LETTER CCLXXXIII.

Thursday, April 9th, 1778. I AM not going to announce more war than by my last: it seems to sleep, like a paroli at Faro, and be reserved for another deal. Though I write oftener than usual, I have not a full cargo every time; but I have two novel events to send you. The newspapers indeed anticipate many of my articles; but, as I suppose you pay me the compliment of opening my letters before the Gazettes, I shall be the first to inform you, though but by five minutes. Lord Chatham has again appeared in the House of Lords, and probably for the last time. He was there on Tuesday against the earnest remonstrance of his physician; and, I think, only to make confusion worse confounded. He had intended to be very hostile to the Ministers, and yet to force himself into all their places by maintaining the sovereignty of America, to which none of the Opposition but his own few followers adhere; and they cannot, like a strolling company in a barn, fill all the parts of a drama with four or five individuals. It appeared early in his speech that he had lost himself; he did not utter half he intended, and sat down but rising to reply to the Duke of Richmond, he fell down in an apoplectic fit, and was thought dead. They transported him into the Jerusalem Chamber, and laid him on a table. In twenty minutes he recovered his senses, and was carried to a messenger's house adjoining, where he still remains. The scene was very affecting; his two sons, and son-in-law, Lord Mahon, were round him. The House paid a proper mark of respect by adjourning instantly.*

The same incertitude remains on our general situation. I pretend to tell you facts only, not reasonings; and therefore will say no more now on the public. One event, indeed, of Parliamentary complexion touches my private feelings very particularly. The King has demanded a provision for his younger children, and has been so good as to add the Duke's to the list-nobly too, both from the proportion of the allowance, and the circumstances of the times. The King's sons are to have ten thousand a-year each, his daughters six, Prince William eight, and Princess Sophia four. Thus both income and rank are ascertained. This is a great thorn extracted from all our

* On the 6th of April, Lord Chatham had addressed a note to the Duke of Richmond, expressive of his concern at finding himself under so very wide a difference with his Grace, as between the sovereignty and allegiance of America, that he despaired of bringing about successfully any honourable issue. He added, that "he was inclined to try it, before this bad grew worse, and hoped to be in town on the morrow." Accordingly, on the morrow, Lord Chatham appeared in the House of Lords for the last time; when the affecting scene above described took place. See Chatham Correspondence, vol. iv. p. 548-Ed.

A message from the King to this effect had been brought down to the House of Commons by Lord North on the 8th of April.-ED.

sides, and I trust will have good influence on his Royal Highness's health.

I was débarrassé'd (not in so comfortable a way) of my nephew. He has resumed the entire dominion of himself, and is gone into the country and intends to command the militia. I have done all I could, when scarce any thing was in my power, to prevent it; but in vain. He has even asked to be a major-general, which officers of militia cannot be. What a humiliation to know he is thus exposing himself, and not dare to interpose! Yet he is not ignorant of his situation. He said the other day to his Dalilah, speaking of Dr. Monro," Patty, I like this doctor! don't you? We will have him next time." What an amazing compost of sense, insensibility, and phrenzy! Adieu!

LETTER CCLXXXIV.

Strawberry Hill, May 9, 1778. As I have engaged myself to stock your impatience with frequent intelligence, you may think a month's interval a breach of promise; but though I write to display my diligence, it is not to convey any event. You yourself have told us all the fact we know; at least, the newspapers have done you the honour of sending the information of the sailing of the Toulon squadron-not in terms; but they say an express arrived from Sir H. Mann without eating, drinking, or sleeping; and we know nothing else-I mean we, the people,-that corresponds with the date of such importance. Pray can you tell whether our fleet is gone after it? For the newspapers would persuade us that Lord Sandwich has detained it at Portsmouth, to divert their Majesties, as if they loved shows better than dominions.*

We shall be in no want of sights this summer; every county will have a camp of its own; the coasts will be amused with sieges. An American privateer has attempted Whitehaven, and plundered Lord Selkirk's house. This is a little ungrateful, for the Americans cer

*To stimulate the seamen and artificers at their different occupations, the King and Queen visited the dock-yards and shipping at Chatham, Sheerness, and Portsmouth. At the latter place, they remained a week; during which_time the King held a levee on board Admiral Keppel's ship, the Prince George.-Ed.

