Fortune has shown us some partiality. D'Estaing's fleet of twentytwo ships has been dispersed, and probably suffered considerably, by a terrible tempest that lasted for three days off Carolina. Thus, the West Indies are likely to be saved. The danger is, that this favourable event may re-invigorate our impracticable phrenzy of reconquering America; the most certain way of our not recovering it. Ireland is in great danger, if we apply our American ideas to it; but, alas! experience and misfortune have not yet operated as medicines!

That old meteor, Wilkes, has again risen above the horizen, when he had long seemed virtually extinct. The citizens, revolted from the Court on the late disgraces, have voted him into the post of Chamberlain of London; a place of fifteen hundred pounds a-year.* How Massaniello and Rienzi and Jack Cade would stare at seeing him sit down as comfortably as an alderman of London!-If he should die of a surfeit of custard at last!

I had forgotten myself; but you see I am much better to-day. My pains are gone off, and I rose to-day at noon, after keeping my bed three days. Sufferings have taught me to estimate their absence at the rate of health and happiness.

Thank you for the poem of Mrs. Montagu on Shakspeare, which your nephew brought me. I do not admire the poetry, though in Italian, which methinks it is difficult to prevent from sounding poetical; but I like much the author's just attack on Voltaire for having pillaged Shakspeare, at whom he died railing.

29th.

If one meteor is re-illuminated, another is extinct. Lord Lytteltont is dead suddenly. Suddenly in this country is always at first construed to mean, by a pistol. But it is not known yet whether Mars or Venus supplied the amunition; and I may not be very accurate in dates, though they lie within the compass of three days. He had on Thursday made a violent speech against the Administration, under which he held the post of Chief Justice in Eyre; but this was not new: he was apt to go point-blank into all extremes without any parenthesis or decency, nor ever boggled at contradicting his own words. The story given out is, that he looked ill, and had said he should not live three days; that, however, he had gone to his house at Epsom that night, or next day, with a caravan of nymphs; and on Saturday night had retired before supper to take rhubarb, returned, supped heartily, went into the next room again, and died in an instant. I should have said more perhaps

* Wilkes had recently been elected Chamberlain of the City of London, by a majority of 2330 to 370. He held the lucrative situation till his death, in 1797.— ED. Thomas, second Lord Lyttelton. See antè, p. 101. His lordship had not completed his thirty-sixth year.-ED.

This is very probably the real story: another, however, of his, predicting the period of his death within a few minutes, upon the information of an apparition, has been frequently quoted as the true one. It will be found in Nash's History of Worcestershire; and Boswell states, that Dr. Johnson said he considered it the most

on Lord Lyttelton, but was interrupted, and told a fresh event, that will stifle the other. Charles Fox has been slightly wounded in the side this morning in a duel. Adam, a Scot, and nephew of the architects, a man of a very suspicious character, has for two or three years distinguished himself by absurd speeches,-often, though a Scot, pointed against Lord North: but on Thursday last he uttered a most ridiculous one, in which he said, that, though he had left the House last year prepossessed against Administration, yet he had been converted to them by reading the examinations of the Generals; who, he perceived, had been more to blame than the Ministers. This rhapsody Fox had ridiculed in the highest degree with infinite wit and argument. Adam felt the sarcasm to the quick, and after the debate asked an explanation. Fox told him he had meant no personal invective, and they parted. At three this morning Adam sent an officer to Fox, to say he had read a very injurious detail of the affair in the newspapers, and desired Fox to contradict it. He wrote an answer, saying he was not answerable for newspapers; but assured him, under his hand, that he had meant nothing injurious, and Adam might show that reply. Not content, Adam returned, that his friends were not satisfied, and that Mr. Fox must print the letter. "That is too much," said Fox; and at eight this morning they went into Hyde Park. Adam fired first, and the ball grazed Fox's side slightly; but he fired, and then said, "Mr. Adam, are you satisfied?” You will feel horror at the reply. "No," said Adam, "you must print your letter." Still, no, said, Fox. Adam fired again and missed; and then Fox fired in the air, and it ended.*

