Winchester, Sept. 21, 1762.

My Lord,

< Sunday's poft brought me your Lordfhip's of the 17th, and by the return of < it this waits on your Lordship.

You are pleased to say that it is my • own declaration before men of truth and honour that I occafionally assisted the paper called the North Briton. I wish < your Lordship had been more explicit, ⚫ and had mentioned the name of any one gentleman before whom I made that declaration. Was it made in public? or was it in private converfation? Still I • have the misfortune of not yet seeing your Lordship's right of putting the queftion to me about the paper of the 21st of Auguft, and 'till I do, I will ⚫ never resolve your Lordship on that head, though I would any friend I have in the world, who had the curiofity of asking me, if it was in a civil manner.

6

Your Lordship fays that if I do not deny the paper, you must and will con

clude I wrote it. Your Lordship has my free confent to make any conclufions < you think proper, whether they are well

6

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or ill grounded; and I feel the most

perfect indifference about what they are, 6 or the confequences of them.

⚫ I intend at present to make a tour on Thursday to the Ifle of Wight. I fhall return to this city the beginning of the

' next week.'

I am, my Lord,

Your Lordship's

• Lord Talbot by your message has at laft brought this most important queftion to the precise point, where my firft anfwer to his Lordship fixed it, if he preferred that. As you have only seen the two laft letters, I muft entreat you to

caft your eye over those preceding, because I apprehend they will juftify an obfervation or two I made this morning, < when I had the honour of paying my compliments to you at camp.

• Be affured that if I am between heaven • and earth, I will be on Tuesday evening at Tilbury's the Red Lion at Bagshot, and on Wednesday morning will play ⚫ this duet with his Lordship.

It is a real fatisfaction to me that his Lordship is to be accompanied by a gentleman of Colonel Berkeley's worth and ⚫ honour.

This will be delivered to you by my adjutant, who attends me to Bagfhot. I shall not bring any fervant with me, from the fear of any of the parties being 'known. My piftols only, or his Lordfhip's, at his option, fhall decide this

• point.

I beg the favour of you to return me the letters, as I inean to leave Winchef

<ter this evening. I have Lord Bruce's • leave of abfence for ten days.'

I am, with sincere regard, Sir,

Your very humble fervant,

JOHN WILKES.

I hope that we may make a partie quarrée for fupper on Tuesday at Bagshot.

Directed to

Colonel Berkeley.

SIR,

I have read all the letters and shall depend upon the pleasure of fupping with you at Tilbury's the Red Lion at Bagshot Tuesday evening. My fervant will attend me, as the going alone would give room for fufpicion, but you may depend upon his following your direction at Bagfhot, and that he fhall not be feen where you would not have him-I

am much obliged by your favourable

opinion, and am,

• Your very humble fervant,

Camp near Winchester,

Sept. 30, 1762.

N. BERKELEY.

• Inclosed is the copy of a letter received by Mr. Stanley this afternoon. [It related to the taking the Havannah.] Directed to

Colonel Wilkes.

[To these letters we shall fubjoin the following paper, as it alfo relates to the North Briton.]

To EARL TEMPLF, Oct. 5, 1762.

Red Lion at Bagfhot, Tuesday, ten at night,

MY LORD,

"I had the honour of tranfmitting to your Lordship copies of feven letters, which paffed between Lord Talbot and me. As the affair is now over, I enclose an original letter of Col. Berkeley's, with