letters to his son, 1766-71-第5章

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rate　of　three　thousand　pounds　at　least；　but　many　at　four　thousand；　and
two　or　three　that　he　knew；　at　five　thousand。　　This；　I　confess；　has　vexed
me　a　good　deal；　and　made　me　the　more　impatient　to　know　whether　Lord　C
had　done　anything　in　it；　which　I　shall　know　when　I　go　to　town；　as　I
propose　to　do　in　about　a　fortnight；　and　as　soon　as　I　know　it　you　shall。
To　tell　you　truly　what　I　thinkI　doubt；　from　all　this　NERVOUS　DISORDER
that　Lord　C…　is　hors　de　combat；　as　a　Minister；　but　do　not　ever　hint
this　to　anybody。　　God　bless　you！




LETTER　CC

BATH；　December　27；　1767。　　'En　nova　progenies'！

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　The　outlines　of　a　new　Ministry　are　now　declared；　but　they
are　not　yet　quite　filled　up；　it　was　formed　by　the　Duke　of　Bedford。　　Lord
Gower　is　made　President　of　the　Council；　Lord　Sandwich；　Postmaster；　Lord
Hillsborough；　Secretary　of　State　for　America　only；　Mr。　Rigby；　Vice…
treasurer　of　Ireland。　　General　Canway　is　to　keep　the　seals　a　fortnight
longer；　and　then　to　surrender　them　to　Lord　Weymouth。　　It　is　very
uncertain　whether　the　Duke　of　Grafton　is　to　continue　at　the　head　of　the
Treasury　or　not；　but；　in　my　private　opinion；　George　Grenville　will　very
soon　be　there。　　Lord　Chatham　seems　to　be　out　of　the　question；　and　is　at
his　repurchased　house　at　Hayes；　where　he　will　not　see　a　mortal。　　It　is
yet　uncertain　whether　Lord　Shelburne　is　to　keep　his　place；　if　not；　Lord
Sandwich　they　say　is　to　succeed　him。　　All　the　Rockingham　people　are
absolutely　excluded。　　Many　more　changes　must　necessarily　be；　but　no　more
are　yet　declared。　　It　seems　to　be　a　resolution　taken　by　somebody　that
Ministers　are　to　be　annual。

Sir　George　Macartney　is　next　week　to　be　married　to　Lady　Jane　Stuart；　Lord
Bute's　second　daughter。

I　never　knew　it　so　cold　in　my　life　as　it　is　now；　and　with　a　very　deep
snow；　by　which；　if　it　continues；　I　may　be　snow…bound　here　for　God　knows
how　long；　though　I　proposed　leaving　this　place　the　latter　end　of　the
week。

Poor　Harte　is　very　ill　here；　he　mentions　you　often；　and　with　；great
affection。　　God　bless　you！

When　I　know　more　you　shall。




LETTER　CCCVI

LONDON；　January　29；　1768。

MY　DEAR　FRIEND　：　Two　days　ago　I　received　your　letter　of　the　8th。　　I　wish
you　had　gone　a　month　or　six　weeks　sooner　to　Basle；　that　you　might　have
escaped　the　excessive　cold　of　the　most　severe　winter　that　I　believe　　was
ever　known。　　It　congealed　both　my　body　and　my　mind；　and　scarcely　left　me
the　power　of　thinking。　　A　great　many　here；　both　in　town　and　country；　have
perished　by　the　frost；　and　been　lost　in　the　snow。

You　have　heard；　no　doubt；　of　the　changes　at　Court；　by　which　you　have　got
a　new　provincial；　Lord　Weymouth；　who　has　certainly　good　parts；　and；　as　I
am　informed；　speaks　very　well　in　the　House　of　Lords；　but　I　believe　he　has
no　application。　　Lord　Chatham　is　at　his　house　at　Hayes；　but　sees　no
mortal。　　Some　say　that　he　has　a　fit　of　the　gout；　which　would　probably　do
him　good；　but　many　think　that　his　worst　complaint　is　in　his　head；　which　I
am　afraid　is　too　true。　　Were　he　well；　I　am　sure　he　would　realize　the
promise　he　made　me　concerning　you；　but；　however；　in　that　uncertainty；
I　am　looking　out　for　any　chance　borough；　and　if　I　can　find　one；　I　promise
you　I　will　bid　like　a　chapman　for　it；　as　I　should　be　very　sorry　that　you
were　not　in　the　next　parliament。　　I　do　not　see　any　probability　of　any
vacancy　in　a　foreign　commission　in　a　better　climate；　Mr。　Hamilton　at
Naples；　Sir　Horace　Mann　at　Florence；　and　George　Pitt　at　Turin；　do　not
seem　likely　to　make　one。　　And　as　for　changing　your　foreign　department　for
a　domestic　one；　it　would　not　be　in　my　power　to　procure　you　one；　and　you
would　become　'd'eveque　munier'；　and　gain　nothing　in　point　of　climate；　by
changing　a　bad　one　for　another　full　as　bad；　if　not　worse；　and　a　worse　I
believe　is　not　than　ours。　　I　have　always　had　better　health　abroad　than　at
home；　and　if　the　tattered　remnant　of　my　wretched　life　were　worth　my　care；
I　would　have　been　in　the　south　of　France　long　ago。　　I　continue　very　lame
and　weak；　and　despair　of　ever　recovering　any　strength　in　my　legs。　　I　care
very　little　about　it。　　At　my　age　every　man　must　have　his　share　of
physical　ills　of　one　kind　or　another；　and　mine；　thank　God；　are　not　very
painful。　　God　bless　you！




