　your　legs：　for；　if　the　humor　be　either
gouty　or　rheumatic；　it　had　better　be　in　your　legs　than　anywhere　else。
I　have　consulted　Moisy；　the　great　physician　of　this　place；　upon　it；　who
says；　that　at　this　distance　he　dares　not　prescribe　anything；　as　there　may
be　such　different　causes　for　your　complaint；　which　must　be　well　weighed
by　a　physician　upon　the　spot；　that　is；　in　short；　that　he　knows　nothing　of
the　matter。　　I　will　therefore　tell　you　my　own　case；　in　1732；　which　may　be
something　parallel　to　yours。　　I　had　that　year　been　dangerously　ill　of　a
fever　in　Holland；　and　when　I　was　recovered　of　it；　the　febrific　humor　fell
into　my　legs；　and　swelled　them　to　that　degree；　and　chiefly　in　the
evening；　that　it　was　as　painful　to　me　as　it　was　shocking　to　others。
I　came　to　England　with　them　in　this　condition；　and　consulted　Mead；
Broxholme；　and　Arbuthnot；　who　none　of　them　did　me　the　least　good；　but；
on　the　contrary；　increased　the　swelling；　by　applying　poultices　and
emollients。　　In　this　condition　I　remained　near　six　months；　till　finding
that　the　doctors　could　do　me　no　good；　I　resolved　to　consult　Palmer；　the
most　eminent　surgeon　of　St。　Thomas's　Hospital。　　He　immediately　told　me
that　the　physicians　had　pursued　a　very　wrong　method；　as　the　swelling　of
my　legs　proceeded　only　from　a　relaxation　and　weakness　of　the　cutaneous
vessels；　and　he　must　apply　strengtheners　instead　of　emollients。
Accordingly；　he　ordered　me　to　put　my　legs　up　to　the　knees　every　morning
in　brine　from　the　salters；　as　hot　as　I　could　bear　it；　the　brine　must　have
had　meat　salted　in　it。　　I　did　so；　and　after　having　thus　pickled　my　legs
for　about　three　weeks；　the　complaint　absolutely　ceased；　and　I　have　never
had　the　least　swelling　in　them　since。　　After　wha