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marry for money； and I believe you guess what the women marry for。 God
bless you； and send you health！
LETTER CCXCVI
LONDON； March 3； 1767
MY DEAR FRIEND： Yesterday I received two letters at once from you； both
dated Montpellier； one of the 29th of last December； and the other the
12th of February： but I cannot conceive what became of my letters to you；
for； I assure you； that I answered all yours the next post after I
received them； and； about ten days ago； I wrote you a volunteer； because
you had been so long silent； and I was afraid that you were not well；
but your letter of the 12th of February has removed all my fears upon
that score。 The same climate that has restored your health so far will
probably； in a little more time； restore your strength too； though you
must not expect it to be quite what it was before your late painful
complaints。 At least I find that； since my late great rheumatism；
I cannot walk above half an hour at a time； which I do not place singly
to the account of my years； but chiefly to the great shock given then to
my limbs。 'D'ailleurs' I am pretty well for my age and shattered
constitution。
As I told you in my last； I must tell you again in this； that I have no
news to send。 Lord Chatham； at last； came to town yesterday； full of
gout； and is not able to stir hand or foot。 During his absence； Charles
Townshend has talked of him； and at him； in such a manner； that
henceforward they must be either much worse or much better together than
ever they were in their lives。 On Friday last； Mr。 Dowdeswell and Mr。
Grenville moved to have one shilling in the pound of the land tax taken
off； which was opposed by the Court； but the Court lost it by eighteen。
The Opposition triumph much upon this victory； though； I think； without
reason； for it is plain that all the landed gentlemen bribed themselves
with this shilling in the pound。
The Duke of Buccleugh is very soon to be married to Lady Betty Montague。
Lord Essex was married yesterday； to Harriet Bladen ； and Lord
Strathmore； last week； to Miss Bowes； both couples went directly from the
church to consummation in the country； from an unnecessary fear that they
should not be tired of each other if they stayed in town。 And now
'dixi'； God bless you！
You are in the right to go to see the assembly of the states of；
Languedoc； though they are but the shadow of the original Etats； while
there was some liberty subsisting in France。
LETTER CCXCVII
LONDON； April 6； 1767。
MY DEAR FRIEND： Yesterday I received your letter from Nimes； by which I
find that several of our letters have reciprocally miscarried。 This may
probably have the same fate； however； if it reaches Monsieur Sarrazin； I
presume he will know where to take his aim at you； for I find you are in
motion； and with a polarity to Dresden。 I am very glad to find by it；
that your meridional journey has perfectly recovered you； as to your
general state of health； for as to your legs and thighs； you must never
expect that they will be restored to their original strength and
activity； after so many rheumatic attacks as you have had。 I know that
my limbs； besides the natural debility of old age； have never recovered
the severe attack of rheumatism that plagued me five or six years ago。
I cannot now walk above half an hour at a time and even that in a
hobbling kind of way。
I can give you no account of our political world； which is in a situation
that I never saw in my whole life。 Lord Chatham has been so ill； these
last two months； that he has not been able （some say not willing） to do
or hear of any business； and for his 'sous Ministres'； they either
cannot； or dare not； do any； without his directions； so everything is now
at a stand。 This situation； I think； cannot last much longer； and if
Lord Chatham should either quit his post； or the world； neither of which
is very improbable； I conjecture； that which is called the Rockingham
Connection stands the fairest for the Ministry。 But this is merely my
conjecture； for I have neither 'data' nor 'postulata' enough to reason
upon。
When you get to Dresden； which I hope you will not do till next month；
our correspondence will be more regular。 God bless you！
LETTER CCXCVIII
LONDON； May 5； 1767；
MY DEAR FRIEND： By your letter of the 25th past； from Basle； I presume
this will find you at Dresden； and accordingly I direct to you there。
When you write me word that you are at Dresden； I will return you an
answer； with something better than the answer itself。