extraordinary thing that had happened in his day, and that he had heard it with his own ears from Lord Westcote. Wraxall's version of it, in his Historical Memoirs, is, that the dying lord heard a noise at his chamber window resembling the fluttering of a dove or pigeon, and saw a female figure, which, approaching the foot of the bed, announced to him that he would die in three days from that time. Sir Nathaniel adds, that in 1783 he paid a visit to the identical bed-chamber, where the casement at which the dove appeared to flutter was shown him; and, farther, that he had frequently seen a painting executed by the Dowager Lady Lyttelton, expressly to commemorate the event. In reference to these stories, Sir Walter Scott says, in his Demonology, “but of late it has been said and published, that the unfortunate nobleman had previously determined to take poison, and of course had it in his own power to ascertain the execution of the prediction: it was no doubt singular, that a man who meditated his exit from the world should have chosen to play such a trick on his friends; but it is still more credible that a whimsical man should do so wild a thing, than that a messenger should be sent from the dead to tell a libertine at what precise time he should expire."-ED.

*This is not correct. The following is the statement of the two seconds, General Fitzpatrick and Major Humberston :-" Mr. Adam fired, and wounded Mr. Fox, which we believe was not at all perceived by Mr. Adam, and it was not distinctly seen by either of ourselves. Mr. Fox fired without effect; we then interfered, asking Mr. Adam if he was satisfied. Mr. Adam replied, Will Mr. Fox declare he meant no personal attack upon my character? Upon which Mr. Fox said, this was no place for apologies, and desired him to go on. Mr. Adam fired his second pistol without effect; Mr. Fox fired his remaining pistol in the air; and then saying, as the affair was ended, he had no difficulty in declaring that he meant no more personal af

P.S. As my letter was sealing, to which my paper would not let me make any conclusion, I received yours on the 13th; to which, being just got into bed, I cannot reply now. All I will say is, that great part of your news is true; many of the Spanish vessels are returned home; D'Estaing's fleet is dispersed; I know nothing of Martinico and their Domingo-men.-Your nephew was with me this morning: I rejoice in what you tell me of his views.

LETTER CCCXIX.

Berkeley Square, Dec. 20, 1779.

SINCE mine of the 30th of last month, I have not been able to write a line myself; nor can yet: the gout took and keeps possession of my right hand, and returned last week into the foot, knee, and wrist of the same side. I think it is again departing; but like war, it makes many skirmishes after one thinks the campaign is over.

phew, I hope and believe has written more than once in the interval: and, I suppose, given you a sketch of Parliamentary transactions, which, though warm enough, have produced no material event or alteration. The most important object of all even now in question has not received the least rub; and, which is better still, promises all appearance of being crowned with success. Great concessions to Ireland have been adopted, are sailing through both Houses with favourable gales, have been notified to Ireland, and have pleased there, and we trust will restore harmony between these islands. We have the sense to trespass on the formalities of Christmas, and for once prefer wisdom to going out of town the moment it is fashionable.*

The holidays, however, are not without subjects of rejoicing; we have taken from Spain a sturdy fort on the Musquito shore, two rich register ships, and prejudiced them still more by bringing off the provision of quicksilver for their mines, which the captors nobly refused to restore for the large offer of three hundred thousand pounds. The generous tars, too, have admitted their companions the landmen into

front to Mr. Adam than he did to either of the other gentlemen present. Mr. Adam replied, 'Sir, you have behaved like a man of honour." Mr. Fox then mentioned that he believed himself wounded; and, upon opening his waistcoat, it was found it was so, but, to all appearance, slightly."-ED.

*On the 1st of December Lord North had brought in his Propositions for the relief of the trade of Ireland. In speaking of the Minister's speech upon this occasion, Hardy, in his Memoirs of Lord Charlemont, says, "It is due to the memory of that most amiable man to state, that his speech on moving the commercial resolutions was able, liberal, and conciliatory. It contains the amplest information on the subject. The resolutions which re-opened the woollen trade to Ireland, and gave us a freedom of commerce with the British colonies, on certain stipulations, were received in this country with joy and gratitude. Dublin was illuminated, and universal satisfaction prevailed."-ED.

a participation of the booty. One sailor shines brighter than all their constellation: one of the first to mount the scaling-ladder, he jumped on the platform with a sabre in each hand; but, finding there a Spaniard swordless, the Briton, with the air of a Paladin, tossed one of his weapons to him, and said, "Now we are on equal terms!"

