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to struggle through, to be of much consequence: and you see we have not as yet sent a man to America of late, nor can get a thousand. In short, what I would not mention but by your own courier, nothing can be more deplorable than our prospect. It was but yesterday Lord North could tell the House he had got the money on the loan, and is happy to get it under eight per cent. Then the new taxes are to come, and new discontent; the ill-humour certainly rises very little in proportion to the distresses; yet even that has a bad cause-the indifference and dissipation of the whole country. I fear it must be some great blow that will rouse us. I doubt whether the French will think of Minorca. Our greatest felicity is, that they seem to have thought as little as we. Is it credible that they should have attempted nothing? The war hitherto has been a war of privateering, in which France has suffered most. In one word, the backwardness of Spain has saved us. Their junction with France had given the finishing blow.

This is but a sketch, and as much as I have time to tell you. I do not say so much, nor any thing to your nephew that might give him an impression that might recoil on you. Indeed, I do but look on and lament the fall of England. Easy I am so far, that the ill-success of the American war has saved us from slavery-in truth, I am content that liberty will exist any where, and amongst Englishmen, even 'cross the Atlantic. The Scots, who planned our chains, have, as formerly, given the Court some heart-aches, and would be the first to give more if the tide should turn. I think the King will support Sandwich still; though the load on him is heavy. Admiral Keppel has behaved with much decency, and more temper than could be expected. There was more riot on Saturday, when he dined in the City, and much fracture of windows; but it is generally believed that the Court hired the mob, to make the other side sick of rejoicing. The Admiral has declined another dinner, with the West India merchants, to prevent more tumult; and, now St. Lucia is taken, I believe they are glad to be rid of him.

This is enough for a comment on my late letters. You know, I never shift my principles with times. The times, alas! have shifted their principles; but I am interrupted, and must seal my letter, lest it be too late.

"I cannot," said the Admiral, in his letter to the chairman of the West India Company, in which he declined this invitation, "but be proud of the demonstrations of joy so generally expressed; yet I should feel myself much reprehensible, if I afforded a pretence to any to say that I encouraged any excesses at a late hour of the night, which tend to alarm and disturb the quiet of the town; and I can truly say that I did all in my power to prevent the last instance of it."-ED.

"Manners with fortunes, humours turn with climes,

Tenets with books, and principles with times."-POPE.

LETTER CCCI.

Arlington Street, March 9th, 1779. THERE has been a moment in which the scales have been more equally balanced than for some years; but the fluctuation has not lasted a week. On Wednesday, the Opposition in the House of Commons mounted to 170, and the Majority sunk to 34. Yesterday, though the former mustered four more votes, the Administration rejected the motion by a majority of 72. The questions both days related to the Fleet. Yesterday Admiral Keppel and Lord Howe declared they could not serve under the present Ministers; yet I think the latter will stand their ground, even to Lord Sandwich, though the general opinion is that he will have the Seals, which Lord Suffolk's death has vacated.† He died at the Bath on Saturday, whither he was but just arrived in a desperate state. His death is no blow but to his family. Seldom was he able to do any business; and had no talents when he could.

While I am writing to you, I am wishing for some member of the House of Commons to come in, to give me an account of your nephew; for one of the morning papers says he spoke yesterday for the Court; and, though I am persuaded well, I want to be told so; and, as I dine abroad, I am at least as eager to be able to tell you so, and am afraid of not knowing it in time. I did write to you by your courier, but believe he did not set out by some days so soon as I expected; however, he must arrive before this.

We have, undoubtedly, made a great number of French prises; and D'Estaing, in particular, has made a woful figure. They say at Paris, that, if ever he is Marshal of France, "au moins son bâton ne sera pas du bois de Sainte Lucie." There do not seem to spring many heroes out of this war on either side. Fame has shut her temple, too, in Germany yet I think both the Emperor and King of Prussia have some claim on history; the latter by clipping Cæsar's soaring wings, and Cæsar by having kept so old and so able a professor at bay for a whole campaign. Still the professor has carried a great point by having linked his interests with those of the Empire. The gratitude of those princes might soon wear out; but it is their interest to maintain a great, though new, power, that can balance the House of Austria.

