letters to his son, 1766-71-第3章
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I was in hopes that your course of waters this year at Baden would have
given you a longer reprieve from your painful complaint。 If I do not
mistake； you carried over with you some of Dr。 Monsey's powders。 Have
you taken any of them； and have they done you any good ？ I know they did
me a great deal。 I； who pretend to some skill in physic； advise a cool
regimen； and cooling medicines。
I do not wonder； that you do wonder； at Lord C…'s conduct。 If he was
not outwitted into his peerage by Lord B； his accepting it is utterly
inexplicable。 The instruments he has chosen for the great office；
I believe； will never fit the same case。 It was cruel to put such a boy
as Lord G… over the head of old Ligonier； and if I had been the former；
I would have refused that commission； during the life of that honest and
brave old general。 All this to quiet the Duke of R to a resignation；
and to make Lord B Lieutenant of Ireland； where； I will venture to
prophesy； that he will not do。 Ligonier was much pressed to give up his
regiment of guards； but would by no means do it； and declared that the
King might break him if he pleased； but that he would certainly not break
himself。
I have no political events to inform you of； they will not be ripe till
the meeting of the parliament。 Immediately upon the receipt of this
letter； write me one； to acquaint me how you are。
God bless you； and； particularly； may He send you health； for that is the
greatest blessing！
LETTER CCXCI
BLACKHEATH； September 30； 1766。
MY DEAR FRIEND： I received； yesterday； with great pleasure； your letter
of the 18th； by which I consider this last ugly bout as over； and； to
prevent its return； I greatly approve of your plan for the south of
France； where I recommend for your principal residence； Pezenas Toulouse；
or Bordeaux； but do not be persuaded to go to Aix en Provence； which； by
experience； I know to be at once the hottest and the coldest place in the
world； from the ardor of the Provencal sun； and the sharpness of the
Alpine winds。 I also earnestly recommend to you； for your complaint upon
your breast； to take； twice a…day； asses' or （what is better mares' milk；
and that for these six months at least。 Mingle turnips； as much as you
can； with your diet。
I have written； as you desired； to Mr。 Secretary Conway； but I will
answer for it that there will be no difficulty to obtain the leave you
ask。
There is no new event in the political world since my last； so God bless
you！
LETTER CCXCII
LONDON； October 29； 7766。
MY DEAR FRIEND： The last mail brought me your letter of the 17th。 I am
glad to hear that your breast is so much better。 You will find both
asses' and mares' milk enough in the south of France； where it was much
drank when I was there。 Guy Patin recommends to a patient to have no
doctor but a horse； and no apothecary but an ass。 As for your pains and
weakness in your limbs； 'je vous en offre autant'； I have never been free
from them since my last rheumatism。 I use my legs as much as I can； and
you should do so too； for disuse makes them worse。 I cannot now use them
long at a time； because of the weakness of old age； but I contrive to
get； by different snatches； at least two hours' walking every day； either
in my garden or within doors； as the weather permits。 I set out to…
morrow for Bath； in hopes of half repairs； for Medea's kettle could not
give me whole ones； the timbers of my wretched vessel are too much
decayed to be fitted out again for use。 I shall see poor Harte there；
who； I am told； is in a miserable way； between some real and some
imaginary distempers。
I send you no political news； for one reason； among others； which is that
I know none。 Great expectations are raised of this session； which meets
the 11th of next month； but of what kind nobody knows； and consequently
everybody conjectures variously。 Lord Chatham comes to town to…morrow
from Bath； where he has been to refit himself for the winter campaign； he
has hitherto but an indifferent set of aides…decamp； and where he will
find better； I do not know。 Charles Townshend and he are already upon
ill terms。 'Enfin je n'y vois goutte'； and so God bless you！
LETTER CCXCIII
BATH； November 15； 1766。
MY DEAR FRIEND： I have this moment received your letter of the 5th
instant from Basle。 I am very glad to find that your breast is relieved；
though perhaps at the expense of your legs： for； if the humor be either
gouty or rheumatic； it had better be in your legs than anywhere else。
I have consulted Moisy； the great physician of this place； upon it； who
says； that at this distance he dares not prescribe anything； as there may
be such different causes for your complaint； which must be well weighed
by a physician upon the spot； that is； in short； that he knows nothing of
the matter。 I will therefore tell you my own case； in 1732； which may be
something parallel to yours。 I had that year been dangerously ill of a
fever in Holland； and when I was recovered of it； the febrific humor fell
into my legs； and swelled them to that degree； and chiefly in the
evening； that it was as painful to me as it was shocking to others。
I came to England with them in this condition； and consulted Mead；
Broxholme； and Arbuthnot； who none of them did me the least good； but；
on the contrary； increased the swelling； by applying poultices and
emollients。 In this condition I remained near six months； till finding
that the doctors could do me no good； I resolved to consult Palmer； the
most eminent surgeon of St。 Thomas's Hospital。 He immediately told me
that the physicians had pursued a very wrong method； as the swelling of
my legs proceeded only from a relaxation and weakness of the cutaneous
vessels； and he must apply strengtheners instead of emollients。
Accordingly； he ordered me to put my legs up to the knees every morning
in brine from the salters； as hot as I could bear it； the brine must have
had meat salted in it。 I did so； and after having thus pickled my legs
for about three weeks； the complaint absolutely ceased； and I have never
had the least swelling in them since。 After what I have said； I must
caution you not to use the same remedy rashly； and without the most
skillful advice you can find； where you are； for if your swelling
proceeds from a gouty； or rheumatic humor； there may be great danger in
applying so powerful an astringent； and perhaps REPELLANT as brine。 So
go piano； and not without the best advice； upon a view of the parts。
I shall direct all my letters to you 'Chez Monsieur Sarraxin'； who by his
trade is； I suppose； 'sedentaire' at Basle； while it is not sure that you
will be at any one place in the south of France。 Do you know that he is
a descendant of the French poet Sarrazin？
Poor Harte； whom I frequently go to see here； out of compassion； is in a
most miserable way； he has had a stroke of the palsy； which has deprived
him of the use of his right leg； affected his speech a good deal； and
perhaps his head a little。 Such are the intermediate tributes that we
are forced to pay； in some shape or other； to our wretched nature； till
we pay the last great one of all。 May you pay this very late； and as few
intermediate tributes as possible； and so 'jubeo te bene valere'。 God
bless you！
LETTER CCXCIV
BATH； December 9； 1766。
MY DEAR FRIEND： I received； two days ago； your letter of the 26th past。
I am very glad that you begin to feel the good effects of the climate
where you are； I know it saved my life； in 1741； when both the skillful
and the unskillful gave me over。 In that ramble I stayed three or four
days at Nimes； where there are more remains of antiquity； I believe； than
in any town in Europe； Italy excepted。 What is falsely called 'la maison
quarree'； is； in my mind； the finest piece of architecture that I ever
saw； and the amphitheater the clumsiest and the ugliest： if it were in
England； everybody would swear it had been built by Sir John Vanbrugh。
This place is now； just what you have seen it formerly； here is a great
crowd of trifling and unknown people； whom I seldom frequent； in the
public rooms； so that I