Having no more public events to tell you, I am sorry I must leap to a private story, in which there is far from being either bravery or gallantry, but which is savage enough to have been transmitted from the barbarians on the Musquito shore, whether Indian or Spanish; for the latter, who had previously taken a fort from us, had acted a little in the style of their original exploits in America. Well! but my story comes only 'cross the Irish Channel. Lord C., a recent peer of that kingdom and married to a great heiress there, a very amiable woman, had, however, a more favourite mistress. The nymph, like my lord, was no mirror of constancy, but preferred a younger, handsomer swain. The peer, frantic with jealousy, discovered an assignation, and, hiring four bravoes, broke in upon the lovers; when presenting a pistol to the head of his rival, he bade him make instant option of being shot, or reduced to the inability of giving any man jealousy. The poor young man was so ungallant as to prefer a chance for life on any terms. The brutal lord ordered his four ruffians to seize the criminal, and with his own hand performed the bloody operation. The victim died the next day, the murderer escaped, but one of his accomplices is taken.

Dec. 21st.

We seem to have made a little eruption back into the year 1759, for victories have arrived, for two days together. D'Estaing is defeated, and wounded in two places, at the siege of the Savannah in Georgia, and has lost fifteen hundred men; so says the Extraordinary Gazette: but I must own there seems to be a great hiatus in the authority; for it comes from nobody concerned in the action, not even to those that sent it to us. Indeed there is nothing contradictory that we have not believed about D'Estaing within these forty-eight hours: he himself, with four other ships and sixteen transports was sworn to be at the bottom of the sea, by one that saw them there, or might have seen them there, as he was close by when they set out. Then he was landed in France; and then he was repulsed in Georgia; and then his whole fleet revives, and re-assembles, and blocks up the port of the Savannah: and now he himself is indubitably at Paris, as letters thence last night positively affirm.* However, the

*Count D'Estaing totally abandoned the coast of America early in November, and proceeded with the greater part of his fleet directly to France; the rest having returned to the West Indies. Such was the issue of his American campaign. The Count's character is thus drawn by Mr. Cooper, in a letter to Dr. Franklin :-" I have the greatest respect for him. His great talents as a commander; his intrepidity, vigilance, secresy, assiduity, quick decision, prudence, and unabated affection to the common cause, united with a surprising command of himself in delicate cir

Park and Tower guns firmly believe the Gazette's account, and huzza'd yesterday morning. I hope they were in the right, excepting on the entire existence of D'Estaing's squadron.

Well! you may hold up your head a little vis à vis de Monsieur de Barbantan. If new triumphs do not pour in too fast, I hope to be able to write the next myself. At present I am party per pale, gout and health; but unluckily the former is on the dexter side, and makes it void.

LETTER CCCXX.

Berkeley Square, Jan. 4, 1780.

I AM going to write a short letter in quantity, but a very serious one in matter. A stroke has been struck that seems pregnant with another war-a war with Holland. Advice had been received of large supplies of naval stores being ready to sail for Brest, furnished by the warm friends of France, the Amsterdammers; stores essential to the re-equipment of the French navy, and as repugnant to the treaties subsisting between us and the States. These merchantmen proposed to take advantage of a convoy going to the Levant and other places, the States not countenancing that manœuvre. It was determined not to wink at such an outrage, but to hazard complaints or resentment, when such a blow could be given to the farther enterprises of our capital enemies. Captain Fielding with five men-ofwar of the line, was ordered to seize the whole counterband trade, and has executed what he could. He has brought into Plymouth eight merchantmen and three men-of-war, with their Admiral. The latter refused to allow a search; some shot were exchanged, but in air, on both sides, and then the Dutchmen struck. Fielding desired him to re-hoist his flag, but he refused, and said he must accompany his convoy; thus creating himself a prisoner.

I have related this event as vaguely-that is, as cautiously-as I could first, because I know no particulars from authority, for it was but yesterday at noon that the notice arrived; and secondly, because I have heard various accounts; and lastly, because I have been so steeled against sudden belief by lies from all quarters for these five years, that I do not trust my eyes, ears, or reason, and still less those instruments of any body else.

cumstances, and on the most trying occasions, I can never sufficiently commend.” D'Estaing commenced his career by serving in the East Indies under the unfortunate M. Lally, when he was taken prisoner by the English, and sent home on his parole. Having engaged in hostilities again before he had been regularly exchanged, he was taken again, and imprisoned at Portsmouth. On obtaining his freedom he vowed eternal hatred to the English which he endeavoured to wreak during the American war. At the capture of the Island of Grenada he distinguished himself. Becoming a victim in the proscriptions of 1793, he suffered under the guillotine, as a counter-revolutionist, in the following year.—ED.

VOL. II.-12