If you complain of the weather； north of Besancon； what would you say to
the weather that we have had here for these last two months；
uninterruptedly？ Snow often； northeast wind constantly； and extreme
cold。 I write this by the side of a good fire； and at this moment it
snows very hard。 All my promised fruit at Blackheath is quite destroyed；
and； what is worse； many of my trees。
I cannot help thinking that the King of Poland； the Empress of Russia；
and the King of Prussia； 's'entendent comme larrons en foire'； though the
former must not appear in it upon account of the stupidity； ignorance；
and bigotry of his Poles。 I have a great opinion of the cogency of the
controversial arguments of the Russian troops； in favor of the
Dissidents： I am sure I wish them success； for I would have all
intoleration intolerated in its turn。 We shall soon see more clearly
into this matter； for I do not think that the Autocratrice of all the
Russias will be trifled with by the Sarmatians。
What do you think of the late extraordinary event in Spain？ Could you
have ever imagined that those ignorant Goths would have dared to banish
the Jesuits？ There must have been some very grave and important reasons
for so extraordinary a measure： but what they were I do not pretend to
guess； and perhaps I shall never know； though all the coffeehouses here
do。
Things are here in exactly the same situation； in which they were when I
wrote to you last。 Lord Chatham is still ill； and only goes abroad for
an hour in a day； to take the air； in his coach。 The King has； to my
certain knowledge； sent him repeated messages； desiring him not to be
concerned at his confinement； for that he is resolved to support him；
'pour et contre tous'。 God bless you！
LETTER CCXCIX
LONDON； June 1； 1767。
MY DEAR FRIEND： I received yesterday your letter of the 20th past； from
Dresden； where I am glad to find that you are arrived safe and sound。
This has been everywhere an 'annus mirabilis' for bad weather； and it
continues here still。 Everybody has fires； and their winter clothes；
as at Christmas。 The town is extremely sickly； and sudden deaths have
been very frequent。
I do not know what to say to you upon public matters； things remain in
'statu quo'； and nothing is done。 Great changes are talked of； and；
I believe； will happen soon； perhaps next week； but who is to be changed；
for whom； I do not know； though everybody else does。 I am apt to think
that it will be a mosaic Ministry； made up 'de pieces rapportees' from
different connections。
Last Friday I sent your subsidy to Mr。 Larpent； who； I suppose； has given
you notice of it。 I believe it will come very seasonably； as all places；
both foreign and domestic； are so far in arrears。 They talk of paying
you all up to Christmas。 The King's inferior servants are almost
starving。
I suppose you have already heard； at Dresden； that Count Bruhl is either
actually married； or very soon to be so； to Lady Egremont。 She has；
together with her salary as Lady of the Bed…chamber； L2；500 a year；
besides ten thousand pounds in money left her； at her own disposal； by
Lord Egremont。 All this will sound great 'en ecus d'Allemagne'。 I am
glad of it； for he is a very pretty man。 God bless you！
I easily conceive why Orloff influences the Empress of all the Russias；
but I cannot see why the King of Prussia should be influenced by that
motive。
LETTER CCC
BLACKHEATH； JULY 2； 1767。
MY DEAR FRIEND： Though I have had no letter from you since my last； and
though I have no political news to inform you of； I write this to
acquaint you with a piece of Greenwich news； which I believe you will be
very glad of； I am sure I am。 Know then that your friend Miss … was
happily married； three days ago； to Mr。 …； an Irish gentleman；
and a member of that parliament； with an estate of above L2；000 a…year。
He settles upon her L600 jointure； and in case they have no children；
L1；500。 He happened to be by chance in her company one day here； and was
at once shot dead by her charms； but as dead men sometimes walk； he
walked to her the next morning； and tendered her his person and his
fortune； both which； taking the one with the other； she very prudently
accepted； for his person is sixty years old。
Ministerial affairs are still in the same ridiculous and doubtful
situation as when I wrote to you last。 Lord Chatham will neither hear
of； nor do any business； but lives at Hampstead； and rides about the
heath。 His gout is said to be fallen upon his nerves。 Your provincial
secretary； Conway； quits this week； and returns to the army； for which