LETTER　CCCVII

LONDON；　March　12；　1768。

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　　The　day　after　I　received　your　letter　of　the　21st　past；
I　wrote　to　Lord　Weymouth；　as　you　desired；　and　I　send　you　his　answer
inclosed；　from　which　（though　I　have　not　heard　from　him　since）　I　take　it
for　granted；　and　so　may　you；　that　his　silence　signifies　his　Majesty's
consent　to　your　request。　　Your　complicated　complaints　give　me　great
uneasiness；　and　the　more；　as　I　am　convinced　that　the　Montpellier
physicians　have　mistaken　a　material　part　of　your　case；　as　indeed　all　the
physicians　here　did；　except　Dr。　Maty。　　In　my　opinion；　you　have　no　gout；
but　a　very　scorbutic　and　rheumatic　habit　of　body；　which　should　be　treated
in　a　very　different　manner　from　the　gout；　and；　as　I　pretend　to　be　a　very
good　quack　at　least；　I　would　prescribe　to　you　a　strict　milk　diet；　with
the　seeds；　such　as　rice；　sago；　barley；　millet；　etc。；　for　the　three　summer
months　at　least；　and　without　ever　tasting　wine。　　If　climate　signifies
anything　（in　which；　by　the　way；　I　have　very　little　faith）；　you　are；　in　my
mind；　in　the　finest　climate　in　the　world；　neither　too　hot　nor　too　cold；
and　always　clear；　you　are　with　the　gayest　people　living；　be　gay　with
them；　and　do　not　wear　out　your　eyes　with　reading　at　home。　　'L'ennui'　is
the　English　distemper：　and　a　very　bad　one　it　is；　as　I　find　by　every　day's
experience；　for　my　deafness　deprives　me　of　the　only　rational　pleasure
that　I　can　have　at　my　age；　which　is　society；　so　that　I　read　my　eyes　out
every　day；　that　I　may　not　hang　myself。

You　will　not　be　in　this　parliament；　at　least　not　at　the　beginning　of　it。
I　relied　too　much　upon　Lord　C…'s　promise　above　a　year　ago　at　Bath。
He　desired　that　I　would　leave　it　to　him；　that　he　would　make　it　his　own
affair；　and　give　it　in　charge　to　the　Duke　of　G；　whose　province　it　was
to　make　the　parliamentary　arrangement。　　This　I　depended　upon；　and　I　think
with　reason；　but；　since　that；　Lord　C　has　neither　seen　nor　spoken　to
anybody；　and　has　been　in　the　oddest　way　in　the　world。　　I　have　sent　to　the
D…　of　G；　to　know　if　L…　C　had　either　spoken　or　sent　to
him　about　it；　but　he　assured　me　that　he　had　done　neither；　that　all　was
full；　or　rather　running　over；　at　present；　but　that；　if　he　could　crowd　you
in　upon　a　vacancy；　he　would　do　it　with　great　pleasure。　　I　am　extremely
sorry　for　this　accident；　for　I　am　of　a　very　different　opinion　from　you；
about　being　in　parliament；　as　no　man　can　be　of　consequence　in　this
country；　who　is　not　in　it；　and；　though　one　may　not　speak　like　a　Lord
Mansfield　or　a　Lord　Chatham；　one　may　make　a　very　good　figure　in　a　second
rank。　　'Locus　est　et　pluribus　umbris'。　　I　do　not　pretend　to　give　you　any
account　of　the　present　state　of　this　country；　or　Ministry；　not　knowing
nor　guessing　it　myself。

God　bless　you；　and　send　you　health；　which　is　the　first　and　greatest　of
all　blessings！




