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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 se