4

a victim of ennui as himself, and as little skilful in employing my time to my satisfaction. Perhaps, therefore, he thought he did me a favour in keeping me waiting two hours (which I call paying my rent), before he vouchsafed to see me; considering, I apprehend, that his room was very clean, and that the room which I inhabit is very dirty; but not considering at the same time that I have convened in that dirty room a most illustrious and instructive company, with which his Grace, unhappily for himself, is so utterly unacquainted, that he cannot be entertained with them, but by which, if I do not profit, I can be very much amused.

Then he scarcely ever fails to offend my feelings. There was a tenderness in your letter about Mie Mie, and the little flannel petticoat which had covered her elegant proportions, and had done you good, with which he ought to have been pleased, but which he treated with a pish or a damn. I do not know what he may do from whim, or from not knowing what else to do, but I cannot conceive he will do much from sentiment or rectitude. Surely, sir, when you conceived so much friendship for him, which continues now from habitude, the man (if I ought to call him so, first on account of his great nobility, and secondly on account of his no less frivolity) must have been very different from what I have ever seen him. But, however, be he as

he may, I am sure he loves you as much or more than he does anybody, and therefore you ought to continue to love him, and I hope will forgive me when I blurt out, in my blunt way, anything which I think I see improper in him, and which at present may arise as much from a pride in myself which may not become me, as from zeal

to you.

But, having entered into a nonsensical detail that had better been left alone, I must say in my justification, that had he had any person of consequence with him (wanting as he did to speak with me, and going out of town to-morrow morning), I should have thought nothing of it, and not have called it paying my rent. I would then have waited twice two hours willingly, but for whom in the world do you think that I was kept so long kicking my heels? Why, sir, for no less than a couple of right rascally upholsterers, with whom he was chaffering about a paper at a groat a yard! And now have I cause or not? You are a righteous judge; and I, to be righteous, must not omit, that he expressed his pleasure at your being better with a very laudable emphasis. I was glad, too, to find that he applauded, as he did very warmly, your philosophic determination with regard to the devoted city, and bid me tell you so. So much for the most noble and puissant prince my landlord.

We had firing of guns this morning, which

VOL. IV.

2 A

made us all alert, and arrested our ears to receive some notable piece of news; but behold, it was only either for a review, or for the Queen's having given us an addition to the royal nursery, I have not thought it of significance enough to inquire which. I cannot very clearly recollect what I said to you on Thursday night, being rather obfuscated, but I believe it was something discrediting a report that we should be safe in the West Indies, in which I was wrong. I am now very circumstantially informed, that we shall certainly be safe there, at least for this year, for that both the French and Spaniards are leaving them. The French have a valuable fleet, which is to be conveyed home by twenty sail of the line. Stocks yesterday were not fallen above three quarters per cent., notwithstanding our late loss.

Neighbour Charles did not (as he said he would when I left him on Thursday night) eat a bit of tart and go to bed. He must walk out forsooth, and so fell down in Bond Street, but did not hurt himself. But these tales out of school are only to

you..

I beg to be kindly remembered to the little Queen, Mrs. Webb, and Brother Barry.

THE REV. DR. WARNER TO GEORGE SELWYN.

DEAR SIR,

# 28th August [1780].

I AM just coming from dining in Fleet Street with little Harry Hoare (our fat friend is in Wiltshire), and when the broker clerk came in, he told us that the news in the Alley was, that we had lost twelve sail of the Quebec fleet. There is a report, too, of our having lost three armed ships; but I hope it is all Alley news only. However, though little Harry's claret is very good (as he deals with Brown and Whiteford), yet it made me low, and I came home in the dumps. But when I had groped out my tinder-box and struck a light, and found what a lumping pennyworth I had from you, in a letter of three sheets, I was so highly pleased and flattered, that I would not believe a word of the bad news.

I wish I had any good news to give you. You give me good tidings in saying that your pains abate, and gratify me much by the domestic detail; but I could almost wish, though your garden is in such good order, that you had gone anywhere this summer rather than to Matson, that you might not have been harassed, baited, and tormented to give in to the views of private pique and resentment, coloured

over with a plausible appearance of friendship to you, and perhaps believed to be really so. It is impossible that your not being elected can make any difference in your wisest and best views: but if once vous donnez dedans, it will immediately make a great difference in your peace, and eventually, whether you are elected or not (as I should suppose Government had not, at present, money to make experiments with), a great difference in your purse. Purse and peace are two things you should cherish. To a third postulate we say nothing, as at a certain age it is not worth talking about; and so my brother Barry will find out one of these days, though he is just going to be married.

Neighbour Charles went to Frognal on Saturday, and was to come home to-night; we are to dine with him on Friday with the Crespignys, &c. I did not forget to make your compliments to Phil. It is whimsical enough, they have always been a good Whig family, but Phil, being King's Proctor, has, from thinking it decent I suppose, so talked himself into Toryism, that I tell him if he goes on much longer, I fear he will come to believe it. I'll tell you what, sir; as to that canting, potbellied Justice, I despise his canting as much as any body; but if to be pot-bellied be a sin, God help the wicked, say I. I know there are people who think it would not have signified much if he had been carried off by the press-gang which once