This privateer was commanded by the celebrated Paul Jones, a native of Selkirk, who, going to America when very young, became a denizen of that country. On the 23rd of April, he made a descent at Whitehaven; where he destroyed the shipping in the harbour. He afterwards landed on the western coast of Scotland, and pillaged the house of Lord Selkirk, near Kirkcudbright, of plate, jewels, and other moveables of value. The Earl was in London, but his lady and family were in the house. It is said that Jones's design was against the liberty, and not the property of his lordship, and that he purchased the booty from his crew and returned it to the Countess. There is reason to believe that such was the fact; as Dr. Franklin, in a letter addressed to him from Passy, on the 27th of May, says, "I received yours of the 18th, enclosing one for the Countess of Selkirk, which I forward this

tainly owe their independence to the Scots; though, to be sure, in strictness it was not what the Scots intended for them. They have done, or will do us some good too, though perhaps with as little design; for I think we shall be forced to come to our senses. Great countries ought always to be physicked and dieted after long peace or a course of victories; for prosperity either breeds humours in the body, or flies to the head: the first produce tumours, and the latter absolute madness.

Lord Chatham has been at the point of death, but is said to be better. It is not very likely, however, that he should recover enough to come forth again. You tell me his sister is at Florence. Her friends, the Butes, have a new calamity in their family, for which I pity them: Lady Percy is enceinte, and the suit for a divorce is commenced. Lady Bute has been very unfortunate in her children, though there never was a better or more discreet mother. Lady Percy is very weak; and some time ago, when Lady Bute received some intimation on her conduct, she said, "Upon my word, I have not room in my head for that misfortune!"

Though I write this on the Saturday, it cannot depart till Tuesday. Probably, I shall have little to add. Next month will be more prolific of intelligence. Yet make no account of my auguries. I have lived too long, and have been too often mistaken in my calculations, to trust my own reason or that of others. Half our conjectures are built on Ignorance, and her sister Chance governs the rest. My mind is a little one, and apt to fluctuate. I answer for nothing but my principles, and never committed them to the guidance of events; so, though my letters may have been affected by the weather glass, the sum total has been uniform. I have hoped or feared; but always in the same spiritthe liberty and happiness of England.

Arlington Street, 11th.

I must unsay a material passage in my letter: Lord Chatham died this morning! I am of opinion that Lord Temple died at the same moment, or had better think he did. We shall have opportunities of seeing whether the mantle of the former is descended upon any body! Lord Shelburne will probably pretend that it was a legacy to him; but, without Lord Chatham's fortune too, a cloak will be of little use. Well! with all his defects, Lord Chatham will be a capital historic figure.‡ France dreaded his crutch to this very moment; but I

day by way of Holland, as you desire. It is a gallant letter, and must give her ladyship a high and just opinion of your generosity and nobleness of mind."-ED.

* Earl Percy first married, in July 1764, Lady Anne Stuart, third daughter of the Earl of Bute; by whom he had no issue, and from whom he was divorced in 1779. In the same year, he married Frances-Julia, third daughter of the late Peter Burrell, Esq., and sister to Lord Gwydir.—ED.

The Earl of Chatham died, at his seat at Hayes, on the 11th of April. He had not quite completed his seventieth year.-ED.

Mr. Burke, in his celebrated speech on American taxation, in alluding to Lord

doubt she does not think that it has left a stick of the wood !—no offence to Mrs. Anne, who, I allow, has great parts, and not less ambition: but Fortune did not treat her as a twin.

Tuesday morning.

Last night the House of Commons voted a funeral and monument to Lord Chatham at the public expense, and the members are to walk at the burial.

LETTER CCLXXXV.

Strawberry Hill, May 31, 1778.

I AM forced to look at the dates I keep of my letters, to see what events I have or have not told you; for at this crisis something happens every day; though nothing very striking since the death of Lord Chatham, with which I closed my last. No?-yes, but there has. All England, which had abandoned him, found out, the moment his eyes were closed, that nothing but Lord Chatham could have preserved them. How lucky for him that the experiment cannot be made! Grief is fond, and grief is generous. The Parliament will bury him; the City bogs the honour of being his grave; and the important question is not yet decided, whether he is to lie at Westminster or in St. Paul's; on which it was well said, that it would be robbing Peter to pay Paul.* An annuity of four thousand pounds is settled on the title of Chatham, and twenty thousand pounds allotted to pay his debts. The Opposition and the Administration disputed zeal and neither care a straw about him. He is already as much forgotten as John of Gaunt.

