because you have more faith in my intelligence; yet all its merit consists in my not telling you fables. I hear no more than everybody does, but I send you only what is sterling; or, at least, give you reports for no more than they are worth. I believe Sir John Dick is much more punctual, and hears more; but, till you displace me, I shall execute my office of being your gazetteer.

LETTER CCLXXXVI.

Strawberry Hill, June 16, 1778.

As I have just received yours of May 30th, I will begin to answer it, though I wrote to you on the first of this month, and think I shall not have enough additional to fill a whole letter yet.

The public imagined there would have been some changes on the rising of the Parliament; but they began and ended in the Law, and with bestowing the three vacant Garters. The Toulon squadron is certainly gone to America; if to Boston, it is possible

* The rumour of changes in the Administration is thus adverted to in a letter from James Hare, Esq., to George Selwyn, of the 27th of June: 66 A great part of the Opposition have certainly had offers of coming in, but not on terms that they like. Charles [Fox] eats and drinks and talks, and, though he never loses sight of the Treasury, confesses it is rather a distant prospect at present. I do think it does him, or ought to do him, great credit, that under all his distresses he never thinks of accepting place on terms that are in the least degree disreputable; and I assure you, upon my honour, that he has had very flattering offers made him more than once of late, and has never for a moment hesitated about rejecting them." Selwyn Correspondence, vol. iii. P. 292.-ED.

with the immediate view only of getting sailors and two ships that are building there for France. If they can resist the temptation of burning Halifax, attacking Lord Howe, or the West Indies, they are as great philosophers as Sir William Howe, who has twice gazed at General Washington. The last account from that quarter had a little spirit in it; they have burnt above forty American sloops and fry in the Delaware. For these last days there have been rumours of disposition in the Americans to treat; but they do not gain much credit. Admiral Byron is sailed to America, and Admiral Keppel is at sea. At home we are spread with camps. This is all that amounts to facts, or to the eggs of facts.

Sir William Howe is
As the Parliament is

expected in a week or ten days. not sitting, that topic may be suspended. Next we are to await the news of the reception of the Commissioners;* perhaps, their return. It would be easy

* The following interesting account of the treatment of the Commissioners by Congress, on their arrival at Philadelphia, is contained in a letter from the Earl of Carlisle to George Selwyn, dated Wednesday, June 10th: "We arrived at this place after a voyage of six weeks, on Saturday last, and found everything here in great confusion; the army upon the point of leaving the town, and about three thousand of the miserable inhabitants embarked on board our ships to convey them from a place where they conceive they would receive no mercy from those who will take possession after us, to follow the army, and starve when we can no longer continue to feed them. Our letters are sent to Congress this morning. We have thought fit to bring forward at once all the powers delegated to us.-I am lodged in one of the best houses in the town; and, indeed, it is a very excellent one, perfectly well furnished. I am not, I own, quite at my ease; for coming into a gentleman's house without asking his leave, taking possession of all the best apartments, and placing a couple of sentries at the door, using his plate, &c. &c. are very repugnant to my disposition.

to dilate reflections on all this suspense; but I do not write to display my sagacity, but to inform you.

The meteor of the reading world is dead, Voltaire.* That throne is quite vacant. We shall see whether his old friend of Prussia+ maintains that of war, or cedes it to a young Cæsar. He seems to me to be aiming at a more artful crown—that of policy; and, in all probability, will attain it; at least, I am not much prejudiced yet in favour of his competitor. It is from beyond the Atlantic that the world, perhaps, will see a genius revive. They seem to set out with a politeness with which few empires have commenced. We have not shown ourselves quite so civilized. We hectored and called names, talked fire and sword, but have made more use of the first than of the second. Our Generals beg to be tried, and our Ministers not to be tried. This does not sound well when trans

I make him and his wife a visit every day; talk politics with them; and we are the best friends in the world. They are very agreeable, sensible people, and you never would be out of their company.-I have this morning, at five o'clock, been taking a ride into the country, about ten miles; grieved am I to say, eight miles beyond our possessions. Our lines extend only two, and the provincial army is posted very strongly about six and twenty miles distant. We have had no answer from the Congress. They may send us one to New York; for which place we must instantly embark. Things go ill, and will not go better. We have done our duty; so we ought not to be involved with those who have lost this country." Selwyn Correspondence, vol. iii. p. 280.-ED.

* In consequence of the refusal of the Archbishop of Paris to allow Voltaire Christian sepulture, his body, after being embalmed, was interred in the Benedictine Abbey of Scellières, in the diocese of Troyes; whence it was brought in 1791, by a decree of the National Assembly, and interred at St. Généviève.-ED.

+ Frederick III.

The Emperor Joseph II.

lated into other languages. For my part, who hold that Chance has much more to do in the affairs of the world than Wisdom, I wait to see what the first will ordain. This belief is a sovereign preservative against despondency. There have been very gloomy moments in my life; but experience has shown me, either that events do not correspond to appearances, or that I have very little shrewdness; and, therefore, I can resign the honour of my penetration with satisfaction, when my foresight augurs ill. If Lord Chatham knew that he should conquer the world, or Dr. Franklin that he should reduce us lower than Lord Chatham found us, I should respect their penetration indeed! But, without detracting from their spirit or abilities, I do not believe the first expected half the success he met with, or the latter half the incapacity that has been exerted against, and, consequently, for him.

LETTER CCLXXXVII.

Strawberry Hill, July 7, 1778. You tell me in yours of the 23rd of last month, which I received to-day, that my letters are necessary to your tranquillity. That is sufficient to make me write, though I have nothing very positive to tell you. I did not mention Admiral Keppel's skirmish with and capture of two frigates of the Brest squadron ;*

* La Licorne and La Belle Poule. From papers taken on board these frigates, Admiral Keppel found to his astonishment, that the

not because I thought it trifling, but concluding it would produce immediate declaration of war; and, for the fact itself, I knew both our papers and the French would anticipate me. Indeed, Sir John Dick has talked to me so much of his frequency and punctuality with you, that I might have concluded he would not neglect so public an event; not that I trust to anybody else for sending you intelligence.

No Declaration has followed on either side. I, who know nothing but what everybody knows, am disposed to hope that both nations are grown rational; that is, humane enough to dislike carnage. Both Kings are pacific by nature, and the voice of Europe now prefers legislators to heroes, which is but a name for destroyers of their species.

It is true, we are threatened with invasion. You ask me why I seem to apprehend less than formerly? For many reasons. In the first place, I am above thirty years older. Can one fear anything in the dregs of life as at the beginning? Experience, too, has taught me that nothing happens in proportion to our conceptions. I have learnt, too, exceedingly to undervalue human policy. Chance and folly counteract most of its wisdom. From the Mémoires de Noailles I have learnt, that, between the years 1740 and 1750, when I,-ay, and my Lord Chesterfield too,-had such gloomy thoughts, France was trembling with dread of us. These are ge

French had thirty-two sail of the line, besides ten or twelve frigates, in Brest Roads. He also found written orders "not to molest that useful navigator, Captain Cook, on any account whatever."-ED.