THE REV. DR. WARNER TO GEORGE SELWYN. June 3 [1779]. DEAR SIR, YOUR relief must come from yourself, and from your own resolution, if you have any left, or I fear that it will never come. If my going to Milan, or going anywhere, would serve you, I would joyfully go directly; but, alas! that could signify nothing, as you have an abler agent there already. The duke, notwithstanding his clear and positive opinion that his writing to her cannot serve your interest, would, I am sure, send any letters you would wish; and you have but to dictate. You may be sure that I did not read him a scrap of your last letters; they were not fit. But as you hung much upon the subject of his writing, I thought I should not be just to you if I did not propose it. But, dear sir, be not unjust to him. He still loves you very much, because his heart is not estranged and totally absorbed by another object. But if you continue in this dereliction of yourself, what must be expected? What can be expected from him,-from Lord Carlisle,— from everybody who has delighted in your friendship and society, whilst you were theirs and your own. You remember Lord Nugent's epigram, which runs, I think, somewhat in this way We loved thee, amiable and kind, And plighted an eternal vow; 'Twere perjury to love thee now. This really, sir, is the way you are travelling, as I think it my duty to tell you, lest you should not suspect it yourself. Heaven guide you into a better path! But I doubt (and it is a doubt accompanied by grief and affright) that you are too far gone to turn. A Spanish war and an insurrection in Ireland! Nothing goes well either public or private. [The state of Ireland at this period; the increase of secret armed associations throughout that country; the "non-importation agreement" set on foot in Dublin, Cork, Kilkenny, and other places; as well as the success which attended the intrigues of the American agents, in their endeavours to stir up an inflammable and oppressed people, were sufficient to justify the alarm of the Ministry and the people at large, and to threaten to add the misfortune of a civil war in Ireland to the hazardous and momentous contests with which England was already engaged in with France, Spain, and America.] THE EARL OF CARLISLE TO GEORGE SELWYN. MY DEAR GEORGE, London, June 8th, 1779. I AM writing to you from the table of the House of Lords, for which reason you must expect nothing very lively, but, on the contrary, that this letter will participate of that dulness, too much incident to Houses of Parliament. The town begins to thin, though Parliament is still sitting; but the weather, and the militia camps, which are now formed, carry many people out of town. Our departure depends a little upon (what is not the best thing to depend upon) the decision of Lord North, who must make his arrangements soon, if he intends to make them. Jack Townshend meets with more success at Cambridge than was expected, but I have no idea that Administration can be beat where there are so many parsons. Charles [Fox] is sanguine, but that he sometimes is when reason and cool sense cannot support him. * Your last letter was written in bad spirits, and I assure you mine are affected by it, for I much fear that you are destined to remain at Paris for some time. This is a subject which I never touch * Mr. Townshend was returned for the University of Cambridge in 1780, and sat till 1784, when he was turned out by Mr. Pitt. upon when I can avoid it, and must submit, with your other friends, to the most extraordinary misfortune that ever occurred in the history of man. I know nothing more of Hare's business, but collect from the Fish that he has a promise, though Lord North has not said a word to me upon the subject. The children are all in perfect health. I wish them out of town, for the weather has become very hot, and consequently not very healthy. George has taken, in a most extraordinary manner, to drawing, and is never happy without a pencil in his hand. Lord Cholmondeley* had nearly broken his leg by leaping out of his chaise, but is better. I am, my dear George, Yours, &c. MISS MARY TOWNSHEND TO GEORGE SELWYN. June 9 [1779]. DEAR SIR, Ir is a shame to be two letters in your debt, but Charles undertook to write to you last mail. Mrs Norris,† within this week, was married to Mr. Fauquier, whom you may remember to have * George James, first Marquis of Cholmondeley, died April 10, 1827. + See ante, May 17, 1779. Thomas Fauquier, Esq. He held an appointment in the formerly seen at Holland House, acting and singing catches in their troop. Lord Cornwallis was set out for Portsmouth before I received Monsieur de la Fayette's compliments for him, but I sent them to his aide-de-camp, to take their chance of his not being sailed: they shall be repeated in the next letters to America. Has he talked of his ingenious challenge to Lord C.? My I have no objection to the royal family being toujours gai at Compiegne; but I will excuse the military from visiting us at Frognal. However, the appearance of the Middlesex Militia company in Foots' Cray, at a tallow-chandler's shop, laughing ready to kill themselves at the sheep-shearing, has cured me of all fears of the Mounseers. brother is gone to Cambridge to vote for Jack T. [Townshend], who is candidate to replace Lord Granby, now Duke of Rutland. People seem to think he has a chance in the University. The late Duke has left an estate of 5,400l. to his natural son, to pay 800l. to Mrs. Drake, his mother, for her life, which is the only provision made for her, except the house at Knightsbridge, which appears in the will. Mr. Manners, his grandson,† royal household, and died within the last few years at his apartments in Hampton Court Palace. * Lord Carlisle. See ante, vol. ii. p. 134. + Robert, second son of the celebrated Marquis of Granby. He commanded the "Resolution" in Lord Rodney's celebrated action in the West Indies in 1782, in which engagement he was mortally wounded. |