We have no private news of any sort. As, by your desire, I write more frequently than formerly, you must be content with shorter letters; for distance and absence deprive us of the little incidents of com

* Both the motions were made by Mr. Fox. The first was a motion of censure on the Admiralty, in sending out Admiral Keppel with too small a force; the second related to the state of the navy on the breaking out of the war with France. The first division was a most unusual one on the side of the minority. During the debate, Lord North is said to have showed a degree of passion and vehemence not at all customary with him.-ED.

The vacancy occasioned by the death of the Earl of Suffolk was not filled up till October; when Lord Stormont was appointed one of the principal Secretaries of State.-ED.

mon correspondence. I am forced to write to you of such events only as one would write to posterity. One cannot say, "I dined with such a person yesterday," when the letter is to be a fortnight on the road; still less when you know nothing of my Lord or Mr. Such-anone, whom I should mention.

Your, nephew desired me to give him a list of pamphlets for you; I told him, as is true, 'that there is scarcely any such thing. The pamphleteers now vent themselves in quotidian letters in the newspapers. Formerly you know, there were only weekly essays in a Fog's Journal or Craftsman at present every morning paper has one page of political invective at least, and so coarse, that they would be as sour as vinegar before they reached Florence: you would cross yourself at reading them.

I asked you about a report of Lord Maynard's sudden death. We know it was false, and that his wife, who has always some fascinating power, has established herself at the Court of Naples, by dispensing James's. They say she is universally visited, except by those English prudes, the Countesses of Berkeley and Orford. I should not wonder if the former was to dethrone Lady Maynard by distributing Keyser's pills.*

P.S. I kept my letter open to the last minute, and am now vexed to tell you that the Public Advertiser misled me. Your nephew did speak yesterday and very well; but not for the Administration. It surprises me much; for the last time I saw him, not a fortnight ago, his language was very different, as it was before Christmas; and I told you how much I encouraged him in those sentiments on your account; not that I think any man could be so unjust as to impute his deviations to you, who would be the last man upon earth to instil opposition into him. I hope he has no such intention, and that this sally will have no suite. It would be impossible for me, and so out of character that it would have no weight, to argue with him, when I have ever so totally condemned the American war, which has undone us; but I shall entreat him not to frequent the House, and to return to you, rather than to act a part that would be unpleasing to you. I think if, in your gentle way, you lamented yourself to him, his congenial nature would be more struck than even if he had not acted contrary to your wishes. I have not time to say a word more -but do not torment yourself. Trust to your own merit; and, if your modesty is too great for that, call in philosophy, that is a real comforter when coupled with the consciousness of having done our duty.

*For the cure of a disgusting disease.

Though Sir Horace Mann, the younger, had voted against Mr. Fox's motion on the third instant, for a censure on the conduct of the Admiralty, he said he felt him. self bound to give his full assent to an inquiry into the state of the Navy; seeing that the facts stated in the motion were matters of public notoriety, as well known without the house as within.-ED.

LETTER CCCII.

Arlington Street, March 22, 1779.

If your representative dignity is impaired westward, you may add to your eastern titles those of "Rose of India" and "Pearl of Pondicherry." The latter gem is now set in one of the vacant sockets of the British diadem.

I have nothing to subjoin to this high-flown paragraph, that will at all keep pace with the majesty of it. I should have left to the gazette to wish you joy, nor have begun a new letter without more materials, if I did not fear you would be still uneasy about your nephew. I hear he has, since his parenthesis, voted again with the Court;† therefore he has probably not taken a new part, but only made a Pindaric transition on a particular question. I have seen him but twice since his arrival, and from both those visits I had no reason to expect he would act differently from what you wished. Perhaps it may never happen again. I go so little into the world, that I don't at all know what company he frequents. He talked so reasonably and tenderly with regard to you, that I shall be much deceived if he often gives you any inquietude.