General Burgoyne has succeeded and been the topic, and for two days engrossed the attention of the House of Commons; and probably will be heard of no more. He was even forgotten for three hours while he was on the tapis, by a violent quarrel between Temple Luttrell, a brother of the Duchess of Cumberland, and Lord George Germain;t but the public has taken affection for neither them nor the Ge

Chatham, describes him as "a great and celebrated name; a name that keeps the name of his country respected in every part of the globe; it may be truly called Clarum et venerabile nomen

Gentibus, et multum nostræ quod proderat urbi."-Ed.

The House had voted, that the remains of Lord Chatham should be interred in the collegiate church of St. Peter's, Westminster; upon which, the Common Council petitioned that they might be deposited in St. Paul's as a mark of their gratitude and veneration.-ED.

† On General Burgoyne's return to England, on his parole, in May, the King refused to see him, and he in vain solicited a court-martial. Under these circumstances, he threw himself upon Parliament, and a motion was made in the House of Commons, on the 26th, for an inquiry into the Convention at Saratoga; which was got rid of by the previous question. Mr. Temple Luttrell, in the course of the de

neral; being much more disposed at present to hate than to loveexcept the dead. It will be well if the ill-humour, which increases, does not break out into overt acts.

I know not what to say of war. The Toulon squadron was certainly blown back. That of Brest is supposed to be destined to invade some part of this country or Ireland; or rather, it is probable, will attempt our fleet. In my opinion, there is no great alacrity in FranceI mean, in the Court of France-for war; and, as we have had time for great preparations, their eagerness will not increase. We shall suffer as much as they can desire by the loss of America, without their risk, and in a few years shall be able to give them no umbrage; especially as our frenzy is still so strong, that, if France left us at quiet, I am persuaded we should totally exhaust ourselves in pursuing the vision of reconquest. Spain continues to disclaim hostility, as you told me. If the report is true of revolts in Mexico, they would be as good as a bond under his Catholic Majesty's hand. The

We shall at least not doze, as we are used to do, in summer. Parliament is to have only short adjournments; and our senators, instead of retiring to horse-races (their plough,) are all turned soldiers, and disciplining militia. Camps every where, and the ladies in the uniform of their husbands! In short, if the dose is not too strong, a little adversity would not be quite unseasonable.-A little! you will cry; why what do you call the loss of America? Oh! my dear sir, do you think a capital as enormous as London has its nerves affected by what happens beyond the Atlantic? What has become of all your reading? There is nothing so unnatural as the feelings of a million of persons who live together in one city. They have not one conception like those in villages and in the country. They presume or despond from quite different motives. They have both more sense and less, than those who are not in contact with a multitude. Wisdom forms empires, but folly dissolves them; and a great capital, which dictates to the rest of the community, is always the last to perceive the decays of the whole, because it takes its own greatness for health.* Lord Holdernesset is dead; not quite so considerable a personage as he once expected to be, though Nature never intended him for any thing that he was. The Chancellor, another child of Fortune, quits the Seals; and they are, or are to be, given to the Attorney-General, Thurlow, whom no body will reproach with want of abilities.

bate, having made a personal attack on Lord George Germain, who replied, that "old as he was, he would meet that fighting gentleman and be revenged," the House interfered; and Mr. Luttrell was about to be taken into the custody of the Sergeant-at-arms, when the affair was got rid of by both parties making an apology to the House, and engaging that the dispute should go no farther.-ED.

* When Constantinople was taken by Mahomet II., the whole empire of the East had been long reduced to the capital itself.

Robert Darcy, last Earl of Holdernesse, had been Ambassador, Secretary of State, and Governor to George Prince of Wales. [Afterwards George IV.] Lord Bathurst resigned his high office in the following month, and in November 1779 was appointed President of the Council. He died in 1794.-ED.