LETTER　CCCVIII

LONDON；　March　15；　1768。

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　　This　letter　is　supplemental　to　my；　last。　　This　morning
Lord　Weymouth　very　civilly　sent　Mr。　Wood；　his　first　'commis'；　to　tell　me
that　the　King　very　willingly　gave　you　leave　of　absence　from　your　post　for
a　year；　for　the　recovery　of　your　health；　but　then　added；　that　as　the
Court　of　Vienna　was　tampering　with　that　of　Saxony；　which　it　seems　our
Court　is　desirous　to　'contrequarrer'；　it　might　be　necessary　to　have　in
the　interim　a　'Charge　d'Affaires'　at　Dresden；　with　a　defalcation　out　of
your　appointments　of　forty　shillings　a…day；　till　your　return；　if　I　would
agree　to　it。　　I　told　him　that　I　consented　to　both　the　proposals；　upon
condition　that　at　your　return　you　should　have　the　character　and　the　pay
of　Plenipotentiary　added　to　your　present　character　and　pay；　and　that　I
would　completely　make　up　to　you　the　defalcation　of　the　forty　shillings
a…day。　　He　positively　engaged　for　it：　and　added；　that　he　knew　that　it
would　be　willingly　agreed　to。　　Thus　I　think　I　have　made　a　good　bargain
for　you；　though　but　an　indifferent　one　for　myself：　but　that　is　what　I
never　minded　in　my　life。　　You　may；　therefore；　depend　upon　receiving　from
me　the　full　of　this　defalcation；　when　and　how　you　please；　independently
of　your　usual　annual　refreshment；　which　I　will　pay　to　Monsieur　Larpent；
whenever　you　desire　it。　　In　the　meantime；　'Cura　ut　valeas'。

The　person　whom　Mr。　Wood　intimated　to　me　would　be　the　'Charge　d'Affaires'
during　your　absence；　is　one　Mr。　Keith；　the　son　of　that　Mr。　Keith　who　was
formerly　Minister　in　Russia。




LETTER　CCCIX

LONDON；　April　12；　1768。

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　　I　received；　yesterday；　your　letter　of　the　1st；　in　which
you　do　not　mention　the　state　of　your　health；　which　I　desire　you　will　do
for　the　future。

I　believe　you　have　guessed　the　true　reason　of　Mr。　Keith's　mission；　but　by
a　whisper　that　I　have　since　heard；　Keith　is　rather　inclined　to　go　to
Turin；　as　'Charge　d'Affaires'。　　I　forgot　to　tell　you；　in　my　last；　that　I
was　almost　positively　assured　that　the　instant　you　return　to　Dresden；
Keith　should　decamp。　　I　am　persuaded　that　they　will　keep　their　words　with
me；　as　there　is　no　one　reason　in　the　world　why　they　should　not。　　I　will
send　your　annual　to　Mr。　Larpent；　in　a　fortnight；　and　pay　the　forty
shillings　a…day　quarterly；　if　there　should　be　occasion；　for；　in　my　own
private　opinion；　there　will　be　no　'Charge　d'Affaires'　sent。　　I　agree　with
you；　that　'point　d'argent；　point　d'Allemand'；　as　was　used　to　be　said；　and
not　without　more　reason；　of　the　Swiss；　but；　as　we　have　neither　the
inclination　nor　I　fear　the　power　to　give　subsidies；　the　Court　of　Vienna
can　give　good　things　that　cost　them　nothing；　as　archbishoprics；
bishoprics；　besides　corrupting　their　ministers　and　favorite　with　places。

Elections　here　have　been　carried　to　a　degree　of　frenzy　hitherto　unheard
of；　that　for　the　town　of　Northampton　has　cost　the　contending　parties　at
least　thirty　thousand　pounds　a　side；　and　…　　has　sold　his
borough　of　…；　to　two　members；　for　nine　thousand　pounds。　　As　soon
as　Wilkes　had　lost　his　election　for　the　city；　he　set　up　for　the　county　of
Middlesex；　and　carried　it　hollow；　as　the　jockeys　say。　　Here　were　great
mobs　and　riots　upon　that　occasion；　and　most　of　the　windows　in　town　broke；
that　had　no　lights　for　WILKES　AND　LIBERTY；　who　were　thought　to　be
inseparable。　　He　will　appear；　the　l0th　of　this　month；　in　the　Court　of
King's　Bench；　to　receive　his　sentence；　and　then　great　riots　are　again
expected；　and　probably　will　happen。　God　bless　you！




LETTER　CCCX

BATH；　October　17；　1768。

MY　DEAR　FRIEND。　　Your　last　two　letters；　to　myself　and　Grevenkop；　have
alarmed　me　extremely；　but　I　comfort　myself　a　little；　by　hoping　that　you；
like　all　people　who　suffer；　think　yourself　worse　than　you　are。　　A　dropsy
never　comes　so　suddenly；　and　I　flatter　myself；　that　it　is　only　that　gouty
or　rheumatic　humor；　which　has　plagued　you　so　long；　that　has　occasioned
the　temporary　swelling　of　your　legs。　　Above　forty　years　ago；　after　a
violent　fever；　my　legs　swelled　as　much　as　you　describe　yours　to　be；　I
immediately　thought　that　I　had　a　dropsy；　but　the　Faculty　assured　me；　that
my　complaint　was