The place of Secretary of State is not replenished yet. Several different successors have been talked of. At least, at present, there is little chance of its being supplied by the Opposition. Their numbers have fallen off again, though they are more alert than they used to be. I do not love to foretell, because no Elijah left me his mantle, in which it seems the gift of prophecy resides; and, if I see clouds gathering, I less care to announce their contents to foreign post-offices. On the other hand, it is no secret, nor one to disguise if it were, that the French trade must suffer immensely by our captures. Private news I know none. The Bishops are trying to put a stop to one staple commodity of that kind, Adultery. I do not suppose *After a most gallant defence by M. de Bellecombe, Pondicherry capitulated to the conjunct British forces under the command of Major-General Monroe and Sir Edward Vernon, on the 17th of October, 1778.-ED.

†This was on Mr. Dunning's motion, on the 15th, condemnatory of the Board of Admiralty, in so immediately directing a court-martial upon Admiral Keppel. In the course of this debate Mr. Fox declared, "that the man, the Earl of Sandwich (he named him,) who deprived the country of two of her bravest Admirals, Keppel and Howe, was a greater traitor to the nation than the man who, last year, set fire to the dock-yards."-ED.

The object of this bill was to discourage the crime of adultery, by fixing a brand of infamy on the adulteress, that might operate as a terror upon the mind. It was introduced by Dr. Shute Barrington, Bishop of Llandaff; who stated, that as many divorces had occurred in the seventeen years of his Majesty's reign, as had taken place during the whole recorded history of the country. The bill passed the Lords, but was strongly opposed in the Commons by Mr. Fox, and thrown out by a majority of 51 against 40. In announcing the result to George Selwyn, Mr. Hare thus writes, "Charles Fox made a very fine speech, abounding in excellent morality. We are all beggars at Brookes's, and he threatens to leave the house, as it yields him no profit."-ED.

VOL. II.-9

that they expect to lessen it; but, to be sure, it was grown to a sauciness that did call for a decenter veil. I do not think they have found out a good cure; and I am of opinion, too, that flagrancy proceeds from national depravity, which tinkering one branch will not remedy. Perhaps polished manners are a better proof of virtue in an age than of vice, though system-makers do not hold so: at least, decency has seldom been the symptom of a sinking nation.

When one talks on general themes, it is a sign of having little to say. It is not that there is a dearth of topics; but I only profess sending you information on events that really have happened, to guide you towards forming a judgment. At home, we are fed with magnificent hopes and promises that are never realized. For instance, to prove discord in America, Monsieur de la Fayette was said to rail at the Congress, and their whole system and transactions. There is just published an intercourse between them that exhibits enthusiasm in him towards their cause, and the highest esteem for him on their side. For my part, I see as little chance of recovering America as of re-conquering the Holy Land.t Still I do not amuse you with visions on either side, but tell you nakedly what advantage has been gained or lost. This caution abbreviates my letters; but, in general, you can depend on what I tell you. Adieu!

Tuesday 24th.

I hear this moment that an account is come this morning of D'Estaing with sixteen ships being blocked up by Byron at Martinico, and that Rowley with eight more was expected by the latter in a day or two. D'Estaing, it is supposed, will be starved to surrender, and the island too. I do not answer for this intelligence or consequences; but, if the first is believed, you may be sure the rest

is.

*The Marquis de la Fayette arrived in Paris, from America, in February. Speaking of the return of the Marquis, Mr. Cooper, in a letter to Dr. Franklin, says, "He will do me the honour to be the bearer of this letter. This young nobleman has done honour to his nation, as well as himself, by the manner in which he has served these States. His intrepidity and alertness in the field are highly dis tinguished. His prudence and good temper are equally remarkable. He is highly esteemed and beloved in Congress, in the army, and through the States; and though we are not without parties, and his situation has been sometimes very delicate, I have never heard that he has made a single enemy. He has gone through great fatigues, he has faced uncommon dangers, he has bled for our country, and leaves it, as far as I am able to find, with universal applause.”—ED.

In answer to a proposition for quitting the alliance with France, Dr. Franklin had, on the 3rd of February, thus written to David Hartley, "There does not ap pear any more necessity for dissolving an alliance with France, before you can treat with us, than there would of dissolving your alliance with Holland, or your union with Scotland, before we could treat with you! Thanks to God, we have long since settled all the account in your own minds: we know the worst you can do to us, if you have your wish, is, to confiscate our estates and take our lives, to rob and murder us; and this we have shown we are ready to hazard, rather than come again under your detested government."—ED.

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